Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v10

56 Chap. 32. .r1ys Expojition upon the Book,,of o B. Verf. $. more the Callingof Kings and Supreame /vlogifirates. It was fail Tu regere im to Imperiali Rome ;Doe thou remember to Rule'Nations andKing_ peno populos domes, let there ke thy arts ; This Art the Spirit of the Lord gave Homane me- Saul , evenknowledge and skill to rule and govern:: ; y: a he mento;Ht t'1). i. had agift of Illumination, not only for government but for pro- for arses- -- h..fe he was found among(} the Pro h is and when (v. 1 a t i I It'h ) they asked ( wondering) Is Saul alfo among}, the Prophets ; As if they had-faid, Hów lirange and unheard of a thing is this, that Saul ihóuld be furnished with the gift of prophecy, and joyne himfelfe with the Prophets ? They who before were acquainted with his perfon and manner of education, were even amazed at the fight ; And while they were furprized with this amazement, one of thefame place ( as it feemes wilier then the refs) Anfsvered and faid, but who is theirfather ? (ver. ta.) That's the fpeciall word, for which I- alledge this text: ,What ? Saul among the Pro - phets l is it not ftranne_that he fhouldbe Infpired ! Thenone 4n- fwered andfaid, who is theirfather ? As ifhe had fail -, Doe not "any longer Randwondering at this thing, but confider who is the father of Saul as a Prophet, as alto the father of all thefe-Pro- phets. Saul was the fonof KO fh as to natural( defcenr, but he had another father as he was »a Prophet; and fo all thefe Prophets, had (befides theit Fathers as men) one and the fame father as Prophets. Therefore wonder not, that ye heare Saul prophecy- ing, for all thefe whomye heare and fee prophecying, have not thefe gifts by birth from men, nor by induiry from themfelves, but fromGod who is a free agent, and infpireth whom he plea- feth. The, fame God who, by infpiration, bath freely beftowed thofe gifts upon the other Prophets, bath alto infpired Saidwith a gift of prophecy. The-Spirit of God is his father (in that capa- city) as well as tine father of thefe other Pxop:hers. Andhence that Scripture runs in the plurali number, who is their father ? linleffe God give power from above, theunderfianding isdarke, the memory unfaithful!, the tongue aammering ; It is light from on high that teacheth the skill ofprophecy. Solomon had the g -ea- . -teft meafure of underflanding of anymeere man lince the fall of -man, and-ofhim it» is faid, (I Kings 4. 29,) Godgave Solomon avifdomeand underflanding exceeding much, and largeneffeofheart, .evenas the fand that is on thefea-fhore.Solomons heart had beenas narrow as another mans,if the Infpiration ofthe Almightyhad not widened

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