vnderstand that there be degrees hereof as to beleeue there is a God against all the Atheists which deny this principle in nature II. That that which we beleeue to be God be the true God euen God by nature and none other and that he is not many but one God onely against all Idolaters and worshippers of false gods III. That hee be such a one as hee reuealeth himselfe in his Word and so conceiued of and no otherwise a Spirit True Iust Mercifull Almighty and so forth against all carnall conceits and fleshly apprehensions of God as is in the ignorant multitude the blind Papists our Aduersaries IV. That we haue sure confidence in him wholy relying vpon him and commending our selues so to his protection as vnto a safe place where we thinke to be sure and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recepit se in locum vbi sit tectus ab iniuria word in the originall is here vsed The knowledge hereof should make vs to examine our faith whether we thus trust in him and haue the sauing faith which maketh not ashamed Such a faith is First without hypocrisie being faith 1. Tim. 1. 5. Gal. 3. 14. Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 4. Ephe. 3. 12. vnfained Secondly It is accompanied with the Spirit of God Thirdly Where it is there is inward peace of conscience and freedome to draw nigh to God with boldnesse Fourthly It sheweth Act. 15. 9. 1. Tim. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 6. Iam. 2. 7. it selfe in a godly conuersation for the heart is purged and pure and a good conscience is ioyned with it it worketh also by loue and sheweth it selfe by workes and so causeth obedience to the good pleasure and will of God as we may see in Noah building the Arke and in Abraham offering Heb. 11. Act. 13. 48. 4. 32. vp Isaac Fifthly and lastly it maketh vs to reioyce in the meanes of saluation and to bee of one heart and soule with the Beleeuers and such as wee perceiue to feare God By all which our faith may be examined and by these may we know how little there is in men in these dayes where and when there is such hypocrisie so little true loue of the Word or of them that loue it and so much wickednesse and lewdnesse they make open proclamation that this grace of true sauing faith was neuer grafted in their hearts Verse 13. Then she said Let me find fauour in thy sight my Lord for thou hast comforted mee and for that thou hast spoken friendly vnto thine hand-maid though I be not like vnto one of thine hand-maidens RVTHS speech vnto Boaz acknowledging his fauour with great humility shewing what it wrought in her and the reason also thereof with a debasing of her selfe as inferior to his seruants Then shee said Let me find fauour in thy sight These words may be read two wayes either thus as here and then they shew Ruths desire of the countenance of his fauour For the poore doe not 1. Sam. 1. 18. 2. Sam. 16. 4. onely desire to get the rich mans good will but would gladly haue it continued And a thankefull mind seeketh the continuance of vndeserued fauours and not Hanuns part 2. Sam. 10. Or the words may be read thus I doe find fauour in thy sight And it is then as if shee had said It is enough that I a poore stranger find this fauour in thine eyes so are the words to be taken Gen. 33. 15. and so in 2. Sam. 16. 4. Shee did not expect so much at his hands and therefore knowing her selfe to haue deserued nothing at his hands shee rests very thankefull for this so great a kindnesse For where nothing is deserued and nothing owing there to finde speciall fauour deserueth great thankes Which heere shee acknowledgeth and in the like case so must we The choise of the reading I leaue to mens will either may stand and the Learned in the tongue vse either and our last Translation in the margent leaueth it free The thing shee either asketh or acknowledgeth is fauour or mercy compassion and good will all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Misericordia compassio beneuolentia gratia fauor c. which the word signifieth in his eyes By which word shee confesseth all his kindnesses in word and deed shewed to her to be of his meere goodnesse and good will and so should workes of mercy come from the rich to the poore the eye of the rich looking vpon the poore should worke compassion in the heart then doe such find fauour in their eyes when they are beheld and looked vpon with respect to do them good This fauour in the eyes is not in euery rich man when he beholdeth the needy it must be a good Boaz that hath such eyes for a Nabal wants them My Lord. A title of reuerence shee giueth him The word signifieth such a one as beareth vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the familie or Common-wealth as a Pillar thus the name Lord importeth I wish this title to be remembred of the great Ones that they may shew themselues Pillars and vpholders of the Common-wealth and of their houses and not destroyers of them The thing I note is this It is lawfull to giue honorable titles vnto men as befitteth their place So did Aaron to Moses Hannah to Num. 12. 11. 1. Sam. 2. 1. King 18. 7. 2. King 8. 12. Gen. 23. 6. Samuel Obadiah to Eliah and Hazael to Elisha and so did the Hittites to Abraham so as both such as were in and such as were out of the Church vsed such tearmes of reuerence and therefore may they be vsed as Saint Luke did and Luk. 1. 3. Act. 26. 25. also Saint Paul herein taking heed of vniust titles of base flattery the excesse in giuing euen iust titles Note againe another thing that the more humble men of good place wealth shew themselues to be the more honour they get as we see here Shee did him reuerence before verse 10. in a most humble gesture when shee saw his worldly kindnesse but now perceiuing the ground to be the loue of her vertues and so himselfe to be a louer of vertue shee calleth him Lord encreasing in her honouring of him as shee tooke knowledge of his worthinesse the more for his loue of vertue and godlinesse then for the outward and worldly kindnesse Here is wisedome and an excellent example teaching how to honour men truely how farre and especially for what This instructeth men to carry themselues lowly which are of place and to expresse their loue of vertue it shall not make them be lesse but more esteemed by much of those that be godly and wise else were they reprouable Ionathans humility and goodnesse lost 1. Sam. 20. 41. him no reuerence with Dauid They be counted clownishly base or foolishly proud or ill-manered which will giue lesse honour to a man for his vertues and humility when as he is to be esteemed for
from Idolaters to the Church of God and was in loue with Naomi whom she would accompany thither and would not be intreated to forsake her no more would Elisha leaue Eliah The godly are like to Ahimaaz who would not be let for running to Dauid for indeed they set their hearts on the Lords wayes and haue a full resolution to doe well by Gods helpe and doe reioyce in the way of well-doing and finding therein comfort like Abrahams seruant will not be stayed but doe hasten home to their Heauenly Country This grace let vs labour for to haue a desire not to be hindred in a good course nor to be withdrawne from good purposes but stand fast in our honest resolutions which if indeed we doe then will we shew it will pray to God to further vs and to remoue all lets that may hinder we will check such as are against Mat. 16. 23. vs we will preuent all hinderances and betimes auoid the occasions which might draw vs backe as did Saint Paul we will withstand the Gal. 1. 15. letts as Paul also did and as Dauid did when he Act. 21. 13. had a mind to encounter Goliah his brethrens contempt of himself the Israelites feare of Goliah the words of Saul nor the Philistims greatnesse nor brags could hinder him he would follow his resolution so should we in all good things Or to turne from following after thee As if shee had said Vse no more words to hinder my honest intendement but goe on that I may follow thee let my sister in law goe to her people and gods too her example moueth me not one whit I will goe with thee to thy people and to thy God I haue tasted by thee of true Religion the power whereof and thy vertues so bind me as I can leaue all countrey kindred friends and old acquaintance to follow thee my mother See here I. How Religion and grace maketh such as be of seuerall nations to loue one another to loue forrainers being religious better then friends kindred and old acquaintance not religious Ruth is in loue with Naomi a Iew and esteemeth not of Orpha her countrey woman for indeed Religion maketh a more sure coniunction in a more blessed kindred then nature hauing God for our Father the Church for our Mother the Saints for our Brethren the Spirit of God for the bond of our vnion which maketh vs to desire to liue and die together Labour for this loue the loue of the brethren before naturall loue of friends not religious for this is a true signe of our eternall saluation and that we 1. Iohn 3. be translated from death to life II. A heart truely in loue with the godly will not easily be remoued to forsake them by the falling away of others as we may see by this example By Ionathans cleauing to Dauid and the Disciples continuing Iohn 6. with Christ though others forsooke him And this is because their loue is well grounded for they know the godly to be in their persons honorable how basely soeuer the slaues of Satan esteeme of them they know them to be Kings and Priests vnto God They discerne of their graces and are in loue with them for the same yea they hauing the same Spirit doe by the force thereof knit themselues to them and doe know Psal 37. 37. that their end is happinesse whatsoeuer their present estate be in this vale of miserie Let vs cleaue then to these though others doe fall away and that we may so doe let vs not take offence at their weakenesses and frailties but consider of their loue with God of their excellent graces and how that holy Spirit of God dwelleth in them that they be such as be Coheires with Christ and shall reigne with him in glory For whither thou goest I will goe and where thou lodgest I will lodge This is the reason of Ruths request to Naomi from her resolution which is not to forsake her company but to goe with her and to lodge with her wheresoeuer shee shall lodge this is her resolution which made her continue with Ruth and not start backe Whence note That the putting on of a strong resolution will make one withstand all oppositions and hinderances which may lie in the way to be lets from well-doing This made Michaiah to doe faithfully the Lords message 2. Kin. 22. This made S. Paul to go on to Ierusalem without daunt of Spirit Acts 20. 24. with 21. 31. for a grounded resolution is such a settling of thy heart as it cannot easily be remoued Let vs therefore put on this resolution in making an onset to goodnesse and in euery good action seeing there may be many hinderances in the way and to doe this that our hearts start not backe wee must make our resolution strong by these things wee must see that the thing wee take in hand be good lawfull then whether lawfull to vs and what calling we haue thereto thirdly to weigh the circumstances of time and place so that it may bee done seasonably and fitly This is prudence which will much commend the deede Fourthly note with our selues the end Gods glory publike good discharge of our duety and beware of sinister respects Lastly forecast all rubbes which may happen in the way for such foresight fore-warneth and hee which is fore-warned is halfe armed and will not repent with an Had I wist neither will be moued with such lets Acts 20. 24. Note againe from hence that Ruth excepteth not against any condition which may befall Naomi but will goe with her and take such part as shee taketh whether the lodging be good or bad whether the place be comfortable or otherwise whither Naomi shall goe Which example telleth vs that such as truly loue the godly both can and will giue themselues to them to accompany them in euery estate not onely in prosperity but in aduersitie as did Moses because they know that God is with them Zach. 8. 23. they account themselues one and are of one heart hauing giuen themselues to the Lord they cannot but giue themselues to his people 2. Cor. 8. 5. And therefore if wee doe loue the godly keepe them company and forsake them not in their aduersity Thy people shall bee my people Shee loueth a good woman her mother in law Naomi and thereby giueth her selfe to the loue of all Gods people for they that loue one godly person for godlinesse sake cannot but affect all the Lords flocke for there is the like reason to all as to one in that respect and the same Spirit that vniteth the heart of one godly person to another vniteth the same to all the rest as being together members of Christs mysticall body This may trie our true loue to euery godly person by our true loue vpon the some ground to all the rest for else that particular loue will not be found to be other then sinister Dauids delight was not in one
Saint but in the Saints that dwell vpon the earth True it is that by a priuate familiarity and particular acquaintance with one more than another the loue may more shew it selfe as in reason it must and will yet such a loue vpon occasion will truly shew it selfe to all others which are vnited in the profession of the same truth and will be ready to doe them good when such are knowne as it euer doth wish you well before there be any acquaintance at all And if one godly person by a vertuous life may not onely procure loue to him or her selfe but also to all other of Gods people this should make vs so to demeane our selues euery one of vs as wee may so winne others to vs as also the same persons vnto the rest which feare God for the encrease of Gods Kingdome and so the hastening of Christs appearing And thy God my God As shee leaueth her owne people being Idolaters for Gods people so shee renounceth her Idols for the true God for they which truly for godlinesse sake embrace Gods people cannot but then intertaine the true God and leaue their Idols 1. Thes 1. 6 9. As Ruth did here and Rahab also because the loue of godlinesse in men ariseth from the loue of God himselfe the Author of that goodnesse in his people The Corinthians gaue first themselues to the Lord 2. Cor. 8. 5. Zach. 8. 23. then to his Seruants and Zacharie foretelleth that the Heathen hauing heard of the Lord to be among the Iewes they will then come and desire to be with them Trie our loue to the godly by a sound intertainement of their Religion else the loue is but carnall worldly or counterfeit for in 2. Cor. 6. 14. differing religions there neither is nor can be any true concord and therefore let vs not thinke that either Idolaters Atheists or irreligious persons can be any faithfull louers of the truth Note againe that godly persons may by their godlines draw Mat. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 3. 1. and 2. 11. others vnto the embracing of the true God either by instruction or by a holy conuersation or rather both together And therefore let vs labour by our godlinesse in doctrine and life so to set foorth the Lords praises as wee may gaine others vnto him This is our duty Mat. 5. 16. this is Christian-like carriage which becommeth well the Saints this will winne soules to God and so couer the multitude of sinnes bee an aduancement to the Lords name and bring comfort to our owne soules in the Day of Iesus Christ It may be some will aske Whether for meere loue to the person of any if one intertaine Religion he may be iustified in so doing Surely no One may occasion another or be a motiue thereto and so performe a good office on his part but Religion is to bee beloued and imbraced for it selfe and not for mans sake the person on whom a man relieth may die or turne backe from the truth and become such a ground as the sand on which an house being built soone decayeth and the fall thereof is great Verse 17. Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and mee RVTH continueth her speech to Naomi touching her resolution which shee had begunne to shew in the former verse and in this confirmeth it with an oath so that Naomi neede not to doubt of her constancie Where thou diest Ruth speaketh of her mothers death and also of her owne It is a principle in nature to know and to be perswaded that all shall die Iob 21. 33. Heb. 9. 27. 1. King 2. 1. Iosh 23. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 51. Eccles 7. 2. and 6. 6. for death goeth ouer all in as much as all haue sinned Rom. 5. Then let all prepare to die at one time or at another which stands in seeking reconciliation with God in Christ in endeuouring to keepe a good conscience before God man Act. 24. 16. vvaiting the time of dissolution which the men of pleasures as Diues the vvorldly-minded as the rich man the drowsie protestant like the fiue foolish Virgins and such as go on securely as those in the old vvorld and in Sodom Mat. 24. 37 38 39. doe not All knovv they must die yet most neglect to prepare to die and to prouide for themselues a better habitation vvhich men on earth vvill doe vvhen they knovv they must out of their dwellings they will not be to seeke to the very day in which they know they shal be put out I will die I meane to end my daies vvith thee my mother I vvill not returne againe into my Countrey but vvill make my end in vvhat place soeuer thou shalt die The true loue of the godly one towards another is a continuing and enduring loue to death So vvas the loue of these tvvo and the loue of Ionathan and Dauid because their loue is 2. Sam. 1. 26. not grounded vpon temporarie meere vvorldly respects as the loue of others bee nor vpon meere nature as that of parents and Children but vpon such reasons as the alteration of outvvard estate here cannot disanull or make void They loue one another for their graces in heauenly respects and therefore by a spirituall bond they are vnited in heart and made one Thus should vvee loue and thus settle it that it may abide to death and that vvee may so loue let vs remember that vve be Children of one Father vvee be brethren vvee be very members of the same body and Christ Iesus our Head vvee also are here strangers and if vvee loue not one another vvho vvill loue vs for the vvorld hateth vs Ioh. 15. 19. There be which would be held Christians and yet cannot loue such as be so indeede Cain cannot loue Abel though his brother nor Esau a Iacob Some professe to loue the godly but it is sinisterly not simply for their graces and vertues as Ruth here loued Naomi for no other cause of loue could there be for Ruth was young and Naomi old and very poore What power in nature and worldly reason could then leade Ruth thus to loue Naomi Other some loue them for their vertues but their vertues must be such as must make their persons without exception euery way pleasing to them else they will fall off from their loue they cannot forsooth beare with infirmities all must be in perfection But such doe not looke into themselues with a single eye or else with too much self-selfe-loue behold themselues for otherwise they would loue a godly Christian as such a one though accompanied with some infirmities from which in this life none can bee wholy freed And there will I be buried Ruth spoken before of their death and now of their buriall together so as neither in life nor death shee would bee separated from her mother By this it appeareth I. That
vs take heed how by our owne prodigality folly and wickednesse we bring euill vpon our selues if it be the immediate hand of God and not thy fault thou shalt be censured as Iob was how much more when the cause is apparently from thy selfe Againe let men in aduersity prepare to beare contempt and not be impatient nor take it to heart for Iob Dauid Christ Iesus suffered it patiently If men learne not patience in this it will make them lay violent hands vpon themselues as Saul who could not 1. Sam. 31. 14. endure contempt and therefore would preuent it by killing himselfe for impatient proud hearts take contempt in aduersity to be worse to them then death it selfe Indeed to mocke or despise the miserable is an argument of the want of Gods feare and that such are vncharitable cruell and void of mercy for whom there remaineth iudgement mercilesse yet howsoeuer the wickedly proud behaue themselues we must in aduersity be content Some thinke the words to be spoken with admiration Is this Naomi as if it had beene said Oh what an alteration is here And so taking the words we learne that strange alterations in mens estates make people to wonder whether it be in prosperity or aduersity for good or euill in any quality The wise and learned friends of Iob were astonished at the change of his estate Sauls conuersion was wondred at 1. Sam. 10. 11. So the gifts of the Apostles and miracles Act. 2. 7. and 4. 13. and Christs wisedome and learning being but twelue yeeres old for men are more carryed away with the consideration of the outward meanes how things came to passe then of the power and pleasure of God to make such an alteration Therefore in great alterations looke for wonderings and take no offence thereat for it is mans nature so to doe at vnusuall things yea it is a certaine corruption and folly in the vulgar sort who consider not the causes of things It could not but somewhat moue Naomi to see such a concourse of people to come to wonder and gaze vpon them as people doe at strangers or at others in a changeable estate euen among our selues But these follies of people wee must passe by Some thinke the words to be vttered from pitty and commiseration towards her as if it had beene said Is this Naomi Alas what a change is in her This is that good woman Naomi whom wee cannot yet forget though in her estate shee bee much altered And it is most like they spake in loue and compassion rather than in contempt because shee was the kinswoman of the chiefest man among them who it seemeth esteemed much of her for hee entertained Ruth kindly for her sake Chap. 2. 6 11. and sent her corne Chap. 3. 17. likewise the women spoke after very comfortably to her Chap. 4. 14 16. neither doth Naomi taxe them for contemning her but rather answereth to their esteeme of her name from her former estate and therefore this being vttered from their loue and pitty and good respect towards her as being a grace fit for Gods people to shew to them which are in aduersitie wee learne That good and godly people doe nothing lesse esteeme of the vertuous for their outward low estate and pouerty These call her still Naomi and so acknowledge her and Boaz esteemed-vvell of her euen in this poore estate Ionathan did nothing lesse esteeme of Dauid because hee was out of the Kings fauour neither did Ioseph of Arimathea lesse reuerence or honor Iesus Christ because he was condemned and executed as a malefactour among theeues for outward crostes afflictions and miseries of this life are no staine to true piety when the crosses fall vpon good men for righteousnesse sake or for the triall of their faith patience Let vs not then for outward aduersitie like the godly worse when wee haue loued them or made shew of loue in their prosperity but in aduersitie shew greater tokens of loue and doe not as Iobs friends sit downe and censure him nor as Christs friends and Saint Pauls which forsooke them in their troubles An healthfull member of the body is beloued but when it is in distresse then loue of all the rest of the members most sheweth it selfe and should not our loue appeare to the godly in aduersity which be members with vs of the same body in Christ Verse 20. And shee said vnto them Call mee not Naomi call me Marah for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me THis is Naomi her answer vnto the multitude flocking about her calling her Naomi continuing a disswasion for so calling her and shewing what name they should giue her with the reason thereof drawne from her present poore estate which shee setteth out partly in this verse and partly in the next And shee said vnto them Call mee not Naomi This name signifieth pleasant and merry which in her aduersity shee thought did not befit her and therefore she did not reioyce in it Aduersitie maketh the afflicted nothing to regard worldly names and titles of a better condition and estate while they be in miserie and haue lost their former outward comforts if they be wise and truely humbled for such as be humbled indeed are not vainely in loue with goodly names and titles to which their estate is not answerable Which checketh the foolish pride of such as being in a base beggerly condition liuing almost of almes hanging vpon this and that friend yet forsooth will brag of their name their house and Gentility or rather indeed to call it as they make it Gentilisme through their lewd and vaine conuersation Call me Marah That is bitter one in a heauie and distressed estate The truely humbled desire to be accounted as they be and not as they be not as Naomi here is willing to be called Marah because her estate was answerable Shee was not proud shee submitted her selfe to Gods hand and therefore shee refused not a name according to the nature of her present condition Whose humility may checke the pride of such as would haue better names then they deserue seeking the name of Goodman when goodnesse is farre from them of Master when their Gentlemanship did hardly creepe out of a dunghill of worshipfull Esquire right worshipfull many such vaine titles which euery Vpstart now in these dayes doe eagerly affect not for any desert of vertue but for that they haue gottē some money to put to vsurie or procured some office basely by their money or a little better outward estate by illiberall and base scraping pinching and niggardly sparing or by depending vpon some person in authority by whose countenance they may domineere ouer their poore neighbours or by some such way and meanes whereof this now present age affordeth instances enow yet are such farre enough off from the true causes of Gentrie worship and due honor This good womans humility and patience may also checke the pride and impatiencie of such as cannot endure
leaue to drinke It may seeme a very small kindnesse to vouchsafe her libertie to drinke of the water but we must know that it was common drinke for the best aswell as the worst Saul drunke 1. Sam. 26 11. Iudg. 4. Gen. 21. 14. and 24. water Sisera called for water Abraham gaue a bottle to Hagar for Ishmael his sonne and his seruant drank water at Rebeccaes hand It was not easie neither to come by in such an hot and high countrie water was not euery where so plentifull as appeareth by the strife of Abimelechs and Gen. 26. 19 20. and 21. Isaaks seruants by Hagars lamenting for want of water by the Miracle wrought for Samson Iudg. 15. for the countrie was hot and the waters aboue the earth soone dried vp the springs were hard to be found and wells were very deepe so as this was a very good fauour of Boaz to Ruth Ioh. 4. and Ruth we see in the next verse tooke it to be a great kindnesse and was very thankfull in all humilitie By this we see that a worke of mercy and loue may be shewed in a small matter as in a cup Mat. 10. 42. of cold water sometime which shal not lose the reward for it is mercie to supply the want of others for an heartie compassion how little soeuer the thing be This may teach men to bee thankfull for supply of their want though the matter be but little and not to thinke mercie and kindnesse to consist in great gifts and good turnes to be done in things of weight onely Verse 10. Then she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and said vnto him Why haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger RVths thankfulnesse to Boaz set out by action and speech the action was a most humble and lowly gesture the speech was an acknowledgement of fauour with admiration with a reason thereof for that she was a woman of another nation Then she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground Thus Ruth beginneth to shew her thankfulnesse in a most respectiue fashion which commendeth to vs her good manners to so great a person This manner of behauiour was much vsed in those Easterne parts as we may see in Iacob to Esau Abraham to the Hittites Dauid to Ionathan Gen. 33. 3. and 23. 7. 12. 1. Sam. 20. 41. Matth. 18. 26. Abigail to Dauid and the seruant to his Lord. The Scripture often noteth the ciuill gesture and comely behauiour of his Seruants as worthy imitation and as a iust reproofe to the rude and vnciuill But yet here is a caueat first to them which vse such outward courtesies that the same be done in humility of heart that it be not a foolish affection an apish imitation or meere courtly complementing being but all shadowes of humility and yet indeed nothing lesse as appeareth in the liuely colours and publike Ensignes of pride in such persons if they be obserued aright Then next that such as haue these reuerent gestures giuen them doe consider whether they deserue them for their place and person if they doe not receiue them not if they doe yet not to waxe proud in heart thereby It may bee some will here make some questions as first Whether it be lawfull to giue honour thus vnto man in such an adoring manner This is answered before for the holy Ghost recordeth it as commendable Secondly then what difference betweene this which is done to men and that which is done to God Almighty Surely in respect of the outward act no difference is there at all but of the minde which doth conceiue of God herein as God and so this outward humiliation becommeth diuine adoration and of man but as man worthy of reuerence and honour for his place his age and gifts and so the worship and reuerence done him is onely ciuill Thirdly some perhaps will aske Whether this may be giuen vnto wicked men Yes without doubt as we see Iacobs reuerence to profane Esau Dauids to wicked Saul and Abrahams bowing of himselfe to the idolatrous Hittites for men and their places are to be distinguished True it is that Elisha shewed little respect vnto Iehoram and Mordecai would doe no reuerence to proud Haman but these had no doubt some extraordinary warrant so to doe and are not therefore for ordinary imitation the reasons alleaged for Mordecai are knowne and therefore I will not trouble here the Reader with them because they bee but weake coniectures Why haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger This humble soule wondreth at his so great kindnesse though it was but to haue leaue to gleane and to drinke water out of the vessels She thought it strange that so great a personage should speake thus respectiuely to her that was but a stranger From hence may we obserue first that the vertuous and thankefull persons take most kindly such fauours as bee shewed them and doe wonder rather thereat then make light thereof though but in common and meane things especially if the fauours bee done with cheerefulnesse as this vertuous woman Ruth doth here for such doe looke into themselues and their vnworthinesse thinking with themselues what might rather withdraw mens affections from them than win them to them They also looke vp to God and doe behold him in the Giuer she being as Gods hand offering his mercies to them These things make them to bee very thankfull and to expresse it fully This example of thankfulnesse is to be imitated of euery one beholden vnto others and iustly reproueth the vngratefull of which there be these sorts First such as receiue fauours will not acknowledge them like the nine Lepers Secondly such as scornefully Luk. 17. 18. refuse kindnesses offered as they that will not be beholden vnto others because they thinke they can liue of themselues Thirdly which will not requite a good turne done them but rather churlishly reproach the partie as Nabal did Dauid Fourthly which will not helpe in need such as put their very liues in their hands for them and for others thus dealt the men of Sucoth with Gideon Fifthly which in prosperity forget their friends and what pleasure was done them in their Gen. 40. 23. aduersity as did Pharaoes Cup-bearer Sixtly Eccles 9. 15. which recompence euill for good as Ioash did to Iehoiada his sonne Hanun to Dauids Messengers 2. Sam. 10. 4. or which loue a man lesse because of his loue to them and so the Corinthians to Paul the more 2. Cor. 12. 15. he loued them the lesse was he beloued All these are ingratefull Now ingratitude is a foule sinne it is a stoppage to all fauours and drieth vp the affection of mens hearts and God punished it in 2. Chro. 24. 25. Iudge 9. 16 20 56 57. Ioash and reuenged it vpon the Sechemites and
therefore let vs not be guiltie of a sinne so hatefull to God and man II. We learne that it is a great fauour and grace for a rich Inhabitant to take knowledge of one poore a stranger too This Ruth in her words here confesseth and admireth For indeed nothing but goodnesse in a man maketh him kind to strangers especially poore ones it is not nature nor worldly reason And therefore when strangers find fauour where they come let them acknowledge it a great kindnesse and a mercy of God and a worke of his grace III. That a godly man as Boaz will be good vnto the godly poore though a stranger And so should wee as the Apostle commendeth it to vs and our Sauiour in the Heb. 13. 2. Parable of the Samaritane And we must consider that we may come into strange places our selues and need fauour remembring moreouer this that if such strangers be Christians they be our brethren and sisters in Christ for in him there Col. 3. 11. Gal. 3. 28. is neither Iew nor Greeke but we are all one Which condemneth the ill disposition of such as cannot abide that strangers should come among them and that not such as Ruth of another nation but such as be borne in the same kingdome yea in the same countrey if they feare any charge to come to them thereby Oh how would they take on in our vncharitable dayes if a poore Naomi should after many yeeres returne to the place of her former abode and bring a poore woman with her to charge the parish Well good Boaz did not so neither the Inhabitants of Bethlehem IV. Note how shamefastnesse wisedome and humilitie are excellent ornaments of praise in a woman as they are here in Ruth shee cast downe her eyes not looking impudently vpon him shee bowed to the ground and shewed humilitie and her words were effectuall and few and therein was her wisedome These three shamefast countenance humble gesture and fewnesse of words doe grace a woman highly and doe winne her honour though neuer so poore And therefore let women labour for them more then for a faire face gay clothes and a great portion these make them saleable with wantons and worldlings but the other with the wise and vertuous This reproueth such as be of a proud and hawtie carriage Esai 3. 18. which are costly Dames commanding Mistresses but hardly obedient wiues such also as be great talkers reproued by the Apostle these be 1. Tim. 5. 13. shrewd Dames often they breed contention abroad some disquietnesse at home for want of the gouernemēt of the tongue such women as be bold without blushing impudent Dames which will not couer their faces with Rebecca for modestie sake but will goe naked so farre as modestie cryeth shame vpon But they which haue to sell thinke they may be allowed to set open their shop-windowes But chaste mindes seeing the deformity thereof will frame themselues to a more decent and modest behauiour such as would hold the name of the vertuous will not so much labour in the outward shew neither goe after the fashion of vaine persons Chaste Penelope a Heathen will stand couered before her Suters And will Christian women shew themselues so naked as some doe to the view of all O impudencie O immodest shew of lightnesse and vanitie Verse 11. And Boaz answered and said vnto her It hath fully beene shewed me all that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy natiuity and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not heretofore BOaz his reply vnto Ruth giuing her the reasons of his kindnesse towards her a stranger which was by relation made to him before this of her vertues shewed in her loue to her mother in law and in her grace and godlinesse leauing her own country to come and dwell amongst Gods people though vnknowne to her aforetime And Boaz answered and said vnto her It hath fully beene shewed mee all that thou hast done A good report and that to the full was spred abroad of Ruth of which Boaz had taken notice and for which he was so kind to her as hee here acknowledgeth Whence note I. That vertue shall not want Trumpeters to sound out her praises to the full Psal 37. 6. Ruth was made renowned among all the people Ioseph at length throughout all the land of Egypt which is Gods mercy for encouragement to vertue and this will those doe which loue vertue in others Therefore let such as would be renowned striue to be vertuous It is the worthiest matter of praise and commendation It procureth loue and that true loue of such as neuer see vs as did Salomons fame and so Christs It causeth an honorable remembrance Viuit post funera virtus Bias Omnia mea mecum porto after death It is such goods as cannot bee lost but beauty may with sicknesse and age bee defaced strength also may decay So Haman may lose his honour and Iob may be dispossessed of all his riches in a moment but vertue abideth for euer Lastly this is pleasing to God to all good men yea and makes the Angels to attend vpon vs as the Lord hath put the charge vpon them And yet the praise hereof is least respected but men seeke praises which be after mans wisdome earthly and sensuall as Absaloms for beauty Hamans for fauour with a King Achitophels for worldly policy others for riches and authority ouer their brethren which yet they are no lasting Pro. 4. 18. praises soone lost and neuer afford true loue in the hearts of men as vertue doth which may minister comfort to such as bee vertuous who deserue true praises they shall not want them they shall not neede to bragge as the proud hypocriticall Pharise of their well-doing Grant that many now will not giue them their due some of pride other through enuie and a third sort of ill will cannot speake well yet when they be dead euen such as did dispraise them will then praise them but howsoeuer they shall at the last Day receiue praises of Iesus Christ before the Angels all the world and be euerlastingly rewarded for the same II. That well-doing procureth fauour to the poore though strangers at the hands of the vertuous for this was the cause of Boaz loue to Ruth as here he acknowledgeth and this is true godlinesse to loue others for their goodnes Would you poore find fauour Labour to be vertuous for God will procure the liking of others and moue them to doe you good as God did Boaz heart towards Ruth This is the way to doe you good and not to liue idlely levvdly and by flatterie and talebearing to think to prosper vvhich is the trade of too many poore ones With some for a vvhile they may find fauour but in the meane space they procure hatred of some others
and at length vvill be abhorred of all And here let the rich learne vpon whom to bestow freely their kindnesse and whom to loue and respect euen the godly poore such as bee Gal. 6. 10. Mat. 25. 10. of the houshold of faith for in them Christ is relieued and such shall not lose their reward If you aske Who are these godly poore I answer Euen such as Ruth which get a good name by their vertuous liues their duty done to their betters their painefulnesse in labour their conscience of Religion These be the godly poore and not the stubborne the idle the irreligious swearing fighting railing drunken poore who are more worthy of punishment than reliefe Vnto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband Thus Boaz beginneth to particularize her vertues and the first here is her louing carriage and praise-worthy behauiour vnto her mother in law not onely while her husband liued but euer after not ceasing to loue because he was dead for whose sake shee first was occasioned to loue her Due prayses can be shewed in particular vertues See it in the praises of Iob Cornelius the Iob. 1. Act. 10. 2. Reu. 2. 1 2. Angell of Ephesus And therefore in praising any wee must bee able to instance in those things which deserue such praises else it is sottish ignorance or grosse flatterie or both Againe note That whom we loue for our friends sake being aliue if loue be vnfaigned it will appeare when they be dead This is Ruths loue vnto Naomi Dauids to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake True loue is a fountaine that neuer can be drawne drie This reproueth the loose loue of many who can loue and lightly turne it into hatred of the same person vpon small occasions such also as can loue their friend for his time but when he is dead will neglect all respect to euery one of his whom in his dayes they pretended to loue And how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy natiuity and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not heretofore This was rare loue and a very great measure of grace for Religon sake to forsake naturall parents for a mother in Law her owne country for a strange nation and people shee must needs bee endued with a strong faith and an extraordinary measure of loue to Religion and the worship of the true God By which wee see that faith and feruent loue ouercome all difficulties euen nature it selfe as here in her so in Abraham when leauing his Heb. 11. Gen. 12. Gen. 22. 21. Gal. 1. 10. countrey he trauelled hee knew not whither and did offer vp Isaac at Gods bidding and put away Ismael and al three without gainsaying cherefully These ouercame carnall reason and this desire of pleasing God made Saint Paul a zealous Professor Faith made Gideon to leaue thousands Iud. 7. 7 12. 8. 10. 13 5000. Iosh 6. behind him and to bee content to enter the battaile whith 300. against many thousands so did Ioshua by Gods direction command seuen Priests to goe seuen times about the walls of Iericho to beate them downe with sound of Rammes hornes This faith loue made many proselytes and Heathen to become Christians and Christians in the time of bloody persecutions to forsake all for Christs sake and his Gospell as the Apostles spake of themselues vnto Christ This faith and loue of God will vanquish the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4 5. and will make 〈◊〉 leaue the Court of Pharaoh to bee with Gods people in affliction and will make Amaziah to separate himselfe from the 2. Chro. 25. 6 9 10. wicked and make light of an 100. talents of siluer Yea so powerfull is faith and loue of God as they will ouercome our selues euen to make light of our selues and our liues for the Lords sake as we see in the blessed Martyrs suffering cruell torments for the truth sake for the power of faith and spirituall loue is supernaturall and is wrought and so assisted by Gods Spirit as no worldly or fleshly impediments can hinder them in the way to eternall life Therefore must we labour for these graces aboue all things if wee would be masters ouer our selues if wee would preuaile against all hinderances of our saluation These will bridle lusts contemne vaine honours resist Satan and his temptations and seeing they are so powerfull hence may we see whether wee haue this faith and true loue if we can ouercome our corrupt nature carnall reason and this euill world but if these ouermaster vs then want wee this faith and loue from which those be farre off who are led like beasts by nature like sensuall men by lusts corrupt reason and by this vnconstant world and the vanities thereof Though they doe beare the name of Christians yet Christs power is farre from them Note further hence why hee speaketh thus to Ruth euen to giue her to know the true cause of his kindnesse and good respect towards her euen her godlinesse and grace which may teach That vertue and grace are the greatest motiues to incite great men which be also good men vnto the workes of mercy and bounty to the poore as we here see by Boaz speeches for vertue is louely to them which are vertuous though the parties be neuer so poore Let thē the poore labour for grace and godlinesse that they may find mercy at the hands of the wealthy for if they feare God he wil be their spokes-man hee will moue the hearts of others to doe them good Though this bee the way to procure fauour yet commonly we see the poore idle and too lewd of life and yet they murmure curse and rage if they be not relieued for they thinke they ought to be relieued euen because they bee poore though neuer so wicked though they will hardly labour to take any paines to liue when of such the Apostle speaketh that they should not be relieued Hee that will not labour let him not eate 2. Thes 3. saith the Apostle As this is for instruction to the poore so the rich from Boaz may learne on whom to bestow their fauours and workes of mercy euen vpon the godly the houshold of Gal. 6. 10. Mat. 25 10. Pro. 19. 17. Psal 41. 1 2 3. faith for in them Christ is relieued in them they doe lend vnto the Lord who vvill repay them to the full and greatly reward them But of this a little before in the beginning of this verse Verse 12. The Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward be giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel vnder whose wings thou art come to trust THese words are a prayer and blessing pronounced out of the mouth of Boaz vpon poore Ruth which doth maruailously set out the pietie of this man Here may be noted who makes this request to whom for what for whom and why The Lord recompence thy worke This rich Boaz prayeth for
hope of fauour when he thinkes his friend downe the wind and another like to arise such false and faithlesse hearts may now be found more than enow who also will expose their friend into any danger or losse so they may get or saue thereby Let men therefore learne soundly to try before they too hastily trust the pretended rather then truely intended loue in these dayes for now is falsehood in friendship for that commonly euery man loueth another for himselfe onely as experience sheweth for otherwise true friends will be as Ionathan who valued nothing of a Kingdome for his friend Dauids sake they will be like Hushai in aduising for Dauids welfare as Barzillai in relieuing him in distresse and in shewing him kindnesse when most were against him as Abishai in exposing himselfe into imminent danger for his safetie What friends can be found like the Heathen Mariners to Ionah who in a tempest stroue with all their powers to saue him with danger of all their liues or like the Nurse of Mauricius the Emperours child who offered her owne to be slaine by that bloudie Phocas to preserue her foster childs life the sonne of the Emperour Rare examples worthy imitation but not to be paralelled in these dayes But to returne to Boaz it may be asked Why he would suffer her to be within alone in the floore all night I answer his care of her safetie for hee would rather admit of an inconuenience to himselfe then the danger of a mischiefe to her knowing the wickednesse of the times then Againe it may be he felt in himselfe strength by Gods grace and also a resolution to withstand the temptation because he was a man of yeeres though yet some old are wanton enough because he was a iust man as it is said of Mat. 1. Ioseph the husband of Mary and would preserue right to his neighbour And thirdly for that he had an honest and true intent to marry her if so hee might and therefore hee would not offer her dishonesty though many of vnbridled affections make such oportunities ready motiues to themselues of abasing themselues one with another because forsooth they mind to marry Of which euill in this Booke elsewhere I haue spoken See Verse 14. And it shall be in the morning So Boaz though hee deferred it yet it was but a very little while hee would not long as Naomi saith after delay Verse 18. the matter for a wise man will not bee ouer-hastie yet will hee not neglect but hasten the businesse which hee taketh in hand For the one is the property of Prou. 14. 15. a foole but the other of a man of vnderstanding if so be the matter doe require haste for there be two extremes in businesses to be auoided the one is too great haste where need is not and this is rashnesse punished in good Iosias and in 2. Chro. 35. 22. Numb 14. 40. the heady Israelites the other is too great remisnesse and slackenesse when the matter requireth haste which was Amasa his fault And therefore 2. Sam. 20. 5. the matter is to be considered of and thereby wee may iudge when to make haste and when to take more time and deliberation for that is not rashly attempted which is first vndertaken with good aduice though with speed executed Secondly done seasonably as the circumstances of the time place and persons require Thirdly whē it is done by our calling warrantably When a man faileth in these though hee take time enough hee is but a rash Aduenturer That if hee will performe to thee the part of a kinsman That is if hee will marry thee and raise vp the name of the dead for he is before me by right to take or refuse thee so as if he will haue thee thou canst not refuse him then take him and so an end hereof betweene vs. Though it appeareth many wayes that Boaz had an earnest affection to Ruth yet would hee not wrong the kinsman if hee would haue her for a good and a iust man euen in what hee desires will not wrong another because the Law of righteousnes bindeth Ier. 22. 3. him to iust dealing of which hee maketh conscience So requireth the Law of loue which possesseth his heart which is to loue another as himselfe Matth. 22. 37. Mat. 7. 12. and to doe as he would be done vnto And thus should euery man learne to doe and not to withhold any good from the owner thereof and Prou. 3. 27. to whom it is due In this kind owe nothing to any man neither wrong any for God is an Auenger 1. Thes 4. 6. of all such things Here then come iustly to be reproued such as make no conscience of wronging others of which sort are all these First Theeues and Robbers against which the Prophet and Apostle Zach. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 10. speaketh 2. Partakers with such by counsell command consent prouoking flattery concealing receyuing defending or if it be in our power by not punishing such for such be wicked Psal 50. 18. persons such do hate their owne soules Thirdly fraudulēt persons of which there be these first 1. Thes 4. 6. Leuit. 19. 13. 25. 27. such as pretend law to doe wrong as the Iudge in giuing wrong sentence for by-respects who by the Prophet are called theeues So Lawyers in Esai 1. 23. craftie pleading to ouerthrow iustice and innocencie the Sheriffes in panelling partiall Iuries to pleasure men and all such as be false witnesses or procure their vniust cause to passe by giuing bribes To these may be added deceitfull buyers Prou. 20. 14. Deut. 25. 13 16. sellers in praising or dispraising ouermuch for aduantage in counterfeit wares in false weights and measures So likewise those Villaines counterfeit Bankrupts damnable Theeues Cony-Catchers cheating Gamesters and Gnathonicall Knaues who soothe flatter to gaine by others simplicity and folly Fourthly and lastly such as withhold goods from the owners and will not Leuit. 6. 1. make restitution as in conscience they are bound for so God commandeth and promiseth Ezech. 18. 7 12. mercy to them that restore and threatneth the punishment for not restoring It is a Rule of equitie and iustice that requireth it which is to giue euery one his owne and the Law of nature to doe as wee would be done vnto Yea we haue the practice of the godly to moue vs the sonnes of Iacob Zacheus and Samuel offer it If they had Gen. 43. 21. Luke 19. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 3. St. Aug. in Epi. ad Mac. Danaeus in Eth. lib. 2. cap. 15. Perkins in the pract of Rep. Prou. 3. 28. Mat. 5. 23. Leuit. 6. 5. Ioseph antiq lib. 4. cap. 8. done wrong to any Lastly this is the iudgement of the godly Learned that restitution should be made affirming the sinne not to be remitted except the thing taken away be restored and also that Repentance is not sound
Ruths Recompence OR A COMMENTARIE VPON THE BOOKE OF RVTH WHEREIN IS SHEWED HER HAPPY CALLING OVT OF HER OWNE Country and People into the fellowship and society of the Lords Inheritance HER VERTVOVS LIFE AND holy Carriage amongst them AND THEN HER REWARD IN GODS mercy being by an honourable Marriage made a Mother in Israel Deliuered in seuerall Sermons the briefe summe whereof is now published for the benefit of the Church of God By Richard Bernard Preacher of Gods Word at Batcombe in Sommerset-shire LONDON Printed by Felix Kyngston and are to be sold by Simon Waterson 1628. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERY VERTVOVS LADY the Lady FRANCIS Countesse of Warwick Dowager the increase of all sauing Graces and the fruition of that eternall blisse with the Saints in glory is heartily wished Right Honourable Lady THough a Woman was the Mother of all mans miserie yet of a Woman came saluation to bring vs out of that estate vnto Grace and Glory and for womens comfort God of his mercy hath beene pleased to make their Sexe renowned in many examples To some he hath giuen supernaturall knowledge by enduing them with the Spirit of Prophecie as Miriam Deborah Huldah aâ—â— Annah Vpon other some he hath bestowâ—d singular wisedome as vpon the woman of â—ekoah and hâ—w se woman of Abel in Bethmaacah Rare was the faith of many as the faith of Sarah of Rahab of the widdow of Sarepta and of the Canaanitish woman who haue put on better resolutions and greater courage for the Church in the time of perill then some men haue done Did not Deborah encourage Barak to the warres aduenturing her selfe with him when otherwise he without her was afraid to go Did not Iael the wife of Heber kill the great Captaine and Generall Sisera And who more resolued to icopard her life for Gods people then beautifull Ester with her If I perish I perish Haue there not been of them famous in many other things For attention to the Word as the Virgin Marie and Lydia For going farre for knowledge as the Queene of Sheba to heare the wisedome of Salomon For workes of charitie as Dorcas For workes of piety helping forward the building of the Exod. 35. 21 22 29. Tabernacle as were many women For feruency in prayer as Hannah For daily deuotion in fasting and prayer as Anna. For entertainement of Gods Messengers as the Shunamite as Lydia and one Mary For the feare of God as the Mid wiues of Rom. 16. 6. Egypt For courtesie to a meere stranger as Rebecca For humilitie and patience as old Naomi Who can out-strip Ruth in loue Are there not recorded not meane ones onely but also honourable personages for Religion and Grace as wee may reade in the Acts 17. 4 12. Will a Dionysius become a beleeuer in an Vniuersitie from among the Athenians You shall finde a Damaris to second him In what haue men been renowned wherein some women according yea and beyond the nature of their Sex haue not been remarkable in Wisedome Faith Charitie loue of the Word loue to Gods Messengers feruent affection and desire of heauenly things If men haue suffered imprisonment cruell persecution and Bands for Christ were women behind No verily Acts 8. 3. 9. 2. Nay haue they not in somewhat excelled men sometimes Who entertained Christ so much and so often as Martha and Mary Who are noted to contribute to Christs necessities but women Luk. 8. 3. Who sauing Iohn the Apostle followed Christ to his Crosse lamenting and weeping but women Who of Luke 24. 24. all the ordinary followers of Christ obserued where Christ was buried but women Who first went to his Mark 16. 1 2. Sepulcher with sweet spices to anoint Christs body but women We may reade of a Congregation of women Acts 16. 13. to whom Saint Paul preached being gathered together to the accustomed place of prayer as more forward as it may seeme at that time then men It would be tedious to repeate by name all the notable women in the holy Scriptures and their excellent graces yet can I not let passe Priscilla her knowledge with her husband A quila in the ministerie of the Gospell able to teach an eloquent A pollos nor Loys and Eunice Trayners vp of the famous Euangelist Timothie in the holy Scriptures nor Persis which Phil. 4. 3. laboured much in the Lord as many other women did Not to stand vpon more instances one thing for their more worthy praises is to be obserued and not to bee forgotten I haue read of men well esteemed of to haue been Apostates as Demas Alexander Phyletus and others but of neuer a woman by name once reckoned among the Saints in all the new Testament this is singular glorie But the Lord hath not thought it enough to honor women thus by endowing them with excellent gifts and by their praise-worthy works but also hee hath graced them otherwise To whom did Christ first manifest himself after his resurrection but vnto women Of what act did euer Christ so speake to make it perpetually famous as that of the woman that powred vpon Mat. 26. 7 17. him an Alabaster box of oyntment promising that wheresoeuer the Gospell should bee preached in the whole world there should her worke bee remembred Hath not also the Lord directed his Penmen and by name his beloued Apostle to write an Epistle vnto an Elect Lady And are there not whole books of Scripture dedicated to their names as this of Ruth and the other of Ester for an eternall remembrance of them I hope Right Honourable Lady therefore that I may bee bold to present your Honour with this my Commentary vpon Ruth which you may challenge of right before all others for your bountifull and liberall contribution towards my maintenance in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge by the which I am now that I am and for which as also for your Honours euer-continuing fauours to mee and mine I remaine euerlastingly a debtor Accept therefore I humbly beseech your Honour this my best testimonie of all dutifull seruices and of the acknowledgement of my most thankfull remembrance of the same And my hearty and daily prayer is that the Lord would blesse your Honor that as both you haue intended and also begun good works so you may goe on with encrease therein to the end it beeing the greatest honour before God and men to bee great and rich in good works for which you shall haue for the present many peoples prayers for the time to come of mindfull posterities also great praises and with all in heauen which is the best of all reward with God who euer preserue your Honour in all happy peace and prosperitie Your Honours euer bounden to be commanded Richard Bernard Batcombe March 22. RVTHS Recompence OR A COMMENTARIE VPON THE BOOKE OF RVTH THe booke of RVTH This is the title of this part of Scripture and hereby is shewed of whom it chiefly intreateth euen of Ruth
affliction and not bee impatient as if God had forgotten Psal 13. 1. 1. Cor. 10. nor murmure lest the Lord punish vs. II. That God hath euer had more specially a people for his owne called his people Thus were certaine called the sonnes of God Gen. 6. Thus after were the Israelites his Deut. 7. 6. and 26. 18. and such be now true Christians 1. Pet. 2. 9. Reu. 18. 4. These he chose not for any merit in them but of his meere loue Deut. 7. 8. Ephe. 1. 4. This should make vs to examine our selues how we be Gods people whether according to Creation or after the worke of Regeneration for these differ from the other greatly in the graces of Gods Spirit and holy conuersation Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26 27. Psal 15. in glorious titles Deut. 26. 19. Exo. 19. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Reu. 1. 6. and in heauenly prerogatiues as in peace with God Rom. 5. 1. in free accesse with a holy boldnesse to God in Christ Heb. 4. in hauing God euer with them Mat. 18. 20. in this blessing that all things worke together for the best to them Rom. 8. and in being a Communion of Saints to whom is belonging the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Wee are therefore to labour to bee of this sort of Gods people III. That corporall food and the necessaries of this life are Gods gift Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. 11. 14 15. Hos 2. 8 9. Ioel 2. 19. It is he that maketh the earth fruitfull he giueth raine and with-holds it Osea 2. 8 9. Amos 4. 7. and man without him can doe nothing Psal 127. 2. Hag. 1. 6. Deut. 8. 1â— Praise him for these blessings Ioel 2. 26. in the want of them acknowledge it from God and goe to him pray to him Mat. 6. and this must bee done in an humiliation of our selues for the affliction 2. Chron. 7. 14. Ioel 2. 16 17 19. If wee looke for these blessings we are to serue him because they bee his gift and to such hath hee promised them Leuit. 26. 3. Deut. 11. 13 16. Let this reprooue such as forget God doe not praise him nor serue him for these blessings and let it confute such as ascribe them to the heauens or to the industry of man neuer remembring the precept of Moses Deut. 8. 18. and that saying in Iob 31. 26 27. Verse 7. Wherefore shee went forth out of the place where shee was and her two daughters in law with her and they went on their way to returne vnto the Land of Iudah IN the former verse was Naomi her preparation for her iourney here is her setting forward noting from whence with whom and whither Wherefore That is because she heard of plenty in her countrey which giueth vs this to vnderstand which before I noted that the Churches welfare procureth friends and draweth her old acquaintance to her for prosperity is of an attractiue vertue and men are affected with it this will make Abimelech to seeke to Isaac Gen. 26. 26. and Iobs friends gather vnto him Iob. 42. 11. This should make vs seeke the Churches prosperity yea and make men frugall to preserue their estates for prosperity gets friends though not a few counterfeit and aduersity maketh men to bee forsaken and yet many which might liue well bring themselues by prodigality and lewd courses vnto misery vnworthy they bee of pitty Shee departed out of the place where shee was In what particular place of Moab shee was in is not named though here to bee vnderstood by the name place There was food here as well as in Iudah yet shee would not stay though shee was an old woman hauing poore and weake attendance the iourney somewhat long for her her estate wasted and therefore was shee to returne in a base estate which other perhaps might cast in her teeth for leauing Iudah and going into that idolatrous Moab but all these things did not withhold her from her godly purpose And two reasons may be giuen for this the loue of her owne Countrey and her piety esteeming highly of the means of saluation Whence may be noted I. That there is a loue naturally in euery one to their owne Countrey See it in Iethro Exo. 18. 27. Num. 10. 29 30. and Barzillai 2. Sam. 19. 27. Iacob would returne into Canaan out of Mesopotamia where he had gotten great riches And this loue vnto their Countrey made men to aduenture their liues in defence thereof 2. Sam. 10. 12. Therefore such are vnnaturall who will seeke the destruction thereof II. That corporall meanes cannot keepe the truely religious from the place where God is worshipped if they may enioy the meanes of life in a poore measure Naomi would not stay in Moab though shee in Iudah had nothing to maintaine her but her hands and that Ruth must gleane for bread when they came thither What a change Moses made wee all doe know a crust of bread for the body is better with the food of the soule than all carnall abundance without it And therefore if the choyce of our dwelling be either where bodily plenty is whithout the Word or a poore estate for the body and plentifull instructions for the soules safety let vs chuse this rather then the other Seeke saith our Sauiour for the food Iohn 5. which endureth vnto eternall life which perisheth not And her two daughters in law with her This their accompanying of her argueth Naomi her singular good carriage towards them while her sonnes liued for if shee had beene proud froward and vnkind as some mothers in law haue beene they would haue despised her and shaken her off but we see first how good carriage procureth loue and secondly how true loue sheweth it selfe in the aduersity of a friend Pro. 17. 17. for these 2. forsake not poore old Naomi in this her contemptible estate Thus Ionathan shewed his loue in Dauids trouble and Iobs friends when they sate downe by him for true loue is not tyed to outward respects such loue is false and hollow-hearted the loue of these times We must imitate God in loue to loue euer and chiefely in aduersity for either loue them or not at all Be not as the Shadow which sheweth it selfe only in sunne-shine nor as the Swallow which chatters and sings ouer thy chimney in warme Summer but cannot be seene in Winter Friends onely in appearance shape their loue like to the Deuill who onely maketh a shew of loue to man and is euer sinister in the intendement And they went on their way to returne to Iudah It seemeth by this that the two women came out to returne with Naomi who onely is properly said to returne because she came out of Iudah and they had a purpose to goe thorow with her to the end and to leaue their own natiue soile their parents and friends which was a great degree of loue but yet we may reade that Orpha afterwards gaue ouer
To begin well and to make an onset to goodnesse is easie to many but to go on to the end is of speciall grace Cain began and made an onset to godlinesse so did Ioash King of Iudah Iehu did valiantly for a while Iudas seemed to bee approued by his fellowes and to liue without suspicion for a time The same may bee said of Ananias and Saphira of Simon Magus of Demas Hymeneus Alexander and Philetus with many moe but their calling was not effectuall called they were but not elected their hearts were full of hypocrisie which wil at length breake out Therefore let none thinke well of themselues for faire beginnings because they that continue to the end shall onely be saued Verse 8. And Naomi said vnto her two daughters in law Goe returne each to her mothers house the Lord deale kindly with you as you haue dealt with the dead and with me NAomi seeth their kindnesse and weighing afore-hand all circumstances beginneth to make triall of the soundnesse of their loue and to know vpon what ground it standeth as appeareth out of the verses 11 12 13. The words consist of an exhortation and a petition to God for them rendering a reason thereof And Naomi said vnto her two daughters in law To this place there is no mention of any speech of Naomi but onely what shee did First in following her husband into Moab verse 1 2. and then of his leauing that Countrey to returne into Iudah verse 6 7. Hitherto her Story is of her walking and not of her words and talking it seemeth her tongue did not hang loose to be vpon euery touch tolling as some womens be And this her silence commendeth her vertue therein and also giueth vs to know that she did not sollicite her daughters to go with her but that they voluntarily vndertooke the iourney for if shee had requested them their loue had not so appeared neither could she haue tried them by intreating them to returne backe Goe and returne How farre on the way they were come is not noted but on the way they were before she spake thus to them which she did not as carelesse of their soules or of any doubt whether God would prouide for them who would forsake their country and become proselytes but two reasons may be alledged why shee exhorteth them to returne home againe First was her loue to them for their kindnesses formerly to her and hers as appeareth by her prayer and therefore shee might now seeme to be loth to trouble them though their company in the way might haue beene comfortable except shee had knowne certainely how to haue recompenced their loue Taking this for one we learne that a true Louer is loth to disaduantage a friend or friends for priuate respects to himselfe for true loue seeketh also the good of a friend beloued and a found-harted friend will follow the Apostles aduice 1. Cor. 10. 24. not seeke his owne but his friends well-fare But this alas is contrary to our times when now men are all for themselues which self-selfe-loue is contrarie to Christs commandement to loue our neighbour as our selues it is against the communion fellowship of Christians as members one of another it is contrary to the end of our labour in our callings 2. Cor. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 28. which is to doe good to others contrary to that care which God cōmandeth for the preseruation of other mens estate Deut. 22. 2 4. Exod. 23. 4 5. contrary to Abrahams practice Gene. 23. 9. whose children we must be and whose workes we must doe This selfe-loue is the originall of all bribery extortion vsury deceit fraud oppression and vniust dealings among men this maketh men enuious that they cannot reioyce in other mens welfare and this maketh men without compassion in another mans misery if they themselues liue at ease this roote of bitternesse must be rooted out The second reason was her want of meanes to giue them comfort in the world to prouide for them necessaries or conuenient matches as her words imply in verses 12 13 shee knew them to haue friends parents in Moab but none in Iudah and therefore shee was loth to make them worse and to carry them to an vnknowne place except shee could better haue prouided for them with some certainty True loue will not make worse where it cannot make better But here it may be demanded Whether Naomi did well to perswade them to returne I answer If she had done it in carelesnesse of their soules or in a coldnesse of religion shee had offended but it was partly in her loue to thē for their outward estate not knowing how to pleasure them if they should take such paines to goe with her and leaue their owne country and partly out of her wisedome to trie them whether indeed they fully resolued to goe with her let fall out what might fall out And this was praise-worthy in her thus to try their soundnesse for hereby shee found one rotten at the core and the other most sound And thus should wee also doe in these deceitfull dayes trie before we trust such as offer themselues to come among the godly as also did our Sauiour Luke 9. 57 58. lest when they hastily intertaine Religion they as suddainely fall backe to the reproach of the Gospell and blemish of such as admitted them without tryall If any aske why shee perswaded them not to stay at home whilst they were there but to let them goe on the way and then to will them to returne backe I answer It may be that she tooke their comming forth to be of courtesie to take leaue of her after she had gone somewhat on her iourney which kindnesse there was no reason to refuse but perceiuing that they would goe on shee then fell to make tryall of them and to vnderstand what might leade them thereto And this was better done in the way than at home to discerne more fully of their resolution In the tryall of others it is then best done when the same may most appeare this is wisedome Each to her mothers house Here is an argument to moue them to returne backe because they had naturall parents aliue and shee but a mother in law Shee trieth them with this first to see whether nature wrought more then grace This she knew to be a strong pull-backe and that nature must first be subdued to follow soundly the course of godlinesse We must forsake father and mother for the Gospell saith Christ yea and deny our selues If thus we can doe then are we to be admitted into the fellowship of the faithfull These words shew they were not naturall sisters because Naomi willeth each of thē to go to her mothers house as hauing either of them a mother In that Naomi thus speaketh we may further note I. That of either parent children are drawne with most affection to their mothers because all children haue most of their mothers being conceiued in them long borne of
friend nor kinsman nor the nighest of blood they can weepe for are very vnnaturall and worse then bruite beasts which bleate and loow for their own kinde so also they which can perhaps weepe for the world for departure of friends for losse of parents children husband or wise yet not for sin not for Gods dishonor not for the affliction of Ioseph not for want of the Word and the taking away of the righteous are worldlings are destitute of diuine grace of the true loue of God and goodnesse for men can and will mourne for such things as be euer neere and deare vnto them and which they indeede take to heart And Orpha kissed her mother in law As Naomi did by this act in verse 9. take her farewell of Orpha with Ruth so now Orpha departing thus taketh leaue of her She wept in loue and kissed her in token of loue and as loth to depart yet voluntarily leaueth her because shee perceiued by Naomi her words that she could not receiue worldly contentment if shee should goe with her So here were signes of loue onely but not the truth of it It is easie to make signes of loue but not to shew the true fruits of loue These be chargeable the other cost nothing therefore they are afforded very cheape and where onely outward signes of loue be and not a hearty vnion there worldly losses or the feare of such losses or not the hope to gaine the things of this life will soone separate such friends as wee see in this woman Note further I. That worldly respects are great hinderances in the course of Godlinesse the world keepeth from the entertaining of the Truth Mat. 22. 5. It hindereth in the receiuing of it Mat. 13. It pulleth men from it which haue somewhat gone forward in it as wee may see here in Orpha in Iehu Iudas Demas and Henry the 4. the last King of France and this commeth from the exceeding loue of it and our chiefest care for the body and the things of this life But let vs take heede of this world for such as loue it the loue of God 1. Iohn 2. 15. the Father is not in them many for loue of the world forsaking Religion haue felt the wo thereof and haue lost that which they loued Remember Iudas he had the money but what was hee the better it did not comfort him neither did it continue with him neither he long in the world And yet wretched Caitifes that wee be like Gadarens we will lose Christ rather then our swine and with Eue lose Paradise for an Apple II. That an vnsound heart may for a time make a faire shew in the way to Canaan but yet turne backe at the last as Orpha doth here and as we may see in Iehu Iudas Demas Hymeneus Alexander Philetus and many other in all ages falling backe from the Truth which they indeed did neuer soundly loue and yet will such make so faire an entrance And this is by reason first of certaine general motions of Religion which maketh them in generall to approue of the same againe the generall esteeme of the very name of Religion all holding this that it is a good thing to bee religious and that none can find fault with a man for that Further the working of the Word mouing the heart in some sort to intertaine it and lastly the desire of praise and good esteeme with men These will make hollow hearts to set on a while to heauenward but shall not bee able to enter Therefore we are not easily to entertaine men for sincere because they haue made and doe make faire shewes in Religion for a time seeing they may be vnsound and after fall away And this should make vs to examine our owne hearts lest secret hypocrisie lurke therein and it breake out at the length to our shame III. That such as want soundnesse towards God for Religion may yet haue otherwise commendable parts in them For Orpha is commended for a kind wife as well as Ruth by Naomi and for a kind daughter in law verse 8. and shee shewed good humanity â—â— going on the way with her mother in law yeâ—â— good natural affection in weeping so at parting What shall I speake of Ioahs valiant and hardy spirit of the great vvisedome of Achitophel in all worldly affaires and of morall men among the Heathen Many which had no part nor portion in Christ haue done vvorthily in the things praise-vvorthy among men by a restrained nature by the povver of conscience from the law of nature vvritten in their hearts and by the common gifts of the Spirit And therfore not to iudge our selues or others soundly religious and regenerate by Gods Spirit for our coÌ„mendations in meere moral vertues or common gifts of the Spirit for the Heathen haue surpassed many true Christian hearts herein many by a meere ciuill education and orderly bringing vp in the lavvdable fashions of men and good carriage of themselues as men among men attaine to great commendations in and for their courtesie affability discretion many qualities in learning and Arts which they affect for praise with men for their priuate profit for aduancement in the world and not that they doe good things for goodnesse sake from the power of grace and godlinesse in their hearts which was as yet neuer ingrafted in them as appeareth by their little knowledge in the Word of God by their demeaning of themselues like Statists indifferently betweene two religions by neglecting the examination of their wayes by the Word but keeping company with all sorts alike so farre as worldly disgrace come noâ— hereby by neuer caring for the growth of Religion in themselues or in others to make the least opposition for it against the common streame By all which and by many good things wanting in them as a holy zeale feruency in prayer the loue of the truth for the truths sake such as loue it delight in meditating of Gods Word and conferring thereof sorrow for the afflictions of Gods people and ioy in the ouerthrow of the enemies thereof which graces meere moralists are quite destitute of wee may see that the life of Religion and that heauenly light of true grace is not ingrafted in them which is more worth than all the rest which yet are commendable but these ought chiefely to be our praises and yet not leaue the other vndone for the one makes a man but the other a Christian and these together I meane good carriage and ciuill behauiour Learning Arts and other good qualities make an excellent Christian man But Ruth claue vnto her Though Orpha gaue occasion for Ruth to fall off from Naomi yet her example moued not A well-grounded affection is not remoued by the inconstancy of others Ioh. 6. 68. for true loue is fixed vpon the thing beloued and is not tyed to any by-respects Their loue then is to be reproued who fall off for company their affections were neuer well
a name like their nature they can be content to be Vsurers but not so to be called they can liue as Misers but will not so be accounted the denomination from their sinnefull practices is worse to them then the sinnes which they doe commit for that they more are touched with the shame of the euill before men then with the offence thereby committed against God Here it may be demanded Whether any may be called by any other name then formerly they haue beene called by We see here that Naomi would be called Marah Iacob was after called Israel Abram Abraham Sarah Sarai and many such instances in Scripture as Saul called after Paul Ioseph called Barsabas Act. 1. 23. which may be to expresse some grace in them for which they be praise-worthy as Iacob being called Israel because he wrastled and preuailed with God so Ioses called Barnabas the sonne of Act. 4. 36. consolation for his rare loue to the Church and for giuing such an example thereof to the Apostles Simon must be called Peter for his constancie So to expresse some notorious euill on the other Act. 13. 6 8. Ier. 20. 3. side Bariesus was called Elymas and Pashur must be named Magor-Missabib And we see by ancient practice for greater honour men were called As with the Romanes Cato Censorinus Scipio africanus Aenilius Macedonicus Antoninus Pius c. by other names then from their fathers families which they purchased as a title of their honour for the reward of vertue to encourage men to noble atchiuements worthy of honour being by others put vpon them for the praise of their vertues without flatterie and vaineglory and some names also were inuented for disgrace of vice in such as deserued the same but they also without scorne derision malice and euill will to the party otherwise then to beate him out from his sinne which may not be for such sinne as he committeth of infirmitie but for open and notorious enormities and from which he will not be hardly reclaymed without some note of infamy For the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me The reason why shee would be called Marah because of her bitter affliction which the Lord Almighty hath laid vpon her Whence we may learne these lessons I. That the Lord is Almighty Gen. 17. 1. for he can doe what he will in heauen and in earth Psa 115. 3. This should worke confidence in his Word for what he saith he will doe he can doe his power can effect it This must make vs humble our selues vnder his mightie hand 1. Pet. 5. 6. he is able to destroy and cast into Hell Mat. 10. 28. By this let vs be encouraged to doe what he commandeth for he can beare vs out in it and can supply our wants 2. Cor. 9. 7 8. Hence may we gather comfort against all that rise vp against vs for the Lords cause for he is greater then all Iohn 10. 29. And we may to conclude learne to hope well of others though they haue long gone astray for God is able to saue them Rom. 11. 23. II. That the Almighty can alter an estate into the cleane contrarie as Naomi into Marah mirth into mourning sweet into sowre honor into dishonor and contrarily heauinesse into ioy disgrace into high esteeme and so forth as we may see in Iobs downefall and also raising vp againe in Hamans honour into extreme contempt in Mordecaiâ—s base estate into great dignitie so in Iosephs exaltation likewise and in many others for euery mans estate is in the Lords hand to alter it at his will 1. SaÌ„ 2. 7 8. Let none be proud in their prosperity for God can cast theÌ„ downe See it in Haman Nebuchadnezer Balthasar and Herod whom God made spectacles of his displeasure for abusing their prosperitie as we haue examples of late among our selues And as prosperity should not make vs proud because God can cast vs downe so aduersity should not make vs despaire because God can raise vs vp as he did Iob Ioseph and Mordecai III. That the godly feele a bitter taste in their afflictioÌ„s they are distastfull vnto theÌ„ for no affliction 1. Pet. 1. 7. Heb. 12. 11. is ioyous for the present which maketh infirmities appeare in the best in time of their troubles as we may see in Iob Ieremie Hannah For none Ier. 20. 12 14 15. 1. Sam. 1. euen of the Saints of God are perfit in faith loue patience other vertues which might make vs endure afflictions quietly And therefore we are not to maruell when we heare words of impatiencie come from weake men nor sit downe and censure them but to iudge charitably though they cannot beare afflictions altogether with chearefulnesse quietly and without strugling For though the Spirit be willing yet flesh and bloud are weake and euen the best manifest their weakenesse and the bitter taste which they haue of affliction Verse 21. I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home againe empty Why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me NAOMI goeth on in her speech to the people so speaking of her as is before noted first shewing how the Lord had dealt bitterly with her and then why they should not call her Naomi for that the Lord had testified against her and afflicted her thus shee complaineth and amplifieth the same by contraries I went out full Shee here speaketh of her former estate when shee went from among Gods people The word is taken from a full vessell and this is to be vnderstood of her outward estate in which shee felt no want no more then there is want in a full vessel for shee had an husband and two sonnes and no doubt other things sufficient for the words imply shee went not for want but for feare of want If the words be vnderstood of her fulnesse in her husband and children it noteth that a good woman feeleth no want while she hath a louing husband and obedient children for she taketh such contentment in them as shee cannot feele want neither will such an husband and children see her to want When women are thus happy let them blesse God for their full estate If the words be vnderstood of fulnesse for outward things withall and yet could not abyde at home wee may learne that in present fulnesse and plenty Eccles 4. 8. there may want contentment either through a greedy desire which neuer hath enough or through a distrustfull heart fearing to want with which these were so troubled as it made theÌ„ leaue Gods people for sauing of their goods and to goe among heathen Idolaters For whither will not distrust of God and loue of riches leade men They erre therefore which being in a poore estate thinke contentment to be found in riches and fullnesse of these earthly things when Salomon Eccles 5. 10. telleth vs the contrarie and daily experience from the Rich
from which such be farre as delight rather in mens company a note of wantonnesse and of an vnchaste heart Women must company with women and yet some not with any of that sexe Ruth must keepe with Boaz maidens the seruants of a godly man It is dangerous for a Dinah to goe to the daughters of the land a chaste maiden to goe amongst wanton idolatrous women or a vertuous woman amongst vicious wantons and vnchaste persons Therefore let her which loueth her honestie walke wisely towards both auoid altogether the one be wise to iudge of the other Verse 9. Let thine eyes be on the field that they doe reape and goe thou after them Haue not I charged the yong men that they should not touch thee And when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the yong men haue drawne BOaz goeth on expressing his loue to Ruth more and more and this is here shewed in three things First in willing her to follow the Reapers into euery field Secondly in his care for her safety in charging them not to touch her Thirdly in allowing to drinke when shee was dry of that which was drawne for them Let thine eyes be on the field that they doe reape and goe thou after them Boaz had it seemeth hereby a great haruest for this implyeth they were to passe from field to field and he willeth her to goe after whithersoeuer not to lose their company as desirous to doe her good this way and so to be beholden to him as she should not need to go to any other place to gleane See here how bountifull a mercifull and louing man is So is true loue in whomsoeuer it is 1. Cor. 13. 4. and Mercy is not miserly as appeareth in Iob Chap. 31. and in Cornelius Act. 10. 2. See this also in the Lords loue towards his beloued his Church fetched from the loue of a Louer to his beloued Ezech. 16. 8 10 11 12. Let then our loue and kindnesse appeare by our Gen. 43. 34. and 45. 17. 18. bounty and mercy as Ioseph shewed to his brethren and father and Pharaoh did to them for his loue to Ioseph Loue where it is cannot possibly be barren they therefore which shew it not in workes of loue and mercy as need is and their abilitie will giue leaue they are no true Louers of their brethren People are now most in saying nothing in doing they are like the Adamant drawing all to them and as the Lions den admitting in all but suffering nothing to goe out It is rare to heare of a Macedonian-like bounty freely to giue beyond abilitie or of any like a poore widow which gaue her two mites all shee had If men would giue of their superfluities it were well Oh that we loued as well the workes of mercy and our poore brethren and the Ministerie yea but halfe so well as we doe dainties for our bellies braue clothes for our backs and titles to bring our persons into reuerence with men But thus much for this Haue not I charged the yong men that they should not touch thee To touch is any way to wrong another Gen. 26. 11. Psal 105. 15. Zach. 1. 8. By which kind of speaking vsed by the Lord we are taught that the least wrong is not to be offered to any not so much as to touch them as by way of offering thereby iniurie This care had Boaz for Ruth who not only doth her good but preuenteth euill from her in laying his command vpon them not to touch her And in speaking by an interrogation it is not onely to assure her of the truth but it implyeth his authoritie ouer them so as they durst not offer her any wrong but would quietly suffer her to bee amongst them Whence note I. Young poore women and strangers euen then were subiect to abuse and young men too wantonly giuen towards such This Boaz knew and therefore gaue them this charge For youth is vanitie as Salomon speaketh and lust is as a commanding law ouer their hearts except they haue grace to restraine the same and that must bee by ordering themselues Psal 119. 9. according to Gods Word Let youth take notice hereof II. That Boaz had a command ouer his seruants so as they stood in awe of his word else what had this beene for Ruths safetie Neither would he haue thus spoken Haue not I charged them but that hee knew his word to bee a law to them And such authoritie should Masters haue ouer seruants who should bee subiect to their Masters and not stubborne gain-saying without care to shew obedience as too many be III. That Boaz taketh care of her safetie for loue doth not onely good but seeketh to preuent ill from such as they doe loue and intertaine Such care was in Lot towards his Guests and in the old Gen. 19. Iud. 19. 16 23. man of Gibeah towards the Leuite for this is a fruit of loue and also of faithfulnesse when any one hath taken another into his protection and admitted among such as he hath authoritie ouer This is an vse for Magistrates they should Iob 29. 12 17. Psal 82. 3 4. Pro. 31. 8 9. care for the preseruation of others by their authoritie for therefore are they set in such a Prou. 24. 11. place and if they haue not this care it is their sinne and as they must see to all so especially to the Fatherlesse Widowes and Strangers and Exod. 22. Mal. 3. 5. poore Labourers for wrong offered to these greatly displeaseth God which hee threatneth to reuenge And this should teach Gouernours of families so to rule and order their families as they suffer not one to wrong another that their eyes bee vpon them so as they should not dare to offend against honestie and chastitie by sitting among and dallying with yong women by filthie and wanton songs by any other allurements to sinne which young women are to auoid as they haue a care to preserue their chastitie and young mens vanitie and wickednesse herein must be restrained by their Parents and Masters yet are there some so farre from this as they can take pleasure in the light behauiour and wanton speeches of seruants and others especially in reaping their haruest allowing them thus as they account it to be merrie with their tongues to make their hands to worke the faster but this is in comparison a light fault though also a foule sinne Ephes 5. for some Masters are authors of vncleannes and deflowre Heb. 13. Prou. 6. Mal. 3. 5. maidens themselues like lustfull and foule adulterers but let such remember the wrath of God against them And when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drink of that which the young men haue drawne Thirst will come vpon the painefull labourer and it must be quenched Boaz therefore had prouided for his seruants vessels for water which the young men drew of this hee giueth Ruth
poore Ruth Whence note I. That there is a recompence of reward from God euen to the poore for well-doing this the prayer of Boaz sheweth who else would not haue begged it at Gods hand and we must know that the Lord in promising to reward well-doing excepts against none rich nor poore but will recōpence the wel-doer be he whosoeuer with him is no respect of persons but he that worketh righteousnesse is accepted Act. 10. of him and godlinesse in whomsoeuer it be hath the Promise of this life and of the life to 1. Tim. 4. 8. come Let this comfort the poore in their well-doing and in their works of vertue and godlinesse Quest Here it may be demanded what good workes can the poore doe to expect reward from God seeing they haue no riches Answ A good worke is not nor stands not onely in giuing almes and such like things for then should onely the rich be doers of good workes but many other things are good workes and approued of God and which he will recompence which the poore that haue not one peny may doe as to doe the duety of loue and obedience to their parents or to others to whom they owe it to forsake idolatrie for the true worship of God to leaue their countrey for the Lords sake and for his people to forsake their old heathenish acquaintance and kindred All which Ruth did and these may the poore doe which workes God will recompence and all other dueties which one oweth to another in any sort being done in faith in loue and in obedience to God they are good workes and the Lord will reward Col. 3. 24. the same euen the honest and painefull seruice of a poore seruant as the Apostle teacheth Wee see then that the poorest may doe good workes though not such as commonly are so called to the doing whereof the worlds wealth is required and yet herein a poore soules two mites are more acceptable to God then the superfluities of the rich II. The rich from the example of Boaz may not thinke scorne to pray and that very heartily for the poore It is a very rare example to see so mighty a man of wealth and so high in authoritie to be so much taken vp in his affection in considering the poore womans vertue as to breake forth into so vehement a prayer as this was as appeareth by the doubling of the words and yet this ought rich men to doe if they thinke that the poore are not excluded out of the communion of Saints and that they be the children of God with them as they are taught in the Lords Prayer This would shew a great measure of grace this would encourage much the poore to goe on in well-doing But alas this comes not once into the thought of a rich man he thinks the poore bound to pray for him but himselfe not at all vpon any occasion for them because he thinkes he can pleasure them but they can no way pleasure him so he considereth onely outward and personall benefit and not the excellencie of vertue and fruit thereof to them and others as Boaz did And a full reward be giuen thee A good man thinkes his mercies and kindnesse are not enough to recompence and reward the vertue and workes of welldoint in others for he valueth vertue aboue wealth and aboue the price of all these transitorie things Againe note that there is to be expected a full reward for a good worke I say first a reward yet so that it be looked for in mercy and not in merit for God hath promised a reward and that in many places of Scripture and then it shall be a full reward which Boaz prayeth for here to be giuen to Ruth which shall be certainely accomplished in the life to come here sometime in a great measure as it was to Ruth in giuing her Boaz for an husband which he little thought of in this prayer that he should be the reward of her godlinesse and grace This is an excellent incouragement to vertue and good workes Of the Lord God of Israel Israel was Iacobs name and now applied to all his posterity the people of God Thus was the true God called by the name of God noting the persons in the Trinity and of Lord noting his substance and being of himselfe as the originall words to the Learned doe shew and he is the Lord God of Israel because Deut. 7. 6. he chose the Israelites to be his people before all other nations of the Earth a type of the Elect number called The Israel of God To this Gal. 6. true and euerliuing God doth Boaz make request for a full and perfect reward shewing that it is not in man but it must be God that can make a full payment to godlinesse the full reward is to be giuen of him and therefore from him it is to be expected who hath the recompence in his hand in full perfection Vnder whose wings A figuratiue speech vsuall in Psalmes to expresse the loue of God and the Psal 17. 8. and 57. 36. 7. 61 protection of such as be his for as a Hen nourisheth and defendeth her young ones vnder her wings from the Kite and other rauenous birds so doth the Lord care for his people to keepe them in safety from dangers They are safely protected Deut. 33. 29. who come to the Lord and trust in him for Psalm 91. God hath vndertaken to protect such and he is Zach. 2. 8. able to desend them and he will doe it because he loueth them Oh then let vs labour to be of the Lords people to goe vnto him and to trust in him Men being in danger here get into great mens seruice for protection and we being in greater danger yea in such dangers euery day on the right and left hand from which none can deliuer vs but God should not we seeke his seruice for protection And being in it let vs be comforted as sure of his aide let vs trust in him as did Dauid for he saueth all them that put their Psal 61 4. Psal 17. 7 57. 1. Psal 17. 8. and 119. 94. Psal 63. 7. Psal 34. 91. Iob. 1. trust in him Let vs in neede runne to him for aid as did Dauid and desired to be saued by him and let vs reioyce vnder the shadow of his wings for his Angels shall guard vs and pitch their Tents about vs he will make a hedge about vs also and if this will not be defence enough then Zach. 2. 5. will he be a wall of fire so sure and safe shall we be from all our enemies Thou art come to trust Boaz taketh it for granted that shee had faith for they that come to Heb. 11. God must beleeue that he is This draweth vs to God this keepeth vs with him when we be come vnto him Now that we may know what is here meant by faith we must
thine heart Doe we not receiue his blessings with one hand shew our vnmindfulnesse of him by the other If the keeping of his commandement be the marke of our loue as it 1. Iohn 5. 2. is then surely our waxing wanton against him by abusing of his blessings openly proclaime rather hatred than loue vnto him This is our vnthankefulnesse of which we must repent Blessed be hee of the Lord. This is her prayer made to the Lord to blesse him From this note many things I. That Prayer in and by euery true member of the Church hath beene onely made vnto God This the examples of all the godly doe confirme and thus are we commanded to doe and therefore the prayers made to Sants Angels yea or to the Virgin Mary are abominable and cursed idolatry II. That it is the Lord that doth blesse and make happy for what is begged of God that is acknowledged to be his gift And what happinesse corporall or spirituall can man attaine vnto but by the Lord Therefore if we want blessings let vs beg them of him if wee haue them acknowledge him the Authour and be thankfull in cheerefull obedience for the same as wee be exhorted in the Word of God For who can Deut. 10. 12. Rom. 12. 1. think himselfe blessed of God not be thankfull and obedient vnto him but such as be void of all grace III. That the Lord will blesse the mercifull For shee prayeth for that which she had warrant to aske and wee find that the Lord hath so promised Psal 41. 1 3. Mat. 5. 7. to doe And therefore let the mercifull looke for a blessing and let vs pray for that blessing vpon their heads which shew mercy vnto the poore and needy that they may be encouraged in such workes of charitie And to moue them hereto let them consider Gods promise to them how they be vnder Gods protection Deut. 24. 13. how others pray for them when they doe little thinke thereof and doe blesse them as Naomi doth Boaz here and if the poore faile of their duety yet the almesdeed ascendeth vp to God and Act. 10. 4. the worke done shall blesse them euen the backe and belly of the poore Let these things moue Iob 31. 20. the rich to doe workes of mercy and to reioyce therein IV. That the poores reward vnto the rich for their workes of charity is onely their prayer to God for them Naomi had no other recompence for Boaz but this and this is a great requitall when it is a feruent prayer from faith for such the Lord doth heare and will himselfe reward their workes he becomes bound for them to make good what on their behalfe is wanting Which may greatly comfort such as be mercifull And seeing the poore haue nothing else to repay backe but their prayers let them not faile in this not onely when and while the benefit is in receiuing but euen when for time the fauour may seeme to bee forgotten so often as their Benefactors come to their remembrance not to faile to lift vp a thought to God for them Who hath not left off his kindnesse to the liuing and to the dead The reason which moued Naomi to pray so feruently for a blessing vpon Boaz was his constant fauour towards them aliue as before to her husband and children then dead and it is as if Naomi had said He continueth still in his former kindnesse to vs that be now aliue to thee and me which he shewed to my husband and children now departed this life The Papists prattle Feuardentius in hunc locum I know not what of benefiting the dead by workes of charity out of this place by wresting the sense thereof to maintaine their errour which I leaue as idle and vnprofitable and come to more sound and profitable instructions for our selues Hence may we obserue That true loue in good men dyes not with the dead but is shewed to those they leaue behind them as Boaz doth here to Ruth and Naomi for their husbands sake so did Dauid to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake 2 Sam 9. 1. Prou. 17. 17. 1. Sam. 22. 4. for a true friend loueth at all times Dauid receiued kindnesse of the King of Moab and being dead hee sent to comfort his sonne Hanun if it 2. Sam. 10. 2. had beene so taken For a true friend seeth his friend aliue in his children and posterity Let vs then if we loue one truely not bury our loue with him in his graue as the manner of the world is now which is full of counterfeit loue But let vs imitate our heauenly Father who loued Abraham Isaac and Iacob and their seed after them and promiseth mercy vnto thousands of the posterity Exod. 20. of such as loue him and keepe his commandements This reproueth such which let their loue die with their friends also such as loue their friends posterity if they be rich but not if they be poore as Boaz doth here But true friendship maketh no difference of a friend by riches and pouerty for if this make the difference the friendship is certainely counterfeit Thirdly this condemneth such friends as loue such as remaine of their friends departed so as vnder colour of kindnesse they rob their children committed by the will of their dead friend to their custodie such villanie there is in the world and falsehood masked vnder the shadow of loue Besides instruction here is also matter of cōsolation if we consider how God raiseth vp constant friends to poore posterities though this be rare yet wee haue in this place an example that God is the same in power and mercy to doe the like still for his children but be it that men faile to be faithfull in their loue let vs be comforted in this that the Lord is faithfull if he loue Abraham his friend his posterity in Egypt after foure hundred yeeres shall reape benefit thereby if the Lord chose a Dauid he will for a long time for his sake shew kindnesse to his posterity Let this this I say settle the hearts of carefull parents for their posterity for if the Lord loue them hee will not faile them nor forsake their posterity that shall depend vpon him hee is the sure and constant friend and will not leaue off his kindnesse to the liuing and to the dead as Naomi speaketh heere of Boaz. And Naomi said vnto her The man is neere of kin vnto vs one of our next kinsmen It may seeme by this that before now Naomi had not told Ruth of Boaz her rich kinseman but at this present as occasion had now offered it selfe now she telleth her that hee was a very neere kinsman one of her Redeemers which had a right to redeeme the inheritance and so to marry her and to raise vp seed vnto the dead as the Law required and this Deut. 25. Naomi telles her of to shew how naturall affection did in some sort bind him
husbands louing wise in instructing them and giuing them honour as the weaker vessels Note farther how this worthy woman doth humble and debase her selfe for the Godly think lowly and meanely of themselues 1. Sam. 24. 14. as did Abigail also Dauid that worthy Centurion who said That hee was not worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe Abraham likewise did call himselfe dust and ashes Gen. 18. Saint Paul did greatly humble and vilifie himselfe 1. Tim. ◠13. 1. Cor. 15. 9. for the godly are not selfe-louing they see and know what they be by nature they are not like the Angel of the Church of Laodicea which thought highly of himselfe and that he wanted Reuel 3. nothing when yet he was poore and blind and naked and miserable They know if they haue any thing that the same is from God that the more they haue whether gifts of body or mind or of the world or the graces of the soule spirituall and heauenly the more they be indebted and the more they are to answer for These things considered make them lowly in their owne eies and to behaue themselues so vnto others as all that feare God ought to doe and should goe one before another in giuing of honour and not in taking it as the world now doth Spread therefore thy skirt ouer thine handmaid In this phrase of speech shee modestly claimeth marriage of him for some do write that it was a custom when they were contracted that the man did throw ouer the woman the lap or wing of his garment in token that he took her into his protection The word is taken from Fowles which couer vnder their wings their yong from danger By which husbands are to learne that they either are or should be a protection to their wiues for the woman Gen. 20. 16. bestoweth her selfe vpon the man forsaking for his loue father and mother to bee vnder his couert as his wife she is then as himselfe and he is to loue her as being become one flesh and as the head he is to care for her aswell as to rule and gouerne her And therefore let husbands shew themselues to be such this shal they do if they doe giue their wiues countenance and do grace them with all their credit if they vpon all iust occasions stand for them defend their persons honestie and credit against others if they loue cherish and nourish them as their owne bodies affoording them all honest contentment then are they good protectors And if husbands be the wiues protection and that they looke to haue them so let them depend vpon their husbands let them keepe close to them and by a louing obedience procure protection thus from them from which some husbands are so farre as some wish them dead and so in heart are murtherers some expose them to all miserie by their vnthriftinesse some runne from them and leaue them to the wide world some offer them or at least bawd-like are willing to haue them giue their bodies vnto the lusts of others that they may liue thereby others there bee which murther them to bee rid of them All these are false and faithlesse husbands breaking promise to their wiues made to them before God and his Church cursed caitifes running headlong to destruction without honesty loue or naturall kindnesse to their owne posteritie For thou art a neere kinsman Here is the reason of her request grounded vpon Gods Law as Deut. 25. she had learned by her mother in law This is her onely reason which she vseth to Boaz for that he was a good and a godly man with whom the strongest argument to preuaile is the Word of God for the Word hath authoritie in godly mens hearts it bindeth their consciences and forceth them to yeeld it commandeth them more then all other reasons besides And therefore in hauing to doe with such gather arguments soundly from the Word of God for these will worke vpon good mens hearts and in vsing such reasons aright the Lord and not man may bee said to speake vnto them which course though worldlings mocke at yet such as feare the Lord will weigh and consider of for that they doe desire to square and frame their whole life after the Word and Law of God Verse 10. And hee said Blessed be thou of the Lord my daughter for thou hast shewed more kindnesse in the latter end then at the beginning in as much as thou followest not young men whether poore or rich Boaz his reply vnto Ruth when hee knew who shee was wherein hee blesseth her commendeth her and giueth the reason of such his commendation of her And hee said His answer is full of kindnesse and loue neither doth he reproue her any thing at all though hee iustly might for her thus comming in this manner but Boaz being a good man considered rather the lawfulnesse of the matter which she came for then of the manner of seeking it then also her ground and the reason mouing her to come to him which was the Law of God Thirdly the estimation of her person being held a vertuous woman generally of all And lastly his fulnesse of charitie which taketh things in the best part and is not easily offended made him not to reproue her For a good mā full of mercy and loue doth not lightly condemne the vertuous for some shewes of euill for missing in the manner where the matter intended is good For here the matter was lawfull the ground and inducement iust the person honest and generally well spoken of and her intendement not ill When these things concurre we are not to take exceptions against the manner or failing in some light circumstance Herein let vs imitate good and godly Boaz and let vs not bee like such rigide Censurors as those bee which condemne the best things if they bee not euery way as they ought Those also which make a small fault a great offence reiecting the whole matter for the manner the person for a little mistake Oh how would a proud and churlish Nabal haue taken vp this poore woman a widdow and a stranger if shee had come to him for marriage especially if shee had mistaken him as Ruth here did Boaz in some sort What shame what impudency would he haue laid vpon her so haue reiected her And those likewise which take things indifferent in ill part as Hanun the King of the 2. Sam. 10. Ammonites did Dauids Ambassadors which is greatly against charity an argumēt of an enuious 1. Cor. 13. malicious and proud nature as may be seene in Dauids brethren against him misinterpreting 1. Sam. 17. 17 18 28. his comming being sent by his Father to them Blessed bee thou of the Lord. These words shew how well hee tooke her comming and request made touching marriage hee scorneth her not hee putteth her not off but accepts her as appeareth afterwards and euen in these words when hee saith to so
poore a woman relieued by his Almes Blessed be thou of the Lord. Which words may bee taken either as a petition or as an affirmation If as a petition that the Lord would blesse her then are the lessons the same with those in Chap. 2. 20. where the same words are vsed by Naomi for him as hee doth here for Ruth excepting this circumstance that there Naomi a poore woman prayeth for the rich and here the rich prayeth for the poore of which also before in Chap. 2. 12. If as an affirmation of that which he iudged her to be as if he had said Blessed art thou of the Lord thou art an happy and blessed woman as in Luk. 1. 28. for in Hebrew the word be or art is not expressed but onely thus Blessed thou of the Lord and so may be vnderstood either be to make it a petition or art to make it an affirmation and then wee learne That the godly Luk. 1. 28. with 11. 28. though poore yet are blessed and so accounted of Boaz that is of a godly man who can iudge of true blessednesse for the godly haue those things wherein true blessednesse consisteth As first Gods fauour in Christ and through him are the Mat. 25. Children of his Father therefore called blessed Secondly they haue the fruits of the Spirit and the practice of vertue and for this they bee pronounced Psal 119. 1 2. 128. 1. blessed Thirdly they haue the pardon of sinne and their sinnes put away in Christ and Psal 32. 1 2. shall not be imputed to them and therefore are blessed Fourthly they haue the assurance of eternall life which is promised onely to such and cannot be taken from them and therefore most Ioh. 10. 27 28. blessed though they want these outward things as their Master Iesus Christ himselfe did whilest hee liued heere on Earth Let this comfort the godly poore and make them to reioyce more in their godlinesse then the worldlings in their earthly treasure the carnall man in his pleasure or the vaine glorious in his honour This should make men esteeme of the godly as Dauid did Psal 101. and as Abimelech did of Isaac also to endeuour Gen. 26. 28. to be like them if we account them blessed and to esteem their reproach for righteousnesse sake to bee more honour then the glory of Pharaos Heb. 11. court as Moses did to haue them to dwell with vs to haue our delight in them as Dauid had in Psal 101. the Saints for they are blessed And if so then this confuteth the carnall conceit of worldlings who thinke not so of them especially if poore yet let such consider our Master Christ how poore hee was also the afflicted state of the Saints mentioned in Heb. 13. 37. yet pronounced to bee such as the world was not worthy of And lastly how Ioseph a Prince in Egypt did rather choose to put his sonnes into Iacobs family and to bee called his children than into Pharaos court to bee accounted mightie among the Egyptians My daughter See Chap. 2. 8. Thus he might call her as beeing old for the ancient are to be as Fathers and old women as Mothers vnto the yonger sort in teaching them good things by word and Tit. 2. 1 2 3. by example So as a Magistrate hee might so speake to her as Iosuah spake to Achan for magistrates Iosua 7. are to be as Fathers to the people and to tender them as their children but of this before Note how she called her selfe his handmaid but he is pleased to tearme her by the name of daughter though shee so had debased and humbled her selfe For the humbling of our selues maketh our esteeme to be nothing lesse but rather greater with such as be godly and wise see Chap. 2. 10 11 12. where the more Ruth did humble her selfe the more account did Boaz make of her for such as humble themselues shall bee exalted Let none then thinke by humbling themselues that they shall lose credit and honour as foolishly the base borne and new start-vp doth imagine for they cannot but be suspicious of contempt who know themselues vnworthy of honour and esteeme For thou hast shewed more kindnesse in the latter end then at the beginning This is the reason of his blessing of her or accounting of her blessed because shee encreased and did not decay in goodnesse The truely vertuous and heartily religious are better at last than at the first As the Angel of the Church of Thyatira and as it is said of Ruth here in her kindnesse and loue for goodnesse grace and vertue where it is truely planted will increase rather then decay for the Lord husbands Iohn 15. 2. such Trees by his Word his Spirit and afflictions Wee must therefore labour for this 1. Thes 4. 1. commendation if wee will be held truely vertuous truely honest kind iust mercifull and gracious but some are farre from this praise growing worse and worse till they be starke naught whether it be in respect of Religion as we see in Iehu Demas Alexander the Copper-smith and Iudas who were worst at last because they were neuer truely good at the first or in respect of loue and kindnesse as here spoken of Ruth which loue some turne into hatred and kindnesse into cankred malice and shew more ill will at the last then loue at the first like Amon to his sister Tamar and Saul to Dauid for that loue was neither good nor sound in them as Ionathans was to Dauid and Ruths to Naomi and hers to Ruth againe In as much as thou followest not young men whether poore or rich Boaz in the other words gaue a reason of his blessing of her here he giueth a reason of his so commending her kindnesse which appeareth to bee more at the last now than at the first to wit to her husband deceased and to her now mother in law Naomi because shee married him in her owne countrey and him rather then any of her owne nation which was kindnesse then for Naomi her sake to leaue her owne countrey and to come and dwell with her in Iudah in a poore estate this was great kindnesse but now to be ruled by Naomi beeing so yong a woman to seeke to match with an old man and not to follow nature in desiring yong men but the Law of God for to raise vp a name againe vnto her dead husband whom by this meanes shee maketh to liue againe in Israel this is it which maketh her kindnesse to bee more at last then at the first in louing an old man rather than any yong and him also for the dead sake to reuiue his name among the people of God See here in Ruth how true loue obedience to good counsell and grace doe ouercome nature and the law of lust for shee loued her husband shee was obedient to Naomi and in her selfe vertuous and therefore reason and Religion did take place and
neither nature nor lust preuailed with her A good example for youth to follow Note out of these words farther these lessons First that as now so then and euer before there haue beene two sorts rich and poore in the world First to shew in one what all might haue beene and in the other the poore what all deserue to bee Secondly that the rich may haue occasion to shew workes of mercy and the poore labouring painefully and honestly may haue to whom to goe vnto for reliefe for the rich are Gods Stewards for the poore Let both seeke to liue together louingly and to helpe one another the poore to lend their labour to the rich and the rich to supply their wants for the one cannot liue without the other all cannot bee rich neither must all bee poore Let vs rest contented with our estates let not the poore murmur with enuy at the rich neither let these despise the poore for God hath made them both and one to stand in need of the other Secondly that yong persons in nature affect to marry with yong persons like themselues which is implyed by Boaz speech So did Isaac marry and Iacob and so in ancient time were matches made If euer old and young marryed together it was the old man with a young woman but neuer an old woman with a young man as the wanton and lecherous often doe with wanton young fellowes in these dayes to the staine of their sexe and reproach to themselues and often their vtter vndoing For youth cannot affect old age and therefore it is fittest that marriage bee made betweene such as may most likely agree together other matches proue for the most part vntoward Thirdly The truly religious will be ruled by the Law of God and will not be led after their naturall disposition For here Ruth leaueth the young men and taketh an old man because the Law so bound her as she conceiued taking Boaz for the neerest Kinsman because such as be truly religious haue denied themselues and doe resigne themselues wholly to Gods good pleasure and will saying as Christ said Not my will O Father but thy will bee Matth. 26. 39. done Hence was it that Ioseph did abstaine from his Mistresse Dauid frō smiting Saul when twice he might haue done it to get the kingdom he rather would waite and endure much affliction for he that beleeueth saith Isaiah maketh not haste And hence is it that such as feare God dare not follow the course of the world but doe restraine their nature and their desires and do endeauor to please God in all things If this be the grace of the religious let men hereby trie themselues and bee as God wisheth them to bee and as Religion and Deut. 5. 29. Psal 86. 11. and 119. 5. Iames 1. 27. Tit. 2. 11 12. Grace it selfe requireth them to be as Dauid promised and prayed to be They are surely then far frō being religious which liue according to their lusts those that will follow the world with Demas and Iudas and Nabal but not forsake it as Barnabas Acts 4. 37. Luke 19. Zacheus did those that wil follow the flesh as the young men did their eyes in the old world and as Potiphars wife who was inamoured with Gen. 6. faire Ioseph few Iosephs among the vainely idly vp bred Youths of the Gentrie in our dayes And yet such will hung after honours and vaine titles and if they cannot merit thē they wil pay money for them the insolencie and pride of Haman the aspiring arrogancie of Absalom and Adoniah are reigning in many And haue we not Scribes and Pharises which loue the highest places Is there a Ionathan among thousands Where is a Heb. 11. Moses that wil be no more a Courtier for feare of sinning Will a Saul become a Paul so well trained vp Or can there be found a Manaen a Princes foster brother to ioyne to the Church and to Acts 13. 1. become a Teacher in meere loue to Religion Do they not rather scorne the Calling And yet to call these worldlings these fleshly liuers and these vaine-glorious spirits prophane irreligious louers of pleasures more then louers of God Oh how would they take on How enraged would they be so they loue to be held religious or not to be without Religion and yet in works deny God Titus 1. 16. being abominable and disobedient vnto euery good work reprobate as the Apostle speaketh Verse 11. And now my daughter feare not I will doe to thee all thou requirest for all the Citie of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman BOaz gaue her before due commendation here is now his consolation and comforting of her first by a dehortation willing her not to feare then by a faithfull promise to satisfie her request yeelding a reason of the same And now my daughter Boaz still vseth this terme both for that he loued her and desired to comfort her We may here see in Boaz that a louing and mercifull heart is not rough in tearmes as an vnlouing and mercilesse Nabal is This we may see to bee so betweene louing Parents and children Gen. 22. 7 8. in Abraham and Isaac betweene kind married couples as in Isaac and Rebecca Elkanah and 1. Sam. 1. 8. Hannah and betweene louing friends and godly disposed as in Elizabeth and Marie S. Paul Luke 1. 43. and other Christians or Labourers with him in the Gospell and also in Eli and Samuel for louing natures whether they bee high and honourable speaking to meane persons as Boaz to Ruth heere or old and in authoritie to such as bee young as Eli to Samuel or such as sit in iudgement 1. Sam. 3. 16. speaking to Malefactors as Ioshua to Achan Ios 7. 19. or a Master vnto his seruants as Iob to his or one Iob 31. 13. Chap. 2. 8. giuing an almes to the poore as Boaz to Ruth it is all one they are not rough nor churlish for they be neither proud nor impatient And therfore if we would be held louing and mercifull let vs vse louing and kind speeches Note againe that louing and kind speeches of great and rich persons Chap. 2. 13. are comfortable vnto the poore as Ruth before confesseth and therefore Boaz doth heere vse them to cheere vp the spirit of this poore woman for kind words witnesse a kind heart if the speakers be not dissemblers Now the apprehension of hearty loue in the mighty gladdeth much the heart of such as be poore and in a low estate Let therfore the mighty and rich learne to shew forth kindnesse and to speake louingly By it Dauid so speaking to Amasa passing by his fault with Absalom bowed the heart of the Tribe of Iudah 2. Sam. 19. 13 14. as one man How did Absalom win the hearts of the people was it not by louing speeches and courteous behauiour which bee of an attractiue vertue to gaine
Chapter Then will I doe the part of a Kinsman to thee Boaz hauing laid downe the condition he reneweth his promise made in vers 11. yea though the other refuse her he will take her for one mans dislike maketh not true loue to decay in another mans heart for true loue is fixed vpon the thing beloued without respect to other mens affections to the same their liking may the more increase loue but dislike cannot vtterly remoue it where it is firmely settled this experience telleth vs to bee true in the loue of young persons affecting marriage And it were to bee wished that our loue were so strong that our soules were so glued to Religion that though others dislike wee may not therefore cease to loue it but bee as Ruth to Naomi and so say as she to her though shee saw Chap. 1. 16. Orpha depart from her Note againe that albeit Boaz made this promise to her alone and without other witnesses but God onely yet hauing promised and sworne to keepe it he after honestly and faithfully performes the same as in the next Chapter is plaine For an honest man will Numb 32. 27. Iosh 4. 12. and 22. 3. Iudg 1. 3 7 12 13. Gen. 50. 21. Iosh 6. 23. Iudg. 1. 25. keepe his oath and his word as may be seene in the Reubenites Gadites and halfe Tribe of Manasseh in Ionathan and Dauid in Iudah with Simeon in Ioseph to his brethren after acobs death Caleb to Othniel the Spies to Rahab and to the man of Bethel for an honest man hath a binding conscience when the word is passed out of his mouth he careth for his honest name and credit which to him is more then riches and better then oyntment If therefore we be of vpright and honest dealing and so would be accounted let vs keepe our words and our othes for this is common honesty iustice and a thing of good report Phil. 4. 8. Psal 15. 4. which we are commanded to haue care of It is a marke of a good Christian though it bee to our owne hinderance wee shall be like the children of our heauenly Father who faileth not of any thing which he speaketh Without keeping promise Iosh 21. 45. 1. King 8. 56. men cannot bee trusted it cutteth off all commerce and traffique with men Godly men haue euer made conscience of their word and very heathen men haue been worthy of admiration in this point And yet these things mooue nothing a number of base-minded false-hearted and dishonest Christians vnworthy the name of such when they lose their common honestie As the Lord liueth This is an oath Ier. 4. 2. This oath hee taketh because it was a matter of great importance and for that he would put the poore woman out of all doubt and that shee should not feare the accomplishment though he was rich and she poore he noble shee meane he an Israelite and she a stranger of Moab From this note First that it is lawfull to take an oath against the Anabaptists assertion of which see Chap. 1. 17. Secondly That the godly vse to sweare by God when they sweare and by none other of this more at large also in chap. 1. 17. Thirdly that the forme of an oath is diuersly expressed and not one manner of way as thus I speake it before God God is my witnesse The Lord knoweth As the Lord liueth I protest before the Lord I call God to record and diuers such like besides the common forme By God and so forth which I note to taxe the vsuall swearing of many who seeme to hate swearing in the common forme and yet they themselues sweare too often in another forme so subtill is Satan to beguile them in that and therein to make them guiltie of that from which they take themselues to be most free but they be deceiued for when God or his name and attributes are at any time mentioned for this end to confirme the truth of that which a man speaketh it is an oath Let men take notice hereof and cease to be common swearers Fourthly that it is lawfull to sweare in priuat cases as Ionathan did to Dauid and he to Ionathan the spies to Rahab Boaz here to Ruth in case of necessitie and in weightie matters In such cases wee may vse our lawfull libertie but yet with great warinesse with great reuerence of the high Maiestie of God not suddenly not in passion not without due aduisement Fifthly that an oath is the confirming of Heb. 6. 16. the mind of another in the truth of that which is spoken whether of things past spoken or done or of things present or of things to come and promised to be done This is the end of Boaz swearing here If this be so then let men rest satisfied with an oath as Ruth doth here and as in some cases God would haue men so to do for it is the greatest Exod. 22. 11. confirmation of a truth that may bee except the partie swearing either hath been conuinced or is at that present conuincible by good probabilities of falshood If this be the end of an oath then also let men care to sweare truly that the mind of others may trust them and relye vpon their faithfull oath taken But we haue cause to bewaile these times in which there bee such as professing Christianitie yet will vse oathes yea and fearefull execrations to coozen with to make their lyes and secret villanies intended to bee the lesse suspected as by miserable experience some simple and plaine meaning men may speake being deluded by faire shewes of godlinesse zeale of goodnesse words confirmed by oathes fearefull execrations and counterfeit letters that wicked hypocrites and Satanicall deceiuers might attaine to their vnlawfull desires Let men therfore take heed of men and beware whom they trust seeing men dare with pretence of godlinesse goe so farre in detestable villanies but I wish him or them that practise it to leaue it betimes else let them looke for deserued doome without serious Repentance Lie down vntill the morning With these words hee endeth his conference not spending the night in vaine or vnnecessary prattling as idle louers and wanton suters will doe but hauing answered her request and shewed to her his loue and honest resolution hee willeth her to lie downe vntill the morning By which words it seemeth she was risen vp as ready to depart but that hee would not permit her so to doe for the reasons before mentioned and because the night is ordained for rest as the Psalmist saith At night man goeth to his rest Neither is it safe for young women to bee abroad in the night it sauoureth not well it befitteth not their sex may endanger their chastitie Wee must beware of beeing Night-walkers for Satan the prince of darkenesse will then be the most busie Such also as hate the Light loue to be in darkenesse as the theefe the adulterer Againe the night imboldeneth Iob.
thereof pray much and humble themselues with teares where shall the wicked and sinner 1. Pet. 4. 18. appeare How can the common and carelesse Christian bee saued Thus should they reason to rowze vp their spirits to make them to seeke God and feare damnation and not take occasion by the falls of some to condemne the profession of Religion it selfe in others and so to make no account thereof in themselues to the hardning of their owne hearts and so heaping vpon themselues the iust deserued vengeance And she rose vp before one could know another That shee might bee gone away out of the floore before the light or at the dawning of the day very earely ere others should bee stirring This shee did perhaps out of a ioy of heart and desire to bee with Naomi to tell her the successe of her counsell which she carefully followed as it may seeme by her hasty relation of the matter vnto her mother in law when shee came vnto her as shall bee shewed in the 16. verse Note heere that they bee not drowzie-headed whose hearts are taken vp with their businesse they can rise betimes and preuent the day whether it bee the desire of getting goods or enioying pleasure or to doe mischiefe which makes some not to rest or that it bee such ioy as was heere in Ruth or a good will to doe a thing as in Abraham to obey God Gen. 22. 3. and 28. 18. hee arose vp earely so Iacob to get to his Vncles Iosua to find out the transgressour in the excommunicate Iosua 7. 16. thing to put euill away from Israel Dauid to go with that which his father sent vnto 1. Sam. 17. 20. the hoast So that let the heart be taken vp with loue care ioy desire it will doe any thing the spirit of drowzinesse will bee shaken off for it is the carelesse minde which maketh slothfull To bee therefore stirring and to raise vp our selues out of the bed of idlenesse wee must set our hearts vpon our affaires I might also note how darkenesse keeps vs from the knowledge of one another therefore in darkenesse man feareth not the face of man and so is bold to doe euill because hee is hid from the sight of others and as it is in bodily darkenesse so in spirituall the ignorant and blind in soule dare do any thing they blush not neither be they ashamed which others enlightened are afraid to commit neither can they discerne one another for the light of Truth they haue not But yet though men can bee hid in darkenesse from men they cannot bee so from God For hee said or as others reade And hee said Let it not bee knowne that a woman came into the floore If you reade For it is a reason from Boaz his speech of her so soone rising if And then it is his admonition to her that beeing risen shee should so get her into the city that others might not know that they were alone together in the floore that night Howsoeuer it bee read Boaz herein sheweth his care of his her honest name and credit which might hereby bee brought into suspition albeit their consciences had told them that they had done nothing worthy blame for any act of dishonestie From hence let vs note First that it neuer was neither yet is a matter of good report but a suspition rather of euill for a man and a woman to be taken together alone in places vnfit vnusuall and at times vnseasonable This the words of Boaz doe plainely heere giue vs to vnderstand for man is so apt to this sinne of the flesh yea the best without especial grace as light occasions breed suspitions because also men are not so charitable as they should bee if any least shew of euill may seeme to bee giuen this way Therefore let such as would not bee suspected beware how they be in company alone together when and where suspicions may arise Secondly that it is not enough to haue our consciences cleare before God but our selues cleare of giuing iust suspition of euill before men This was Boaz his care and Saint Pauls for it is not enough to haue a good Acts 24. 16. 2. Cor. 8. 21. conscience within but we must haue care of our good name to be well reported of abroad which is an excellent thing better then riches then Prou. 22. 1. Eccles 7. 1. Hebr. 11. 2 39. 3. Iohn 12. oyntment And this the godly will endeuour to obtaine to stop the mouthes of aduersaries that they may bee put to rebuke and to procure glory 1. Pet. 2. 12. to the Gospell which they doe professe This being our duetie then are they reproueable which make no conscience of offence before men because say they our hearts condemne not vs wee know wee doe not what men suspect when yet the Apostle forbids offences and to 1. Cor. 10. 3◠12 13. looke to expediencie and not simply to the lawfulnesse of a thing and to auoid all appearances of euill There are another sort worse than these who are so farre from auoiding suspition of euill as they are not ashamed of the euill it selfe being past shame and dare openly boast of their lewdnesse without blushing of which both Esai and Esai 3. 9. Ier. 6. 15. 8. 12. Ieremie doe complaine Verse 15. Also hee said Bring the vaile that thou hast vpon thee and hold it And when shee held it hee measured six measures of Barley and laid it on her and shee went into the Citie HEre is Boaz his liberality and testimonie of loue nothing wherein it was receiued what and how much hee gaue his helping her vp with it to conuay and carry it away And lastly his and her departure into the citie Also hee said Boaz his former speech was for her credit but this is for her comfort the former stood in words but this in a good work of mercy A good mans loue appeareth in word and in deed in good counsell and in good works of comfort also This sheweth loue to bee perfect not feigned this is to follow the Apostle Iohn his exhortation 1. Iohn 3. 18. not to loue in word and tongue onely but in deed and in truth so loued Boaz and so doe all blessed men loue If therefore the loue of worke bee wanting and onely the loue of word it is counterfeit loue and Saint Iames reiecteth it as Iam. 2. no loue Bring the vaile that thou hast vpon thee and hold it He tooke occasion from this loose vaile to bestow corne vpon her for a good man in his willingnesse to do good will take the smallest occasiō to shew it This word vaile in another place is translated Esai 3. 22. mantle It was a loose garment cast vpon her to keepe her warme and to couer her in the night There was vsed also among them another vaile for the day to throw ouer their heads and faces for modestie sake
they bee neuer so able but they must hire others to speake for them by which it commeth to passe that causes are spunne out to an exceeding length and not often faithfully handled for men hired to set their wits and tongues on sale what will they not doe Doth not our age produce enow euill lamentable and cursed fruits hereof And haue we not cause to bewaile the manifold mischiefes and ensuing miseries which this generation of euill men bringeth forth daily among vs Naomi that is come againe out of the countrey of Moab Of her person and returne from that place see before Chap. 1. 6. Here she is propounded as the sales-woman the land she had by Elimelech her husband as the last words of this verse shew as her ioynture or dowrie for wiues had land among the Iewes and Israelites and good 2. King 8. 6. reason there is that wiues should be prouided for by them which haue lands to leaue them because they are one with the husband they haue laboured together and loue binds the husband to haue care for her after death for her comfort her better esteeme euen with her owne children for if they haue any thing then children will loue and honour them and glad will they seeme to be which of them may haue her companie and may please her best but if she haue nothing they will bee as glad which may be rid of her Therefore let husbands haue a care to prouide for them and not bee like some husbands which giue all or most to children and little or nothing to wiues but what Law will giue them and that he may so doe let the wife labour to deserue well of the husband and yet though shee deserue well let him not giue all to her and little to children as some doe and so vndoe both her selfe and children with an after-choise of a bad husband Selleth a parcell of land That is determineth to sell a portion or piece of land left her by Elimelech Shee was growne poore and therefore might sell her land for so we doe reade that the Leuit. 25. 25 29. poore might sell land or houses and this selling and buying is lawfull as wee may see by Gods approbation Gen. 23. and the practice of the godly in buying and selling The manner of purchase and sale and conueyance is shewed in the Prophecie of Ier. 32. 6 44. Ieremie it must be without oppression and this Leuit. 25. 14. will bee auoided if men feare God But the Lord allowed not the sale but vpon necessity hee must Leuit. 25 25. become poore first The Iewish Interpreters vpon that place of Leuiticus say that no man but the poore might sell his inheritance other might not sell to put money in their purses to make marchandize or other things saue onely for food and necessary liuelihood How iustly then are here condemned among vs such as sell their lands for to spend at play to runne a whoring to goe gayly and in costly rayment to keepe Hawkes and Hounds to trauell into Idolatrous countreys to see fashions and to learne not good manners but bad conditions with Apish cōplements Others also which sell their possessions because they would liue idly to put the money out to vsurie and so liue lazily but yet cursedly vpon the sweate of other mens browes These and the other should say with Nbaoth God forbid that I should sell my fathers inheritance especially selling as these doe to bestow and lay out the mony so accursedly But let such Vnthrists know which sell their land to waste vpon their lust that they doe wickedly rob their posterity they weaken their present estate they bring vpon themselues beggery and so contempt and misery and that very iustly and do as much as lieth in them roote out their names from the places where their Ancestours by Gods blessing had planted them and when all is spent they expose themselues to many temptations to take lewd courses to helpe themselues which bring many to a shamefull end Let them remember that if they cannot liue with their estates how can they liue without them Paines they cannot take they haue idly beene brought vp which often is the cause of this prodigality to beg they bee ashamed because of reproach iustly to light vpon them therefore must they fall to stealing and so come that way into the Magistrates hands that they may be punished for their former villanies which the Magistrate took no notice of or made no conscience to punish Which was our brother Elimelechs Thus Boaz calleth him who was but his kinsman though neere This was vsuall among the Iewes and Israelites so to call one another yea it is obseruable that Gods people in all ages haue called one another brethren before the Law vnder the Law Gen. 14. 14. Exod. 2. 11. Leuit. 19. 17. Deut. 13. 19. Rom. 1. 13. Mat. 6. Gal. 4. 26. 1. Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 12. 10. Heb. 13. 1. 1. Thes 4. 9. 1. Ioh. 3. 14. and in the time of the Gospell and good reason so to do for they haue all one Father and all one Mother Which should teach vs brotherly loue one towards another to loue as brethren that is with respect to our Father and wee his adopted Children for whoso after this manner loueth is translated from death to life Also such as loue like brethren are familiar they haue a feeling of each others estate both in prosperity and aduersity reioycing or sorrowing as it falleth out and that because they be brethren they doe also shew readinesse to helpe one another as brethren should doe and they hold it a shame to do them wrong Therefore let vs loue and loue as brethren and try it by these true brother-like markes of loue which if a man doe hee shall find little brotherly loue among men for few loue a man in this respect as he is the Child of God few are familiar with the vertuous for their vertues sake And who mourneth with them in the true cause of their mourning or reioyceth with them in their ioy If men so doe where is their helping hand to further their ioy or to helpe them when they be troubled for righteousnesse sake Verse 4. And I thought to aduertise thee saying Buy it before the Inhabitants and before the Elders of my people If thou wilt redeeme it redeeme it but if thou wilt not redeeme it then tell me that I may know for there is none to redeeme it besides thee and I am after thee And hee said I will redeeme it BOaz here sheweth why he telleth the kinsman of Naomi her selling of land to offer him the sale first In which offer note First what the offer is to buy it then before whom Thirdly the manner of propounding it as left free to his choise to redeeme or not to redeeme Fourthly the reason why offered to him in the first place and that by Boaz. Lastly the kinsmans answer
their obedience to God Fourthly the loue of praises of men and feare of them Ioh. 12. 42 43. make them to make balkes in their seruice to God now omitting this then that and heere trespassing and there offending against the Law to get this mans praise and not to displease that being bound onely to man but loose in their hearts to follow their owne wils in respect of any conscience towards God Fifthly the deadnesse and benummednes of their consciences for want of looking into Gods Law and the searching out of their wayes by the same which neuer troubles them for neglect of their dueties nor for the breach of any part of the Law Sixtly a carnall perswasion of their good estate and that in thus doing they be not so much to blame because they thriue in the world they get many friends and they see others also to be their companions with them herein of the best ranke in the world and such as professe to be better yet are taken tardie in foule faults and therfore are they hartened hereby in this their halting seruice and partiall obediēce to God Let vs take knowledge of this to bewaile it then to remoue these causes and to labour for the contrary graces that wee may serue God with all our hearts Note againe how he saith I cannot when hee might haue said I will not but hence we see that what man will not doe that hee excuseth with I cannot doe So did the high Priests and Elders answer our Sauiour saying they could not tell when indeed they would Mat. 21. 27. not tel him what they thought of Iohns Baptisme for I cannot is a more modest speech than I will not and it carrieth a reasonable excuse with it for in reason we thinke that what a man cannot doe he should not be vrged to doe and therefore doe men vse to say they cannot doe that which they haue no will to doe either of a froward spirit which is to be condemned or vpon respect of some inconueniences which may in some sort be excused with I cannot doe to wit with conueniencie but this must not excuse or hinder our duety of charitie to neglect the helping of our brother in this his necessity or to omit to doe what we ought or may well doe for so to say I cannot is vntruth and an euill excuse Lest I marre mine owne inheritance Thus this Kinsman excuseth his refusall of Ruth He might thinke perhaps being a worldling that he might marre it if he married a young woman and so bee ouercharged with children or that in marrying Ruth hee should bee burthened with poore Naomi or he hauing children by another should by this bring a new charge vpon him and occasion discord by children of diuers women which seldome agree as may be seene in Ishmael Isaas and Iacobs sonnes or he might haue another wife as vpon this place some doe note and so by taking this the house might be filled with contention as wee may see when Abraham tooke Hagar to Sarah also in the wiues of Iacob Elkanah his two wiues and as is very like betweene the wiues of Lamech the first Bigamist Or lastly he might thinke hauing a good inheritance of his owne by taking Ruth and be getting a sonne to the dead and so perhaps hauing no more should thereby raise vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance and want one for his owne which he would not so marre as he saith whatsoeuer his thought was thus to moue him to speake We may learne that a Worldling is carefull to preserue his outward estate that it be not marred as he here speaketh for such a one is wise in his generation hee loueth his riches and wealth and he feareth want and it is not amisse to care to get honestly and to preserue our lands and goods when wee haue them for they are Gods gift and wee are made his Stewards ouer them to keepe them carefully and to imploy them according to his will and not after our lusts yea this wee are commanded to doe and vrged by Pro. 27. 23 24 25 26 27. Gen. 33. 13 14. 1. King 21. 1. Tim. 5. 8. Prou. 31. 1. Cor. 12. Salomon thereto by many reasons this care had Abraham Isaac Iacob Naboth and the Apostle telleth vs that euery one is to prouide for his familie as the good Huswife doth and parents are to lay vp for their children which they cannot doe except they be painefull frugall and do care to vphold their estates and therefore thus farre a worldling is not to bee reproued but as farre forth as he careth for the world with neglect of Religion in himselfe and in his family when as first we must seeke Gods Kingdome as Christ Mat. 6. 33. commandeth and that in the first and not in the last place and as farre as he keepeth it with ship-wracke of conscience vpholding it by ill meanes and hauing no care to doe good works which two that is the neglect of Gods seruice and of keeping of a good conscience if they bee auoided men may in the care of their outward estate bee well warranted to keepe and preserue Gods blessings bestowed vpon them euer in faith to God and loue to our brethren for with all care wee ought most of all to vphold our spirituall estate that we marre not that and lose our hope of Heauen but let the care of the one put vs in mind of the care of the other as euery way more excellent Note farther from this man that Worldlings thinke by obeying Gods Law they shall marre their earthly estate that Religion will ouerthrow them and thus they imagine first because they see Gods Word to crosse their worldly courses whereby they doe vse to get and vphold their estate which indeed cannot stand with Religion pure vndefiled before God Secondly because they are perswaded that they must doe as men of the world doe else they shall not thriue howsoeuer Religion it selfe binds them to the contrary Thirdly because they trust not God nor rely vpon his Word Fourthly for that they see many which goe for religious men to be poore and not to thriue as they doe or desire to doe in the world which they impute to their ouerstrictnesse in Religion and therefore doe conclude with themselues that to liue after the Rule of Gods Word is the next way to beggery which they will by their worldly courses preuent if they can But let vs beware of such Atheisticall thoughts and be farre from these imaginations of Worldlings first because riches Deut. 8. 18. are from God and not by man man cannot make himselfe rich by any meanes if Gods common blessing be not assistant thereto experience also teacheth vs this when wee see men industrious yea prouident and wise as others yet can they not attaine the halfe that others come to Secondly because these outward blessings euen these are promised to such as doe liue
persons in our selues who by our corruption pollute the ordinance of God and as wee bee of Adams race so haue we our children conceiued in sinne and brought forth in iniquity and beget such as be after our owne likenesse wee haue Gen. 5. cause then to pray and that seruently to God to blesse and shew mercy vnto vs. And thirdly for the troublesomenesse of the estate of marriage which may cause vs to pray heartily for it is full of temptations and trials And therefore let it moue vs to pray for them after the example of the people here and these Elders and not be like such as at the time of marriage onely stand staring and looking on or through vaine thoughts doe laugh and make a sport thereof or else spend their thoughts vpon the delight of future vanities dauncing drinking lewd songs and ribaldrie more heathenish than Christian-like And if others are to pray for the married parties then much more should they pray for themselues but alas how farre are most from it hauing their thoughts spent vpon vanities Secondly note that in publike prayer the Assembly should bee of one 2. Chron. 5. 13. Nehem. 8. Acts 1. 14. and 2. 46. and 4. 24 accord as all these were heere both the Elders and people as also elsewhere This is vn 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the other confusion when people are otherwise exercised than in giuing their assent to that which is publikely performed That is come into thine house That is either already come or that certainely shall come as if shee were already in the house This sheweth the cohabitation of man and wise and that they are 1. Pet. 3. 7. 1. Cor. 7. 5. to dwell together as Peter speaketh and God placed the first man and wife together in Paradise and Abraham and Sarah liued together so did Isaac and Rebecca Iacob and his wiues and so did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Sam. 6. 20. 1. Cor. 9. 5. Dauid with his And this is fit and necessary for mutuall comfort and society therefore the Apostles tooke their wiues with them and it is for this cause altogether a fault when any wilfully liue separated from their wiues or any vnnecessarily without a calling out of an idle leuity will become Trauellers into other countries after they bee married when the Apostle warneth them not to defraud one another except with consent and that but for a time and for this end to giue themselues to fasting and prayer and then come together againe lest Satan tempt them to incontinencie Like Rachel and Leah Rachel is first named because shee was Iacobs wife first by couenant and his best beloued Two wiues he had and it was and i◠lawfull to haue one wife after another as Abraham had Keturch after Sarah for they that cannot abstaine it is better to marry than to 1. Cor. 7. 9 36. burne and when the one is departed the other is free to marry againe in the Lord. And therefore it is an hereticall opinion to forbid second marriages which the godly practised and the Apostle alloweth vpon good reasons But to haue two wiues at once is not lawfull for it is contrary to the Lords first institution of marriage who ioyned together but one man and one woman it is Gen. 2. against the Apostles Doctrine who teacheth euery 1. Cor. 7. man to haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband And wee may reade of the first offenders how one was out of the Church a blasphemous Lamech and the other in Gē 4. 26. 34. the Church a prophane Esau And albeit holy mē had many wiues it was their fault God onely being pleased to passe it ouer in his mercie but allow thereof hee did not as appeareth by the Malac. 2. 15. Prophet Malachies words And therefore are they not herein to bee followed It is a blessed Law which of late time hath beene enacted in this Nation against marrying two wiues at once In praying that Ruth might bee first like Rachel who was amiable and louely to Iacob and then like Leah who was fruitfull they may seeme to pray for two things of the Lord the first was that there might bee true loue and good liking betweene Boaz and Ruth for true loue and Ephe. 5. 25. Col. 3. 19. Gen. 24. 67. 1. Sam. 1. 5. good liking ought to bee betweene husband and wife specially so commanded so practised by Isaac and by Elkanah and other godly men and it is that which maketh marriage comfortable and the parties to liue quietly together with mutuall contentment Oh therefore let vs pray for this loue and not onely pray but endeuour to vse the best meanes to procure and hold it And to effect this the married persons are to take heed of strange affections which might alienate their minds one from another then to behold rather the good qualities and vertues of one another than the infirmities and things to bee found fault with for loue couereth a multitude of offences Young persons before marriage cannot see one anothers faults and if they doe see them yet their loue is such as they can passe them by Why is not loue in marriage as strong nay stronger seeing now two are made one Isaac tooke Rebecca and shee was his wife and he then loued her but now men loue their Rebeccaes afore marriage and then taking them for wiues they hate them or not loue them as before Moreouer the married parties are to bee ready to performe mutuall dueties cheerefully yea they are to striue which should be most louing in their dueties of loue and should also prouoke one another thereto Lastly they should often thinke of the solemne couenant made betwixt them and by that and other godly reasons presse themselues the husband himselfe and the wife her selfe to their dueties yea they should bewaile their owne and one anothers corruptions before God and pray against them and for Gods good graces to make them duetifully louing one to another thus doing shall they by Cods blessing both procure and keepe loue The second thing they prayed for was the encrease of children which was Gen. 1. 28. Zach. 8. 5. Gen. 9. 1. the first blessing to man and woman when God had made them and the first and principall end of marriage and which God promised vnto his people In old time it was held a reproach for Luke 1. 25. 1. Sam. 1. 26. Leuit. 20. 20. Ier. 22. 30. Gen. 20. 18. 2. Sam. 6. 23. Psal 127. and 128. women to be barraine and the Lord did threaten it as a punishment yea and inflicted it vpon some Surely it is the want of a blessing as the Psalmist teacheth And therefore let vs pray for this blessing as Abraham did Isaac Manoah and Hannah from which these are farre who so marry as they might bee without hope of children such also as murmure at Gods blessing through vnbeliefe fearing not to haue to maintaine them vnlike Leah who comforted
Secondly that we haue assistance of God his Spirit teaching vs to pray with groanes which cannot bee expressed because wee know not how to pray as wee ought and thirdly that Christ prayeth for vs and in him we offer vp our supplications and so shall be heard This lesson 1. Sam. 12. Rom. 15. 30. 2. Cor. 1. 11. Ephes 6. 18. Col. 4. 3. 1. Thes 5. 25. Philem. 22. Phil. 1. 19. Heb. 13. 18 19. also teacheth vs to esteeme greatly of the prayers of the godly seeing they be so effectuall and desire them to pray for vs as the Israelites did Samuel and S. Paul the faithfull and Saints of God as may appeare in almost euery of his Epistles so highly did he account of their prayers for him Verse 14. And the women said vnto Naomi Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman that his name may bee famous in Israel PRaise and thankesgiuing vnto God at the birth of the child The parties reioycing were the women their ioy was vttered to Naomi the manner was holy and religious praising God the matter thereof or the moouing cause was that God had not left her without a kinsman and the hopefull end thereof that his name may be famous in Israel And the women said That is such godly women as were at the child-birth these reioyced In Naomies behalfe For it is the duty of one to reioyce in the welfare of another when God best 〈…〉 his blessings vpon them As these doe here the neighbours Luk. 1. 58. Exod. 18. 9. Iob. 42. 11. of Elizabeth Iethrâ— at the prosperity of Israel and the friends of Iob at his recouery This we are commanded to doe to reioyce with those Rom. 12. 15. 1. Cor. 12. 26. Matth. 22. 39. that doe reioyce the godly are members one of another and therefore must needs haue a fellow feeling it is a fruit of loue and charity and that wee loue our neighbours as our selues which if we doe we will reioyce in their welfare as we doe in our owne But let this be with them in lawfull things for charity reioyceth not in iniquity let vs reioyce with them in their happy and blessed 1. Cor. 13. welfare whether temporall as former examples shew or spirituall as Saint Paul reioyced in the behalfe of the Philippians and Colossians and Phil. 1. 3 4. Col. 1. 3. 12. 2. Ioh. Verse 4. Saint Iohn in the graces of the elect Lady and her children This reprooueth three sorts first such as enuy the prosperity of others as Sanballats Nehe. 2. 10. Exod. 1. and Tobies like Egyptians which cannot endure to see others prosper by them These are voyd of charity which is without enuy and they 1. Cor. 13. 4. are like the diuell that being cast from Heauen could not endure to see man in Paradise or like diuelish men Cain Saul and the Scribes and Pharises the enemies of Christ Secondly such as reioyce with their friends in their prosperity though they get vp by vniust meanes and by vnlawfull practices vphold themselues this is not 1. Cor. 13. 6. true loue for here is more cause of mourning then of reioycing for what ioy can it bee to a godly heart to see his friend rich and in glory by vsury bribery oppression deceit and fraud which came for plagues vpon him from Heauen and are the high way to hell and damnation But outward prosperity so dazeleth the eyes and deludeth the heart as the plagues of the soule and vengeance due for the same they either see not or beleeue not therefore they reioyce like worldlings with such as themselues The third fort are they which cannot reioyce with others in their spirituall welfare that men are become godly as Saint Paul and Iohn did but rather despise them for it because they themselues sauour not of the things of God they loue darkenesse rather then the light If they doe reioyce herein it is rather for the good which conuersion brings in worldly respects then of religion it selfe as that hereby they leaue to be vnthristie and doe care to liue in the world and such like vvhich is no reioycing at their heauenly graces but for vvorldly profit and for such things as Religion maketh good in regard of the outvvard things of this life as profit good report in a common acception ciuill carriage and so forth This is a worldly and not a spirituall reioycing with-those that truely reioyce in the Spirit Vnto Naomi And why to her more then to Ruth Because she was the principall instrument for the effecting of the marriage and shee stood in most need of comfort hauing endured a long time affliction For those chiefely are to be cheared with the consideration of Gods mercies and blessings who haue been most humbled As these doe here Naomi for they speake so to her as if this blessing had been onely for her comfort saying He hath not left thee without a kinsman hee shall be to thee a restorer of life and so forth And therefore when wee see any to haue been much cast downe and that the Lord beginneth to shew them mercy let vs speake thereof chearefully vnto them and comfort their hearts for they know how to vse well Gods mercies their former humiliation hath prepared them hath schooled them so as they will not waxe proud with the Lords blessings as others doe Blessed bee the Lord. Words of praise and thankesgiuing to the Author of this blessing Thus begin they their ioy and mirth for the ioy of the godly is holy and religious for the matter of their ioy is good and lawfull the manner with Ephes 5. 19. grace in the heart as the Apostle exhorteth and the end to set forth the Lords glory of whom with praises they make mention This was the ioy of Moses and the Israelites of Deborah and Exod. 15. Iud. 5. 2. Chron. 20. Luk. 1. Barak of Iehosaphat and Iudah of Zacharie and Elizabeth for the godly take occasion from all the good which befalleth them to be mindfull of the Lord from whom they know they receiue all blessings whatsoeuer they be and whosoeuer be the instruments thereof to them with Dauid Psalm 103. therefore they say O my soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits If this bee the ioy of the godly what wickednesse then is it in those who in their mirth and in the midst of Gods blessings doe put away the remembrance of God and the thought of his precepts spirituall songs and gracious speeches marre vtterly their mirth the presence of the godly is hatefull to them and hindereth their merriments for they cannot reioyce but in vaniâ—ie their talke is ribauldry their songs wancounesse their laughter madnesse and the delight of their hearts meere sensuality the mirth of these must turne into mourning before they dye else shall their musicke bâ—e else-where weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth And here before I
shall be vnto thee a restorer of thy life Naomi had many crosses she had lost her Husband and Children yea and her outward state in the world which made her as it were dead with sorrow which these Women and godly Neighbours well considered of and here therefore doe enlarge their speech for Naomies greater comfort to teach vs That true friends affected with others miseries cannot but meditate many arguments of comfort in the daies of their felicity For the ioy of their hearts is vnfained for their friends prosperity as truely as before they were mooued with their calamitie Thus let vs learne to trie the sympathy of mens hearts towards other in prosperitie and aduersitie Arestorer of thy life So they speake as if by her former misery she had as it were been liuelesse Whence note That heauy crosses as pouertie old age Widdowhood and losse of Children doe bedead the spirit euen of godly persons So these words imply and experience teacheth For no affliction is ioyous for the present but grieuous Heb. 12. 12. How much more when many come together Therefore let vs haue compassion of the afflicted and labour to raise vp their spirits especially of poore afflicted Widdowes for it is a part of pure and vndefiled religion before God Iam. 1. 27. This condemneth such of cruelty as will vexe the afflicted or bee miserable comforters as Iobs friends were to him Secondly wee may learne That godly Children are as restorers of life to their Parents Prou. 10. 1. they make them glad Let Children labour to be such that they may cheere vp their Parents hearts and not bee as too many be causers of hearts griefe to them making them to goe downe with mourning to the graue for such are foolish Children Prou. 15. 20. and 10. 1. and 17. 25. And a nourisher of thine old age Note first that old age needs nourishing for it maketh man feeble and to want heate 1. King 1. 1. Eccles 12. 3. Also to be subiect to diseases as to bee blind as was Isaac Gen. 27. and Iacob Gen. 48. 10. to be lame as Asa 1. King 15. Therefore in the youth of Summer prouide somewhat for the Winter of old age and when thou hast prouision for age thanke God therefore Secondly that children are to be nourishers of their parents in their old age as Ioseph was to Iacob Gen. 45. 11. and Ruth but a See before Chap. 2. 18. daughter in law here to Naomi Chap. 3. 18. and such a one the women hoped Obed would be Let children learne this duety for first nature teacheth it in the Storke and branches of trees receiuing the sap from the roote doe returne it againe to it towards Winter Secondly Reason teacheth to bee thankefull and to doe good to them that haue done vs good From parents children haue being bringing vp and their preseruation whose loue care paines and cost children can neuer recompence Thirdly it is one end why they bee borne for if a friend bee borne to helpe his friend in aduersitie Prou. 17. 17. then much more children to helpe their parents who are bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh Fourthly parents are childrens glory Prou. 17. 6. Therfore should they make much of them Fifthly hereto adde the Commandement Exod. 20. to honour our parents Now how are they honoured when in want they are not relieued Sixtly such as succour their parents may expect a blessing from their children Those children therefore which are without naturall affection sinne against God against Nature Reason and Religion But children will perhaps say Our parents are froward and hard to please and therefore they make vs wearie and vnwilling to keepe and nourish them Answ First consider how froward you were in childhood and yet poore parents carefully kept you and cast you not off Secondly when old age commeth you may bee such Do then as you would be done vnto learne to beare with your parents to teach your children how to beare with you Thirdly note how children can beare with rich parents well enough while they hope for profit and feare to lose what they looke for If hope of gaine can make children put on such patience then let true loue doe it much more For thy daughter in law which loueth thee which is better then seuen sonnes hath borne him This is a reason of the womens hope of this childs kindnesse towards Naomi From these words we may learne these things First That there is good hope of childrens loue which come of louing parents that they will loue such as their parents haue loued Thus the women conclude and this was a lesson which Dauid taught his sonne Salomon 1. Kin. 2. 7. And Christ louing those whom his Father loueth teacheth so much Let therefore children be thus affected especially if their parents haue set their loue aright vpon such as were worthy of loue Secondly That there may be great loue betweene a mother in law and a daughter in law Ruths loue towards Naomi was very great shee left her countrey and kindred for her Chap. 1. 16 17. laboured painefully for her Chap. 2. 18 23. and Naomi was not wanting to seeke the good of Ruth Cha. 3. Let these two bee examples to such and to make them louing striue to bee religious and to feare God as these did for Religion will worke what corrupt nature cannot effect Let them performe mutuall dueties And let stepmothers know that they step in to be in stead of naturall mothers and so let children take them so will they loue one another Thirdly that true loue cannot be hid for it so will expresse it selfe as other shall take notice of it These women knew Ruths loue so did Saul Ionathans to Dauid the people Christs loue to Lazarus Iohn 11. 36. for true loue will breake out as fire Try true loue by the manifestation thereof Ioseph may hide his a Gen. 45. 1. 2. Sam. 13. 39. and 14. 1. while from his brethren and Dauid from Absalom but it will breake out at length They therefore but boast vainely of loue which neuer expresse it Fourthly that true loue in aduersitie is not lost in prosperity Ruth is said still to loue Naomi though thus exalted so did Hushai Dauid so did Iobs friends Chap. 2. howsoeuer they erred in iudgement Let not loue be altered with our estates nor honours change good conditions as it doth in too many Fifthly that the loue of a stranger may sometime exceed the loue of many children by nature The women preferre Ruths loue aboue seuen sonnes that is aboue many sonnes Such God by fauour can supply what is wanting in them by nature and make a strangers loue surpasse Let this be comfort to the distressed Verse 16. And Naomi tooke the child and laid it in her bosome and became nurse vnto it THis verse sheweth the education of the child by whom and how And Naomi tooke the child This the old woman did voluntarily out of
her true loue both to the mother and the child She was in the house of Boaz that great rich man we here see and so well prouided for in her old age yet would shee take paines and not be idle So wee see that the godly though old and well prouided for yet will set themselues to labour and doe something for they make conscience of their time not to spend their dayes in idlenesse which they know to be a foule sinne and the nurse of many They will labour to be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 example vnto others and to spurre the younger on to take paines Though they liue of themselues yet they owe a duety to God to be doing what they may if they liue vpon others herein they shew their good will to be as little chargeable as they may and to be thankefull after their strength and power Now this holy woman is herein to bee imitated and let none thinke that they may be excused to liue idly either for age so long as they can take paines or for that they haue enough to liue vpon because God giueth none riches to liue a lazie life but such euen old persons should liue either in labour as Saint 1. Tim. 5. 4. Tit. 2. 3 4. Paul willeth the widow of threescore yeeres old or in teaching and instructing others a blessed exercise for old folke which will giue them comfort in the end of their dayes And laid it in her bosome This sheweth her loue and with what tender affection shee tooke him into her hands Foure things might moue Naomi thus affectionatly to loue the Babe First her loue to the mother who so exceedingly loued her Secondly her loue to Boaz the father who had so mercifully dealt with her Thirdly her loue to her husband Elimelech departed whose name was raised vp againe by this child vpon his inheritance Fourthly her great hope of ioy and comfort from the child it selfe as the women foretell in the former verse Howsoeuer it was here we may see that Parents carry a heartie affection towards their children they be in their hearts and bosome for if this loue was in Naomi a mother in law wee may well conclude it in naturall mothers which may appeare many waies in their great paines and care in nursing them and in bringing them vp in their griefe and sorrow when their children are any way diseased Marke 9 24. 7. 25. Mat. 15. 22. as we may see by the teares of the father and cry of the mother which Marke and Matthew make mention of In their kind imbracing of them as here and as did the father of the prodigall sonne In their great ioy to heare of their well-fare as Iacob did reioyce to heare of Ioseph Gen. 45. 27 28 In their easie natures soone reconciled to their children when they humble themselues before them as wee see in Dauid to Absalom and the father of the prodigall sonne Lastly in their great lamentation at the death of their children as Dauid did for Absalom though a most vnnaturall sonne and the widdow which followed her sonne to the Graue which Christ raised vp to life againe No other reason can bee giuen but that naturall and inbred loue to children in parents else some children are so hard-fauoured and ill conditioned as parents could not so loue them but onely for that they bee their children Let children hence learne to bee thankefull to God and their parents and shew loue to them againe in all obedience And became his Nurse That is a helpe in the mothers nursing of it as by holding it lulling of it asleepe giuing of it meat warming of it and such like helps for the nourishing of the life of the Babe and not giuing it sucke for shee was too old to doe this Wee may find in Scripture two sorts of Nurses dry Nurses such a one was Rebeccaes to helpe to attend on the childe and Gen. 24. 59. to ease the mother somewhat as Naomi doth here and in helping to nourish and bring vp a child in this sense a father is called a Nurse The other sort are milch-Nurses such as giue suck Num. 11. 12. vnto children as in Scripture we find onely those to be their mothers euen them that bare them to bring them vp also that as they afforded them the Wombe to beare them so the brests likewise to giue their children sucke And this is the mothers duety if possibly shee be able not birth wealth nicety nor idlenesse can exempt them from this duety as it doth a number of wanton Dames that they may be fitter to follow their lusts That mothers are to giue their owne children sucke it is apparent by these reasons the naturall instinct in beasts teacheth euery other Creature hauing paps to giue sucke yea the Sea-monsters draw out their brests and giue sucke to their young Lamen 4. 3. ones saith Ieremie and therefore such as neglect this duety are worse then these beasts which we hold vnkind if they let not their young ones sucke It is the principall vse and end of brests in women when God sendeth them children though too many now make them onely stales and bawdes of lust The Workemanship of God should make them doe this First in placing them so high as in no other creature euen neighbouring vpon the heart the Shop of heat to conuey the bloud sooner into the brests so as the heart workes for the Infant to teach mothers to haue affection to this worke Secondly so placing placing them as the mother is taught in nature to embrace the Infant to lay it to her brest the more to worke loue betweene the mother and the Babe Thirdly in making them to haue this facultie to turne bloud into milke And lastly Gods prouiding as soone as the Infant is perfect for birth milke in the brest for the Infant so as God and Nature call them to this duety except any will say that God hath done all this in vaine and might haue spared this Workemanship The very name of a brest Mamma should put them in mind hereof the first syllable whereof is that which an Infant doth soonest speake calling the mother Mam as if nature had giuen this first to the Babe so easily to frame to vtter this word to put the mother in mind of her duety and to giue it her brest Againe God in the worke of nature hath not onely giuen brests but heads or nipples for the Infant to sucke the milke out of the brests and to helpe it hath made the skin about the nipples more rugous and rough for the childs tongue to hold by The Heathen Arist Plutarch Philosophers endued but with the light of nature teach this and affirme that the mothers milke implants in children the loue of mothers yea mothers loue commonly those children better which they nurse than the rest and reason may bee giuen because the mother giueth and the child receiueth by sucking her
brests more of her substance than they which doe not Children loue their Nurses we see by experience and better then their mothers that bare them so long as they be without iudgemēt to discerne onely follow nature for the nourishmēt of life It is not so naturall say also these Heathen to be nursed of another as of the mother in whom it is conceiued for differing bodies haue differing temperature and therefore the taking away of the Infant so soone from the accustomed nourishment in the mother must needs breed an alteration A learned man thinkes this to be the cause Kick. in his Oecono of the degenerating so much of Great mens sonnes and of their so little loue to their mothers It is a token of no great loue to children when their mothers put them ouer to strangers it is iust with God if mothers after find their children ouer-strange to them being but rather Note this you vnnaturall mothers halfe than whole mothers mothers of necessitie not of good will for perforce they bring forth but it is true loue which maketh a mother to giue sucke safety to themselues disereth the former or else to dye with it in the Wombe but loue onely to the Infant procureth this latter at their hands Besides all these reasons the examples of all the godly women in Scripture teach mothers now this duety That right honourable Sarah Gen. 21. 7. the wife of a most honorable man and mightie in substance and power nursed her sonne Isaac Princely Iob was nourished by the brests of her Iob 3. 12. Cant. 8. 1. whose wombe did beare him Queene Bathshebah nursed Salomon What shall I speake of holy Hannah the mother also of Moses of Samsons 1. Sam. 2. 23. Exod. 1. Iudg. 13. 42. mother and others The mother of Iesus our Lord and Sauiour whom all doe honour shee did giue her blessed Babe sucke all women call her blessed because shee bare Christ And was shee not as blessed in giuing him her brests to Luk. 11. 27. sucke Yes verily Some good Ladies at this day disdaine not this duety And what should hinder them Such persons may giue sucke and then may deliuer the child ouer to a dry Nurse to attend it in all other things which helpe the poore cannot haue Lastly as there is a blessing Gen. 49. 25. of the Wombe to bring forth so of the brests to Hosea 9. 14. giue sucke and the dry brests and barren wombe haue beene taken for a curse Let mothers therefore take knowledge of these things to presse them to this duety of nursing their owne bowels that in giuing still of their owne substance they might the more worke loue in their children towards them Their excuses are idle are of no force against these reasons for true motherly loue is seene in nursing for lust brings to conceiue necessity forceth to bring forth but onely true and naturall loue causeth a mother to nurse her child Verse 17. And the women her Neighbours gaue it a name saying There is a sonne borne to Naomi and they called his name Obed he is the Father of lesse the Father of Dauid HEre is the naming of the child which was borne of Ruth where note who named it the reason the name thereof and what he came to be shewed in his honorable and royall posterity in his Sonne and Grand-child And the women her Neighbours The women here are those before in verse 14. very godly and religious as appeareth by many things before spoken off These godly women were Naomi and Ruths Neighbours such as dwelt together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them as the word signifieth Here may be noted who be fittest to be called to such businesses the honest Neighbours and Kinsfolke as was at the birth and Circumcision of Iohn Baptist for kinsfolke they expect it and haue therein an interest and cause of reioycing in the increase of their linage and therefore may not be carelesly neglected and Neighbours are to be called as those which be nigh at hand and helpfull at need who being neere are better as Salomon saith then a brother farre off But here obserue farther what manner of Neighbours they were which these godly women had euen such as themselues for godly women delight to haue about them such as themselues for the wicked and they cannot accord they haue differing heads and hearts ouer the one God ruleth ouer the other Satan the one is regenerate in heart the other vnregenerate and therefore cannot but iarre in word and deed the one being an abomination to the other as Salomon speaketh But the godly hauing Prou. 29. Act. 4. one head Iesus Christ and one heart they will reape benefit one of another by instructing admonishing comforting and praying one for another Therefore to shew your selues godly bee yee delighted to haue them about you And gaue it a name It is said the women gaue it we finde that sometime the Fathers gaue the name as Abraham to his sonne whom hee called Isaac Mothers often as we may see in Leah and Gen. 29. 30. Rachel so kinsfolke now and then as wee may note out of Luke chapter 1. 58 59. And here in Ruth the Neighbours gaue it yea sometime a stranger named the child vpon iust occasion as Pharaoes daughter did giue the name of Moses to him which the Parents did not alter so as it seemeth this was not strictly stood vpon though most commonly the Parents gaue the name If any here aske concerning the time when children were named I finde that it was sometime at the birth of the Infant so Rachel and the wife Gen. 35. 18. 1. Sam. 4. 21. of Phineas gaue their children names vpon their departure but being in such cases it seemeth not to be ordinary it may be thought to be vsually at the time when the child was circumcised as we may perceiue at the naming of Isaac Gen. 21. 4. Luke 1. 59. and Iohn the Baptist And thus doe wee giue names at the baptizing of Infants that as they did so we may put children in minde of the Couenant made in Baptisme of their badge of Christianity and of their ingrafting into Christ and how they were admitted as Gods children into the household of faith and as heires of the Kingdome of Heauen There is a Sonne borne to Naomi That is for the good and comfort of Naomi as is before shewed out of the fifteenth verse and as may bee gathered by the like phrase elsewhere So as in Esai 9. 6. Luk. 2. 11. these words is a reason of the name which they gaue vnto the child Whence note that the godly in ancient time gaue names not by hap-hazard but as good reason did leade them thereunto for they gaue names in obedience to Gods commandement Gen. 17. 19. 21. 3. Luk. 1. 13. who appoynted sometimes names vnto children to knowe also whence they were and whence taken