vouchsafed his Grace not onely to write her name in the Book of Life in Heaven but also to prefix her name before a Book of Life in Earth The Matter may be divided into these two Parts The first Chapter sheweth Thâ—t many are the troubles of the rightâ—â—us and the three last do shew That 〈…〉 them out of all One of the Ends is to shew the Pedigree of our Saviour otherwise Geneaâ—ogers had been 〈◊〉 a loss for four or five Descents in the deducing thereof Another End is undeâ— the conversion of Ruth the Moabitesse to typifie the calling of the Gentiles that aâ— he took of the blood of a Gentile into hiâ— body so he should shed the blood out oâ— his body for the Gentiles that there mighâ— be â—ne Shepheard and one Sheepfold The Authors name probably Samuel iâ— conceal'd neither is it needfull it should be known for even as a man that hath â— piece of Gold that he knows to be weight and sees it â—â—amped with the Kings Imagâ— careth not to know the name of that maâ— whâ— minted or coined it So we seeing this Book to have the superscription of Caesar the stamp of the Holy spirit neeâ— not to be curious to know who was thâ— Pen-man thereof And now to the words Now it came to passe in the dayes when the Iudges Ruled that there was a Famine iâ— the Land Observe in the words What a Famine Where in the Land When In the time that the Iudges judged the time being set down for the better certainty of the History Quest. Is this the Land whereof it is â—aid Gen. 49. 20. Asher his bread shall be fat and afford dainties for a King which is call'd Deut. 8. 7. A good Land of Wheat and Barley Vineyards and Fig-trees Oyle Olive and Hony which is commended Ezek. 20. 6. â—o be a Land flowing with Milke and Hony the glory of all Lands How commeth it to passe that thy Rivers of Oyl are now dammed up thy â—treams of Wine drained drie that there is no bread found in Bethlem the house of bread Answ Israel hath sinned a fruitfull Land maketh he barren for the sinne of the people that dwell therein The peoples hard hearts were rebellious to God and the hard earth proved unprofitable to them their flinty eyes would afford no tears to bemoan their sins and the churlish Heavens would afford no moysturâ— to water their earth Man proved unfaithfull to God his Maker the Earth proved unfruitfull to Man her Manurer Obser. Famine is â—a heavy punishment wherewith God â—fflicteth his people â—or their sinnes that it is an heavie punishment appeareth because David 2 Sâ—â— 24. 14. chose the Pestilence before it for even as Zebah and Zalmunna Iudg. 8. 21 chose rather to fall by the hand of Gideoâ— then by the hand of Iether his Son because the Childs want of strength would cause their abundance of pain so better it is to be speedily dispatcht by a violent disease then to have ones life in â— Faminâ— prolong'd by a lingring torture That it is inflicted for their sinnes is shewed Lev. 26. 19. Deut. 28. 23. 1 King 8. 37. and these sinnes most especially procure Faminâ— 1. Idolatry 1 King 17. 1. 2 King 4. 36. 2ly Abuse of plenty the prodigall Child Luk. 15. from the keeping of Harlots was brought to the keeping of Hoggs It is just with God to make men want that to supply their necessity which they have mispended in their nicetie 3ly Shedding of Innocent blood 2 Sam. 21. 1. 4ly Oppressioâ— of the poor Amos 4. 16. And no wonder if men to grind the faces of poor people make mony to which God gave no naturall fruit to bring forth a monstrous increase if God cause the earth which naturally should be fruitfull to become barren and afford no profit Vse 1. It may serve to confut â— such that when God doth scourge them with Famine as blind Balaam fell a beating of his dumb beast when he himself was in fault they vent their spite in cursing and railing on the poor Creatures whereas indeed were the matter wel weighed they might say of all Creatures as Iâ—dah did of Thamar his daughter-in-law they are more righteous then â—e for locusts mildew blasting immoderate drought and moysture are the means by which mans sinne is the cause for which Famine is inflicted And yet in prosperity we are commonly like Hogs feeding on the mast not minding his hand that shaketh it down in adversity like Doggs biting the stone not marking the hand that threw it Vse 2. If any desire to prevent or remove a Famine let us prevent and remove the causes thereof First let us practise that precept 1 Iâ—h 5. 21. Babes keep your selves from Idols 2ly Let us be heartily thankfull to God for our plenty who by the seasonable weeping oâ— the Heavens hath â—aused the plentifull laughter of the Earth and hath sent the former Raine to perform the part of a Midwife to Deliver the infant Corne out of the wombe of the parched Earth and the latter Raiâ—e to doe the duty of a Nurse to swell and battle the Grain Let us not seeth the Kid in the Mothers Milke let not our want on Pallats spoile wholsome Meat before it commeth to the just Maturity neither let us cast away any good food but after our Saviours example Let us cause the Fragments to be basketted up that nothing may be lost 3ly Let us pray with David Psal. 51. 14. Deliver us from blood guilâ—inesse O Lord and let us seeke that the hoary hairs may not go down to the Grave in peace of such as have shed Innocent blood 〈◊〉 leaâ—t the personal offence of a privaâ—e Man remaining unpunishâ—d become the Nationall sinne of a Kingdomâ— buâ— upon the Kinâ— and upon his Seed and upon his House and upon his Throne shall be Peace foâ—ever from the Lord. Lastly Let us be pittifull and liberall to relieve the distresses of the poor for why should our dead Tables groan under the weight of needlesse feast upon them whil'sâ— Gods living Temples groâ—n under the want of necessary food within them The Atheniâ—n women had a custome to make a Picture of Famine every yeare and to drive it out of their City with these words Out Famine in Food out Penury in Plâ—nty but let us say in word and second it in deed Out Sin in Sanctity Out Prophaâ—esse in â—Ãety and then we shall see that as long as our King Reigâ—eth there shall be no Famine in our Land But however God shall dispose of us for outward blessings I pray God keepe us from that â—â—â—le Famiâ—â— mentioned â—â—os 8. 12. that wâ— living under the Norâ—hern Heavens should wander to the East â—nd run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and should not find it but may the light of the Gospell remain with us on Earth as long as the faithfull witnesse endureth in Heaven And a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to sojourne in
to the making in all probabilitie it is something the farther from the undoing thereof How-ever grant Religion were in never so peaceable and prosperous an estate yet the sad Sâ—bject we now inâ—ist on could not be unseasonable All Spirituall Meâ—t is not to be bought up and brought in for our present spending and feeding thereon but as good Husbands we are to powder up some for the time to come And seeing none of us know what is to come and all of us deservâ— the worst that may be it will not be amisse to arme our selves with Counsels and Cautions in case God should give us to live in an Age wherein the Foundations are destroyed First Enter a Silent Protestation in the Court of Heaven of thine owne Integritie as to this particular That thou hast not willingly consented to the destroying of the Foundations of Religion I say Silent IT is Davids counsell Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your heart upon your Bed and be still There may be danger in making a loud Protestation it may be interpreted to be the Trumpet to Sedition Secondly it may be quarrelled at as tasting of the Leven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie for men to make a publique confession of what may seeme to tend to the sinfull praysing though indeed it be but the needfull purging of themselves A Silent Protestation Nothing more difficult then in dangerous Times for Innocence it selfe to draw up a Protestation with all due Caution so as to give her Adversaries no advantage against her If it be layd too low the Protestor destroyes his owne innocence and may be accessarie to the robbing himselâ—e of his due and so may die Felo de se of his owne integritie If it be drawnâ— up too high with swelling expressions the Protestor may expose himselfe to just Censure as a Libeller against that Authoritie before which he entreth his Protestation We cannot therefore be too warie and too cautious in the making thereof to observe the Golden Meane betwixt both extreames For the better effecting whereof we will weigh every word in the Counsell propounded In the Court of Heaven And that for a double Reason First because it is a standing Court no danger that it will ever be put downe secondly because it is a just Court no suspition that any Corruption can ever prevaile therein Of thine owne Integritie He that hateth Suretiship is sure saith Solomon Prov. 11. 15. Breake not thy selfe by undertaking more then what thou art able to performe Man may have not onely a charitable opinion due from us to all of whom the contraâ—ie doth not appeare but also a confident presumption of the goodnesse of such with whom they have had a long and intimate familiaritie Yet all this amounts not to that certaintie to embolden one to undertake a Protestation in their behalfe which he ought to confine to himselfe of whom alone and that scarcely too by reason of the deceitfulnesse of mans heart above measure he can have any competent assurance Thine owne Integritie As to this particular Confesse thy selfe in other things a notorious sinner guiltie of sinnes of Omission Commission Ignorance Knowledge Presumption Despaire against God thy Neighbours thy selfe in thought in word in deed We reade of the Daughters of Zelopheâ—ad that they pleaded before Moses and gave this Character of their dead Father Numbers 27. 3. Our Father died in the Wildernesse and he was not amongst the assembly of them that were assembled against the Lord in the companie of Korah but died in his sinne Meaning that he was none of those Mutineer not eminently notorious for Rebellion onely being a sinfull man as all are he was mortall with the rest of his kinde What a comfort will it be if one can truly avouch it in his Conscience to the searcher of hearts Lord I acknowledge my selfe a grievous sinner yet I appeale to thee that I have not been active in the destroying of the Foundations of Religion but opposed it as much as I might and when I could doe no more was a Moâ—rner in Sion for the same That thou hast not willingly consented Where know to thy comfort that God keepes a Register in Heaven of all such who doe or doe not consent to any wicked action And if we may prosecute the Metaphor after the manner of men we may say On the one side of the Booke are set downe the Names of such who concurred and consented to Wickednesse On the other side such are recorded who were on the Negative and by their suffrages did dissent from the same Thus we finde it written to the eternall commendation of Ioseph of Arimathea Luke 23. 51. He did not consent to the counsell and deed of them who betrayed our Saviour Not willingly Be it here observed that mens Bodieâ— may be forced to countenance that with their corporall presence which their Soules doth both reluctate at and remonstrate against One eminent instance whereof we have Ierem. 43. 5. For in the fore-going Chapter Iohanan the sonne of Kareah came to Ieremiah pretending desire of advice from him and promising to conforme himselfe to his Counsell in that great Question of importance Whether he with the Remnant of Israel should goe downe into AEgypt Ieremiah disswades them from that Journey as contrarie to the will of God and threateneth them in case they undertooke the same How-ever we reade in the next Chapter verse 4. That this Iohanan the sonne of Kareah and all the Captaines of the Forces were not content to carry downe the Remainder of the Captivitie into AEgypt but also they tooke Ieremiah the Prophet and Baruch the sonne of Neriah along with them for the more credit of the matter to weare them for a countenance of their wicked Designe Captaines of the Forces indeed they were and here they shewed a Cast of their Office violently to force two aged perâ—ons contrarie to their owne intentions and resolutions Egregiam verò laudem spolia amplae refertis Goe Cowardly Tyrants erect Trophies to your owne Victories make Triumphs of your owne Valour A great matter of Manhood a Noble Conquest to compell poore Ieremâ—ah the Prophet and painfull Baruch his Scribe each of them by proportionable computation above sixtie yeares of age to returne into AEgypt whilest their Mindes with a contrarie motion to their Bodies went back to or rather never removed from the Land of Israel An eminent Instance that mens Bodies may sometimes be forced to doe that which their Soules doe detest Secondly we except such from willing consenting as have been fraudulently circumvented instrumentally to concurre to the destroying of Foundations cleane contrarie to their owne desires and intents as erroneously conceiving they supported the Foundations when really they destroyed them This commonly commeth to passe by having mens persons in admiration Jude 16. So that possessed with the opinion of their Pietie they deliver up their Judgements as their Act and Deed signed and sealed â—o them to beleeve
all these parts onely I will make a Decoction of them all so to make them more Cordiall into one Staple Doctrinâ— when first we have explained something necessarie thereunto God his writing downe of the actions of Earth proceâ—deth not from his want of Memorie as if he intended to make use of his Notes for the benefit thereof There be two expressions like in sound yet so different in sense that applyed to God the one importeth Blasphemie the other sound Divinitie namely Ancient and Old God is termed in Daniel The Ancient of Dayes exprâ—ssing his everlasting continuance from all Eternitie But Old he cannot be termed as appropriated â—o Creatures they wax old as doth a Garment and carrying in it more then an 〈◊〉 of impairing and decay God hath all the perfections of Age Knowledge Gravitie Wisdome without the infirmities thereof Weaknesse Frowardnesse Forgetfulnesse Wherefore he reciteth downe mens Actions not out of any necessitie to helpe himselfe to remember them but partly out of State as Ioseph made use of an Interpreter though understanding his Brothers language partly that the producing the â—ame in Evidence at the Last Day may silence and confound the more impudent Malefactor These Actions thus written amount to many Bookes and we finde seven severall Bookes mentioned in the Scripture First the Booke of Life whereof frequent mention in Gods Word Phil. 4. 3. Whose Names are in the Booke of Life This containeth a Register of such particular persons in whose salvation God from all Eternitie determined to have his mercie glorified and for whom Christ merited Faith Repentance and Perseverance that they should repent beleeve and be finally saved Secondly the Booke of Nature This mentioned by David Psaâ— 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Thirdly the Booke of Scripture and here behold it and happie were it for us could we but as zealously practice it in our hearts as we can easily hold it in our hands Fourthly the Booke of Providence wherein all particulars are registred even such which Atheists may count trivâ—all and inconsiderable Math. 10. 30. But the very haires of your head are all numbred And where is their number summed up Even in the Booke of Gods Providence Fifthly the Booke of Conscience This Booke is Gods as the trâ—e Owner and Proprietarie thereof yet so as he lendâ—th it to man in this Life to make use thereof Sixthly the Booke of mens Actions Hence that frequent expression in Scripture Psalme 51. 9. And blot out all mine iniquities intimating that all our ill deeds are fairely written til God in Christ doth crosse or deletâ— them And if our ill deeds be registred surely our good deeds be recorded God not being like those envious and ill-natured persons who onely take notice of what is bad passe by and neglect what is good in another Seventhly the â—ooke of mens Afflictions Some account this onely a distinct Tome or Volume of the former Booke others an intire Booke of it selfe Psal. 56. 8. Thou 〈◊〉 my sâ—ittings put my teares into thy Bottle are noâ— all these things written in thy Booke And if the white teares of Gods servants be botled up surely the red teares are not cast away but their innocent blood causelesly shed shal though â—lowly yet surely and severely be punished on the causers thereof These Bookes are for a time concealed and not opened till the Day of Iudgement First because some of them are not finished and compleated till that time Finis is not as yet affixed unto them and it is absurd that a Booke should be published before it is perfected The generations of mankind continuing till thâ— Day of Iudgement such Volâ—mes as concerne the Quick at that Day are not ended till that Day Secondly God conceales them for a while untill the Day of Iudgeâ—ent that then his owne Honour may be the more advanced and his enemies the more confounded at the unexpected opening of these Bookes The maine Doctriâ—e is this All men must at the Last Day be tryed so as to be saved or condemned by the Bookes Thâ— truth hereof will appeare by an induction of all mankind which fall under a generall Division of Pagans and Christians Be it here premised That all Mortalitie shall be tryed by one of these two Statutes either the Statute of Infidelitie or the Statute of Vnconscionablenesse The former we have set downe Marke 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned By this Statute shall no Heathen man be tryed because God is not so austere how-ever others may accuse him to reape where he did never some Invincible Ignorance shall so farre excuse them that it shall never be charged on their Account that they never beleeved who never had the meanes conducing thereunto The second Statute is the Statute of Vnconscionablenesse expressed Romans 2. 14 15. For when the Gentiles who have not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the workes of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Now bâ— this Statute shall all Heathen be tryed that they have been wanting to that light of Nature bestowed upon them In proofe whereof we divide the Heathen into Heathen Heathen and Civilized Heathen By the former we understand those pure-impure Pagans who are meerly wilde without any Art or Learning to cultivate or instruct them The Southerne point of Africa is knowne to Mariners passing thereby by the Name of the Cape of Good Hope which in relation to the Natives inhabiting thereabouts may more truly be termed the Cape of sad Despaire for they are but one Degree or Remove from brute beasts Yet even these have more Light then they have Heat and their Naturall Vnderstanding dictates unto them many cleare and straight Rules from which their darke and crooked practice doth swerve and decline For although the Morall Law may be said to be written in them to use the phrase of a Critick literis fugiâ—ntibus in dull and dimme Characters partly because in a great measure obliterated at the first by Originall Corruption at the Fall of Adam partly because defaced since and â—retted out with the Rust and Canker of Barbarisme contrâ—cted by lâ—ng Custâ—me in severall degenerating Gâ—nerations Yeâ— still so much of the Morall Law remaines legible in their hearts as may convince their practice to be contrarie thereunto In a word though they come farrâ— short of other refined Heathen in knowledge yet their knowledge as little as it is goeth farre beyond their performances so that justly they may be condemned when the Bookes are opened on the Statâ—te of Vnconscionablenesse Civilized Pagans succeed such who by Art and Education as
Ecclesiastes 8. 11. Because Sentence against an evil work iâ— not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is â—ully set in them to dâ—e evill These men proceed upon a dangerous mistake namely they conceive the Bookes to be cancelled which are onely conâ—ealed and because God forbeares they mistake him to have forgot to doe Justice There was lately a Iudge in England whom I need not be ashamed to name as the honour of his Robe and Profession viz. â—ustice Dodderidge whom they commonly called the sleeping Iudge Indeed he had an affected drowsie posture on the Bench insomuch that many persons unacquainted with his Custome therein having Causes of Concernment to be tryed before him have even given all for lost as expecting no Justice from a Dormant Iudge when he all the while did onely retire himselfe within himselfe the more seriously to consult with his owne Soule about the validitie of what was alledged and proved unto him as appeared afterwards by those Oracles of Law which he pronounced Wicked men in like manner erroneously conceive God to be a sleeping God chiefely on this account because of the long impunitie of notorious offenders David himselfe may seeme in some sort guiltie of the same vulgar error Psal. 44. 23. Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever But God in due time will soundly confute mens mistake herein and appeare what he is a slow but sure Revenger of Malefactors in the Day when the Bookes shall be opened Vse 2. Are we all to be tryed in the Day when the Bookes shall be opened Let us then labour to get these Bookes cleared so much as relateth to our particular Accompts and crossed by the Blood of Iesus Christ before that Day doth approach and let us not despise the committing of small sinnes knowing that many of them quickly swell our Accompts It is a true Maxime Qui negligit minima nunquam ditescet He that neglects small things shall never make a Rich man Who would thinke that a Penny a day should within the compasse of a yeare amount to more then thirtie shillings It is incredible how insensibly many small sinnes greaten and inflame our Reckonings and therefore let us beware thereof The Italians have a Proverb It is good to goe to Bed without supping and to rise in the Morning without owing If Physicians will approve the former part for healthfull good Husbands will justifie the latter part for thriftie But especially it is good Divinitie in relation to our spirituall Accompts Happie he who this Night by the effectuall pleading of Christs Merits gaineth of God before the closing of his eyes the clearing of his sinnes that so to Morrow Morning he may arise dis-engaged and un-indebted for his former Offences Lastly let this teach us to be warie what we doe on Earth as knowing and beleeving that a Memoriall is kept in Heaven of whatsoever we act here below There is still a Project propounded on the Royall Exchange in London wherein one offers if meeting with proportionable encouragement for his paines so ingenuously to contrive the matter that every Letter written shall with the same paines of the Writer instantly render a double impression besides the Originall each of which Inscript for Transcript I cannot properly tearme it shall be as faire and full as lively and legible as the Originall Whether this will ever be really effected or whether it will prove an Abortive as most Designes of this nature Time will tell Sure I am if performed it will be very beneficiall for Merchants who generally keepe Duplicaâ—tes of their Letters to their Correspondents What here is propounded is alreadie performed in relation to our actions in Gods presence Whatsoever we doe good or bad at the acting thereof reflects beside the Principle a double representation of the same One in the Booke of our Conscience The woman of Samaria sâ—id to her â—ellow-Citizens John 4. 29. Come see the man that told me all things that ever I did Herein Hyperbolicall was her expression Christ told her not all but many things and one thing too much for her without her serious repentance namely her unlawfull conversing with him who was not her Husband But this is most true of our Conscience it will really represent unto us whatsoever we have done either accusing or excusing us therein And as Sores and Wounds doe throb and ake the more in infirme persons the neerer it draweth to Night so the older men grow and the neerer they approach unto their Death the more frequent constant and acute will be the prickings and the pinchings of their Consciences The second Copie of all our Actions is kept in Heaven recorded in Gods Booke Let all therefore but especially men in places of Legall Proceedings whether Iudiciall or Ministeriall officers therein be minded of integritie in their carriage from my Text and the occasion thereof THE GRAND ASSIZES Let Diligent Attorneyes so faithfully Solicite let Painefull Solicitours so honestly Agitate let Trustie Sheriffes so truly Impannell let honest Iurie-men so conscionably give their Verdict let faithfull Witnesses so sincerely Depose let the Honourable and Learned Iudges so unpartially passe their Sentence as knowing they must give an Account thereof to GOD in the Day when the Bookes are opened AMEN FINIS A Comment ON RUTH BY T. F. B. D. LONDON Printed for G. and H. Eversden and are to be sold at the Sign of the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard 1654. TO The Right Worshipfull the Lady ANNE ARCHER in the Countie of WARWICK THE Apostle to the Philippians chap. 4. v. 15. giveth them this high commendation None communicated with me concerning giving and receiving but ye onely Should I apply the same in relation of my selfe to your Ladyship I should be injurious to the Bountie of many my Worthy Benefactours How-ever not exclusively of others but eminently I must acknowledge you a Grand Encourager of my Studies In publique testimonie whereof I present these my Endeavours to your Ladiships Patronage Indeed they were Preached in an eminent Place when I first entred into the Ministerie above twentie yeares since and therefore you will pardon the many Faults that may be found therein Nor were they intended for publique view till understanding the Resolution of some of my Auditors to Print them to their Profit but my Prejudice by their imperfect Notes I adventured on this seasonable prevention The Lord make his Graces flow plentifully from the Head of your Family your Religious Husband to the lowest Skirts thereof the last and least of your Relations Your Ladyships in all Christian Offices THOMAS FULLER A Comment ON Ruth CHAP. 1. Vers. 1. Now it came to passe in the dayes when the Iudges Ruled that there was a Famine in the Land BEfore we enter into these words something must be premised concerning the Name Matter End Author of this Book It hath the name from Ruth the most remarkable person in it to whom God
thou wast borne trouble when thou wast nurst She was cold whilest thou wast warme went whilest thou layd'st still waked whilest thou slept'st fasted whilest thou fed'st These are easier to be conceived then express'd easier deserved then requited Say not therefore to thy Father according to the Doctrine of the Pharises Corban it is a gift if thou profitest by me but confesse that it is a true Debt and thy bouâ—den dutie if thou beest able to relieve them so did Ruth to Naomi who was but her Mother in law Which she had reserved when she was sufficed Observation We must not spend all at once but providently reserve some for afterwards we must not speake all at once without Iesuiticall reservation of some things still in our hearts not spend all at once without thriftie reservation of something still in our hands Indeed our Saviour saith Care not for to morrow for to morrow shall care for it selfe but that is not meant of the care of providence which is lawfull and necessarie but of the care of diffidence which is wicked and ungodly Those are to be blamed which as Abishai said to David concerning Saul I will strike him but once and I will strike him no more So many men with one act of Prodigalitie give the bane and mortall wound to their Estates with one excessive Feast one costly Sute of Clothes one wastfull Night of Gaming they smite their Estates under the fifth Rib which alwayes is mortall in Scripture so that it never reviveth againe But let us spare where we may that so we may spend where we should in the seven yeares of Plentie let us provide for the seven yeares of Famine and to make good construction of our Estates let us as well observe the Future as the Present Tense Then her Mother in law said unto her Where hast thou gleaned to day These words were not uttered out of Jealousie as if Naomi suspected that Ruth had dishonestly come by her Corne for Charitie is not suspitious but ever fastens the most favourable Comments upon the actions of those whom it affects but she did it out of a desire to know who had been so bountifull unto her Yet hence may we learne that Parâ—nts after the example of Naomi may and ought to examine their Children how and where they spend their time For hereby they shall prevent a deale of mischiefe whilest their Children will be more watchfull what Companie they keepe as expecting with feare at Night to be examined Neither can such Fathers be excused who never say to their Children as David to Adoniah Why doest thou so But suffer them to rove and range at their owne pleasure Am I say they my sonnes keeper He is old enough let him looke after himselâ—e Now as for those Ioashes whose Iehoiada's are dead those young men whose Friends and Fathers are deceased who now must have Reason for their Ruler or rather Grace for their Guide and Governer Let such know that indeed they have none to aske them as the Angel did Hagar Whence commest thou and whither goest thou None to examine them as Eliab did David Wherefore art thou come downe hither None to question them as Naomi did Ruth Where wroughtest thou to day But now as S. Paul said of the Gentiles that having no Law they were a Law unto themselves so must such young persons endeavour that having no Examiners they may be Examiners to themselves and at Night accordingly as they have spent their time either to condemne or acquit their owne actions Blessed be he that knew thee 1 Kings 22. The man shot an Arrow at unawares yet God directed it to the Chinke of the Armour of guiltie Ahab â—ut Naomi doth here dart and ejaculate out a prayer and that at Rovers aiming at no one particular Marke Blessed be he that knew thee Yet no doubt was it not in vaine but God made it light on the head of bountifull Boaz who deserved it Learne we from hence upon the sight of a good deed to blesse the doer thereof though by Name unknowne unto us And let us take heed that we doe not recant and recall our prayers after that we come to the knowledge of his Name as some doe who when they see a laudable Work willingly commend the doer of it but after they come to know the Authors Name especially if they be prepossessed with a private spleene against him they fall then to derogate and detract from the Action quarrelling with it as done out of ostentation or some other sinister end And she shewed her Mother in law with whom she had wrought Children when demanded are truly to tell their Parents where they have been rather let them hazard the wrath of their earthly Father by telling the Truth then adventure the displeasure of their heavenly Father by feigning a Lye Yet as David when Achish asked him where he had been 1 Sam. 27. 10. told him that he had been against the South of Judah and against the South of the Jerahmeelites and against the South of the Kenites when indeed he had been the cleane contrarie way invading the Geshurites and â—ezrites and the Amalekites So many Children flap their Parents in the mouth with a Lye that they have been in their Studie in their Calling in good Companie or in lawfull Recreations when the truth is they have been in some Drinking-School Taverne or Ale-house mis-spending of their precious time And many serve their Masters as Gehezi did the Prophet who being demanded answered Thy servant went no whither when he had been taking a Bribe of Naaman The mans Name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. We ought to know the Names of such who are our Benefactors Those are counted to be but basely borne who cannot tell the Names of their Parents and surely those are but of a base nature who doe not know the Names of their Patrons and â—enefactors Too blame therefore was that lame man cured by our Saviour Iohn 5. 13. of whom it is said And he that was healed knew not the Name of him that said unto him Take up thy Bed and walke Yet let not this discourage the charitie of any Benefactors because those that receive their courtesies oftentimes doe not remember their Nâ—mes let this comfort them though they are forgotten by the living they are remembred in the Booke of Life The Aâ—henians out of Superstition erected an Altar with this inscription Vnto the unknowne God but we out of true Devotion must erect an Altar of Gratitude to the memorie not of our once unknown but now forgotten Benefactors whose Names we have not been so carefull to preserve as Ruth was the Name of Boaz And the mans Name was Boaz. Vers. 20. And Naomi said unto her Daughter in law Blessed be he of thâ— Lord for he ceaseth not to do good to the living and to the dead Againe Naomi said unto her the man is neere unto us and of our affinitie THese