Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 38:2
Jer. 38. 2. with Jer. 21. 9.
Thus ſaith the Lord, He that goeth forth (or falleth) to the Chaldeans, he ſhall live.
Q. How could the People deliver themſelves, and ſo the King and City, into the hands of their and his greateſt enemy, and yet keep the fidelity they owed to their King?
A. 1. It was Gods will and counſel, Jer. 21. 9.and command, Jer. 27. 12. Jer. 38. 20. that they (and their King alſo) ſhould yield themſelves up to the King of Babylon; and the bond of our Obedience to God, in an extraordinary caſe, takes away any other ordinary bond of Obedience, croſſing that; as the command to Abraham to kill his Son, took away the ſtanding bond both of the fifth and ſixth Commandment at that time, and as to him.
2. It's anſwered that (out of ſuch an Calv. in …oc.extraordinary caſe) as long as there is any ordinary way to ſave King, City, Country, Subjects are bound to adventure their lives to the utmoſt for their defence and preſervation.
But as things ſtood here, two things were to be confidered, viz.
1. That there was no hope of keeping the City in a way of reaſon, the enemy being ſo much too ſtrong for them, all help failing them, and they being utterly diſabled to ſuſtain the Siege, there being no more bread in the City, v. 9. It's uſual to deliver up ſtrong Forts that cannot be kept but with greater loſs to the ſupream Governour upon the beſt conditions they can get.
2. The Caſe here makes all clear, for whereas when Jeruſalem was beſieged by Senacherib, 2 King. 19. 32, 33, 34. the Lord ſaid he would take away, and did take away that proud enemy by one of the Heavenly Hoſt, ſo that he returned by the way he came, and did not, could not, come into the City: Here the caſe was clean contrary, for God made known by his own Word, that it was abſolutely certain and reſolved on in Heaven, that the Army of the Chaldeans ſhould take the City, and burn it with fire if they ſtood out with him. Albeit therefore it were not yet actually done, yet it was all one as if it had been done becauſe it was certainly and ſuddenly to be done.
Now although Subjects are to ſtand for their King and Country to the utmoſt drop of their blood as long as there is any hope; yet if there be none, but Gods pleaſure is revealed for their being under another King by giving him the poſſeſſion of all, they may and ſhould yield to Gods will in it, to whom it belongeth to diſpoſe of the Kingdoms of the World as he pleaſeth, Jer. 27. 6, 7, 11, 12. And in ſuch a caſe all Oaths and Obligations to the former King ceaſe, and the preſent powers that have got all into their hands, are to be ſubmitted to as long as it pleaſeth God ſo to order it, though it be for the ſpace of ſeventy years; for why ſhould we be the Authors of our death and miſery by our obſtinacy? Jer. 27. 12, 13.
Q. If falling to the Chaldeans were according to the will of God, why doth Jeremiah himſelf ſo paſſionately diſclaim that charge? Jer. 38. 13, 14.
A. It's one thing to go forth by way of dedition and a voluntary yielding to an enemy that cannot be reſiſted; another thing to abide in the City, and act there for the enemy in a way of ſedition and treachery. This laſt is that which Jeremy diſclaims, he acted not for the Chaldeans in what he ſaid but for his own People, who had no better way to ſave themſelves than to lay aſide their weapons and animoſity, and tender their ſubmiſſion (more to God than) to Nebuchadnezzar.
Q. But what ſhall be ſaid to the Fugitives that fell to the Chaldeans, Jer. 38. 19. & 39. 9. are they to be commended?
A. It's one thing to fly out of Fear as thoſe Run-aways did, another to yield out of Faith and Obedience to God, which was the thing Jeremy perſwaded, and intended it ſhould be done by the generality, not an inconſiderable company; yet they that fell to the Chaldeans by flight, fared the better for it with the enemy it's like (though they were captivated alſo, Jer. 39. 9.) but had they faln to him by Faith, they ſhould have found favour with the enemy, and with God alſo, as Jer. 39. 18.