mh_parser/vol_split/24 - Jeremiah/Chapter 45.xml

<div2 id="Jer.xlvi" n="xlvi" next="Jer.xlvii" prev="Jer.xlv" progress="44.65%" title="Chapter XLV">
<h2 id="Jer.xlvi-p0.1">J E R E M I A H.</h2>
<h3 id="Jer.xlvi-p0.2">CHAP. XLV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Jer.xlvi-p1" shownumber="no">The prophecy we have in this chapter concerns
Baruch only, yet is intended for the support and encouragement of
all the Lord's people that serve him faithfully and keep closely to
him in difficult trying times. It is placed here after the story of
the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews, but
was delivered long before, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, as was
the prophecy in the next chapter, and probably those that follow.
We here find, I. How Baruch was terrified when he was brought into
trouble for writing and reading Jeremiah's roll, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45.1-Jer.45.3" parsed="|Jer|45|1|45|3" passage="Jer 45:1-3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. How his fears were checked
with a reproof for his great expectations and silenced with a
promise of special preservation, <scripRef id="Jer.xlvi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45.4-Jer.45.5" parsed="|Jer|45|4|45|5" passage="Jer 45:4,5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>. Though Baruch was only
Jeremiah's scribe, yet this notice is taken of his frights, and
this provision made for his comfort; for God despises not any of
his servants, but graciously concerns himself for the meanest and
weakest, for Baruch the scribe as well as for Jeremiah the
prophet.</p>
<scripCom id="Jer.xlvi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45" parsed="|Jer|45|0|0|0" passage="Jer 45" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Jer.xlvi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45.1-Jer.45.5" parsed="|Jer|45|1|45|5" passage="Jer 45:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Jer.xlvi-p1.5">
<h4 id="Jer.xlvi-p1.6">Jeremiah's Address to
Baruch. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 607.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Jer.xlvi-p2" shownumber="no">1 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, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son
of Josiah king of Judah, saying,   2 Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvi-p2.1">Lord</span>, the God of Israel, unto thee, O
Baruch;   3 Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvi-p2.2">Lord</span> hath added grief to my sorrow; I
fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.   4 Thus shalt thou
say unto him, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvi-p2.3">Lord</span> saith thus;
Behold, <i>that</i> which I have built will I break down, and that
which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.  
5 And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek <i>them</i> not:
for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Jer.xlvi-p2.4">Lord</span>: but thy life will I give unto thee
for a prey in all places whither thou goest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvi-p3" shownumber="no">How Baruch was employed in writing
Jeremiah's prophecies, and reading them, we had an account
<scripRef id="Jer.xlvi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.36.1-Jer.36.32" parsed="|Jer|36|1|36|32" passage="Jer 36:1-32"><i>ch.</i> xxxvi.</scripRef>, and
how he was threatened for it by the king, warrants being out for
him and he forced to abscond, and how narrowly he escaped under a
divine protection, to which story this chapter should have been
subjoined, but that, having reference to a private person, it is
here thrown into the latter end of the book, as St. Paul's epistle
to Philemon is put after his other epistles. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvi-p4" shownumber="no">I. The consternation that poor Baruch was
in when he was sought for by the king's messengers and obliged to
hide his head, and the notice which God took of it. He cried out,
<i>Woe is me now!</i> <scripRef id="Jer.xlvi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45.3" parsed="|Jer|45|3|0|0" passage="Jer 45:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. He was a young man setting out in the world; he was
well affected to the things of God, and was willing to serve God
and his prophet; but, when it came to suffering, he was desirous to
be excused. Being an ingenious man, and a scholar, he stood fair
for preferment, and now to be driven into a corner, and in danger
of a prison, or worse, was a great disappointment to him. When he
read the roll publicly he hoped to gain reputation by it, that it
would make him to be taken notice of and employed; but when he
found that, instead of that, it exposed him to contempt, and
brought him into disgrace, he cried out, "I am undone; I shall fall
into the pursuers' hands, and be imprisoned, and put to death, or
banished: <i>The Lord has added grief to my sorrow,</i> has loaded
me with one trouble after another. After the grief of writing and
reading the prophecies of my country's ruin, I have the sorrow of
being treated as a criminal; for so doing; and, though another
might make nothing of this, yet for my part I cannot bear it; it is
a burden too heavy for me. <i>I fainted in my sighing</i> (or <i>I
am faint with my sighing;</i> it just kills me) <i>and I find no
rest,</i> no satisfaction in my own mind. I cannot compose myself
as I should and would to bear it, not have I any prospect of relief
or comfort." Baruch was a good man, but, we must say, this was his
infirmity. Note, 1. Young beginners in religion, like fresh-water
soldiers, are apt to be discouraged with the little difficulties
which they commonly meet with at first in the service of God. They
do but <i>run with the footmen,</i> and it <i>wearies them;</i>
they <i>faint</i> upon the very dawning of <i>the day of
adversity,</i> and it is an evidence that <i>their strength is
small</i> (<scripRef id="Jer.xlvi-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.24.10" parsed="|Prov|24|10|0|0" passage="Pr 24:10">Prov. xxiv. 10</scripRef>),
that their faith is weak, and that they are yet but babes, who cry
for every hurt and every fright. 2. Some of the best and dearest of
God's saints and servants, when they have seen storms rising, have
been in frights, and apt to make the worst of things, and to
disquiet themselves with melancholy apprehensions more than there
was cause for. 3. God takes notice of the frets and discontents of
his people and is displeased with them. Baruch should have rejoiced
that he was counted worthy to suffer in such a good cause and with
such good company, but, instead of that, he is vexed at it, and
blames his lot, nay, and reflects upon his God, as if he had dealt
hardly with him; what he said was spoken in a heat and passion, but
God was offended, as he was with Moses, who paid dearly for it,
when, his spirit being provoked, he <i>spoke unadvisedly with his
lips. Thou didst say</i> so and so, and it was not well said. God
keeps account what we say, even when we speak in haste.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvi-p5" shownumber="no">II. The reproof that God gave him for
talking at this rate. Jeremiah was troubled to see him in such an
agitation, and knew not well what to say to him. He was loth to
chide him, and yet thought he deserved it, was willing to comfort
him, and yet knew not which way to go about it; but God tells him
what he <i>shall say to him,</i> <scripRef id="Jer.xlvi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45.4" parsed="|Jer|45|4|0|0" passage="Jer 45:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Jeremiah could not be certain
what was at the bottom of these complaints and fear, but God sees
it. They came from his corruptions. That the hurt might therefore
not be healed slightly, he searches the wound, and shows him that
he had raised his expectations too high in this world and had
promised himself too much from it, and that made the distress and
trouble he was in so very grievous to him and so hard to be borne.
Note, The frowns of the world would not disquiet us as they do if
we did not foolishly flatter ourselves with the hopes of its smiles
and court and covet them too much. It is our over-fondness for the
good things of this present time that makes us impatient under its
evil things. Now God shows him that it was his fault and folly, at
this time of day especially, either to desire or to look for an
abundance of the wealth and honour of this world. For, 1. The ship
was sinking. Ruin was coming upon the Jewish nation, an utter and
universal ruin: "<i>That which I have built,</i> to be a house for
myself, <i>I am breaking down, and that which I have planted,</i>
to be a vineyard for myself, <i>I am plucking up, even this whole
land,</i> the Jewish church and state; and dost thou now <i>seek
great things for thyself?</i> Dost thou expect to be rich and
honourable and to make a figure now? No." 2. "It is absurd for thee
to be now painting thy own cabin. Canst thou expect to be high when
all are brought low, to be full when all about thee are empty?" To
seek ourselves more than the public welfare, especially to seek
great things to ourselves when the public is in danger, is very
unbecoming Israelites. We may apply it to this world, and our state
in it; God in his providence is breaking down and pulling up; every
thing is uncertain and perishing; we cannot expect any continuing
city here. What folly is it then to <i>seek great things for
ourselves</i> here, where every thing is little and nothing
certain!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Jer.xlvi-p6" shownumber="no">III. The encouragement that God gave him to
hope that though he should not be great, yet he should be safe:
"<i>I will bring evil upon all flesh,</i> all nations of men, all
orders and degrees of men, <i>but thy life will I give to thee for
a prey" (thy soul,</i> so the word is) "<i>in all places whither
thou goest.</i> Thou must expect to be hurried from place to place,
and, wherever thou goest, to be in danger, but thou shalt escape,
though often very narrowly, shalt have thy life, but it shall be as
a prey, which is got with much difficulty and danger; thou shalt be
saved as by fire." Note, The preservation and continuance of life
are very great mercies, and we are bound to account them such, as
they are the prolonging of our opportunity to glorify God in this
world and to get ready for a better; and at some times, especially
when the arrows of death fly thickly about us, life is a signal
favour, and what we ought to be very thankful for, and while we
have it must not complain though we be disappointed of the great
things we expected. <i>Is not the life more than meat?</i></p>
</div></div2>