Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 38:27
Jer. 38. 27.
Then came all the Princes to Jeremiah, and asked him, and he told them according to all theſe words that the King commanded, ſo they left ſpeaking with him, for the matter was not perceived.
Qu. Did Jeremy do well in following the Kings command, and giving a ſliding anſwer to the Princes, or is he to be blamed for it?
A. 1. This may be taken into conſideration, and ſerve ſomewhat for the better weighing of this Queſtion, that albeit Vid Calv. in loc.Jeremy in his Diſcourſe with the King and advice to him, ſpeak according to the Word of God, v. 21. and no doubt by the Spirit of God; yet we do not find that he had any ſpecial Command from God to go and deliver theſe words unto him, though he had formerly ſhewed and ſaid from God the ſame things for ſubſtance, v. 21. Jer. 27. 12. It's one thing for a Prophet to deliver Gods mind (when a queſtion is propounded to him) in way of Counſel, v. 15. another to deliver it by ſpecial Command and as a Meſſenger ſent from God to ſay ſuch words. This may be cleared by Pauls manner of ſpeaking when the Corinthians wrote to him to be reſolved; ſometimes he ſaith, Not I, but the Lord, 1 Cor. 7. 10. ſometimes, I not the Lord, v. 12. & 25. I have no commandment of the Lord. Yet he ſpake what was very agreeable to the Word of God, and as one that had the Spirit of God, v. 40. but he had not ſuch an expreſs Command for one thing whereof he ſpeaks as for another: Now, if it were thus here (which I leave to the Learned and judicious to judg of, then Jeremy might be leſs reſolute becauſe leſs armed with a ſpecial Commiſſion from God: and therefore as he got from the King, Security for his life before he gave him counſel, v. 15. ſo here he takes the counſel the King gave him as the likelieſt way to ſecure it with the Princes; when in that which God gave him a direct charge to ſpeak, he did not uſe to caſt any ſuch perils, but ſhewed himſelf moſt couragious in the confidence of Gods ſending him to ſpeak all that he ſpake in their ears, Jer. 26. 15.
2. For the thing it ſelf, he ſpake that which was true; for we find before (Chap. 37. 20.) that he did preſent his Supplication to the King, that he might not return to Jonathans houſe, and perhaps he renewed the ſame Petition at this meeting (though it be not expreſs'd) to wit, that whatſoever oppoſition of him ſhould ariſe, yet he might not be put by his Adverſaries into that diſmal Priſon. It may be ſomewhat probable (I ſay) that Jeremy now renewed this Petition becauſe the King here mentioneth it; And if he did, why might not Jeremy, ſpeaking part of the Truth, conceal the reſt, which it was not profitable to the Princes to know (rather it might have put them on a great ſin, that is, the killing of Jeremy) and dangerous to himſelf to make known?
3. (To ſpeak a little more fully and diſtinctly) The Princes might ask Jeremy, either,
1. More looſely, viz. what he ſaid to the King when he was within, and then, the anſwer the King put into his mouth, might ſerve the turn, and excuſe Jeremy, it being truly ſpoken; or
2. The Princes might examin him ſtrictly, of all that paſſed between the King and him, according as the King deſcribes it in v. 25. of this Chapter: If they did ſo, Jeremy cannot be excuſed but will appear weak as another man; For
1. He went not to the King to preſent any Petition, but the King ſent to him to hear what he would ſay to him; v. 14.
2. If Jeremy did not preſent that Petition now, but it muſt reſt upon this that he did it in another meeting, at another time and at another place (for ſo was that that is recorded, Chap. 37. 20. it was at another time, when Jeremy was in the Dungeon, Jer. 37. 16. This, when in the Court of the Priſon, Jer. 38. 13. And in another place; That in the Kings houſe, Jer. 37. 17. This in Gods houſe, Jer. 38. 14.) I ſay, If Jeremy did not preſent that Petition at this meeting, the buſineſs in that regard, is much more queſtionable on Jeremie's part: But
3. Though he did preſent it now, and ſo ſpake a clear truth (as to that point) yet he ſpake not all, nor the greateſt part, but rather concealed all, that is, that whole ſubſtance of the buſineſs, which they by their queſtioning with him, deſired to have diſcovered; I ſuppoſe therefore that they did not ſtrictly enquire of him, nor ſtay long upon the enquiry; for then, either he muſt have been ſilent, and that Princes cannot bear (they look to have their queſtions anſwered) Joh. 19. 9, 10. or he muſt have ſpoken ſome untruth, ſeigned ſomething that was not, and that a Jeremy could not bear; or elſe expoſe himſelf to their cruelty and rage, of which notwithſtanding the Text ſaith nothing, but rather declares that the buſineſs with the Prophet was calmly concluded and left off, v. 27. yea, the matter was not perceived, and therefore it's certain they did not get from Jeremy what paſs'd between the King and him. Indeed it's a wonder that the Princes (that did ſo eye and pry into Jeremy and his motions, v. 25.) ſhould handle ſuch a matter as this, ſo ſlightly; but herein the wonderful Power and Providence of God appears, that ſubtil and fierce men are not always like themſelves; God caſts a miſt before their eyes, that they cannot find the door, Gen. 19. 11. and ſee their advantages: He ſtupifies their minds (Herod ſends not a Meſſenger with the wiſe-men to bring him word where Jeſus was, but truſts to them and is baffled, Mat. 2. 16.) Or he calms their hearts, Gen. 33. 4, 10. or tyes their tongues, Gen. 31. 29. and makes them ſlubber over a buſineſs for his Childrens ſafety.
Theſe words (the matter was not perceived) ſhew (I think) that God cauſed that to be concealed by which his holy Servant might have ſuffered.