wee may not keepe familiar company with such then certainely we may not marry with them their birth wealth and conceited hope to win them cannot make way for such marriages to them which feare God and loue their owne soules Fifthly with such as bee vniustly diuorced for that is to marry another mans wife and to commit adulterie These marriages are made after the flesh where the diuell danceth but God is displeased and good Angels and good men offended With whose maidens thou wast These words are added to shew what Boaz she meant and also to giue Ruth some hope of good successe For Ruth might obiect three things which Naomi in this verse preuenteth She might haue said Alas I am poore what hope of one so rich To which Naomi answereth He is thy Kinsman and therefore by law bound to marry with thee though herein she did somewhat erre Againe if Ruth had said I am not knowne well to him and I feare his dislike Naomi here putteth her in mind with whom shee had been euen with Boaz who had taken notice of her and had been kind to her and had spoken well of her yea in this she calleth a particular kindnesse of Boaz to her remembrance who willed her to abide with his maidens Thirdly if Ruth had obiected the want of opportunitie and fit occasion to speake to him Behold saith Naomi hee winnoweth this night barley in the threshing-floore So then note That warrant from God experience of the loue of man and fit occasion to effect a matter are strong inducements to attempt the same These made Ester to aduenture to goe vnto Ahasuerus her calling from God her experience of former fauour and the present cause requiring and occasion offered to make triall And where these concurre let vs boldly doe our indeuour with hope to effect what wee goe about Behold That is See and consider the prouidence of God it is as one would wish it falleth out opportunely as if God had decreed to bring it to passe so Naomi obserued Gods prouidence plainely for it appeareth manifestly where and when hee decreeth to bring things to passe so as we may say Behold the hand of the Lord And this either for good as in preuenting Mordecaies Ester 6. 1 3. destruction the Widow of Sarepta her famishment 1. King 17. 10 11 12 13 14. 1. Sam. 23. 27. Exod 2. 5. Gen. 37. 24 28. Dauid from the hand of Saul Moses from drowning and Ioseph from perishing in the pit or for euill to bring iudgement vpon the wicked as vpon Iezabel and Iehoram as God had 2. King 9. 15 21 25 30 36. threatned catching them as it were in a trap the one in the portion of Naboth and the other in Iezreel For the Lord seeth all things and his Iob 28. 24. 3â— 21. eyes are vpon the wayes of men to bring his decree to passe by his power and prouidence Let vs then cast our eyes about vs and obserue Gods prouidence for so shall wee see both his mercy and iustice to praise him it will make vs patient and contented vnder euery crosse and carefully to relye vpon him when we see how his prouidence waiteth vpon his promise good will and pleasure Yea this will comfort vs and make vs not to feare what man can doe vnto vs seeing his hand is ready to helpe Hee winnoweth barley to night in the threshing floore For the threshing floores in those times Iudg. 6. 37. Gen. 50. 10. Numb 18. 30. 2. Sam. 6. 6. and 24. 16. 1. Châ—o 21. 24. it scemeth from the first of Samuel chap. 23. and other places that they were abroad in the fields as the wine-presses were and this place sheweth that Ruth went out of the citie thither In such a place Dauid built an Altar to the Lord in the 2. Chron. 3. 1. threshing floore of Ornan Of the manner how it was made is not expressed in the Scripture It may also seeme that the winnowing was towards the euening in those hot countries when the wind did arise called The wind of the day or as in Genesis it is translated the coole of the day Boaz Gen. 3. 8. though he winnowed not himselfe in person yet he may be so said to doe in commanding his seruants hee there being a diligent ouer-seer and a helper forward of the worke with his presence Howsoeuer this may we learne that It is no vnseemelinesse for men of birth of place and wealth sometime to follow in their owne persons meane labours of their calling as hee doth here winnowing of corne Gideon his threshing Iudah his sheep-shearing Elisha his plough This they did not of base niggardlinesse as loth to keepe seruants to doe it but to exercise themselues in labour which is healthfull to preuent idlenesse and ill fruits thereof to be an example to others as was Iulius Sueton. Caesar who would goe bare-headed and on foote both in hot Sun-shine and in foule weather often before his Souldiers and as the Lord Lacie Irish Chron. chiefe Iustice in Ireland who tooke vp stones to beare them to the building hee had in hand to prouoke the lazie Irish to take paines Which reproueth those which doe condemne them that so take paines being persons of worth as if it were discredit to them and to bee basely accounted of for so doing when yet wee see out of the Scripture men as these proud fellowes hold them of meane callings chosen to high places as Moses from keeping sheep to be Ruler of Gods people so Dauid to be King Gideon from threshing to be Captaine ouer the hoast of Israel Elisha from the plough to be the Lords Prophet so Amos from the herd Peter from a poore fisher-mans estate to be an Apostle and the like we find in heathen historie of one L. Q. Cincinnatus who was fetched Eutrop. Val. Max. from the plow to be made Dictator in Rome and after returned to husbandry againe Thus we see how great men did set themselues to callings now held base and meane by proud and riotous spirits and also many highly aduanced from meane places and low estate of life for their worthinesse and vertuous industry for which they were honoured how meane soeuer by birth or education such were these Emperours Pertinax an Artificers sonne Dioclesian a Scriueners sone Valentian the sonne of a Shoomaker and of a Gardiner came Proâ—us Let our lazie and lewd Roysters vpstart Gentrie or such as come of worthy Ancestours yet hauing no worthinesse in themselues behold these and learne to doe as Maximinus Senior did who when he was Generall did take such paines in meane matters as others found fault with him But he answered them The greater I am the greater paines will Quò maior sueâ—o tantò plus laborabo I take If our Yongsters would thinke hereof they would not scorne to take paines as they doe and yet scorne not to liue in a more base course vnworthy
mercies and therefore he seuerely punished them as the story of the Iudges shew in giuing them into the hands of their enemies grieuously to oppresse them and heere by famine to plague them From whence we may obserue I. That sins especially these aforenamed deserue the Iudgements of God Deut. 28. 1. King 8. 35 36 37. because sinnes prouoke and incense the wrathfull indignation of the Lord against men as appeareth by his terrible threatnings Ps 11. 6. Rom. 2. and his inflicted punishments vpon euill doers of which there want not examples in the Scripture as the old world Sodom Israelites in Wildernesse in Canaan and therefore to escape plagues let vs take heede of sinne Ezech. 18. 31. Reu. 18. II. That famine and dearth is a punishment for sinne and that a great plague Ezech. 5. 16. Deut. 28. 23 24. Leuit. 26. 19 20. Amos 4. Therefore to auoide it either preuent sinne that it bee not committed or if we be ouertaken repent of sinne and that sincerely and speedily And when this hand of God commeth vpon vs let vs search our waies and let vs humble our selues 2. Chro. 7. 14. that the Lord may heale our Land for it is a terrible iudgement 1. Sam. 24. 14. and without mercy 2. King 6. 10 29. Ezech. 4. 10. This famine men do know yet there is another Famine which few know or if they know it they feare it not the famine of the Word Amos 8. 11. which the Lord threatneth by that Prophet as a greater plague than thâ— famine of bread and water the foode for the body and yet alas who feareth it who are touched with the terrour of this plague III. We may hereby see how God made his word good vpon them and that he dallyeth not with his people in denouncing iudgements against them for Moses had told them Deut. 28. that God would thus afflict them if they would bee rebellious against hm and heere the story telleth vs that in the daies of the Iudges this plague of famine came vpon them This Ezechiel verifieth in Chap. 6. 10. and the punishments inflicted as the Lord denounced them shewe the truth hereof that the Lord speaketh seriously hee doth not iest with sinners he will certainely make good vpon them what he threatneth as may be seene vpon Iezabel Ely's sons and vpon his house vpon Iâ—roboam Ioachin Zedechiah and on Ierusalem For the Lord is the God that hateth iniquity and is iust in his Word euen the God of Truth as well in threats as in promises And therefore let vs feare the Lyons roaring and not be like him that blesseth himselfe and dreadeth not the curse Deu. 29. 18. but presumeth of mercy as if God were not also iust to punish offenders But such must know they deceiue themselues they harden their own harts they abuse Gods mercy which is to worke feare Psal 130. 4. Ier. 33. 9. and obedience Rom. 12. 1. They spoyle God of his Iustice and Truth in his threats incense the Lords wrath to plague them in a high degree as he threatneth in Deuteronomie 29. 19. In the Land In the Land of Canaan the Kingdome of Israel where God had placed them planted them and promised to them his blessings plentifully yet see now for their sinnes in a Land once flowing with Milke and Honey Ezech. 20. 6. they finde scarcity Hence note I. That people depriue themselues by their sinnes of that which God had giuen and they enioyed according to his promise For sinne will depriue Angels of heauen Adam of Paradise Cain of his honour Ruben of his birth-right thousands of the Land of Canaan though they came out of Egypt Ierusalem of her Kings her Temple Peace and prosperity men of their honours as Ieroboam Haman of their libertie as Manasses of health as Vzziah of their liues as Corah with his company Let vs then blame our selues for our miseries and not the Lord for punishing vs as wee deserue And if we would hold the blessings which wee doe inioy beware of sinne which will robbe vs of all we haue II. That a fruitfull Land is made barraine for the sinnes of the inhabitants thereof Psal 107. Leu. 26. 19 20. And these sins in particular procure this plague The abuse of Gods mercies Luk. 15. 14. Idolatrie 1. King 17. 1. 2. King 4. 36. The murthering of innocents 2. Sam. 21. 1. and the oppression of the poore Amos 4. 1 6. Know then how to preuent hereby scarcity and in the time of want turne from sinne by repentance and blame not the heauens or earth murmure not against vnseasonable weather but be displeased with our sinfull selues III. Iudgement begins at the house of the Lord 1. Pet. 4. Ezech. 9. hee will shew his hatred of sinne vpon the land of the liuing for he cannot suffer euill in his people if a Moses an Aaron a Dauid a Iosias sinne they shall feele the smart of it Now therefore if iudgement begin at Gods House what shall become of Gods enemies If the Church feele wrath what may the Aduersaries expect A certaine man of Bethlehem Iudah Iudah the Royall Tribe And this is added for distinction because there was another Bethlehem in Zebulon Iosh 19. 15. This Bethlehem was called Ephrata Gen. 35. 13. sixe miles from Ierusalem as some say here Iacob fed his sheepe Gen. 31. heere Rachel died Dauid was borne and Iesus Christ our Lord It had the name from Plenty and signifieth the House of bread So as we see the noble Tribe of Iudah and this honourable place of Bethlehem felt this scourge of God No place is exempt from the punishment where sinne is suffered to reigne It bringeth famine vpon Bethlehem Iudah and on the Land of Israel it bringeth the sword and famine into Ierusalem There is then no place to keepe vs free from feeling the punishment if sinne be not remoued chase out this and call home againe the Lords blessings Went to soiourne As a stranger in another Countrey from his owne home We here see how God can remoue by one meanes or another men out of ther homes and harbour Dauid through iust feare of Absalom out of Ierusalem Manasses by force out of his Kingdome into prison other by vnthriftinesse cast out themselues some voluntarily leaue their habitation and place of abode and returne not againe All which came about by the hand of God who hath all things at his disposing that no man may thinke himselfe securely settled especially if he be a Shebnah the Lord Esay 22. 15 16 17. will driue such out Amos 4. 2 3. Note againe how feare of corporall wants will make men leaue their home their natiue soyle their friends and kindred to goe into a strange countrey So forcible is nature for preseruation of bodily life which man so much esteemeth and loueth This should then make men care to keepe the blessings prouidently and frugally also to auoide the occasions and meanes of wastfull misspending seeing seare of want
marry we dislike it and speake against it if they alledge the ends of marriage they are easily answered For the first is for procreation of children which in thē is past the other is to auoid fornication which they should be farre from seeing the body is dead the heart should not grow ranke with filthy lust the lecherous old person is hated of God If they alledge to marry for mutuall comfort I aske With whom will shee marry for such comfort If with a yong man shee may perhaps comfort her selfe in him but not he himselfe with her for yong men marry old womens goods and lands but not their persons there is in nature no accord between them her wanton heart may seeke her pleasure in matching with him but he will take no contentment in her but for what shee hath If with an old man where is comfort when two froward old persons meet together old age all know is hard to please and therefore old persons can hardly afford kind comforts one to another Lastly marriage bringeth cares and troubles 1. Cor. 7. saith Saint Paul Now it is time for old women to lay aside the cares of this world and to giue themselues to fasting and prayer and to doe good workes and so to shew their care for the world to come And therefore let such widowes continue widowes betake themselues to God and his diuine worship as best befitteth them If I should say I haue hope to wit to haue children and so might take an husband implying thus much that while a womā hath hope of children shee may marry for the first and chiefest end of marriage such a one is not depriued of And therefore let child-bearing women vse their libertie and marry if they cannot abstaine 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 5. 28. yea though they be poore neither may any be offended thereat If I should haue an husband also to night This circumstance of time is noted that these women had gone nigh one dayes iourney with Naomi at the least So they shewed herein great kindnesse to trauell so farre with her or that it was farre on the day before they came forth if this was the first night or else shee speaketh thus for that marriage was consummated at night Here some may aske why needed Naomi thus to speake of her hauing an husband and bearing of children seeing shee knew that the next kinsman was to doe the office for the dead Chap. 3. 1 2. Shee might haue said Your husbands haue kinsmen which by our Law are to marry you if you will goe with me though I haue no sonnes my selfe Naomi knew this well enough as it appeareth afterwards but first shee will not draw them to the Lords people with such carnall reasons againe shee knew not perhaps now whether such were dead or aliue if aliue yet they might be marryed and so could not take them for wiues if vnmarryed shee yet knew not whether they would submit to the Law in that case For we see that what God commanded was not euer obeyed and the Story telleth vs that one kinsman Chap. 4. refused her and why not another And therefore because shee could not speake any thing of certainty on which they might depend shee mentioneth no such thing shewing this that the wise will not make promises rashly for others nor perswade to more then they well know lest they be deceiued and so also deceiue others relying vpon their word This reproueth all rash vndertakers for others though reason and Religion should bind those for whom they so vndertake to performe the same And should also beare sonnes Naomi speaketh first of hauing a husband and then of bearing children for childbirth is to be the fruit of lawfull marriage onely God first ioyned man and woman and made them man and wife and then said Increase and multiply Naomi was not of that mind to make her selfe a mother out of marriage as many wantons and Light-skirts doe making themselues whores and their children bastards and all for satisfying the rage of present lust though after they repent with griefe and shame Verse 13. Would yee tarry for them till they were growne would yee stay for them from hauing husbands nay my daughters for it grieueth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me NAomi here disswadeth them from staying for husbands by her if it were granted that now shee had borne sonnes and hauing thus spoken shee breaketh forth into a sorrowfull complaint of her inabilitie to doe them good for their sakes The disswasion is set out by a double interrogation for more vehemencie of speech and by an answer made thereto In the complaint shee sheweth her griefe and that for whose sake chiefely and how it came vpon her Would yee tarry for them till they were growne As if shee had said If I had now yong sonnes you could not marry them till they were of sufficient yeeres they must be growne vp to marriage before they doe marry Marriage is for them that are growne vp for it and are marriageable God when he made our first parents made them of yeeres fit for procreation of children before he marryed them And this is to be obserued for the due accomplishment of marriage and for reuerence to Gods ordinance which checketh those parents who for other ends then the ends of marriage doe match their children together before they be marriageable Here parents abuse marriage for this is no coniunction for procreation of children nor to auoid fornication these parents take away their childrens liberty which is to marry or not to marry when they come to yeeres of discretion they are cruell and mercilesse parents who bind their children in an vnseparable knot and indissoluble bond before they vnderstand what they doe such matches are commonly cursed of God one forsaking another when they come to yeeres or hating one another liuing in the gall of bitternesse all their dayes and so parents expectation is frustrate and children vndone with sorrow to friends on all sides A iust punishment of God and reward of their sinne Would yee stay for them from hauing husbands As if she had said You are yong women there are men now fit husbands for you it is not meet you should therefore stay so long for little children and so be vnfitly matched with them so yong and you so old It is not good for such as intend to marry to deferre off too long This is it which Naomi here teacheth her daughters and this counsell is good if the parties cannot abstaine and that fit matches be offered let them yeld to the good hand of Gods prouidence and not refuse an honest offer either of pride or of foolish fantasie or of some nicety or other light and idle womanish reason against good reason and sound perswasion of godly and wise friends Nay my daughters This answer sheweth Naomi her meaning in the former interrogations that she could not
approue of their deferring off to marry but that being yong they should not refuse to marry againe when God should send them fit husbands A godly and wise mother in law like Naomi cannot onely be willing but also will perswade her children in law should marry againe For they know this liberty is graunted them of God and in their owne conscience they know it reasonable and perhaps in others of necessity Shee was not like those mothers in law which after the death of their owne children cannot endure to heare of the second marriage of their children in law whether sonnes or daughters For it grieueth me much Here is the reason giuen why she willeth them to returne and to take husbands againe euen for the griefe of her heart for that seeing them as poore widdowes as her selfe and remembring her sonnes and how little she could doe for them she heauily sustained the griefe and therefore perswaded them to take husbands againe in whom they might haue comfort Note here how the most godly sometime do take their afflictions very heauily as Naomi here so Iob Chap. 3. Ieremy Chap. 20. 9 12. which commeth through weakenesse of faith want of patience want of humility through also the strength of corruption and the aggrauating of the affliction euer looking vpon it but not weighing the will of God the necessity of the crosse and the good which might come thereby Well yet if the best may be much cast downe then let not such as be free not vnder the crosse not knowing how they can beare it censure others for their weakenesse vnder the burthen but rather take notice thereof and be a staffe of comfort vnto them helpe to beare the burthen with them and pray for their patience For your sakes Afflictions are the more grieuous for friends wrapped therein so as one cannot well helpe another Naomi was greatly afflicted but the more shee saith for her daughters miserie with her who losing her sonnes made also them poore widowes Abimelechs destruction encreased Dauids Psalme 52. 1. King 17. 20 21. sorrowes and troubles Eliah not a little grieued for the widowes sorrow with whom he soiourned Acts and Mon. pag. 77 5. a. and so was Luther for the Duke of Saxonie and the reason hereof is true loue which taketh to heart a friends affliction in their owne troubles as Dauid did Abiathars 1. Sam. 22. 22. This grace of true friendship is much to be wished for men now a dayes care not much for their friends miserie if they be in prosperity or if in aduersity with them how they themselues may get out though they leaue their friends as a pawne for themselues yea such villanie is in some men that they will purposely bring their friends into misery to doe themselues a pleasure coozen them to inrich themselues ouerthrow them to set vp themselues That the hand of the Lord. Thus she calleth her affliction the hand of the Lord because all afflictions come by the power and prouidence of God as by an hand vpon vs Iob 1. 21. and 16. 12. Lam. 1. 12 17. Amos. 3. 6. and 4. 6 7 11. 2. Chro. 15. 6. Esay 45 6 7. For afflictions come not out of the dust neither do troubles spring out of the ground Iob 5. 6. Let then all afflictions bee acknowledged to be Gods hand not as chance with the Philistims not of the Deuill witches and ill instruments If we acknowledge them with Iob from God we will goe to him humble our selues before him pray for pardon and deliuerance by him as who onely can deliuer vs yea this will make vs patient vnder the crosse this will worke some contentment and say It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good This will make vs quiet towards the ill instruments as Dauid was towards Saul and towards Shemei This will comfort vs vnder the affliction when we know it to be Gods hand and that out of his fatherly mercy he will lay no more vpon vs then we shall be able to beare Is gone out against mee This good woman applieth the whole crosse to her selfe The godly in cōmon calamities take themselues to be especially chastised they put not off the cause to others but take it to themselues as Dauid did 1. Chr. 21. 17. 2. Sam. 24. 27. They thinke vpon their own sinnes and not on other mens misdeeds This is that which humbleth them and this is it which would humble vs which grace we must labour for Verse 14. And they lift vp their voice and wept againe and Orpha kissed her mother in law but Ruth claue vnto her HEre is the euent and effect of Naomies speech againe first ioyntly in both which was againe their passion and then distinctly shewed in contraries in Orphaes valediction and Ruth remaining still with her mother in law And they lift vp their voice and wept againe Againe their passion of teares is recorded both alike in passion of affection but farre differing in the truth of the action the best demonstration of the heart for in both was a like shew of loue in their weeping yet not the like cōstant coniunction of heart towards Naomi for the one forsooke her and the other abode and went on with her Whence we may see that all outward sorrow giueth not certaine witnesse of the soundnesse of the heart this is plaine by this example and by Sauls weeping to Dauid As this is true in men so more in women who haue teares at command Doe we not reade how the Israelites would weepe on one day and be in rebellion another Was not Ishmael in his very weeping a very deepe disembler the like neuer heard of We are not easily therefore to be perswaded of inward hearty affection from weeping and sheading of teares This deceiued the fourescore men which met Ishmael and were most of them slain by him Some can shead teares at will and all weeping doth not come from the like cause though many weepe together and in appearance haue the same reason there be that will weep for company because they see others to weepe neuer inwardly moued from the cause but most from the outward passion of the parties yet though there be a weeping not commendable as that which is counterfeit that which is vpon euery light occasion or which is vpon iust cause but in excesse yet it is sometime a matter praise-worthy when it is from a naturall affection as in Ioseph to his brethren and father from sound loue to a friend as Ionathans and Dauids weeping and when it is from a gracious heart for a mans owne sinnes as Peters weeping was or for the sinnes of others as Dauids Psal 1 19. Ieremies Chap. 13. And Iesus Christ his weeping ouer Ierusalem Luke 19. 41. Blessed are these mourners for they shall be comforted these teares are put into the Lords bottle Psal 56. 8. And such as be so doggedly hard-hearted and want naturall affection and sound loue so as neither for
thence and not being in want as many light seruants doe who as rolling stones which can neuer gather mosse feele want ere they be aware Ruth kept her selfe there where she was well and so should others doe and reape the fruit of wisedome and constancie both which appeared in Ruth herein Note againe from her example of sedulitie that such as loue labour take paines so long as they may all the day till night for the day is the time of labour till the euening as the Psalmist speaketh Man goeth out to his labour vntill the Euening Ruth rested not till the time of rest for they that loue labour doe strengthen themselues to it as Salomon speaketh Prou. 31. 17. of the good hous-wife And this strengthening is thus when they labour to come with a good will to worke when they force their owne consciences thereto from the Commandement of God to labour when they doe consider labour as the ordinarie meanes appointed both to get an outward estate and to preserue the same and lastly when they ioy in Prou. 31. 18. the fruit of their labour and reape the profit of their hands Thus should wee strengthen our selues to take paines as Ruth here did So shall we eate the bread of our owne hands as the 1. Thes 4. 11. Apostle exhorteth which as before I haue noted 2. Thes 3. 12. Psalm 128. 1. Prou. 31. 27. is a blessed thing and we shall not eate the bread of idlenesse the bread which the good woman would not taste of it is vnsauorie to all that truely feare God and walke as they should in an honest calling This diligence and constant labour of Ruth checketh those which will not worke on the day to haue the sweet labouring mans rest in the night not in health to relieue themselues in sickenesse not in youth to maintaine old age not in summer for heat not in winter for cold but rather as Droanes desire to liue vpon the sweat of other mens browes not vpon the labour of their owne hands as God spake to Adam They also are here reproued Gen. 3. which will not be constant in labour but worke onely by fits to supply present wants and to haue money to spend not setting hand to labour while they haue one penny neuer prouiding for the time to come but doe rest vpon their present strength to labour for supply of present wants and no farther whereby it commeth to passe that in sickenesse and old age they must either bee relieued of others or perish for hunger And beate out that shee had gleaned Shee was both the Gleaner and the Thresher Corne was beat out sometime by oxen or horses treading or by a wheele running vpon it or by a staffe as here or by the flaile as now euery where with vs. It was a meane course to gleane but a meaner for her selfe to sit downe to beate out what shee had gleaned yet this she did before she went home to her mother in law whose house shee would not cumber nor trouble her old head with the noyse of the beating shee would bring home all ready with her Shee laboured more like a seruant then a daughter in law and yet she in loue was more then a daughter in law her seruice was beyond a seruant in labour and trauel with diligence and faithfulnesse and her loue surpassed and exceeded the loue of many naturall children The thing principally here to be noted is that the godly which indeed be truely humble and painefull refuse no honest kind of labour Abel will keepe sheep Iacob will doe the like Sarah will bake cakes euen ordinary bread not like the Apothecarie stuffe such as our Ladies perhaps will put their hands vnto if their fingers be yet not too fine Rebecca will take a pitcher and fetch water yea more will draw for the Camels of a stranger out of courtesie Yea Gideon will thrash Boaz will lie by his corne heape Ruth will beate out her corne and the honorable woman will put her hand to the distaffe The reasons are because such haue put on humilitie which will refuse to doe nothing that is honest and lawfull they know no dishonestie therein and that it was held a vertue aforetimes to labour in such things as the pride of our times iudge base contemptible and themselues disgraced therein By no Vide Mar. Buc. de Regno Christi lib. 2. cap. 48 49. meanes many in our age will labour vpon any occasion in any common thing they haue forsooth their reasons They alledge birth But who better borne then Gain and Abel the sonnes of the sole Monarch of the whole world Christ Iesus by birth as man descended of Kings and the King of Iudah yet was a Carpenter hee had Mark 6. 3. birth to haue boasted on and he had power diuine to haue exempted him from labour yet he would not doe so King Alphoâ—sus doing something with his hands and labouring so as some which beheld him found fault smiled and said Hath God giuen hands to Kings in vaine Yea the Grand Segnior by his law as I take it is to The great Lord of the Turkish Empire doe daily some bodily worke with his owne hands and that law they doe obserue to grace labour and that labouring men should not become contemptible They will alledge I meane our Gentlemen Idlers that they haue rich parents to maintaine them that they need not worke Yes if not for maintenance yet to preuent a world of wickednesse which commeth by their idle life For who set out the ensignes of pride in apparell but these Who proue so prodigal Who liue so much in filthy lusts of vncleannesse Who maintain play and play-houses Who are the Tabacconists the drunkards the ryotous persons Who of the roaring boyes and damned crue but commonly these Behold you rich parents the goodly fruit of the idle education of your children But graunt they proue not euer such as be here named may they yet liue without callings and onely liue idly and do nothing because their parents can maintaine them Did rich Abraham so bring vp Isaac or he so Iacob and this man so his children or did lesse thus traine vp Dauid If he had surely he had neuer beene King of Israel for God neuer made choise of any man to aduance him but such as were in their callings God calleth Moses keeping See what Dauid was when he yet kept sheep 1. Sam. 16. 12 18 â—9 and 17. 40 42. sheep so Dauid and Gideon when he was threshing and Elisha when he was plowing Amos when he was with his cattel What shall I speake of the Apostles when Christ did call them Was not some mending their nets other fishing another sitting at the receipt of custome none idle or out of a calling So long as the prodigall sonne liued out of a calling yea till he kept swine as base as it was he neuer came to himselfe he neuer had
grace to repent These Idlers and loose liuers yet say for themselues that it is a disgrace for them to mind so meane things as the men of old time did Disgrace Who can hold that to be a disgrace which better meÌ„ haue done Better for pietie to God better before men for noblenesse of birth for greatnesse of state and for name of renowne in the world Againe who doe make that a disgrace now which God in his Word sheweth to haue beene their praise This conceit of disgrace ariseth from the spirit of pride and vanitie in the sonnes of Belial But if conceit of disgrace make them auoid labour in some calling whether of the mind or body then would I faine know why they auoid not those things wherein disgrace is indeed and why they shame not to liue idly prodigally lasciuiously in ryot and excesse in foolish pride and vanitie and lewd courses vnbeseeming the name of Christianity Lastly these vnprofitable members will say they haue better beene brought vp than to take paines What is this better bringing vp It is to follow fashions or to drinke and whiffe the Tabacco pipe or to congie and complement or to hunt and hawke and then curse and sweare as the furies of Hell or else to handle a weapon to strike and stab and vpon a word to challenge and so into the field to play the Deuils companion or to play at dice and cards or to read amorous bookes to court a Curtisan I should say a Gentlewoman or a yong Gallant to vanitie and wantonnesse How much more commendable were it and profitable to be imployed in some good literature as in the knowledge of tongues and arts And will their bringing vp allow them to liue idly Was not Paul brought vp at the feet of Gamâ—liel a great Statesman among the Iewes and yet he laboured with his hands and neuer liued out of a particular calling And was not Moses brought vp in Pharaoes Court and in all the learning of the Egyptians Yet did he liue in a calling and would be a Shepheard rather then liue idly or in Pharaoes Court wickedly he pleaded not his birth his gentrie his better education as these doe It is enough to be a Gentleman as they speake now adayes to countenance him in sinne in sloth in brauerie in contempt of a strict life to liue out of a calling sauing the calling of a Gentleman a profession so abused to aduance sinne and Satans kingdome as nothing more yet neuer read I nor heard I of in holy Writ or elsewhere that the title and name of a Gentleman should be a calling to exempt men from all callings from all honest labours and to leaue them loose as wild Colts without bit or bridle to their owne lusts and licentious libertie and finally to their ruine and destruction This is not Gentrie but rather Gentilisme to be hated of a Christian The practice whereof was odious euen in the Common-wealths of Heathen men And it was about an Epha of Barley Thus much Exod. 16. 36. her daies labour came vnto which was almost a bushell after our measure An Epha was tenne times as much as an Omer which was the measure for gathering Mannah and this was as much Exod. 16. 16. as would serue one man bread for a day So Ruth had gathered so much in one day as might serue her many dayes thus the Lord blessed her labour Whence we may learne this that the Lord can and will giue sometime a plentifull blessing to the diligent hand Thus he blessed Iacob in his painefull seruice so as hee was able to giue to Esau a Gen. 32. 13 14. present of fiue hundred fiftie head of beasts and cattell of one sort and other for all things are in his hand and at his disposing How soone did hee enrich againe Iob It is nothing with the Lord to make a poore man rich And therefore in our labours let vs haue recourse vnto God because Deut. 8. 18. hee giueth power to get wealth without Psal 127. 2. Haggai 1. 6. his blessing our labour is in vaine but with his blessing our labour shall take good effect Iohn 21. 6. Vers 18. And shee tooke it vp and went into the citie and her mother in law saw what shee had gleaned and she brought forth and gaue to her that shee had reserued after she was sufficed RVthes comfortable returne out of the field with what whither to whom with her kindnesse in giuing what shee had reserued at meale-time from Boaz table so as she had a double witnesse to shew her mother his kindnesse the Epha of barley and the food of his table both which did no doubt greatly comfort the heart of Naomi as appeareth by her heartie prayers in the next verse And she tooke it vp and went into the Citie Shee beareth the burthen her self And this is noted to shew how the Lord taketh notice of the burthens of his children which are of two sorts either such as bee voluntarily vndertaken and willingly for discharge of their dutie as Iacob in his seruice to Laban or Ruth here for her honest maintenance or else imposed vpon them as the burthens of Gen. 31. 12. Exod. 3. 7. Pharaoh vpon the Israelites on both the Lord looketh approouing the one and pitying the other Which may giue comfort vnto the painefull in bearing the burthen of their calling or of oppression for the Lord knoweth their troubles their labour and trauell and will doe them good in the end if they waite with patience And her mother in law saw what she had gleaned By this it appeareth that Ruth did hide none of her gleaning from Naomi but shewed her all and this for three causes to manifest Gods mercy towards her that she might praise God with her to shew that she had been painefull in her absence and not spent her time idly and to shew her faithfulnesse that she kept nothing from her And thus should children and seruants doe to such as depend vpon their labour approoue their labour by the fruits thereof and their faithfulnesse vnto their Parents and Masters They may not bee faithlesse as some seruants bee nor carelesse and idle as be too many children who vnder their Parents take libertie to be lazy when yet they haue more reason to bee painefull and carefull then seruants as nature better maintenance and the hope of portions and inheritance binde them And she brought forth and gaue her After that Ruth had shewed what she had gleaned she took out some victuals and gaue to her mother in law also Godly children are kind and louing to their Parents If this bee in a daughter in law to a mother See chap. 4. vers 15. in law much greater is the bond of duty of naturall children to their naturall Parents if they be truly religious as may bee seene in Dauid to 1. Sam. 22. 3. Gen. 45. 11. his Parents and Ioseph to his And
recordeth not her name signifieth My pleasantnesse or sweetnesse as wiues should be such to their husbands and so husbands should account them Shee was faire a wise woman of great note in the Citie and a very godly and meeke spirited woman full of true loue patient in want thankefull and humble all which to be true her words and deedes in this historie doe plainely shewe So she was faire inward and outward an example and Looking-glasse for women the gallant Dames which would be Naomies for outward beauty and brauery but are foule Marahs for want of grace and true goodnesse Naomi is named before her children both in the former as a wife to Elimelech and here as a Mother to them and this reckoning of her name in this order declareth her dignitie and place before them Shee as a wife is to haue place next Elimelech the husband who is to preferre wife before children for shee is himselfe and as a mother to goe before them that be her children who are to honour their parents And the name of his two sonnes Why not her sonnes for shee was not their mother in law but they were sonnes borne of her body verse 11. But they are called his for the more honour For the father chefely giueth honour to the child Mahlon and Chilion The former signifieth infirmitie the latter finished Why so called is not shewed but they answer the euent of things the first his fathers infirmity in going from among Gods people to liue with Idolaters for preseruation of his outward estate and the other his fathers death being taken away in Moab verse 3. He was Mahlon in his leauing of Bethlehem and Chilion in abyding in Moab And here note in all these names how significant they be which the Hebrewes did euer obserue in naming their children yea the Lord himselfe in giuing a name to any one as in calling Abram Abraham Sarai Sarah which is of vs to be imitated thereby expressing our faith and grace towards God and admonishing them of some duety True it is that good names haue no vertue in them to make men better nor names without signification to make any worse yet for reuerence to our holy profession and that blessed Sacrament of Baptisme at which time names be giuen and in imitation of the godly in Scripture yea of God himselfe who called his first Sonne of men Adam and his blessed holy One Iesus by the Message of an Angel let vs giue our children good names significant and comely not absurd ridiculous and impious as some haue done out of the spirit of prophanenesse Ephrathites of Bethlehem Iudah So termed because Bethlehem was called Ephrate Gen. 35. 19. or for that the Countrey where Bethlehem stood was so called as may appeare in Mich. 5. 2. and Iudah is added not onely for a distinction of this Bethlehem from the other in Zabulon but for to make a difference of the Ephrathites here from other in the tribe of Ephraim for Ieroboam is called an Ephrathite 1. King 11. 26. By which wee see how carefull the holy Ghost is to make cleare the History and to free it from ambiguity of speech that the truth might better appeare and not be mistaken The Penmen of this and other diuine Histories are Faithfull Historians and such should others be and not full of fables falshood and deceit written through feare or fauour or ill will And they came into the Countrey of Moah So they finished their iourney Howsoeuer the Man might doe amisse in leauing Israel for Moab the Land of the liuing for a dead Nation yet it pleased the Lord to speede his iourney to bring to passe what he had intended for the conuersion of Ruth to make her a mother in Israel whence we see that God intending good to some in his secret counsel may prosper that which others vndertake with no good warrant Thus shall Nebuchadnezzar prosper against Ierusalem Iacobs sonnes act in selling Ioseph their brother yea the enemies of Christ to put him to death as God had determined Act. 4. For the Lord can worke good out of euill and can vse ill instruments to good purposes And therefore simply for the good issue which God maketh we are not to approue of either the matter in hand or the mindes of men which God vseth therein as is apparent in the former examples for Gods will and worke was one thing but theirs another hee is to be praised but they are to be reproued The word Countrey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 5. Num. 20. 17. Pro. 24. 3. Septu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be also transalted the field as in the Originall it is often vsed and hence some coniecture that Elimelech went not into the Cities of the Moabites but dwelt in Tents as did Abraham Isaac and Iacob and not in the Cities of the Canaanites If men liue where Idolaters be it is good to auoid the occasion of infection as much as may be For much conuersing breedeth familiarity this loue of their persons so a liking of their waies with neglect of true Religion at the first but it falleth into contempt at last It is rare to bee a righteous hearted Lot in Sodom he was but one and one alone Israelites became Idolaters in Egypt This is it which made the Lord forbid communion and marriages to them with the Canaanites lest they should learne their wayes Let vs therefore take heede of conuersing with the wicked and with idolatrous people It is good that idle Trauellers should consider well hereof And continued there So then they had no repulse but were allowed to dwell there and that for a long time as the words in verse 4. doe shew yet these Moabites were formerly hard-hearted enough Deut. 23. 3. but by this we see that none are so churlish and vnkinde at one time to some but God can incline their hearts at another time to other some The History of Heathen Emperours manifesteth the truth of this towards Christians and the Story of the Israelites comming forth of Egypt for mens hearts yea the hearts of Kings are in the Lords hands to turne them towards whom he pleaseth as Nehemiah knew well which Nehemiah 1. made him to pray and Iacob also when he feared the comming of Esau When wee haue to doe with ill and dogged natured men let vs goe to God who can turne Esaus bloody heart in his comming foorth into a kind welcomming of his brother at their meeting he can incline Assuerus heart towards Ester to make him hold out to her the golden Scepter Consider the promise Ier. 15 11. and 42. 12. let vs seeke to please God and hee will worke vs fauour in the eyes of men Pro. 16. 7. and Iob 5. 23. let this be our comfort It may further seeme by the course of this Story that these Bethlehemites were not onely suffred to dwell among the Moabites but also that they were kindly vsed in that they
from Idolaters to the Church of God and was in loue with Naomi whom she would accompany thither and would not be intreated to forsake her no more would Elisha leaue Eliah The godly are like to Ahimaaz who would not be let for running to Dauid for indeed they set their hearts on the Lords wayes and haue a full resolution to doe well by Gods helpe and doe reioyce in the way of well-doing and finding therein comfort like Abrahams seruant will not be stayed but doe hasten home to their Heauenly Country This grace let vs labour for to haue a desire not to be hindred in a good course nor to be withdrawne from good purposes but stand fast in our honest resolutions which if indeed we doe then will we shew it will pray to God to further vs and to remoue all lets that may hinder we will check such as are against Mat. 16. 23. vs we will preuent all hinderances and betimes auoid the occasions which might draw vs backe as did Saint Paul we will withstand the Gal. 1. 15. letts as Paul also did and as Dauid did when he Act. 21. 13. had a mind to encounter Goliah his brethrens contempt of himself the Israelites feare of Goliah the words of Saul nor the Philistims greatnesse nor brags could hinder him he would follow his resolution so should we in all good things Or to turne from following after thee As if shee had said Vse no more words to hinder my honest intendement but goe on that I may follow thee let my sister in law goe to her people and gods too her example moueth me not one whit I will goe with thee to thy people and to thy God I haue tasted by thee of true Religion the power whereof and thy vertues so bind me as I can leaue all countrey kindred friends and old acquaintance to follow thee my mother See here I. How Religion and grace maketh such as be of seuerall nations to loue one another to loue forrainers being religious better then friends kindred and old acquaintance not religious Ruth is in loue with Naomi a Iew and esteemeth not of Orpha her countrey woman for indeed Religion maketh a more sure coniunction in a more blessed kindred then nature hauing God for our Father the Church for our Mother the Saints for our Brethren the Spirit of God for the bond of our vnion which maketh vs to desire to liue and die together Labour for this loue the loue of the brethren before naturall loue of friends not religious for this is a true signe of our eternall saluation and that we 1. Iohn 3. be translated from death to life II. A heart truely in loue with the godly will not easily be remoued to forsake them by the falling away of others as we may see by this example By Ionathans cleauing to Dauid and the Disciples continuing Iohn 6. with Christ though others forsooke him And this is because their loue is well grounded for they know the godly to be in their persons honorable how basely soeuer the slaues of Satan esteeme of them they know them to be Kings and Priests vnto God They discerne of their graces and are in loue with them for the same yea they hauing the same Spirit doe by the force thereof knit themselues to them and doe know Psal 37. 37. that their end is happinesse whatsoeuer their present estate be in this vale of miserie Let vs cleaue then to these though others doe fall away and that we may so doe let vs not take offence at their weakenesses and frailties but consider of their loue with God of their excellent graces and how that holy Spirit of God dwelleth in them that they be such as be Coheires with Christ and shall reigne with him in glory For whither thou goest I will goe and where thou lodgest I will lodge This is the reason of Ruths request to Naomi from her resolution which is not to forsake her company but to goe with her and to lodge with her wheresoeuer shee shall lodge this is her resolution which made her continue with Ruth and not start backe Whence note That the putting on of a strong resolution will make one withstand all oppositions and hinderances which may lie in the way to be lets from well-doing This made Michaiah to doe faithfully the Lords message 2. Kin. 22. This made S. Paul to go on to Ierusalem without daunt of Spirit Acts 20. 24. with 21. 31. for a grounded resolution is such a settling of thy heart as it cannot easily be remoued Let vs therefore put on this resolution in making an onset to goodnesse and in euery good action seeing there may be many hinderances in the way and to doe this that our hearts start not backe wee must make our resolution strong by these things wee must see that the thing wee take in hand be good lawfull then whether lawfull to vs and what calling we haue thereto thirdly to weigh the circumstances of time and place so that it may bee done seasonably and fitly This is prudence which will much commend the deede Fourthly note with our selues the end Gods glory publike good discharge of our duety and beware of sinister respects Lastly forecast all rubbes which may happen in the way for such foresight fore-warneth and hee which is fore-warned is halfe armed and will not repent with an Had I wist neither will be moued with such lets Acts 20. 24. Note againe from hence that Ruth excepteth not against any condition which may befall Naomi but will goe with her and take such part as shee taketh whether the lodging be good or bad whether the place be comfortable or otherwise whither Naomi shall goe Which example telleth vs that such as truly loue the godly both can and will giue themselues to them to accompany them in euery estate not onely in prosperity but in aduersitie as did Moses because they know that God is with them Zach. 8. 23. they account themselues one and are of one heart hauing giuen themselues to the Lord they cannot but giue themselues to his people 2. Cor. 8. 5. And therefore if wee doe loue the godly keepe them company and forsake them not in their aduersity Thy people shall bee my people Shee loueth a good woman her mother in law Naomi and thereby giueth her selfe to the loue of all Gods people for they that loue one godly person for godlinesse sake cannot but affect all the Lords flocke for there is the like reason to all as to one in that respect and the same Spirit that vniteth the heart of one godly person to another vniteth the same to all the rest as being together members of Christs mysticall body This may trie our true loue to euery godly person by our true loue vpon the some ground to all the rest for else that particular loue will not be found to be other then sinister Dauids delight was not in one
and wealthy of the world doth apparently shew it And the Lord hath brought me home againe empty It is not said that the Lord sent her out full but shee went out of her selfe and he brought her home againe but yet empty shee lost what shee hoped to keepe This good woman in this speech giueth vs to know that shee tooke notice of a fault in voluntarily leauing Gods people to saue her goods for which the Lord corrected her yet in-mercy brought her home againe though with losse Note hence these things I. That it is a fault voluntarily for safety of goods through distrust to leaue Gods people and goe to liue among Idolaters for such loue their bodies better then their soules they expose themselues to great dangers and depriue themselues of the publike and ordinary meanes of life and saluation If such haue warrant as the woman had by Elisha they 2. King 8. 1 2. may haue hope but if they voluntarily distrusting God take such a course they may rather looke for a curse then expect a blessing II. That there is no certainty in worldly wealth For here is mention of fulnesse and emptinesse in Naomi and this may we see in the former examples of Iob of Haman so in Salomon and his Esay 23. 9. Ezec. 27. 2 27. sonne Rehoboam in Babylon and Tyre for the preseruation of outward estates is not in the hands of the possessours nor within their power but in God who is the Giuer and againe man in his abundance doth forget God and so causeth the Lord to take it from them as he did the Kingdome from Saul the tenne Tribes from Salomons house the gouernement from Ieroboam and the Empire from Belshazzar Wee are not then to set Ier. 9. 23. our hearts on our outward prosperity Psal 62. 10. neither to glory in our riches for outward glory is but as a fading flowre and as the warme sunne-shine in a cold winter day soone gone and all the delight thereof III. That oftentimes the way and meanes which men take to preuent want by the same they bring it vpon them as it fell out here with Naomi whose husband left Gods people to goe into Moab to saue their estate and there lost all so as Naomi returneth home in very great want who went out full The like befell Lot in leauing Abraham for this worldly goods and going to dwell in Sodom where he left and lost all and was glad to escape with his life for if the meanes we vse be not good it is farre from helping or preseruing vs as by Gods cursing thereof it turneth to our ruine for Ieroboam by his policie lost his kingdome Therefore in seeking to vphold or to get an estate looke to the meanes whether good or euill lest we come short of that we doe looke for It is ill to leaue the meanes of the soules safety for these worldly commodities after which we must Prou. 21. 5. and 28. 22. not make haste lest we come to want neither may we vse vnlawfull courses to get them for the treasures of wickednesse profit not but shall Pro. 21. 6 7. 10. 2. come to an ill end as they are gotten so in time commonly are they spent IV. That such of Gods children as goe astray he will bring home againe but yet with correction as he here doth Naomi and as he did the Prodigall sonne which he doth in mercy to make them to know their error and to walke afterwards more warily It is comfort that God will in mercy seeke vp his children and not lose one of them Luk. 15. 4. Iohn 17. but yet feare to goe astray for surely he will scourge them for their outroads when he bringeth them home though it be a Dauid a Iehosaphat or a Iosias Why then call ye me Naomi Hence learne that the humbled and afflicted take no pleasure to be remembred of their former prosperity by names and titles for it but increaseth sorrow and affordeth no comfort What comfort might it be to tell Haman of his former honor when he was going to hanging What ioy to Herod to heare of his glory the applauding of him before when now the iudgement was vpon him and he eaten with wormes for his vaine glory and pride The afflicted are not hereby comforted for Naomi taketh no pleasure in that name whilst she is by her estate Marah It is in vaine to mention to the heauie-hearted what they haue beene except vpon certaine hope of recouerie to the same againe but their sorrow must be eased by better meanes of comfort by shewing them the cause the end and benefit of Gods Fatherly chastisements and so forth Seeing the Lord hath testified against mee Note hence I. That mans comfort is nothing able to allay the bitternesse of Gods discomforts vpon vs. Their calling her Naomi could doe her no good while she knew her selfe called by the Lord Marah and whilst hee did witnesse against her What can it profit a woman of place whilest she is in the bitternesse of her soule and afflicted by some grieuous crosse to be called Lady Madame and to be spoken vnto with tearmes of honour whilest vnder Gods hand This should make the greatest therefore take more delight in seeking to please God and to enioy his fauour and countenance than to be dignified with the most highest titles for these will afford no comfort when God will not afford it II. That afflictions are commonly the Lords witnesses against vs for some thing amisse in vs for the first cause of them is sinne and the Lord threatneth them for sin which the godly in affliction apply vnto themselues In affliction let vs search out our waies and repent of our sinnes as did Dauid Rehoboam and as the Parable of the prodigall sonne teacheth and the exhortations to repentance vpon the Lords afflicting of his people We may not be like those in Ezechiels daies who murmured against the Lords hand vpon them as not being the guilty parties but that others had sinned and they vniustly punished Ezech. 18. 2. And the Almighty hath afflicted me This sheweth how God did witnesse against her euen by afflicting her He witnesseth against vs by his Word written by his Messengers expounding and applying the Word by our own consciences accusing and by his corrections and rod punishing By all which waīes God speaketh actually vnto vs for our amendment and the godly heare him speake vnto them they together with the correction applying the Word vnto themselues for their instruction doe make the affliction profitable vnto them The conclusion which hence I will note is this That the godly doe ascribe all their afflictions to the Lord as Naomi doth here and as Iob did Chap. 1. and 6. 4. and 30. 11. because they know that nothing is by chance but by his prouidence Amos 3. 6. 2. Chro. 15. 6. Esay 45. 7. Things fall not out by meere naturall causes Iob 5. 6. but
as the Lord will And therefore should we learne patience seeing that afflictions come from God This did worke patience in Ioseph in Gen. 45. 7. Iob. 1. 2. Sam. 16. 11. Iob and in Dauid and so it will in all such as feare the Lord and submit themselues to his good will and pleasure as our Sauiour did in the Garden saying to his Father Not as I will but as thou Mat. 26. 39. wilt Verse 22. So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitesse her daughter in law with her which returned out of the Countrey of Moab and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of Barley haruest THe conclusion of this Chapter and an introduction into that which followeth This is a briefe summe of their iourney shewing who from whence whither and at what time of the yeere it was So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitesse her daughter in law with her which returned out of the Countrey of Moab and they came to Bethlehem Of Naomi and Ruth and their louing iourneying together before hath beene spoken Yet note how the holy Ghost in naming Ruth omitteth not to shew againe her Countrey and that shee was a Moabitesse and not an Israelitesse by birth and but daughter in law to Naomi yet she came with her to Bethlehem and that in safety Whence note I. That grace can vnite where all outward meanes are rather hinderances than furtherances thereto as country education age Ruth was of Moab she was othervvise brought vp than Israelites vvere as a Moabitesse vvoman shee vvas young and Naomi old and but daughter in lavv to Naomi yet shee held on to the end Labour vvee for grace which can make vs good and acceptable to God what otherwise shall bee wanting vnto vs in worldly respects II. That they trauell safely whom God conducteth for Naomi saith before that the Lord brought her home and here is shewed their Countrey So Iacob passed vvell on to Mesopotamia and returned Gen. 28. 15. vvith safety because God vvas vvith him So did Israel iourney to Canaan in vvhich they vvere safely seated because the Lord vvas vvith them For he loueth those vvhom he taketh care of he neuer slumbreth nor sleepeth and hee is almighty euer present also to helpe them Let vs then get him for our Guide And this vvee shall doe if we vndertake a lawfull iourney if we pray with Moses that the Lords presence would goe with vs and beleeue as he hath promised that he will neither faile vs nor forsake vs. III. That such as be attent to their iourney and desire to come to the end make no outroads These came from Moab to Bethlehem they had no idle vagaries that we read of Old Naomi desired to see her countrey and young Ruth was not wantonly disposed but constantly kept her company These two may bee types of the beleeuers Iew and Gentile trauelling to heauen and may teach vs to attend our iourney and beware of by-paths and idle outgoings but to keepe on straight turning neither to the right hand nor to the left but to remoue our feet from euill In the beginning of barley haruest This circumstance of the time and season doth argue the truth of the Story for shewing the certainty of that which Naomi had heard before verse 6. and also to be an introduction to that which followeth in the next chapter This haruest was in part of March and part of Aprill for so much sooner is haruest there than here This haruest time is that which is the time promised to all the earth Gen. 8. but yet not at one time to all Now note here this vvith verse 6. and we may see that haruest is called Gods visiting his people with bread Whence we learne That haruest is Gods blessing in his mercy giuing bread to sustaine mans life This is his common blessing Gen. 8. 22. and promised to the obedient with plenty Leu. 26. 5 10. for times and seasons are in the Lords hand and this time is the appointed time to reape and gather in the corne for food by which man liueth Therefore first let vs acknowledge God to be the Lord of Mat. 9. the haruest as hee calleth himselfe and confesse this blessing to be from him Secondly to pray to Psal 147. 14. Psal 144. 13. Exo. 23. 16. and 34. 22. Deut. 16. 16 17. Pro. 10. 5. 6 8. him for it seeing it is from him Thirdly to bee thankefull when wee enioy this blessing and to pay the due allotted for the Lords seruice in testimony of thankes In old time none appeared before the Lord empty Fourthly to labour diligētly at this time seeing it is the appointed time to gather in Gods blessings and be not slothfull the Ant will teach thee diligence Fifthly to take it as a punishment from God when this haruest is taken from vs which is done diuers waies as by cursing the fruit that it prosper not or by Deut. 28. Ioel. 1. 11 12. 2. Sam. 12. 17. Pro. 26. 1. sending vnseasonable weather to destroy the fruits Lastly note hence that it was in the very beginning of Barley haruest which was before their Wheate haruest for they had both wheate haruest as Gen. 30. 14. and 15. 1. and heere Barley haruest and this also first as 2. Sam. 21. 9 10. So that Naomi neglected no time but tooke the very beginnning as soone as euer shee heard of the Lords gracious visitation and mercy towards her people Thus can wee prouide for the body let vs care also for the soule that it want not the foode which endureth to eternall life And thus much for this first chapter CHAP. II. THis Chapter setteth out how Ruth was intertained after shee came among God people how shee behaued her selfe and what fauour she found at the hands of the chiefest man of the place where shee abode with her mother in law Verse 1. And Naomi had a kinsman of her husbands a mighty man of wealth of the family of Elimelech and his name was Boaz. HEre is the party set out whom God in his secret counsel had prouided for Ruth who is described by his affinity with Naomi how that was then by his wealth next by his family and lastly by his name the drift is to declare what moued so great a man to shew such kindnesse to Ruth a stranger and a poore woman And Naomi had a kinsman of her husbands Naomi was not basely marryed but to one of an honourable stocke though now growne poore yet this her affinity brought Boaz to haue a good respect vnto Ruth euen for kindred sake and therfore are these words set downe as is before noted Here obserue I. That rich and poore may be nigh of kin Naomi had a great wealthie man to her kinsman by her husband and that very nigh too Chap. 3. 1. for diuersity of outward estates doth not alter blood and kindred though it make a change in their persons Let not therefore the rich
or happy then a very Deuill except in the right vse of true Religion in nothing else can he goe beyond him nay in no other thing can he equall him Let therefore true Religion and vndefiled before God the Father which is to visit the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersity and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world be our chiefest praise Verse 7. And shee said I pray you let me gleane and gather after the Reapers amongst the sheaues so she came and hath continued euen from the morning vntill now that shee tarried a little in the house THe Bayliffe proceedeth still on in the commendations of Ruth from her humility and modestie in not presuming without leaue and then from her diligence and constancy in her labour and paines-taking And shee said I pray you let me gleane and gather after the Reapers amongst the sheaues That is the eares of corne which lie scattered by the sheaues which yet lay abroad and not that she did desire to be meddling with the sheaues This she desired and Boaz alloweth verse 15. which seemeth therfore to be a special fauor to her It was lawfull for strangers fatherlesse widdowes to gleane Deut. 24. 19. by Gods allowance commandement vnto his people yet she entereth not boldly vpon that libertie but asketh leaue humbly and modestly Whence we may learne That although God do bid the rich to relieue the poore and to giue leaue in this case for them to gather scattered eares yet is the same to bee obteined by leaue and the good will of the Owners as Ruth here hath leaue For though the rich be commanded to giue by Gods Precept yet before men they haue right to all they haue and it is at their libertie to dispose thereof in that respect and they may make choise of their poore as they see them to need and to be worthy of reliefe and therefore albeit a man be poore he may not because God commands the rich to relieue him be his owne Caruer he may not take from the rich any thing but as it shall be bestowed vpon him Let the poore learne humility and modesty and not be insolently bold and vnthankful or false and deceitfull as many be who make no conscience to filch and steale and thinke their pouerty a reason sufficient to excuse them especially if it be but in trifling things as they account them as is the picking now and then eares out of sheaues or shockes of corne or breaking hedges for firewood or robbing of Orchards or the like But let them know that pouertie excuseth not their sinne it is theft in them and the Theefe is Zach. 5. 1. Cor. 6. cursed and theeues shall not inherit the Kingdome of God So shee came and hath continued euen from the morning vntill now After leaue shee set her selfe to worke but before as it may seeme shee went home againe stayed a little so as her first comming was but to know where to get leaue and then forthwith after to fall to her labour yet shee made not her mother acquainted with any thing till night as appeareth by verse 19. The chiefe point commended here to vs is That painefulnesse in our labour with constancie is prais-worthy so is it here in Ruth as it was in Iacob and blessed in them both for this is commanded Eccles 9. 10. and the contrary forbidden Rom. 12. Let vs then be diligent in our labour and be constantly painfull So shall God be obeyed Eccles 9. 10. Prou. 27. 23. who hath promised to blesse such Pro. 28. 19. and 20. 13. So it is gainefull to the body healthfull it doth procure fauour Prou. 11. 27. and honour Pro. 12. 24. and maketh rich Prou. 10. 4. with Gods blessing Prou. 10. 22. Beware then of sloth which is forbidden Rom. 12. it bringeth men to follow vaine company Prou. 28. 19. gaming Prou. 21. 17. as experience sheweth and so hasteneth pouertie Prou. 10. 4. as being the punishment thereof for God threatneth such with scarcity Prou. 19. 15. and 12. 24. and 6. 6. and we see that such become wastfull Prou. 18. 9. and their house decaieth Eccles 10. 18. There be which labour but not cherefully not constantly and therefore these may here learne to amend by the example of this Ruth and the good houswife in the Prouerbs which putteth her hands willingly Prou. 31. 13. to worke for it is a hatefull thing to be slothfull in our businesse and forbidden as before Prou. 10. 26. Prou. 28. 9. is shewed In this the seruant or day-tale-man may rob their Master they are brethren to great wasters saith Salomon and are a consumption to the estate of such as keepe them yet such make no conscience of this deceitfull working though perhaps they haue a good measure of knowledge and would be held more conscionable then some others be But here it will be asked perhaps Who may be called slothfull Salomon will tell thē that such be slothfull First which refuse to worke Pro. 21. 25 26. Secondly which make idle excuses to keepe them from dayly labour Prou. 22. 13. and 26. 13. Thirdly which be subiect to much sleep for sloth causeth sleep Prou. 19. 15. Fourthly which loue their beds too well Prou. 26. 14. and 24. 33. Fiftly which suffer their ground to lie vnhusbanded and their house to decay Pro. 24. 30 31. Eccles 10. 18. Sixtly which for a little cold will neglect their profit and doing of their duety Prou. 19. 4. Seuenthly and lastly which goe lazily as if they went vpon thornes and loth to hurt themselues Prou. 15. 19. These be Salomons markes of the slothfull Saue that shee tarried a little while in the house Thus this seruant is carefull to speake the truth in his relation to a small circumstance of time that he might not be disproued Honest minds and louers of the truth are carefull to speake truely euery Nehem. 4. 23. way in euery circumstance that they may not be taxed in the least degree of vntruth For he hath an high esteeme of the truth whereupon he weigheth his words and is carefull in speaking onely the truth Oh that this care were in euery Ephes 4. 25. one now a dayes as it should be We are commanded to speake truth and not to lie one to another Rom. 3. 4. and God whom we worship is the God of truth Christ is truth and the Holy Ghost is Matth. 22. 16. Ioh. 14. 17. the Spirit of truth leading into all truth the Gospel by which we beleeue is the Word of truth and lastly it is a marke of one that shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle and rest on his holy Hill to speake the truth and that from his heart too If we haue such motiues to presse vs to this duety then first iustly are they reprouable which doe make no conscience of speaking truth but are notorious lyers such be of the Deuill they liue Ioh. 8. 44. in one of
leaue to drinke It may seeme a very small kindnesse to vouchsafe her libertie to drinke of the water but we must know that it was common drinke for the best aswell as the worst Saul drunke 1. Sam. 26 11. Iudg. 4. Gen. 21. 14. and 24. water Sisera called for water Abraham gaue a bottle to Hagar for Ishmael his sonne and his seruant drank water at Rebeccaes hand It was not easie neither to come by in such an hot and high countrie water was not euery where so plentifull as appeareth by the strife of Abimelechs and Gen. 26. 19 20. and 21. Isaaks seruants by Hagars lamenting for want of water by the Miracle wrought for Samson Iudg. 15. for the countrie was hot and the waters aboue the earth soone dried vp the springs were hard to be found and wells were very deepe so as this was a very good fauour of Boaz to Ruth Ioh. 4. and Ruth we see in the next verse tooke it to be a great kindnesse and was very thankfull in all humilitie By this we see that a worke of mercy and loue may be shewed in a small matter as in a cup Mat. 10. 42. of cold water sometime which shal not lose the reward for it is mercie to supply the want of others for an heartie compassion how little soeuer the thing be This may teach men to bee thankfull for supply of their want though the matter be but little and not to thinke mercie and kindnesse to consist in great gifts and good turnes to be done in things of weight onely Verse 10. Then she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and said vnto him Why haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger RVths thankfulnesse to Boaz set out by action and speech the action was a most humble and lowly gesture the speech was an acknowledgement of fauour with admiration with a reason thereof for that she was a woman of another nation Then she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground Thus Ruth beginneth to shew her thankfulnesse in a most respectiue fashion which commendeth to vs her good manners to so great a person This manner of behauiour was much vsed in those Easterne parts as we may see in Iacob to Esau Abraham to the Hittites Dauid to Ionathan Gen. 33. 3. and 23. 7. 12. 1. Sam. 20. 41. Matth. 18. 26. Abigail to Dauid and the seruant to his Lord. The Scripture often noteth the ciuill gesture and comely behauiour of his Seruants as worthy imitation and as a iust reproofe to the rude and vnciuill But yet here is a caueat first to them which vse such outward courtesies that the same be done in humility of heart that it be not a foolish affection an apish imitation or meere courtly complementing being but all shadowes of humility and yet indeed nothing lesse as appeareth in the liuely colours and publike Ensignes of pride in such persons if they be obserued aright Then next that such as haue these reuerent gestures giuen them doe consider whether they deserue them for their place and person if they doe not receiue them not if they doe yet not to waxe proud in heart thereby It may bee some will here make some questions as first Whether it be lawfull to giue honour thus vnto man in such an adoring manner This is answered before for the holy Ghost recordeth it as commendable Secondly then what difference betweene this which is done to men and that which is done to God Almighty Surely in respect of the outward act no difference is there at all but of the minde which doth conceiue of God herein as God and so this outward humiliation becommeth diuine adoration and of man but as man worthy of reuerence and honour for his place his age and gifts and so the worship and reuerence done him is onely ciuill Thirdly some perhaps will aske Whether this may be giuen vnto wicked men Yes without doubt as we see Iacobs reuerence to profane Esau Dauids to wicked Saul and Abrahams bowing of himselfe to the idolatrous Hittites for men and their places are to be distinguished True it is that Elisha shewed little respect vnto Iehoram and Mordecai would doe no reuerence to proud Haman but these had no doubt some extraordinary warrant so to doe and are not therefore for ordinary imitation the reasons alleaged for Mordecai are knowne and therefore I will not trouble here the Reader with them because they bee but weake coniectures Why haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger This humble soule wondreth at his so great kindnesse though it was but to haue leaue to gleane and to drinke water out of the vessels She thought it strange that so great a personage should speake thus respectiuely to her that was but a stranger From hence may we obserue first that the vertuous and thankefull persons take most kindly such fauours as bee shewed them and doe wonder rather thereat then make light thereof though but in common and meane things especially if the fauours bee done with cheerefulnesse as this vertuous woman Ruth doth here for such doe looke into themselues and their vnworthinesse thinking with themselues what might rather withdraw mens affections from them than win them to them They also looke vp to God and doe behold him in the Giuer she being as Gods hand offering his mercies to them These things make them to bee very thankfull and to expresse it fully This example of thankfulnesse is to be imitated of euery one beholden vnto others and iustly reproueth the vngratefull of which there be these sorts First such as receiue fauours will not acknowledge them like the nine Lepers Secondly such as scornefully Luk. 17. 18. refuse kindnesses offered as they that will not be beholden vnto others because they thinke they can liue of themselues Thirdly which will not requite a good turne done them but rather churlishly reproach the partie as Nabal did Dauid Fourthly which will not helpe in need such as put their very liues in their hands for them and for others thus dealt the men of Sucoth with Gideon Fifthly which in prosperity forget their friends and what pleasure was done them in their Gen. 40. 23. aduersity as did Pharaoes Cup-bearer Sixtly Eccles 9. 15. which recompence euill for good as Ioash did to Iehoiada his sonne Hanun to Dauids Messengers 2. Sam. 10. 4. or which loue a man lesse because of his loue to them and so the Corinthians to Paul the more 2. Cor. 12. 15. he loued them the lesse was he beloued All these are ingratefull Now ingratitude is a foule sinne it is a stoppage to all fauours and drieth vp the affection of mens hearts and God punished it in 2. Chro. 24. 25. Iudge 9. 16 20 56 57. Ioash and reuenged it vpon the Sechemites and
and at length vvill be abhorred of all And here let the rich learne vpon whom to bestow freely their kindnesse and whom to loue and respect euen the godly poore such as bee Gal. 6. 10. Mat. 25. 10. of the houshold of faith for in them Christ is relieued and such shall not lose their reward If you aske Who are these godly poore I answer Euen such as Ruth which get a good name by their vertuous liues their duty done to their betters their painefulnesse in labour their conscience of Religion These be the godly poore and not the stubborne the idle the irreligious swearing fighting railing drunken poore who are more worthy of punishment than reliefe Vnto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband Thus Boaz beginneth to particularize her vertues and the first here is her louing carriage and praise-worthy behauiour vnto her mother in law not onely while her husband liued but euer after not ceasing to loue because he was dead for whose sake shee first was occasioned to loue her Due prayses can be shewed in particular vertues See it in the praises of Iob Cornelius the Iob. 1. Act. 10. 2. Reu. 2. 1 2. Angell of Ephesus And therefore in praising any wee must bee able to instance in those things which deserue such praises else it is sottish ignorance or grosse flatterie or both Againe note That whom we loue for our friends sake being aliue if loue be vnfaigned it will appeare when they be dead This is Ruths loue vnto Naomi Dauids to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake True loue is a fountaine that neuer can be drawne drie This reproueth the loose loue of many who can loue and lightly turne it into hatred of the same person vpon small occasions such also as can loue their friend for his time but when he is dead will neglect all respect to euery one of his whom in his dayes they pretended to loue And how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy natiuity and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not heretofore This was rare loue and a very great measure of grace for Religon sake to forsake naturall parents for a mother in Law her owne country for a strange nation and people shee must needs bee endued with a strong faith and an extraordinary measure of loue to Religion and the worship of the true God By which wee see that faith and feruent loue ouercome all difficulties euen nature it selfe as here in her so in Abraham when leauing his Heb. 11. Gen. 12. Gen. 22. 21. Gal. 1. 10. countrey he trauelled hee knew not whither and did offer vp Isaac at Gods bidding and put away Ismael and al three without gainsaying cherefully These ouercame carnall reason and this desire of pleasing God made Saint Paul a zealous Professor Faith made Gideon to leaue thousands Iud. 7. 7 12. 8. 10. 13 5000. Iosh 6. behind him and to bee content to enter the battaile whith 300. against many thousands so did Ioshua by Gods direction command seuen Priests to goe seuen times about the walls of Iericho to beate them downe with sound of Rammes hornes This faith loue made many proselytes and Heathen to become Christians and Christians in the time of bloody persecutions to forsake all for Christs sake and his Gospell as the Apostles spake of themselues vnto Christ This faith and loue of God will vanquish the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4 5. and will make 〈◊〉 leaue the Court of Pharaoh to bee with Gods people in affliction and will make Amaziah to separate himselfe from the 2. Chro. 25. 6 9 10. wicked and make light of an 100. talents of siluer Yea so powerfull is faith and loue of God as they will ouercome our selues euen to make light of our selues and our liues for the Lords sake as we see in the blessed Martyrs suffering cruell torments for the truth sake for the power of faith and spirituall loue is supernaturall and is wrought and so assisted by Gods Spirit as no worldly or fleshly impediments can hinder them in the way to eternall life Therefore must we labour for these graces aboue all things if wee would be masters ouer our selues if wee would preuaile against all hinderances of our saluation These will bridle lusts contemne vaine honours resist Satan and his temptations and seeing they are so powerfull hence may we see whether wee haue this faith and true loue if we can ouercome our corrupt nature carnall reason and this euill world but if these ouermaster vs then want wee this faith and loue from which those be farre off who are led like beasts by nature like sensuall men by lusts corrupt reason and by this vnconstant world and the vanities thereof Though they doe beare the name of Christians yet Christs power is farre from them Note further hence why hee speaketh thus to Ruth euen to giue her to know the true cause of his kindnesse and good respect towards her euen her godlinesse and grace which may teach That vertue and grace are the greatest motiues to incite great men which be also good men vnto the workes of mercy and bounty to the poore as we here see by Boaz speeches for vertue is louely to them which are vertuous though the parties be neuer so poore Let thē the poore labour for grace and godlinesse that they may find mercy at the hands of the wealthy for if they feare God he wil be their spokes-man hee will moue the hearts of others to doe them good Though this bee the way to procure fauour yet commonly we see the poore idle and too lewd of life and yet they murmure curse and rage if they be not relieued for they thinke they ought to be relieued euen because they bee poore though neuer so wicked though they will hardly labour to take any paines to liue when of such the Apostle speaketh that they should not be relieued Hee that will not labour let him not eate 2. Thes 3. saith the Apostle As this is for instruction to the poore so the rich from Boaz may learne on whom to bestow their fauours and workes of mercy euen vpon the godly the houshold of Gal. 6. 10. Mat. 25 10. Pro. 19. 17. Psal 41. 1 2 3. faith for in them Christ is relieued in them they doe lend vnto the Lord who vvill repay them to the full and greatly reward them But of this a little before in the beginning of this verse Verse 12. The Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward be giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel vnder whose wings thou art come to trust THese words are a prayer and blessing pronounced out of the mouth of Boaz vpon poore Ruth which doth maruailously set out the pietie of this man Here may be noted who makes this request to whom for what for whom and why The Lord recompence thy worke This rich Boaz prayeth for
poore Ruth Whence note I. That there is a recompence of reward from God euen to the poore for well-doing this the prayer of Boaz sheweth who else would not haue begged it at Gods hand and we must know that the Lord in promising to reward well-doing excepts against none rich nor poore but will recōpence the wel-doer be he whosoeuer with him is no respect of persons but he that worketh righteousnesse is accepted Act. 10. of him and godlinesse in whomsoeuer it be hath the Promise of this life and of the life to 1. Tim. 4. 8. come Let this comfort the poore in their well-doing and in their works of vertue and godlinesse Quest Here it may be demanded what good workes can the poore doe to expect reward from God seeing they haue no riches Answ A good worke is not nor stands not onely in giuing almes and such like things for then should onely the rich be doers of good workes but many other things are good workes and approued of God and which he will recompence which the poore that haue not one peny may doe as to doe the duety of loue and obedience to their parents or to others to whom they owe it to forsake idolatrie for the true worship of God to leaue their countrey for the Lords sake and for his people to forsake their old heathenish acquaintance and kindred All which Ruth did and these may the poore doe which workes God will recompence and all other dueties which one oweth to another in any sort being done in faith in loue and in obedience to God they are good workes and the Lord will reward Col. 3. 24. the same euen the honest and painefull seruice of a poore seruant as the Apostle teacheth Wee see then that the poorest may doe good workes though not such as commonly are so called to the doing whereof the worlds wealth is required and yet herein a poore soules two mites are more acceptable to God then the superfluities of the rich II. The rich from the example of Boaz may not thinke scorne to pray and that very heartily for the poore It is a very rare example to see so mighty a man of wealth and so high in authoritie to be so much taken vp in his affection in considering the poore womans vertue as to breake forth into so vehement a prayer as this was as appeareth by the doubling of the words and yet this ought rich men to doe if they thinke that the poore are not excluded out of the communion of Saints and that they be the children of God with them as they are taught in the Lords Prayer This would shew a great measure of grace this would encourage much the poore to goe on in well-doing But alas this comes not once into the thought of a rich man he thinks the poore bound to pray for him but himselfe not at all vpon any occasion for them because he thinkes he can pleasure them but they can no way pleasure him so he considereth onely outward and personall benefit and not the excellencie of vertue and fruit thereof to them and others as Boaz did And a full reward be giuen thee A good man thinkes his mercies and kindnesse are not enough to recompence and reward the vertue and workes of welldoint in others for he valueth vertue aboue wealth and aboue the price of all these transitorie things Againe note that there is to be expected a full reward for a good worke I say first a reward yet so that it be looked for in mercy and not in merit for God hath promised a reward and that in many places of Scripture and then it shall be a full reward which Boaz prayeth for here to be giuen to Ruth which shall be certainely accomplished in the life to come here sometime in a great measure as it was to Ruth in giuing her Boaz for an husband which he little thought of in this prayer that he should be the reward of her godlinesse and grace This is an excellent incouragement to vertue and good workes Of the Lord God of Israel Israel was Iacobs name and now applied to all his posterity the people of God Thus was the true God called by the name of God noting the persons in the Trinity and of Lord noting his substance and being of himselfe as the originall words to the Learned doe shew and he is the Lord God of Israel because Deut. 7. 6. he chose the Israelites to be his people before all other nations of the Earth a type of the Elect number called The Israel of God To this Gal. 6. true and euerliuing God doth Boaz make request for a full and perfect reward shewing that it is not in man but it must be God that can make a full payment to godlinesse the full reward is to be giuen of him and therefore from him it is to be expected who hath the recompence in his hand in full perfection Vnder whose wings A figuratiue speech vsuall in Psalmes to expresse the loue of God and the Psal 17. 8. and 57. 36. 7. 61 protection of such as be his for as a Hen nourisheth and defendeth her young ones vnder her wings from the Kite and other rauenous birds so doth the Lord care for his people to keepe them in safety from dangers They are safely protected Deut. 33. 29. who come to the Lord and trust in him for Psalm 91. God hath vndertaken to protect such and he is Zach. 2. 8. able to desend them and he will doe it because he loueth them Oh then let vs labour to be of the Lords people to goe vnto him and to trust in him Men being in danger here get into great mens seruice for protection and we being in greater danger yea in such dangers euery day on the right and left hand from which none can deliuer vs but God should not we seeke his seruice for protection And being in it let vs be comforted as sure of his aide let vs trust in him as did Dauid for he saueth all them that put their Psal 61 4. Psal 17. 7 57. 1. Psal 17. 8. and 119. 94. Psal 63. 7. Psal 34. 91. Iob. 1. trust in him Let vs in neede runne to him for aid as did Dauid and desired to be saued by him and let vs reioyce vnder the shadow of his wings for his Angels shall guard vs and pitch their Tents about vs he will make a hedge about vs also and if this will not be defence enough then Zach. 2. 5. will he be a wall of fire so sure and safe shall we be from all our enemies Thou art come to trust Boaz taketh it for granted that shee had faith for they that come to Heb. 11. God must beleeue that he is This draweth vs to God this keepeth vs with him when we be come vnto him Now that we may know what is here meant by faith we must
Onos or the Asse-fish which hath the heart in the belly so is this man set all on his panch Hee is like the beast called Gulon a name answerable to his nature which Gesner eateth that which hee preyeth vpon if it bee a horse till all be deuoured euer filling his belly and then emptying it and then falling to it againe till all bee consumed such a delight hath he in his appetite And such beast-like men there haue been who hauing filled their belly haue for the greedy desire and vnsatiablenesse of their appetite in variety of dishes and delicacies wished their backe a belly Such Gulons may from this beast behold themselues now like him they bee but I may say how worse they bee for he is a beast and doth but like himselfe but these bee men hauing reason to guide and should haue Religion to bridle their deuouring nature and brutish appetite Lastly note that Ruth left of that which was giuen her which she also reserued to giue vnto her Mother in law as it followes after in vers 18. Vers 15. And when she was risen vp to gleane Boaz commanded his yong men saying Let her gleane euen among the sheaues and reproach her not RVTHS returne to her labour is here set downe and her encouragement in the same by Boaz his loue who charged his seruants to giue her leaue to gleane and that among the sheaues and not reproach her for so doing Before I come to the words here it may be demanded Whether there was giuing of thankes seeing there sitting downe and there arising vp to labour is mentioned but not this duety of thanksgiuing and prayer to God for a blessing vpon their food Answ We are to thinke they did though not here noted for euery thing is not written which there was done as Ruths thanks for her food which we cannot thinke shee omitted who before did shew her selfe euery way so thankefull And there are such reasons to perswade vs that Boaz would not neglect this duety as we may easily admit his giuing of thankes First his owne godlinesse and knowledge of his duety and then the commandement of God Deut. 8. 10. which he could not be ignorant of and of which no doubt he made conscience Therefore let not any from hence gather a loose liberty to neglect this duety because the holy Writer mentioneth it not but learne from other places to know it to be their 1. Cor. 10. 30. duety It was a custome among Christians as at this day with vs there is a commandement to 1. Cor. 10. 31. glorifie God in eating and drinking The creatures of God are to be receiued with thanksgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 3 5. and are sanctified by the Word of God and prayer And holy men haue vsed it Samuel Saint 1. Sam. 9. 13. Paul yea when he and the people had long fasted Act. 27. 35. yet ate hee not before grace Our blessed Sauiour the innocent Lambe of God spotlesse and Ioh. 6. 11 23. sinlesse yet ate not but first gaue thankes It therefore is our duety and befitting all before they receiue food to giue thankes For what can our meate doe without Gods blessing How soone haue some beene choaked and haue ended their dayes suddainely And doe we not remember that the Israelites perished with meate in their mouthes Neither let this duety be put off to children as if it were too meane a duety for the Master of the table Were it not grosly ridiculous and a very scornefull part for a man to receiue a fauour from a King and then call his child to giue him thankes Our Sauiour put not this off to another nor Samuel nor Paul are they not worthy imitation And when shee was risen vp to gleane The History turneth againe to Ruth and sheweth what shee did after her repast and the liberall feeding allowed her by Boaz she betooke her selfe to gleaning againe and returned to her former labour Whence we may learne I. That the godly poore by their fauours receiued and helps in their need are not the more negligent but the rather the more painefull in their labours as may be seene here in Ruth For they know that such helps are for to stirre them vp to well-doing which vse they make of them and not to liue idly as many doe who are not 2. Thes 3. worthy to eate The poore are to follow Ruths steps and learne for the mercies of men towards them to continue painefull in their calling II. That the true vse and end of receiuing food is to Eccles â—0 17. strengthen our bodies to preserue them in labour Ruth eateth to suffice nature to returne to worke The Apostle ioyneth eating and labour together neither 2. Thes 3. 10. 2. Thes 3 8. would he eate the bread of idlenesse nor the good woman commended in the Prouerbs Prou. 31. 27. God would not allow the sole Monarch of all the whole earth no not in innocencie when the Earth brought forth without labour to eate without paines-taking he must dresse the Garden Food is the reward of labour of such as be able and it is a blessing to eate the labour of our Psal 128. 2. hands Therefore such are here reproued which rise vp to eate and drinke and doe eate and drinke to rise vp and play or prate or sleep or to runne to playes to fulfill their lust to decke themselues like wantons the sonnes and daughters of Belial of Iezabel some be Cains race and eate to be vagabonds going vp and downe begging some of Esaus race and eate to hunt and hawke till they haue sold their inheritance for a messe of pottage and themselues be lesse worth than one meale which they before bestowed vpon their dogs these should know that they are borne to labour and that godly men and women haue so bestowed their time yea Iesus Christ himselfe liued in a calling painefully Boaz commanded his yong men saying Let her gleane euen among the sheaues What Ruth desired verse the seuenth here Boaz alloweth her when he saw her so well giuen and so painefull So we see how the godly diligent hand obteineth fauour and Prou. 13. 4. Gen. 31. a blessing as appeareth in Ruth here and in Iacob whose paines the Lord rewarded abundantly Mat. 25. This is taught in the Parable of the talent in which the stocke of the diligent is increased For Prou. 13. 4. God hath thus promised to doe and labour is a meanes appointed of God to get his blessings who also openeth the heart of the rich to doe good to the poore which labour painefully Would we haue supply of our wants Would we haue earthly blessings Then must we labour and take paines Of gathering among the sheaues see verse the seuenth Boaz here is not onely content that shee should gather by or besides but betweene the sheaues where more plentifull gathering was of eares and scattered corne it was more then a
common fauour an argument of his speciall loue The rich are to be mercifull yet may they extend their bounty as they shall like to one more than to another as they shall thinke fitting Of which before on verse 7. And reproach her not or as the marginall reading is shame her not From these words note I. Yong men are apt to offer iniurie and to reproach the poore women widdowes and strangers else Boaz would not haue giuen them this charge but that he knew their wanton behauiour by nature and how the Iewes tooke libertie to vse their speeches against such strangers especially perhaps when they saw her better respected then their owne countrie women II. That reproching is to put shame vpon one therefore is such a word here vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may be translated either way III. That goodnesse and mercy stands not onely in doing good but also in preuenting euill as much as lyeth in vs both is here done by Boaz as is also before noted out of vers 9. Vers 16. And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her and leaue them that she may gleane them and rebuke her not BOaz speech continued to his seruants touching his liberality towards Ruth who thought it not enough to let her gleane among the sheaues for that he knew she would not filch nor steale out of them but he commandeth his seruants that they should of purpose let fall handfuls for her to gather and not rebuke her for so doing So here is Boaz charge with the end why and also a forbidding of them to rebuke her And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her As they reaped they cut by handfuls and thereof made sheaues of which handfuls they should let some fall as they were reaping or else some of them as they were binding vp the sheaues which is the more likely Howsoeuer it was we may note I. That a mercifull man and a godly man is frank-hearted to the godly poore such as bee painefull and deserue loue This is euident in Boaz whose mercifull kindnesse is many wayes set forth hee spake to her in a louing appellation calling her Daughter he admitted her to his table as one of his family he praised her vertues and prayed for her he bound his seruants to the good behauiour towards her to preuent iniurie which might be offered to her and hee also did giue to her and that both freely without asking and largely without niggardly sparing Now a good man is mooued as Boaz to this because hee conceiueth the miserie of another with a fellow-feeling hee placeth himselfe in their stead and considereth his own frailtie the worlds mutabilitie and that he may stand in need if God should lay his hand vpon him lastly he knoweth that God loueth a cheerefull giuer Therefore here let vs in our charitie towards the godly imitate this blessed Boaz shew our loue in words in deeds in doing good in preuenting euill euery way and what wee doe to doe it freely and bountifully Many will not giue as being altogether mercilesse but let them remember the threatning of Iames. Many wil giue Iames 2. 13. but not largely nor freely without importuning though they be able and their brethren stand in need II. Note that seruants are not to giue what is their Masters without his warrant for Boaz here alloweth them to giue her and without this warrant it had not been lawfull for them to haue thus left her handfuls of corne for seruants are but trusted with or amongst their Masters goods they are not disposers of them the disposing is at the pleasure of the Owner and not of the seruants which haue no right in them at all Those seruants therefore which will take vpon them to giue of their Masters goods vnder pretence of charity or what else are to be reproued for it is theft so to doe without the will of the Gen. 31. 33. Owner and the gift so giuen vnder what shew soeuer is not acceptable to God for men must giue of their owne and not be liberal vpon other mens estates And leaue them that she may gleane them Here it may be asked Why did not Boaz rather giue her a quantitie of corne and so send her home rather then to let her abide in the fields to gleane Because he would so relieue her as yet hee would keepe her in labour and not maintaine her in idlenesse And this is the best charitie so to relieue the poore as we keepe them in labour It benefits the giuer to haue them labour it benefits the common-weale to suffer no Droanes nor to nourish any in idlenesse and it benefits the poore themselues it keepes them in health it discouers them to bee idle or painefull if painefull it procureth them fauour and lastly it keepeth them from idlenesse and so from a sea of wickednesse which the lazie persons are subiect to and run into as the vagrant poore giueth vs sufficiently to know which dwell among vs or rather rogue vp and downe without dwelling or certaine abode Let therefore men thus relieue the poore with Boaz and if men would spare from excesse of apparell daintie fare idle expences in keeping Hawkes and Hounds in following vnthriftie gaming and such like and lay vp that to charitable vses to set the poore on worke what singular good might be done the poore would cease to complaine and the rich themselues would be better for it And rebuke her not This caueat he addeth that they might not think his command To let fall handfuls was for triall of her but that shee should carry away what they should so let fall without check Before hee warned them not to reproch her by giuing her ill language and here hee will not haue her to suffer rebuke at their hands for taking what he shall allow her for the seruant is not to find fault with any person for receiuing his Masters kindnesse he may dispose of his owne and the seruant is not to dislike with it in checking the receiuer in whom there is no cause of rebuke but rather in the euill eye of the seruant Matth. 02. 15. as our Sauiour sheweth in the parable of the Vineyard Vers 17. So she gleaned in the field vntill euen and beat out that she had gleaned and it was about an Epha of Barley THis sheweth the continuance of Ruth in her labour till the end of the day then her beating out the corne and what it by measure came vnto the scope to set out Gods blessing her painefull trauell and Boaz furtherance thereof as is noted in the former verses by allowing her to gleane amongst the sheaues and commanding his seruants to let fall handfuls for her to gather vp So shee gleaned in the field vntill Euen Ruth abode in that same field as Boaz aduised there she found kindnesse It is good abiding there where we doe well It is wantonnesse to bee remouing from
good reason is there why they should doe their Parents all good nature bindes them also the commandement Exod. 20. of God to honour them which comprehendeth loue reuerence obedience and reliefe and the example of godly children yea of Christ himself vnto his mother moueth them There be Ioh. 19. 26 27. also rare examples for this among the Heathen See Val. Max. lib. 5. cap. 4. the rather to perswade Christians hereunto lest they rise vp in iudgement against them Let children therefore learne to be kind and mercifull to their poore Parents and not be like the vnnaturall Impes whereof there bee these sorts such as care not to prouide for them but to get all they can from them they are not willing to do them good but grudge to relieue them and are sicke of their liues wishing their death to be eased of the burthen Other there be which will rob their Parents and steale from them what they can get yea and thinke it no sinne as Salomon telleth Prou. 28. 24. vs yet are they the companions of a destroyer The third sort are those hellish monsters who rise vp to murder their Parents but the Lord reuengeth it as we see in the example of Absalom That shee had reserued after shee was sufficed It is meet to eate to suffice nature for the preseruation of life and the better inabling of vs to walke painefully in our calling of which before in verse 14. Note farther hence I. That such as haue true loue will spare from themselues to relieue others yea though they themselues be but poore and haue nothing but from hand to mouth as we say Of this we haue here an example and in the poore Luk. 21. 2. widdow which gaue her two mites yea our Sauiour who was relieued by others yet kept a bag for the poore he spared of his gifts to giue vnto others For true loue cannot but pittie the want of others and such as so loue will not hoard vp for themselues and let their poore brethren remaine in want when for the present they haue sufficient they liue in hope of supply and doubt not of Gods prouidence for the time to come when they giue charitably what they may spare for the present This condemneth the cursed couetousnesse of such as haue laid vp in store for many yeeres and yet will not bestow any thing vpon such as doe need and also it checketh such as excuse and exempt themselues wholy and alwayes for giuing any thing because they be poore If this plea had stucke in the heart of the poore widdow which cast her mites into the treasurie shee would haue reserued them to her selfe but so should shee haue lost her eternall praises II. Such as would thriue spend not all at once but reserue somewhat both for themselues and for others Ruth ate shee was sufficed and reserued some for afterwards for her mother and her selfe she was not ryotous wastfull because she had more then did suffice for the present For such as be painfull know how they come by that which they haue they also know it to be a vertue to spare and keep what necessitie causeth not to be layd out neither charitie nor pietie to be spent they know that what they haue is so their owne before men as yet before God they are but Stewards thereof Therefore from this and Ruths example we must learne frugality to vse Gods blessings to doe our selues good but we must beware of waste and not let any thing be lost as our Sauiour commanded when he had fed so Iohn 6. 12 13. many thousands They then here are worthy of iust reprehension who wastfully consume Gods blessings some on their bellie as doe Drunkards and Gluttons some on their fleshly delights bringing themselues to a morsell of bread others vpon play and gaming idle and prodigall vnthrifts such as this our nation now is too much burthened with others vpon too costly and often fantasticke attyre the ensigne of pride and vanitie to whom if any speake for their reformation they reply with words of contempt of others and carelesse neglect of their owne estate saying They spend but their own what haue any to doe with it But these must remember that they must giue an account vnto God whose blessings they waste they must also know that Gods gifts are not giuen them to consume wholely vpon themselues after their lusts but to be Stewards thereof for God and in his stead to doe good to others as need shall require This prodigality the Lord often punisheth with pouertie Luk. 15. and sometime with imprisonment yea with shamefull deaths in some whom God giueth ouer to fall into the hand of the Magistrate for some euill committed and deseruing death Verse 19. And her mother in law said vnto her Where hast thou gleaned to day and where wroughtest thou Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee And shee shewed her mother in law with whom shee had wrought and said The mans name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. HEre is Naomi her question to Ruth with her heartie prayer to God for him that had so mercifully dealt with Ruth and Ruths answer to her againe shewing with whom shee had gleaned and naming the name euen Boaz her kinsman And her mother in law said Where hast thou gleaned to day and where wroughtest thou When Ruth went out in the morning shee asked leaue of Naomi to goe to gleane but whither shee knew not therefore now being returned with so much corne and such food shee asketh Ruth where she had beene not doubting of Ruths honest dealing but in admiration of Gods mercy and in desire to know who was the instrument of that hand of God vpon her For fauours bestowed doe win affections and cause a longing after the partie to know who he is if we know not his person as here and also what his name is and of what kindred though we looke vpon the man as Saul did that 1. Sam. 17. 55 56 57 58. so we might see the reason thereof and might shew particularly our loue vnto such a one praise God and pray also for him Now if this be the force of benefits from man how much more from God from whom we receiue so many and daily blessings These should win our affections to him worke in vs a desire to know him who he is and why we should receiue such kindnesse that so we might loue him praise him and in all thankefulnesse yeeld him all obedience But alas vpon whom doe his blessings thus worke I wish that his mercies made vs not forget him and to forsake him when we haue knowne him In this that Naomi suspecteth not Ruth but rather admireth Gods mercy towards her wee may also note that the godly are not vncharitably suspicious of them that be poore when they know them to bee godly Naomi did not thinke of any vniust dealing of Ruth as if
shee had stolne this corne nor that shee had gone a begging to get it or this other food for shee asketh where shee had gleaned and wrought not where shee had stolne and begged For loue is not suspicious it thinketh 1. Cor. 13. 5. no ill Naomi was perswaded that some had bestowed this fauour vpon Ruth gleaning and working in the field This grace of charitie must wee labour for euen in thinking not amisse of others in getting goods though much in a small time so there be not apparent tokens of the ill meanes vsed in getting the same for God can suddainly enrich a man as he did Abraham and Lot so Iacob in the seruice of Laban For the blessing Prou. 10. 22. of the Lord maketh rich Yet if the man be wicked and hastily is made rich except an apparent cause be seene and the meanes also he may be suspected for of such Salomon speaketh in the Prouerbs that they shall not be innocent and Pro. 28. 20. and 20. 21. goods so gotten shall not bee blessed in the end Some frō hence teach because Naomi asketh Ruth where she had gleaned and wrought that day that Parents are to take an account of their children how they spend their time where they haue beene and with whom Indeed this will make children to take more heed to their wayes it will discouer to parents their nature and conditions the better and it may preuent many euils through feare to be called to an account for the same As on the contrary this neglect in parents giues children the reine and so they take libertie to sinne presuming of parents indulgencie as did Adoniah to 1. King 1. 6. whom Dauid neuer said Why hast thou done so Which made him proud and presumptuous to his owne destruction Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee to wit to shew thee this mercy and kindnesse for hee taketh knowledge of another who considereth so of him as his estate and condition requireth and thereafter doth him good as Boaz did to Ruth when he knew what shee was as is before noted out of verses 8. and 9. For which here Naomi is thankefull before shee knew the name of the man and here heartily prayeth for him Hence teaching that benefits receiued prouoke the godly to be thankefull though they know not the parties and also to pray for them as Naomi doth here Which serues to encourage men to doe good to the godly though their persons be not knowne they shall not lose with them the fruit of their well-doing for such will be thankefull and will pray for them that God may blesse them And this teacheth such as receiue fauours to shew themselues thankefull to them which bestow them Now thankefulnesse appeareth First in acknowledging of benefits receiued the contrary is ingratitude and a note of pride withall Secondly in praying for them as Naomi doth here and Saint Paul for his friends Thirdly in 2. Tim. 1. 16. requiting the kindnesses as we shall be able and 1. King 2. 7. Ios 6. 23. 2. King 4. 13. Ester 6. 3. occasion offered as Dauid to Barzillai the Spies to Rahab Elisha to the Shunamite and the great Emperour Assuerus to poore Mordecai Which is a reproofe to the ingratefull such as will not acknowledge a benefit or lessen it when they confesse it they that neuer care to requite it though it be in their power so to doe it yea and need on the other side require it Lastly such as doe requite euill for good Here we may farther note that a good heart reioyceth in the well-fare of another For Naomi blesseth God for Boaz taking knowledge of Ruth for doing this kindnes vnto her so doe the Macedonians for the Corinthians kindnesse vnto the Saints at Ierusalem For such haue louing hearts are void of enuie therefore can they reioyce and blesse God yea and pray for a blessing vpon those which doe good vnto others which grace we must striue for And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought and said The mans name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. As Naomi did demand of her where and with whom shee had beene so Ruth answereth plainely telling her that the mans name in whose field she gleaned that day was Boaz by which Naomi perceiued the good hand of Gods prouidence conducting her into the kinsmans field whose fauour made her afterwards to counsell Ruth to goe into the threshing floore to Boaz as it followeth in the next chapter Ruth calleth gleaning working as Naomi did before for the diligent hand worketh euen in that which otherwise may seeme to require no great labour Shee saith shee wrought with him not that he laboured with her neither that shee did worke for him as the Phrase in our speech doth intimate but her meaning is that shee wrought in his field with his leaue good liking In telling his name to her mother in law it seemeth she learned it in the field no doubt she did aske after it that so shee might speake of his goodnesse vnto her mother in law when she came home And we must know that it is our duety to take speciall notice of such as doe vs good to know them by name that so they may be acknowledged as occasion shall be to meet with them that they may in particular pray for them and to giue them their due praises to others For either to neglect to know them or easily to forget our Benefactors is a fault Verse 20. And Naomi said vnto her daughter in law Blessed be he of the Lord who hath not left off his kindnesse to the liuing to the dead And Naomi said vnto her The man is neere of kinne vnto vs one of our next kinsmen THis is Naomi her speech againe vnto Ruth wherein shee first earnestly prayeth for Boaz with the reason why shee was so moued thereto and then sheweth her what he was to them euen a very neere kinsman And Naomi said vnto her daughter in law c. When shee heard who it was and calling to remembrance what hee was to them and what mercy he had formerly shewed vnto her husband and children shee breaketh forth into prayer for him Whence we may learne that new kindnesses added to the old doe the more inflame the affections to loue and hearty well-wishing as may appeare heere by Naomi For new fauours call the old to remembrance and testifieth the continuance of loue This is an encouragement to such as haue beene kind still to continue so to the thankefull the latter fauors shall keep vp the affectiō of loue and be the remembrancer of what is past and to bind the parties the more vnto them Now if this be so with men how should we be inflamed in loue towards our good God and Father who daily reneweth his blessings vpon vs Ought we not to increase in loue according to his mercies But oh vngratefull man What stupiditie possesseth
durable helpe of true loue euen vertue she hath the Lord to speake for her and to procure her fauour and to cause her to bee beloued This should make women to striue for vertue and to get a good name from it and not for beautie and braue attyre for a good name is better then riches then Eccles 7. 1. Prou. 22. 1. precious oyntment and rather to bee chosen then great riches Let Parents hence learne to bring vp their daughters vertuously it is a good portion and meanes of preferment This may comfort poore maidens which bee vertuous and want friends and goods by a good report yet may they match well let them striue therefore though they want goods yet to get grace and good conditions as pietie and Religion in heart and modestie in countenance apparell and gesture let them preserue chastitie and not bee giuen to youthfull company let them bee skilfull in good huswifrie painfull also and industrious hauing power to gouerne the tongue if thus they be beautified and enriched they haue a better portion then many pounds and faire enough to the wise in heart so as they will giue a good man contentment for beauty is fading Prou. 31. 30. and fauour deceitfull and vaine but a woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised Verse 12. And now it is true that I am thy neere kinsman howbeit there is a kinsman neerer then I. BOaz his information of Ruth wherein shee was somewhat mistaken granting the truth that he was a neere kinsman but not the neerest so as here he preuenteth her apprehension of the promise made for taking it absolutely but conditionally as in the next verse more at large hee declareth his mind So that heere is a concession of that which she had spoken of him in vers 9. and withall an instruction touching another neerer then himselfe which she knew not of And now it is true Boaz will not deny a truth for a godly man is a louer of the truth and will yeeld to it when hee heareth it for it swayeth with him which if it so did with euery one it would preuent tedious disputes contentions among the Learned preuent long suites of law put Lawyers to silence in corrupt pleading and saue many pounds contentiously misspent preuent deceit in buying and selling and many other mischiefes which miserably fall out for want of acknowledging the truth which men should and would doe if they hated falshood and lying if they had a hearty loue of the truth if they would cast off pride and the desire of vaine praises and couetousnesse and the greedy desire of gaine for these hinder the truth and where these reigne hardly will truth bee acknowledged as it ought or reigne among men as it should That I am thy neere kinsman Foure things might moue him thus ingeniously to confesse himselfe so nigh a kinsman to those poore women First his loue to the truth so to speake as the thing was Secondly his holy and religious respect vnto the Law of God by authority whereof shee made claime to him Thirdly his humility and vprightnesse of heart not disdaining his godly poore kindred Fourthly her owne vertues and his loue which he bare to her for the same Of rich and poore kinsfolks I haue spoken before in Chap. 2. 20. Here obserue that a louing godly humble and vpright-hearted rich man will readily confesse himselfe of neere kindred to his poore kinsfolke if they be vertuous for vertue maketh them honourable with the vertuous though pouertie make them contemptible to the world And therefore for the poore to get an acknowledgement of them from their rich kindred let them be vertuous that whereas they want goods grace may procure them fauour and respect for poore and lewd are not worthy the acknowledging being contemptible both in body and soule Howbeit there is a kinsman neerer than I. So that the nighest to a right are first to be preferred thereto this is here implied and this reason and equitie will yeeld Therefore Boaz honestly maketh heere mention of this other kinsman to whom Ruth should first haue gone for both Naomi and shee were mistaken in this to come first to Boaz for the right of marrying her yet see how courteously and louingly hee answereth her teaching that such as demand in simple ignorance a matter at our hands as due and yet in some sort not so wee are meekely to informe them and not scornefully to reiect them as great Ones now will doe for a simple errour is pardonable and it is a fruit of goodnesse to informe them in the right and this would preuent contention and strife which otherwise might grow thereupon for want of better information Let this then reproue those which gladly take occasion from such mistakes to laugh at and iest away the parties making themselues very merry with the parties simplicitie though their meaning be both good and honest Verse 13. Tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if hee will performe vnto thee the part of a kinsman well let him doe the kinsmans part but if hee will not doe the part of a kinsman to thee then will I doe the part of a kinsman to thee as the Lord liueth lie downe vntill the morning BOaz his confirmation of his promise before concerning his marrying of Ruth wherein is noted the time when hee will goe about it vpon what condition hee will doe it the confirmation it selfe by solemne oath and his aduice to rest for that night till the morning Tarry this night Boaz deferreth to performe the kinsmans part for a space though very short and seeing it was night and now dangerous for her to goe alone from thence hee aduiseth her to tarry there that night in the floore Note first that vpon reasonable cause that may bee deferred which cannot absolutely be denyed to be done Which may bee of vse to checke the impatient of delay when there may be good reason and iust cause of delaying the matter Secondly that a true and louing friend careth for the safety of such as he loueth Thus Lot tooke care for his guests Michol for Dauids escaping from the hand of Saul so Ionathan in this respect shewed his care and loue to Dauid and Hâ—shâ—â— his friend likewise So did the Disciple care for Pauls safetie for true loue is not Act. 9. onely to doe fauours but to expell iniuries and to preuent dangers from friends Which reproueth the ill friendship of men in these daies for some will see their friends running into euill yet will not care by good counsell to preuent it much lesse being in trouble to seeke their deliuerance if it should haply proue either troublesome or costly for neither of these will these counterfeit friends bestow vpon those they pretend to loue when they stand in need of them Some are worse euen Iudas-like who for gaine will betray their friend or play Achitophels part turne his counsel against him for
without it if there bee ability to restore Neither may this bee deferred when it is in our hand and when we come to worship before God But we must restore the thing found borrowed or otherwise gotten and not iustly beeing our owne vnto the true owner himselfe if we know him or to his children executors or next kinsman and if these bee not to bee found then to God for some publike vse to Numb 5. 7 8. Read Exod. 21. 19 29 30. Leuit. 24. 19. Exod. 21. 33 34 36. 22. 1. 2. Sam. 12 6. Deut. 22. 2. Exod. 22. 5 6 14. Psal 37. 21. 2. King 6. 5. Leuit. 6. 4. Deut. 22. 2 3. Leuit. 5. 16. Deut. 14. 22. Prou. 20. 25. Leuit. 27. 33. Mal. 1. 8 13 14. the Church or reliefe of the poore And this restitution must bee made by mee for euery wrong done to my brother in body either by my selfe or by my beast in his goods in like manner by stealing by eating their ground with my beasts by burning by borrowing and not repaying by withholding what was deliuered to be kept of fidelitie by hiding cattell going astray or keeping things found Herein also may iustly be reckoned sacriledge robbing of Churches or Church-men of their maintenance allowed by God and the good Lawes of our Land by not tything or tything deceitfully The labourer is worthy of his hire let him enioy such maintenance as by Law is giuen him and godly Ancestours truely intended him and bee not guiltie of this spirituall theft which the very heathen would not doe to their priests for in the great famine of Egypt all the Egyptians lands and goods were bought and Gen. 47. 22. sold but the lands of the Priests were not but they did eate the portion which Pharaoh gaue them but with vs men are of so greedy and more then heathenish appetite that they can deuoure vp both land and liuing and tything the whole Portion of Christs Ministers so as these heathen shall rise vp in iudgement against these deuourers which eate vp from the Lords Messengers what hath bin dedicated for the maintenance of his Seruice and Worship Well Let him doe the kinsmans part That is I yeeld him his right in thee because hee is before mee as I haue said neither will I take thee except hee renounce his right in thee Boaz we see seeketh not to gaine her to himselfe without consent neither will abuse her but honestly behaueth himselfe in the night with her alone as in the eyes of men and open view of the world for a godly man is not good because of men but for that he feareth God which looketh vpon him and vpon whom hee looketh and therefore euery where behaueth himselfe as hee ought Boaz here loueth her but lusts not after her to defile her as some would making it a sport to commit fornication with those whom they thinke doe belong vnto others either betroathed maids or married wiues but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge Heb. 13. 4. But if hee will not doe the part of a kinsman to thee These words Boaz vttereth as the ground of his promise to marry with Ruth to wit if hee the kinsman refuse her for when one renounceth his right it is then free for another for the release made is a setting free of that which before was tied which is for direction to such as take houses or grounds It is a common complaint to say He hath taken my house and my grounds from me But often vniustly as when the Lord letteth not lands or houses but to a limited time which being expired the same is free to let to another except either custome bind to let the present possessor to haue the refusall or that some promise be made which bindeth an honest man to keepe it Beside this there is indeed a friendly courtesie in the Land-Lord to offer to the present Inioyer that which hee hath before any other but he is not simply bound so to doe but only of good wil. Yet must I needs acknowledge that it is not a neighbourly part for any one out of a greedy couetousnesse to vnder-myne the possessour or by any indirect meanes to procure from him at the Land-Lords hands his house or lands for this is against the Law of loue to doe as wee would be done vnto and not to doe to others what wee would not that they should doe vnto vs as the Law and Prophets teach and our Master Christ cōmandeth and yet this is a common practice now for want of loue Note againe how warie Boaz is in making her a promise to marry with her it is done cautelously with condition of vpright dealing betweene him and another For as euery promise is to be made of an honest man with due consideration because once made it bindeth except there be a release so especially the promise of marrying one another both for the weightines of the matter nothing being so much concerning the welfare or downefall of man in this life as also for the indissolublenesse of the knot for here is no releasing one of another but they must liue together till death And therfore let vs learne to bee warie in making this match and to doe this first consider these two things before mentioned and weigh them well to preuent haste and rashnesse herein Secondly how fit or vnfit the marriage is and what good reasons there be to perswade to it or disswade from it Thirdly what is required before the marriage to further it or else which might hinder the same We may not rashly and vnaduisedly runne into this holy ordinance as many doe first vpon foolish light and vnaduised loue Secondly vpon strong and vnbridled lust violently pressing them to sudden contracts and often to filthy vncleanenesse like bruit beasts which haue no vnderstanding Thirdly vpon a feare to lose the opportunitie of enioying one another if friends should know it therefore they will contract themselues and giue themselues one to another and that dishonestly to force friends to consent Fourthly couetousnesse when men are carried away not with the loue of the partie but with the greatnes of a portion These and such like make hastie matches at leasure to be repented of Here it may be demanded Why Boaz made an if of the other Kinsmans mind and good will seeing first he was the nighest Kinsman and had secondly the Law of God to mooue him thereto was it not vncharitablenesse I answer No for hee knew not his kinsmans mind as it appeareth by his triall of him the next day Againe hee knew well that albeit nature and Religion tie men to doe a thing yet worldlings will not doe their dutie Cain had Nature Reason and Religion to loue his brother Abel so had Saul to respect Dauid but these preuailed with neither of them no more then the Law here was of force to mooue this worldling for such a one he was as shall be shewed in the next
such an one had faire Rebecca Gen. 24. 65. whose modestie may condemne the wanton going of our women who yet come short of Rebecca for beauty I wish also they were not more short of her for honesty The Arabian women yea so the heathen Romane women went couered as doe now the women in Spaine not halfe naked as many harlotries doe now in England to the shame of Religion and disgrace of the Gospell hauing both heathen and Papists to condemne them But what care such for the Gospell which want grace or for Religion which are of none at all and neuer yet had their consciences bound to the obedience thereof but liue as Libertines doing what they list walking after the lust of their owne hearts And when shee held it This implieth some stay till shee had folded it to receiue his kindnesse for he that mindeth truely to doe the poore good can bee content to stay till they can bee ready to receiue it Boaz was not like such as seeme to be willing to giue the poore a penny and yet will be gone before hee can open his purse to change the niggards siluer so they blame his not readinesse to receiue what they onely pretended but neuer from heart intended so lewdly deluding the poore Boaz had shewed her great kindnesse before which shee receiued and now hee offers her this mercy againe which shee refuseth not For it is no vnmannerlinesse nor disgrace to take kindnesse offred of friends though the parties before haue beene chargeable and haue often receiued of their bountie so long as the one sort be able and voluntarily doe giue and the other bee poore and not importunate yet standing in need to receiue for pouerty is a heauie burthen and may iustly make excuse for them And therefore such are not to bee blamed which do not refuse the often offred bounties of friends but indeed such as need not and will bee chargeable to frank-hearted friends such are basely couetous and deserue reproofe rather then to haue their desire Hee measured six measures of Barley Boaz had giuen much before by his seruants now by his owne hand yet not at randome taking out of the heape hee knew not what but he measured that to her which hee gaue her Whence note from his person still giuing vnto Ruth and in her to Naomi that a liberall and mercifull heart is not weary of well-doing Cornelius a good and deuout man gaue daily much almes vnto the poore for his soule delighteth in mercy and workes of charity and desiring to bee rich in good workes as 1. Tim. 6. the Apostle exhorteth These examples let vs imitate and follow wee must not bee wearie of 2. Thes 3. 13. Gal. 6. 9 10. Iam. 2. wel-doing and if we haue faith we will shew forth good workes if it bee liuely and not dead faith They are therefore reproueable who bee wearie of well-doing they would giue once but not often neither at any time much and yet wee beg bread at Gods hands daily and repine if wee haue it not and not onely for the present but for the time to come It is noted of Titus Sueton. Tit. Vespasian that hee thought he had lost that day in which he had not performed some office of beneficence Few Christians think as this Heathen thought for then would our great men giue more and spend lesse vainely that the poore might fare the better Another sort are heere faultie who continue to giue now and then but are loth to encrease their liberality as God encreaseth Deut. 8. 18. Osâ—a 2. 8. his bounty in mercy towards them for if they grow rich it is hee that giueth them power to get riches The third sort are such as turne their loue wholely to themselues and thinke all little enough for themselues and that through base couetousnesse being neuer satisfied so as they liue of vsurie and oppression getting from others what they can or through an aspyring spirit getting goods to grow great in the world or else of a vaine vnthriftie humour of spending can spare nothing to giue to the poore because his consuming guests which euer lodge with him whoredome drunkennesse pride and loue of play doe keepe him still so bare of money Another lesson may we learne hence froÌ„ Boaz his manner of giuing by measure and not hand ouer head as wee say without discretion that Liberality is not lauish of Gods blessings giuing in iudgemeÌ„t and not without consideration for euery vertue either is or should be guided with prudence This discretion in Boaz is commendable and they that will consider what they giue before they giue in so doing are not to be reproued And laid it on her See how a willing Giuer doth not onely bestow a benefit but helpeth the party if need be to receiue the same so doth Boaz here and so doth also our gracious God in giuing his blessings to vs. If wee then bee willing to doe a good turne and to bestow a fauour vpon any let vs not bee wanting in any needfull thing to further our owne liberalitie towards them for this will shew that what wee giue wee giue with all our hearts vnto them And she went into the citie Our last Translation is shee went but it should be hee as the Hebrew word will make good and the testimony of the Learned in that tongue both went into the citie Junius Drusius Lauater shee to her mother as the next words in the Story do shew which by reason of the continuation and series of the narration maketh it seeme most likely that shee went into the city as it is commonly translated and he likewise went into the city to dispatch the businesse and to do what hee had promised to Ruth as it is cleare in the next Chapter By thus reading it and by considering how Boaz before could lye downe by the corne but now out of his affection to marry with Ruth can leaue all to finish that businesse wee may learne that loue is impatient of delay and maketh a man to lay aside other cares to enioy his beloued Concerning the force of this affection see it in Samson to the maiden of Timnah in Iacob to Rachel Iud. 14. 2 3. Gen. 29. 20 30. and 34. 3. 8 12 19. and in Sichem to Dinah for loue winneth the whole man and captiuateth his thoughts to the partie beloued as may also be seen in Samsons Iud. 16. 4 16. 2. Sam. 13. 2 4. inordinate loue to Delilah and in Amnon to Tamar Seeing this affection is so strong let vs labour to bridle it that it rule not ouer vs for the world or the flesh and for this end let vs set it vpon better things worthy our loue to the vtmost euen on spirituall and heauenly things vpon Col. 3. 1. Cant. 1. 2 3 7 and 2. 14. Psal 119. Heb. 11. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Christ as the Spouse in the Canticles did and Saint
day NAomi her last words to Ruth noted in this Story being an exhortation in which is to bee obserued to what how long and the reason why Then said shee Sit still my daughter Naomi hauing heard and seene such testimony of Boaz his loue and knowing his honest nature and true affection shee exhorteth Ruth to sit still that is to bee of a quiet mind waiting with patience the issue The words are figuratiue and translated from the action of the body to the action of the mind By this that Naomi willeth her to bee quiet in mind and without feare and restlesnesse of spirit wee may learne that there is an vnquietnesse of minde in euery one naturally to haue that affected which the heart longeth after as may be seene in Boaz as before is noted so in Iacob to see Gen. 45. 4 28. Ioseph when he heard that hee was aliue in Abrahams Gen. 24. 12 56. seruant in procuring and bringing home a wife to Isaac in the Israelites seeking to punish Iud. 20. 1 18. 19 24 28. the Gibeonites for the villanie committed vpon the Leuites wife and as in good so also is the heart restles in seeking to bring euill to passe for the wicked cannot rest till they haue done euill See this in Delilah in hope of money to betray Iudg. 16. Samson into the hands of the Philistims and in Iudas to deliuer Christ to his Enemies and in Absalom to get the Kingdome from his father Which earnestnesse ariseth sometime of feare as Ruths here fearing to faile of her desire sometime of couetousnesse and desire of gaine as in Iudas and Delilah of malice and desire of reuenge as in the Scribes and Pharises Enemies of Christ of ioy and gladnesse as in Abrahams seruant of an aspyring and vaine-glorious humour as in Absalom of loue and affection to one as in Sichem to Dinah By this then may wee see whence it is that men pursue their pleasures profits honors and their desires in that which they goe about so eagerly euen because they haue their hearts fixed thereupon and on the contrary why people so little follow after godlinesse so much neglect it euen for that their hearts are farre from it Thus may wee learne to iudge of our selues and thus wee lay open our selues to be iudged of others Vntill thou know how the matter will fall As if shee had said Thou hast done thy part the issue is in Gods hands which thou must waite for with patience for when wee haue done what on our behalfe is to be done then are we to rest in the expectation of the issue as Naomi aduiseth Ruth heere So must we waite on God trust in him and commit Esai 28. 16. Psal 37. ◠our wayes vnto him as we bee exhorted but yet in well-doing and in the exercise of Prayer as Psal 37. 3. Isaac did for good successe to his fathers seruant Gen. 24. when hee went to get a wife for him and as Moses did for the victory when the Israelites Exo. 17. 11 12. fought against the Amalekites For the man will not be in rest till he haue finished the thing Naomi her reason to perswade Ruth to rest and not to let her thoughts trouble her nor to feare by delay to bee deceiued of her expectation because Boaz would not rest till hee himselfe had done what she desireth An approued truth of a man in one thing may make certaine the truth of his word in another It is equitie and charity to hope well where wee haue good proofe of a mans faithfulnesse and this is true credit when a mans word is become of that force and validitie as it maketh another to beleeue him without doubting Such was Boaz his credit with Naomi and this is it which likewise shee would and doth perswade Ruth vnto This is the credit which wee must labour for and which wee may attaine vnto if wee feare God and be faithfull to him for false to God will proue faithlesse to man if we bee discreet and wise in our words to know what wee promise before wee make it if wee care to keepe euer our word in the least thing if we hate lying and such as doe make lies we shall procure credit to our word And heere let such as find men carefull of their word be like Naomi in trusting and not wronging them by calling their word into question without cause at any time when they are knowne to haue euer approued thēselues for honest men for what greater iniury can be offred to an honest man euer meaning well and carefull to keepe his word then to bee suspected of the breach of his word vniustly A true-hearted man taketh that iniurie very tenderly and therefore let men beware of giuing offence in this kind by entertaining vniust and vncharitable thoughts towards such as deserue it not CHAP. IIII. THis Chapter is the last of the Booke and the last part of the Historie for the first sheweth how Ruth came to Bethlehem the second how she behaued herselfe when she came there the third her contract with Boaz. And this the solemnization of the marriage where is declared what went before and how it was effected then the marriage it selfe and the great applause of the people and Elders thereto Thirdly the happy issue thereof in the conception and birth of Obed. And lastly a Genealogie from Pharez vnto Dauid the King and Prophet of Israel and the type of Iesus Christ who according to the flesh sprung from his loynes Verse 1. Then Boaz went vp to the gate and sate him downe there and behold the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by vnto whom he said Ho such a one turne aside sit downe heere And he turned aside and sate downe BOaz prosecuteth the matter intended and here is shewed when where how and with whom hee had to doe about it Before I come to the words note generally that though both Naomi and Ruth had tasted of a poore and low estate yet were they now exalted and greatly comforted so as now no more Marah but as before Naomi for after humiliation in time followes exaltation after sowre sweet and after mourning ioy Psal 126. 5 6. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all Israel may go into bondage in Egypt but they shal returne triumphing Ioseph shall be tried before he stand before Pharaoh Dauid before he be settled in his Throne and Moses before hee bee the Princely Leader of the Israelites and when thus they haue tasted of the sowre assure themselues they shall feele the sweete with ioy as both Naomi and Ruth doe heere for the Lord will at length set vp on high Iob 5. 11. those that be low that those which mourne may be exalted in safety The Lord will humble his to make them see themselues to try their loue their patience and faith and to fit them for his blessings that
Iewes for in doing this we may greatly further what we doe intend And therefore let vs learne this wisedome to put it also into practice What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitesse The reason of this speech of buying first of Naomi then of Ruth is this Naomi was Elimelechs widdow to whom the land did belong and whom the kinsman should haue married but seeing shee was too old to marry and to beare children and now Ruth yong and the widdow of one of Naomi her sonnes shee was to supply Naomi her defect and shee when the land was to bee redeemed must also be married to the Kinsman albeit shee was a Moabitesse for Gods Law was not partiall but extended in Israel in that case for which the Law was giuen to the woman whether shee were an Israelitesse or of another nation and married to an Israelite Note here that Boaz at the first propounded not so much as he intended yea what is principally intended is often last propounded as here or wholely concealed vsuall with Statists as we may see in 1. Sam. 18. 9 17 21 25. Saul who propounded the marriage of his daughter to Dauid as if hee honoured and loued him when the end of his policie was to destroy him Ieroboam propoundeth tranquillitie and rest to Israel and that he had care to saue them from so great cost trouble as to go vp to Ierusalem there to worship hee would for their ease haue them worship at Dan and Bethel the golden Calues but this their fleshly ease effected by this deuilish policie was not intended but the safety of himselfe and the confirming of the Kingdome 1. King 12. 26 27. to himselfe of which yet in the end he was deceiued Seeing that lesse is at first propounded sometime then intended and the maine thing now and then concealed as these examples shew and as wee may see it in the Serpent that Grand Politician vnto Eue let men learne to be wise to sift the drift if they haue to do with men of wisedome and of a deepe reach else auoid them if their owne apprehension bee too shallow to conceiue them lest by credulity they bee ouerthrowne But it may here be asked seeing Boaz did propound not that which at the first he chiefely aimed at whether it be lawfull so to doe I answer Yes for to propound one thing before another is not euill neither to conceale sometime part of our mind as wee may see in Samuel so aduised by 1. Sam. 16. 2. God himselfe to speake yea that may bee sometime spoken and in some case which may seeme to further a thing in hand and yet bee the way to preuent and tend to the well-fare of another as the counsell of Hushai to Absalom which counsell 2. Sam. 17. was not to ouerthrow Absalom though by Gods hand it fell out so but to prouide for the safety of Dauid and to crosse the counsell of Achitophel which tended to the vtter destruction of Dauid the Lords Anoynted which was honest and godly policie in which no euill but good was intended of Hushai his part which differs much from the damnable policie of Saul and Ieroboam which subtill men most commonly follow and put in practice We may also obserue here maintenance for Naomi and marriage for Ruth so as both the widdowes were cared for for of widdowes Exo. 22. 22 23. God hath euer had an especiall care To a widdow must Eliah goe to preserue both his owne and 1. King 17. her life for a widdow must Elisha worke a miracle 2. King 4. 1. to discharge her debts that shee and her children also may liue for widdowes left childlesse a Deut. 25. Law was made for their marriage and maintenance allowed for such if shee were a Priests Leuit. 22. 13. daughter when she returned to her fathers house And therefore let men haue respect to the widdowes as Iames exhorteth who maketh it a Iames 1. 27. chiefe signe or character of our Religion before God The wife of the dead This sheweth how Ruth came to haue a right in an Israelite to marry with him because her husband was an Israelite and the Law was that the widdow of such a one the next kinsman should marry if hee died without issue But yet this is not all for Orpha was the wife of the dead too shee was married to Chillion brother to Mahlon but Ruths Religion and comming with Naomi to dwell among Gods people giue her this benefit of Gods Law By which wee may learne that Religion and not any earthly priuiledge doth interest vs into the Law of God and the benefit thereof for otherwise Orpha had as much right by the Law to the Kinsman and to Boaz as Ruth had If therefore we claime a benefit by the Word let vs bee religious for godlinesse hath the promise of this life and the life to come but vnto the wicked no hope so long as they so remaine but to them the threatnings and curses be due To raise vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance This was Moses Law and ordained Deut. 25. 5. for diuers causes first to shew that by death the right of inheritance was not lost for it is called his inheritance which figured out this that by death we lose not our right of Heauen which is called our inheritance Secondly to prouide that the widow should not be without children thereby typing or figuring vnto vs that the Church should not be left barren Thirdly to make the dead to liue againe and his name to remaine among such as were in the land of the liuing so teaching that the dead should rise and enioy Life euerlasting Fourthly to preserue the Deut. 25. 6. name of the dead that it should not bee put out so giuing vs to know that God keepeth our names in remembrance and we shall not perish Fifthly and lastly to preserue the honour of the first borne when hee that was begotten by the kinsman was to beare the name of the dead and not his name which begot him so God would teach vs that Christ the first begotten should be honoured and such as were begotten by spirituall Fathers the Ministers of the Word should carry Christs Name and from him bee called Christians not by the name of their Teachers as if they begot people to themselues but onely to Christ to keepe vp his Name amongst his Saints for euer Besides these ends and this typicall and figuratiue meaning wee may obserue that by Moses Law kindred were to vphold the name of their house that it perished not for it Psal 109. 13. Ier. 22. 30. was a great curse to haue a mans name rooted out And though that Law doe not bind vs yet the Law of naturall loue and louing respect to our owne kindred the name and credit of those which we come of yea and
rather should vse all meanes to disanull and cancell the same In Israel Old customes haue preuailed amongst Iohn 18. 39. Gods people both ciuill and religious customes and that both good and bad Good the godly haue obserued as did Ioseph and Marie Bad the Luke 2. 27 42. people haue followed such as were and be addicted to the will of men and to the examples of their forefathers to great and learned mens Ier. 44. 1. King 17 34. 40. practices being led by their owne bringing vp to follow the opinion of the most and not to bee guided by the Law and Precepts of God Thus were the high places kept vp in Iudea the golden calues worshipped in Dan and Bethel so popish customes hauing taken place wee find hard to be remoued and heathenish customes sometimes among the ignorant and vulgar people are kept and obserued in diuers things at some seasons of the yeere of which in this cleare Light of the Gospell Christians should bee ashamed Some customes are not to bee condemned simply but only in regard of the abuse as for friends to meet Iud. 14. 16. and feast to make a feast at weddings to reioyce to sing to play on instruments yea sometime to Ier. 31. 4. Esai 58. 13. daunce so it be that the Lords Day bee not prophaned nor made the appointed day for these things as most commonly it hath beene for that day is set apart for better ends and holy purposes also so that moderation be vsed herein as in feasting to auoid drunkennesse and gluttonie in myrth wanton songs lasciuious speeches abuse of Gods Name and his Word and in dauncing the mixt companying of men and women for in Iud. 11. 34 and 21. 21 1. Sam. 18. 6. Ier. 31. 13. Israel the women daunced together and the men alone as for the other it is an allurement to vanity and folly as daily experience may teach them that impudently will gaine-say the same So then let vs distinguish customes and as they be good so vse them if otherwise cut them off and suffer not an vngodly custome to haue any authority or to bee a law in thine heart for ofttimes euill customes do ouermaster good customes Wherefore let Hagar bee expelled that the promised seed may haue his right and place Concerning redeeming and concerning changing Of redeeming Land buying and selling before hath beene spoken heere is mention of the exchange of one for another as Ahab offered vnto Naboth in which as in the other equity is to be obserued These words brought in here shew about what matters this ancient custome was obserued namely in and about matters of the world In which they had their libertie as wee haue now in these things and not to bee found fault with or disallowed neither need men to haue any scruple in vsing them not to call them into question when they see not therein any apparent impietie or grosse superstition For to confirme all things to wit which was done or spoken touching the redemption or change So heere is the end of the Ceremonie for ciuill vse not for superstition it was for confirmation and establishing of the right of one vpon another for Custome is as a Law binding one to another in that which is done according to that custome It is good therefore to take heed how we settle a custome A man plucked off his shoo and gaue it to his neighbour This was the custome or the ceremonie vsed according to the custome then in Israel about such things Seuerall countreyes haue seuerall customes Wee deliuer vp our right by taking vp a piece of Earth and doe lay it vpon the deed or writing when wee giue vp our right in free-hold in some places by a straw in copie-hold land some pull off a gloue here is plucking off a shoo to signifie by the shooe his right to the land by plucking off his will to forgoe it by giuing it to his Neighbour the resigning of his right so as the ceremonie liuely setteth out the thing But it will be asked Why was a shoo vsed in this It may be to note that the man acknowledgeth hereby that now hee had no right to set his foote vpon it without the leaue of the other according to that with vs no man hauing a right without the Owners good will so much as to walke ouer another mans ground but if hee will he may commence a sute against him de pedibus ambulandis but such extremity is vtterly void of charity and to bee hated among Christians And this was a testimonie in Israel This act made good the bargaine of sale or exchange in Israel for a common custome maketh sure a thing deliuered according to that custome where it is of force and vse The practice of that custome shall testifie against them and confirme their deed where that custome is in vse for many customes are in many places and doe differ Let therefore such a custome be carefully obserued and beware of the breach thereof Verse 8. Therefore the kinsman said vnto Boaz Buy it for thee So he drew off his shoo THis is a conclusion of the bargaine betweene them Shewing what the kinsman both spake and did graunting Boaz libertie to buy it and obseruing the custome then amongst them to ratifie the same in the resigning of his right Therefore the kinsman said vnto Boaz. That is because he said he could not redeeme it hee saith to Boaz Buy thou it and because the custome was so he drew off his shoo for this word therefore hath reference to both clauses Heere is a worldly man yet hee dealeth in the resigning of his right very honestly and so as by Law and custome the same might be confirmed and made good to Boaz. Hereby we see that some men out of common honesty being worldlings will so passe away their right to another as it shall stand good by Law to them for they will obserue in such things morall honesty they loue their credit before men they care to preserue such iust dealing for their more free commerce with others and to preuent future troubles which they might occasion otherwise by any trick of dishonesty when it should appeare This we find true by experience among our selues which is very praise-worthy and a condemning of such as pretend a greater shew of pietie but haue not halfe the honesty which some ciuill worldly men haue for if wee passe an estate to any why should wee not make the purchase good to the vtmost according to Law Honesty and equity requre it at our hands if wee bee not deceiuers as some be who make sale of that which secretly they haue conueyed to others before which practice yea and euery such like deceitfull dealing is very theft and damned villanie Buy it for thee Before the kinsman in verse 6. willeth Boaz to redeeme it to himselfe heere hee saith Buy it so that to redeeme was to buy the Ier. 32. inheritance
of which somewhat in the next verse So hee drew off his shoo Thus hee obserued the custome to confirme the right vnto Boaz. Two things are here done to put ouer his right first his word and then his deed one was not enough to conuey it ouer vnto Boaz therefore both are conioyned So doth the Lord deale with vs in giuing vs a right in the eternall Inheritance he giueth first his Word then his Deed setting to his Hand and Seale to confirme his Word which internally is the Spirit and heanenly graces thereof externally the Sacraments so that which is bought by Christ is conueyed vnto vs. God giueth vs good assurance as heere the kinsman to Boaz. Good assurance is to bee giuen and taken Gen. 23. 18. Ier. 32. 6 7 8. in passing of right from one to another It is honesty on the one side and wisedome on the other And therefore heerein let vs be both honest and wise But now for plucking off the shoo wee must know that we find it two wayes vsed religiously and ciuilly Religiously in reuerence to God as did Mosis and Ioshua in drawing neere Exod. 3. 5. Iosh 5. 15. vnto him which signifieth the putting off of foule and carnall affections and to draw neere with a pure heart vnto God and in witnesse of great humility as Dauid did acknowledging a 2. Sam. 15. 30. sensible feeling of the heauie hand of God and his afflicted estate then which by sinne hee had Esai 20. 2. iustly brought vpon himselfe Ciuilly this plucking or putting off the shoo was first for conueniencie to wash the feete next for confirmation of sale of land as heere and thirdly for disgrace when the kinsman would not performe the part of a kinsman according to the Law of Moses Deut. 25. 9. This is not here meant for by the Law the woman after she had claimed marriage of the kinsman priuately then also shee complained to the Magistrate if the kinsman should refuse to doe the office of a kinsmaÌ„ then is she to plucke off his shoo spit in his face which some expound to spit before his face But here is a voluntary plucking off of his owne shoo and also the former verse sheweth it to be a custome touching redeeming and changing and thereupon the kinsman vseth it to resigne his right and to confirme it vnto Boaz not as an act of disgrace to himselfe for not yeelding to doe the kinsmans part which was not claimed at his hands by Ruth either priuately or before authority and therefore I take that this putting off the shoo and that spoken of in the Law of Moses are not one and the same Deut. 25. Verse 9. And Boaz said vnto the Elders and vnto all the people Yee are witnesses this day that I haue bought all that was Elimelechs and all that was Chilions and Mahlons of the hand of Naomi BOaz heere taketh witnesse of that which is done the witnesses are the Elders and the people the matter which they are to bee witnesses of is the sale of all the land of Elimelech Chilion and Mahlon and the purchase thereof at Naomi her hand the Kinsman resigning his right to him that hee might buy it to himselfe And Boaz said vnto the Elders and vnto all the people Boaz esteemeth of the Elders as men in authority but yet hee neglecteth not the people whom also hee calleth vpon to be witnesses also this was his wisedome to prooâ—â—e loue of all as appeareth by their prayer made for him afterwards verse the 11. Heere in this verse and the rest following we may see the happy successe of that which Boaz tooke in hand for it was a good matter for a good end and done in a right manner Now when a thing which is lawfull is taken in hand and done well to a right end there may bee expected a good issue as may bee seene in Dauids setting vpon Goliah it was an honorable attempt the manner of his proceeding was lawfull hee waited for it and had publicke authority to set him forward and the end was Gods glory and safety of Israel for God is with such and his power shall assist them and his fauour shall giue them good successe as hee promiseth vnto such And therefore if wee would prosper let vs obserue these things in our attempts for if the end bee good in thy intendment and the thing vnlawful the act is sinnefull if the matter bee good and the end sinister this marreth the matter but if the matter and end bee as they should be yet if the manner be amisse wee may for this miscarry as we see in Dauids remouing of the Arke This 2. Sam. 6. 6. 1. Chro. 15. 13. 1. Cor. 11. let vs obserue in comming to the Word and Sacrament Yee are witnesses this day Boaz saith that they are witnesses for that they saw and heard what was done at that time in that assembly betweene him and the kinsman so as we see that what men come for and are called to see and heare that are they witnesses of so saith he and they also confesse it in verse the 11. By this may wee know who to produce for fit witnesses in a matter such as personally are seers and hearers of that which they testifie and as they bee fit witnesses so then are they sound and faithfull if they will truely and without respect of person affirme that for truth which they know to be so for it is one thing to be a fit witnesse in respect of a mans knowledge and another thing to bee a faithfull witnesse to speake truely what he knoweth Seeing what we see and heare maketh vs fit to bee produced for witnesses when occasion shall serue let vs in matters of moment for vpholding of truth iustice and peace obserue well what we doe see and heare that we may be true and faithfull witnesses to maintaine truth iustice and peace without all partiality That I haue bought all that was Elimelechs and all that was Chilions and Mahlons Here is shewed whereof they were witnesses one thing is here specified the other in the next verse This heere is of the purchase of land whereunto hee calleth them to bee witnesses for better confirmation of the land and the right thereof to himselfe for Deut. 19. 15. witnesses are for to establish a matter So wee see in Boaz a care to make sure the estate A wise man will seeke to make sure that which hee purchaseth as Abraham also did and Ieremie who had for confirmation Gen. 23. Ier. 32. 10 11 25. of the land first the euidence drawne then the same sealed thirdly the same done according to Law and custome and lastly before witnesses Thus the Scripture commendeth vnto vs a care herein from these examples it is wisedome and prudence to secure our estates in the best manner so it be iust and honest for so shall wee preuent future contentions which after might rise about
that the Crowne endureth not to euery generation but let these consider of Haman and of his high place and yet how suddainly hee came to a fearefull end and with this let them not forget the Treasurer 〈◊〉 who graued as Esa 22. 16 17 21. it were his habitation in a Rock◠by policie and by making strong sides for himselfe But doth not Esay say That the Lord would lead him into captiuity and violently turne him and tosse him as a Ball and driue him from his station and bestow his place vpon another And therefore without the Lord all these meanes are weake to vphold a house yea such a house sinne will vnder-myne and cause to fall Let none therefore rest on these weake props but pray vnto the Lord for his blessing which maketh strong the habitation of the righteous Verse 13. So Boaz tooke Ruth and shee was his wife And when hee went in vnto her the Lord gaue her conception and shee bare a sonne HEre is the full accomplishment of the marriage the holy liberty thereof and the blessing of God vpon the same both for conception and bringing forth a sonne So Boaz tooke Ruth Where hee tooke her it is not mentioned whether after this Assembly was dismissed or before is not certaine some thinke shee stayed with Naomi expecting the successe as Naomi aduised in Chap. 3. verse 18. and so from thence did take her It may bee shee was while this Assembly was together after Boaz had publikely declared his mind and bought the land and her at the hands of the Kinsman brought in thither and so he there did solemnely take her for in the end of the former verse it is said Of the seed which the Lord shall giue thee of this yong woman as implying her then there present And He tooke her implyeth the marriage as appeareth Gen. 24. 67. 1. Sam. 25. 43. Iudg. 14. 8. Gen. 34. 2. elsewhere in other places And the next words in the Text shew that it was not like Sichems taking of Dinah to deflowre her but to make her his wife by lawfull wedlocke which was euer publike and not done priuately in corners So then the meaning of the words is that Boaz did marry Ruth and so was his wife and with vs such as doe marry doe take either other by the hand and doe by word of mouth say that the one doth take the other to liue together as man and wife And it may be that the word taking is put for marrying to note the free consent of mind and heart then the right and interest which the one hath in the other and thirdly the care and protection of the husband which he taketh of his wife and the womans acknowledgement to haue betaken herselfe vnto the man as her head and husband This Boaz taking and marrying of Ruth sheweth how a noble man for 1. Chron. 2. 10. his father was the Prince of Iudah may marry with a meane poore woman so shee be vertuous as his father did Rahab before and Assuerus did Ester and no disparagement though Boaz had further reason to lead him thereto as his owne words Verse 10. before declare Againe we see how an Israelite might marry with a woman a stranger so shee were a Conuert And lastly that a good man will keepe his honest word for what he had priuately Chap. 3. 11 13. promised he heere now maketh good to the vtmost of which two last points I haue spoken before And shee was his wife That is by his taking and marrying of her So we see that lawfull marriage Gen. 24. 67. is that which maketh man and woman husband and wife So is it said of Rebecca That Isaac tooke Iudg. 14. 8 15. her and shee was his wife and in like case of the woman of Timnah which Samson did marry It is not liuing or lying together as lewd persons may doe nor yet mutuall affection but the entering in Gods holy Ordinance which maketh the woman the wife Therefore to liue honestly and to make a woman thy wife marry her lawfully Now in this that the marriage is so shortly described without mentioning of any such feasting and merriments as is often with vs with too much ryot and excesse it may here bee demanded Whether it bee lawfull to make feasts at marriages and then to bee merry Answ It is lawfull to be merry in sobriety to reioyce and sing so it be with grace in our hearts as the Apostle Ephe. 5. 19. speaketh And we may make feasts as Laban did Gen. 29. 22. Iudg. 14. 10. at Iacobs marriage and as Samson did at his as the custome was among the Philistims which he obserued yea our Sauiour was at a feast when some were marryed and did by diuine power Iohn 2. Mat. 22. 2. and 25. supply their want of wine and by the Parable it seemeth to be an vsuall thing to feast and to haue solemnities obserued besides at marriages Here onely beware of wantonnesse ryot and excesse and then may they eate and drinke and reioyce their hearts And when hee went in vnto her This is expounded in another place to goe to her into the Iud. 15. 1. Ioel 2. 16. chamber for Brides had a priuate chamber into which the bridegrome entred on the marriage day but here is modestly implyed the act of marriage set out also in Scripture by other tearmes as of knowing lying with one giuing due beneuolence neuer speaking hereof but by a periphrasis and circumlocution and therefore are wee hereby taught that when necessity enforceth to speake of that which in proper speech is not comely to vtter it is to be expressed so as chaste eares may not be offended This the holy Ghost in thus setting downe this thing in these modest tearmes teacheth And it serueth to reproue such as abuse their tongues to wantonnesse and lasciuious and immodest tearmes to make others merry and to be held pleasant companions but such fooles as Salomon calleth them make a sport of sin for these offend against the Commandement and charge Ephe. 4. 29. Col. 3. 8. Ephe. 5. 3. 1. Cor. 15. 33. giuen by the Apostle they corrupt good manners by their ill words they trespasse against the seuenth Commandemēt and do contrary to that which the Apostle teacheth and exhorteth vnto for the gouernment of the tongue both in Col. 4. 8. Ephe. 4. 29. 5. 19. speaking and singing yea these doe grieue not as they think onely men such as they iudge ouer-precise because they will not runne with them into the like excesse of ryot but the blessed Spirit Ephe. 4. 30. of God And let these know that if men must giue an account vnto God for euery idle word then surely for such filthy communication and bawdy songs which fleshly spirits made themselues merry withall which godly men haue condemned calling such a speech The chariot of adultery because it bringeth many to such a lewd
brests more of her substance than they which doe not Children loue their Nurses we see by experience and better then their mothers that bare them so long as they be without iudgemēt to discerne onely follow nature for the nourishmēt of life It is not so naturall say also these Heathen to be nursed of another as of the mother in whom it is conceiued for differing bodies haue differing temperature and therefore the taking away of the Infant so soone from the accustomed nourishment in the mother must needs breed an alteration A learned man thinkes this to be the cause Kick. in his Oecono of the degenerating so much of Great mens sonnes and of their so little loue to their mothers It is a token of no great loue to children when their mothers put them ouer to strangers it is iust with God if mothers after find their children ouer-strange to them being but rather Note this you vnnaturall mothers halfe than whole mothers mothers of necessitie not of good will for perforce they bring forth but it is true loue which maketh a mother to giue sucke safety to themselues disereth the former or else to dye with it in the Wombe but loue onely to the Infant procureth this latter at their hands Besides all these reasons the examples of all the godly women in Scripture teach mothers now this duety That right honourable Sarah Gen. 21. 7. the wife of a most honorable man and mightie in substance and power nursed her sonne Isaac Princely Iob was nourished by the brests of her Iob 3. 12. Cant. 8. 1. whose wombe did beare him Queene Bathshebah nursed Salomon What shall I speake of holy Hannah the mother also of Moses of Samsons 1. Sam. 2. 23. Exod. 1. Iudg. 13. 42. mother and others The mother of Iesus our Lord and Sauiour whom all doe honour shee did giue her blessed Babe sucke all women call her blessed because shee bare Christ And was shee not as blessed in giuing him her brests to Luk. 11. 27. sucke Yes verily Some good Ladies at this day disdaine not this duety And what should hinder them Such persons may giue sucke and then may deliuer the child ouer to a dry Nurse to attend it in all other things which helpe the poore cannot haue Lastly as there is a blessing Gen. 49. 25. of the Wombe to bring forth so of the brests to Hosea 9. 14. giue sucke and the dry brests and barren wombe haue beene taken for a curse Let mothers therefore take knowledge of these things to presse them to this duety of nursing their owne bowels that in giuing still of their owne substance they might the more worke loue in their children towards them Their excuses are idle are of no force against these reasons for true motherly loue is seene in nursing for lust brings to conceiue necessity forceth to bring forth but onely true and naturall loue causeth a mother to nurse her child Verse 17. And the women her Neighbours gaue it a name saying There is a sonne borne to Naomi and they called his name Obed he is the Father of lesse the Father of Dauid HEre is the naming of the child which was borne of Ruth where note who named it the reason the name thereof and what he came to be shewed in his honorable and royall posterity in his Sonne and Grand-child And the women her Neighbours The women here are those before in verse 14. very godly and religious as appeareth by many things before spoken off These godly women were Naomi and Ruths Neighbours such as dwelt together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them as the word signifieth Here may be noted who be fittest to be called to such businesses the honest Neighbours and Kinsfolke as was at the birth and Circumcision of Iohn Baptist for kinsfolke they expect it and haue therein an interest and cause of reioycing in the increase of their linage and therefore may not be carelesly neglected and Neighbours are to be called as those which be nigh at hand and helpfull at need who being neere are better as Salomon saith then a brother farre off But here obserue farther what manner of Neighbours they were which these godly women had euen such as themselues for godly women delight to haue about them such as themselues for the wicked and they cannot accord they haue differing heads and hearts ouer the one God ruleth ouer the other Satan the one is regenerate in heart the other vnregenerate and therefore cannot but iarre in word and deed the one being an abomination to the other as Salomon speaketh But the godly hauing Prou. 29. Act. 4. one head Iesus Christ and one heart they will reape benefit one of another by instructing admonishing comforting and praying one for another Therefore to shew your selues godly bee yee delighted to haue them about you And gaue it a name It is said the women gaue it we finde that sometime the Fathers gaue the name as Abraham to his sonne whom hee called Isaac Mothers often as we may see in Leah and Gen. 29. 30. Rachel so kinsfolke now and then as wee may note out of Luke chapter 1. 58 59. And here in Ruth the Neighbours gaue it yea sometime a stranger named the child vpon iust occasion as Pharaoes daughter did giue the name of Moses to him which the Parents did not alter so as it seemeth this was not strictly stood vpon though most commonly the Parents gaue the name If any here aske concerning the time when children were named I finde that it was sometime at the birth of the Infant so Rachel and the wife Gen. 35. 18. 1. Sam. 4. 21. of Phineas gaue their children names vpon their departure but being in such cases it seemeth not to be ordinary it may be thought to be vsually at the time when the child was circumcised as we may perceiue at the naming of Isaac Gen. 21. 4. Luke 1. 59. and Iohn the Baptist And thus doe wee giue names at the baptizing of Infants that as they did so we may put children in minde of the Couenant made in Baptisme of their badge of Christianity and of their ingrafting into Christ and how they were admitted as Gods children into the household of faith and as heires of the Kingdome of Heauen There is a Sonne borne to Naomi That is for the good and comfort of Naomi as is before shewed out of the fifteenth verse and as may bee gathered by the like phrase elsewhere So as in Esai 9. 6. Luk. 2. 11. these words is a reason of the name which they gaue vnto the child Whence note that the godly in ancient time gaue names not by hap-hazard but as good reason did leade them thereunto for they gaue names in obedience to Gods commandement Gen. 17. 19. 21. 3. Luk. 1. 13. who appoynted sometimes names vnto children to knowe also whence they were and whence taken
of the Philistims 1. Sam. 6. 9. once spoke if wee vnderstanding our selues in this wise there is no scruple to be made of speaking as aforesaid alwaies excepting in cleare case where the apparent hand of God is seene for thus offended the Philistines To light on a part of the field belonging vnto Boaz. God doth so gouerne mens actions as things fall out beyond expectatiō as they were to be wished See it in the successe of Abrahams seruāt sent to fetch a wife for Gen. 24. Isaac in Eliah his comming to the poore widdow of Sarepta in a most fit houre and in Sauls comming into the Caue where Dauid and his men were by which Dauid tooke occasion to cleare his innocency to Saul which otherwise could neuer haue beene so well demonstrated And this God doth as foreknovving and determining euery thing and ruling the same by the hand of his prouidence as himselfe hath determined to bring things to passe This should make vs to rely vpon Gods prouidence as Abraham did in that Gen. 24. 7. thing vvhich vvas to his seruant vncertaine and also to acknovvledge his prouidence in euery thing in a vvorke of mercy to be thankefull and in any other triall to learne patience Note again hence that God will prosperously direct the well-minded which will vse honest meanes to relieue themselues So hath he promised Psal 37. 3. for their vvay is vvell pleasing to God in such a course and case Let vs therefore depend on God and vse honest meanes to sustaine our vvants so shall vve assuredly haue experience of Gods goodnesse tovvards vs. Who was of the kindred of Elimelech These vvords are againe mentioned to shevv that it vvas the same Boaz mentioned before and also to shew why Ruth had so quickly obtained leaue to gleane there and why Boaz did so much respect her afterwards and that of a suddaine vpon so small acquaintance and to giue vs to know what a way hereby was made to further the Lords intendment in matching Boaz with this Ruth Elimelechs daughter in law and the wife once of Mahlon one of his sonnes which being dead the next kinsman was to raise vp the name of the dead and to take the widdow for his wife so that Elimelech might not want one for his inheritance amongst Gods people Verse 4. And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said vnto the Reapers The Lord bee with you And they answered him The Lord blesse thee GOD bringeth Ruth by his hand into Boaz field and then he by the same hand draweth Boaz to come thither while shee was there that so the one might be knowne to the other that by seeing and liking the match might bee made which God in his mercy intended for his daughter this young woman Here in this verse is Boaz going into the field to his Reapers then his saluting of them and their re-saluting of him And behold This is vsed to set out a remarkeable Chap. 4. 1. thing and is here as if it had beene said Take notice of Gods prouidēce herein as a thing worthy obseruation that Boaz should now come into the field at this time vnto his Reapers and in willing the Reader to behold this wee may learne That the prouident hand of God is in all things to be diligently marked and obserued For hereby we shall see God in euery thing and so acknowledge his ruling hand in and ouer all wee shall see his fauour and helpe in deliuering his children and seruants as he did Dauid from Saul in 1. Sam. 23. 26 27. Ester 6. furthering them to their honour and welfare as here Ruth and so Mordecai when the King must in reading light vpon that place in his Chronicles which concerned him Wee shall then hereby see his wrath against the wicked in bringing Iezabel to Iezreel with Iehoram and Ahaziah 2. King 8. 29. 9. 15 16. to cut off at once the house of Ahab as he had threatned Let vs then obserue wisely the hand of Gods prouidence that he may haue the glory in all things when we see his rule and power either in his workes of mercy or workes of iudgement Boaz came from Bethlehem vnto his Reapers who were reaping in his field and so like a good husband would haue an eye vnto them for good housholders do ouersee the affaires of their house family and such also as they set on worke 2. King 4. 8 18. The Shunamite would bee with his Reapers as Boaz was here This is Salomons counsell Pro. 27. 23. And the praise of a good housewife also is to looke well to the waies of her household because riches are vncertaine Pro. 27. 24. they abide Pro. 31. 27. Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri not for euer and it is no lesse a vertue to keepe what we haue gotten then to get what wee had not Carefull vigilancy ouer our family is a good means to preserue our estate by this shal we see who is faithfull and painfull to commend and reward them and who is negligent and faithlesse to reproue and correct them or else to remoue them Let vs therefore learne to play the good husbands as men say for it is no fault for a man to be thriuing or for the greatest to looke well to their charge if any fault be it is in couetousnes and niggardlinesse and not in prouident circumspection in a watchfull eye ouer the family to keepe them in honest labour and to preuent wastfulnesse Negligent masters in this point are worthy reproofe they spoyle their seruants they vndoe themselues And here such must know themselues to bee in an errour vvho thinke it a disgrace for mē of vvorth to see to their seruants and to be among their workemen Indeede if seruants were like vnto Iacob faithfull and painfull Gen. 31 38 39 40. and 39. 23. 2. King 12. 15. and 22. 7. or like Ioseph to be trusted with all that men haue or like the faithfull workemen in Ioash and Iosias daies the eye of the master might be spared but many seruants be rather like false Zibah filching Onesimus before his conuersion riotous like those in Mat. 24. 49. or Run-avvaies like Shemeies seruants so that masters had neede to see to them yet must masters bevvare of a greedy mind as thinking that seruants neuer doe enough they must take heede of distrustfull mindes without iust cause charity thinketh no ill neither must they keepe their seruants to worke so hardly as that they cannot afford them any time to serue God for such masters are more like Turkes than Christians and vse their seruants rather like beasts than like men endued with reason and hauing soules to saue If Masters take time also for the soule and for the seruice of God then be prouidēt for the world it is praise-worthy and the fruit thereof wil appeare in Gods blessing falling vpon the worke of their hands And said vnto the
Reapers The Lord bee with you Thus Boaz speaketh to them when he commeth into the field this was his manner of saluting Iud. 6. 12. them and likewise of their resaluting him againe so that the forme of saluting is not one and the same as wee may see in Psal 129. 8. Mat. 26. 49. Iosh 20. 26. Now salutations are not onely words of courteous and ciuill behauiour but prayers made vnto God one for another and therefore wee may hence learne I. That it is a commendable thing for one to salute another when they meete This our God and Ioh. 20. 26. Iud. 6. 12. Luk. 1. 28. Sauiour did this Angels haue done and this we see good men haue done It is among men ciuility and courtesie especially of the superiour to the inferiour as here it also procureth loue as wee may see in Absaloms courteous saluting the people by which hee stole away their hearts after him but this was the abuse of this commendable practice wee must beware of hypocrisie Mat. 26. 49. 2. Sam. 20. 10. therein we must not salute like Iudas not like Ioab with faire words and foule hearts and hands neither must any neglect this of pride and contempt of others as too many now doe If this be cōmendable then surely the Anabaptists do erre who hold it vnlawfull to salute such as they meet obeicting certaine places of Scripture as 2. King 4. 29. where the Prophet commandeth his seruant not to salute or resalute any that hee met But this place is to be vnderstood onely to expresse the haste he should make as the commandement to gird vp his loynes doth shew It doth not simply forbid to salute any at all other occasions or times Another place is in Luke 10. 4. where our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth his Apostles to salute any man by the way Neither is here forbidden to salute any for in verse 5. hee teacheth them to salute others But this speech was to shew that they should make speede in that whereabout they were sent and to auoid the least hinderance that might stay them from performance of their duty for by saluting one another sometimes occasions are taken of staying which here he seemeth to haue relation vnto and not that hee would haue them neglect common and commendable courtesies The third place is 2. Iohn verse 10. where hee forbids to bid God speede to some which is to be vnderstood of not allowing of such as were Heretickes and false teachers as farre forth as they were such and therein not to wish them prosperity which is nothing to ordinary salutations II. That Masters are to pray that God may be with their household family and workemen So doth Boaz here pray and there is good reason for it for if God be with them they shall prosper as did Iacob and Ioseph in their seruices and Abrahams seruant in his businesse It is hee that giueth them strength to labour and without his blessing Psalm 127. 2. Deut. 8. 18. nothing can goe forward for hee giueth power to get wealth And therefore let Masters remember this duty to God for their family and seruants And they answered him The Lord blesse thee Thus they religiously salute him againe So as they which doe salute are to be re-saluted The Scripture teacheth humanity and commendeth the same to vs in godly mens practice as here in saluting one another so in comely gesture in reuerencing our betters as Abigail did Dauid and Ioseph Iacob Indeed the Scripture besides other Gen. 48. 12. things is a schoole of good manners and therefore checketh such as be vnciuill in their carriage and behauiour when ciuility and good manners are a grace to a Christian profession Againe note that seruants are to pray for a blessing vpon their Masters It is a rare grace to play the part of an Abrahams seruant But thus to doe argueth Gen. 24. true loue in a Seruant and if a Master be blessed he is the better inabled to doe for a good seruant But where are such seruants now to bee found Verse 5. Then said Boaz vnto his seruant that was set ouer the Reapers Whose Damosell is this THis is an enquiry after the young woman Wherein is to be obserued who maketh the demand of whom hee enquireth and concerning whom the demand was made Then said Boaz. Hee no sooner came into the field and had saluted his Reapers but his eye was vpon Ruth of her hee tooke speciall notice and demanded who shee was and to whom shee did belong Which sheweth a guiding power of God herein and also that afore this time hee had not seene her Old Naomi had not sent her it may seeme to his house nor abroad to bee gazed vpon and yet was she famous for her vertues Chap. 3. 11. which will spread themselues abroad well enough though the party in person be knowne to few Vnto his seruant that was set ouer the reapers Boaz had placed one as Ouerseer to the rest of this man doth he demand the question Hence note That it is a point of wisedome in great families to appoint an Ouerseer ouer the rest in the Masters absence Thus Abraham had Eleazar his Steward so had Ahab his Obadiah and here Boaz the Bailiffe of his husbandrie for Masters cannot alway be with their seruants and therefore it is necessary to haue such a one to set euery one to their taske to see what is done to be done with diligence and also well and orderly and to preuent falsehood and deceit as well as they can and further to acquaint their Master with his affaires with the paines and labour of such as be diligent contrarily to giue notice of such as be not for his seruice that so the one sort may be rewarded as they deserue and the other put off after their wages be paid them for the hyre must not be kept backe which a good Steward must haue care of for his Masters credit and his owne discharge But yet here let masters in setting one ouer the rest make a good choise and see that the man be First wise and skilfull in that he vndertaketh Secondly one diligent and painefull in his owne person Thirdly a man fearing God as was Abrahams seruant and Ahabs Steward For such a one will be honest towards his Master carefull to make others religious and so procure a blessing to the whole house Such an one may be trusted as Potiphar did Ioseph and to such an one authoritie may be committed to command others and to order matters among seruants but yet euer so as that he be ready to giue an account of his stewardship Now also hence we may inferre that if one may be set ouer another in a familie then also in a Cōmon-wealth for without order of superiority 1. Chro. 27. and inferiority no Common-wealth can stand which being true ouerthroweth the Anabaptisticall Anarchie Moreouer in that the Ouerseer is asked concerning this damosell
thine heart Doe we not receiue his blessings with one hand shew our vnmindfulnesse of him by the other If the keeping of his commandement be the marke of our loue as it 1. Iohn 5. 2. is then surely our waxing wanton against him by abusing of his blessings openly proclaime rather hatred than loue vnto him This is our vnthankefulnesse of which we must repent Blessed be hee of the Lord. This is her prayer made to the Lord to blesse him From this note many things I. That Prayer in and by euery true member of the Church hath beene onely made vnto God This the examples of all the godly doe confirme and thus are we commanded to doe and therefore the prayers made to Sants Angels yea or to the Virgin Mary are abominable and cursed idolatry II. That it is the Lord that doth blesse and make happy for what is begged of God that is acknowledged to be his gift And what happinesse corporall or spirituall can man attaine vnto but by the Lord Therefore if we want blessings let vs beg them of him if wee haue them acknowledge him the Authour and be thankfull in cheerefull obedience for the same as wee be exhorted in the Word of God For who can Deut. 10. 12. Rom. 12. 1. think himselfe blessed of God not be thankfull and obedient vnto him but such as be void of all grace III. That the Lord will blesse the mercifull For shee prayeth for that which she had warrant to aske and wee find that the Lord hath so promised Psal 41. 1 3. Mat. 5. 7. to doe And therefore let the mercifull looke for a blessing and let vs pray for that blessing vpon their heads which shew mercy vnto the poore and needy that they may be encouraged in such workes of charitie And to moue them hereto let them consider Gods promise to them how they be vnder Gods protection Deut. 24. 13. how others pray for them when they doe little thinke thereof and doe blesse them as Naomi doth Boaz here and if the poore faile of their duety yet the almesdeed ascendeth vp to God and Act. 10. 4. the worke done shall blesse them euen the backe and belly of the poore Let these things moue Iob 31. 20. the rich to doe workes of mercy and to reioyce therein IV. That the poores reward vnto the rich for their workes of charity is onely their prayer to God for them Naomi had no other recompence for Boaz but this and this is a great requitall when it is a feruent prayer from faith for such the Lord doth heare and will himselfe reward their workes he becomes bound for them to make good what on their behalfe is wanting Which may greatly comfort such as be mercifull And seeing the poore haue nothing else to repay backe but their prayers let them not faile in this not onely when and while the benefit is in receiuing but euen when for time the fauour may seeme to bee forgotten so often as their Benefactors come to their remembrance not to faile to lift vp a thought to God for them Who hath not left off his kindnesse to the liuing and to the dead The reason which moued Naomi to pray so feruently for a blessing vpon Boaz was his constant fauour towards them aliue as before to her husband and children then dead and it is as if Naomi had said He continueth still in his former kindnesse to vs that be now aliue to thee and me which he shewed to my husband and children now departed this life The Papists prattle Feuardentius in hunc locum I know not what of benefiting the dead by workes of charity out of this place by wresting the sense thereof to maintaine their errour which I leaue as idle and vnprofitable and come to more sound and profitable instructions for our selues Hence may we obserue That true loue in good men dyes not with the dead but is shewed to those they leaue behind them as Boaz doth here to Ruth and Naomi for their husbands sake so did Dauid to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake 2 Sam 9. 1. Prou. 17. 17. 1. Sam. 22. 4. for a true friend loueth at all times Dauid receiued kindnesse of the King of Moab and being dead hee sent to comfort his sonne Hanun if it 2. Sam. 10. 2. had beene so taken For a true friend seeth his friend aliue in his children and posterity Let vs then if we loue one truely not bury our loue with him in his graue as the manner of the world is now which is full of counterfeit loue But let vs imitate our heauenly Father who loued Abraham Isaac and Iacob and their seed after them and promiseth mercy vnto thousands of the posterity Exod. 20. of such as loue him and keepe his commandements This reproueth such which let their loue die with their friends also such as loue their friends posterity if they be rich but not if they be poore as Boaz doth here But true friendship maketh no difference of a friend by riches and pouerty for if this make the difference the friendship is certainely counterfeit Thirdly this condemneth such friends as loue such as remaine of their friends departed so as vnder colour of kindnesse they rob their children committed by the will of their dead friend to their custodie such villanie there is in the world and falsehood masked vnder the shadow of loue Besides instruction here is also matter of cōsolation if we consider how God raiseth vp constant friends to poore posterities though this be rare yet wee haue in this place an example that God is the same in power and mercy to doe the like still for his children but be it that men faile to be faithfull in their loue let vs be comforted in this that the Lord is faithfull if he loue Abraham his friend his posterity in Egypt after foure hundred yeeres shall reape benefit thereby if the Lord chose a Dauid he will for a long time for his sake shew kindnesse to his posterity Let this this I say settle the hearts of carefull parents for their posterity for if the Lord loue them hee will not faile them nor forsake their posterity that shall depend vpon him hee is the sure and constant friend and will not leaue off his kindnesse to the liuing and to the dead as Naomi speaketh heere of Boaz. And Naomi said vnto her The man is neere of kin vnto vs one of our next kinsmen It may seeme by this that before now Naomi had not told Ruth of Boaz her rich kinseman but at this present as occasion had now offered it selfe now she telleth her that hee was a very neere kinsman one of her Redeemers which had a right to redeeme the inheritance and so to marry her and to raise vp seed vnto the dead as the Law required and this Deut. 25. Naomi telles her of to shew how naturall affection did in some sort bind him