went into the land of MOAB and there he dyed hys sonnes also when they had maried them wiues of the daughters of MOAB departed this life NAOMI being left a widow returned to BETHLEHEM both her daughters in law do accoÌ„pany her som part of the way But ORPAH returned by and by to her kindred RVTH accoÌ„panied her mother in law returning into her countrey All men marueiled at NAOMIES comming Lastly is the tyme noted when she returned home The first part or first member of this Chapter doth shew how ELIMELECH went with his wife and hys two sonnes out of BETHLEHEM into the land of MOAB in the time of famine and it containeth many things in few words First it sheweth when this history happened namely in the time of the Iudges of ISRAEL But vnder what Iudge of which many are named this befell it is doubtfull Some doe report this historie to be done in the time of EHVD some are of that opinioÌ„ that it was done in the time of DEBORA and BARACK other some say it was done in the time of IEPHTE who after great mischiefes which the MOABITES had done to the Israelites from whence this famine arose which is made mention of heere at length hee tamed them If you say ELIMELECH should not haue place amongest the MOABITES being ouerthrowne by warre but rather that hee should haue bene torne in peeces of theÌ„ at that time they will aunswere that they were so oppressed and beaten downe that they durst not hurt the Israelytes IEPHTE gouerned the people sixe yeers his history is extant in the tenth eleueÌ„th and twelfth chapters of the IVDGES IBSAN succeeded him whome the Hebrue doctors wil haue to be BOHAZ DAVIDS graundfather to haue had two names This man gouerned ISRAELL seuen yeeres as it is in the twelfth chapter of the IVDGES IOSEPHVS includeth this history in the time of HELI but LIRA sheweth vppon the first chapter of this booke that that agreeth not with the accompt of times But it nothing auaileth to our saluation to knowe the particuler time wherein these were done otherwise the holy Ghost woulde not haue let it passe It is inough for vs generally to knowe that this was done in the time of the IVDGES The cause whiche doth moue this man to leaue his countrey doth seeme to be a famine for the texte sayth that there was a famine in the land of Israell For oftentimes holy fathers will goe from one place into another in the time of famine that they may nourishe themselues and their family more fitly As in the 12. chap. of GENESIS ABRAHAM went into AEGIPT in the time of famine which is called the barne of the worlde So in the 26. chapter ISAAKE when there was a famine went vnto GERAR to ABIMELECH But God appearing to him in a dreame warned him that he should not goe to AEGYPT but should keep himself in those places which the Lord shoulde shew him Also the history is knowne of IACOB or ISRAELL how hee sent hys sonnes for foode into AEGIPT oftentimes Afterward the famine continuing long he went himselfe and his houshold to his sonne IOSEPH Here also may be added the story of the SHVNAMITE whose sonne ELISHA raysed from the dead hee bad her goe into another countrie for God would bring vppon the land a famine which should endure seuen yeeres as it is in the second book of the kinges and the 8. chapter whiche woman following the counsell of the Prophet was preserued in the time of famine And for the same cause ELIMELECH went together with his into the land of MOAB which peraduenture then abounded with fruit but the Hebrues as LIRA sayth do imagine some other cause For they say that ELIMELECH was a mightie and wealthie man of whom wheÌ„ the famine raigned many of his kinsmen and poore men did require thinges needefull for them and therefore that he might be rid of his trouble and not spend his goods left his countrie and went into the land of MOAB with hys housholde where hee being driuen vnto great pouerty died with his sonnes If he trauailed for this cause as it sometimes appeareth some doe hee coulde not be excused for it is in the Prouerbes of SALOMON 21. chapter He that stoppeth his eares at the crying of the poore shal also cry and not be heard for there is a iust reuenger of the poore and afflicted It is knowne to all men what happened to that riche man clothed in Purple mentioned in LVKE 16. But who can but maruell from whence the HEBRVES haue these fantasies they doe bring in many monstrous fables in the expounding of the holy Scriptures For wheÌ„ they had cast away Iesus Christ the light of the world they wer worthy to walke in darknesse And the doctrine of the Gospell being oppressed and ouerwhelmed Christians harkened to monstrous lies As concerning famine against the Prophetes it is numbred amongst the foure plagues with the which GOD doth punishe men and these are they the pestilence famine warre and cruell beastes Howe grieuous the trouble of famine is may be gathered by this that it doth driue men oftentimes into bannishment Truly God doth send famine for the sinnes of his people where and when he pleaseth It is not to be gathered that those that be oppressed with famine are worse theÌ„ others For oftentimes godly men are oppressed with famine not because hee would ouerthrow them but that hee might prooue them with this crosse and also stirre thâ—m vppe therewith as by othâ—◠〈◊〉 They do prouide for their thingeâ— by lawfull meanes true religion being kept safe and they gouerne themseluâ—s farre otherwise then wicked ones doe when they be in that case The HEBRVES saye that God punished the ISRAELITES with sharpe and cruell famine because that after IOSHVA and the ELDERS were dead who had seene the miracles of God they were slack in keeping hys commaundementes For it appeareth by the story of the IVDGES how the Israelites forsaking the lawes turned to Idols and so they were afflicted with diuers afflictions The sonnes of ELIMELECH are called Ephrathites of BETHLEHEM IVDA which is called so that it may be distinguished from another City of the same name that is in GALILIE of the lott of ZEBVLON As it is in the 2. chapter of MATTHEVV The Priestes and Scribes of the people being demaunded of HERODE where the Messias should bee borne aunswered in Bethlehem Iuda This Citie is also called Ephrata as it is in the 35. chap of Genesis RAHEL died of childbirth in the way to Ephrata that is Bethlehem and IACOB raised a piller vppon her graue For the Fathers were woont to haue theyr graues neere the high wayes and that is testified by many Epitaphes set vpp for trauelers As concerning the etimologie of these names Bethlehem doth signifie the house of bread that is after the Hebrues aboundaunce of fruit it was situated in a good and a fruitfull place Some wil haue Bethlehem to
opposite She doth declare her thankefulnesse in this that she doth not despise nor extenuate this benefite bestowed vppon her shee doth not say what is this that thou doest bid me to gather eares doth not the lawe of God graunt this to the poore what is this that thou doest offer me drinke when I am a thirst water is commonly to be vsed wherefore doest not thou giue me some notable gift sith I am poore and thou riche Truely the benefite was not so great of it self which he did giue her but because it came froÌ„ a notable man and from a good will she made great accompt of it The prouerbe sayth gifte of a friend is best She by her thankefulnes did prouoke BOAZ to be more ready and prompt to relieue her pouertie Let them diligently obserue this which doe want the helpe of others let them not be vnpatient if they haue not all by and by which they desire let them not despise those thinges that are bestowed on them let them not threaten that they wil wreast anie thing by force But let them rather think that others haue theyr burdens and that they by their importunitie do hurt both themselues and others For vnthankfulnesse stoppeth vpp the welspring of benefites The shamefastnesse of this woman appeareth in this that she fell downe to the ground and did not impudently look on BOAZ shamefastnes is the greatest prayse of women for shamfastnes as CICERO saith is the keeper of al vertue auoydeth vncomelinesse and getteth great prayse Therefore this caused her not to looke wantonly on BOAZ nor to speake long with him both these vices the Gentiles doe condemne in women as the SatyrricÌ„all Poet saith Shee is so bolde that she can keepe company with men And she can talke with armed captaines in the presence of her husband without a blushing face and with stretched out brestes The prouerbe sayth scilence doth adorne a woman as it is in this verse of Sophocles gunaiza cosmon è sige pherei Women which are desirous to talke with men whome they do not know bring themselues into suspition The 12. Sermon 11 And Boaz aunswered aud said vnto her all tolde and shewed me that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law since the death of thinehusband and how thou hast felt thy father and thy mother and the land where thou wast borne and art come to a people which thou knowest not in times past 12. The Lorde recompence thy worke a full reward be giuen theâ— of the Lord God of Israell vnder whose winges thou art come to trust 13. Then she sayd let me finde fauour in the sight of my Lord for thou hast comforted mee and spoken comfortablie to thy mayd though I bee not like to one of thy maydes RVTH marueleth howe it should come to passe that shee should be knowne and accepted of BOAZ and that he should entreate her so louingly shee being a strunger for the most part we see it come to passe that straungers and the poore are despised of the mightie the riche now therefore he sheweth the cause wherefore he did fauor her namely for the trust she had in the God of Israel loue towards her mother in law That she was indued with true faith of this it is gathered that she forsooke her natiue countrie her parents her kinsfolks and her country Gods and imbraced the Israelitish religion ABRAHAMS fayth is commended who being called of God into a straunge land neglected all thinges and followed him without delay she doth shew indeede that shee was the daughter of ABRAHAM For she had rather liue in other nations for the truth then to liue in her own countrie It appeareth also by this that shee had true sayth that BOAZ said that she came to hope vnder the winges of the Lorde that is that shee might liue safelye vnder his defence and patronage As many as put their trust in God cannot perish Howsoeuer the deuill doth rage he cannot pull them out of his handes Here is a Metaphore borowed from birdes and hennes whiche with theyr winges doe couer theyr young nourish and defend them DAVID doth often vse this Metaphore in the Psalmes that he might shewe the care of God in preseruing the godly As a henne the kyte besieging her doth cloke her chickens and hide them vnder her wings so doth God defend the godly and call them louingly vnto him The Prophet sayth in the 17. Psal. keepe me as the apple of thine eie hide me vnder the shadow of thy winges PSAL. 36. how excellent is thy mercy O God therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadowe of thy winges PSAL. 57. haue mercy on me O God haue mercy on me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy winges vntill my trobles be past PSAL. 61. I will dwell in thy tabernacle for euer and my trust shall be vnder the couering of thy winges 63. and my mouth shall prayse thee with ioyful lips when I remember thee on my bed and when I thinke on thee in the night watches Because thou hast bene my helper therefore vnder the shadowe of thy winges will I reioyce PSAL. 91. hee teacheth that they are very happie whiche commit themselues to the tuition and the prouidence of God hee will couer thee saith he with his winges vnder his winges thou shalt be safe hys trueth shalbe thy shield and buckler ISAY 31. he sheweth that hee will defend the Citie Ierusalem against the force of the Assirians by a similitude borrowed from birdes or hennes saying as a bird that flieth so shall the Lord of hostes defend IerusaleÌ„ by defending and deliuering by passing through and preseruing it This similitude Christ vsed in the 23. chap. of MATT. saying how often would I haue gathered thy children together O Ierusalem as a henne doth her chickens vnder her wings but thou wouldest not this worde ornis as the Gramarians doe note generally doth signifie a bird specially a henne From whence had RVâ—H that fayth S. PAVLC in the 10. chap. to the Romaines sayth faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God It is probable that she had heard of her husbaÌ„d of her mother in-law and her father in law of the creation fall and restitution of man of the promised MESSIAS c. In the mean seasoÌ„ god opened her hart that shee did vnderstand and yeeld consent to those thinges which were tolde her Also wee doe note by the way that they which leaue Idolatrie and embrace the true faith doe carrye themselues as it were into a hauen and sanctuarie as chickens wandering are as it were subiect to be spoyled and prayed vpon by hawkes and other rauenous byrdes but they are defended vnder the winges of theyr dammes so they which doe leaue the true religion and seeke for helpe of saluation other where doe cast themselues into manifest danger of the soule Also God doth exercise his faithfull â—nes with diuers afflictions
instrument which he vsed in writing it The argument or matter of this book is this ELIMELECH in the tyme of a famine went with his wife his two sonnes out of BETHLEHEM into the land of MOAB There the father dying the sonnes took them wiues of the MOABITISH woman who after certaine yeares died theÌ„selues out of their owne couÌ„trie leauing their mother and wiues aliue NAOMIE in the mean seasoÌ„ being certified that God had giuen plentie to his people consulted for her return into her country Both her daughters in law do accópanie her she doth exhort both of theÌ„ that they would tarry with their kindred ORPAH therefore doth returne to her owne But RVTH when she could not be drawne away from her came with her mother in law to Bethâ—ehem in the beginning of haruest The Bethlemites marueiled what NAOMI ment by her coÌ„ming In the meane season RVTH went forth to gather eares for to norish her selfe and her mother in law and it was not without the prouideÌ„ce of God that she came into the field of her kinseman BOAZ When he comming into his field vnderstood of his bayly what shee was hee doth speake to her courteously and charge hys seruauntes and reapers that they hurt not her she thanking him being laden by him went home and she tolde her mother in lawe in order euery thing that befell to her She doth giue her counsell that shee should goe priuily into BOAZ barne and that shee shoulde lye downe at his feete being a sleepe and require him to be her husband according to the law of God which coÌ„mandeth the brother or kinsmaÌ„ to marry the wife of the brother or kinsman that is departed without a son RVTH doth obey her mother in law she doth demaund marriage of BOAZ who doth aunswere that there is another who is neerer of kinne to her then he was and if he would yeeld his â—ight he would marry her And when on the next day that kinsmaÌ„ renouÌ„ced his right before the Iudges BOAZ maried her begat of her OBED DAVIDS graÌ„dfather This whole historie seemeth especially to consist of two partes The first in the rehearsall of the miseries of NAOMI RVTH The next in the change of the estate of those women c. namely how God had made thé rich again whom he had throwne down into great pouertie The scope and the especiall intent of this history is that the genealogie of DAVID and so of our Lord and Sauior Iesus Christ might be shewed who was of his seede according to the fleshe Christ is the scope and end of the law prophetes Also we shal heare hereafter that this matter befell when the Iudges raigned ouer Israell therfore it is well placed after the booke of the Iudges And though this booke is small yet it doth contain many notable things yeeldeth great vse to all the parts of life and therefore it may be compared to pretious stones of which though many are little yet they haue certaine excellent vertues This commeÌ„dation of holy scripture which is written in the second Epistle of Saint PAVLE to TIMOTHIE and the 3. chapter doth appertayn to all holy bookes and therfore to this also The whole scripture is giueÌ„ by the inspiration of God and is profitable to teache to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes And also in the 15. chapter to the ROMAINES For whatsoeuer thinges are written afore time are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope That wee may the better see the vse of this writing let vs mark some principal heads which are propounded in it Afterward euerie thing shall follow more fully in theyr places First as all holy bookes doe further vs to the knowledge of god so doth thys also For it doth teache that Christ the sonne of GOD came of the IEVVES and of the GENTILES which are sinners and therefore appertaineth to them both It doth teache that al thinges are gouerned by the prouidence of the most excellent and great God and also that by hys direction mariages are made betweene husbâ—ndes and wiues RVTH being willing to gather eares of corn that she might â—ether liuing fell into BO AZ fielde whiche was the occasion that shee b'ecanâ—e hys wife and mother to OBED We shâ—ll see how God doth alwayes exercise tâ—e godly with diuers afflictions as pouertie barrennes bannishment and hunger and bring theyr estate to that passe so as they may seeme vtterly to be vndone but if they be not ouerwhelmed with aduersities but beare al things patiently looking for his heauenly helpe and calling on him oftentimes their afflictions are chaunged into a notable estate yea euen in this life Moreouer we shall learne out of this history howe God hath a care of the GENTILES and also that hee hath hys chosen amongest them as IETHRO NAAMAN the SIRIAN the widow of SAREPTA and the NINEVITES c Not that we say that they were saued without Christ. Also he would haue RAHAB and RVTH ioyned to the seed O ABRAHAM that the MESSIAS might be born of them in his appointed tyme. Wiues Mothers in lawe daughters in lawe widows fathers of housholds seruauÌ„ts labourers haue here notable examples to follow Let vs learne that strangers and poore men our kinsmeÌ„ and those which are newly conuerted to true religion are to be well handled neither to be hurt in wordes nor deedes We haue a notable exaÌ„ple propounded to vs how BOAZ kept his fayth also there are rewardes ordained for our vertues in this life Therfore let not any man say that it is all one whether we doe well or euill There are nine notable persons made mention of in this little booke ELIMELECH NAOMI MAHLON CHILION ORPAH RVTH BOAZ his bailiffe and the kinseman that did yeeld his right by euery one of them examples of our dueties are propounded to vs which by Gods assistaÌ„ce we wil mark in theyr places Let vs giue great thanks for the vnspeakable gift of God that he would haue his holy scriptures to bee written and to be preserued through so many sharpe tempestes and read out of those fountaines to his Churches and let vs be occupied in them both day and night and cast away those lying and vnprofitable bookes in which fooles are most exercised CAP. 1 The 2. Sermon 1 In the time that the Iudges ruled there was a dearth in the land and a man of Bethlehem Iudah went to soiorne in the countrie of Moab he and his wife and his two sonnes 2 And the name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomie and the names of his two sonnes Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites of Bethlehem Iuda and when they came into the land of Moab they continued there THe thinges that are especially handled in this chapter are these ELIMELECH in the time of famine
themselues to be called Christians against the professors of pure doctrine In this place also may be noted that it is written that ELIMELECH was a straunger in the field of Moab Sometime it is said that NAOMI returned out of the Field of Moab the Hebrue worde signifieth a field also a country and the earth Peraduenture he would not dwell in the Cities but in the fields that he might the lesse be corrupted In the Cities many occasions are layd before vs to entrap vs For this cause it was that many dwelt in vilages and desert places IONADAB counselled his sonnes the RECHABITES as it is in the 35. chap. of Iere. that they shoulde dwell in Tabernacles and keepe sheep by which meanes they might serue God best Generally we say out of the word of God that wee must not forsake those places where the pure worde of God is preached openly For it is most daungerous to dwell there where the worde of God hath no free passage For if thou be in those places where thou hast the pure exercise of the word of God and then thou art sometimes in coÌ„panie with theÌ„ who doe not loue the trueth although thou doest heare some sermons yet by little and little thy faith will be weakened what will be done then where no mentioÌ„ is made of Christ or of true religion and where we haue so many things before our eyes which may weaken our fayth But if necessitie doth constraine vs to dwell in those places as it sometimes doth where wickednesse doth raign we must take heede that wee doe not denie Christ. IOSEPH liued holily in the courte of Potiphar in Aegipt at last being gouernour of al Aegipt the called vnto him his father and hys brethren for the greatnes of famine to come to him DAVID with sixe hundred men went into the land of Moab great necessity driuing him therto though many interpreters finde fault with this his flight 1. SAM 27. NEBVCHAD-NEZZAR tooke Daniell his fellowes and many others captiues as the Turke now hath in captiuitie flockes of Christians in euerlasting bondage to dwell amongest idolaters whether they will or no. But they should endeuour to liue amongest wicked men vnblameably Ierem. 29. chap. hee doth teach his people howe they should behaue themselues in Babilon vnder Nebuchad-nezzar There are some who will say commonly If thou beest at Roome liue after the maner of Roome They commaund to apply themselues to the times But Christ in the 10. chap. of MATHEVV doth require of his beleeuers a confession of faith They are greatly to be reprooued who of theyr own will for gaine and such other light causes forsake Ierusalem and goe into Babilon We may learn by the example of the Moabites to yeeld harbor to good men for though they were molested by the Israelites yet we read not they did annoy ELIMELECH or anie of his If thou sayst that they were so oppressed of the Israelites that they did that against their will yet it is euident that they did yeeld harbor to DAVIDS parentes when they were olde as it is in the 1. SAMVEL 22. chap. So the Aegiptians yeelded harbor to Christ his mother God doth oftentimes commend vnto vs the state of straungers Men are banished for manie causes wee cannot alwaies stay in our own countrey though we would most willingly there liue let vs not shew our selues in this part worse than Gentiles Aduise with thy self that the auncestors were not alwaies in their owne country but were straungers and pilgrimes and consider the wonderfull conuersions which are of things and the dayly changing of Empires so that greeuous warrs may easily arise by whiche many men are shutt out of their seates and possessions and being mindful of the changes of worldly thinges let vs deale wel one with an other ELIMELECH is constrayned to depart with his But if thou sayst that he was wicked and that hee went with his will and no necessite driuing him yet it is euident that there haue bene many godly and good men in all ages which haue forsaken their countrie and left their houses against their willes God doth in ISAI 16. chap. threaten the Moabites that hee will pull them out of their nestes and yeeldeth this reason because they do not harbour the Israelites that flee in the time of warre or if they do receiue them they betray them to their enimies Also women haue a notable example of NAOMI who followed her husband into a straunge countrie SARA also did not forsake ABRAHAM for his troublesome estate though she did suffer great daunger not onely once for his sake and fault And also other godly matrons haue with their husbandes borne bannishment and other troubles patiently But if men are despisers of true Religion and go into a place in which godly men cannot be conuersant with a safe conscience they ought not to cast themselues into open daunger What doest thou thinke of those women which will shew themselues hard to goe with theyr husbandes from one street to another what doe ye thinke say I of those women if theyr husbandes should take great iournies with great daungers and labours Truely it is a troublesome thing to dwel amongest straungers but necessitie that sharpe darte doth oftentimes pricke vs. The 3. Sermon 3 Then Elimelech the husband of Naomie died and shee remayned with her two sonnes 4 Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites the ones name was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth and they dwelled there about ten yeares 5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both twaine So the woman was left destitute of her two sonnes and of her husband IF any man wil be conuersant in the reading of the holye scripture with profite first he must marke the sence scope of euery place next euerie thing must be referred to the confirmation of faith and the amending of manners as to the especiall end As concerning these fewe wordes our writer saith ELIMELECH departed out of this life leauing NAOMI and her two sonnes whiche married them wiues of the Moabites as it is noted after in the fourth chapter MAHLON maried RVTH CHILION maryed ORPAH they taryed ten yeares out of their owne countrie Afterwards they both died NAOMI was left aliue destitute of her husband and her two sonnes The Hebrues say that this RVTH was the daughter of EGLON King of Moab whom EHVD who is also called Aâ—OTH thrust through with a dagger IVDG 3. whome some Christian interpreters doe follow but it is not probable that that king woulde marry hys daughter to a Hebrue a poore man and a man dwelling out of his countrie or suffer her to liue in pouertie neither semeth it to agree with the accompt of the times But the Iewes are woont to vaunt much of theyr countrie men and ambitiously to counterfait I know not what nobilitie according to the maner of them which being poorer then Coâ—DRVS and of no estimation yet somtime they doe falsly brag of
me nor trouble me with thy disswasions neither hinder me from going with thee Whether thou goest I wil goe I am ready to suffer all troubles with thee and because she had said ORPAH was going to her countrey and her Gods she addeth thy people my people vnderstand is or shalbe Thy God my God I will acknowledge no other God nor other people but that God of Israel whome thou doest worshippe and in whome thou doest hope and beleeue neyther will I hereafter worshippe BAAL PEOR or CHEMOS the Gods of my nations or of any other nations Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried This is the affection of men that they woulde be buried in the graues of them whome they loue dearlie and not be seperated from them after they were dead It it read In GENESIS that ABRAHAM bought ground of EPHRON the HITTITE wherin there was a Caue whiche he conuâ—â—ted to a buriall place for him and his first he was buried there then ISAAKE then IACOB would not be buried in Aegipt but bound IOSEPH by an othe that when he was dead hee would bury him in the land of CANAAN in the Sepulcher of his fathers GEN. 47. 49. TOâ—IAS said vnto his sonne I shall die bury me honourably and honour thy mother and also bury her honourably by me in my sepulcher MEZENTIVS although hee was a wicked man yet in Virg in the end of the 10. Aeneid he entreateth Aeneas that he might be buried in the sepulcher of his sonne LANSVS It is accounted as a cursse to lacke the honor of buriall and not to be buried in the Sepulchers of their fathers contrariwise it is accounted as a blessing to be buried honourably But true Religion being decayed superstitious men did thinke that pompous burials profited the soules departed c. RVTH addeth an othe by the whiche she confirmeth that shee will not leaue her mother in-law The Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death depart mee and thee Shee doth not simplye sweare but curseth her selfe if she keepe not her promise This kinde of swearing is often times vsed in the scriptures The Lord doe so to me and more also But it is not expressed what euils they do wish for themselues which vse those words or to what vengeance they yeeld themselues if they falsifie their faith For the holy Ghost by these Aposiopeses would teach vs that we must deale warily in swearing and beware least that our toong runne before our minde for here that saying ought especially to haue place Toong whether doest thou goe It is to be obserued that godly men oftentimes vsed swearinges in the old and newe Testament Not in all causes but onely in graue and waightie matters And the maner which they vsed is noted for all othes are not of one sorte This maner which RVTH vsed sheweth that all they should at length perish who prophane the name of God by violating their othe moreouer the sainctes doe performe in deede those thinges which they promised by othe as RVTH also did There are some who do enterpret these words conditionally The Lord doe so to me and so forward if God giue me power and abilitie as hee hath done hitherto I will be constant and so forward But the first sence that it should be the forme of an othe is more playne and simple Here is a notable example in RVTH propounded to vs first her conuersion to God and confession of her faith denying her own nation and religion She doth confesse that she will ioyne her self to the true God and his people RAHAR made the like confession In IOSVA 2. cap. for the Lord himselfe is your God and so forward Next here is an example of loue to God and our neighbour Because without doubt she had learned of her father in law of her mother in lawe and husband and especially by the inspiration of the holy Ghost the God of Israell to be the true God and leauing BAAL Pâ—OR and other Gods and Goddesses of the nations she hasteneth her selfe to that land where the true God is worshipped neyther doth shee suffer her selfe to be hindered by any pleasures of this life She might haue liued more pleasantly amongest her friendes and as it seemed haue gotten her a husband more easily Yet she had rather as it is sayd of MOSES in the Epistle to the Hebrues to suffer trobles with the people of god then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproche of Christ to be greater riches than the treasures of MOAB If she had bin without fayth shee woulde haue returned home to the Idolaters for euery imagination of a better marriage of riches and such other commodities She dyd heare the word of God with profite and therefore she might be compared to the tree well planted and the house builded on a rocke MATT. 7. cap. Here we haue also an example of loue towardes our neighbour hee is our neighbour who wanteth our helpe or wealth or counsell LVKE 10. NAOMIE being striken in age and care did lacke the helpe of others Therefore RVTH would not go away from her who had not receaued small giftes from her and though she also was destitute of necessary thinges yet shee trusting in Gods goodnes would not forsake her mother in law whom shee esteemed as her own mother Good Lord how few are there at this day I say not daughters in-lawe which will shew such friendship to their mothers inlaw but how fewe children are there which will shew suche friendship to their mothers inlaw or affection to their parentes being olde Many cannot be perswaded by any reasons be they neuer so great to be present and to serue their parents when they are diseased But when their parents are in good estate they abhorre theyr company if they be somewhat seuere They are very rare who thinke that they cannot bestowe so many benefites vpon their Parents as they haue receiued from them yea they do oftentimes forsake them in greatest daungers and the cause of this matter is because they are destitute of fayth and loue In that that RVTH denied her countrie religion and embraced the Israelites religion the vocation of the Gentiles is prefigured who leauing their superstitions turned to the God of ISRAEL At last NAOMIE seeing her daughter in law fully purposed to go with her she would trouble her no more but when shee had sufficiently seene and tried her constancy shee willingly tooke her as a companion of her iourney she did wish also the other to bee conuerted to true religion Without doubt shee reioyced and did thanke God that he had prouided her being afflicted so many wayes so faithfull a daughter For it should haue bene a troblesome a hard iourny to her to trauel so farre without a trusty companion Shee doth teach vs by her example that we must not be troblesome to theÌ„ who doe propound to themselues to do good things we
ought rather withstand theÌ„ who do deuise wicked things that we may keep them back from their purposes and although they be verie stubborne yet we must at no hand giue place vnto them Let men that are poore and afflicted gather this comfort also that God can stir vp men to helpe and feede them And when they seeme moste forsaken yet let them not be driuen to desperation by the enemy of mankinde The 8. Sermon 19. So they went both vntill they came to Bethlehem and when they were come to Bethlehem it was noysed of them through all the city and they sayd is not this Naomie 20 And shee aunswered them call me not Naomie but call mee Mara for the almightie hath geuen me much bitternes 21 I went out full and the Lord caused me to returne emptie why call yee mee Naomie seeing the Lord hath humbled mee and the allmightie hath brough me vnto aduersitie 22 So Naomie returned and Ruth the Moabitesse her daughter in lawe with her when she came out of the couÌ„try of Moab they came to BethleheÌ„ in the beginning of barlâ—e haruest IT is described in these fewe wordes how NAOMIE and RVTH came out of the land of Moab to Bethlehem in the land of Iudah and what befell to them and what time of the yeare they went this iourney which doth containe great doctrine and comfort First they say that both of them went togither in their iourney vntill they came to Bethlehem RVTH whiche was the yonger and therfore more light did not goe before her being olde but wayted on her neither is it to be doubted but that shee did lessen the griefe of her mother in lawes iourney by pleasaunt speches al other means that she could It is the duetie of young folkes when they trauell with their elders to haue a care of them this phrase seemeth to declare that they did not linger in theyr iourney but went right to Bethlehem For it doth not become women to linger in their way The whole Citie is mooued at their comming Him in the coniugation Niphal signifieth to make a tumult or a noyse or a sound 1. SAM 4. Verse 5. when the arke was brought into the tentes it is said that the Israelites cried as though the earth had shooke The Septuagint doe vse this word Cai echesen and it sounded as it is in this place also 1. KINGS 1. verse 45. When the king was chosen the Citie was in a tumult or was moued with a noyse MATT. 21. when Christ went into Ierusalem the EVANGELIST sayth that the Citie was moued Also in this place the Citie is moued that is They were astonied they had diuers speeches of the comming of the poore women they did flocke to see theÌ„ as in many Cities they do sometimes behaue themselues too too impudently when straungers come they wonder at this chaunge of thinges By this it appeareth that NAOMIE was a woman of great renowne and ELIMELECH her husband was a man of some accompt For at the comming of poore men there is no great concourse of people They asked if this was NAOMIE that name signifieth plentifull sweete and pleasaunt The meaning is is not this that moste notable woman which suffered so many trobles or this bewtiful woman truely she aunswereth not to her name We haue bene Troians Good Lord how much is she changed For though some spake this of a good minde marueiling at so great a chaunge yet it is probable that some laught her to scorne because shee had lost her beautie and her goods by seeking for a better condition according to the maner of the common people But that doth greatly troble vs when others doe mocke vs in our afflictions and doe not rather sorrowe with vs we see with such scoffes euen most valiant men much troubled By the way we doe also learne that bewtie is a fraile thing which perisheth by diseases by olde age by euill vsage and by many other meanes Therefore we must not haue too much trust in beautie There are excellent sentences concerning this matter amongst the Ethnickes Shee doth desire them to call her no more NAOMIE but rather MARA that is they should call her bitter sad and afflicted because of the bitternes wherewith God himselfe had touched her and that which shee had said in a worde she afterwardes expresseth more fully I went out full and the Lorde caused me to returne emptie I had a husband and children and wealth and nowe I am destitute of all these and therefore I doe not aunswere to my name My affaires are no more in that estate wherein they were when I was in flourishing age and bewtie God hath pressed and humbled me with diuers troubles therfore an other name doth agree with my estate Wee learne by this that godly men wheresoeuer they be whether at home or abroad want not their crosses When NAOMIE returned into her country she was entertained with scoffes no doubt But in the land of MOAB also shee must needes see heare many things which greatly greeued her mind God doth graunt a truce to his children for a time but in the meane season he woulde they should gather their wittes togither and prouide for the troubles to come Wee must not desire of God to liue without a crosse who doth chasten them whom he doth loue HEBRV 12. 2. TIM 3. all that will liue godly must suffer persecutions ACTES 14. we must goe into the kingdome of heauen through manie troubles Let vs not thinke then that it is an argument that God is angry with vs when he doth afflict vs with diuers trobles Secondly here is to be seene how NAOMIE gouerned her self in that new affliction and other trobles wherewith shee was greatly oppressed She ouercame all troubles with patience She did giue place to them that skorned her so that if it pleased them they might for NAOMIE call her MARA She spake nothing impiously against god or reprochfully against man the old woman might easily haue found some thinges with the which shee might haue vpbraided those which so entertained her saying how impudent are you what meaneth this concourse did you neuer see poor afflicted women haue ye nothing to do at home do you reioice at other meÌ„s troubles Truely you doe shewe your great foolishnes or rather enuie But she vseth no suche wordes shee doth deale peaceably with them and she doth confesse freely that her estate was in a hard case But how could she beare the reproches of the people and lightly beare so many troubles when all of vs by nature are vnpatient first she doth confesse that these thinges fell not our by chaunce but that GOD was the first author of these troubles who gouerning al things well according to his good wil doth iniurie to no man God hath brought me back saith she he hath troubled me he hath afflicted me shee doth not accuse the Moabites nor her husband nor children nor fortune but attributeth al 〈◊〉