Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 28:2,3,4
Jer. 28. 2, 3, 4.
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, I will bring again into this place, all the Veſſels of the Lord and all the Captives of Judah, &c. v. 4.
Qu. When one Prophet ſaid one thing, and another did (with as much confidence) ſay a contrary thing, yea, when many ſpeak good, and one Jeremiah, evil; How could People know which to believe?
A. They might very well know, if they were not willing to ſhut their eyes; for,
1. The Prophets were but Interpreters of the Law of God; and tho they had divers immediate and particular revelations, yet all ſuited with, and confirmed the written Word; Now that Law and Word of God, threateneth all evil to Idolaters and men wicked and cruel in their carriage. The Jews therefore being ſuch at this time (as the Scripture often ſhews, and therein gives a reaſon of the Judgments threatned againſt them, ſee Jer. 8. 15. & 20. 8. & 5. 19. & 13. 22,) I ſay, they being ſo abominably bad, they could not but judg (Looking to the Word of God) Deut. 29. 24, 25. &c. & 31. 29. that they ſpeak moſt truly that ſpeak moſt terribly to them.
Obj. But if a ſinful people repent, good is ſtill promiſed in the whole Word of God, Deut. 4. 29, 30, 31.
A. True; but we find not that theſe falſe Prophets ſpeak a word to move the People to repentance (as Jeremiah ſtill did, Chap. 18. 8, 11. & 26. 3.) And ſo, they left them uncapable of any good. And this will ever be the difference between a true and a falſe Prophet, that a falſe Prophet promiſeth a good condition without urging the condition of Obedience, but the true Prophet preacheth all evil, if there be not amendment, and no good condition but upon that condition.
2. This people were or might have been, convinc'd in their own Judgment and Conſciences, that Jeremy ſpake true, and they that oppoſed him, untruths: For 1. unby aſſed and more judicious men, as namely the Princes, Jer. 26. 16.) acknowledged, and that when this controverſy was on foot; yea and all the people ſaid to the Prieſts and the Prophets that oppoſed Jeremy, that he did indeed and truly ſpeak unto them, in the name of the Lord their God.
2. Their own experience might ſet them right; for divers Evils whereof Jeremy had prophecied were already come upon them, Jechoniah, and many with him being carried Captives to Babylon, and the veſſels of the Temple alſo carried away thither already: ſee Jer. 27. 16. & 28. 4.
3. They have here in this Chapter an evident and eminent example of the wrath of▪ God upon, and in the Death of this wicked Hananiah, and that by the Word of Jeremiah, declaring he ſhould die becauſe of his lying Prophecy, whereby in ſtead of calling the people to Repentance and Submiſſion to the King of Babylon, (and therein to God himſelf) he taught them to rebel v. 16, 17. So that the controverſy was decided from Heaven, and it might eaſily be known which was the truer Prophet, becauſe God ſent a ſentence from Heaven (which was ſpeedily executed) againſt Hananiah by Jeremiah, and that becauſe he contradicted the truth that Jeremy had delivered.
3. Jeremy was not the firſt nor the only Prophet that threatned thus; Micah and Ʋrijah have been named before who Prophecied according to all the words of Jeremiah, Chap. 26. 20. yea the true Prophets generally ſpeak ſucceſſively ſuch things, ſo that Jeremy cannot be looked upon as ſingle in what he ſaid.
4. Jeremiah ſpake uſually and conſtantly the ſame ſad things with the danger of his life, Jer. 26. 8. but they that ſpake ſmooth things had the applauſe of the people, Micah. 2. 11. now it's liker that a ſufferer ſhould ſpeak truth than a flatterer. And though men may ſometimes ſuffer for a falſhood, yet it is not with that confidence and magnanimity with which they ſuffer that give teſtimony to the truth of God, Jer. 26. 14, 15. Now for Ordinary Miniſters:
1. Some perhaps are willing they ſhould differ in points of Religion that that may be an excuſe for them for their being of no Religion till all be agreed, yea (it may be) ſome that they may have ſomewhat to ſay to plead for a Pope to determine all controverſies.
2. Others are ſo unwilling that they ſhould differ in any thing, that they ſuffer themſelves to be weakened in their Religion by ſome diſſents among Miniſters the upholders of it; or (indeed) becauſe they are not ſo careful as they ſhould be to ſeek that reſolution that may be had, nor ſo willing as were meet, to exerciſe Conſcience in the ſtrength of the general directions of Scripture (wherein all agree) and with the moſt earneſt prayers to God for the determining of things to themſelves as far as their neceſſity requires, and as they are called to act.
Both theſe may know that the difference between learned and godly Miniſters, is in leſs things not ſo clearly determined in Scripture, and ariſeth from their weakneſs, and the different diſpenſations of God's Spirit, whereby ſome of them have more light and ſight than others can attain: But this is no juſt cauſe of doubting of, nor impediment of Walking in, the neceſſary and ſaving Truths and Ways of God, wherein the Scripture is clear, and the Miniſters of Chriſt conſent.
Briefly, They that take the courſe that the Beraeans did, that is, ſearch the Scriptures, reverently, conſcientiouſly, and ſincerely, will never be deceived by any lying Hananiah, but diſcern a clear difference between a Paul, preaching in the evidence and demonſtration of the Spirit of God, and all other erroneous Teachers that bring forth the Brats of their own brain, and vent the inventions and imaginations of their own corrupt hearts, 1 Theſſ. 5. 21.