But it rather seemeth to agree to be vnderstoode of RVTH NAOMIE asked her daughter in-law where she had gleaned shee aunswered freely and she shewed the name of the man in whose field she was Shee doth teache parentes to haue a care and regard of their children peraduenture she thought that it could not be that shee should gleane so much by her owne labour in so short a time If children doe bring anie thing home which they say was giuen them or that they found it let parentes diligently examine them for they come by these degrees to theft Let them take an accompt of their chilchildren where they haue bene with whome what they did if any thing be suspicious in them let them examine them if they be found in a lye let them chasten them let them also prayse them which doe well and so stirre them vp to the desire of vertue Let maisters do the same and others to whome the care and charge of the yonger sort is committed Neyther let them only take an accompt of the yonger sort but also diligently of the elders I doe not giue counsell that ye shutt in youthes at home but in the meane season let them haue a care that if they goe abroad with leaue that they ioyne themselues with good companie by whose conuersation they may be the better RVTH doth willingly giue an account to her mother in-law shee doth not aunswere her crookedly shee doth tel orderly what befel to her in the field Let children doe the like to theyr parentes and those that are set ouer them and let them gouern themselues so that they may without feare make report of those thinges which they haue done Before her mother in lawe heard the name of BOAZ shee sayd blessed be hee that hath knowne thee The old translation hath who hath pittied thee The word of knowing is diuersly vnderstood in the holy scriptures Pro. 12. ver 10. the Iust man doth know the life of his beast although Salomon doth vse this word Iada and our wrirer doth vse Nakar that is hee hath a care and a regard of his cattell he doth giue them prouinder hee doth graunt them rest or hee hath mercy on his cattle but the tender affections of the wicked are crâ—ell that is they haue no care of them they doe handle theÌ„ vnmercifully So in this place who hath known thee that is who hath done thee a good turn She blessed him because he had pitie on her Truely God will blesse them who doe bestowe benefites on widdowes and poore foolks The. 15. Sermon 20 And Naomie sayd vnto her daughter in-law blessed be he of the Lord for hee ceaseth not to do good to the liuing and to the dead Againe Naomie sayd vnto her the man is nere vnto vs and of our affinite 21 And Ruth the Moabitesse sayd he sayd also certainly vnto me thou shalt be with my seruants vntill they have ended all mine haruest 22 And Naomie aunswered vnto Ruth her daughter in law it is best my daughter that thou goe out with his maydes that they meete thee not in another â—ielde 23 Then she kept her by the maydes of Bohaz to gather vnto the end of barly haruest and of wheat haruest and dwelt with her mother in-lawe THe talke which NAOMIE had with RVTH is partly pleasant and partly profitable for it contayneth manye thinges which make not a little both for our instruction and comfort Before NAOMIE vnderstoode in whose fielde RVTH had gleaned shee sayth blessed be hee who hath knowne thee And after shee had heard his name she vttered this blessing in many wordes Blessed be hee of the Lorde that is the Lorde rewarde hym both in this world and in the world to come or he is blessed that is he is accepted of the Lorde his grace is with him The blessing of the Lord doth comprehend the goods as well temporall as eternall Hee that doth blesse another praieth that God would take him to his defeÌ„ce through the MESSIAS in whom we are blessed that he would release his sinnes that hee would defend him and giue him successe in all his affayres and keepe him from all euill She doth shew the cause for he ceaseth not to do good to the liuing and to the dead that is hee ceaseth not to loue them and to be beneficiall vnto them But how he was beneficial to the dead I will shew you by and by She doth add that BOAZ which RVTH did not knowe was their nigh kinsman Goel signifieth a reuenger and a kinsman who ought by lawe to defend their bloud and seek the punishment of hym who hath hurt them We doe gather out of these wordes what is the duetie of those that bee of our kindred and affinitie and of friends namely that they loue mutually togither and that they striue in giuing benefites amongest themselues which are not of one kinde also that the riche doe helpe the poore BOAZ did prosecute his friends with loue both dead and a liue and was beneficial vnto them How did he good to the dead wheÌ„ as long as ELIMELECH and hys sonnes were aliue he was beneficiall vnto them and after theyr deathes for their remembraunce he did gratifie theyr widowes in as many matters as he could and hee would haue done the same to theyr children if they had anie and this is to shewe pitie or mercie towardes the dead NAOMIE vsed this phrase before Truely if the dead shoulde knowe what thinges are done vppon the earth they woulde reioyce at these dueties not that thou shouldest endeuoure to place them in the place of Gods and appoynt holye daies for them make praiers to them c. Manye haue little care of the widdows and children of their dead friends or if they do any thing once or twise for their sakes afterwardes they doe leaue to be mercifull that is they doe cast away the care of them and send them to others hee was constant in friendship For true friends do not turne with fortune PROV 17. 17. A friend loueth at al times we haue some examples of such friendes in the scriptures The 2. SAM 9 chaprer DAVID hauing obtained the whole kingdome did aske if any remained aliue of the family of SAVLE with whome he might deale mercifully for Ionathans sake that is that he might be beneficiall vnto him and when MEPHIBOSHETH the sonne of IONATHAN was brought vnto him hee gaue him the landes and the goodes of his father and although hee was lame and one cast away yet he setteth him at his table It is sayd commonly that the dead do lacke friendes but DAVID dâ—th account him as his sonne for the remembraunce of his father Therefore God doth also stirre vp to him faythfull friends for in the conspiracie of ABSOLON CHVSAI ITHAI and others followed DAVID and not his sonn although they did see him florishe Those friends which forsake vs in aduersitie are not true friendes but maye bee compared vnto those birdes
admonish them that they doe not hurt her But it is the duetie of housholders that they do not onely preserue the chastitie of their own maydes but also of others that no filthines be spoken whereby they might be prouoked to lewdnes let him shewe them how filthie a thing whordome is and how harlots are defamed with publike infamie Let him call them backe from all thinges which may prouoke them to lewdnes especially if he see theÌ„ gamesome or waÌ„ton as from lewd talk from keeping companie with suspitious men from filthy shewes and daunsings c. There are some who say that it is but in vaine to keepe them straightly but youthes doe oft amisse for want of vnderstanding But howe wicked are they who offer their maydens whose chastity they ought to preserue and be to theÌ„ in stead of parentes to others or defile them themselues He ought also to beware least the body fame or goods of his neighbours or any others be hurt by his seruauntes He must not onely keepe in order his houshold seruauntes but also his beasts that they be not hurtfull to others as dogges horses oxen c. It is said in the law If an oxe wer wont to strike in time past and it hath bene tolde his maister and he hath not kept him in and after he killeth a man or a woman the oxe shalbe stoned and his owner shall dye also c. Also if the fire breake forth and burne corne and take into the stackes standing in the fieldes hee shall restore the losse that did kindle the fire If any man shall digge a pitt and shall not couer it the owner shall restore the losse of the cattell The Lorde commaundeth that those houses which are flatt should be battelled least any man shoulde fall downe He doth adde this that if shee were a thirst she should goe to the vessels and drinke of the water which the seruants haue drawne There is great scarsitie of water in those places PALESTINE hath her floudes riuers and springes but yet in many places the springes are dried vp with those great heates so that sometime they fetched water a great way The which also befell in our country of Heluetia which aboundeth with â—â—aters in many places in the yeare 1540. In the 26. chap. of GENâ— ISAACKS seruauntes digged pits which for quietnes sake he yeelded to others In EXOD. the 2. chap. Moses did helpe the daughters of IETHRO which drew water for theyr flockes when the shepheardes withstoode them because there were no other welles in those places Therefore it is a great benefite that hee doth bid her goe to take drinke out of the vessels that is flaggons or bottels As the latines doe vse very largely this word arma that I may note this by the way namely for instrumentes for euery arte as armour for warre for schollers and for cookes c. So KELIM which is amongest the Hebrues vessels doth signifie instrumentes weapons ornamentes houshold-stuffe and apparel This seemeth to haue some force that he sayth whiche my seruauntes haue drawne namely not without labour Although they say they haue drawne it by theyr labour driue thee away yet I will that thou drinke no man shall resist thee afterward he doth commaund her to eate meate together with the reapers Here is set foorth to vs a notable example of humanitie and kindnesse towardes the poore widowes straungers and especially towardes them that are newly conuerted to the truth and how they are to be handled looke in the Epistle to the ROMAINES the 14. and 15. chap. BOAZ first did talke with RVTH friendly hee doth not looke that shee should aske any thing of him hee doth promise her defence and drink he doth graunt her more than she durst ask him and that with a good will But what was the cause of this humanitie and good will towardes RVTH when hee did not know that he should be coupled in marriage vnto her Because shee had the fauour of God by faith shee also had the good will of men God doth moue the heartes of the enemies towardes those whome he doth loue as SALOMON saith in hys prouerbes the 16. chap. Then hee vnderstood by the speech of his Baylife that shee was indued with notable vertues and therefore that she was worthy of fauour and good will If hee had spoken euill of her peraduenture he would haue conceiued some euill against her Furthermore she was indued with faith which is the spring of good workes and he saw with his eyes the diligence of the woman in gathering of eares This courtesie of BOHAZ is to be followed of vs the poore and straungers are to be nourished and intreated friendly Nouices in the faith are to be defended against those iniuries which they are in daunger of Next if we will haue men kinde and friendly we must especially seeke to please God Secondly here is shewed how RVTH behaued her selfe towardes him First she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground She sheweth her selfe as one vnworthie that BOAZ a noble man should vse so courteously shicah to bow to submit or fall downe in the forme hithpaal hishtaueh to cast downe her self to bow the head or the rest of the bodie to fall downe at any mans feete The Grecians doe render it proscunein And the latines expound it by the worde adoration EXOD. 20. in the second commaundement which speaketh against Images and Idols it is said thou shalt not adore them The idolaters say that they doe not worshippe them and that they are iniuried if these thinges be reported of them but truely they knowe not or rather will not knowe what it is to adore The Hebrue worde signifieth to bow and lie downe before thâ—m but will they deny that they doe this Therfore they cannot be excused from Idolatrie Amongest the latines also to adore doth signifie to bow the knees and to honor by falling downe c. it was the coÌ„mon maner that they would fall downe at the feete of them whome they would honour but wee doe not bow our knees vnlesse we come before Princes before whome wee suppliently fall on our knees Next shee doth wonder and make great accompt of his courtesie when she being a straunger was so well accepted of him for the moste part bannished men and poore men are despised of the rich and mightie We haue a notable example in RVTH of humilitie thankefulnes and shamefastnesse She doth shew her humilitie partly by her outward behauior namely by the gesture of the body that is by bowing submission partly by words for shee saith Wherefore haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest know me or that thou doest knowe me For it signifieth as MARTINVS BORRAVS the diligent and learned expounder of gods word no light acquaintaÌ„ce â—ut to acknowledge louingly and to haue a regard of anie She doth confesse that shee is vnworthy of his benefites HVMILITIE is a notable vertue whereunto pride is
amongst the Latines from a yoke for that maried folkes are as if it were bound vnder one yoke But though thou doest vnderstand these wordes of PAVLE generally that we must not keepe companie with vnbeleeuers yet hereof it may be inferred that muche rather wee must not marrie with them 1. COR. 7. chap. when the Apostle saith that the faithfull must not forsake the vnfaithfull wife hee doth speake of marriage contracted and not to be contracted Therefore wee must take heede least we marry with the wicked for wealth for power or for other temporall profites Yet at least some regard ought to be had of these Children which comming of vnequall matrimony are commonly badly brought vp In GEN. 6. chap. the sonnes of the holy Fathers did marry wiues of the daughters of CAIN because they were bewtifull and of them they had Giantes that is despisers and contemners of religion Superstitious mothers do corrupt their children with false opinions which they do hold obstinately and that they may doe very easily sith they are dayly conuersant with them and they doe refuse no labor that they may do these things IVDG 3. chap. there is an other example of the Israelites which did marry Idolaters And there may manie newe examples be brought of them who this way haue cast both themselues and theyr children into great daunger of wealth estimation and the soule Therefore let the parentes being mindefull of these daungers beware least they giue theyr sonnes to wicked women much lesse to giue their daughters to wicked husbandes in which there is greatest daunger let not children choose them suche wiues thier parents being against them Although many say that they can turne their wiues to the truth yet they know that they are not wiser then SALOMON who did hope without doubt that he could do the same but by the flatteries of women he forsooke God and so forward Of that that it is sayd that ELIMELECH died and both his sonnes wee must call to mind that all men must die HEB. 9. this is called the way of all flesh in the scriptures in which they may not linger at their pleasure As many as were before vs are dead In the booke of GENESIS the 5. chap. wherein those fathers which liued long are numbred who florished before the floud of euery of them it is said they re dead All other daungers may be auoyded by some meanes but the daunger of death cannot be shunned For he must die whom order doth require whether he will or no if that another woulde dye in his place that would not be graūted Euerie body doth depart sooner for the moste part then they thinke them selues Not onely old men but also young men doe sometime dye sodenly Who woulde thinke that NAOMI should haue out liued her sonnes wee knowe not when where or how we shall dye These thinges ought to stirre vs vp the fatall hower being at hand for who will not willingly die hauing so many companions in this iourney who is so bold to aske of God that he might liue alone If thy friendes dye thou shouldest thinke that they goe before thee that thou shalt followe by and by For there are farre better comfortes in the scriptures but these are not to be despised If thou art troubled with diuers greeuous afflictiōs thou shouldest think that thou shalt dye and that shortly do not therefore lay thy hand vppon thy self but wait for it patiently Next when we heare that we must looke for death let vs furnish our selues with necessarie thinges as men doe when they are going a iourney wee must beware of wickednes we must followe after godlines and innocencie of life They are to be reprooued whiche are troubled when they heare any mention of death For who will hope to haue helpe in war of him who doth feare a sheathed sword in peace daunger is not ouercome by despising And sith NAOMI being compassed with many euils did not despaire wee also being cast of God into greeuous troubles and miseries let vs not dispaire or accuse him A woman for this onely canse or name that shee is a widdow is miserable For the husband in the scripture is called the head of his wife for the body without the head is not a man but a stocke Widowes are often times despised of theyr friends this euill is somewhat mitigated if their husbandes do leaue behinde them sonnes to bee a comfort and helpe to their mother ae widdow But the death of her sonnes followed the death of her husband ELIMELECH so that shee seemed wholy to be destitute of mans ayde To these was added pouerty for the goods that she had were spent by little and little in iourneis and other causes which are not knowne to vs. For what is more despised than a poore widow Adde to these that she was now olde and such cannot well nourishe themselues because they are froward and subiect to many diseases And old age is a disease by it self Olde women as the common people say are vnworthy of life and they are mocked with many reproches To this heape of troubles is added that they were straungers amongest the Moabites a nation noysome cruell to Israelites and superstitious If her husband and children had died in theyr countrey she had her kinsmen and men of affinitie to comfort her if she had bene a straunger amongest people of of her own nation it would haue bene greeuous how muche more amongest these But if as some thinke she went into the land of Moab against the word of God she felt then the bites and stinges of conscience she remembred that those troubles befel to her for her own sinne yet for all these heapes of troubles NAOMI did not dispaire for shee knewe that this is the lotte of the sainctes in this world that they are exercised with many and great afflictions We must thinke in great afflictions that they are not sent vs by chaunce but of God a moste mercifull father to ou◠profite and also that hee will mittigate those troubles and take them away by and by if it be for our profite we must thinke what wee haue deserued by our sinnes for God is wont to cast his own children oftentimes into great troubles that hee may make them reioyce the more afterwardes Furthermore others haue also their burthens Let vs not say that neuerman was so oppressed with so many troubles for as PAVLE sayth wee haue not withstoode as yet to bloud God doth tame vs with great troubles that wee may seeke for eternall life in which we shall be freed from all trobles There are also other endes of troubles which God doth send Sathan doth endeuoure to perswade vs in troubles that God doth hate vs and therefore that it is needefull that wee prouide for our selues but we must patiently looke for helpe from God who also in his good time did mercifully at the length deliuer out of great troubles The 4. Sermon 6 Then
she arose with her daughters in lawe and returned from the countrey of Moab For she had heard say in the countrey of Moab that the Lorde had visited his people and geuen them bread 7 Wherfore she departed out of the place where she was and her two daughters in law with her and they went on their way to return vnto the land of Iudah 8 Then Naomie sayd vnto her two daughters in law goe returne eche of you vnto her own mothers house the Lord shew fauour vnto you as ye haue done with the dead and with me 9 The Lord graunt you that you may finds rest either of you in the house of her husband And when she kissed them they lift up theyr voyce and wept NOW hee entreateth of the return of NAOMIE into her couÌ„try In the first place is shewed how as soon as she heard that the Lorde hadde giuen plentie to the Israelites she presently betooke her selfe to her iourny that she might return into her countrey Both her daughters in lawe kept her companie and followed her a little way as it seemed of no other purpose then to leaue their owne countrie and to goe with her into the land of Moab We doe learne out of this place from whence aboundance of thinges doe come For the scripture saith God visited which worde is taken both in the good part and euill his people and gaue them bread that is fruit corne and other thinges necessary for the sustenance of life All which amongest the Hebrues is called bread as also in that petition Giue vs this day our dayly bread GOD therefore doth giue vs all things necessarie But as God in his mercy doth giue vs aboundance so of his iustice doth he giue vs scarcetie He worketh by second causes yet hee is not bound to them Therefore let vs pray that hee deale not with vs according to our desertes but according to his great mercie But here is a notable example to be followed of NAOMIE For she by and by assoone as the famine ceased went out of the idolatrous nation to the people of God as if it were to a haueÌ„ so let vs also as often as occasioÌ„ is offred flie to that place where we may serue God with a pure conscience let vs embrace him with both handes especially if the word of God be preached publikely in our owne countrey DAVID in bannishment did first complaine of this that hee could not be present in the holy assemblies and as the Hart doth earnestly desire the riuers of waters after that he is chased of the hunters so his soule thirsted after the Lord. 2. SAMVEL 2 chap. DAVID hearing that Saule was dead by and by he consulted with the Lorde if he should goe vnto ZICLAG into some Citie of the tribe of IVDAH esteeming nothing more then to returne home with speede hee being commanded of God without delay went with his wife and fellow souldiers to Hebron If wee liue in those places where religion is freely exercised wee can scarse containe our selues in our callinges what then will become of vs there where no mention is made of the word of God and so many wicked examples are dayly set before our eyes Wherefore if thou fallest by some necessity amongst wicked men assoone as thou canst commodiously chaung thy place For there is a greater care to be had of our eternal safetye theÌ„ of all other thinges Those Israelites are euill spoken of and also deseruedly which did not accept the allowance of CIRVS and would not return into their countrie but rather die in Babilon than leaue their nestes It is said in the 18. APOCA allegoricallie that wee must leaue Babilon and Moab that is idolatrie and wickednes NAOMIE doth exhort her daughters in law that ech of them should go home to their mothers house she doth call it their mothers house not because theyr fathers were dead for afterwardes in the 3. chap. BOAZ doth prayse RVTH because she did leaue her father and mother and came into the land of Israell but because children and especiallie daughters are most conuersant with the mothers and moste familiar with them GENESIS 24. REBECCA doth call it the house of her mother and not of her father Of what purpose she did perswade them not to come into the land of Iudah we will speake in place conuenient She doth pray for their prosperitie first that God would blesse them next that God would be mercifull vnto theÌ„ as they were to the dead and her The worde chaesâ—d signifieth godlines mercifulnes benignitie and bountifulnes not after a certaine maner but whiche doth proceede from an ardent affection that speech is oftentimes found in the scriptures this word EMETH is added that is truth or fayth GEN. 24. ABRAHAMES seruaunt saith if ye now consult to deale mercifully with my maister shew it that is if ye will doe him a good turne and deserue well of him giue your daughter to wife for his sonne 1. SAM 15. It is sayd of the Cenites that they did shew mercy to all the children of Israell when they came out of Aegipt that is that they gaue them benefites therefore they were preserued when the Amalekites were destroyed 2. SAM 3. chap. ABNER saith to ISHBOSHETH I haue dealt mercifully with thy house that is I haue bestowed benefites vpon it chap. 10. DAVID said I wil deale mercifully with HANON the sonne of NOHAS as his father dealt mercifully with me sending Embassadours who shoulde comfort him after his fathers death And because he had receaued benefites of them his will was to giue them thankes c. What did these widowes they did loue theyr husbandes when they were aliue and they did serue them withall kinde of honest dueties so farre as it became honest wiues they did speake honourably of the dead and they did so lead theyr liues that the dead shoulde not be euill spoken of for theyr causes Furthermore for their husbandes fakes they did helpe theyr mother in-law being left alone so they did shew mercy to the dead But no man ought to thinke that of any preposterous zeale they did offer I know not what sacrifices or muÌ„ble vpp some prayers for them whiche were departed For without doubt RVTH knew that those soules which are departed in the faith of the Messias are in rest c. The Masse Priestes doe exhort men that they shew mercy to the dead that is hier Masses to be said for the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that they should prouide to celebrate the seuenth daies the moneths daies and yeare daies c. that their soules might be freed out of purgatory But sith that God hath appointed so many kindes of sacrifices yet as PETER MARTER obserueth it is not read that hee did appoynt any at all for them that are tormented in purgatorie which he would haue done if our soules shuld suffer any torments in purgatory It is euident by the holy scriptures that there are onely two places for soules
agarne out of the countrie of Moab will sell a parcell of land which was our brother Elimelechs 4 And I thought to aduertise thee saying buy it before the assistauntes and elders of my people If thou wilt redeeme it redeeme it but if thou wilt not redeeme it tell me for I knowe there is none besides thee to redeeme it and I am after thee Then he aunswered I will redeeme it WE haue hitherto heard of diuers troubles and afflictions wherewith NAOMIE and RVTH were afflicted nowe next we shall heare how their conditioÌ„ was changed into better For after that BOAZ a wealthie man married RVTH both of them abounded in thinges necessarie for the sustenance of life But the holy Ghost doth keepe this order in this chap. First BOAZ doth trie before the Iudges the god will of the kinsman whether hee would buye the little field of NAOMIE whether he would mary RVTH according to the law Next he refusing it BOAZ married RVTH therefore all the people and the elders reioiced at theÌ„ Thridly when he had begotten his first borne son the womeÌ„ blessed NAOMIE his graund-mother Fourthly the genealogie of BOAZ is described This chapter is replenished with much doctrine as we shall heare God willing in their places And first we see that godly men may be raysed by the grace of God out of great pouertie and lifted vp vnto great honors BOAZ sayd vnto RVTH asking marriage that hee would marrie her if the nearer kinsman would not marry her The next daye hee sate in the gate as a chiefe Iudge according to the opinion of the Hebrues who sayd that he was IBSAN the Iudge and when the kinsman came by of whoÌ„ he had spoken to RVTH by chaunce or rather by the prouidence of God hee commaunded him to come to him and sit downe and by and by hee called ten elders and he commaunded them to sit downe and he sayd open his cause As concerning the phrase He sayde no such one come hither and sit here The Hebrue wordes Almoni Peloni signifie nothing but are onelye put in stead of some proper name whiche wee leaue out eyther because it is known or do not remember it or because we wil not name it the Gretians doe call o deiâ—as Some men doe thinke that his name was not conceald without the prouidence of God for that he was not worthie to be remembred of good men for that he despised to rayse vppe the name and seede to hys brother The olde Hebrues did â—it in iudgmeÌ„t in the gates or about the gates of the Citie all men beholding and hearing those thinges whiche were done as this daye also in manie places publike iudgementes especiallye of lyse and death are exercised openly They doe alleadge this reason wherefore the Senate is holden in the gate that euery man might quickly finde the place that the country men needed not to go into the Citie and spend muche there and that euery one might goe to theyr houses theyr busines being ended Furhtermore that many witnesses may be easily gathered of them that goe out and in Or the gate is simplie takeÌ„ for the court The Chaldeans do translate at the gate that is to say the house of publike iudgment at the court peraduâ— ture because those houses had great gates The Romaines gathered their counsels for the most part in the temples Hee called together the Elders The Hebrues do call Zacan Iudges of their age as the latines doe also call them Senators and fathers amongest the Gretians also the senate is called Gerousiâ— from a worde that signifieth age They choose for the most part the Senate by whose councell the common wealth is gouerned of the elders which seeme most fit for this matter For they know many thinges and haue learned manie thinges by their owne hurt Next they are not so carryed by theyr affections as youthes but they doe administer thinges with mature counsell Furthermore when they are near to death they thinke or at least ought to thinke that they should do nothing agaynst publick iustice and religion for shortly God will take an account of their deedes and sayings WheÌ„ PISISTRATVS the tiraÌ„t asked SOLON what encoragement he had that he did withstand him so sharply he answered old age Valerius maximus writeth of Cesselius that when he did not obey the Triumuerie did speak many thinges freely against CAIVS CAESAR his friends warned him that hee should take heed to himselfe he sayd there are two thinges which doo make mee verio bold namely olde age and want of children It is said that those elders sate down By sitting down is signified that Iudges ought to be of a mind quiet peaceable and calme not to be troubled with affections and that attentiuely they shuld heare them which plead in the court not with a wauering mind SERVIVâ— noteth lib. 9. Anei In antient time men vsed this phrase to sit for to aduise to care for and to consider of After propounding the cause he said NAOMIE doth appoint to sell the field of ELIMELECH our brother the Hebrues doe call cousins brethren therefore I would bring it to thy care that is shew it to thee that if thou wilt redeem it according to the law of kindred in the presence of the dwellers hereabout and of the elders of my people thou mayst redeem it because there is none neerer and if it doth not please thee to redeeme 〈◊〉 I would thou shouldest tell me he by and by aunswered I wil redeeme BOAZ addeth presently that he must also marry RVTH if he will haue the land The Iewes had their peculiar lawes of Inheritances and successions NVM 27. and 36. chap. the land of Israell was deuided into 12. Tribes of which euerie one of them had their possessions which God would not haue mingled and the inheritances of one to be transported to another The fathers being dead the children succeeded in the inheritaunce The sonnes ought not to marry wiues out of their owne Tribes the daughters also ought not to marry others out of their own tribes If any man dyed without Children the brothers did succeed but if they had no brothers the kinsmaÌ„ LEVI 25. chap. no man ought to sell the inheritance of his possession but if anie man be poore and be constrained to sell his grounds he ought to offer it to hys kinsman if they will not then to some of that tribe but in the meane season the seller hath gotten mony he may alwayes redeeme it from the buyer â—length the possessions returne to their old maisters in the yeare of Iubily Lyâ—â—noâ—eth vpon this place that women dâ—â— not inherite but if a wife remayne after her husband be dead without children she was to haue part of the inheritaunce to maintayne her selfe And shee might sell as much as was hers and so it is sayd that NAOMIE would sell after the same manner that part of the ground of the field which was left her by her
thing which shall bring no profite to them that read it It is true that one place is more profitable then anotheâ— as one fielde is more fruitfuller then another and one riuer hath more 〈◊〉 in it then another but ther is nothing iâ— the scriptures that is without vse thogâ— it may seeme at the first sight to be altoâ—gâ—ather vnfruitfull Mettalls lye hid â— hard stones wholsom hearbs are founâ— in sluttishe places small pieces of gold are sometimes seen and precious stone lye hid amongst the barren sand Aristoâ—tle lib. 1. cap. 5. De partibus animaliâ—â—â— wâ—â—teth that of al natural things there is noâ—thing so vile abiect that bringeth no some profit vnto men For the works oâ— nature are not wrought in vaine but aâ— things are made for some ende In thiâ— place I remember Heraclitus Tarenâ—ous who when he lodged in a certainâ— shepheardes cottage cried out as it â— sayd come in hyther for here also aâ— gods The same may ought to be spoken of those places of the holy scripture which seeme to bee altogether barren â— for they haue sometime an euidenâ— anâ— profitableâ—vse This catalogue of the 〈◊〉 may peraduenture seeme to many â—o be vnpleasaunt and vnprofitable as â—hat which onely containeth an idle â—aâ—ologue of names But for this cause â—as this whole booke written nameâ—y that wee might knowe the geneâ—â—gie of DAVID and so consequently â—f Christ who was peculiarly promised â—nto him And truely this catologue is of so great moment that MAT. Lvc. translated the same word for word into the genealogie of Christ. For the scope â—f the Euangelists and Apostles is this â—hat Iesus is the Christ that is the king â—nd high priest of all true beleeuers â—herefore it behoued them to shew that â—ee was come of them to whome hee â—as promised For the holy Ghost preâ—â—ntly from the beginning of the world â—ligently declared of what parentes â—hrist should come God promised our 〈◊〉 parentes ADAM and HEVAH when â—ey should be cast out of Paradise that â—e seede of the woman that is the â—ESSIAH or Christ should breake the â—â—d of the serpent And the line of Christ descended not by Caine but by Seth to Noah Hee had three sonnes but the line is drawne from Shem to Abraham from him it descended not by Ismaell but by Isaac the promised sonnâ— afterwardes not by Esau his first born sonne but by Iacob who otherwisâ— was called Israell Hee hauing tweluâ— sonnes at his death by the inspiration of the holy Ghost he foretolde vnto Iudah that he should haue the kingdome the scepter or rodde that is the kingly power should not depart from his tribâ— nor a scribe or a lawgiuer the Chaldâ— interpreter translateth it a prince the Septuaginte a captaine all one sence that is inferiour Iudges shall not depart from his feet namely of the tribe of Iudah that is they shall not be taken away vntill Shiloh come that is the sauiour and Messias the olde Hebrues doe thus expound this worde but the newer oâ— latter of them doe woonderfully wreâ— this place and doe deuise most absurd senses least they shoulde be compelleâ— to confesse that the Messiah is come in to the worlde The Patriarcke addeth and the people shal be gathered vnto him that is the Gentiles shall also come vnto the MESSIAH and beleeue in him Though thys propheâ—ie seemeth to speake onely of the continuance of the kingdome of IVDAH and not euidently and plainly to say that SHALOH should come of the tribe of IVDAH yet other prophets did afterwardes expresly foretell the same For when as in the tribe of IVDAH there were many notable houses as CALEBS and others the Prophetes propheâ—ied that the MESSIAS should coâ—e of the house of IESEE and of DAVID But of DAVID there came most mightie kings after his family being as it seemed almost extinguished and ouerwhelmed yet God preserued him a light and foretolde that the Messias should come of IECONIAS DAVIDS nephew of his sonne IEHOIAKIM Hee begate SALATHIEL from whome the two Euangelistes doe draw the lyne of Christ vnto IOSEPH vnto whome was espoused the holy virgine who baâ—e Iesus Christ the king of kinges And in this place is the genealogie of the fathers crâ—wne from IVDAH the sonne of IACOB vnto DAVID PHAREZ and ZARAH being twinnes were the sonnes of IVDAH of THAMAR his daughter in law and his wife Gen. 38. By them are praefigured two sortes of people the Iewes and the Gentiles they went down into Aegipt with their father and there PHAREZ begat ESROM 2 ESROM was the sonne of PHAREZ Gen. 46. He went downe into Aegypt with his father his grand-father as also HAMVL his brother did Ge 46. of whose posteritie there is nothing recorded vnlesse that the familie of the HAMVELITS tooke theyr names from hym Num. 26. 3 RAM who in the booke of the Chronicles and by the Euangelistes is called ARAM was the sonne of ESROM borne in Aegypt after the death of IACOB 4 AMINADAE the sonne of RAM great graund-father to DAVIDS great graund-father was borne in Aegipt 5 NAASSON the sonne of AMINADAâ— graund-father vnto DAVIDS great graund-father hee went out of Aegypt with his father and after hym hee was captayne of the tribe of IVDAH in the wildernes where hee begate SALMON Num. 1. 2. 7. 1. Chroâ—i 2. It is doubted whether he was hanged together witâ— the other princes in the fields of MOAB for whoredome and the worshipping of Ball Peor ELISAH ARONS wife was his sister Exo. 16. Some doe write that ELIMELECH the Bethlehemite the husband of NAOMIE RVTHES mother in-law and NAASSON were brethren but LIRA saith that ELIMELECH and the father of BOAZ that is SALMON were brethren and so the other went before hym in one degree as he noteth vppon 3. cap. of this booke According vnto this opinion BOAZ and MAHALON shuld be brothers children which seemeth not to be true for then should there haue bene none neerer of kinne then BOAZ except hys brother if hee hadde anie for these two sonnes dyed without anie Children 6 SALMON who in this booke and 1. Chroni 2. is otherwise called SALMACH the sonne of Naasson graund-father to DAVIDS grand-father was prince in the tribe of IVDAH when IOSHVA entred the land of promise this man tooke RAHAB the Cananite to be his wife c. 7 BOAZ DAVIDS great graundfather hauing SALMON to his father and RAHAâ— to his mother tooke RVTH to hys wife The Hebrues doe say that hee was IESHAN the Iudge The Chaldei interpreter calleth him a righteous man and hee writeth that for his equitie the land of Israell was preserued from the inuasions of the enimies and deliuered from the famine by his prayers But from whence he hath this I know not 8 Oâ—ED the sonne of BOAZ and of RVTH the Moabite was DAVIDS graund-father 9 ISAI who by the Euangelistes is called IESSE was the sonne of OBED mention is made of him in the 11. chap. of the Prophet
hunger Howe oft doe children with theyr crying breake their parents sleep How oft are the parents made afraid through sundry and sodayne falles of their children Say not therefore that they are froward and complaining thinke rather what thou hast bene and what thou shalt be through the weakenesse of age if the Lorde graunt thee to liue many yeeres The Ethnickes haue many notable examples of the pietie of children toward parentes What an example is it of that daughter which with her owne milke norished her mother in prison of whom Valerius Maximus maketh mention Pausanias lib. 10. writing of them which wer called the godly Cataneans sayth when the fire burnt hotly out of Aetna into Catana a Citie of Scicilea which was at the foote of this mountayne they made no accompt of golde siluer but flying away this man tooke his mother on his shoulders that other bare his father But because they went not away with speede the flame hasting the fire ouertooke them but they cast not away theyr parentes so Therefore they say that the flames parted in two and passed ouer both the young men also the parentes not hurting them at all He sayth that these men in his tyme wer greatly honored of the Cataneans The Storkes also doe shewe kindnesse vnto theyr dammes when they are old here of Antipelargein is taken for to make a recompence Amongest Christians thou shalt finde children which hauing aboundance of wealth doe yet reiecte theyr parentes and yeeld them not wherewith to slake theyr hunger Often times the daughters woulde willingly doe theyr dueâ—e but the sonnes in-law will not suffer it in like maner the sons would doe but the daughters in-lawe shew themselues very straight of whom that cannot be sayde which these women doe speake of RVTH that she is to her mother in-law better then many sonnes The sonnes doe oft excuse theÌ„selues by theyr pouertie but yet they doe follow the cups and do most sumpâ—uously against all order apparell themselues and are at manie vaine expences If the parents haue many children they are sent vp and down from one to another especially if they haue milked their mony from them before therfore they doe wisely which keepe their goods to themselues and giue them not to theyr children SIRAC 33. chap. Of this that it is sayd that RVTH is better vnto her then seuen children we do gather this comfort that we wanting the helpe of children God can easily rayse vppe other men who may doe vs more good then our owne who ought especially to prouide for vs. Daughters in-lawe doe also learne agayne by this example how they ought to behaue themselues towardes theyr mother in-law Lastly women doe learne what and how they ought to speake if they doe carry children to baptisme â—and doe visite women lying in childebed namely they shoulde geue God thankes for hys benefites which hee bestoweth vppon them and pray vnto him that the children may be religiously brought vp and serue God and not talk of matters that are light or scurrilous The. 27. Sermon 16 And Naomie tooke the childe and layd it â— her lap and became a nursse vnto it 17. And the women her neyghboures gaue it a name saying There is a childe borne vnto Naomie and called the name thereof Obed the same was the father of Ishai the father of Dauid THERE are three thinges contayned in these wordes first NAOMIE was the boyes nursse next the women called the boy OBED thirdly that he was graundfather to DAVID the king It is written that NAOMIE tooke the infant and layd it in her lap and imbraced him with great ioy for so we see it commeth to passe that graundfathers and grandmothers doo oftentimes loue their nephues and neeses better then their own children Shee became the boies nursse not that she gaue him suck but she gaue him meate drinke and washed him c. As concerning the worde meiaenkâ—th a nursse that is deriued of iâ—nak to sucke in Hishil to geue milke as shee which geueth the infante milke GEN. 22. Wee read of REBECKAES nursse GEN. 35. of DEâ—ORA a nursse 2. REG. 11. Omaeneth for a nursse 2. SAM 3. His nursse tooke him is deriued aman to nursse to bring vp meialaedeth a midwife of â—alad to bring forth because she helpeth her that is in trauell And though that she had now an aged body and therefore not fitte for labours yet shee would not leade an idle lyfe but did what shee could Let olde woemen follow this example let them take care of children teaching them godlinesse and withdrawing them from vices 1. Tim. 5. If anie wido we haue children or nephewes let them learn or rather as Caluin translateth it let them teach for Manthanâ—in signifieth both to teach and to learn their children or nephewes to shew godlines towards their owne house and to make a mutuall recompence to their elders for this is acceptable before God Out of this that God gaue RVTH so great ioy partly by matching her with so notable a husband partly by giuing her a man-childe wee are taught that God doth sometime euen in this lyfe blesse those children which doe honour theyr parentes RVTH was faithful towardes her mother in-lawe therefore God hath graunted her a blessed and a quiet marriage much riches and great renowne Therfore O ye children deale well with your parentes geeue them those thinges whiche are necessary for them and prouoke them not to wrath Next wee doe gather that God can easily restore to perfect estate men be they neuer so much afflicted Hee doth not onely for a time vse to ouerwhelme his children with the crosse but afterwardes hee doth suffer them againe to come out of it These widowes were a long time in a poore estate but nowe God doth exalt them both hee geueth to NAOMIE a sonne in-law and of him a nephew to nourish her As after great tempestes there commeth a calme after a sharpe winter in a pleasaunt course there followeth a delectable spring so ioy followeth sorrow But God tempereth it with some trobles least we shuld wander out of the way of saluation The sacred history is full of publicke and priuate examples therefore in aduersities let vs not be vnpatient but lâ—t vs comfort our selues with the consideration of such like examples The neighbours sayd that there was a sonne born to NAOMIE but NAOMIE was not his mother but RVTH her daughter in law but they speake in this maner because the graundmothers are as mothers to the nephewes Those sonnes are also accompted their children which haue adopted theÌ„ Or it is such a phrase of speeche as that in ISA. 9. a childe is giuen to vs. And also in LVKE 2. This day a sauiour is born to you in the Citie of DAVID which is Christ the Lorde and this is for your good They called his name OBED OBED signifieth a husband-man a seruaunt a tiller There is noe cause expressed why they called him by this name It
may be because that RVTH who had this child by a man of renowne had before serued NAOMIE faithfully or because that RVTH labouring diligently amongest the seruauntes of BOAZ was knowne of him and planted into his familie Or which rather liketh me that he might serue God All true worshippers of God are called the seruaunts of God The auntient fathers gaue not vnaduisedly names vnto their children but of some especiall occasion that both they and theyr children being alwayes put in minde of the benefites of God and of theyr dutie might be stirred vp to fayth and thankes geuing Sometimes they continued the memorie of thinges past by geuing of a name Israell gaue names almost to all his children according to the successe MOSES EXOD. 18. called his sonne GERSHOM because hee was a soiourner in a straunge land and he named the other ELIEZAR because the Lord had holpe him SAMVEL was so called because HANNA had prayed to God that she might haue him Furthermore some being willing to continue or renue the memorie of their parentes or kinsmen they named theyr sonnes by theyr names LVK. 1. The neighbors and kinsfolkes contending about a name for Iohn would haue called him Zacharias but his mother said hee shall be called Iohn And when they sayde there was none of thy kindred that is named with this name they referred the matter to his father he wrott in writing tables his name is Iohn For the Aungell hadde commaunded that it should be so And this name is deriued of grace partly because he had obtayned muche grace of God partly because hee should preach to the worlde the grace of Gâ—d performed in giuing of his sonne For GOD himselfe gaue sometimes names vnto men to signifie thinges either past or to come sometimes also before they were borne He gaue ADAM his name of the earth out of the which hee was made HEVAH because she should bee the mother of all liuing creatures ISMAEL because God had heard HAGAR Gen. 16. SALOMON because there should bee a long peace in his raigne Iesus because he should saue his people Sometime he chaunged names as ABRAM he called ABRAHAM because he shuld be a father of many nations GEN. 17. SARAA because many princes should come out of her Christ our Sauiour named SIMON PETER because hee had neede of great fayth and constancie The Romaine bishops immitated this when they were created they called themselues by other names the which custome begaÌ„ as they writte in the time of SERGIVS the second who was before called Osporci Swines face and for the filthines of hys name he called himselfe SERGIVS and so it continueth vnto our times And though it auayleth nothing to saluation by what name any man be called yet it becoÌ„meth christians in geuing of names to keepe themselues from superstition In some yeeres past they consecrated theyr children to the worshippe of that Sainct by whose name they wer called And there are some which of a kind of vayne ostentation called their chyldren by heathenish names as Hannieball Scipio Catyline c. There are many notable names which do admonishe children of theyr duety amongest the Hebrues as ABRAHAM IAACOB ISAIAH Greek as Chrisostom Christopher Theophilus latine as Benedictus Fortunatus c. The Germanes haue also many notable names which haue excellent significations It is meet for godly parentes to giue their children suche names as the remembrance of theÌ„ may prouoke them to vertues As often as we heare our name so oft ought wee to thinke that in our holy baptisme we are receiued into the houshold of Christ. If we be named by the names of holy meÌ„ let vs endeuore our selues by fayth and holinesse of life to followe their steps There are other names also which are giuen according to their offices wherof it were in vaine to write in this place But why OBED was called the sonne not of Mahlon but of BOHAZ his naturall father S. Augustine sheweth in the question vpon Deut. 46. The law sayth he of marrying the wife of a brother that seed might be raysed vp to the brother who is dead without children saith he shalbe called after the name of him that is dead and his name shall not bee blotted out of Israel that is the name of the dead seemeth hereby to bee continued that he which is borne bee called by this name wherby the dead was called to whom after a sort he succeedeth c. Vnlesse it may bee vnderstood this not that he shal haue this name but that hee shalbe accounted as the sonne not of him that begat him but of that dead man to whome the seede is raysed and whose heire he is made For that which is added And his name shall not bee blotted out of Israel may so bee vnderstood not that the childe should consequently be called by his name but that he should not seeme to dye without posterity and therefore his name that is his memorie remaineth For if hee had gotten a sonne himself and had not cald him by his owne name yet his name is not blotted out of Israel because he departed not out of this life without children and the brother is commaunded to perform this towards his wife which he could not doe for though hee had no brother but the kinseman married his wife that died without children to rayse vp seede to his brother as BOHAZ did by marrying RVTH that hee might rayse vp seed to his kinsman whose wife she was and had no childe by him yet that childe which shoulde be borne of her shuld continue the name of the party deceased because he is called his son and so it coÌ„meth to passe that the name of the deceased should not bee blotted out of Israel and yet not bee called by his name c. Thus farre Augustine Others say that the children begotten in such a marriage should be called by the name of the brother which is dead but it seemeth that this was somtimes neglected because there wanted some brethren or because many had rather to beget children for themselues then for their brother The last thing to bee considered in these wordes is who this OBED was namely the father of ISHAI the grandfather of DAVID the King of whose genealogie it followeth next to be spoken The 28. Sermon 18 Those nowe are the generations of Pharez Pharez begate Hesron 19 And Hesron begate Ram and Ram begate Amminadab 20 And Amminadab begate Nasâ—on and Nashon begate Salmah 21 Salmon begate Bohaz and Bohaz begat Obed 22 And Obed begate Ishai and Ishai begate Daâ—id THERE are some places in the sacred scriptures which seem to haue but little in theÌ„ for edification but be it knowen that there is nothing set downe in them rashly or in vaine For if a wiseman will speake nothing without a cause much lesse write that which shall come into the handes of many who woulde thinke that God who is wisdome it self woulde appoint his secretaries to write any