Word
of God
Man
does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from
the mouth of God
Matthew
4:4
The
Book of Ezra 2:14
14
Thy Prophets have looked out vain and foolish things for thee, and
they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity,
but have looked out for thee false prophecies, and causes of
banishment.
Brethren:
This
was a thing which Jeremiah had lamented long before, and had observed
with a great concern: Ah! Lord God, the prophets say unto them, You
shall not see the sword (See Jeremiah 14:13)1;
and here he inserts it among his lamentations: Thy prophets have seen
vain and foolish things for thee; they pretended to discover for
thee, and then to discover to thee, the mind and will of God, to see
the visions of the Almighty and then to speak his words; but they
were all vain and foolish things; their visions were all their own
fancies, and, if they thought they had any, it was only the product
of a crazed head or a heated imagination, as appeared by what they
delivered, which was all idle and impertinent: nay, it is most likely
that they themselves knew that the visions they pretended were
counterfeit, and all a sham, and made use of only to colour that
which they designedly imposed upon the people with, that they might
make an interest in them for themselves. They are thy prophets, not
God’s prophets; he never sent them, nor were they pastors after his
heart, but the people set them up, told them what they should say, so
that they were prophets after their hearts, thus seeking the praise
of men.
Prophets
should tell people of their faults, should show them their sins, that
they may bring them to repentance, and so prevent their ruin; but
these prophets knew that would lose them the people’s affections
and contributions, and knew they could not reprove their hearers
without reproaching themselves at the same time, and therefore they
have not discovered thy iniquity; they saw it not themselves, or, if
they did, saw so little evil in it, or danger from it, that they
would not tell them of it, though that might have been a means, by
taking away their iniquity, to turn away their captivity. Likewise
they should warn people of the judgments of God coming upon them, but
these saw for them false burdens; the messages they pretended to
deliver to them from God they knew to be false, and falsely ascribed
to God; so that, by soothing them up in carnal security, they caused
that banishment which, by plain dealing, they might have prevented.
1Jeremiah
14:13 - Then answered I, Ah Lord God, behold, the prophets say unto
them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall famine come upon
you, but I will give you assured peace in this place.
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