BARUCH 5 & 6

Baruch 5

8 Jerusalem is moved unto gladness for the return of her people, and under the figure thereof the Church.

PUT off thy mourning clothes, o Jerusalem, and thine affliction, and deck thee with the worship and honor, that comes unto thee from God, for evermore.

Put on the garment of righteousness, that comes from God, and set a crown upon thine head of the glory of the Everlasting.

For God will declare thy brightness to every country under the heaven.

And God will name thee by this name for ever, The Peace of righteousness, and the glory of the worship of God.

Arise, o Jerusalem, and stand upon high, and look about thee toward the East, and behold thy children gathered from the East unto the West by the word of the Holy one, rejoicing in the remembrance of God.

For they departed from thee on foot, and were led away of their enemies: but God will bring them again unto thee, exalted in glory, as children of the kingdom.

For God hath determined to bring down every high mountain, and the long enduring rocks, and to fill the valleys, and to make the ground plain, that Israel may walk safely unto the honor of God.

The woods and all sweet smelling trees shall overshadow Israel at the commandment of God.

For God shall bring Israel with joy in the light of his majesty, with the mercy and righteousness that comes of them.

Baruch 6

A COPY OF THE EPISTLE, that Ieremias sent unto them that were led away captives into Babylon by the King of the Babylonians, to certify them of the thing that was commanded him of God.

BECAUSE of the sins, that ye have committed against God, ye shall be led away captives unto Babylon, by Nabuchodonosor, King of the Babylonians.

So when ye be come into Babylon, ye shall remain there many years, and a long season, even seven generations, and after that will I bring you away peaceably from thence.

Now shall ye see in Babylon gods of silver, and of gold, and of wood, born upon men’s shoulders, to cause the people to fear.

Beware thereof that ye in no wise be like the strangers, neither be ye afraid of them, when ye see the multitude before them and behind them worshiping them,

But say ye in your hearts, O Lord, we must worship thee.

For mine Angel shall be with you, and shall care for your souls.

As for their tongue, it is polished by the carpenter, and they themselves are gilded, and laid over with silver: yet are they but lies, and can not speak.

And as they take gold for a maid that loves to be decked,

So make they crowns for the heads of their gods: some times also the Priests themselves convey away the gold, and silver from their gods, and bestow it upon themselves.

Yea, they give of the son unto the harlots, that are in their house again, they deck these gods of silver, and gods of gold, and of wood with garments like men,

Yet can not they be preserved from rust and worms,

Though they have covered them with clothing of purple, and wipe their faces because of the dust of the temple, whereof there is much upon them.

One holds a scepter, as thou he were a certain judge of the country: yet can he not slay such as offend him.

Another hath a dagger or an axe in his right hand: yet is he not able to defend himself from battle, nor from thieves: so then it is evident, that they be no gods.

Therefore fear them not: for as a vessel that a man uses, is nothing worthy when it is broken,

Such are their gods: when they be set up in their temples, their eyes be full of dust by reason of the feet of those that come in:

And as the gates are shut in round about upon him that hath offended the King: or as one that should be led to be put to death, so the Priests keep their temples with doors, and with locks, and with bars, lest their gods should be spoiled by robbers.

They light up candles before them: yea, more than for themselves whereof they cannot see one: for they are but as one of the posts of the temple.

They confess, that even their hearts are gnawed upon: but when the things, that creep out of the earth, eat them and their clothes, they feel it not.

Their faces are black through the smoke that is in the temple.

The owls, swallows and birds fly upon their bodies, and upon their heads, yea, and the cats also.

By this ye may be sure, that they are not gods: therefore fear them not.

Notwithstanding the gold, that is about them to make them beautiful, except one wipe of the rust, they can not shine: neither when they were molten, did they feel it.

The things wherein is no breath, are bought for a most high price.

They are born upon men’s shoulders, because they have no feet, whereby they declare unto men, that they be nothing worthy: yea, and they that worship them, are ashamed.

For if they fall to the ground at any time, they can not rise up again of themselves, neither if one set them upright, can they move of themselves, neither if they be bowed down, can they make themselves straight: but they set gifts before them, as unto dead men.

As for the things that are offered unto them, their Priests fell them, and abuse them: likewise also the women lay up of the same: but unto the poor and sick they gave nothing.

The menstrous women, and they that are in child bed [cradle]*, touch their sacrifices: by these things ye may know that they are no gods: fear them not.

From whence comes it then, that they are called gods? because the women bring gifts to the gods of silver, and gold, and wood.

And the Priests sit in their temples, having their clothes rent, whose heads and beards are shaven, and being bare headed,

They roar, and cry before their gods, as men do at the feast of one that is dead.

The Priests also take away of their garments, and cloths their wives and children.

Whether it be evil that one doth unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they can neither set up a King nor put him down.

In like manner they can neither give riches, nor money: though a man make a vow unto them and keep it not, they will not require it.

They can save no man from death, neither deliver the weak from the mighty.

They can not restore a blind man to his sight, nor help any man at his need.

They can show no mercy to the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.

Their gods of wood, gold and silver, are as stones, that be hewn out of the mountain, and they that worship them, shall be confounded.

How should a man then think or say that they are gods?

Moreover the Chaldeans themselves dishonor them: for when they see a dumb man, that can not speak, they present him to Bel,

And desire that he would make him to speak, as though he had any feeling: yet they that understand these things, can not leave them: for they also have no sense.

Furthermore the women, girded with cords, sit in the streets, and burn straw.

And if one of them be drawn away, and lie with any such as come by, she casts her neighbor in the teeth, because she was not so worthily reputed, nor her cord broken.

Whatsoever is done among them, is lies: how many it then be thought or said, that they are gods?

Carpenters and goldsmiths make them, neither be they any other thing, but even what the workman will make them.

Yea, they that make them, are of no long continuance: how should then the things that are made of them, be gods?

Therefore they leave lies, and shame for their posterity.

For when there comes any war or plague upon them, the Priests imagine with themselves, where they may hide themselves with them.

How then can men not perceive, that they be no gods, which can neither defend themselves from war, nor from plague?

For seeing they be but of wood, and of silver, and of gold, men shall know hereafter that they are but lies, and it shall be manifest to all nations and Kings, that they be no gods, but the work of men’s hands, and that there is no work of God in them.

Whereby it may be known, that they are no gods.

They can set up no King in the land, nor give rain unto men.

They can give no sentence of a matter, neither preserve from injury: they have no power, but are as crows between the heaven and the earth.

When there falls a fire upon the house of those gods of wood, and of silver, and of gold, the Priests will escape and save themselves, but they burn as the balkes [open field]* therein.

They can not withstand any King or enemy: how can it then be thought or said that they be gods?

Moreover these gods of wood, of gold, and of silver can neither defend themselves from thieves and robbers.

For they that are strongest, take away their gold and silver, and apparel, wherewith they be clothed: and when they have it, they get them away: yet can they not help themselves.

Therefore it is better to be a King, and so to show his power, or else a profitable vessel in an house, whereby he that owes it, might have profit, then such false gods: or to be a door in an house, to keep such things safe as be therein, then such false gods: or a pillar of wood in a palace, then such false gods.

For the sun, and the moon, and the stars that shine, when they are sent down for necessary uses, obey.

Likewise also the lightning when it shines, it is evident: and the wind blows in every country.

And when God commands the clouds to go about the whole world, they do as they are bidden.

When the fire is sent down from above to destroy hills and woods, it does that which is commanded: but these are not like any of these things, neither in form, nor power.

Wherefore men should not think, nor say that they be gods, seeing they can neither give sentence in judgment, nor do men good.

For so much now as ye are sure, that they be no gods, fear them not.

For they can neither curse, nor bless Kings:

Neither can they show signs in the heaven among the heathen, neither shine as the moon.

The beasts are better than they: for they can get them under a court, and do themselves good.

So ye may be certified that by no manner of means, they are gods: therefore fear them not.

For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers keeps nothing, so are their gods of wood, and of silver, and of gold:

And likewise their gods of wood, and gold and silver are like to a white house in an orchard, that every bird sits upon, and as a dead body that is cast in the dark.

By the purple also and brightness, which fades upon them, ye may understand, that they be no gods: yea, they themselves shall be consumed at the last, and they shall be a shame to the country.

Better therefore is the just man, that hath none idols: for he shall be far from reproof.

*WP4Y