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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Jeremiah XLV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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<h3><a href="http://www.biblesnet.com" target="_blank">Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page</a>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1712)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J E R E M I A H.</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XLV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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The prophecy we have in this chapter concerns Baruch only, yet is
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intended for the support and encouragement of all the Lord's people
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that serve him faithfully and keep closely to him in difficult trying
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times. It is placed here after the story of the destruction of
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Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews, but was delivered long
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before, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, as was the prophecy in the
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next chapter, and probably those that follow. We here find,
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I. How Baruch was terrified when he was brought into trouble for
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writing and reading Jeremiah's roll,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+45:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. How his fears were checked with a reproof for his great
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expectations and silenced with a promise of special preservation,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+45:4,5">ver. 4, 5</A>.
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Though Baruch was only Jeremiah's scribe, yet this notice is taken of
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his frights, and this provision made for his comfort; for God despises
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not any of his servants, but graciously concerns himself for the
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meanest and weakest, for Baruch the scribe as well as for Jeremiah the
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prophet.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Jer45_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer45_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer45_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer45_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jer45_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Jeremiah's Address to Baruch.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 607.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son
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of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth
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of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah
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king of Judah, saying,
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2 Thus saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch;
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3 Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hath added grief
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to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.
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4 Thus shalt thou say unto him, The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> saith thus; Behold,
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<I>that</I> which I have built will I break down, and that which I
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have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.
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5 And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek <I>them</I> not:
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for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>:
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but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places
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whither thou goest.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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How Baruch was employed in writing Jeremiah's prophecies, and reading
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them, we had an account
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+36:1-32"><I>ch.</I> xxxvi.</A>,
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and how he was threatened for it by the king, warrants being out for
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him and he forced to abscond, and how narrowly he escaped under a
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divine protection, to which story this chapter should have been
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subjoined, but that, having reference to a private person, it is here
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thrown into the latter end of the book, as St. Paul's epistle to
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Philemon is put after his other epistles. Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. The consternation that poor Baruch was in when he was sought for by
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the king's messengers and obliged to hide his head, and the notice
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which God took of it. He cried out, <I>Woe is me now!</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+45:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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He was a young man setting out in the world; he was well affected to
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the things of God, and was willing to serve God and his prophet; but,
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when it came to suffering, he was desirous to be excused. Being an
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ingenious man, and a scholar, he stood fair for preferment, and now to
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be driven into a corner, and in danger of a prison, or worse, was a
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great disappointment to him. When he read the roll publicly he hoped to
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gain reputation by it, that it would make him to be taken notice of and
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employed; but when he found that, instead of that, it exposed him to
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contempt, and brought him into disgrace, he cried out, "I am undone; I
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shall fall into the pursuers' hands, and be imprisoned, and put to
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death, or banished: <I>The Lord has added grief to my sorrow,</I> has
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loaded me with one trouble after another. After the grief of writing
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and reading the prophecies of my country's ruin, I have the sorrow of
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being treated as a criminal; for so doing; and, though another might
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make nothing of this, yet for my part I cannot bear it; it is a burden
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too heavy for me. <I>I fainted in my sighing</I> (or <I>I am faint with
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my sighing;</I> it just kills me) <I>and I find no rest,</I> no
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satisfaction in my own mind. I cannot compose myself as I should and
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would to bear it, not have I any prospect of relief or comfort." Baruch
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was a good man, but, we must say, this was his infirmity. Note,
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1. Young beginners in religion, like fresh-water soldiers, are apt to
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be discouraged with the little difficulties which they commonly meet
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with at first in the service of God. They do but <I>run with the
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footmen,</I> and it <I>wearies them;</I> they <I>faint</I> upon the
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very dawning of <I>the day of adversity,</I> and it is an evidence that
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<I>their strength is small</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+24:10">Prov. xxiv. 10</A>),
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that their faith is weak, and that they are yet but babes, who cry for
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every hurt and every fright.
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2. Some of the best and dearest of God's saints and servants, when they
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have seen storms rising, have been in frights, and apt to make the
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worst of things, and to disquiet themselves with melancholy
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apprehensions more than there was cause for.
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3. God takes notice of the frets and discontents of his people and is
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displeased with them. Baruch should have rejoiced that he was counted
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worthy to suffer in such a good cause and with such good company, but,
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instead of that, he is vexed at it, and blames his lot, nay, and
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reflects upon his God, as if he had dealt hardly with him; what he said
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was spoken in a heat and passion, but God was offended, as he was with
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Moses, who paid dearly for it, when, his spirit being provoked, he
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<I>spoke unadvisedly with his lips. Thou didst say</I> so and so, and
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it was not well said. God keeps account what we say, even when we speak
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in haste.</P>
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<P>
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II. The reproof that God gave him for talking at this rate. Jeremiah
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was troubled to see him in such an agitation, and knew not well what to
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say to him. He was loth to chide him, and yet thought he deserved it,
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was willing to comfort him, and yet knew not which way to go about it;
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but God tells him what he <I>shall say to him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+45:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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Jeremiah could not be certain what was at the bottom of these
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complaints and fear, but God sees it. They came from his corruptions.
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That the hurt might therefore not be healed slightly, he searches the
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wound, and shows him that he had raised his expectations too high in
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this world and had promised himself too much from it, and that made the
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distress and trouble he was in so very grievous to him and so hard to
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be borne. Note, The frowns of the world would not disquiet us as they
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do if we did not foolishly flatter ourselves with the hopes of its
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smiles and court and covet them too much. It is our over-fondness for
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the good things of this present time that makes us impatient under its
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evil things. Now God shows him that it was his fault and folly, at this
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time of day especially, either to desire or to look for an abundance of
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the wealth and honour of this world. For,
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1. The ship was sinking. Ruin was coming upon the Jewish nation, an
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utter and universal ruin: "<I>That which I have built,</I> to be a
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house for myself, <I>I am breaking down, and that which I have
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planted,</I> to be a vineyard for myself, <I>I am plucking up, even
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this whole land,</I> the Jewish church and state; and dost thou now
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<I>seek great things for thyself?</I> Dost thou expect to be rich and
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honourable and to make a figure now? No."
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2. "It is absurd for thee to be now painting thy own cabin. Canst thou
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expect to be high when all are brought low, to be full when all about
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thee are empty?" To seek ourselves more than the public welfare,
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especially to seek great things to ourselves when the public is in
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danger, is very unbecoming Israelites. We may apply it to this world,
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and our state in it; God in his providence is breaking down and pulling
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up; every thing is uncertain and perishing; we cannot expect any
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continuing city here. What folly is it then to <I>seek great things
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for ourselves</I> here, where every thing is little and nothing
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certain!</P>
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<P>
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III. The encouragement that God gave him to hope that though he should
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not be great, yet he should be safe: "<I>I will bring evil upon all
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flesh,</I> all nations of men, all orders and degrees of men, <I>but
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thy life will I give to thee for a prey" (thy soul,</I> so the word is)
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"<I>in all places whither thou goest.</I> Thou must expect to be
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hurried from place to place, and, wherever thou goest, to be in danger,
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but thou shalt escape, though often very narrowly, shalt have thy life,
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but it shall be as a prey, which is got with much difficulty and
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danger; thou shalt be saved as by fire." Note, The preservation and
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continuance of life are very great mercies, and we are bound to account
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them such, as they are the prolonging of our opportunity to glorify God
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in this world and to get ready for a better; and at some times,
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especially when the arrows of death fly thickly about us, life is a
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signal favour, and what we ought to be very thankful for, and while we
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have it must not complain though we be disappointed of the great things
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we expected. <I>Is not the life more than meat?</I></P>
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