of ointment and he excused her and commended her for it And it was an vse in old time to annoint the bodies of them that were dead as wee may see how those three women Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and also Salome came to annoint the body of Christ lying in the graue If this was lawfull to bee done to the deade carkases much more is it to the liuing bodyes of God his Saintes And here by the way wee may profitably describe what is to bee thought of starching because the godly are much troubled therewith for some thinke it vtterly vnlawfull some suppose it to bee indifferent but other imagine it to bee necessarie and euery one of these doe mutually condemne one another Therefore let vs heare the reasons that are brought against it if they bee waightie receaue them if light and of little force wee will leaue it to the discretion of the faithfull First they say against it that it consumeth the graine of wheate whereof it is made so that the same which was ordayned for foode is transferred to another vse which is vnlawfull To which I answere so was oyle ordayned for nourishment as well as wheate yet the godly might take that most comfortable creature and apply it to the adorning and setting forth of their bodies which was lawfull for them and therefore the other for vs if it bee sparingly vsed But they will say oile was applyed to the body but this is onely in the apparell therefore the reason of them is not alike To which I aunswere that which is done to the apparell is done to the bodie because it is done for the bodies sake as we read of Izaack which smelled the sauour of Esaus garmentes that Iacob wore when hee got the blessing and vpon that pronounced his blessing But they reply againe and say it maintayneth pride and therefore is vnlawfull but I aunswere it is harde to condemne except wee knewe the hearte for that is the feate of pride and not the apparell Agayne if any doe so abuse it they more offende in that by a thousande partes then if the thing in it selfe were vtterly vnlawfull therefore the faulte lyeth in the persons not in the manner of addressing themselues But they obiect agayne That it is a greate losse of time for it asketh much more labour then simple washing but I aunswere so did this annointing and if the reason be good against the one it auayleth also against the other so that of the three former iudgmentes I thinke it in the meane to bee indifferent And thus in a worde and briefly I haue touched it as a thing not worth any farther handling and haue vttered my poore iudgement in the same in the behalfe of them that indifferently vse it because some haue slaunderously giuen out that none but proude and singular persons vse it others haue scornefully aunswered that none but precise fooles mislike it But let vs in the spirite of meekenesse and gentlenesse neither condemne them that vse it nor contemne those that doe forbid it Neyther doe I speake this to perswade any to imbrace it whose consciences haue alwaies beene against it but I charitablie desire them to beare with their breethren and in these vnnecessary trifles to suffer all the faithfull to inioy their christian libertie But especially let vs learne to praise the Lord which hath thus carefully and plentifully prouided for vs euery waye outwardly in our bodies making his creatures to comfort vs and inwardly in our soules giuing his owne spirite to bee the earnest of our saluation that wee might want nothing to drawe vs away from his maiestie but in all thankes-giuing to walke before him in the profession of the Gospell being compassed about with the helpes of this life as Elisha was with the mountaines of Angels that the comfortles sorrowes of worldly miseries may neuer driue vs to desperation And put thy garmentes This is the seconde thing which Naomi willeth Ruth in her preparation to goe downe to Bohaz for first shee commaunded her to dresse her bodie so nowe shee willeth her to put on her best apparell as the goodliest ornaments of her bodie for wee must not imagine that Ruth went naked in the house although shee bid her put on her apparell but her meaning is that she should put on her best apparel that euery way she might bee furnished to deale with so noble a personage so waightie a cause Out of the which we note First another duetie of humanitie that if God giue any blessing vnto vs we should also bee carefull in these bodies of sinne to prouide for our selues change of apparell For wee knowe after Adam had sinned the first thing hee thought on was somewhat to couer his nakednesse By the which wee may learne that the first entraunce or occasion of clothing was giuen by sinne that wee might couer the shame of our bodies for if Adam had continued in his estate of innocencie there had beene no shame of nakednesse no cause of garmentes no feare of colde or terrour of heate and therefore before all thinges he sowed some fig leaues together for the hiding of his offence but God made them garmentes of skins So then we must bee verie carefull for the conscience of sinne that wee couer our bodies with outwarde apparrel which indeede is but a type of shew howe our soules must be clothed with Iesus Christ For this cause it was vsuall in auncient time that they not onely prouided simplie a garmente for the present necessitie but many changes for their bodies commodities And as the worlde grewe so sinne increased and as sinne increased the miseries of our bodies multiplyed like a ruinous house that euery day falleth to decay more and more Therefore more helpes were inuented in the dayes of Abraham then in the life of Adam and more in the time of Moyses then in Abrahams and more in Salomons then in all the residue or former for as the soare spread it selfe so the salue must be lengthened now the ayre is intemperate the earth vnfruitfull the bodies of mankind molested by a thousand diseases and euery herbe which was the first mans nourishment is our surfet in so much as the auoyding of all these must bee carefully prouided by lawful deuises which the Fathers ordayned and appointed by longe experience to bee not a little holpe by the chaunge of apparrell And here wee see these poore people haue this benefite for their bodies as wel as the rich Now because in some the excesse hereof is so great that they passe all humanitie and in other the want is so indecent that it shameth mankinde to see their breethren go so basely Some being able yet like asses laden with much wealth they haue no power to bestowe it on themselues or other againe many poore soules which haue nothing to prouide or to couer them are neglected by them that are able Therefore in this place wee
obtained of Phocas the Emperour and murderer of Mauritius that the Bishoppe of Rome might bee the heade of all Churches to whose iudgement all the world in spirituall matters must be subiect by which in time it came to this that hee corrupted the whole Church of Christ that hee got both swords into his hand and made himselfe a triple Crowne after the manner of the late Roman Emperors who had three Crownes at their inauguration and as the triple lightning was the auncient of Iupiter so the triple Crowne is the badge of the Pope thourough the honour or terrour thereof he threatneth what thunder-bolts he pleaseth in the world The Cabalists imagined two Keyes whereby Paradise was opened and shutte from hence the Pope hath in his banner the crosse Keyes telling vs that he hath power to open and shut Paradise for against whō he pleaseth Being thus exalted into the highest place as it was reported the God Termines would not giue place to iupiter standing both in the Capitoll no more the Pope giueth place to Christ although hee stand in the middest of his Church and sit at the right hand of his Father in heauen For this cause as the Emperours had their senate so he hath his Cardinals as the Egyptians bound the Priests of Isis or Apis to liue in perpetuall virginitie so hee forceth the sacred shauelings of his vnholy seate with the vowe of perpetuall chastitie and that he might helpe their weaknesse in this behalfe as Caligula suffered the whoores of Rome in his daies so the Popes haue graunted the tolleration of a Stewes builded by a Pope Sixtus the fourth which in shorte time so preuailed that the Pope receiued for Rents thereof fourtie thousand Duccats by the yeare And Paule the thirde had the names of fourtie fiue thousand Tennants belonging to that most filthie and damnable kinde of life Furthermore hee furnished or rather poysoned the Church of Christ with Friers Munkes Nunnes The Friers and Munkes are the successors of the Essaean Dosithaean Nasachaean and Cynicall heretickes which like these take vpon them the vowes of wilfull pouertie and perpetuall chastitie placing their Religion in abstinence from meates in outward and hypocriticall fasting affirming that they are the successors and followers of the Apostles like the heretiques called by Augustine Apostoliques defending that the Apostles leade a single life and had no wiues so these Romish heretiques accompt Marriage but filthines like the Marcionites Tacians Adamites Platonists and Valesian heretiques and are not ashamed to make the holy Apostles of Christ breakers of wedlocke and wilfull departers from their own wiues contrarie to the writings of the Euangelists and Saint Paul The Nunnes or women-Munks are the naturall successors of the vestall Virgins instituted by Numa as these were Dedicated to Vesta Apollo Iuno Argiua Diana Minerua so are the Romish Nunns to Marie the mother of Christ and other holy women Then also did he begin to dresse and adorne the Temples with Images which he learned of the Gentiles as I haue already declared and herein hee ioyned with the Gnostickes and Basilidian heretiques who defended Images to be lawfull for Christian people and as the Gentiles had their sacrifices for the dead called Inferiae so he instituted praiers for the dead least he should seeme to want any thing which hee should not haue Then also hee tooke the Scriptures from the common people least they should espie his lewdnesse and as Lysis the Pythagorean blamed one of his fellowes for making knowne abroade their Masters precepts so hee blameth all those that shall open the misteries of the Gospell to the common people and as the Magicians of Persia were wont to sing to their Idols in a strange tongue so the Pope commanded all things to bee done in the Church in an vnknowne language wherein they also ioyne with the Basilidian heretiques who gaue this as a principle that their misteries must be concealed and reuealed onely to a few being worse then the Pythagoreans who commaunded but fiue yeares silence to their Disciples but the Papistes keepe men all their liues from reading speaking and conferring on the Scriptures By this meanes he deceiued the world with iugling like the heretiques called Mirabiliarii and affirmed that faith commeth by nature like the Basilidians and Gnosticks they taught that euerie one that would be saued must be annoyled in their sickenesse like the Heracleonite heretiques that it is lawfull for women to Baptise like the Marcionites that children vnbaptised are not vnder the couenant and that grace is giuen with the outward signe like the Arrians and Heracleonites that children must be annoynted with Oyle in Baptisme like the heretiques Marcus and Marcosus that Baptisme washeth away originall sinnes and such actuall as are committed before like the Nouatians and Messalian heretiques that the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord after the words of Consecration spoken is the verie body and bloud of Christ so the heretiques called Marcites said they made by coniuration and for this cause the Pepuzian heretiques baked the bloud of man with the bread ordained for this supper that wine must bee mingled with water as the Artotyrites said they must offer Cheese with the bread in the Sacrament that good workes merite eternall life like the Pelagians Catharites and Mahumetistes that a man since the fall of Adam hath free will and that God hath Predestinated none like the Pelagians that it is lawfull for vs to sweare by creatures as the Virgine Marie Saints and Angels so doe the Manichaeans and Mahumetistes that some sinnes be mortall and some veniall so doth Mahomet affirme with a thousand like most vaine wicked wretched blasphemous and damnable assertions which were most easie to bee proued if there were any question of it By this your Ho. may perceiue that their Religion is but patched of many condemned heresies defended by vnwritten traditions and maintained by violent and forcible dealing like the Chamelaeon they haue often changed and poysoned the world but the scriptures are as a Baye lease to cure the contagion of such mortall confusion and thus in some sort I haue perfourmed my promise in deliuering the vanity of the world which hath refused the wisedome of the eternall word of God The end of this my speech is to shew the wonderfull and incomparable treasure of the holy Scriptures for as the Golde hath the brightest beames being laide to the Copper as the Adamante is of greatest force when the loade stone is beside it and the purest colour hath the best hiewe when the countersaite is compared with it so the blessing of God in his word doth most magnificently appeare when wee behold before our eyes the counterfaite colours of superstitious conceipts the crooked deuises and cursed opinions of the condemned Crue which haue refused the waye of life declared herein and chused the path of damnation for the hire of their superstition The Scriptures are not only a Castle to keepe
thankesgiuing to God vers 14. in these words Blessed be God secondly the matter of their thankesgiuing in the words following first for Bohaz his sake in that God had left him to be Naomies kinseman secondly because this childe of Ruthes her louing daughter in law should renew her yeares and cherish her old age of these parts let vs briefely speake in order So Boaz tooke After the solemnitie of this mariage in the presence of the people and their prayer ended which they powred foorth in the behalfe of both these partyes and their posteritie Bohaz proceedeth to the end of this action and taketh Ruth to his house to be his wife as a duety of a kinde and a godly husband For all this while we must imagine that Ruth was absent from the place of this communication and according to the counsayle of her mother sate wayting at home for some prosperous newes and praying no doubt for a ioyfull successe of this desired mariage our of this we gather First the duety of all godly husbands which is to take their wiues and dwell with them as this Boaz doth Ruth for it is no doubt but that he presently went to the house of her mother and thence tooke her bringing her to his owne house that there they might liue and loue together This phrase of scripture wee may finde vsed in many places as in the history of Izaak how he tooke Ribkah his wife and brought her into the tent of Sarai his mother and was comforted after his mothers death where the holy Ghost doth not onely declare the kindnesse of Izaak but also the commoditie of dwelling with a wife for the presence of Ribkah caused her husband to forget the death of his mother as if he had sayd the presence of a wife is greater then the comfort of a mother For this cause Peter exhorteth that husbands should dwell with their wiues like men of vnderstanding giuing honour to their wiues as to weaker vessels because they are the heyres of the same grace and that their prayers be not hindered as if he had sayd they must dwell together and they must pray together for as Christ is alway present with his Church so husbands must keepe the companies of their wiues This point being euident both by reason and religion it condemneth the wandring abroade of many idle husbands some which are neuer satisfied with riches by markets and merchandise trauailing in the world depriue their wiues of their due beneuolence others for their pleasure walke from Countrey to Countrey spending their dayes in pleasant disport among carnall and suspitious companions leaue wife and family to the sea of this world like children in a Ship without guide or mariner many are present but to the discommoditie and discomfort of their poore wiues and children oh how doe any of these persons take their wiues with godly mindes eyther to dwell or pray together How can the vine prosper when the roote is vncouered and how can women be comforted when their couer is taken from them I meane their husbands as Abimelech the king of Gerar tolde vnto Sara Is not the body dead without a head yea if it be but a minute of an houre do not then our wandering youths murder the bodie of their owne family being absent about vnnecessary busines sometime for the space of many moneths Is not the body maymed if it want but the least member yea but a finger how is then those households wounded where the chiefest parts either husbands or wiues be wanting and wandering abroade and finally what is this but to diuorce themselues for a season without any lawfull cause to put asunder them whome the Lord hath ioyned together to breake the felowship of holy wedlocke to despise the societie of godly marriage to lay open themselues to the temptations of the deuils and to thrust both bodyes and soules into daunger of damnation This I speake not as if all absence frō eyther party which consent for a time about necessary busines were vtterly vnlawfull for so Iacob Moses Aaron Dauid and the Apostles should be faulty but I speake against this wilfull departing of one from the other without either consent of man or wife conscience of the law of God or regard to their owne persons for the company of these twayne is greater then parents or children for which the Apostle sayth that if one be a beleeuing person and the other an infidell yet they must not depart if they be willing to dwell with them and he giueth no libertie for breaking theyr companie except it be to pray the more feruently and wisheth also that if they doe so yet it must be but for a season that sathan tempt them not so great regard must be had of the fellowship in marriage that the zeale of prayer the worship of God the loue of our owne parents the increase of wealth and the pleasure of the world must not separate without the voyce of both partyes and yet the time must be but short for the auoyding the temptation of Sathan and the daunger of their owne damnation Secondly by this we may gather who is the author and sender of children which is the Lord for this scripture sayth that the Lord gaue her to conceiue for as Paule sayth of the corne that is cast into the earth that it increaseth neither by the planter nor yet the waterer but by the Lord so must we say by the seede of mankinde that it lyeth neyther in the husband nor in the wife but in the blessing of God for which cause when Rahell sayd to her husband Iacob giue me children or else I dye he answered her in anger am I in Gods steede that kept thee frō the fruite of thy womb as if he had said it is God that sendeth issue and not man therefore Dauid saith that children are the possession of the Lord and the fruite of the womb is his reward By the which we are taught many excellēt and worthy lessons first that seing they come from the author of euery good gift we haue a ready way where to aske them when we want them for as when we want wisedome the Apostle saith we must aske wisedome at the hand of God so whē we want children we must aske children at the hand of God When Ribkah was barren by her husbands prayer she was made fruitfull so barren women by their husbands prayers haue bene made the mothers of many children Annah obtained by her prayer at the temple not only Samuell but also three other sonnes and two daughters Oh let vs not be vexed then for many children but let euery one aske confidently by the will of God and they shall receiue if it so please him plentifully to their owne desire Secondly seeing children come of the Lord we are taught to vse them as the blessings of God and as the child by nature should first know
the mountaines they are not drowned if the earth quake and rend asunder yet they are not swallowed vp if the wilde beastes fall vpon them they are not deuoured and if the Deuill himselfe would oppresse them yet he shall not ouercome them Then how glorious is our calling That liue vnder the wings of God that feede with the flocke of Christ to whome are reuealed the secrete Counsels of the Lord speaking vnto vs by his Ministers giuing vs the euidence of our saluation by his testament regenerating vs by the immortall seede of his holye word sealing vs with the spirit of promise lifting vs vp from the dust of worldly miserie to the thrones of heauenly Maiestie Salomons seruants were happie that stood in his presence and heard his wisedome Daniel was happy when the Lyons could not destroie him his fellowes were happie when the fire coulde not consume them the Israelites were happie when the Egyptians were drowned Iob was happy when his wealth was restored and the Disciples were blessed when they hearde Christ preach How many blessings belong to the religious Sathan that roaring Lyon cannot ouercome them the fire shall haue no power on them their enemies shall neuer hurt them the riches of the grace of God shall be powred vppon them and the word of life is dayly preached vnto them Consider therefore my beloued what is the hope of our profession whereunto we are called the dignitie of our condition wherein wee stande and the reward of our Religion prepared for our soules Call to mind the examples of the Fathers the promises of the Gospell the oath of the Lorde himselfe the price of our redemption and the place of our saluation you shall finde nothing wanting in Religion that might encrease your blessednes Therefore how happie are the eares that heare the things which wee heare the eyes that see the thinges which wee see the hands that handle the thinges which wee touch nay the soules that are assured of the fauour of God If all the worlde woulde goe about to set downe the felicitie of the godly and the dignitie of the chosen they could neuer atchieue it no not that which they enioy in this life for their thoughts are heauenly their hearts the throne of the holy Ghost their hands feele the Lord of glorie their tongues talke of his praise their feete stand in his Temple their words are acceptable before him their Prayers like sweete sauours of incense their worship like Euening sacrifices their eyes behold his glorie their eares heare his wisedome and their names are written in the kingdome of heauen Would not any man become religious that he might bee rewarded with this excellent honour To eate his meate with the Kinge of heauen to weare the Crowne that neuer shall haue ende to haue the Angels his attenders the Saintes his fellowes the heauens his dwelling place the starres vnder his feete the euerlasting light to walke in the presence of God to delight him the pleasures of Paradise for the recompence of his Religion For this cause I haue giuen this title vnto these my slender labours vpon this booke of Ruth wherein beloued in Christ you shall find the matter to agree with the title and the hope of all the faithfull concerning the end of their profession so profitably deciphered as hath comforted manye troubled soules confirmed many wauering mindes confounded many obstinate Atheists encouraged many godly persons and therefore I hope wil offer the same fauour vnto you in reading â—as it hath vnto many other in preaching Herein the holye Ghost I meane in the booke of Ruth hath laide open whatsoeuer can bee expected of them that feare the Lord here are afflictions to humble vs death to preuent vs examples to admonish vs here is the zeale of the godly the vertue of an effectuall calling the vizard of hypocrisie declared vnto vs heere is the loue of the faithfull the obedience to parents and the beneuolence of godly persons commended vnto vs here is the care of our parents the gifts of the spirite and the holines of the religious committed to the Church here is the office of Magistrates the Prayers of our brethren and the calling of the Gentiles expressed in the marriage of Ruth with Boaz who was made a mother of many Kings but especially of the king of glorie the Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world the gatherer together of the heires of grace My desire therefore is this that you trye it by perusing and reading this treatise for it is but superfluous labour for me any farder to trouble you with the Argument heereof seeing the whole matter lyeth before your consideration I wil pray for your successe commend the ende of my trauailes which is the comfort and instruction of the members of Christ to the fountaine of mercy by whome the heauens water the earth and the earth multiplieth with encrease and the encrease thereof preserueth the world that by the same power your souls may be edified your faith may be streÌ„gthned my labours may bee blessed that his name may be glorified his worde may euermore be taught among vs that many generations may embrace his Gospel and the course thereof finished our Religion by the mercie of the Father in the Sonne with the holy Ghost may bee rewarded with eternall saluation to whome let vs euermore giue thankes because hee hath vouchsafed vs the dignitie thereof and walke worthie of our calling least our secure liues our Idle faith our vaine hope our colde profession and our common conuersation with the vngodly bring vpon vs euerlasting damnation Your Louing brother who desireth your Prayers Edward Topsell ¶ Guilielmi Attersollj in Ruthae Explicationes carmen Encomiasticon EN Pietatis Honos en sic in regna reponit Quosque tulit casus abstulit ipse Deus En Rutha en Naomi per tot discriminarerum In sanctum tendunt regnaque sancta solum Nec te Rutha Moab distendit amore tuorum Nec colere ignotos barbara terra deos Gens inimica Deo Legemque deumque sequuta Praemia quaesitis diuitiora tenes Quis te magne Bohaz tacitum sine laude relinquat Quid prohibet castis nomen inesse tuum Coniugio foelix Rutham miseratus egentem Nomen ab insigni posteritate feres Vade liber liber titulumque expande decorum Materiâ titulo conuenieâ—te suo Hîc quoque zelus inest quis enim celauerit ignem Eminet ê proprio prodita flamma loco His simul exemplis matres viduaeque nepotes Instruite natos pignora chara rudes Vtilitas duplex partes se sistit in omnes Vtilis iste liber vtilis iste labor G. ATTERSOLL The same in effect in Englsh by the same Author LO here what guerdon godlinesse doth get And how the Crosse doth come before the crown Lo widowes twain before our eyes are set Not rais'd alost before they be cast downe And thou O Ruth renouncing natiue towne And Baal-peor God of
deceiued in her that hee might thinke shee came to worke for him and not for her selfe therefore she telleth him playnely that she should not be as one of his maydens that is as one of his hired seruantes So that these wordes of Ruth tend to her owne hinderaunce if Boaz had beene deceyued in her yet godlines will not conceale that which maketh against it selfe if the question be made of profite Whereby we note that encroching for bargaines facing for promises suing for counterfait titles such like actions cannot agree with the simplicitie of a godly minded christian whose conscience is his court his religion his atturney and the word of God his iudge to pronounce definitiue sentence against his owne cause if it tend to the perill and damage of his neighbour or discredite of his profession Oh that wee had more of this simplicitie and lesse of this subtiltie whereby wee deceiue our owne soules betray the glorious gospell of Iesus Christ confound the weake mindes of our wauering brethren make shipwracke of pure consciences cast our selues headlong for the worlde into the fire of hell But Boaz said This last verse sheweth vnto vs that Boaz was not deceyued in Ruth but shutteth vp the communication by calling her to meate and dealeth to her so abundantly that she leaueth some By the which wordes there is noted two degrees of the kindnesse of this man First that in his owne person hee calleth her to meat secondly that with his owne handes hee gaue her abundantly Where we see againe and againe commended vnto vs the humility liberalitie of this Boaz he disdayneth not to call so simple a guest to his table knowing her to be a faithfull sister for whose sake if need were he was bound to lay downe his life Whereby we are instructed to cast of the statelines of our stomackes standing vpon our pantophles scant vouchsafing to looke frendly on a poore man or woman much lesse to speake kindly to eyther of both Againe his liberality by giuing so plentifully vnto her with his owne handes it appeareth hee was none of these counterfaite giuers which promise much and performe little and for euery carnall companions tale bearing and whispering withdrawe their promised and bounden liberalitie from church and poore from minister and religion Oh how colde is this deuotion which proceedeth from a sodayne humour and soone endeth to God his dishonour Better had it been for those men not to shew any fauour at all then after they haue rashly begunne causlesse to withdrawe their beneuolence from Christ But I consider there shall bee some that shall say at the latter ende vnto our sauiour wee haue prophesied in thy name we haue eaten in thy presence and yet hee shall say vnto them departe from mee yee workers of iniquitie I know you not then shall they bee blessed which haue wasted their wealth for religion consumed their liuing on the faithfull and continued their liberality vnto the end Nowe let vs giue prayse to God The ende of the sixte Lecture The seuenth Lecture Chap. 2. ver 15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23 15. And when she arose to gleane Boaz commaunded his seruants saying let her gather among the sheaues and do not rebuke her 16. And let fall some of the sheaues for her let it lie that she may gather it vp and rebuke her not 17. And so she gleaned in the field til euening she threshed that which she had gathered it was about an ephâ— of barly 18. And she tooke it vp went into the citty her mother in law saw what she had gathered she tooke foorth gaue vnto her of that which she had left when she was sufficed 19 Then her mother in law said vnto her where hast thou gleaned to day where wroughtest thou Blessed be he that knewe thee she shewed her mother in law with whome shee had wrought saide the mans name with whome I wrought to day was Boaz. 20. And Naomi said vnto her daughter in law blessed be he of the Lord for he ceaseth not to doe good both to the liuing to the dead Againe Naomi saide vnto her the man is neere vnto vs of our affinitie 21. And Ruth the Moabitesse saide He said also certenly vnto me thou shalt be with my seruantes vntill they haue ended all the haruest which is mine 22. And Naomi answered vnto Ruth her daughter in law it is best my daughter that thou go out with his maidens that they meet thee not in another field 23. Then shee kept her by the maydes of Boaz vnto the end of barley haruest wheat haruest dwelt with her mother in law THese verses vnto the ende of this Chapter contayne those things which Boaz Ruth did with Naomi also after that Ruth had dined The words haue two partes The first between Ruth and Boaz in the field The second betweene Ruth her mother in lawe at home The first part is in ver 15.16.17 wherein is set down what Ruth did after dinner that she arose to gather eares which is declared by the time verse 17. and the quantitie in the same verse an epha of barley Secondly Bohaz reneweth his commandement to his seruantes for Ruth wherein hee willeth them first that they suffer her to gather where she please verse 15. Secondly that they willingly let fall vnto her out of the sheaues and suffer her to take it vp The other part of Ruth and Naomi is contayned ver 18.19.20.21 22.23 declareth what these twaine did after Ruth came from the field and after her comming home vers 18. bringing both her gleaned corne and reserued victuall They twaine commune of those thinges which Boaz had done to Ruth First Naomi asketh Ruth where she had gleaned that day ver 19. To which Ruth answereth telling the name of the man in whose possession she had gathered to be Boaz. vers 19. Secondely his curtesie towarde her not onely for that present but also biddeth her to abide with his maydes vnto the end of his haruest After this Naomi first praieth for the man ver 20. alleadging his kindnes not onely to them that are liuing but also to those that are dead telling Ruth that the man was their kinsman Secondly she counselleth Ruth vers 22. that she take his proffer and abide with his maydens for feare shee be denyed in another fielde which Ruth perfourmeth ver 23 and keepeth with them to the ende of barley haruest and wheate haruest and afterwarde with her mother Of these parts let vs briefely speake as the spirit shall assist and the time permit Then she arose After dinner like one carefull of her busines she repaireth to her former worke here by y e way this question may be made whether Ruth gaue any thanks to God for her meat seeing it is not mentioned for this doubt must not be omitted nor passe vndissolued lest our carnal companions in this age which come go
Boaz The words do easily deuide themselues into two parts the first respecteth Boaz the other Ruth The first parte concerning Boaz is that which he did after his worke and before his sleepe verse 7. that he eate and dranke and made his hearte merrye and laye downe beside his corne For that hee did after his sleepe verse 8. first hee feared when hee felte a woman at his feete and secondly hee asketh who shee was After he knewe her hee blessed her verse 10. Secondlye hee comforteth her verse 11. In these wordes feare not my daughter His comforte hath 2. partes first his confession that hee was her kinsman verse 12. Secondly the counsell hee giueth to her verse 13 to tarrie vntill the morning and then he would try her other kinsman if he refused Boaz promiseth by oath to the confirme hir right and do her kinsmans duety and therefore biddeth her to sleepe vntill the morning The second parte which concerneth Ruth is her behauiour after shee came to the place appointed and hath these two branches first that which shee did alone verse 7. That shee came and laye downe at his feete secondlye that which shee did with Boaz first she telleth him her name when shee perceaued the man was afraid secondly she sheweth him her petition desiring him to spreade the wing of his garmente ouer her verse 9. Of these partes let vs speake in order as they lye by the asistance of the spirit of God and permission of the time And when Boaz These wordes concerne Boaz and that which hee did after his worke the daye being ended and his bodye being wearied hee went to his meate eating and drinking refreshing his stomacke and cheering his hearte with those blessings of God which he had presente afterwardes getting him to his lodging at the ende of his corne in sted of a softer bed harboureth vppon the straw Out of the which we obserue these thinges First the blessing of God vppon his creatures that are moderatelye taken for it is saide that hee cheared his hearte after his eating and drinking his bodye was not onely nourished his hunger abated and his stomacke filled but also his hearte was cheered thereby as if the holye Ghost had saide Heere is my blessing vppon meate that is moderatelye receiued that the powers of the soule are refreshed by it therefore wee reade in the preacher that a whole lande is blessed by the moderate receiuing of these benefites in eating and drinking The experience whereof is plainelye proued euerye daye among vs. For what is the fruite of this immoderate deuouring the benefites of God but as Salomon sayth the eyes wounds without cause quarrels and contentions to the woe of manye wherein they that reioyce are voyd of all reason which ought to bee the grounde of all our mirthe but like beastes some from feedinge to sleeping conueye themselues other from eating to gaming turne their bodyes delighting in nought but vanitye being as farre from this cheerefullnes of hearte by their meate and nourishement as Nabal was after his feaste when one worde of Dauids anger stroke his hearte dead But this Boaz was heere alone and none beside him and yet you see that in his solitarye barne voide of companyons hee made himselfe merrye with the fellowshippe of the blessing of God vppon his meate Euen so assuredlye if the handes of many could guide their mouthes their mouthes rule their appetites and both were gouerned with the spirite of God that they receiued for strength to nourishe their weakenes not for gluttony to stuffe vp their stomackes they shoulde with greater comforte sit downe to their meales and exceeding ioyfullye rise vp againe But since our mindes haue as manye deuises as our stomackes receiue morsels wee eate and yet wee are not satisfied wee drinke and yet wee are not merrye but ouercome with the good creatures of God wee seeke after idle songes vaine iesting and vnprofitable fables of falsehood and forged conceiptes in vngodly bookes which drowneth our spiritual ioy and plungeth our mindes in the gulfe of worldly mirth and woefull misery Then let vs learne the wisdome of Christ and looke for ioye which standeth not in laughter but in the inward comfort of the assurance of the spirite being persuaded wee feed in y e presence of God we may haue Christ at our temporall and worldly meales that wee may eate and drinke with him in his euerlasting kingdome Secondly by this wee obserue that our meate after our labours is much more ioyfull to our harts and profitable to our bodyes then if it bee receiued in an idle life for Boaz had wrought hard all this daye and the reward of his labour is the worke of his meate which in the end of all maketh his hart merry In consideration whereof the Lord inflicted this as a punnishment vppon mankind that their meate shoulde be vnprofitable vnlesse it were eaten in the sweate of our browes for as sleepe to a man that hath long watched so is meate to a man that hath long laboured as the coursing of the Hart maketh him to breath for the water springs so labour causeth men to hunger more vehemently to eate more liberally and disgest more effectually their desired morsels We read of Ionothan the sonne of king Saul when he had wearied himselfe in the slaughter of y e Philistines being very hungry did but dippe the toppe of this batte in a hony combe and putting it to his mouth his eyes receiued sight so acceptable are the crummes and drops to them that labour that they restore the life power of the body and for this cause the greatest persons in the first and purest age when the life of man was many hundred years were not exempted from bodily labour On the other side as Salomon saith they which sit long at wine and seeke after strong drinke meanning those which with idlenes followe their bellyes are most noysome to the worlde vnwholesome to themselues and woful for euer for their end will bee as the byting of a serpente and the stinging of a cockatrice teaching vs that labouring mens morsels are most sweet if we should ioyfully recreate our selues in the benefites of God wee must diligentlye prepare our stomackes in some honest trauailes that the basest fare may be acceptable meate vnto vs for the health of the body is preserued by labour as the planted corne by the diligence of the husbandman for hee which tilleth the earth is satisfied with breade but idlenes is nearest kinsman to madens Against this wee haue often spoken heeretofore and let this suffise for this time Thirdly we must note what manner of mirth or cheerfulnes was this of Boaz it could not be in talking for hee was alone nor yet in iesting for the former reason nor yet was it outward in singing for it is saide his heart was cheerefull as if there were a mirth that were not outwarde And truely
and in that the loue of God in Christ to his Church that though we dye without fruit in barrennes yet the Lord will giue vs a name whereby after a few dayes we shall liue with him for euer But in these words we first of all note when he saith that he must buy it at the hand of Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of the deceased that one cause both of the redemption of lands and marriage of the brother or next heyre to the widdow was for the womans or widdowes sake namely that she should not be left destitute for we reade in the Gospell of Luke that barrennes was a great reproch among women in those dayes now we know that this law was onely for barren widdowes and not for them that were fruitfull and who would marry with such a woman whome in his owne heart he feared would be fruitlesse therefore the Lord to succour these poore desolate widdowes gaue this for a lawe that the brother or neerest kinseman to their husbands deceased should take them to be their wiues where he againe commendeth vnto vs the carefull estate of destitute widdowes if they be oppressed we must ease them if reiected we must receiue them if forsaken we must comfort them if reproched we must acquire them and finally if they will marry they may yea their owne friends or the Church must prouide them husbands And seeing the Lord would thus decree by a lawe the safegard of those that were despised much more would he defend by iudgement the cause of poore fruitfull widdowes the mothers of many children Now although we are not bound to this lawe of mariage yet wee are tyed to doe good to the widdowes for the nature of the lawe being long since abrogated yet the vse thereof remayneth for euer and euer For maintenance by the word of God must be allowed them wherewithall they may liue theyr husbands beeing dead Therefore Boaz telleth hys kinseman that hee must redeeme the inheritance at the handes of Ruth the Moabitesse because by her marriage it is made the widdowes the husband dying without issue like as in this place wee obserue that all the inheritance descendeth to the widdow and therefore she bestowed her selfe vpon the next of the kindred who indeede with vs is the heyre to all Therefore by this we must all learne but especially the married or those that intend it hereafter that it is one especiall duty of a carefull husband to prouide before hand for the maintenance of their wiues that if death neuer so suddaine take them away yet they may not leaue them as many haue done harbourles without house comfortles without friends and wealthles without conuenient maintenance By this we see the cōmendable assurance of ioyntures dowers in lands or money which many parents do wisely take for their daughters to be a thing alowable by the word of God yet many offend in the excesse that they will neuer match where they can haue none though there be neuer so great hope in time to come so that wealth and nothing els is the end of most mariages Then by this we see cōdemned first all those which hauing sufficiēt will hardly leaue to their wiues anything beside that which they cannot keep from them and hence it is that many leaue to their children hundreds and thousands but scant twentyes or fortyes to their helples widowes Other hauing many children leaue the greatest part of their wealth to their widdowes through whose youthfull mariages many times their whole posteritie is brought to pouertie But a third sort there are which mind nothing saue only mariage and to borrow a little for their festiuall day but afterward let the world sinke or swimme children without bread wiues without comfort themselues as bare as the grashopper in winter and their whole families most pitifully tormented they repent though all too late the children wish they had neuer bin borne the parents curse the day of their first acquaintance the family complayne of pouerty the countrey of charges the people of necessity but they poore seely soules the innocent infants are left to the merciles world to liue in beggery Oh that this godly forecast would enter into the minds of many headlong parents that their liues might be more blessed their children more happy their families more contented the countrey better furnished and the poore better succoured that there might bee no complayning in our streetes no leading into captiuity and not one feeble person among vs that our sonnes may bee as the fruitefull garners and our daughters like the polished corners of the temple Oh blessed are the people that bee in such a case yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lorde Then should the name of God bee honoured by our liues and praised in our deathes when our widdowes are prouided for our children maynetayned our families nourished and our soules shalbe blessed Then the kinsman said This seconde question of marriage being propounded the kinseman in these wordes answereth that hee cannot redeeme the inheritance vpon that condition and giueth a reason thereof because then to saue anothers hee shoulde destroy his owne meaning if hee had but one childe by Ruth that shoulde bee for Machlon her deceased husbande and so his owne name shoulde bee forgotten in his inheritaunce Whereby wee see that he opposeth the feare of the losse of his owne name against the seuere commandement of God and doubteth that if hee followe the lawe of God and custome of the faithfull his land may lacke an heyre his house a mayster and himselfe a sonne The like vnto this was that of Onan the seconde sonne of Iudah when he shoulde haue taken the wife of his deceased brother would not performe his duety towarde her but abusing in filthines his owne body because he woulde not benefite his brother was therefore iustly slaine by the Lorde And I feare that a great many are sicke of this disease that loue the world aboue the worde their lande aboue the lawe of God their children more then charitie requireth who thinke they are borne for no bodie but onely for themselues but especially in mariage they had rather haue the lande then the man the portion then the woman like this man which was willing to take the inheritance but vnwilling to marrie the widdow for this cause they oppresse both children and widdowes they preferre their priuate gaine before publike godlines who for their posteritie some are occupyed in briberie some in vsury some in extortion and many in vnlawfull bargaining whose only and chiefe care is for nothing but that they may die rich but better is poore Lazarus at his death then all the rich gluttons in the worlde for wealth maketh not to die well but rather choketh the soule with infatiable care onely religion is the surest badge of a godly man whose riches is pouertie whose pleasure paine and whose rewarde is saluation But this man is well contented to
his mother that bare him so we by instruction should first teach our childrē the feare of God that gaue them it is farre better for many children that they had neuer bene borne except their parents had more knowledge to till their mindes with the immortall seede of God his holy word then to looke vpō the sunne as the condemned person which commeth out of prison and so goeth to execution in like maner childrē without the knowledge of y e feare of God do come from the womb of their mothers which is their prison to the fire of hell which is y e place of execution Oh my beloued looke vpō your tender childrē and so often as you see them you behold the blessings of God vpon you make much of their soules by praying for their saluation you haue brought thē into the world leaue thē not to the deuill Thirdly seing children are y e gift of God those which haue children haue greater accompt to make then those which haue none for of him to whom much is giuē shal much be required and they to whome y e Lord hath giuen childrē and seruants lands and cattels shal answer for euery one of these to y e Lord therfore parēts must finish their reckning which they must giue to the Lord and let not one farthing of their debt be omitted for he will plague thē as well for not doing their duties to their own children as gracelesse children for contemning of God And this one cōsideration should mitigate y e desire of posterity because if they abuse thē their own damnation shall be the greater if they be vnruly they bring nothing but sorrow to their parents if they be godly the world will hate them and if they be wicked the deuill will haue them Were it not a pitifull sight to see the father burned for murthering his sonne how much more grieuous is it to see both father and sonne mother and daughter husband and wife maister and seruaunt mistresse and maides pastors and people to goe all to damnation together because the former did not guide the later oh would God that the desire to escape this iudgement would sinke into the hearts of all that we might euery one addict our liues to holines our minds to knowledge our bodies to obedience our hearts to vnderstanding our children to instruction our seruants to religion and all our soules to saluation Thirdly by this we gather that it is a greater blessing to be the mother of a sonne then the parent of a daughter if it so please God to send them for in this place the holy Ghost sayth that the Lord gaue her and she conceiued and brought foorth a sonne as if he had said the Lord gaue her her owne desire and the best issue which was a manchild for this cause our Sauiour saith that a woman forgetteth her paines in trauaile so soone as a man child is borne into the world Therefore is it that the Lord promised Abraham a sonne that he gaue Zachary and Elizabeth a sonne and finally therefore the Lord calleth vs all his sonnes as a father reioyseth more for a sonne so the Lord reioyseth in the saluation of all the faithfull By this we are taught to magnify the name of the almighty for euery one his benefits in their degree and if we want any by prayer to craue it at the hands of God alwayes remembring that we leaue the end of our desires to be agreeable to his will And here we see the prayer of the people in the former verse to be in part fulfilled when the Lord did so soone blesse this good old man by giuing him a sonne for it is no doubt but the holy Ghost doth so presently after their prayer adde her conception and his birth that he might stirre vs vp with greater zeale to desire the prayers of the faithfull which are alwayes auaileable in the presence of y e Lord. Come therefore my bretheren and let vs fulfill the desire of the Lord and accompt more of the petitions of the godly then all the possessions of the wealthy by prayer the earth is made fruitefull and the heauens drop downe abundance by prayer famine is remoued warres appeased the wrath of God pacified and the health of the bodye recouered by prayer wisedome is increased faith confirmed remission of sinnes obtained the barren woman made a fruitfull mother of many children the dayes of life lengthened peace of countreys and consciences prolonged and the kingdome of heauen eternally inherited Therefore those which cannot pray abhorre the presence of God are weary of our assemblyes forsake sermons and congregations depart from the fellowship of the faithfull and haue their sinnes sealed vp their liues accursed and their soules euerlastingly condemned And the women Now we must proceede to the second part of this scripture wherein is declared what issue and effect this wrought in other for so soone as the child was borne it did not only bring comfort to the parents but also ioy and gladnes to the godly citizens of Bethlehem among whome these women are reported by the holy Ghost which no doubt were present at the deliuery of Ruth to magnify the name of God for this so great a benefit bestowed vpon the old woman although her childrē were dead yet her name might be recouered by her louing daughter in lawe By this we first of all obserue the duety of all the faithfull which is to reioyse with them that reioyse and to weepe with them that weepe for as there godly Iewish women reioyse with Naomi for the fruitfulnes of Ruth so must we euery one be like affected for the blessings that are powred vpon our bretheren The like vnto this may we reade of the neighbours and kindred of Elizabeth hearing of the wonderfull mercy of God vnto her they reioysed with her This teacheth vs the same duety that the ioy of our brethren should be our reioysing and their sorrow our lamentation for there is no fellowship but there must be a feeling of the same ioyes or miseries not onely in publike affayres which respect their whole common wealth but also in priuate busines the benefit of euery particular person The head is sore when the stomacke is sicke the hand is grieued when the foote is maymed and euery part of the body being in prosperity reioyseth together For this cause Paule biddeth vs to endure all things with the same minde meaning that euery mans minde should be like his brothers eyther in sorrow or reioysing But is this the fellowship that raigneth among vs in these dayes or rather are we not merryest when our neighbours are tormented and doeth it not grieue vs to see other to prosper beside vs yes surely for there is no more hartie and vnfayned friendship among men in our dayes then is betweene the hauke and the bird when either of them is taken the other reioyseth This is the cause that men are no more
being in health of bodie and minde is bound by the word of God to nurse her owne children and the reasons for the confirmation hereof are these first because the Lord in the creation of their bodyes hath giuen to euery woman breastes which are the meanes whereby children sucke their nourishment and therefore eyther the Lord created their breastes in vaine or els they sinne if they set them not to worke if any say that the Lorde did giue the breasts not for any necessity that they are boūd so to doe but that they might bee furnished with the meanes if they had the pleasure to do it to whom I answere by the like example the Lorde hath giuen to euery one handes to worke eyes to see eares to heare and tongues to speake is it in the choise of men to cut of their handes to pull out their eyes to stoppe vp their eares and to keep their tongues in silence all their life neuer vse them as many women doe their naturall breastes I thinke not for if they shoulde they must deface the workemanship of God dismember their own bodyes and murther the parts of mankinde Therefore as the Lorde hath giuen to euery one handes euery one must worke or els he is accursed vnlesse they wil be idols of whom Dauid speaketh they haue hands handle not eyes and see not eares and heare not feete and walke not noses and smell not and such are women that haue plentifull breastes and yet giue no suck Secondly the example of all the godly confirme it as we see in Sarah which nursed her sonne Isaacke in the mother of Moyses which was careful that her childe should bee nursed by no other then her selfe in Manoahs wife the mother of Sampson so did Bath shebah the mother of king Salomon being a queene in Israel the wife of king Dauid yet she thought it her duety to take her owne child and nurse it I will speake nothing of Hannah of Elizabeth the wife of Zachary and mother of Iohn Baptist of the virgin Mary which gaue sucke to the Lord of glory Iesus Christ her sauiour and of the mother of Dauid all which are as patternes of naturall affection for all the godly women in the world to imitate and what blessing was powred vpon their children who knoweth not Therefore eyther women must follow their godly examples or shew some charter of their libertie aboue these or proclaime open disobedience to God and the godly because they swarue from his holy worde and their most pure and worthy examples but it is better to obey God then men and to be ruled by the troublesome liues of the faithful then by the peaceable and pleasant deuises of all the gentlewomen in the worlde whatsoeuer Thirdely it is a signe of the wante of loue and naturall affection in the parentes as the Apostle speaketh when the mothers doe not bestowe the labour to giue their owne children their naturall milke for if they had the same naturall feeling of theyr duties to their children they coulde not hauing no occasion commit the nourishing of their children to straungers who can neuer bee so inwardely kinde to the infantes as the mothers eyther are or ought to bee therefore although though they pretende a kinde of sorrowe for their childrens absence or departing from them yet it is like the lamentation of Esau which wept when hee could not get the blessing whereas he solde it before and was the onely cause of his owne reprobation so women weepe at the departure of their children whereas it lyeth in their owne power to keepe them in their owne possession and more thankefull woulde the chylde bee in his hearte to his mother if shee had bestowed the labour to nurse him Fourthly it is not so naturall for the chylde to bee nursed where hee was not borne for the same body whereof hee had his being is most fitte for his feeding as wee see a plant doeth best prosper when it is grafted where it sprunge vp first of all then being remoued into another grounde so the bodies of children doe growe more freely and like mote cheerefully with their owne mothers milke then with all the worlde beside and the auncientest Phisitians say that it were also better for the mothers if they gaue themselues to this labour therefore they doe but hinder their owne infantes borne of their owne bodyes and as it were keepe them from their naturall welfare when they giue them to bee made another nature which is by their nursing and feeding These causes and more also being duely and carefully considered you shall fynde it a greater sinne to giue your children to other to bee nursed then heretofore you conceyued of it so that you must for this one thing condemne the vse of your breastes which were the creation of God and the practise of the auncient godly women which were euery way as noble as any aliue forsake the tender loue that annother ought to beare to hir innocente babe bring your childrens bodyes to a seconde yea a contrary disposition and complexion and stoppe vp the plentifull conduytes of streaming milke in your breastes to the losse and hinderaunce of your owne health Therefore if any haue any power to performe this naturall duety to theyr children let them practise it for all the carnall reasons of the worlde must not preuayle agaynst the least collection of the worde of God But some will say admit that any through negligence doe put their children to bee nursed of other doeth the faulte onely rest in the parentes and nothing in the nurse to whome I aunswere if it bee vnlawfull for the parentes to giue it is also vnlawful for the nurse to take so that whatsoeuer is said against the one may also bee brought against the other But in causes of weakenesse in the woman daunger to the childe or sicknesse in eyther of both it is not onely a duety of necessity but of conscience to nourish and cherish the children of other Therefore although the mothers had the nursing of their children yet there were others also like peti-nurses which had some especiall care in the keeping of the children as we may read of the nurse of Rebecca which was the true vse of nurses for the ease of the mother to take the custody of the children in all thinges saue onely in giuing them sucke and therefore is it that wee may reade in auncient histories that one childe had many nurses that is many to attende the welfare and nourishment of the infant of this sort was Naomi at this present who tooke vpon her some care of this sonne of Bohaz that they both might bee more diligent for the education thereof Now for the other question whether it bee lawfull for the parentes during all the time of the infancy thereof if the mother be not able to giue it sucke to commit their chyldren to other to be brought vp I aunswere that euery man and