of the living God, by all those superstitious modes of divination, enchantments, and even cruel and horrid rites, which characterised idolatry. They also converted their influence over the people into an engine of political power; making it subservient to their own interests, by complying with the desires of the people, and favouring the ambition of their sovereigns. So great was their progress in apostasy from the true worship, that they learned all the tricks of diviners and soothsayers of the heathens, and then attempted to persuade the ignorant among both princes and people, that they were inspired by the God of heaven.

Notwithstanding this conduct appears too profane to be credible, it is frequently mentioned as a fact, particularly during the reigns of Ahab and Hoshea.

The false prophets who professed to be the servants of Jehovah, claimed an equal power to advise, direct, and control, with that which was occasionally exercised by the true prophets of the Lord. Thus, in the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, Hananiah, the prophet. of Gibeon, foretold that the yoke of Babylon should quickly be broken in opposition to the alarming denunciations of Jeremiah. He took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it:

"and Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, thus saith the Lord; even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from all the nations, within the space of two full years." The word of the Lord by Jeremiah, spake a different language, "Then said the prophet Jeremiah to Hananiah, the Lord has not sent thee, but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the Lord, I will cast thee from the face of the earth. This year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebel· lion against the Lord. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month."*

It is plain also, from the instance already mentioned, of the superior credit given by Johanan and his followers, to the false prophets, concerning the policy of flying into Egypt, that they not only pretended to be inspired by the God of heaven, but they ventured to oppose the directions and counsel of the true prophets; for, encouraged by their bold assertions, “Johanan, and all the proud men, said unto Jeremiah, thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God has not sent thee to say, go not into Egypt to sojourn there."†

As imposition and falsehood are founded upon the most sordid self-interest, thus were the whole

* Jerem. ch. xxviii. † Jerem. ch. xliii. v. 2.

tribe of false prophets of a mercenary disposi tion. They sold their predictions, their blessings, their curses, for gain. The prophet Micah, complaining of the universal corruption of manners in Zion and Jerusalem, says, "the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money; yet will they lean upon the Lord and say, is not the Lord among us? no evil can come upon us." Nehemiah asserted, as we have already noted, that a false prophet had been hired by Tobias and Sanballat to contradict him. Hence it was that they were always careful to utter whatever would be most grateful' to their employers. But it was characteristic of the true prophets, that they were no respecters of persons, disdained every bribe, and spake the truth at the hazard of their lives. Micaiah was hated by Ahab, because he would not counsel and predict according to his desires, and was incessantly opposing his plans. An attempt was made, by the messenger that was sent to conduct him to the conference between Ahab and Jehoshaphat, to seduce him; "saying, behold now the words of the prophets declare good things to the king, with one mouth, let thy words I pray thee be like the words of one of them; and speak that which is good. Micaiah replied, "as the Lord liveth what the Lord sayeth

unto ine that will I speak." Ahab enquires of Elijah in terms of reproach, previously to his triumphant contest with the false prophets'; "art thou he that troubleth Israel?" He boldly answers, "I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house; in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim."† When Jehoram, king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, consulted Elisha, whether they should go against Moab to battle, Elisha testifies his respect for Jehoshaphat, who continued to be a worshipper of the true God, and his contempt for the Idolatrous house of Israel; saying unto the king of Israel, "what have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and the prophets of thy mother;

As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look towards thee nor see thee.'

Elisha having cured Naaman, captain of the hosts of Syria, of his leprosy, by ordering him to wash in the river Jordan, Naaman was desirous of expressing his gratitude by a donation; "now therefore I pray thee take a blessing of thy servant; and Elisha said, as the Lord liveth before

* 1 Kings ch. xxii. v. 13.

† 2 Kings ch. xviii. v. 17. 2 Kings ch. iii. v. 13.

whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he would not." But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, ran after and demanded in the name of his master, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments, which he proposed to secrete for his own use. Elisha detected the fraud, and was empowered to inflict upon Gehazi, the disease of which Naaman had been cured.*

While these false prophets assiduously courted the favour of the great, many of the holy men of God suffered for their integrity. The king of Israel trusted to the more acceptable advice of his prophets, and confident of the success they had promised him, gave orders for the imprisonment of Micaiah, saying " put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until I return in peace." Micaiah answered with the intrepidity of an inspired prophet, "if thou return in peace at all, the Lord hath not spoken by me.” Ahab was killed in the engagement by an arrow drawn at a venture. Zachariah was put to death for remonstrating against the idolatry of Joash, notwithstanding he had ascended the throne through the instrumentality of Zachariah's father. It is gene

* 2 Kings ch. v.