Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 12:5

5 If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses ? and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan ?

That these are the answer of God to the Prophet is reasonably well agreed by the best Interpreters, as also that this is a Proverbial expression, but as to the application of it in this place, there is some difference: Some make it this. If thou dost not understand what is done by the men of thine own City, how canst thou think to fathom my dispensations of Providence in the Government of the World? but this sen[illegible: 1 letter]e seemeth not very probable, because the sense of the Proverb seemeth to be, If thou beest not able to encounter lesser dangers, how wilt thou be able to overcome greater? I rather agree with those who make the sense this. Ieremy I have greater dangers for thee to encounter than those thou art exposed to at Anathoth, if thou beest so disturbed with them, who are but as [illegible: 1 letter]ootmen, how wilt thou be able to grapple with those far greater Enemies which thou art like to meet with at Hierusalem.

Anathoth also seemeth to be understood by the land of thy peace, that is the land of thy friends wherein thou hadst a confidence: If thy Enemies thou hast there met with, tyre thee, what wilt thou do in the swellings of Iordan? that is in a place in which thou art like to meet with an increase of greater troubles, like the swelling of Jordan (which in Harvest used to overflow its Banks.) Many other things are said by Interpreters, both with reference to the sense of this Text, and the explication of these proverbial expressions, but the sense above-mentioned seemeth to me least strained, and best agreeing with what went before, and what follows.

Marginal references: Josh. 3.15.