Thus sayth the Lord, concerning the Prophets that deceiue my people, and bite them with their teeth, and crie peace, but if a man put not into their mouthes, they prepare warre against him.
THe second sort of those which excel, or are in authoritie among the people, to wit, those which either are in deede Prophets, or els at least wise in name, as these, whom in this place he reprehen∣deth, would seeme to be. Moreouer,* 1.1 this verse hath three things to be noted. First, who speaketh: God Iehouah, that these threatnings might haue their authoritie and credit against the neuer so colou∣rable,* 1.2 and stubborne thwarting and exception of these men,* 1.3 vnto whom they are denounced or threatned. Secondly, to whom he speaketh: namely, vnto the false Prophets, whom he described be∣fore cap. 2. ver. 11. and in this place calleth lyars, and authors of the error of the people. Thirdly, why God reproueth them, to wit,* 1.4 be∣cause they altogether abused his word, and so holie a vocation or calling, as they falsely and rashly tooke vpon themselues, namely, the calling of a Prophet. There is then a double cause of the repre∣hension: one, for that they deceiue, and cause men to erre: an o∣ther, for that these men, whom they so deceiue, are the people of God, whom God commaunded, and will haue to bee instructed truely out of his word, and not lyingly out of the dreames of men. Further, the course that these false Prophets take in their dealing & preaching is here also by an Hypotyposis,* 1.5 or liuely description pain∣ted forth, as if it were in a maner to bee seene with the eye, wherein their meere couetousnes, and mockerie of the word of God, is most impudent and shameles. Which two vices Peter also hath noted in false Prophets 2. Epist. cap. 2. ver. 3, 13, 14. of whom he sayth: And through couetousnes shall they with feined words make merchandise of you, and shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnes, as they count it plea∣sure to liue deliciously for a season: they haue hearts exercised with couetousnes. And as for the couetousnes which here he reprehen∣deth in these false Prophets, it appeareth herein, for that they threa∣ten boldly terrible cursings, and destructions to come vnto men that offer, and giue them nothing. So then they prophesie for re∣wards, as hereafter ver. 11. and Ierem. 5. And concerning their ma∣nifest mockerie of the word of God, and of so holie a calling, the same is in this, that when as they are well fed of any man, they pro∣mise