Jeremiah 45

THE word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah This Chapter ought to have been annexed to the 36 chap. or immediately to have followed it for the writing of Ieremiahs prophesies we read of there,, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, it was 18 years before this time that the Prophet thus spake to Baruch upon the writing of those Prophesies which as we read there brought both Ieremiah and Baruch into a great deal of danger which probably gave Baruch the occasion of the complaint we shall read of, ver. 3..

Thus says the LORD the God of Israel unto thee, O Baruch Ieremiah had in his former discourses revealed the Will of God, concerning Nations, here he revealeth it as to Baruch his Secretary or Clerk, upon which account some compare him to Paul writing to Philemon as well as to Churches..

Thou didst say, Wo is me now, for the LORD has added grief to my sorrow, I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest Upon Baruchs reading the Prophecies after he had wrote them from the mouth of Ieremiah, both he and Ieremiah were sent for before the Princes, and advised to hide themselves, as we read chap. 36.15, 19. This probably disturb'd Baruch, and made him lament his condition in such like expressions, of which the Prophet had heard, probably by Revelation from God..

¶ Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD says thus, Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.

And seekest thou great things for thy self? seek them not What great things Baruch was seeking is not expressed, and impossible to be determined with any certainty; they could not be honour, or riches; the time of Iehoiakims Reign was no time for any pious Rational Man, to expect any thing of that nature: He might expect to have been a Prophet, as Eli ha was, who first was but a servant to Elijah. Or at least he might expect rest and protection, when others met with disturbance, but it may be the meaning is no more than, dost thou expect what none meeteth with, or is like to meet with who feareth God? never think of it.: for behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, says the LORD I am bringing Calamities, and Misery upon the whole Nation wherein thou livest.: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey, in all places, whither thou goest I will preserve thy life, that is all thou art to expect, and thou shalt live to see the time, that thou wilt judge that a great Booty, that thou shalt have lent thee whithersoever the Wind of my Providence shall happen to drive thee. This message of God to Baruch teacheth us that God expects from his People a spirit uted to his dispensations, and that they should keep their spirits low in a time of publick Judgments, not making to themselves any great promises of freedom from their share in the publick calamities of that Nation or Kingdom in which they are, but contenting themselves with such allowances as God proportioneth to them at such a time without discontent or murmuring, but blessing Cod, for any marks of gracious Providence which God in such times will please to set upon them, and being thankful for them and satisfied with them..