16. In consequence of their resolution not to return, they would not endure sound doctrine, or those that spake it. They _said to the seers, see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things――Speak unto us smooth things――Cause the Holy One of_ Israel _to cease from before us_, (Isaiah xxx. 10, 11.) But _they hated him that rebuked in the gate, and they abhorred him that spake uprightly_, (Amos v. 10.) Accordingly, _thy people_, (saith God to _Ezekiel_) _still are talking against thee, by the walls, and in the doors of the houses_, (chapter xxxiii. 30.) _And_ Amaziah _the priest sent to_ ♦Jeroboam, _king of_ Israel, _saying_, Amos _hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of_ Israel; _the land is not able to bear all his words. Also_ Amaziah _said unto_ Amos, _Go flee thee away into the land of_ Judah, _and prophesy there. But prophesy not again any more at_ Bethel, _for it is the king’s chappel, and it is the king’s court_, (chapter vii. 10, 12, 13.) From the same spirit it was that they said of _Jeremiah_, _Come and let us devise devices against him――Come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words_, (chapter xviii. 18.) Hence it was that he was constrained to cry out, _O Lord, I am in derision daily; every one mocketh me. Since I spake, the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily: For I heard the defaming of many, Fear on every side: Report, say they, and we will report it: All my familiars watched for my halting; saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him_, (chapter xx. 7, 8, 10.) And elsewhere, _Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me_, (chapter xv. 19.)
♦ “Jereboam” replaced with “Jeroboam”
17. But _if a man walking in the spirit of falshood, do lie_ (saith the prophet _Micah_) _saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and strong drink, he shall even be the prophet of this people_, (chapter ii. 11.) And God gave them pastors after their own hearts: such were those sons of _Eli, sons of Belial, who knew not the Lord_, (1 Samuel ii. 12.) rapacious, covetous, violent men, (verses 14, 15, 16.) by reason of whom _men abhorred the offering of the Lord_, (verse 17.) who not only _made themselves vile_, (chapter iii. 13.) but also _made the Lord’s people to transgress_, (chapter ii. 24.) while they _made themselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of_ Israel, (verse 29.) Such were those of whom _Isaiah_ says, _The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up of wine_, (chapter xxviii. 7.) _Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant_, (chapter lvi. 12.) Therefore (saith he) _the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and the seers hath he covered; and the vision of all is become unto you, as the words of a book that is sealed_, (chapter xxix. 10, 11.) Such also were those of whom he saith, _His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs; they cannot bark, sleeping, laying down, loving to slumber_.
_Greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand. They all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter_, (chapter lvi. 10, 11.)
Little better were those of whom the prophets that followed have left us so dreadful an account; _Both prophet and priest are prophane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. And from the prophets of_ Jerusalem, _is prophaneness gone forth into all the land_, (Jeremiah xxiii. 11, 15.) _Her priests have violated my law, and have prophaned my holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and the prophane, and I am prophaned among them_, (Ezekiel xxii. 26.) _If I be a Father, where is mine honour; and if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name_, (Malachi i. 6.)
Yea some of them were fallen into the grossest sins. _The company of priests, saith_ Hosea, _commit lewdness: There is whoredom in_ Ephraim, Israel _is despised_, (chapter vi. 9, 10.) _I have seen also in the prophets of_ Jerusalem (saith God by _Jeremiah_) _an horrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in lies_, (chapter xxiii. 14.)