Baruch — Book front (modern spelling)

The Argument of the Book of Baruch

Many ancient Fathers supposed this Prophecy to be Ieremies:¹ though none doubted but Baruch his scribe was the writer thereof. So S. Xistus Epist. ad omnes fideles. S. Ireneus, li. 5. c. 35. S. Clement of Alexandria, li. 1. c. 10. & li. 2. c. 3. Pedag. S. Cyprian, li. 2. c. 5. & 6. contra Judæos. Eusebius Cæsariensis, li. de Propheticorum libror. appellationibus, Cap. de Ieremia. & li. 6. c. 19. Demonst. Evangel. Lactantius, li. 4. c. 13. Divin. Instit. The first Council of Nice, li. 2. fol. 105. & 109. S. Hilarie, li. 5. de Trinit. sub finem. S. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechesi. 4. & 11. & de Concursu Domini. S. Basil. li. 4. cont. Eunomium. S. Ambrose, li. de fide. c. 7. cont. Arianos. li. de Pænit. c. 8. & li. 3. Examer. c. 14. S. Gregorie Nazianzen, Orat. 49. de fide. & Epist. 2. ad Cledonium. S. Epiphanius, cont. Nazareos. & cont. Ebionæos. S. Chrysostom, Ser. de Trinit. & advers. Gentiles. S. Augustin, li. 18. c. 33. de Civit. & Quest. Vet. & Novi Testat. q. 102. S. Prosper. par. 2. c. 9. & p. 3. c. 3. de promiss. & predict. S. Theodoretus, Dialogo. 1. Eranistes. (Who also writeth Commentaries upon this book, as upon divine Scripture) c. 2. v. 9. These and others alleage this Prophecy, as Ieremies. Some also under the name of Baruch.² As Origen, li. 2. c. 3. Periarch. S. Cyril of Alexandria, li. 10. in Julianum, S. Gregorie Nyssen, Orat. 1. de pauperibus amandis. S. Athanasius, Orat. 2. cont. Arianos. Though in his Synopsi he mentioneth not Baruch, yet he, as also S. Augustin, l. 2. c. 8. Doct. Christ. S. Gelacius, dist. 15. and others in their Catalogues of Canonical Scriptures, comprehend this book under the name of Ieremie. But whether Baruch was the immediate author under³ God, or the writer thereof as of another man's Prophecy (as the Evangelists writte the words of Christ, and others, in the Gospels, and in the Acts of the Apostles) always it is certain, the Holy Ghost directed him, that he could not err in writing it. And the ancient Fathers, and Councils ever accepted this book as Divine Scripture. The Council also of Laodicea, in the last Canon, expressly nameth Baruch, Lamentations, and Ieremies Epistle. And lastly the Councils of Florence, de Unione Armenorum; and of Trent. Sess. 4. expressly define that Baruch is Canonical Scripture. In the Greek this book is placed before the Lamentations. Which S. Ierom not finding in Hebrew,⁴ nor in the Canon of the Jews, urgeth it not against them. Yet testifieth that he found it in the vulgate⁵ Latin Edition, and that it containeth many things of Christ, and the later times. According to the historical sense,⁶ the author in five chapters exhorteth the Jews to repentance, and patience, prophesying that they should be brought into more distress and captivity, then as yet they were; but should afterwards be released. The sixth chapter is Ieremies Epistle.