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And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Goe, Prophesie unto my people Israel.
AMaziah counselled Amos to goe back to Iudah from whence he came; to this Amos replies, I cannot, I dare not; for as I care from thence by Divine command, so till I have the like command from him that sent me, I dare not return.
Amos comforts himself much with the sweet resent of that Call which he had from God, and therefore he tells us, how
the Lord took him as hee was feeding and following the Flocks, and the Lord said to him (when he little thought of any such imployment) Goe, prophesie to my people Israel. I did not thrust my self into the work, but it pleased the Lord to take me from that homely imployment, and to injoyn me this task of Prophesying.
1 We must obey God rather than men. Acts 4.19. & 5.29.
Amaziah bids Amos be gone, but Amos sayes, the Lord sent him to Israel and he will not stirre. Thus he opposeth Gods Commandement to Amaziahs prohibition. We may o∣bey no man but in and for the Lord, Ephes. 6.1. Hence the Midwives are commended for disobeying the wicked com∣mands of Pharaoh, who would have had all the male Chil∣dren killed, Exod. 1.17.
2 God loves to appear to us when we are in our Callings.
Thus God appeared to Moses when he was keeping Sheep, Exod. 3.1. to David, when he was following the Ewes; to Saul, when he was seeking Asses; to Amos here, when he was following the Herd; and to the Woman of Samaria, when she was drawing water, Ioh. 4.7.
3 When God calls us to forsake all we must readily doe it. God commands Amos to leave his Herds, the Apostles to forsake their Nets, Abraham to forsake his owne Country and Kindred, Zacheus to come down and follow Christ, and they immediately did so, Mat. 4.19, 26. Luke 19.6. Gen. 12.1, 4. True grace makes men willing to doe or suffer what∣ever God commands.
4 None may take upon them the Ministery without a Call.
Amos stirres not till God sayes, Goe; no man may assume this Office till he be called, Heb. 5.4. should an Angel from Heaven come and preach, he must shew his Call, he may not violate the order which God hath set in his Church, Gal. 1.8. Hence the Lord so oft complaines of false Prophets, that they ran and he sent them not, Ier. 14.14. many run from their Callings without a Call, Zach. 13.5. let such never look ei∣ther
for protection, or success; let them preach never so loud, or so long, they shall never profit people because God is a∣gainst them, Ier. 23.32. I am against them that Prophesie false Dreams, and cause my people to erre by their Lyes and lightness, yet I sent them not, mark what follows, therefore they shall not profit this people; that is, they shall doe them much hurt and mischief, it is a Meiosis.
Be sure then to have a Call for what you doe, this will sup∣port you under your burdens, and comfort you in the midst of all tentations and trials, Dan. 3.16, 17, 18. Acts 4.19, 20. if the Lord have called us he will keep us, Isa. 42.6. this is as a brazen wall to secure us; this made Amos so resolute and con∣fident against Amaziah, and Nathan so free with David, E∣lijah with Ahab, Iohn Baptist with Herod, and the Apostles with the world; it was the warrant of their Calling, that they had it from God, and not from man.
This will make our Ministery successful, one Elijah sent by God, shall be too hard for two hundred and fifty false Pro∣phets, though King Ahab and Queen Iezabel joyn with them, and ovvne them.
Because Amos speaks of a flock here, therefore some would gather that Amos was a Shepherd, but the word Hat∣son is general, and relates to a flock of great Cattel, as well as small.
Si aliud jube•• imperator, aliud Deus, quid ju∣dicatur? Ma∣jor potestas De∣us. Aug. de verb. Dom. Serm. 6.
See more in my Pulpit-Guard. Arg. 2. p. 11, 12, 17.