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
consideration giue liberally to all but with speciall fauour do good to the godly for you see Boaz telleth this second cause of her forsaking both countrey and kindred as if hee were bound to do for such as for his owne children thereby signifying that if wee haue neuer so much to giue yet wee can neuer giue inough to the saintes of God This our sauiour signifieth when he saith There were many widdowes in Israel in the dayes of Eliah yet to none was hee sent but to Sarephthah a cittie of Zidon to a woman a widdowe as if hee had sayde as God with speciall kindnes releeued her in the three yeeres famine euen so must wee with the like fauour succour the godly and labouring poore Therefore when Paule biddeth do good vnto all hee addeth especially to the household of faith This is profitable for our dayes that wee might also learne to whome we may giue for now our land is full of wandering and roaguing beggers who as their life is most base yet their manners are far worse first they worke not at all but are idle and hee that worketh not must not eate because he walketh inordinatly secondly they are for the most parte vtterly voide of all feare of God atheistes ignorant persons blasphemers prophaners of Sabaothes disobedient to magistrates and maisters common whooremaisters and whoores hauing almost euerye weeke newe husbands and wiues theeues and such drones as sucke away the almes from poore labouring persons They will praye at euery doore for any simple reliefe with their hats on their heades most unreuerently but if any man appeare before them they will presently breake off their prayers and vncouer their heades esteeming more of the presence of a seely man or woman then of the maiestye of the eternall God if they bee not satisfied they will curse more vehementlye then before they prayed earnestly Those are the poore which get our almes but for other I heare of few for I speake nothing but that which I haue heard and seene with my owne eyes And to speake nothing of their changing of their voyce their counterfaiting sores and their common drunkennes I thinke I maye euerie way conclude they are the caterpillers of our countrey the Canaanits of our common wealth the vngodliest and vnprofitablest members among vs. For whome I haue two sutes the one to the magistrats that so often as they finde such persons they would duety execute the lawe vppon them that the other may beware and my other to the people that they would bee deafe at their cryes and shut vp their compassions from them and bestowe it vppon the poore labourers among vs to encourage them with patience to endure their trauailes and to discourage the other from this kind of wicked life Whatsoeuer you giue them is but seede cast into the sea whereof shall neuer come any profit but those that are of the house of the Lord let vs wishe them prosperity The Lord recompense This is the second parte of this replie of Bohaz which is his prayer for Ruth wherein as wee shewed you are deliuered two thinges first that the Lord would giue her some reward secondly hee comforteth her in that hee telleth her shee is come to trust vnder the wings of God Where first of all heere seemeth some holde for popish merites seeing hee prayeth for a recompense and perfect reward Therefore it may be probably gathered will they say from hence that workes after faith merite grace for heere I cannot conceale the subtilty of our English papists which they learned from the Remish Seminarie being asked whither workes merit they answere no meaning those workes which goe before faith whereas they euerie one doo confidently beleeue that workes after fayth doo merite eternall life Thus they blinde our eyes with the schoole distinction of workes before faith and after faith that they might the better couer their sophistrie but we praysed be God for it most confidently affirme that no workes eyther before or after faith doe concurre in the matter or cause of iustification As for workes before faith wee acknowledge they are sinne for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and for workes after faith we constantly beleeue with Paul that our saluation commeth not by them But let vs come to this scripture and continue a little with our saluation workers We grant Bohaz prayeth for a reward What then therefore works eyther merite or he prayeth amisse both which wee denie and will confirme by this scripture First did Bohaz thinke that Ruth had merited by this forsaking of her countrey I answere no why then doth he pray for her if she had deserued it God is not vniust hut hee that commanded that the hire of a labourer shoulde not bee kept backe one night woulde not or needed not to be intreated for that which he must of necessity performe By the which we see that the praier of Bohaz the merite of Ruth the iustice of God cannot stand together Secondly for what cause doth hee praye for a recompense Was it not because shee had forsaken her owne idolatrous people to come to the Lordes common wealth yes verily it was so Then was it of faith or of workes no worke assuredly but faith for faith caused Moyses when hee was growen vp to forsake the courte of Pharao and to ioyne himselfe with God his afflicted people Faith caused Abraham to come into the land of promise from his owne idolatrous countrey and this same faith caused Ruth to come from the Countrey of Moab to the people of the Iewes and therefore Bohaz addeth that she was come to trust vnder the winges of God but confidence proceedeth of faith and not of workes Therefore to conclude Bohaz prayeth for such a rewarde as God had promised to all the faithfull for as the sunne looketh vpon the earth and the earth looketh vpon the sunne again so faith respecteth the promise of God and the promise of God regardeth faith because it is written whosoeuer beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life but whosoeuer beleeueth not though hee purchase landes for Catholikes build Churches ordaine chaunteries and got neuer so farre on pilgrimage yet is hee condemned already But now they wil renewe their wonted outcry saying we preach for faith we condemne works wee driue men to a wicked life and tell them all is well if they beleeue wel we condemne say they housekeeping giuing to the poore with builders of colledges and Churches and founders of hospitals with all charitable actions but these are great thunderclappes but yet without rayne I aske the resolutest papist liuing where euer he read any of these in all the writinges of the protestants once mētioned w t out singular cōmendatiō for I am sure none of you y t are resolute papists wil come to the churches to hear our preachers speak against them yet you crie out beleeue them not they broche heresies This is brought vnto you by
them Whereby the vngodly entreating of strangers that manye wishe for among vs is too wicked enuying that any shoulde bee permitted to come and soiourne among vs like free borne children Yet heerein wee are to prayse God that these persons cannot bite although they barke at poore harbourles strangers and also that hee hath blessed our magistrates with more pitifull mindes And let these personnes knowe and consider that it is as easie to go out as to come into England this is they may as sone be driuen to other places out of their owne countrey to bee strangers there as these are repayred for succour hither The vncertaintie of worldly estate that hath brought great princes to extreme pouerty should bridle their churlishe and vngodly affections from offering one thought of iniurie to these poore harbourlesse strangers Wee knowe the parable of Christ of a man that trauailed from Iericho to Ierusalem and fell among theeues the kindnes of that stranger Samaritan should mooue vs to do good to strangers while the world standeth seeing wee are more helped by their presence then by our owne neyghbours but these kinde persons that thus rayle vppon poore strangers are such as are grieued against God and men who in their hearts would haue no man liuing in the lande besides themselues and theyr cursed posteritye But some will saye you make too much account of strangers the Lorde doeth not make such reckoning of them because forbidding vsury to the Iewes yet hee permitted them to take vsurye of the strangers I answere those strangers were the cursed Cananites and none other whome God had vowed to destruction to the intent the Iewes might haue them in all slauerie Of them he permitted to take vsury for this is the blessing of God vppon that people that they should bee able to lend to other but stand in no need to borrowe of other Therefore that beeing but a permission for the Iewes onely hath ceased in that common wealth but in Christ there is no difference of Iewe or gentile male or female bond or free for all are his and hee the Lordes so that nowe the name of a straunger is quite ceased but all are neighbors and brethren for euermore And Boaz answered In this verse is contained the replye of Boaz vnto the speeche of Ruth wherein is set downe the true cause of his liberalitye vnto her first in regarde of her mother in lawe and his kinswoman with whome shee had dealt so well in her owne countrey secondly in regard of her selfe she had forsaken father and mother with countreye and kindred to come among strange people Where we first obserue a singular encouragement to obey our godly parents for wee see that our good actions needed not to bee preached abroade by other for our farther coÌ„mendation but at the time appointed they will shewe themselues as the life of trees by sending foorth leaues in the spring time of the yeere Ruth as wee haue heard dealt most louingly with her mother in lawe in Moab yet you see that her kindnes hath followed her to Bethlehem in Iudah manye myles distant the one from the other If it had beene knowen there to a few onely it had bin sufficient but being spread a broade the chiefe man in a citie doth commende her for it among a multitude in a haruest field the place could not hide it were it neuer so far of the time not conceale it bee it neuer so secret the commendation of it be couered because shee was a stranger nor the credit of it bee loste in another countrey Such is the nature of good thinges which wee do to other that no obliuion can euer bury it What needeth this boasting of our almes deedes like the blowing of a trumpet this bragging of our worthynes some of their manhood some of their friendship other of their riches and many of their labour as if they slept not foundly til al the world did ring of their commendation This one thing loseth all our reward for it is better that the workes then the wordes should witnes it We may also by this assure our selues that we haue done nothing so secretly to the flocke of Christ but it is knowne and the name of God praysed for it for as euill deedes remaine to the graue so good workes reâ—ound to perpetuall memory Secondlye by this wee obserue the excellencye of religion for whose sake it is commendable to forget nature and praise worthye to forsake our parents and people Which if we should doo for any other cause whatsoeuer we were accursed When the Lorde woulde establishe his couenant with Abraham â— hee called him from Father and countrey to shewe that for religion sake it is a glory and not onely to do thus but also for to bee scourged yea and to suffer death Why then is it so contumeliously vpbraided so scornefully refused of many and but of fewe â—ectiued till this day Among all the world onely Abrahams posterity had the couenant and promises and now though men bee as the sande on the sea shoare and the starres of heauen which cannot bee numbered yet shall but a remnant bee saued none come vnto it but by the especiall grace of God whereby hee draweth them as it were against theyr mindes fewe persons woulde resorte to Noahs arke because they scorned his preaching euen so fewe are religious because they account it a base worke to heare the worde of God plainely opened and sincerely expounded Where is then become this auncient zeale that made men and women as well noble as base to bee obedient to the calling of the Lord for which cause they forsook both wealth parentage cuntry kindred but in these dayes men will forsake Christe and his Gospell religion and preaching for the least of these Once the Apostle saide hee accounted all thinges as dung in regarde of Christe but nowe Christ is regarded as dung in comparison of the worlde Once Christ sayd whosoeuer loueth father or mother wife or children house or landes more then mee is not worthy of mee but nowe whosoeuer loueth Christe more then these is not worthy to liue Once it was saide firste seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other thing shall be cast vppon you but nowe first seeke the worldes riches and wealth and religion will follow too soone Oh what miserable daies are we fallen into where ignoraunce aduanceth it selfe like the moone and is not ashamed the Gospell reuiled by euerie atheist the ministers molested for euery papiste the sacramentes prophaned the professours tearmed by slanderous titles which for Christes sake haue loste their kindred and aduentured their liues Surely surelye some great plague is approaching for the quenching of this burning heate of sinne when they shall say here is a God that rewardeth the righteous verily there is a God that iudgeth the worlde Thirdly we obserue out of this verse that wee must not without
ample manner confesse the benefites they haue receiued of other but by all meanes extenuate them which maketh men vnwilling to doo any good because they can haue no thankes for their labour And this it is that caused couetousnes and bribery extortion and vsury to enter vppon their bodies and wealth that woulde not gratifye with kinde and deserued reportes So that nowe men will please themselues with money and rewards that would haue beene satisfied with thankefull wordes which is a iust iudgment vpon the world that woulde not bee contented to recompence kindenes for kindnes are now plagued with couetousnes for kindnes Wherefore Naomi This is the last parte of this conference or dialogue wherein Naomi counselleth Ruth to follow and take the proffer of Boaz and abide with his maidens to auoyde all dangers if the reapers denye her in another field Where wee first of all note that if wee acquainte our parents and friendes with our actions and enterprises it might goe farre better with vs in the things of this life for their aged counsell which they haue bought with much experience may stay our vnsteddie mindes with their approued aduise Ruth in this place declaring the curtesie of Boaz hath it confirrmed with the counsell of Naomi and grounded vppon a reason which shee knewe not nor feared not For shee thought that in euerye place shee shoulde haue found the like entertainemente and the reapers that then were shoulde so continue to the ende of haruest but Naomi knewe they were often changed and so in the ende it might fall out otherwise then Boaz appointed or Ruth expected And this me thinketh doth shewe vnto vs what manner persons parentes ought to bee for if children wante counsell they shoulde bee aduised by their parents if comfort it should bee ministred by parents if necessaries they should be prouided by parents if instruction they should be guided by parents and finally if correction they should be orderred by parentes which is not onely to bee wished but is required by the Lorde that they bring them vp in the feare and nurture of the Lord. And if this were duelye weyghed and reuerently considered as Eliahas cloake parted the waters of Iordan so this woulde parte asunder and breake of many thousand mariages in our dayes where parents are not able to counsell nor willing to bee counselled which if they woulde they had not beene married This I speake not to the discredite of marriage but onely I exhorte as from the Lord that those which eyther are or intend to be married would looke and trauaile first for wisedome and then for wiues first for vertue and then for husbands wherein if they followe my aduise I assure them their marriages will be much merrier and their posterity much happier Secondly by this wee gather that it is a daungerous or indecent thing for women to trauaile or worke alone without any company for the weakest are soonest oppressed and women are quickely conquered We knowe Dinah trauailing alone was taken rauished by Sichem and Abigail when she went to pacific the wrath of Dauid tooke seruantes with hit as in this place Naomi counselleth Ruth to abide in the companye of the seruants of Boaz accounting it an indecent and vnseemelye thing for women and maidens to bee seene alone And truely if seruantes in our dayes had many times more companye there woulde bee lesse dishonestye among them for wee knowe and see to our griefe that the daylye and vsuall familiaritye of a fewe hath bredde some disease in our church and distemper in our common wealth This I speake that euen in these dayes of peace men woulde bee more carefull ouer daughters and seruauntes and not to employe them so commonlye as they doo in iourneyes and trauaile and solitarye busines but for more assurance keepe them with company which may bee their defense against all dangers if any happen and the auoyding of dishonesty if any be so lightly disposed Thirdly by this we note what companie were beste for both kinde of youthes either young men or maidens when Naomi saith it is good for thee to go foorth with his maidens that is thou art a woman and abide among his women and maidens for all companions are neither fit nor lawefull maidens among men and men among maidens is for many causes disalowed First because there is no such equality in the sexe that they might keepe together for if they labour it is not alike and if they sporte their pleasures are contrary and if they dallye it is flat iniquitye In consideration whereof in olde time the wiues had one tent to dwell in and the husbandes another as wee maye see in Abraham in Sara in Iacob and his wiues and like this it is that Miriam and the women of Israell praysed God by themselues after their deliuerance out of Egipt and Moses and Aaron her bretheren with all the men of Israel by themselues And also wee knowe howe the virgins of Israel went vp euery yeere in to the wildernes to lament and talke with the daughter of Iephthah Whereby we are taught that not onely for feare of daunger but also for modestye and conscience sake wee must auoyde this mingled companyes of men and women excepte in necessarie occasions as prayer priuatelye and publiquelye communication of godlye pretended marriages and such like businesse Whereby also wee see at once condemned the feasting dancing meeting playing and running of men and maidens together without all respect of honesty or modesty And that which is worst parents and maisters will beholde their pastime and delight in the vanitye of their wanton children trayning them vp in a dissolute life and commending their indecent and vnseemely behauiour Amend this neglygence in the shell of infancye and your children will growe vp to your greater comfort and prosper to their more happye welfare and the occasion of many sinnes will be cut of if we follow the counsell of the spirite of God And so she abode This is the conclusion of this chapter second part of this history shewing vnto vs that Ruth followed y e counsel of her mother abiding with y e maidens of Boaz to the end of barly and wheat haruest aferward dwelleth w t her mother again Where wee obserue another example of obedience in Ruth that hearkened to the voice of her mother and went forth with the maidens of Boaz. And surely it is commonly seene that such as the mother is such is the daughter for more Naomies would make mo Ruthes and mo good mothers would make more good daughters And in these dayes all the faults of children may iustly bee imputed to the folly of parents as the olde crabbe goeth so goeth the young and as the old cocke croweth so croweth the young a serpent hatcheth a serpent not an eele so euill parents bring foorth euill and vngodly chilren but good fathers by diligent instruction and tender admonition by praying with and for their
and the Lord which guideth all things and would now reward the religion of Ruth bringeth the other kinsman to the sight of Boaz who calleth him and he commeth at the request of Boaz and there tarieth and sitteth downe where we will leaue him and goe to the second part which is the witnes of this conference Then Boaz tooke ten men The witnesses of the actions which are to passe in this place we heare in these words to be ten men of the elders of the Citie there are onely ten in my iudgement because euery Citie of the Israelites had twelue gouernors according to the number of the tribes of Israell to whome appertained the ordering of all ciuill causes among them for they medled not with religion now it is very likely that Boaz and this other kinsman being men of so great kindred and wealth were two of the number of the elders who being the parties in suite had the residue of their fellowes to be witnesses of the actions that passed betweene them And this interpretation is confirmed by the diligent examination of the place for it is said that Boaz tooke them as if he were equall or greater in authoritye then they and the other being a man of great wealth as appeareth by this that he was willing to redeeme the inheritance of Naomi which could be no small charge considering the late troublesome dayes and after we shall heare in the 6. verse that he would not take Ruth for feare his owne name should be put out in Israell whereby appeareth his calling not to be meane beside his linage which was to the greatest house in Iudah by the which it must needes follow that he was an elder or ruler among them which being plaine both by this and other places of scripture that the ciuill gouernment of the people was exercised by elders and that the elders themselues could do nothing without the consent of their fellowes We see heere noted vnto vs this excellent doctrine namely that men in authority and gouernment must exercise nothing without the due execution of their owne law and decrees we see heere this Boaz a man of great authoritye and lead by the spirit of God hauing a cause for himselfe would not desire or goe about to accomplish it but in the iudgement seate and presence of the elders so that no fauour of persons may breake the course of iustice whereby a common wealth is ruled Some thinke it a base thing that great men shall stand to be iudged in the place of common persons and I thinke it as great a fault that common persons should haue any accesse to Magistrates to be iudged by them for as it debaseth their estate to be ioyned with these iudgement so it troubleth their quietnes to be iudges ouer thē But some and they of the greater sort which haue the law in their owne hands deale with it as Iudah did when it was told him that his daughter Thamar was with child then there was nothing but fire and fagot to punish her for her whoredome till she shewed him that he was the man by whome it came as Nathan did with Dauid but then the heate of the fire was well cooled when himselfe was found to be the greatest offendor euen so many deale against the weaker and poorer sort the lawes are executed to the vttermost but the rich and wealthy which offer all the iniurye gather all the friendship which is not onely a fault to others but in their owne consciences for how can they iudge another when the same offence condemneth themselues and therefore as there was one generall place of iudgement so there was but one common manner of triall like as God iudgeth the rich and poore so a good Magistrate should equally receiue both and be as willing to be iudged themselues as to giue sentence vpon other Secondly by this example of Boaz and the elders of Bethlehem we obserue that in our publike busines we must resort especially to the Magistrates euen in those things that require nothing but record and witnes-bearing This Boaz might haue gotten some of his priuate friends before whome he might haue effected the matter but we see him heere the sollicitour of his owne cause and craueth no friendship but the witnes of the elders by the which this doctrine is confirmed and therefore our Sauiour hauing clensed a leper biddeth him goe shew himselfe to the Priests for a witnes vnto them and for this cause it was commaunded in the law that the waighty matters should be brought before the Priests for Magistrates must heare as well the conclusions of peace as the contentions of disquietnes betweene man and man Wherein we are bound to render most humble and earnest thanks to almighty God who hath vouchsafed vs this blessing that the contracts of matrimony the conueyance of possessions the redeeming of morgaged lands the records of inheritances and the purchase of euery lawfull thing remaineth written in the seuerall courts and offices of credit that they might be euerlasting testimonies for the posterities succeeding Afterward Boaz said Boaz like a wise man concealeth his minde from the elders and kinsman till they were all quietly set together and then he beginneth with one part of his suite telling his kinsman of the land of Elimelech which was to be redeemed by his neerest kinsman the which Boaz propoundeth but very obscurely that thereby he might thoroughly try his minde and good will toward Naomi and making it knowne in the presence of the elders he might by no meanes recall his word And this teacheth vs not only innocent vprightnes but also godly pollicy that we be carefull for the speaking in iudgement so much as may further our iust and lawfull cause and not hinder it For thus dealeth Boaz he did not at the first shew the drift and secret of his minde which was the mariage of Ruth whereof as yet he speaketh nothing but beginning the matter with the redemption of the lands coloureth the mariage by the restoring of the inheritance for by this meanes he openeth the secrets of his kinsmans heart that he bore some good will to the cause of Naomi but of this matter inough Wherefore I determined In the former verse and in this Boaz propoundeth the matter to his kinseman testifying thereby that of duety and conscience he did it in the behalfe of the widdow and requireth him for his duetie and conscience to perfourme the part of a kinseman which is either to redeeme the right or to render it vp shewing that beside them two there is not one that was bound vnto it and also promising that if he refused then he himselfe would discharge that duetie Where we see first of all a holy example teaching vs to deale with our neighbours for our selues or for other euen as Boaz did in this place for he might haue charged his kinsman that he had no loue or care to Naomi that he had omitted his duetie
for little or nothing others which haue not so much worldly wit as were to bee wished make priuate bargaynes of their landes when they are in want or pouerty wherein they sell them halfe for nothing And thus younge men are deceyued with the sight of a little golde vnwyse and vnthriftie persons are cosoned with nothing in regarde of the value of their inheritaunce widdowes leste comfortlesse children left harbourlesse and the country troubled and pestred with such couetous encrochers and why because they make subtill and deceytfull bargaynes in secreate whereof they woulde be ashamed if eyther before iudges Elders or Magistrates this sale were propounded Therefore by the rule of God his worde wee holde him a thiefe and a robber which hath thus bought to the hinderance of the seller Thirdely it is lawfull to buy for necessity house or landes or any other thing lawfull to bee solde the former conditions alwayes obserued but it must not bee for vayneglorye or for the aduauncing of their children or posteritye or that they might bee lande lordes to many Not euery one that is wealthy and hath much money must alway purchase lande the former example of Abraham proueth this who being a very wealthy man yet hee neuer offered to buy any lande till Sara his wife was deade and that was for necessitie to bury her in So did Iacob his sonne buy a parcell of lande of Hemor the father of Shechem for an hundred peeces of siluer whereon hee pitched his tente and builded an Altar Hee might haue bought and purchased much more as hee was able but hee woulde not onely a dwelling place and an Aultar roome he prouided surely wee haue an infinite and great number that buy dwelling places but fewe that giue any of their landes or liuings to build aulters or Churches on Nay who seeth not how men sue dayly to pull downe the aulters and to make arrable land where they stand that is they pull personages and spirituall liuings to their nests they get away tythes and oblations they enter vpon the lands and profits of the ministery and I think verily in many places they are grieued that the Churches and Churchyards are so big bicause they would haue the more profit these persons I warrant you are none of Iacobs children nor Abrahams neither which haue taken to themselues the houses of God in possession Against these the Prophet cryeth woe be vnto them that ioyne house to house and field to field that there might be no more place that ye may be placed by your selues in the mids of the earth therefore heare their punishment This sayth the Lord is in my eares surely many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire houses without inhabitants This shall be the end of these couetous cormorants who desire to be the Lords of the earth And if good King Dauids posteritie within a thousand yeares after him had not one house to lodge in but euen in the same which was their fathers Ioseph and Mary were fayne to harbour in the stables feare not you but your posterities will be beggered within a hundred yeares after you which neyther are so wealthy or so godly as Dauid was but I may sooner poure out my very heart then make any forsake their purchasing so louing a sinne is the desire of wealth that men choose it with abundance heere for a season and damnation there for euer but let the godly vse the world as if they vsed it not for the desire of money is the roote of all euill But now we haue laboured for the buyers whome I know will be more carefull of their profit then my instruction let vs in a word direct the sellers also before we goe from this point If any demaund wherefore or for what causes they ought or it may be lawfull for them to sell their possessions I answere briefly for these causes a man may and for none else First to relieue his pouertie as being in sicknes for to recouer his health being imprisoned for some good cause or lawfull debt being taken a captiue to pay his raunsome or such like all this is vnderstoode by the name of pouertie or any other meanes whereby a man may come into pouertie for the Lord which gaue inheritances gaue them for the benefit of the possessors that they might be helpes vnto them in this miserable life for they must euer esteeme more of their life then of their lands of their libertie then their inheritance of their welfare and health then riches or wealth and therefore the Lord permitted the Iewes to doe away their inheritance and mention is made of a godly woman in the Gospell that had spent all the substance she had vpon Phisitions which is reported to magnifie the goodnes of our Sauiour vnto her which cured her for nothing and deferred to helpe her till she had spent all that she might accompt more of her health then her wealth of the kindnes of Christ then the cunning of the Phisitions but I neede not many reasons to prooue this and therefore I will leaue it Secondly a man may lawfully depart with some of his inheritance to helpe him that hath none at all eyther to sell it or giue it So did Ephron sell Macpelah to Abraham that had none so did Hemor sell a parcell of land to Iacob that had none and vnto this I may referre the threshing floore of Arannah which Dauid bought to build an aultar on when the Lord stayed the plague after he had numbred the people this was to speciall vse and therefore for some speciall causes I thinke it lawfull for men to giue or sell their inheritance By this we learne what to iudge of them which are so farre from giuing or selling that it is a hart-sore vnto them to see such goodly hospitalls and almes houses erected for the poore although not of their cost yet to their griefe for they had rather be fatted with the rent of the houses then poore and miserable maimed people should be fed with the reuennewes these persons thinke nothing well spent but that which is bestowed in surfetting and pleasures in costly apparell and dainty fare thinking the time long till these poore almes-mens gownes be turned into veluet coates but I pray God their possessions may be hospitalls not hospitalles their possessions Other thinke much if a poore bodie get a little Cottage to be builded vpon the Commons or wast grounds they had rather haue styes for theyr swine then dwellings for such destitute soules surely let them take heed that their owne styes I meane their houses wherein such fat hogs as themselues are liuing in pleasure and in follyes be not made worse then the silly houell of the other and God curse thē their posterity because they haue hated him in his pouerty for if he which giueth to the poore do lend to the Lord then he which reuileth the poore reuileth or as
not the riches for their daughters husbands or sonnes wiues keeping them in continuall burning for lacke of this wealthie licour And I knowe many parents which haue cast off their children for poore mariages but neuer any for the wealthy were they neuer so wicked therefore whosoeuer for this cause denieth right to his childe shall be more faultie for their vngodly disposition then the children for their vnaduised mariage Now in these dayes it is a wonder to see how the mindes of men and women can loue for wealth that euen as a harlot humbleth her selfe for money to him whome otherwise she would not looke vpon so men and women will marry themselues for wealth where if there were pouertye they would thinke them vnworthie to be theyr seruaunts I maruaile if the heathen lawe were now in force that no man shoulde giue any thing to theyr daughters marriage in what time of theyr dayes would these men marry truely I thinke they would neuer marry except it were to make drudges of their wiues But these are not of Boaz his minde for he marrieth a straunger who had but little wealth because the Lord so commaunded to take his kinsmans wife although he might haue refused yet he was contented for this cause to buy her as he sayth in this verse to teach vs that if God bid vs to marry that is if we finde in our owne consciences that we cannot liue otherwise then rather aduenture thy wealth then the displeasure of God But some will say is it not lawfull to desire and to sue for wealthie marriages Yes verily with this affection that thou like thy choise as well if there were little as now there is much And therefore thou must euermore remember these cautions both in the choosing and vsing of a wealthie marriage First that thou desire it to the intent thou mayest bee more able to doe good to thy bretheren that want for it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receyue Secondly that thou mayest the more freely giue thy selfe priuately and publikely to the seruice of God for wee knowe that pouertie taketh our greatest time to labour for wife and family but the wealthie neede lesse labour and may applie the more time to the seruice of God therefore was it that Paule sayd the maryed care for the things of this life to please theyr wiues shewing that it is one misery vpon the poore when they are maryed that they are troubled about worldly and necessarye prouision but if these things be supplyed by a good marriage thou mayest prayse God with the greater diligence But who are they which haue desired or obtayned a wealthie marriage for eyther of these causes if the poore should goe in collection for reliefe of them which for this occasion haue richly ioyned themselues what should they gather or how farre should they goe to how many persons might they come before they get a shilling Truely for this cause they desire them some that they might lauish out the more in riotous expenses with the rich man in the Gospell to seede in pleasure to be clothed in silke to mayntayne dogges houndes haukes horses and retinues of idle men but neuer the Church of God fareth the better for them Agayne by their wealth they haue idlenesse and time to wander abroade heere to feast and to make merry there to playe and disporte themselues in bodilie exercises and worldlie vanities but neuer one houre the more is spent in the seruice of God but much the lesse for the Deuils sweete and pleasant baits drawe away theyr mindes from the consideration of theyr owne miseries Agayne they are many times a thousand folde more clogged with the cares of their wealth then the poorest soule to prouide bread for his family by his bodily labour Lastly theyr desire is to leaue great possessions to theyr posteritie that the honour of theyr houses may be increased and the name of theyr memory might bee euerlastingly recorded so that neyther the glory of God the promoting of the Gospell the relieuing of the faithfull or the succouring of Iesus Christ hymselfe is any part of the thought of these couetous wretches but as they desire the inheritances of the Lord to be their portion in this present life so they haue them for the canker of their soules the rust to consume them the care to torment them the feare to forsake them the loue to enioy them the trauaile to increase them and the reckoning for abusing them to their endlesse confusion Therefore except the Lord doe build the house their labour is but in vaine that build it except the Lord make the marriage the riches of Salomon cannot continue them for better is a little that the righteous hath then the great possessions of the vngodly Lastly he that marrieth for obedience vnto God must haue this care to prouide before hand things honest and lawfull for the present maintenance of wife and family Therefore when Abrahams seruant came to the City of Nachor among others which he told vnto Laban and the mother of Ribkah he shewed them what cattell and flocks seruants and maidens his maister had which all should be Izaaks thereby signifying that all necessary prouision for their maintenance was alreadie procured and there wanted nothing but a wife for Izaak So Iaakob after his foureteene yeares seruice with Laban couenaunteth to haue the profit of the flocks which should be spotted and this was when he knew he was to depart from his father in law and therefore was bound to prouide for himselfe Now this prouision is not so meant as though euery one were bound to get all things before hand which are needefull to marriage but it is required that euery one should procure somewhat according to their degree and the maintenance of their calling This point is clearer then the sunne and it serueth to the reproouing of them which runne headlong to marry one day but fall into wofull beggery the next neither houses to dwell in labour to worke on meate to sustaine them money to procure them friends to relieue them or credit to helpe them onely wiues and husbands they must needes haue not caring what shall become of them afterwarde And truely if the hurt did onely redound to theyr owne hinderance the pity was the lesse but wofull it is to tell how theyr miserable posteritye are thereby euen thorough their parents rashnes brought to euerlasting pouertye and such as is most lamentable for theyr mindes are not instructed they haue no knowledge of the true God neyther can they pray to theyr comfort or hope for any saluation If it were but the labour and pouertye of the bodye it were much to be desired and nothing to be feared but being the endaungering of both body and soule how much is it to be disliked that any for their owne lusts should leaue their wretched posteritye to the power of the deuill Therefore beloued counsell
of spring and children of Bohaz which succeeded him first Hobed secondly Ishai and thirdely Dauid the king Of these parts and persons let vs briefly speake so much as serueth for the exposition of the Scripture and the satisfying of the tyme through the assistaunce and help of the spirite of God These are the generations Now that the holy Ghost had declared vnto vs this history of Ruth though briefly and in a fewe words yet in ample and large circumstances for the vnderstanding of his minde at the ende hereof hee annexeth the kindred of the personnes whome it chiefly concerneth that he might shew vnto vs that they were no meane or base persons for whom this history was compiled but such as descended of the noblest family in all y e world who were the appointed fathers of many kinges and that which is most of all the persons of whose seede our sauiour Iesus Christ tooke the beginning and substaunce of his humane nature And therefore in this place wee must declare the causes that moued the holy Ghost to be so careful in the rehearsing of the genealogies of the fathers for we must not imagine◠that hee mustereth not the names of those auncient persons to worke any wonder in our mindes at the recitall of them or that the scripture coulde haue beene perfecte without the seuerall generations therein described but wee must knowe that there were dyuers necessary and waighty causes by the iudgement of the auncientest and most approued wryters which moued the Spirite of God to intersert these genealogies First therefore according to the condition of all mankinde there is equally described the generations both of the godly and vngodly in the scriptures for this cause to shewe the multiplycation of mankinde of this sort are the generations of Adam Seth and Cain reported by Moses that hearing the number of mankinde so quickely multiplyed wee might the more earnestly giue prayse vnto God Agayne the genealogies of the sonnes of Noah are described vnto vs to shewe the replenishing of the earth the destruction of countryes and the restoring of the worlde But to come neerer vnto the matter wee must take this for a generall rule that the genealogies of the wicked are reported in the scripture for to shewe the blessing and loue of God vpon the godly and righteous men as for example the Lorde reckoneth vp the posterity of Ismaell the sonne of the bonde woman shewing vs howe great a people hee became and howe many Dukes or princes proceeded out of his loynes to shewe vnto vs the promise and couenant which hee made to his father Abraham that hee shoulde bee a great people was fulfilled and this serued to magnify and exalt the name of godly Abraham We read that the Lorde bestoweth a great genealogie vppon wicked Esau or Edom numbring or reckoning vp his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes his kingdome and the kinges of his seede that raigned after him for no other ende but to report and to manifest the blessing vppon godly Isaacke and Rebecca his parentes according to the oracle that hee gaue to his mother when shee demaunded and enquired the cause of the strugling or striuing in her wombe The like may bee saide of godlesse Cham for Noah his fathers sake of the sonnes of Iacob for Israels sake of Ephraim and Manasses for Iosephes sake By the which we gather and note this excellent doctrine that if the wicked haue any good it is for the sake of their godly and righteous parentes or frendes Wee see they should not haue so much as a name in the booke of God were it not for the cause of the righteous and godly we reade that when the Sodomites were ouercome in warre their people lead captiues and their goods spoyled by the company of Cedorlahomer then for Lots sake the Lord stirred vp Abraham and armed him with men and courage who wonne the victory recouered the spoyle brought backe the prisoners restored their goods and gaue them all libertie for godly Lots sake who was shortly after despised by them but they for their wickednes were burned in brimstone when righteous Lot was deliuered from them If Ioseph had not beene they had had no corne in Egipt If Moses had not beene the Lord had often destroyed the Israelites while they wandered and wauered in the wildernes For Iacobs sake the Lord increased the flocks of Laban For Iosephs sake he blessed the affaires of Potiphar for Paules sake he saued all them that suffered shipwracke at Myletum Euen so also he blessed the house of Obed-edomi because the arke was kept therein and at this day giueth greatest peace to those Countreys where his Gospell is promoted Let the atheists thinke if there were none that feared God they should quickly be condemned let the drunkards know if there were not some temperate persons their bodies should be quickly consumed let the couetous wretches assure themselues if there were not some liberall men their owne goods would turne to their death let the profaners of sabbaoths remember that if there were not some sanctifiers thereof their delightfull vanities would long agoe haue wrought their sorrowfull destinies let the contentious plaintifes be certified that if there were not some peaceable Christians among them their wealth had long agoe beene wasted for the prayers of the faithfull are like the walled Cities against the rage of enemies to keepe the vengeance of the Lord from falling vpon vs as the bloud of the Lamb spotted vpon the posts of the Israelites houses caused the angell to passe by them when all the first bornè in Egipt were slaine euen so the bloud of the lambe of God which is shead in the hearts of the godly maketh his messengers of death to depart from our countrey and kingdome If there were not a remnaunt among vs that are in league with the Lord that dayly are the hearers of his word the beseechers for his mercy and as the ambassadours of peace to disswade him from punishing our contempt of his word with condemnation our abuse of his creatures into pining famine our wantonnes in peace into lamentable warres our riotous liues into forraine captiuitye and our pampered bodyes to the slaughter of the sword You euen you that blaspheme the name of God if there were not a number that reprooue your abhominations the heauens would raigne downe stones to reuenge your accursed tongues you euen you that spend the Sabbaoths in dauncing and playing if there were not a company that refraine your pollutions you had beene cut off from your pleasure with some fearefull death before you had passed thus many dayes of securitie you euen you that thinke the preaching of the Gospell like the voyce of one that singeth whereunto you owe no more obedience then eare-seruice if there were not a remnant that heard the word of power which they beleeue is able to saue their soules you had beene many yeares since suffering the reward