Jerem. li. 61.BARUCH, the Son of Neriah, and Grandson to Maaseiah, was of an illustrious birth and of the tribe of Judah. Seraiah his Brother had a considerable imployment in the Court of King Zedekiah. Baruch kept close to the person of Jeremiah the Prophet, and was his most faithful Disciple. He served him as long as he lived as his Secretary, and never left him till his death. In the reign of Jehoiakim King of Judah, Jerem. xxxvi. 1, 2, 3, &c. In the Year of the World 3898, before J. C. 601, before the vulgar Æra 605.while Jeremiah was in prison, this Prophet received orders from the Lord to set down in writing all the Prophecies which he had published till that time. He sent for Baruch therefore, and dictated them by heart to him. Some time after, he sent him with directions to read them to the people, who were then assembled in the Temple.
But Michaiah the Son of Gemariah having heard them read, thought himself obliged to give notice of them to the King’s In the Year of the World 3899, before J. C. 601, before the vulgar Æra 605.Counsellors, who were then together in the Palace. They commanded Baruch to be sent for, and obliged him to repeat to them what he had read publickly in the Temple. He did, and they, when they had heard him, expressed great surprize, and told him, that they could by no means avoid informing the King of these things which he had read to them. They then asked him, how he had written all these particulars. Baruch said, Jeremiah had dictated them by rote to him, with the same ease as any one would peruse them in a book. The King’s Counsellors hereupon said, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah, and let no man know where ye be. They took the book which had been written by Baruch, and deposited it in the chambers of Elishamah the Scribe.
After this, they waited on the King, and told him what had passed. The King sent Jehudi to bring the book; and having brought it to Jehoiakim, this Prince commanded it to be read in his presence, and in the presence of those great men who stood about him: when Jehudi had read four or five pages of it, the King took the book, cut it with the Secretary’s pen-knife, and threw it into the fire, which was burning before him. At the same time he ordered some of his people to seize on Baruch and Jeremiah; but as God would have it they were not to be found.
God afterwards commanded Jeremiah once more to set down his prophecies in writing. Baruch wrote them as he repeated them to him, and the Prophet added several others which were not inserted in the former book. Baruch’s constant adherence to Jeremiah drew upon him several persecutions, and a great deal of bad treatment. One day he seemed to be mightily discouraged, and complained bitterly of the evils which he suffered; but God encouraged Jerem. xlv. 2, 3. In the year of the World 3409, before J. C. 591. before the vulgar Æra 595. Jer. l. li.him by the mouth of Jeremiah, and from that time he continued more firm and undisturbed. In the fourth year of Zedekiah, Baruch went to Babylon with his Brother Seraiah, and carried a long Letter from Jeremiah, wherein the Prophet foretold the misfortunes which should befal Babylon, and promised the Captives, that they should one day be set at liberty. Baruch executed the Prophet’s orders, read Jeremiah’s Letter to King Jehoiachim and other Captives, after which he threw it into the Euphrates, as the Prophet had commanded him.
The Captives upon hearing Jeremiah’s Letter read, were touched with compunction, and gave Baruch some money, to offer therewith Sacrifices to the Lord in his Temple at Jerusalem. They wrote likewise a long Letter to their Brethren of Jerusalem, in all probability by Baruch’s hand, which is to be found in the first five chapters of the book which bears his name. After his return to Jerusalem he continued still his constant attendance on Jeremiah; and when Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah being put into prison, Baruch was confined there too; and after the surrender, Nabuzaradan shewed him great favour, set him at liberty, and permitted him to go where he pleased with Jeremiah1.
The remains of the People who had been left behind in the country, under the conduct of Gedaliah, having taken a resolution to go into Egypt, as Jeremiah opposed this journey, the people laid the blame on Baruch, and pretended, that he had ingaged the Prophet to declare against Jerem. xliii. 1, 2, 4, &c.it, and had diverted him from this design. At last Jeremiah and Baruch being obliged to follow the people into Egypt, Jeremiah died there, and Baruch retired to Babylon, where the Rabbins say he died, in the twelfth year of the Captivity. This is all that we know with certainty concerning Baruch.
As to the Book of Baruch, which is generally placed with that of Jeremiah, at the end of this Prophet’s writings, we have it not in Hebrew, but in Greek only. The Jews, among whom it is a standing rule to receive no books into thir Canon, but what are written in their language, excluded that of Baruch. S. Jerom speaks of this work in a manner, which shews, that he had not the same esteem for this as for other canonical Books of Scripture. He says2, he did not think proper to make a Comment on the Book of Baruch, which in the edition of the Septuagint is join’d with Jeremiah: because it was not read among the Hebrews, and contains an Epistle which falsly bears the name of Jeremiah. He says in another place3, that he did not translate it, as he had done Jeremiah, because it was not in Hebrew, and the Jews did not receive it in their Canon. We do not find Baruch in the ancient catalogues of the Scriptures cited in the Fathers and Councils. The Protestant, and even some Catholick Writers4, do not reckon it among the canonical Books.
But the answer made to these objections is, that the example of the Jews, who do not receive Baruch into their Canon, is not a reason for our rejecting this Book. There are other Books which by them are not admitted as canonical, which notwithstanding are received by us as such. The ancient catalogues of the Church do not particularly mention it, because they comprehended it under the name of Jeremiah. The Councils of Florence and Trent have inserted it by name into the Canon, and the old Fathers, such as Irenæus, Cyprian, Clemens of Alexandria, Eusebius, Ambrose, Julius Firmicus, Austin, Basil, Chrysostom, Epiphanius, and others who came after, have cited this Book, as a part of holy Scripture; but very frequently they quote it under the name of Jeremiah, as the Church does at this day, whenever it makes use of the writings of Baruch in its office. The Reader may see our Preface upon Baruch, where we treat on these questions more at large.
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