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my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

Rev. xi, 2, 3. But the court which I is without the temple leave out and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

1 Peter i, 10-12. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, Rev. xii, 6, 14. And the woman or what manner of time, the fled into the wilderness, where Spirit of Christ which was in them she hath a place prepared of God, did signify, when it testified that they should feed her there a beforehand the sufferings of thousand two hundred and threeChrist, and the glory that should score days. And to the woman follow. Unto whom it was reveal-were given two wings of a great ed, that not unto themselves, but eagle, that she might fly into the unto us, they did minister the wilderness, into her place; where things which are now reported she is nourished for a time, and unto you by them that have times, and half a time, from the preached the gospel unto you with face of the serpent. the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

SPECIAL PROPHETIC

PERIODS.

Dan. vii, 25. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand, until a time and times, and the dividing of time.

Dan. viii, 13, 14. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Rev. xiii, 5, 18. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

VI.

PROPHECY THE MEANS OF
KNOWLEDGE UNDER THE
FORMER DISPENSATION.
1 Sam. iii, 1. And the child
Samuel ministered unto the LORD
before Eli. And the word of the
LORD was precious in those days;
there was no open vision.

1 Chron. xxi, 12-17. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy Dan. xii, 6, 7, 11-13. And one said father, nor in the ways of Asa to the man clothed in linen, which king of Judah, But hast walked was upon the waters of the river, in the way of the kings of Israel, How long shall it be to the end of and hast made Judah and the these wonders? And I heard the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a man clothed in linen, which was whoring, like to the whoredoms upon the waters of the river, of the house of Ahab, and also when he held up his right hand hast slain thy brethren of thy and his left hand unto heaven, father's house, which were better and sware by him that liveth for than thyself: Behold, with a great ever, that it shall be for a time, plague will the LORD smite thy times, and an half; and when he people, and thy children, and thy shall have accomplished to scatter wives, and all thy goods; And the power of the holy people, all thou shalt have great sickness by these things shall be finished. disease of thy bowels, until thy And from the time that the daily boweis fall out by reason of the sacrifice shall be taken away, and sickness day by day. Moreover, the abomination that maketh the LORD stirred up against desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Arabians,

Jehoram the spirit of the Phil-
istines, and of the
that were near the Ethiopians:
And they came up into Judah,
and brake into it, and carried
away all the substance that was
found in the king's house, and
his sons also, and his wives; so

i

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SCHOOLS OF THE PRO-
PHETS.

2 Kings ii, 3-7. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to-day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee;

for the LORD hath sent me to
Jericho. And he said, As the
LORD liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not leave thee. So
they came to Jericho. And the
sons of the prophets that were at
Jericho came to Elisha, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the
LORD will take away thy master
from thy head to-day? And he
answered, Yea, I know it; hold
ye your peace. And Elijah said
unto him, Tarry, I pray thee,
here; for the LORD hath sent me
to Jordan. And he said, As the
LORD liveth, and as thy soul liv-
eth, I will not leave thee. And
And fifty
they two went on.
men of the sons of the prophets
went, and stood to view afar off:
and they two stood by Jordan.

PROPHETESSES.

Exod. xv, 20. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

Judges iv, 4, 5. And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palmtree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

2 Kings xxii,14, 15. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asallah, went

unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the

LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me.

2 Chron. xxxiv, 22, 23. And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they spake to her to that effect. And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me.

Isa. viii, 3. And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son: then said the LORD to me, Call his name Maher

shalal-hash-baz.

Luke ii, 36, 37. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age; and had lived with an husband

seven years from her virginity, And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Acts xxi, 9. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

Ezek. xiii, 17-23. Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew

pillows to all arm-holes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature, to hunt souls! Will ye

hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the Bouls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly, Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom

your

I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Rev. 11, 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

PROPHETS UNDER THE

NEW TESTAMENT.

Acts xv, 32. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. Rom. xii, 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.

after charity, and desire spiritual 1 Cor. xiv, 1-3, 29-33. Follow gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no in the spirit he speaketh mysman understandeth him; howbeit teries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all

may be comforted.

And

the

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THE PROPHETS RESPECTED.

1 Sam. iii, 19, 20. And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

1 Sam. ix, 6. And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an cometh surely to pass: now let us honourable man; all that he saith

shew us our way that we should go thither; peradventure he can

go.

1 Kings xviii, 4. For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid

them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

2 Kings ii, 15. And when the sons of the prophets, which try to view at Jericho, saw him, thej said, The spirit of Elijah doch rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed then selves to the ground before him.

there shall fall unto the earth 2 Kings x, 10. Know now that nothing of the word of the Loto, the house of Alab: for the Load which the LORD spake concerning hath done that which he spake f his servant Elijah.

2 Chron. xxvi, 5. And be sought God in the days of Zechariah, whe had understanding in the vis of God: and as long as he senge the LORD, God made him to prie per.

Jer. xxxix, 11, 12. Now Nebuchad re zar king of Babylon ga charge concerning Jeremiah guard, saying. Take him, a Nebuzar-adan the captain of the look well to him, and do hin harm; but do unto him even us

he shall say unto thee.

loose thee [Jeremiah] this day Jer. xl, 4, 5. And now, bebold the chains which were upon tha hand. If it seem good unto the to come with me into Baby to come with me into Babyk come, and I will look well t thee: but if it seem ill unto the forbear: behold, all the land before thee; whither it seeme good and convenient for theeb go, thither go. Now, while le was not yet gone back, he s! Go back also to Gedaliah the of Ahikam, the son of Shapter whom the king of Babylon bat made governor over the cities Judah, and dwell with him a

the people; or go wheresoever i

seemeth convenient unto thee

50. So the captain of the gur! gave him victuals and a reward and let him go.

Acts xxvi, 27. King Agripa know that thou believesi. believest thou the prophets !

BUT SOMETIMES HATED

AND PERSECUTED.

1 Kings xxii, 7-9, 24-27. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there here a prophet of the LORD be sides, that we might enquire of him? And the king of Israel salt Imlah, by whom we may enquet unto Jehoshaphat, There is y one man, Micaiah the sca

of the LORD: but I hate him: f he doth not prophesygood concETDing me, but evil. And Jebuste phat said, Let not the king sy so. Then the king of Israel a Micaiah the son of Imiah Bu an officer, and said, Hasten Auther

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

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mad, and maketh himself a pro-
phet, that thou shouldest put him
in prison, and in the stocks. Now
therefore whyhast thou not reprov-
ed Jeremiah of Anathoth, which
maketh himself a prophet to you?
For therefore he sent unto us in
Babylon, saying, This captivity is
long: build ye houses, and dwell
in them; and plant gardens, and
eat the fruit of them. And Zeph-
aniah the priest read this letter in
the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Jer. xxxii, 2, 3. For then the
king of Babylon's army besieged
Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the pro-
phet was shut up in the court of
the prison, which was in the king
of Judah's house. For Zedekiah
king of Judah had shut him up,
saying, Wherefore dost thou pro-
phesy, and say, Thus saith the
LORD, Behold, I will give this city
into the hand of the king of Baby-

2 Chron. xviii, 17, 25, 26. And the king of Israel said to Jeho shaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? Then the king of = Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joa-hlon, and he shall take it. the king's son; And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

Isa. xxx, 10, 11. Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

Jer. xi, 21-23. Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine: And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

Jer. xx, 1, 2. Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

Jer. xxix, 25-29. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoia la the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is

Ezek. iii, 25, 26. But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them: And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house.

Amos vii, 12, 13, 16, 17. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But propliesy not again any more at Beth-el; for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court. Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Thy wite shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land; and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

Micah ii, 6. Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: that they shall not take shame. they shall not prophesy to them,

1 Kings xix, 14. And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

2 Chron. xxxvi, 16, 17. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets until the wrath

of the LORD arose against hig people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gave them all into his hand.

Jer. xx, 8, 4. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him. The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor-missabib. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

Rom. xi, 2, 3. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God

against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

James v, 10. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

DUTY OF THE PEOPLE.

Zech. vii, 7. Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?

1 Thess. v, 20. Despise not prophesyings.

SIN OF UNBELIEF.

2 Kings vii, 1, 2. Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, TOmorrow, about this time, shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a measures of shekel, and two barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

2 Chron. xxiv, 19. Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they

testified against them: but they would not give ear.

become wind, and the word is not [own heart, and not out of the
in them: thus shall it be done unto mouth of the LORD. I have m
them. Wherefore thus saith the sent these prophets, yet they raz
I have not spoken to them, s
LORD God of hosts, Because ye
speak this word, behold, I will they prophesied. But if they bal
make my words in thy mouth stood in my counsel, and ha
fire, and this people wood, and it caused my people to hear
shall devour them. Lo, I will words, then they should bar

Jer. vii, 25-28. Since the day
that your fathers came forth out
of the land of Egypt unto this
day, I have even sent unto you all
my servants the prophets, daily
rising up early, and sending them:
bring a nation upon you from far.
Yet they hearkened not unto me,
nor inclined their ear, but har-O house of Israel, saith the LORD:
dened their neck; they did worse it is a mighty nation, it is an
ancient nation, a nation whose
than their fathers. Therefore
language
thou shalt speak all these words
knowest not,
unto them; but they will not hear- neither understandest what they
ken to thee: thou shalt also call say.
unto them; but they will not
answer thee. But thou shalt say
unto them, This is a nation that
obeyeth not the voice of the
LORD their God, nor receiveth
correction: truth is perished, and
is cut off from their mouth.

Jer. xxv, 3, 4. From the thirteenth year of Joshua the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, (that is the three and twentieth year.) the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking, but ye have not hearkened. And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your

ear to hear.

thou

turned them from their evil. and from the evil of their doites I have heard what the prophes said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed I have dreamed. How long shal

this be in the heart of the pr

phets that prophesy lies? they are prophets of the decr

their own heart; Which thick w cause my people to forges By name by their dreams, which they

Jer. xxix, 18, 19. And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the king- tell every man to his neighbo doms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an

I

hissing, and a reproach, among all
the nations whither have
driven them: Because they have
not hearkened to my words, saith
the LORD, which I sent unto them
by my servants the prophets,
rising up early, and sending them;
but ye would not hear, saith the
LORD.

VII.

FALSE PROPHETS.
WARNINGS AGAINST THEM.

Neh. vi. 8. 9. Then I sent unto
him, saying, There are no such
things done as thou sayest, but
thou feignest them out of thine
own heart. For they all made
us afraid, saying, Their hands
shall be weakened from the work,
that it be not done. Now there-
fore, O God, strengthen my
hands.

Jer. xiv. 14. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets pro

Jer. xliii, 14. And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, eren all these words. Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah. Thou speakest falsely, the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Gophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I comnot into Egypt to sojourn there: manded them, neither spake unto But Baruch the son of Neriah, them: they prophesy unto you a setteth thee on against us, for to false vision and divination, and a deliver us into the hand of the thing of nought, and the deceit of Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon. So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.

ITS PUNISHMENT.
Neh. ix, 30. Yet many years

didst thou forbear them, and

tes ifiedst against them by thy Spirit in thy prophets; yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

Jer. v. 12-15. They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us beither shall we see sword nor famine: And the prophets shall,

their heart.

Jer. xxiii, 14-16, 21, 22. 25-28.
I have seen also in the prophets
of Jerusalem an horrible thing:
they commit adultery, and walk
in lies: they strengthen also the
hands of evil-doers, that none
doth return from his wickedness:
they are all of them unto me as
Sodom, and the inhabitants there-
of as Gomorrah. Therefore thus
the prophets, Behold, I will feed
saith the LORD of hosts concerning

them with wormwood, and make
them drink the water of gall: for
from the prophets of Jerusalem is
profaneness gone forth into all
the land. Thus saith the LORD of
hosts, Hearken not unto the
words of the prophets that pro-
phesy unto you: they make you
vain: they speak a vision of their

as their fathers have forgotten my hath a dream, let him tell a dream name for Baal. The prophet chal and he that hath my word let speak my word faithfully.....

Jer. xxviii, 14-17. For saith the LORD of hosts, the Gd of Israel; I have put a yels iron upon the neck of all the nations, that they may se Nebuchadnezzar king of Babyan and they shall serve him: and have given him the beasts of th field also. Then said the propor Jeremiah unto Hananish prophet, Hear now, Hana The LORD hath not sent thee thou makest this people to t in a lie: Therefore thus saith in LORD, Behold, I will cast thee fa off the face of the earth: this thou shalt die, because then be taught rebellion against the L So Hananiah the prophet died same year, in the seventh mont

Jer. xxix, 8. For thus saith t LORD of hosts, the God of Iss Let not your prophets and diviners, that be in the mis you, deceive you, neither heart a to be dreamed. to your dreams which ye ca

Matth. vii. 15. Beware of f prophets, which come to y sheep's clothing, but inward they are ravening wolves.

Matth. xxiv, 11. And many fa prophets shall rise, and shall ve ceive many.

2 Peter ii, 1. But there a false prophets also among people, even as there shall privily shall bring in da false teachers among yo heresies, even denying the L that bought them, and bring p

themselves swift destruction

1 John iv, 1. Beloved, be not every spirit, but try the sp whether they are of God, bese many false prophets are ge into the world.

THEIR CHARACTER.

MERCENARY.

Neh. vi, 10-14. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

Ezek. xxii, 25. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

FALSE.

1 Kings xxii, 24, 25. But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

Isa. ix, 15. The ancient and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Jer. xxvii, 15. For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

Jer. xxix, 9. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

Ezek. xiii, 22. Because with lles ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he hould not return from his wicked way, by promising him life.

Ezek. xxi, 29. Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring

thee upon the necks of them that [ sumed them. And all the pro

are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.

Ezek. xxii, 28. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

FLATTERERS.

Jer. xxiil, 17, 18. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every

one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?

Lam. ii, 14. Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens, and causes of banishment.

Ezek. xiii, 4-9. O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith; and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly be written in the writing of the of my people, neither shall they house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord

God.

ESPECIALLY IN TIME OF WAR.

1 Kings xxii, 6, 11, 12. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron; and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have con

phets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into

the king's hand.

2 Chron, xvill, 5, 10, 11. Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and saith unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus shalt push Syria until they be consaith the LORD, With these thou sumed. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand

of the king.

Jer. xiv, 13. Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.

Jer. xxviil, 1-4, 10, 11. And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto the presence of the priests and of me in the house of the LORD, in all the people, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's spake in the presence of all the neck, and brake it. And Hananiah people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

THE CRITERION. Deut. xiii, 1-3. If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or the

wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that

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