the works and ways of God. His sublime descriptions of natural scenery, of the. hea'l'ens and the earth, his minute acquaintance with the processes of growth and of husbandry, his knowledge or the human heart and all its conflicts,-thcse are evidences that his mind was not uninformed or untrained. • III. AN UNLETTERED BUT DIVINELY TAUGHT NATURE MAY DE A BLESSING TO MEN, AND MAY BRING GLORY TO Gon. The service which Amos rendered to Israel, to Judah, to the Church of God in subsequent ages, is a proof that God can use instruments, which seem to man's wisdom unsuitable, in order to effect bis own purposes. The power of this prophet's ministry is unquestionable. 'l'o some extent his message wns heeded; and that it wss not more effective was not owing to any fault in him, but rather to the hardness of heart which distinguished those to whom .he was sent. At the same time, there wss so manifest an evidence of Divine power in the life and work of Amos as must have impressed all who knew him with the conviction that the power of God wss upon him. A Divine election, Divine qualifications, may be as really present in the case of a minister of religion who has enjoyed every social and edu- cational advantage, IIS in the case of him who is called from the plough to prophesy in the name of the Lord. But the impression upon the popular mind is in the former case far more deep, and naturally so. Thus God is honoured, whilst witness is bome to him before men, and the cause of righteousness is maintained and a.dvanced.-T. Ver. 15.-Prophecy. Amos was one of the "goodly fellowship of the prophets," who once witnessed for God on earth, and who now praise God in heaven. There was a Jong succession of prophets in Hebrew history, and especially during one epoch of that history. The Christian dispensation has also enjoyed the benefit of prophetic gifts and prophetic ministrations. I. THE AUTHOR il'D THE AUTHORITY OF PROPHECY. No true prophet ever spnke the counsels of his own wisdom merely. The preface to a prophetic utterance is this: "Thus saith the Lord." "The Lord took me," says Amos, in his simple, graphic style, "as I was following the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy." 1. 'rhe prophet was called and appointed by the Lord of all truth and power. 2. The prophet was entrnsted by the Lord with a special message. It was these facts that aggravated the guilt of those who were inattentive to the Divine message, who rejected and perse- cuted the Divine messengers. IL THE MATTER AND BUBSTA.NCE OF PBOPBECY. The function of the prophet wa11 to utter forth the mind and will of ibe Eternal. Sometimes it is supposed that it was his special duty to declare things to come, to foretell. Doubtless the prophet was often directed to warn of evils about to descend upon the guilty and impenitent. But to foretell was not so much his distinctive office as to tell forth the commands and the counsels of the Lord. IIL THE PROPHET Al! THE VEIDCLB OF PROPHECY. Personality, loving intelligence and will, a truJy human nature,--15uch was the condition to be fulfilled by the chosen vehicle of the Divine purposes. Men of temperaments as different as Elijah and Jeremiah were selected by him who can make uee of every instrument for the fulfil- ment of his own purposes. One thing was necessary, that the prophet's whole nature should be penetrated by the Spirit of God, that he should give himself up entirely to become the minister and the messenger of Eternal Wisdom. IV. THE METHODS OF PROPHECY. Speech was no doubt the chief means by which the prophet conveyed his message to bis fellow-men; speech of every kind, bold and gentle, figurative and plain, commanding and persuasive. Life was no inconsiderable part of prophecy. There were cases in which the very actions and habits of the prophet were a testimony to men. Sym:bols were not infrequently employed in order to impart lessons which could be better taught thus than by the logical forms of speech. God made UBe of every method which human nature allowed and the conditions of the prophetic ministry suggested. V. 'IRE PURPORT OF PROPHECY. An agency BO special and BO highly qualified must have aimed at an end proportionably important and valuable. It may be noted that: 1. Prophecy was largely intended to lead sinful people to repentance and ref~rmation. 2. To encourage the obedient and spiritual amidst difficulties and persecutions. 3. To introduce higher views of religion than thosf c:urrent at the time, and thus to IJiI. Vll. 1-17.] T.l-IE ll06R o:e AMOS.
prepare the wny for the dispensation of the Messiah, for the religion of the Spirit, for the universal kingdom of truth and righteousness.-'!'.
Ver. 17.-.A pollul.ed land. If in Amos we have an example of a faithCul prophet, In Amaziah we have an example of an unfaithful priest. One servant of the Lord aeems in this narrative to be set against another; but, In fact, the priest was a nominal servant, whilst the prophet was sincere and devoted. The fate predicted for Arnaziah was indeed terrible; bnt we discern in its appointment, not the malice of a human foe, but the justice of a Divine Ruler. Among the :circumstances which enhanced the horror of this fate is mentioned the pollution of the heathen land in which the wicked priest should close his life. I. A LA.ND MAY BE POLLUTED NOTWITHSTANDING ITS WEALTH, LUXIJRI0UBNESB, AND POLITI0..U, EMINEN0E A.ND P0WEB. Some of the ancient monarchies of the world were no less remarkable for moral corruption than for grandeur, prosperity, and military strength. Such was the case with Assyria. And it is well to be upon our guard against the deceptiveness of external appearances. The semblance of national great- ness may mislead us in our judgment. The surface may deceive; there may be much to outward view fascinating and commanding. Yet beneath the surface there may be injustice, oppression, selfishness, wretchedness, and disunion ; the land may be polluted by vice and, if not by idolatry, yet by practical atheism. II. A LA.ND MAY BE POLLUTED ALTHOUGH IT Bl!l CHOSEN AS THE SCENE 01" THE EXEOUTI0N 01" PURPOSES OF DIVINE JUDGMENT. It must not be supposed that, because certain nations were appointed by Divine providence to be the ministers of retribution upon Israel, those nations must have been morally admirable or even superior to that upon which their power was exercised for purposes of chastisement. The records of the Old Testament Scriptures are decisive upon this point. Idolatrous people were per- mitted to scourge Israel for idolatry. A polluted land was to be the means of cleans- ing those defiled by sin. III. To CLEANSE A. LA.ND FROM POLLUTION IS THE HIGHEST END WHICH THE PA.TBIOTIC AND RELIGIOUS 0A.N BET BEFORE THEM. Splendour, opulence, military power, are ill the view of the enlightened as nothing compared with the righteousness which exalteth a nation.-T.