vs from heresie but also a salue or remedie if wee haue been poysoned by falshoode The sting of the Scorpion is cured by applying the Achates stone the grasse Alimos preserueth the famished person from death The Baare hauing eaten Mandragora saueth his life by the little Emmet and the poyson of the Chamelaeon is expelled by a Baye leafe euen so the word of God cureth the heresies of Poperie which are compared to the stinging of the Scorpions in the Scriptures it is the fruite of the tree of life and whosoeuer eateth and disgesteth in shall neuer die it is a preseruatiue against all poyson and the leaues thereof shall cure the nations By this alone the Lord hath wrought the calling of his children the confusion of his enemies the comfort of his Saintes and the replenishing of his kingdome All the Kings of the earth haue beene in armes against it yet the ministers thereof who neuer bore armes against them by their onely preaching haue wonne a glorious fielde All Egypt coulde not resist Moses and Aaron because they came on the Lordes message no more shall all the world ouercome the preachers of peace so long as they faithfully performe their heauenly Ambassage Wordes haue wrought more then weapons the spirite hath pearced more then the Speare the wals of Paper and the ordinaunce of Fathers haue battered downe the stately kingdome of the whoore of Babilon learning hath done better seruice then Launces Gownes haue conquered moe then Gunnes Bookes haue done more good then Bullets and the prayers of the faithfull haue preuailed more then the Pikes of horsemen the stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner this is the Lordes doing it is maruailous in our eyes the bloude of the dead Martyrs hath giuē greater wounds in this quarrell then the swords of the liuing souldiours But thus I haue too long troubled your Hon. with that which you knewe before and haue presumed on your fauour for the acceptation of these my slender labours vpon one parte of Scripture the booke of Ruth which as the holy Ghost hath vouchsafed to call by the name of a woman to the praise of the whole sexe and euerlasting commendation of her Religion so am I emboldned to Dedicate it to so Honourable a Lady as your selfe whome I know to be a Ruth by Religion though a Noble woman by birth For many witnesses can testifie this also if I should be silent and the ordinarie exercises at Seuenoke will sound your name because your presence and diligence at them hath stirred vp manye meaner persons comforted some godly people thereabout and much euery way countenanced and encouraged the preachers of the same There are many causes which might compell me though vnwilling to commit my labours to the Presse yet willingly to present them to the world vnder the name of your Honour For I am assured of the acceptation of any small thing that shall bee offered in the name of Religion much more of this which comprehendeth the recompence and rewarde of our profession Your Honour knoweth that better is it to see the smoke of ones owne Countrie then the fire of another so I trust my slender studies which are but as smoke being compared with the burning coales of others knowledge such as dayly you heare shall be the better accepted because there I had my being where your Honour hath your dwelling Also I am hereunto moued that I might haue any occasion to testifie my bounden dutie which I owe vnto that Noble and worthie Gentleman Sir Henrie Leonard your Sonne of whome I haue receiued especiall encouragementes in the course of my studies and to whom I must remaine a debtour to the ende of my dayes being no wayes able to recompence his wonted kindnesse but onely by this daylye to praye for the life and prosperitie that hee may be as the heyre of your Honour so an ornament of the Noble house of the Dacres And the God of all peace blesse your owne person with such blessings as you daylye desire that you may still liue to the comfort of the godlye in this present life to the enlarging of your owne Honour to the reioysing of your whole family and to the endlesse saluation of your owne soule with Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them which haue vnfainedly embraced true religion London this first of October 1596. Your Honours to command in the Lord. Edward Topsell To all them that haue vnfainedly embraced true Religion DEarely beloued in Christe when I consider that comfortable Oracle of the Apostle when he saith that godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come it commeth into my mind that religion is none of the meanest professions that is laboured for in the worlde for the greatest rewardes are promised to the chiefest exploytes and the worthiest enterprises are Crowned with glorious benefits Ioseph for his wisedome was made the gouernour of Egypt Othniel for his seruice receiued Aisah the daughter of Caleb for his wife Iiphtah for his victorie was made iudge of Israel and Dauid for his Musicke was made one of the Courtiers of Saul In so much as it seemeth an ordinarie practise that euerie knowledge is rewarded with some curtesie whereby wee are certified that it is no maruaile to heare hope for so excellent blessings as are promised to the Religious For they are the house of the Lorde and as hee dwelleth with all maiestie in heauen so he raigneth with all Authoritie in the righteous they are a chosen generation borne of God a Royall and holy priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people the free men of Christ the inheritours of the earth the iudges of the worlde the coheires of Christes kingdome and the Cittizens of heauen If wee looke for their Nobilitie they are the Sonnes of God if for their instruction they are taught of God if for their tuition the heauenly Angels are their seruants if for their degrees they are kings and priestes for the eternal God if for their calling they are Saintes if for their life it is heauenly if for their wealth it is the whole worlde and finally their death is the birth day of all felicitie For this cause Dauid desired rather to bee a doore-keeper in the house of God then a dweller in the stately tents of the wicked as if the meanest condition among the professors of Religion were more excellent then the chiefest estates among the worldlings their Crosses excell the others Crownes their barrenesse the others fruitfulnesse their humilitie the others honour their ignorance the others knowledge their simplicitie the others wisedome their weakenesse the others strength and a little thing that the righteous hath is better then the great possessions of the vngodly When there is famine they are satisfied when ther is warre they are deliuered when there is plague they are without daunger if fire fall from heauen it shall not burne them if the waters arise aboue
the mountaines they are not drowned if the earth quake and rend asunder yet they are not swallowed vp if the wilde beastes fall vpon them they are not deuoured and if the Deuill himselfe would oppresse them yet he shall not ouercome them Then how glorious is our calling That liue vnder the wings of God that feede with the flocke of Christ to whome are reuealed the secrete Counsels of the Lord speaking vnto vs by his Ministers giuing vs the euidence of our saluation by his testament regenerating vs by the immortall seede of his holye word sealing vs with the spirit of promise lifting vs vp from the dust of worldly miserie to the thrones of heauenly Maiestie Salomons seruants were happie that stood in his presence and heard his wisedome Daniel was happy when the Lyons could not destroie him his fellowes were happie when the fire coulde not consume them the Israelites were happie when the Egyptians were drowned Iob was happy when his wealth was restored and the Disciples were blessed when they hearde Christ preach How many blessings belong to the religious Sathan that roaring Lyon cannot ouercome them the fire shall haue no power on them their enemies shall neuer hurt them the riches of the grace of God shall be powred vppon them and the word of life is dayly preached vnto them Consider therefore my beloued what is the hope of our profession whereunto we are called the dignitie of our condition wherein wee stande and the reward of our Religion prepared for our soules Call to mind the examples of the Fathers the promises of the Gospell the oath of the Lorde himselfe the price of our redemption and the place of our saluation you shall finde nothing wanting in Religion that might encrease your blessednes Therefore how happie are the eares that heare the things which wee heare the eyes that see the thinges which wee see the hands that handle the thinges which wee touch nay the soules that are assured of the fauour of God If all the worlde woulde goe about to set downe the felicitie of the godly and the dignitie of the chosen they could neuer atchieue it no not that which they enioy in this life for their thoughts are heauenly their hearts the throne of the holy Ghost their hands feele the Lord of glorie their tongues talke of his praise their feete stand in his Temple their words are acceptable before him their Prayers like sweete sauours of incense their worship like Euening sacrifices their eyes behold his glorie their eares heare his wisedome and their names are written in the kingdome of heauen Would not any man become religious that he might bee rewarded with this excellent honour To eate his meate with the Kinge of heauen to weare the Crowne that neuer shall haue ende to haue the Angels his attenders the Saintes his fellowes the heauens his dwelling place the starres vnder his feete the euerlasting light to walke in the presence of God to delight him the pleasures of Paradise for the recompence of his Religion For this cause I haue giuen this title vnto these my slender labours vpon this booke of Ruth wherein beloued in Christ you shall find the matter to agree with the title and the hope of all the faithfull concerning the end of their profession so profitably deciphered as hath comforted manye troubled soules confirmed many wauering mindes confounded many obstinate Atheists encouraged many godly persons and therefore I hope wil offer the same fauour vnto you in reading â—as it hath vnto many other in preaching Herein the holye Ghost I meane in the booke of Ruth hath laide open whatsoeuer can bee expected of them that feare the Lord here are afflictions to humble vs death to preuent vs examples to admonish vs here is the zeale of the godly the vertue of an effectuall calling the vizard of hypocrisie declared vnto vs heere is the loue of the faithfull the obedience to parents and the beneuolence of godly persons commended vnto vs here is the care of our parents the gifts of the spirite and the holines of the religious committed to the Church here is the office of Magistrates the Prayers of our brethren and the calling of the Gentiles expressed in the marriage of Ruth with Boaz who was made a mother of many Kings but especially of the king of glorie the Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world the gatherer together of the heires of grace My desire therefore is this that you trye it by perusing and reading this treatise for it is but superfluous labour for me any farder to trouble you with the Argument heereof seeing the whole matter lyeth before your consideration I wil pray for your successe commend the ende of my trauailes which is the comfort and instruction of the members of Christ to the fountaine of mercy by whome the heauens water the earth and the earth multiplieth with encrease and the encrease thereof preserueth the world that by the same power your souls may be edified your faith may be streÌ„gthned my labours may bee blessed that his name may be glorified his worde may euermore be taught among vs that many generations may embrace his Gospel and the course thereof finished our Religion by the mercie of the Father in the Sonne with the holy Ghost may bee rewarded with eternall saluation to whome let vs euermore giue thankes because hee hath vouchsafed vs the dignitie thereof and walke worthie of our calling least our secure liues our Idle faith our vaine hope our colde profession and our common conuersation with the vngodly bring vpon vs euerlasting damnation Your Louing brother who desireth your Prayers Edward Topsell ¶ Guilielmi Attersollj in Ruthae Explicationes carmen Encomiasticon EN Pietatis Honos en sic in regna reponit Quosque tulit casus abstulit ipse Deus En Rutha en Naomi per tot discriminarerum In sanctum tendunt regnaque sancta solum Nec te Rutha Moab distendit amore tuorum Nec colere ignotos barbara terra deos Gens inimica Deo Legemque deumque sequuta Praemia quaesitis diuitiora tenes Quis te magne Bohaz tacitum sine laude relinquat Quid prohibet castis nomen inesse tuum Coniugio foelix Rutham miseratus egentem Nomen ab insigni posteritate feres Vade liber liber titulumque expande decorum Materiâ titulo conuenieâ—te suo Hîc quoque zelus inest quis enim celauerit ignem Eminet ê proprio prodita flamma loco His simul exemplis matres viduaeque nepotes Instruite natos pignora chara rudes Vtilitas duplex partes se sistit in omnes Vtilis iste liber vtilis iste labor G. ATTERSOLL The same in effect in Englsh by the same Author LO here what guerdon godlinesse doth get And how the Crosse doth come before the crown Lo widowes twain before our eyes are set Not rais'd alost before they be cast downe And thou O Ruth renouncing natiue towne And Baal-peor God of
The first is the perswasion of Naomi in the 15. verse to make Ruth to returne by the example of her sister The second is the answere of Ruth in the two next verses consisting of two partes the first is the petition shee maketh to her mother in these words Intreat me not to leaue thee c. which she amplifieth by the resolution of her minde in the next wordes First that for her life she would dvvell vvith her and goe vvith her Secondly for her profession her people and God shoulde be Naomies Thirdly for her death that she vvould die and be buried vvith her The last part of this aunsvvere of Ruth is the confirmation of it by an oth in these wordes the Lorde doe so vnto me and more also if ought but death depart thee and me Beholde thy sister is returned Novv Naomi goeth forward to deale with Ruth alone for the Castle may seeme almost wonne where one halfe of the souldiers are ouercome the vnitie betweene these two sisters being brokē and Horpah being departed what was poore Ruth able to doe alone surely this was a greater discouragement vnto her then any she had yet namely that her sister being departed shee should lay before her her sisters example to drawe her likewise to fall And truely thus the Spirite of God dealeth most times with those that labour to come vnto him setting some in the way like the Disciples which forbadde young children to come vnto Christ and as the prease of people kept the poore man diseased of the palsy from comming to our Sauiour euen so many scandals stumbling blockes lettes interruptions and hinderances come between the godly Christ as did betweene Naomi and Ruth But here we note that the examples of our kindred and especially of those that seemed any thing in Religion are dangerous argumentes to drawe vs from Christ Wee see in this place Naomi taketh not example of one vngodly sister to draw away the other which when our Sauiour forelawe he gaue this commaundement that for his sake we must forsake both father and mother brother and sister wife children or else we are not worthie of him And in another place one desiring of him but a little space to burie his father he saide vnto him let the dead burie their dead This is a verie profitable doctrine for these dayes wherein men are thus discouraged from Religion for feare of their friendes for now Satan stirreth vp one brother against another to hinder them from hearing the sauing worde of God now they crie out against vs Are you wiser then your forefathers Hath not all thy friendes before thee beleeued on this wife And wilt thou be singular And surely beloued we knowe it is the greatest argument that popish atheists haue their auncestours fathers mothers their masters and mistresses haue misliked this preaching and these new doctrines wherein many repose their greatest felicitie and God send vs saye they to liue no worse then they did and to die no more blessed then they But woulde you so rather be followers of your popish and ignoraunt predecessours then of the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles reueiled in his worde this is to builde your selues vpon another foundation which when the fire commeth will vtterly consume it But they say are all our predecessours damned which did as we doe to whome I may well aunswere How doe you know that all your fathers were of your mindes but wee are not in God his place to iudge and araigne them but say with the Apostle The time of this ignoraunce did not God regard but nowe hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent Because hee hath appointed a day to iudge the world in righteousnesse So that if God seeme not to regarde it why shoulde we stande vpon it And seeing now the trumpet of the Gospell is sounded by the Lordes Ministers let vs not with Marie lament ouer the graues of the dead But leauing them at their rest trudge trauaile to the mount of the Lord that of him we may freely receiue that which many kings prophetes could neuer obtain Though Moses went not into the land of Canaan yet he saw it so it may be the Lord let our predecessors see the light of y e gospel though they could not inioy it But as Peter Iohn wer with Christ whē he was trāsfigured saw his kingdom yet could not enioy the continuall presence of his glory but beeing warned of Christ tolde it to no man so many godly in time of darknesse not onely saw but imbraced the trueth which it may be is forgotten of their graceles posterity Let the parents eate the sowre grapes shal the childrens teeth be set an edge if they made cakes to the host of heauen shal we worship the sun the moone what discredite is it to a blinde father that hath a son well sighted no more is it to idolaters whose children are the appointed heires of the lande of Canaan Let vs abide with him that hath the wordes of eternall life as the wealth of our parentes is deare vnto vs yet many thousand times more dearer is the health of our soules Secondly by this we note that to sticke by our frendes to go with them from the Lord is to commit idolatry for Naomi saith Thy sister is gone to her people and to her Gods as if she had said indeed for kindredssake she is gone backe but it is vnto idols false Gods Yea more also vnto deuilles this is a worthy lesson for our naturals to learne who will forsake gospel church prayer preaching some for the loue of their wiues to keepe them company at home when God calleth for them in one congregation or other some their idolatrous frendes which are notable recusants yet because they should thinke well of thē they will falsifie their faith to the Lorde be vniust in his worke that they may please thē with their present company some are hindred by their profite some by vnlawfull gaming and many by bare idlenes Thus men make gods some of their people some of their wiues some of their popishe frends some of their profit some of their pleasures and some of their idlenes few or none are to be found that are both able willing to follow Christ when he calleth thē as litle Zacheus did but euery one hath some excuse to keep them from the Lords supper who shal neuer tast of his heauenly pleasures seeing they mind earthly things making their glory their shame their bely their God let their end be damnation But oh my beloued let vs be warned by the danger of others whē Peter rebuked Christ bid him fauor himselfe Christ rebuked him called him sathan euē so whē our deerest frendes would haue vs be slacke in preaching fauour our bodies come to the church seldome make no toile of it agree with the most
Berea which sought the scriptures dayly whither those thinges were so or not which were taught by Paule and Silas we know how Paul withstood Peter to his face who was a piller of the church and a more ancient Apostle then him selfe yet hee was faulty and to conclude we must receiue the Gospell as from God the onely author of it not from man least we make the preaching of the corsse of none effect it is farre surer to send vs to the fountaines of the written word of God then to the braines of the best learned in the world Therfore the conclusion is that we must not in the foundation of religion depend vpon men or angels though we were neuer so truly taught by them but must referre our faith and the credit therof to the onely written word of God But some wil say had Ruth this word of God or did Naomi cary it with her into the land of Moab I answere that it is very likely they had for the Iewes at this day haue the old testament with them in all nations secondly if they had not yet the Lorde by his spirite did persuade the heart of Ruth of the truth of those things which Naomi had taught her so did he perswade his church when there was no word written for the space of aboue two thousand yeres so doth he at this day keepe his church among infidells where is neither preaching word nor sacraments yet not one of them is lost But if any say let vs then forsake the written word of God and attend to these reuelations or priuate instructions of the holy ghost I answere so the Iewes when they came into the land of Canaan might haue eate no meate tyll the Lord raigned downe more manna vpon them surely then they had all starued many thousand yeares ago euen so if we looke for such extraordinary illuminations forsake y e present food of our souls God his writtē word preached among vs the other being ceased we shal iustly be condemned as the murderers and slaughterslaues of our owne destruction Let vs therfore take heede to God not to men ground our faith vpon his word not on humane giftes attend to the voice of Christ speaking by his ministers to the ears of y e body not waiting for extraordinary illuminatiōs if we want this means labor for it as a pearle worth all our marchants substance yea a treasure greater then all the world But of lighter pointes of religion if we receiue any thing of men who in one point haue diuers iudgments let vs learne to examine the reasons of all and being proued by prayer peace of conscience leane to the best neither doubting to depend vppon men or the credit of the truth but to the word Where wee note many things what great care ought parēts magistrats ministers prechers to haue ouer their children people subiects for their instruction seeing as Ruth had truly learned of her mother in law that did she constantly defend namely the worship of the onely one God If Naomi had peruerted her from on heathenisme to another it is very likly she wold haue abode by it but being instructed in the trueth and sealed by the holy spirite of promise shee doth carefully maintaine it giuing vs thereby to vnderstand how inestimable is the benefite of good education and first training vp in religion And ought not this to bee deare vnto vs that watch ouer the soules of our people and children who by vs beeing rightlie grounded in the foundation of christian religion maye happely growe vp like to glorious oliues for the church and commonwealth Wee read when Laban swore by his false gods then Iacob swore by the feare of his father Izaac so excellent was the instruction giuen him of his father that in the presence of idolatrous Laban for feare nor fauour would he alter his religion yea it seemed to be fastened in his flesh that hauing bene twentie yeeres among the idolatrous Sirians yet hee had not changed the manner of his oth the which he lerned of his father Oh where are these Izaaks in our dayes which teach their children any religion indeed men are too careful for their childrens temporall wealth they put them to schooles and vniuersities to be students at the law and men of occupations which are good but aske them why they do so they will answere that they might haue some thing to liue by heereafter neuer a word I warrant you of the saluation of their soules but for that they will hope in God they say and thus they compasse sea and land for trifles but the neuer fading health they least thinke vpon In times past seruants prayed to the God of their maisters but in these dayes if they should do so they must praye eyther to pride couetousnes or ignorance maisters and seruants can sweare by the name of God liberally but pray sparingly insomuch as if the life of God consisted in their praiers they woulde surely murder him they so seldome call vppon him Oh that this hellish behauiour of maisters and seruantes could be reduced to the line of God his worde but nowe they deale with their seruants as the Egiptians did with the Israelits they look for their tasks and worldly busines but they neuer exhorte them to sacrrfice to the Lord nay they hinder them and call them idle personnes if there bee any forwardnes of seruants and children that wayes truely now is like seruant like maister like maide like mistresse like father like sonne like mother like daughter such is the seede such is the haruest they go from cradles to graues and from graues to damnation their whole care is for pleasure and wealth and therefore they haue no part or portion but in this present life Yet let the children of Abraham do like Abrahā teach their sons daughters seruants the couenant of the Lord that all their seed posterity may be blessed both with the temporall euerlasting promise for godlines hath the promise of this life and of the life to come Secondly by this we note the fal of vngodly flatterers which will outwardly for shew or fauor be godly with the good wicked with the profane they wil in good company temper their speech like good men they will trudge trauel to sermons godly exercises because it pleaseth some gentleman or other will say to thē thy God my God your preacher my preacher your professiō shalbe my profession whom you loue I loue whō you hate I abhor Of this sort are many ignorant persons one misliketh our religiō because some popish frend of his mislike it some speaks against our gouernment because one or other which gape for the churche liuings speaketh against it and to say the truth it is very lamentable to see how all religion of many is turned into man pleasing but these tame beasts will one day come to the slaughter as well as
not the riches for their daughters husbands or sonnes wiues keeping them in continuall burning for lacke of this wealthie licour And I knowe many parents which haue cast off their children for poore mariages but neuer any for the wealthy were they neuer so wicked therefore whosoeuer for this cause denieth right to his childe shall be more faultie for their vngodly disposition then the children for their vnaduised mariage Now in these dayes it is a wonder to see how the mindes of men and women can loue for wealth that euen as a harlot humbleth her selfe for money to him whome otherwise she would not looke vpon so men and women will marry themselues for wealth where if there were pouertye they would thinke them vnworthie to be theyr seruaunts I maruaile if the heathen lawe were now in force that no man shoulde giue any thing to theyr daughters marriage in what time of theyr dayes would these men marry truely I thinke they would neuer marry except it were to make drudges of their wiues But these are not of Boaz his minde for he marrieth a straunger who had but little wealth because the Lord so commaunded to take his kinsmans wife although he might haue refused yet he was contented for this cause to buy her as he sayth in this verse to teach vs that if God bid vs to marry that is if we finde in our owne consciences that we cannot liue otherwise then rather aduenture thy wealth then the displeasure of God But some will say is it not lawfull to desire and to sue for wealthie marriages Yes verily with this affection that thou like thy choise as well if there were little as now there is much And therefore thou must euermore remember these cautions both in the choosing and vsing of a wealthie marriage First that thou desire it to the intent thou mayest bee more able to doe good to thy bretheren that want for it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receyue Secondly that thou mayest the more freely giue thy selfe priuately and publikely to the seruice of God for wee knowe that pouertie taketh our greatest time to labour for wife and family but the wealthie neede lesse labour and may applie the more time to the seruice of God therefore was it that Paule sayd the maryed care for the things of this life to please theyr wiues shewing that it is one misery vpon the poore when they are maryed that they are troubled about worldly and necessarye prouision but if these things be supplyed by a good marriage thou mayest prayse God with the greater diligence But who are they which haue desired or obtayned a wealthie marriage for eyther of these causes if the poore should goe in collection for reliefe of them which for this occasion haue richly ioyned themselues what should they gather or how farre should they goe to how many persons might they come before they get a shilling Truely for this cause they desire them some that they might lauish out the more in riotous expenses with the rich man in the Gospell to seede in pleasure to be clothed in silke to mayntayne dogges houndes haukes horses and retinues of idle men but neuer the Church of God fareth the better for them Agayne by their wealth they haue idlenesse and time to wander abroade heere to feast and to make merry there to playe and disporte themselues in bodilie exercises and worldlie vanities but neuer one houre the more is spent in the seruice of God but much the lesse for the Deuils sweete and pleasant baits drawe away theyr mindes from the consideration of theyr owne miseries Agayne they are many times a thousand folde more clogged with the cares of their wealth then the poorest soule to prouide bread for his family by his bodily labour Lastly theyr desire is to leaue great possessions to theyr posteritie that the honour of theyr houses may be increased and the name of theyr memory might bee euerlastingly recorded so that neyther the glory of God the promoting of the Gospell the relieuing of the faithfull or the succouring of Iesus Christ hymselfe is any part of the thought of these couetous wretches but as they desire the inheritances of the Lord to be their portion in this present life so they haue them for the canker of their soules the rust to consume them the care to torment them the feare to forsake them the loue to enioy them the trauaile to increase them and the reckoning for abusing them to their endlesse confusion Therefore except the Lord doe build the house their labour is but in vaine that build it except the Lord make the marriage the riches of Salomon cannot continue them for better is a little that the righteous hath then the great possessions of the vngodly Lastly he that marrieth for obedience vnto God must haue this care to prouide before hand things honest and lawfull for the present maintenance of wife and family Therefore when Abrahams seruant came to the City of Nachor among others which he told vnto Laban and the mother of Ribkah he shewed them what cattell and flocks seruants and maidens his maister had which all should be Izaaks thereby signifying that all necessary prouision for their maintenance was alreadie procured and there wanted nothing but a wife for Izaak So Iaakob after his foureteene yeares seruice with Laban couenaunteth to haue the profit of the flocks which should be spotted and this was when he knew he was to depart from his father in law and therefore was bound to prouide for himselfe Now this prouision is not so meant as though euery one were bound to get all things before hand which are needefull to marriage but it is required that euery one should procure somewhat according to their degree and the maintenance of their calling This point is clearer then the sunne and it serueth to the reproouing of them which runne headlong to marry one day but fall into wofull beggery the next neither houses to dwell in labour to worke on meate to sustaine them money to procure them friends to relieue them or credit to helpe them onely wiues and husbands they must needes haue not caring what shall become of them afterwarde And truely if the hurt did onely redound to theyr owne hinderance the pity was the lesse but wofull it is to tell how theyr miserable posteritye are thereby euen thorough their parents rashnes brought to euerlasting pouertye and such as is most lamentable for theyr mindes are not instructed they haue no knowledge of the true God neyther can they pray to theyr comfort or hope for any saluation If it were but the labour and pouertye of the bodye it were much to be desired and nothing to be feared but being the endaungering of both body and soule how much is it to be disliked that any for their owne lusts should leaue their wretched posteritye to the power of the deuill Therefore beloued counsell
THE REWARD OF RELIGION Deliuered in sundrie Lectures vpon the Booke of Ruth wherein the godly may see their daily and outwarde tryals with the presence of God to assist them and his mercies to recompence them Verie profitable for this present time of dearth wherein manye are most pittifully tormented with want and also worthie to bee considered in this Golden age of the preaching of the word when some vomit vp the loathsomnes therof and others fall away to damnable securitie L v c. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdome Cyprian in the end of the 6. Epist lib. 4. Dearely beloued brethren let this bee rooted in your hearts let this be the preparation of our weapons let this bee your Meditation day and night to set before your eyes and consider with minde and sences the punishments of the wicked with the rewards and deserts of the righteous what penaltie he threatneth to them that denie him and what glorie hee promiseth to them which confesse him Seene and allowed LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet 1596. TO THE RIGHT Honourable vertuous and Christian Lady the Lady Margaret Barronnesse Dacres of the South grace mercie and peace be multiplied in this life present and eternall felicitie in the life to come RIght Honourable Ladie it is reported that the inhabitants of the mountaine Cassius by Seleucia at the third watch of the night doe behold the Globe of the Sunne so that on the one side they see our accustomed darkenesse couering the face of the whole earth on the other side the glistering beames of the shining light displaying the shadow of the nightly darkenes In my opinion this hill doth verie fitly resemble the excellencie of the word of God and the inhabitants thereof the professors of Religion for long since the Sun of righteousnesse the Sonne of God departed from the sight of the world and declined like the Sunne of the firmament hath left the vniuersall Orbe of the whole earth in palpable darknes Yet to vs liuing in this world the beames of his brightnesse the light of his spirit the power of his person and the glorie of his godhead is most euidently manifested by the Scriptures and preaching of his holy word so that there we behold infinite thousands walking in darkenesse and standing on the left hand of God ready for damnation but here wee see a few persons professors of Religion like the men of Cassius liuing in the sight and presence of our Sauiour whom they behold shining in the Scriptures and standing on the right hande waiting for saluation For this cause the voice of the eternall God soundeth so often vnto vs in the Scriptures that wee were vnder the prince of darkenesse that wee were darkned in our cogitation that it was night but now the day starre from on high hath visited vs and therefore we must cast away the deedes of darknesse and put on the armour of light and the Scriptures euery where testifie that the Church of God is in the toppe of the mountaines meaning that the dignitie of our calling as farre excelleth the fancies of the world as the hils arise aboue the vallies of the earth This is the infallible word of life and all the writings of men are but the Apes hereof from hence they heard of their Golden ages their feareful wonders their strange inuentions and their incredible fictions which they haue broched concerning heauen and earth When Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Egypt builded his famous Librarie and had furnished it with al the writings of the heathen hee also by Ambassadours to the high Priest in Iudah obtained the olde Testament and sixe men of euery Tribe to Translate it out of Hebrewe into Greeke then Demetrius Phalerius one of the Schollers of Theophrastus certified the King that among all the writings of their learned Philosophers they onely were Diuine and the Caelestiall Oracles of the euerlasting God For their truth the secrete nature of euerie hart is forced to confesse for their substance it is altogether occupied on heauenly things for their sinceritie it is established in the promise of him who neuer changeth for their stile neither the principles of Plato the demonstrations of Aristotle the inuentions of Hippocrates the sleights of Carneades the exclamations of Cicero or the conceipts of Seneca were vttered in so plaine eloquence or commendable phrases as the Scriptures of our saluation Also if your Ho. consider the often changes of the lawes of godlesse Gentiles you shall perceiue that they haue had as many Religions as generations but you shall finde that we haue now the Religion of Adam the faith of Enoch the Arke of Noah the sacrifice of Abraham and all the true worship of God as the Church possessed it many thousand yeares agoe and all because the rule hereof the heauenly word of God remaineth for euer Lycurgus the best law-maker that euer was among the Gentiles when he saw his lawes to be amended of the Spartanes for very griefe thereof famished himselfe at Crissa The lawes which Papius Iulius gaue to the Romanes were disanulled by Seuerus the Emperour all the world erreth some one way and some another mutually condemning each others superstition onely the Church of God in euerie age retained one God one faith one Baptisme and one substance of Religion because it followeth one voice of the holye Ghost speaking in the Scriptures It were infinite to set downe all the commoditie we receiue by this heauenly writing By it our manners are mollified our minds instructed our liues blessed and we deliuered from Atheisme Paganisme and Papisme Atheisme denieth all things Paganisme corrupteth all thinges and Papisme confoundeth all things therefore by the word of God wee are freed from doubting the truth deceiuing our owne soules and confounding Religion And because this requireth some proofe I beseech your Ho. to beare with my tediousnesse while I manifest my minde so briefely as I may omitting Atheisme fitter for dogges to beleeue then men to professe I will briefely declare how the Gentiles such as wee were before the worde wrought our calling haue falsified the whole Scripture and corrupted the tradition thereof with the inuentions of their owne Poets and how the Papists are but confounders of Heathenisme heresie and Christianitie First to begin with the Gentiles while reason and nature enforced them to confesse a God which is onely and truely learned in the scriptures they imagined a multitude of goddes and goddesses in the Scripture we finde the mention hereof that euerie nation had a peculiar God The Zidonians and Sirians had Astaroth or as some call him Astartes the Moabites had Chemosh the Ammonites had Milcom or Moloch the Babilonians Bel the Philistins Dagon the Egyptians worshipped many beastes but especially a sheepe among other writers we find that the Athenians had Apollo and Minerua the Boetian Thebes Bacchus and Hercules Carthage had Iuno Cyprus and Paphus Venus Rhodes Apollo Taenarus Neptune
the Creetes and Ephesians Diana the Romaines Mars the Italians Ianus the Arabians Diasares The Germaines Tibilenus the men of Affrique Caelestus and the Moores haue worshipped the gouernours of their Countrie Thus they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of corruptible creatures as birds beasts fishes and Serpentes and wandered without God while they framed to themselues a multitude of goddes and the best they coulde inuent were sinfull and abhominable wretches such as exceeded all others in notorious crimes as I could easily shew if it were to my purpose and moreouer they haue forsaken not onelye the true God but haue blotted the names of their most famous men leauing the worthiest in hell and lifting the worst into heauen For might not they as well made Socrates a God for his wisedome whom Apollo himself honoured with this Oracle Pantoon Androon Socrates sophotatos of all men Socrates was the wisest Aristides excelled them all in iustice Themistocles for warre Alexander in honour Polycrates in felicitie and Demosthenes in eloquence Who was more graue then Cato more valiant then Scipio more affable then Camillus more excellent then Iul. Caesar more happy then Sylla more wealthie then Crassus or more religious then Numa Pompilius truely none among all their Deuils I would say goddes with whom all the nations of the earth haue committed fornication In latter times the Romaines had onely power to consecrate goddes as now the Pope his Cardinals doe challenge the same to Canonize Saints But would not the hearts of the godly breake in sunder to consider that euerie Cittie inuented a new God yea euerie familie had their housholde goddes committed Idolatrie with birdes of the ayre and beastes of the earth men and women Moone and Starres Sunne and Angels euen to the Asses head as commonly as the Serpent liueth on the dust or as greedily as the Lyon raueneth when hee findeth a pray The studie of Astronomie verifieth this for they haue imagined signes from the Eagle to the little birde from the Lyon to the little dogge from the Whale to the litle fish and from reasonable creatures to vnreasonable monsters because they would haue some colour for their impietie they translated their Idols to be signes in heauen But now when the light of the word of life once shined in the world they perceiued their owne follies renounced their olde errours and receiued the wholesome doctrine of the onely true and eternall God for as the Lyons runne at the sight of a fire brand as the Cockatrise flyeth when shee sauoureth the Weasill and the clouds flie away when the Northeren winde bloweth so these subtilties of Sathan being once discouered thorough the simplicitie of the Scriptures they fall againe into the brest of the first Author and I would to God they were for euer buried in his bottomles kingdome Also that which we finde in the word of God concerning the creation the floud the replenishing of the earth the beginning or confusion of tongues the destruction of Sodom and Gomorhe the deliuerie of the Isralites from Egypt the myracles of Moses and Aaron the ouerthrow of the Cananites whome they call Phoenicians the building of Salomons Temple the scattering of the Tribes of Israell the birth of Christ the darkenesse at his death and the preaching of the Apostles they haue corrupted with fond additions wilfull deuises intollerable blasphemies ignorant relations wicked substractions and accursed deprauations which if I should follow I might make a large volume onely thus much I will be bolde to say that all the wisedom of the Gentiles was nothing but the doctrine of Deuils that all the world before the comming of Christ was without the true knowledge of God the Iewes onely excepted The learned haue noted these fower as the generall heads of auncient impietie the first is Barbarisme wherin men liued vnder no guide preserued no peace followed no commendable kinde of life but euerie one did that which pleased him to the disgrace of mankind refusing onely that which was good and altogether embracing that which was accursed Then one satisfied another with bloudy reuenge making no more accompt of the life of a man thē the bloud of a beast then they mingled themselues like brutish creatures in generation brother with sister father with daughter and mother with her sonne then their strength was their lawe their desire was their counsellour their affections pleaded their will gaue iudgement their mallice was the meanes to execute their crueltie The second head or fountaine of falsehoode among the Gentiles is called Schythisme because it was first practised among the Scythians a barbarous and cruell people differing in nothing from the former saue onely because they had one gouernour or ruler to whom they were subiect being at his commandement to execute right or wrong to saue or kil keeping peace with none but manie times setting the children to drinke the bloud of their owne parents and the parents to eate the flesh of their owne children The third kind of falsehoode which raigned among the Gentiles for want of the word of God is called Hellenisme which consisteth in the worship of Idols this began among the Grecians who are called in their owne tongue Hellenes and therefore was the superstition called Hellenisme this detestable canker so preuailed that not onely the Grecians Babilonians Egyptians Sirians Phaenicians Phrygians and manie other nations were infected therewith but the Israelites the people of God were poysoned therewith which in the ende was their vtter subuersion and this hath raigned a long time in the Church of Rome and in all those kingdomes where she could plant her chaire which all the godly doe perceiue will be her euerlasting destruction But this Hellenisme preuailed mightilie for the space of two thousand yeares vnder which time sprang vp all the sects of the Philosophers as the Pythagoreans which taught that men might not sacrifice to the gods that the soules of men departed do go into other men and also into bruite beasts that whatsoeuer was aboue the Moone was immortal◠with such like fantasies and in the ende this Phythagoras would be called a God Next vnto him arose the Platonistes who affirmed that the world was created of the Angels and little goddes that of one God there came many other goddes that all women ought to bee common and that no man ought to haue a wife peculiar to himselfe in a wel ordered common-wealth After these succeeded the Stoickes who affirmed this world to be God that all flesh shall perish and that the soules departed from one into another Then also began the Epicures to growe like Serpents borne onely to destroy other they would haue all things to ende in pleasure that there is no God or prouidence that none are blessed but in this present life And thus your Ho. may perceiue how miserable were those dayes when men ranne headlong into so great extreamities that their profession of wisedome was the
nor the thinges of the world for he that loueth the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him And Christ sayth Whosoeuer commeth to me and hateth not father and mother and wife and children is not worthie of mee Where are nowe our naturalles that woulde be professors but their friends will not let them they woulde be Christians but their wiues will not agree to them this yeere they will be worldlings and the next yeere when they haue ouercome their businesse if they haue any leasure they will heare the word preached Oh daungerous delayes of subtill Sathan studying by the worlde to drawe men from God they lye like sluggardes in winter it is too cold in sommer it is too hotte to worke so they in their youth will be religious when they are olde beeing in age when they bee riche being rich they waxe harder and harder and so continue till the day of their damnation Secondly by this we may gather howe farre an hypocrite or an infidell may goe in Religion Horpah forsaketh her owne people for the loue of God his people she weepeth and cryeth when it is but mentioned vnto her that shee woulde departe shee trauaileth on the way towardes the countrey of God his people and in this her iourney for a fewe worldly reasons she turneth backe againe though as it may seeme with a bitter heart Euen so hypocrites may forsake the worlde and their friendes ioyne themselues to God and his people trauaile and profite in Religion towardes the heauenly Ierusalem bee readie to weepe with them that weepe and lament with them that lament and in any good action set his foote as farre forth as the best yet some occasion giuen eyther for profite or pleasure feare or daunger sodainely turneth sayle and commeth to the worlde againe Euen so sayth our Sauiour of the seede that is sowen in the 2. and 3. grounde it taketh roote it springeth and groweth vp but sodainely the heate of persecution ariseth or offence taken at the doctrine which is taught them or the cares of this life deceitfulnesse of riches choake them By this we learne what to thinke of our softe hearted Christians many among vs that will diligently heare and wring out teares from their moistened braine at the hearing of God his iudgementes thundered and threatned by the Preacher yet being gone will make no conscience of oathes carding dicing tabling gaming for their neighbors mony going abroad on the sabboth day to feasts and beeing sharply reprooued for it then farewell Religion and profession also Thirdely by this we gather what exceeding kindnes an heathen an Atheist or an infidell may shew to them that feare God Horpah for the loue of godly Naomi goeth with her on the way weepeth and kisseth at their departure so great loue did she beare to her mother in lawe that had it not bene for one thing shee had gone thorough with her to her owne people So wee may see many among vs speake well of Religion yet they will not go so farre as Bethlehem for it that is they will wish they had a preacher yet they will hardly eyther on the Sabboth day or weeke daye stirre one foote from their owne places to heare a Sermon so colde is their deuotion but if they giue a poore man a meale of meate or lende him a little money at his neede or receiue a Preacher for a night then he is the onely man in the Countrey But oh Lorde open their eyes that they may see their curtesie is but light in regard of their duetie if for their brethren they would die it were but their duetie howe little is it then that they giue them meat But they woulde knowe of vs what is the way to be saued I aunswere so woulde the young man in the Gospell yet when Christ tolde him he woulde not doe it but went away sorrowing euen so these men may outwardly and inwardly in some measure professe kindenesse and humilitie to be instructed but alasse their profession is far from true feeling of Christian religion Lastly by this verse we note that as Horpah and her companions are carnally minded so Ruth and her fellowes are spiritually minded though one be ouerthrowen with worldly reasons yet the other remaineth inuincible in her first pretended purpose So that here is an image of a Congregation where all heare and yet there is a difference of hearing in one and the same Company one parte with profite another with disprofite one to their health another to their sickenesse to some the sauour of life vnto life to other the sauour of death vnto death Yet blessed be God that hath no earth so barren but it bringeth forth some fruite no people so rude but there are some sanctified persons among them which will not be drawne away till death no battell so cruell but some escape with life If the Pharises will not beleeue in Christ yet the poore people that knowe not the lawe will receiue him for the Messiah Among the mockers at Athens Paul receiued some fruite of his labours and the Gospell was neuer preached in any countrey but it gayned some This teacheth vs to follow the example of Ruth and we shall haue the rewarde of Ruth sticke to the Lorde and to the faithfull with purpose of heart let not the vaine glittering pleasure of pleasaunt pastime or profite drawe vs from the hope of our euerlasting blessednesse The time is but shorte wee haue to spende the labour easie if we willingly endure it the profite euerlasting if we continue to the ende This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our Faith for to him that beleeueth are all thinges possible Let vs therefore heare the worde with diligence that our fayth may be strengthened beleeue with assurance that our soules may be iustified and stand fast in the tryall of this world that bodie and soule may be crowned for blessed are they that endure to the ende And thus much of this conference or communication and the effecte thereof Novve let vs giue thankes to God for that vvhich hath bene spoken The thirde Lecture Ruth cap. 1. Vers 15.16.17 15. And Naomi saide beholde thy sister in lawe is gone backe to her people and to her gods returne thou after thy sister in lawe 16. And Ruth answered intreate me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee for whither thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people and thy God my God 17. Where thou dyest will I dye and there will I be buried the Lord do so vnto me and more also if ought but death departe thee and me IN these wordes the holy Ghost declareth vnto vs the conference had betweene Naomi and Ruth after the departure of Horpah wherein Naomi ceaseth not throughly to trie and examine the minde of Ruth for what cause shee woulde goe with her the wordes containe in them 2. partes
yet in the end it groweth for the comfort of mankind and the great profit of the posessors so although at the first the fruite of religion is peraduenture but sharp in worldly affaires yet if wee waite like the husbandman vntill haruest our consciences shall be plentifull garners of heauenly corne for the present comfort of our liues and the perpetuall benefit of our souls A man dresseth his vineyard all the yeare long and doth nothing but empty his purse and weary his body in the tillage and pruning and digging thereof yet there is but one vintage or time of gathering grapes euen so wee must willingly depart with our wealth and trauaile in diligence for the preparing of our soules to beare fruite to the Lord the end wil be most profitable though y e begining seem most chargeable The like may be said of the marchant which cutteth the seas of the goldsmith that melteth his metal of euery worldly trade which at the first begin with charges but at the last acquite the cost and satisfie the desire and end with the increase of substance which are but carnall and outward things to put vs in minde of inward and spirituall significations for as in none of these wee are discouraged by the costly entrance so more accursed shall we be if we forsake the wel of the water of life the running fountaine of euerlasting health to rake in the puddles of transitory riches for feare the one will giue vs too much ease and for feare the other will withdraw our wealth which is like the Gergesits sin which had rather possesse their heards of swine then enioy the presence and preaching of Iesus Christ Come not to religion for hope of world lye aboundance for nether Abraham or the Israelites or Rachab or Ruth or Zacheus or Cornelius or anye of the faythfull had this intention But the Lorde for our farther strengthning hath giuen two blessings that if the temporall fayle which are but conditionall yet the euerlasting benefits shall neuer deceaue for although the leaues fall yet bodyes of the trees abide continually Therefore let vs stay our mindes vppon this double string which is grounded vppon the credit of him that giueth the promise before whom heauen and earth shal decay and the sun shall loose her light rather then he frustrate the hope of the godly Secondly here wee note a most excellent example of obedience to parents and auoyding of idlenes Ruth was lately come to Bethlehem where it is likely shee might long haue taried before her mother woulde haue entreated her to so base a labour as gathering of barley but seeing her selfe employed in nothing first shee commeth to her mother and after asketh leaue as one desirous of some honest though neuer so simple a calling If shee had departed not acquainting her with it being to labour for their liuing shee might well bee excused but this seemeth much that shee must come vnto her not to tell her shee would go to such a busines but to giue her leaue to gleane in the fields promising she would not go beyond her bounds but onely gather in that place where the owner thereof should grant her license vnto which when the mother had granted foorth shee goeth to the field of Boaz. Where wee see what effect godlines worketh in the hearts of children for Ruth offered her seruice which her mother intreated not she abhorred no labor were is neuer so base she was not ashamed of her pouerty euen in a straunge countrey and all this must bee imputed to her religion For as Ioseph for the feare of God bore with the wrath of his father when hee told him his vision of the sun and the moone the eleuen stars bowing vnto him so did Ruth with the poore estate of her mother in law which had nothing to liue by thus the Apostle teacheth children to obey their parents in all things that is not onely to be willing to performe their commaundements but also to bee alway contented with their estate for this wretchednes of cursed children is worthy to be condemned wherein those which haue wealthy parents will please them till they haue gotten their riches which are like the prodigall sonne in the Gospell other because their parents are poore wil thinke they are bound vnto them in nothing because they haue litle or no wealth to leaue behind them both these kindes of children are heere condemned by the example of Ruth who did not onely forsake her wealth to goe with her mother but also labor with her hands to maintaine her liuing yea to her step-mother which is more commendable then if it were done to her naturall parents The vse of this doctrine is to exhort and stirre vp parents to bee more carefull to teach their children the feare of the Lord then to leaue them mountaines of riches behind them which if they will practise would their countenances be so sorrowfull as often they are would not their naturall oliues I meane their children anoint their faces with the oyle of cheerefulnes if mothers eyther would or could doo as Naomi did for Ruth teach their children the feare of the Lord their hearts should not bee so heauie for their vngracious life But since parents had no care to instruct their children children had no feare to disobey their parents Will they in these dayes acquaint their fathers mothers with their iourneis labors or runne not they headlong to their own vtter vndoing they chuse them masters seruices without fathers consent they marry are married against parents good will do they not take pleasure for profit pastime for godlines thinking thēselues to be born for wantonnesse referring the care of their old age to their gray headed parents neuer considering till beggery catch their bodies damnation their soules Surely as the fruite is sower because it is not grafted so their manners are wicked because they want religion this lieth then in the ouerlouing parents who make such dandlings of their babes while they are young that they care not for their fathers when they be old They consider not that lions are tamed when they are yong that trees are bowed when they are twigges And that Salomon saith Intruct a child when hee is young the way of his life and when he is old he shall not departe from it Their owne ignorance is so palpable that their children learne nothing but folly they themselues so vain that the other are wanton they so obstinate that their feede is rebellious and finally a wilde vine bringeth foorth nothing but wilde grapes and ignorant parents must haue vngracious children Therfore seeing by nature you wold haue obedient and wise children teach them the feare of the Lord for that is the beginning of wisedome and if you would haue your names in your posterity long to endure the prayse of it continueth for euer Thirdly here we may note an example of christian
honestie one of the fruicts of religion for she telleth her mother she would go gather where shee could get leaue as if the holy ghost had said the gleanings are for the poore yet poore men must not take them without the consent and fauour of the owners The Lord euery where exhorteth to giue to the poore but he neuer bid the poore take where they found vnknowing to the possessor but they must as Ruth heere doeth not take their right the very gifte of the Lord without the fauour of man This condemneth the rashnes of many which thinke if they bee poore that men are bound to giue to them and small matters they may take freely without the consent of him that possesseth it yet we see not onely religion but also plaine reason to gaine-say it for the least thing a man hath in his owne as well as the greatest one law condemneth the taking of a handfull and a bushell of corn though the offence be not so great But some say it was permitted by the Lord that a man might take the eares of corne and rub them in his hande and eate them as the disciples did without the consent and trespasse of the possessor he might also take a bunch of grapes and eate them and likewise the fruit of the orchard by the same law and therfore we may take without the consent of him that possesseth it I answere if the question bee made of an apple or an eare of corne or a bunch of grapes as then it was permitted so I think there is none that wil now stand in it but then you must remember by the same law that no man might put a sickle into the corne to reape downe a handfull neither yet fill any litle measure with grapes or apples without the consent of the owner But now men will take great measures and quantities and yet thinke not themselues satisfied and being winked at for once yet will they proceed till they be forbidden and then will they vncharitably and vngodly report of such men as will not suffer their goods to be spoiled by them Lastly when her mother had graunted forth shee goeth and commeth to the possession of Boaz her kinsman where we may behold the hand of the Lorde fauouring her diligence leading her to the appointed place where among all other she might be as shee was most gently intreated for shee a silly straunger knowing none beside her mother not acquainted with people or countrie was ignorant whether to go but God which directeth the goings of all ordered her footsteps to his possession where first she should find fauour and feeding that by this meanes the waie for her marry age might be prepared Where we see an excellent example of the prouidence of God looking vpon the poorest as well as the richest and working all things in the world from the highest to the lowest Hee which directeth the descending of the sparowes vpon the ground doth hee not also consider the goinges of the poore It is no dishonour to him as some would haue it that they might more freely giue themselues to iniquitie to note euerie vile and loathsome thing in the world or to looke vpon the base as well as the best surely if anie thing be vncomely it is to the sinfull but to him which is alwaies righteous are all things pure What parents doo not loue the basest partes of theyr childrens bodyes which were borne of themselues yet greater is the loue of God vnto vs than the loue of a mother to her owne sonne neither doth he or can hee but loue the meanest worke of his creation as well as chiefest and the silly flie as well as the stately king Oh how doth this comfort vs more than all the world beside when we knowe the king of glorie beholdeth our nakednes and pouertie and giueth his angels charge ouer vs that not the poorest Lazarus may bee lost but our bodies either eased with reliefe or parted from life our soules may ascend to the bosome of Abraham Euen hee which directed the seruant of Abraham to the citie of Nachor and brought Rebecca out to draw water and moued her aunswere to his prayer her curtesie to satisfie his expectation dyd also leade Ruth to the fields of Boaz and guideth all the faithfull to the end of theyr desires knowing the counsels of the heart disposing the wordes of the mouth feeding the hungry with good things and sending the riche away emptie conducting vs all for his mercies sake to walke in his pathes of righteousnes But behold After these things set downe by the holy Ghost concerning Ruth he returned to Boaz againe and this verse is the beginning of the second parte of that which respecteth him in the which is declared his comming from Bethlehem his salutation to the reapers and their answere to him againe By the which wee gather the dutie of all maisters of familyes and great persons in the worlde which is not onely to be carefull their busines be performed by other but also that themselues as the eye witnesses of their seruants fidelity should look ouer their labours This wee may see in Boaz hee commeth from the cittie to the haruest field hee had committed the care of the reapers to a trustie seruant yet not contented therwith in his own person he commeth to the worke And surely this diligence of Lords and maisters causeth faithfull labourers and seruantes as the idlenes and negligence of the one causeth the vnfaithfulnesse and slacknes of the other for whiles the maisters followe their worldly pleasures the seruants omit their carefull busines Therefore we may reade in the building of the first second temple there were ouerseers of the worke beside the ordinarie labourers and often times would king Salomon and Nechemiah come in their owne persons to viewe the works The like may wee reade of Elisâ—hahs host which was abroade in the field with his reapers when his litle sonne fell sicke insomuch as this seemeth a point of necessitie that euery one whom the Lord hath made a maister of possessions although hee labour not yet must hee certifie himselfe of his labourers diligence with his owne eye sight which condemneth many inferiour maisters of negligent slothfullnesse and idle negligence in not regarding their worldly talents giuen them of God but referring the disposition to their stewards and seruants refuse in their own persons to deale with God his benefits as too base thinges for their occupations which is the cause that so many maisters fall to be seruants and so many seruants ascend to be maisters their wealth is quickely consumed these which would not be their own seruants to keepe themselues in labour wealth come to be other mens slaues in drudgery or beggery eyther in themselues or their posterity as the iust iudgment of God for he that would not vse his talent had it taken from him therfore seeing this ancient nobilitie
and in that the loue of God in Christ to his Church that though we dye without fruit in barrennes yet the Lord will giue vs a name whereby after a few dayes we shall liue with him for euer But in these words we first of all note when he saith that he must buy it at the hand of Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of the deceased that one cause both of the redemption of lands and marriage of the brother or next heyre to the widdow was for the womans or widdowes sake namely that she should not be left destitute for we reade in the Gospell of Luke that barrennes was a great reproch among women in those dayes now we know that this law was onely for barren widdowes and not for them that were fruitfull and who would marry with such a woman whome in his owne heart he feared would be fruitlesse therefore the Lord to succour these poore desolate widdowes gaue this for a lawe that the brother or neerest kinseman to their husbands deceased should take them to be their wiues where he againe commendeth vnto vs the carefull estate of destitute widdowes if they be oppressed we must ease them if reiected we must receiue them if forsaken we must comfort them if reproched we must acquire them and finally if they will marry they may yea their owne friends or the Church must prouide them husbands And seeing the Lord would thus decree by a lawe the safegard of those that were despised much more would he defend by iudgement the cause of poore fruitfull widdowes the mothers of many children Now although we are not bound to this lawe of mariage yet wee are tyed to doe good to the widdowes for the nature of the lawe being long since abrogated yet the vse thereof remayneth for euer and euer For maintenance by the word of God must be allowed them wherewithall they may liue theyr husbands beeing dead Therefore Boaz telleth hys kinseman that hee must redeeme the inheritance at the handes of Ruth the Moabitesse because by her marriage it is made the widdowes the husband dying without issue like as in this place wee obserue that all the inheritance descendeth to the widdow and therefore she bestowed her selfe vpon the next of the kindred who indeede with vs is the heyre to all Therefore by this we must all learne but especially the married or those that intend it hereafter that it is one especiall duty of a carefull husband to prouide before hand for the maintenance of their wiues that if death neuer so suddaine take them away yet they may not leaue them as many haue done harbourles without house comfortles without friends and wealthles without conuenient maintenance By this we see the cōmendable assurance of ioyntures dowers in lands or money which many parents do wisely take for their daughters to be a thing alowable by the word of God yet many offend in the excesse that they will neuer match where they can haue none though there be neuer so great hope in time to come so that wealth and nothing els is the end of most mariages Then by this we see cōdemned first all those which hauing sufficiēt will hardly leaue to their wiues anything beside that which they cannot keep from them and hence it is that many leaue to their children hundreds and thousands but scant twentyes or fortyes to their helples widowes Other hauing many children leaue the greatest part of their wealth to their widdowes through whose youthfull mariages many times their whole posteritie is brought to pouertie But a third sort there are which mind nothing saue only mariage and to borrow a little for their festiuall day but afterward let the world sinke or swimme children without bread wiues without comfort themselues as bare as the grashopper in winter and their whole families most pitifully tormented they repent though all too late the children wish they had neuer bin borne the parents curse the day of their first acquaintance the family complayne of pouerty the countrey of charges the people of necessity but they poore seely soules the innocent infants are left to the merciles world to liue in beggery Oh that this godly forecast would enter into the minds of many headlong parents that their liues might be more blessed their children more happy their families more contented the countrey better furnished and the poore better succoured that there might bee no complayning in our streetes no leading into captiuity and not one feeble person among vs that our sonnes may bee as the fruitefull garners and our daughters like the polished corners of the temple Oh blessed are the people that bee in such a case yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lorde Then should the name of God bee honoured by our liues and praised in our deathes when our widdowes are prouided for our children maynetayned our families nourished and our soules shalbe blessed Then the kinsman said This seconde question of marriage being propounded the kinseman in these wordes answereth that hee cannot redeeme the inheritance vpon that condition and giueth a reason thereof because then to saue anothers hee shoulde destroy his owne meaning if hee had but one childe by Ruth that shoulde bee for Machlon her deceased husbande and so his owne name shoulde bee forgotten in his inheritaunce Whereby wee see that he opposeth the feare of the losse of his owne name against the seuere commandement of God and doubteth that if hee followe the lawe of God and custome of the faithfull his land may lacke an heyre his house a mayster and himselfe a sonne The like vnto this was that of Onan the seconde sonne of Iudah when he shoulde haue taken the wife of his deceased brother would not performe his duety towarde her but abusing in filthines his owne body because he woulde not benefite his brother was therefore iustly slaine by the Lorde And I feare that a great many are sicke of this disease that loue the world aboue the worde their lande aboue the lawe of God their children more then charitie requireth who thinke they are borne for no bodie but onely for themselues but especially in mariage they had rather haue the lande then the man the portion then the woman like this man which was willing to take the inheritance but vnwilling to marrie the widdow for this cause they oppresse both children and widdowes they preferre their priuate gaine before publike godlines who for their posteritie some are occupyed in briberie some in vsury some in extortion and many in vnlawfull bargaining whose only and chiefe care is for nothing but that they may die rich but better is poore Lazarus at his death then all the rich gluttons in the worlde for wealth maketh not to die well but rather choketh the soule with infatiable care onely religion is the surest badge of a godly man whose riches is pouertie whose pleasure paine and whose rewarde is saluation But this man is well contented to
This I speake not to stirre vp the mindes of any against their parents but with the Apostle I exhort and commande that euery one obey their parentes in all thinges lawfull for hee is accursed that doth otherwise but to this ende I vtter it that wee may knowe what is lawfull and what is vnlawfull for the same God which hath commanded that parentes shoulde bring their vnruly sonnes daughters for to bee punished willeth also that they w c do any hurt to their children either in soule to drawe thē from y e Lord or in body as in vnlawfull or vngodly mariages in vnlawful vngodly actions their only rerefuge should be to y e minister of God y e lawful magistrate to whom they owe more obedience then to their owne parents Therefore Paul willeth parents that they prouoke not their children to wrath which is by their tirannous commaundementes to binde their consciences and their cruell authority to murther their mindes For if a priuate subiect may sue agaynst the Prince and craue the lawe much more a sonne or a daughter being grieued by their parentes The vse of this doctrine is to teach and instruct vs first what duetie wee owe to the magistrates who haue greater care and charge ouer vs for the peace of our countrey and publike welfare then parentes for our maintaynance and priuate obedience therefore Paule willeth to pray and giue thanks for the magistrates that vnder them we may liue godly and quiet liues for that is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour whereby wee maye iustly complayne of the slacknes of our vnhappie age wherein men murmure grudge at any charge which ariseth for our prince but especialy that there are so few which in all their liues haue prayed for Prince or Magistrates and if they haue it was but a wishe and no more that they might liue in peace to gather wealth not in godlines for the profite of their soules Again by this all parentes must bee instructed howe to deale with their children that they reygne not like Gods ouer the fruites of their bodyes but intreate them in meekenesse being of yeares of discreation like their fellowe heyres of God his kingdome euen as they wil aunswere to the Almightie who gaue them such issue and to the lawes of our Prince that requireth accompt of them for the chiefest stroke lyeth not in them but in those that gouerne both church common wealth and wee haue already shewed that in some causes it is a glorie for their children to decline from their counselles Lastly all children must herein also bee schooled that with all reuerence they submit themselues to the aduice of their parentes but especially like free men in Christ they listen alway what the word of God saith for that must bee their iudge and parentes also when it shall not goe for payment that they did it for feare of their friendes but they which feare them more then God shall with them bee excluded for euer from God and let vs euermore giue thankes to the Almighty which thus prouideth for our misery to defende our innocency that if wee bee in one place oppressed we may bee redressed in another appointing courtes of appeale from our owne parentes to his owne magistrates Thirdely by this also wee obserue and note when hee saith that this was a sure witnes in Israell that it is a thing required in our religion that of our publike affayres there may bee publike testimonyes as for example our purchasing buying or selling ought by religion and the feare of God to bee done with open and publike witnesse for the better assuraunce to buyers and sellers to auoide deceit in the one and couetousnesse in the other and therefore it was said in the lawe that vnder the witnesse of twoe or three shall euery worde stande And further also there must bee some outwarde signe to seale vp the matter in this place here is the putting of the shooe which signifieth possession and dispossessinge againe the rendring of a mans right to him that hath it Therefore in some places there is vsed striking of handes as the shutting and making vp of bargaines and couenauntes and who knoweth not that in the purchace of Lande there is seisin and deliuery by a peece of earth and a twigge of houses all goe forth and the buyer entreth in alone and there abideth and this I may say is a sure testimony in Englande But you woulde knowe why the Lorde beside the recorde of the magistrates required such outwarde and open signes To which I answere he did it for this cause that the simplest among them might not be deceyued but might haue y t as the euidence of his possession for euermore witnes sayleth magistrates dye people are vnconstant yea and some will falsely sweare and witnesse to any vntruth yet the shooe remayned an euerlasting testimonie Therefore among vs there is writing and seale by the which thinges are confirmed which passed many ages ago and this was taken from the ancient vsage wherein mens names were entred in brasse and stone and the quantity of their possessions described Therefore doth the holy Ghost so precisely set downe the purchase which Abraham made with Ephron where the fielde is named the borders or boundes of it is described the caue is mentioned and the very trees that grew in the same are made sure vnto him the like may bee saide of the stones in mount Gilead that Iacob reared as a witnesse betweene him and Laban and many other which serue to this ende that as Paule sayth Wee shoulde not defraude one another For if hee were accursed that remooued the lande marke of his neighbor what shall they bee which get markes and lands both some by deceyuing some by forged euidence other by false witnes and some force their neighbours wil they nil they to depart from their dwellings and possessions and to leaue them for little or nothing in the clawes of these cormorantes their great possessions require great accomptes and I feare mee when that day shall come they will be as ready to restore as euer Iudas was but it shall bee to late and without fruite for the sentence is already pronounced that fire shall consume their dwellinges and their children or posteritie shall be vagabounds but the righteous shall haue the land in possession Therefore the kinseman This verse sheweth howe the right was resigned first the kinseman giueth Boaz authority when he biddeth him buy it for himselfe and secondly hee renounceth his owne when he pulleth off his shooe Where first of all it may bee demaunded why doth hee plucke off his owne shooe seeing by the lawe the woman shoulde doe it and also spitte in his face as wee haue hearde already Vnto which I briefly aunswere First the law beforesaide wherein the woman was bound to plucke off the shooe and to spit in her kinsemans face was for such as vtterly denied both
his mother that bare him so we by instruction should first teach our childrē the feare of God that gaue them it is farre better for many children that they had neuer bene borne except their parents had more knowledge to till their mindes with the immortall seede of God his holy word then to looke vpō the sunne as the condemned person which commeth out of prison and so goeth to execution in like maner childrē without the knowledge of y e feare of God do come from the womb of their mothers which is their prison to the fire of hell which is y e place of execution Oh my beloued looke vpō your tender childrē and so often as you see them you behold the blessings of God vpon you make much of their soules by praying for their saluation you haue brought thē into the world leaue thē not to the deuill Thirdly seing children are y e gift of God those which haue children haue greater accompt to make then those which haue none for of him to whom much is giuē shal much be required and they to whome y e Lord hath giuen childrē and seruants lands and cattels shal answer for euery one of these to y e Lord therfore parēts must finish their reckning which they must giue to the Lord and let not one farthing of their debt be omitted for he will plague thē as well for not doing their duties to their own children as gracelesse children for contemning of God And this one cōsideration should mitigate y e desire of posterity because if they abuse thē their own damnation shall be the greater if they be vnruly they bring nothing but sorrow to their parents if they be godly the world will hate them and if they be wicked the deuill will haue them Were it not a pitifull sight to see the father burned for murthering his sonne how much more grieuous is it to see both father and sonne mother and daughter husband and wife maister and seruaunt mistresse and maides pastors and people to goe all to damnation together because the former did not guide the later oh would God that the desire to escape this iudgement would sinke into the hearts of all that we might euery one addict our liues to holines our minds to knowledge our bodies to obedience our hearts to vnderstanding our children to instruction our seruants to religion and all our soules to saluation Thirdly by this we gather that it is a greater blessing to be the mother of a sonne then the parent of a daughter if it so please God to send them for in this place the holy Ghost sayth that the Lord gaue her and she conceiued and brought foorth a sonne as if he had said the Lord gaue her her owne desire and the best issue which was a manchild for this cause our Sauiour saith that a woman forgetteth her paines in trauaile so soone as a man child is borne into the world Therefore is it that the Lord promised Abraham a sonne that he gaue Zachary and Elizabeth a sonne and finally therefore the Lord calleth vs all his sonnes as a father reioyseth more for a sonne so the Lord reioyseth in the saluation of all the faithfull By this we are taught to magnify the name of the almighty for euery one his benefits in their degree and if we want any by prayer to craue it at the hands of God alwayes remembring that we leaue the end of our desires to be agreeable to his will And here we see the prayer of the people in the former verse to be in part fulfilled when the Lord did so soone blesse this good old man by giuing him a sonne for it is no doubt but the holy Ghost doth so presently after their prayer adde her conception and his birth that he might stirre vs vp with greater zeale to desire the prayers of the faithfull which are alwayes auaileable in the presence of y e Lord. Come therefore my bretheren and let vs fulfill the desire of the Lord and accompt more of the petitions of the godly then all the possessions of the wealthy by prayer the earth is made fruitefull and the heauens drop downe abundance by prayer famine is remoued warres appeased the wrath of God pacified and the health of the bodye recouered by prayer wisedome is increased faith confirmed remission of sinnes obtained the barren woman made a fruitfull mother of many children the dayes of life lengthened peace of countreys and consciences prolonged and the kingdome of heauen eternally inherited Therefore those which cannot pray abhorre the presence of God are weary of our assemblyes forsake sermons and congregations depart from the fellowship of the faithfull and haue their sinnes sealed vp their liues accursed and their soules euerlastingly condemned And the women Now we must proceede to the second part of this scripture wherein is declared what issue and effect this wrought in other for so soone as the child was borne it did not only bring comfort to the parents but also ioy and gladnes to the godly citizens of Bethlehem among whome these women are reported by the holy Ghost which no doubt were present at the deliuery of Ruth to magnify the name of God for this so great a benefit bestowed vpon the old woman although her childrē were dead yet her name might be recouered by her louing daughter in lawe By this we first of all obserue the duety of all the faithfull which is to reioyse with them that reioyse and to weepe with them that weepe for as there godly Iewish women reioyse with Naomi for the fruitfulnes of Ruth so must we euery one be like affected for the blessings that are powred vpon our bretheren The like vnto this may we reade of the neighbours and kindred of Elizabeth hearing of the wonderfull mercy of God vnto her they reioysed with her This teacheth vs the same duety that the ioy of our brethren should be our reioysing and their sorrow our lamentation for there is no fellowship but there must be a feeling of the same ioyes or miseries not onely in publike affayres which respect their whole common wealth but also in priuate busines the benefit of euery particular person The head is sore when the stomacke is sicke the hand is grieued when the foote is maymed and euery part of the body being in prosperity reioyseth together For this cause Paule biddeth vs to endure all things with the same minde meaning that euery mans minde should be like his brothers eyther in sorrow or reioysing But is this the fellowship that raigneth among vs in these dayes or rather are we not merryest when our neighbours are tormented and doeth it not grieue vs to see other to prosper beside vs yes surely for there is no more hartie and vnfayned friendship among men in our dayes then is betweene the hauke and the bird when either of them is taken the other reioyseth This is the cause that men are no more