therefore let vs not be guiltie of a sinne so hatefull to God and man II. We learne that it is a great fauour and grace for a rich Inhabitant to take knowledge of one poore a stranger too This Ruth in her words here confesseth and admireth For indeed nothing but goodnesse in a man maketh him kind to strangers especially poore ones it is not nature nor worldly reason And therefore when strangers find fauour where they come let them acknowledge it a great kindnesse and a mercy of God and a worke of his grace III. That a godly man as Boaz will be good vnto the godly poore though a stranger And so should wee as the Apostle commendeth it to vs and our Sauiour in the Heb. 13. 2. Parable of the Samaritane And we must consider that we may come into strange places our selues and need fauour remembring moreouer this that if such strangers be Christians they be our brethren and sisters in Christ for in him there Col. 3. 11. Gal. 3. 28. is neither Iew nor Greeke but we are all one Which condemneth the ill disposition of such as cannot abide that strangers should come among them and that not such as Ruth of another nation but such as be borne in the same kingdome yea in the same countrey if they feare any charge to come to them thereby Oh how would they take on in our vncharitable dayes if a poore Naomi should after many yeeres returne to the place of her former abode and bring a poore woman with her to charge the parish Well good Boaz did not so neither the Inhabitants of Bethlehem IV. Note how shamefastnesse wisedome and humilitie are excellent ornaments of praise in a woman as they are here in Ruth shee cast downe her eyes not looking impudently vpon him shee bowed to the ground and shewed humilitie and her words were effectuall and few and therein was her wisedome These three shamefast countenance humble gesture and fewnesse of words doe grace a woman highly and doe winne her honour though neuer so poore And therefore let women labour for them more then for a faire face gay clothes and a great portion these make them saleable with wantons and worldlings but the other with the wise and vertuous This reproueth such as be of a proud and hawtie carriage Esai 3. 18. which are costly Dames commanding Mistresses but hardly obedient wiues such also as be great talkers reproued by the Apostle these be 1. Tim. 5. 13. shrewd Dames often they breed contention abroad some disquietnesse at home for want of the gouernemēt of the tongue such women as be bold without blushing impudent Dames which will not couer their faces with Rebecca for modestie sake but will goe naked so farre as modestie cryeth shame vpon But they which haue to sell thinke they may be allowed to set open their shop-windowes But chaste mindes seeing the deformity thereof will frame themselues to a more decent and modest behauiour such as would hold the name of the vertuous will not so much labour in the outward shew neither goe after the fashion of vaine persons Chaste Penelope a Heathen will stand couered before her Suters And will Christian women shew themselues so naked as some doe to the view of all O impudencie O immodest shew of lightnesse and vanitie Verse 11. And Boaz answered and said vnto her It hath fully beene shewed me all that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy natiuity and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not heretofore BOaz his reply vnto Ruth giuing her the reasons of his kindnesse towards her a stranger which was by relation made to him before this of her vertues shewed in her loue to her mother in law and in her grace and godlinesse leauing her own country to come and dwell amongst Gods people though vnknowne to her aforetime And Boaz answered and said vnto her It hath fully beene shewed mee all that thou hast done A good report and that to the full was spred abroad of Ruth of which Boaz had taken notice and for which he was so kind to her as hee here acknowledgeth Whence note I. That vertue shall not want Trumpeters to sound out her praises to the full Psal 37. 6. Ruth was made renowned among all the people Ioseph at length throughout all the land of Egypt which is Gods mercy for encouragement to vertue and this will those doe which loue vertue in others Therefore let such as would be renowned striue to be vertuous It is the worthiest matter of praise and commendation It procureth loue and that true loue of such as neuer see vs as did Salomons fame and so Christs It causeth an honorable remembrance Viuit post funera virtus Bias Omnia mea mecum porto after death It is such goods as cannot bee lost but beauty may with sicknesse and age bee defaced strength also may decay So Haman may lose his honour and Iob may be dispossessed of all his riches in a moment but vertue abideth for euer Lastly this is pleasing to God to all good men yea and makes the Angels to attend vpon vs as the Lord hath put the charge vpon them And yet the praise hereof is least respected but men seeke praises which be after mans wisdome earthly and sensuall as Absaloms for beauty Hamans for fauour with a King Achitophels for worldly policy others for riches and authority ouer their brethren which yet they are no lasting Pro. 4. 18. praises soone lost and neuer afford true loue in the hearts of men as vertue doth which may minister comfort to such as bee vertuous who deserue true praises they shall not want them they shall not neede to bragge as the proud hypocriticall Pharise of their well-doing Grant that many now will not giue them their due some of pride other through enuie and a third sort of ill will cannot speake well yet when they be dead euen such as did dispraise them will then praise them but howsoeuer they shall at the last Day receiue praises of Iesus Christ before the Angels all the world and be euerlastingly rewarded for the same II. That well-doing procureth fauour to the poore though strangers at the hands of the vertuous for this was the cause of Boaz loue to Ruth as here he acknowledgeth and this is true godlinesse to loue others for their goodnes Would you poore find fauour Labour to be vertuous for God will procure the liking of others and moue them to doe you good as God did Boaz heart towards Ruth This is the way to doe you good and not to liue idlely levvdly and by flatterie and talebearing to think to prosper vvhich is the trade of too many poore ones With some for a vvhile they may find fauour but in the meane space they procure hatred of some others
durable helpe of true loue euen vertue she hath the Lord to speake for her and to procure her fauour and to cause her to bee beloued This should make women to striue for vertue and to get a good name from it and not for beautie and braue attyre for a good name is better then riches then Eccles 7. 1. Prou. 22. 1. precious oyntment and rather to bee chosen then great riches Let Parents hence learne to bring vp their daughters vertuously it is a good portion and meanes of preferment This may comfort poore maidens which bee vertuous and want friends and goods by a good report yet may they match well let them striue therefore though they want goods yet to get grace and good conditions as pietie and Religion in heart and modestie in countenance apparell and gesture let them preserue chastitie and not bee giuen to youthfull company let them bee skilfull in good huswifrie painfull also and industrious hauing power to gouerne the tongue if thus they be beautified and enriched they haue a better portion then many pounds and faire enough to the wise in heart so as they will giue a good man contentment for beauty is fading Prou. 31. 30. and fauour deceitfull and vaine but a woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised Verse 12. And now it is true that I am thy neere kinsman howbeit there is a kinsman neerer then I. BOaz his information of Ruth wherein shee was somewhat mistaken granting the truth that he was a neere kinsman but not the neerest so as here he preuenteth her apprehension of the promise made for taking it absolutely but conditionally as in the next verse more at large hee declareth his mind So that heere is a concession of that which she had spoken of him in vers 9. and withall an instruction touching another neerer then himselfe which she knew not of And now it is true Boaz will not deny a truth for a godly man is a louer of the truth and will yeeld to it when hee heareth it for it swayeth with him which if it so did with euery one it would preuent tedious disputes contentions among the Learned preuent long suites of law put Lawyers to silence in corrupt pleading and saue many pounds contentiously misspent preuent deceit in buying and selling and many other mischiefes which miserably fall out for want of acknowledging the truth which men should and would doe if they hated falshood and lying if they had a hearty loue of the truth if they would cast off pride and the desire of vaine praises and couetousnesse and the greedy desire of gaine for these hinder the truth and where these reigne hardly will truth bee acknowledged as it ought or reigne among men as it should That I am thy neere kinsman Foure things might moue him thus ingeniously to confesse himselfe so nigh a kinsman to those poore women First his loue to the truth so to speake as the thing was Secondly his holy and religious respect vnto the Law of God by authority whereof shee made claime to him Thirdly his humility and vprightnesse of heart not disdaining his godly poore kindred Fourthly her owne vertues and his loue which he bare to her for the same Of rich and poore kinsfolks I haue spoken before in Chap. 2. 20. Here obserue that a louing godly humble and vpright-hearted rich man will readily confesse himselfe of neere kindred to his poore kinsfolke if they be vertuous for vertue maketh them honourable with the vertuous though pouertie make them contemptible to the world And therefore for the poore to get an acknowledgement of them from their rich kindred let them be vertuous that whereas they want goods grace may procure them fauour and respect for poore and lewd are not worthy the acknowledging being contemptible both in body and soule Howbeit there is a kinsman neerer than I. So that the nighest to a right are first to be preferred thereto this is here implied and this reason and equitie will yeeld Therefore Boaz honestly maketh heere mention of this other kinsman to whom Ruth should first haue gone for both Naomi and shee were mistaken in this to come first to Boaz for the right of marrying her yet see how courteously and louingly hee answereth her teaching that such as demand in simple ignorance a matter at our hands as due and yet in some sort not so wee are meekely to informe them and not scornefully to reiect them as great Ones now will doe for a simple errour is pardonable and it is a fruit of goodnesse to informe them in the right and this would preuent contention and strife which otherwise might grow thereupon for want of better information Let this then reproue those which gladly take occasion from such mistakes to laugh at and iest away the parties making themselues very merry with the parties simplicitie though their meaning be both good and honest Verse 13. Tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if hee will performe vnto thee the part of a kinsman well let him doe the kinsmans part but if hee will not doe the part of a kinsman to thee then will I doe the part of a kinsman to thee as the Lord liueth lie downe vntill the morning BOaz his confirmation of his promise before concerning his marrying of Ruth wherein is noted the time when hee will goe about it vpon what condition hee will doe it the confirmation it selfe by solemne oath and his aduice to rest for that night till the morning Tarry this night Boaz deferreth to performe the kinsmans part for a space though very short and seeing it was night and now dangerous for her to goe alone from thence hee aduiseth her to tarry there that night in the floore Note first that vpon reasonable cause that may bee deferred which cannot absolutely be denyed to be done Which may bee of vse to checke the impatient of delay when there may be good reason and iust cause of delaying the matter Secondly that a true and louing friend careth for the safety of such as he loueth Thus Lot tooke care for his guests Michol for Dauids escaping from the hand of Saul so Ionathan in this respect shewed his care and loue to Dauid and Hâ—shâ—â— his friend likewise So did the Disciple care for Pauls safetie for true loue is not Act. 9. onely to doe fauours but to expell iniuries and to preuent dangers from friends Which reproueth the ill friendship of men in these daies for some will see their friends running into euill yet will not care by good counsell to preuent it much lesse being in trouble to seeke their deliuerance if it should haply proue either troublesome or costly for neither of these will these counterfeit friends bestow vpon those they pretend to loue when they stand in need of them Some are worse euen Iudas-like who for gaine will betray their friend or play Achitophels part turne his counsel against him for
Saint but in the Saints that dwell vpon the earth True it is that by a priuate familiarity and particular acquaintance with one more than another the loue may more shew it selfe as in reason it must and will yet such a loue vpon occasion will truly shew it selfe to all others which are vnited in the profession of the same truth and will be ready to doe them good when such are knowne as it euer doth wish you well before there be any acquaintance at all And if one godly person by a vertuous life may not onely procure loue to him or her selfe but also to all other of Gods people this should make vs so to demeane our selues euery one of vs as wee may so winne others to vs as also the same persons vnto the rest which feare God for the encrease of Gods Kingdome and so the hastening of Christs appearing And thy God my God As shee leaueth her owne people being Idolaters for Gods people so shee renounceth her Idols for the true God for they which truly for godlinesse sake embrace Gods people cannot but then intertaine the true God and leaue their Idols 1. Thes 1. 6 9. As Ruth did here and Rahab also because the loue of godlinesse in men ariseth from the loue of God himselfe the Author of that goodnesse in his people The Corinthians gaue first themselues to the Lord 2. Cor. 8. 5. Zach. 8. 23. then to his Seruants and Zacharie foretelleth that the Heathen hauing heard of the Lord to be among the Iewes they will then come and desire to be with them Trie our loue to the godly by a sound intertainement of their Religion else the loue is but carnall worldly or counterfeit for in 2. Cor. 6. 14. differing religions there neither is nor can be any true concord and therefore let vs not thinke that either Idolaters Atheists or irreligious persons can be any faithfull louers of the truth Note againe that godly persons may by their godlines draw Mat. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 3. 1. and 2. 11. others vnto the embracing of the true God either by instruction or by a holy conuersation or rather both together And therefore let vs labour by our godlinesse in doctrine and life so to set foorth the Lords praises as wee may gaine others vnto him This is our duty Mat. 5. 16. this is Christian-like carriage which becommeth well the Saints this will winne soules to God and so couer the multitude of sinnes bee an aduancement to the Lords name and bring comfort to our owne soules in the Day of Iesus Christ It may be some will aske Whether for meere loue to the person of any if one intertaine Religion he may be iustified in so doing Surely no One may occasion another or be a motiue thereto and so performe a good office on his part but Religion is to bee beloued and imbraced for it selfe and not for mans sake the person on whom a man relieth may die or turne backe from the truth and become such a ground as the sand on which an house being built soone decayeth and the fall thereof is great Verse 17. Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and mee RVTH continueth her speech to Naomi touching her resolution which shee had begunne to shew in the former verse and in this confirmeth it with an oath so that Naomi neede not to doubt of her constancie Where thou diest Ruth speaketh of her mothers death and also of her owne It is a principle in nature to know and to be perswaded that all shall die Iob 21. 33. Heb. 9. 27. 1. King 2. 1. Iosh 23. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 51. Eccles 7. 2. and 6. 6. for death goeth ouer all in as much as all haue sinned Rom. 5. Then let all prepare to die at one time or at another which stands in seeking reconciliation with God in Christ in endeuouring to keepe a good conscience before God man Act. 24. 16. vvaiting the time of dissolution which the men of pleasures as Diues the vvorldly-minded as the rich man the drowsie protestant like the fiue foolish Virgins and such as go on securely as those in the old vvorld and in Sodom Mat. 24. 37 38 39. doe not All knovv they must die yet most neglect to prepare to die and to prouide for themselues a better habitation vvhich men on earth vvill doe vvhen they knovv they must out of their dwellings they will not be to seeke to the very day in which they know they shal be put out I will die I meane to end my daies vvith thee my mother I vvill not returne againe into my Countrey but vvill make my end in vvhat place soeuer thou shalt die The true loue of the godly one towards another is a continuing and enduring loue to death So vvas the loue of these tvvo and the loue of Ionathan and Dauid because their loue is 2. Sam. 1. 26. not grounded vpon temporarie meere vvorldly respects as the loue of others bee nor vpon meere nature as that of parents and Children but vpon such reasons as the alteration of outvvard estate here cannot disanull or make void They loue one another for their graces in heauenly respects and therefore by a spirituall bond they are vnited in heart and made one Thus should vvee loue and thus settle it that it may abide to death and that vvee may so loue let vs remember that vve be Children of one Father vvee be brethren vvee be very members of the same body and Christ Iesus our Head vvee also are here strangers and if vvee loue not one another vvho vvill loue vs for the vvorld hateth vs Ioh. 15. 19. There be which would be held Christians and yet cannot loue such as be so indeede Cain cannot loue Abel though his brother nor Esau a Iacob Some professe to loue the godly but it is sinisterly not simply for their graces and vertues as Ruth here loued Naomi for no other cause of loue could there be for Ruth was young and Naomi old and very poore What power in nature and worldly reason could then leade Ruth thus to loue Naomi Other some loue them for their vertues but their vertues must be such as must make their persons without exception euery way pleasing to them else they will fall off from their loue they cannot forsooth beare with infirmities all must be in perfection But such doe not looke into themselues with a single eye or else with too much selfe-loue behold themselues for otherwise they would loue a godly Christian as such a one though accompanied with some infirmities from which in this life none can bee wholy freed And there will I be buried Ruth spoken before of their death and now of their buriall together so as neither in life nor death shee would bee separated from her mother By this it appeareth I. That
well and Deut. 28. obey God Thirdly for that many men in liuing carefully to please God and to serue him haue come to great wealth as we may reade of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob Boaz here Dauid Iehoshaphat and many others Fourthly and lastly for that men by their rebellion against God haue lost great estates and depriued themselues thereof and their posterity by their wickednesse as is euident in the example of Saul Ieroboam and others And therefore let vs not thinke our worldly estate to become worse by carefull liuing after Gods Lawes but rather better and more sure as Iobs was about whom the Lord made a Hedge for his safety And remember for a conclusion that such as feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good O taste and see saith Psal 34. 8 9 10. Dauid that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to thē that feare him The yong Lyons lacke and suffer hunger but they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing Note thirdly hence from these words of the kinsman that the feare of worldly losse in a mans outward estate maketh him neglect the Law of God as this man doth here for Gods Word preuaileth not it hath not a commanding power ouer the conscience of a couetous man because his heart is glewed to his Luk. 18. 22 23. riches a base feare through vnbeliefe possesseth him that he himselfe may come to want and the loue of riches so bewitcheth him as hee valueth them aboue the Lords Precepts contrary to Dauids Psal 119. 72. 103 111. and 19. 9. account of Gods Word That wee may become therefore obedient to Gods Law let vs cast off this Atheisticall and Heathenish feare Redeeme thou my right to thy selfe The kinsman is heere willing that Boaz should take his right that which before hee said hee would redeeme himselfe now hee is contented that another should redeeme it So Worldlings are content to yeeld sometimes their right vnto others as namely that which they cannot come by that which they cannot keepe that which they cannot haue but with more cost then the thing is worth or when by getting a little there is hazzard to lose much and likewise that which for present feare they yeeld vnto as Benhadad did restore Cities vnto 1. King 20. 34. Ahab because he was in his hand and in perill of his life which hee would by that meanes redeeme Otherwise Worldlings willingly forgoe nothing Therefore their yeelding of their right at any time vpon the foresaid by respect is not thankes-worthy For I cannot redeeme it None but can pretend some excuse or other why they doe not what they ought In this man may we obserue two things inconstancie and want of charity for before he would redeeme it now he will not before yea now nay Three things make men inconstant first leuity of minde this is a naturall infirmity and to be pardoned Secondly ignorance and want of fore-sight of the incoueniences which maketh him rash at first and to repent afterwards and so to change his mind as this kinsman doth this is somewhat excusable though not altogether without blame for a man is to doe that which is gone out of his mouth though it be to his owne Psal 15. hinderance if nothing else hinder the performance Thirdly dishonesty which is when a man maketh no conscience of any thing he saith or doth but as hee seeth aduantage therein to himselfe saying and gaine-saying doing and vndoing as he seeth it to tend to his owne profit this is flat knauerie and iustly to be condemned Of this we must take serious knowledge and bewaile the first in vs preuent the second by good consideration and deliberation and hate the last as detestable falshood and dishonestie not to be practised among Christians Vncharitablenesse in this kinsman herein appeareth that he hath no care of the name of the dead nor respect vnto the two poore widdowes Naomi and Ruth the land he loued liked well but the women he would haue nothing to do with he had a mind to inrich himselfe in worldly substance but he had no will to shew mercy to the poore for a worldling thinkes himselfe borne for himselfe seeking his owne good but not the good of another contrary to the true propertie of charity 1. Cor. 13. This vncharitablenesse must we take heed of and abandon self-selfe-loue the true cause thereof and labour for Charity the Euidence of our Faith in God and true Vnion with our Brethren in Christ Verse 7. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing for to confirme all things a man plucked off his shoo and gaue it to his neighbour and this was a testimony in Israel THese words are a declaration of a Custome in Israel and brought in heere to shew the reason of the Kinsman his drawing off his shoo in the verse following In this note the antiquitie of this Custome also where about what to what end what it was and the ratification Now this was the manner in former time It was no new deuice but an old custome though no where in Scripture mentioned before In commending this Custome from antiquitie we see that Antiquity hath euer beene of credit to commend a thing vnto vs by this the Prophet commendeth Ier. 6. 16. Religion and Worship of God to the people and by this preuailed the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 6. Mat. 15. with their traditions by saying it was said of old and done by the Forefathers Thus the Papists seeke to grace their superstition and wil-worship for that which is of old hath many Approuers of al sorts which maketh it to be of such estimation Seeing this is so let vs learne to know true Antiquity from counterfeit the antiquity of truth which is of God and that of error which is of the Diuell and that which wee find to be antiquity of truth that to vphold and to reiect the other so shall we approue of the truth of our Religion as most ancient and renounce Poperie as a new nouelty and a religion sprung vp but of late This should also make vs to be warie and to take good heed that we ascribe not the name of antiquity to any thing but that which may bee proued to be sound and orthodoxe yea albeit being a thing but indifferent lest if it bee euill we by attributing antiquitie thereunto doe credit and adde confirmation vnto it by speaking thereof as being ancient and when we so informe others when wee approue of it and practise it and instruct teach and allow our children so to thinke and doe if the thing bee good and of approued antiquity it is well done so to speake and practise but if euill wee doe amisse in misleading others by graceing any way such a thing with the credit of antiquity when as we
end this women may learne how to behaue themselues at the birth of Children as first in prayer then in praises pray they should for pardon of sinne and bewaile in the womans pangs original corruption in the birth our spirituall pollution and praise God they ought for safe deliuerance acknowledging it his mercy and goodnesse as these doe here Many things might mooue them hereto and to be far from the behauiour of some who in stead of praising God sit downe to bee merry and to spend their speeches idly prating of others yea sometimes in lewd slandering of their Neighbours or in filthy scurrility wherein the Midwife which should bee a mother of modesty is often chiefe when such should be chaste graue and godly matrons who by their office and godly counsell might doe much good if they were as they ought to bee but so lewde are some of them as they cannot endure the company of better disposed persons Their praises should bee like the Midwiues in Egypt women Exod. 1. fearing God able to instruct to comfort to pray vnto God and to praise him for his goodnesse Which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman This is it they blesse God for that God had giuen to Naomi a young kinseman a kinsman indeed which will so shew himselfe Naomi had a kinsman very nigh vnto her before Chap. 3. 12. but hee shewed himselfe not like a kinsman and therefore was here passed ouer as no kinsman For as men in deede shew themselues such they bee and so are to bee esteemed otherwise they haue but a name of a Brother Father Kinsman Friend Christian yea Minister Magistrate and haue not the trueth and substance of such They be but meerely titular and glory in shadowes as most doe who are nothing answerable to that title and name of nature of loue of fellowship or of office and place which they are called by or fettled in Note further that it is of God that the godly poore are not left comfortles of some friend one or other both able and willing to helpe them Thus the women here tell Naomi and doe blesse God therefore in her behalfe for if God should not raise them vp succour who would respect them Because pouerty causeth contempt or neglect at the least and the religion of the poore is but held counterfeit and themselues hypocrites so the world iudgeth of them And therefore when God raiseth vp friends to take knowledge of them and to doe them good great cause haue they to blesse God as they here doe both for hope of supply of wants and also preuenting of iniuries which honest poore by such able and good friends are lesse subiect vnto then others which want them That his name may be famous in Israel This is the hope they haue of this young Obed and one mercy of God in giuing this Sonne vnto this honorable family is that he might be renowned among Gods people Whence note these two lessons first That much is expected and looked for from the children of great godly Parents both in respect of the Parents also of the Childrē For is it supposed that Parēts being godly will haue care to instruct and if need be to correct their Children to pray for them and bee good examples to them and being great that they will vse the best meanes and procure the best helps for their good education and leaue them sufficient to shew forth the fruits of godlinesse And if thus Parents doe who may imagine otherwise till the contrary appeare but that the Children of such will demeane themselues as they should And who can expect but good from Children of godly Parents Should not the Fathers graces prouoke Children to goodnesse and their greatnesse to abhorre base practices Good Children will not degenerate from good Parents whose goodnesse will more perswade to well-doing then greatnesse to make them proud and wicked as some Absaloms and Esaus haue beene and yet are to the griefe of religious Parents and at length to the shame and confusion of themselues Secondly here may be obserued that God giueth Children to the better sort great and honorable that they may become famous amongst Gods people So conceiued these godly women of this Sonne of Boaz for indeed all the blessings of riches and honor giuen vnto Parents are not only giuen for their owne good but amongst other ends for the better inabling of them to bring vp their family in good order and especially their Children in the waies of God for his seruice and honour as they haue more meanes to prouoke them thereto Let therefore such Parents here take such a course with their Children as they may make them by Gods blessing famous in Isreal in Gods Church and among his people which they may effect by these good meanes First by being euery way and at all times a good example of piety to them as Dauid was and Zacharie Psal 101. Luk. 1. Secondly by instructing them carefully in godlinesse and Religion as Parents are commanded Ephe. 4. 4. Prou. 4. and as Dauid did instruct Salomon Thirdly by seeing them set to the practice of that which they are taught and to haue an especiall eye thereto Men teach their Children good manners among men for ciuill carriage of their outward man and will see therein if they offend and reprooue them so should they thus see to them in their Christian good manners and behauiour towards God and good men and in euery Christian duty towards all Fourthly by setling them in some particular calling as Adam the Monarch of the world did his sonnes to keepe them from idlenesse from being busie-bodies and from a world of wickednesse which such as liue but of a calling runne into Fifthly by restraining them from ill company idle wanton prodigall and prophane persons and exhorting them to haue fellowship with such as feare God also with ciuill and honest men well reported of well brought vp and well disposed vnto goodnesse Sixthly by commending countenancing and encouraging their well doing both by present rewards and promises of future good but if they doe ill then fatherly to admonish at the first to with-hold them from euill by loue rather then by slauish feare but if this will not preuaile then to rebuke sharpely and to punish as the cause shall require Thus if Parents would doe there is no doubt but by Gods mercy many mens children of place may become famous in Israel and not be so infamous as some be to Parents shame and their owne ouerthrow Verse 15. And he shall be vnto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age for thy daughter in law which loueth thee which is better to thee thenseuen sonnes hath borne him THis is still the continued speech of the women to Naomi the scope whereof is still to comfort her in foreshewing what this Babe should be vnto her and the reason why they so speake of him And he
would be content to marry with them which is a commendation to them that would thus welcome such as came among them for succour It is a matter praise-worthy to be harbersome to strangers for this were the Barbarians commended Act. 28. 2 7 10. who receiued the Apostle and the rest into their houses made them fires because of the cold and raine in Winter courteously lodged them and when they departed being such as had suffered shipwracke and were thereby in want those Barbarians helped them with necessaries This was humanity and mercy For this Abraham and Lot and Iob are commended and this goodnesse wee must learne to practise for so are wee exhorted Heb. 13. 2 and these former examples lead vs to it This qutie is to be done not onely to our kindred to our friends to our knowne countreymen but to strangers Heb. 13. 2. yea and to our enemies in their neede 2. Kings 6. 23. Romanes 12. 20. Vers 3. And Elimelech Naomies husband dyed and shee was left and her two sonnes THis telleth vs of the heauie crosse which befell Naomi which was in the death of her husband and that as it may seeme very shortly after they were come into Moab before the sonnes did marry so she was left a widdow with two fatherlesse children to take care for them in a strange countrey This verse is a narration of an euent what it was and vpon whom it fell to the great heauinesse of Naomi the euent was death and here is shewed whom it tooke and whom it left And Elimelech dyed His age is not reckoned he could not bee very old if wee may gasse his yeeres by his sonnes marrying so young women after his death yet he dyeth yea and there also wither he went for food to preserue life He went first from Israel the Land of the liuing and led them thence and so he now goeth out of the world before them from whence note I. That death is the end of all and it spareth none Iosh 23. 14. Iob 21. 33. Eccles 7. 2. and 6. 6. 1. Cor. 15. 51. Heb. 9. 27. for all haue sinned Rom. 5. and death is the reward of sinne Rom. 6. And therefore let all prepare to die II. That a full supplie of bodily wants cannot preuent death The man must die in Moab where was food enough the rich Glutton must die also and the Rich man with his barne full for the sentence of death is irreuocable and mans life dependeth not vpon the outward meanes of life for then the rich and mighty would neuer die Let not men in their abundance thinke to escape death let them therefore not set their hearts on their wealth for they must leaue it It is follie to trust in riches for they cannot deliuer from death either ordinary or extraordinary lingering or suddaine naturall or violent as examples and experience it selfe teacheth III. That where men think to preserue life there they may lose it as Elimelech doth here fleeing from the famine in Israel yet dyed where plenty was in Moab for no place is free from death and when the appointed time is come man cannot passe it Iob 14. 5. we cannot thinke therefore our selues safe any where from death nay many times where we may think our selues secure there death may take vs away Naomies husband It is not said her husband which might well haue beene spoken by way of relation to her without her name because shee was named before and no other woman but this woman was a very vertuous woman and this was a great crosse to her and therefore both to expresse her excellency and her begun misery it is said Naomies husband dyed the husband of so rare a wife died Note hence I. That it is a grace for some to be called the husbands of some women their name is a grace to them if they be vertuous for such a one is a crowne to her husband Pro. 12. 4. Now a crowne is high glory to a man and her husband is knowne in the gates Pro. 31. 23. Such wiues are to bee made much of as rare Birdes for too many may sit downe with shame and blush to bee named the husbands of some wiues Foolish though faire faire but perhaps filthy rich but withal retchlesse wiues but without gouernement husbands named the head but they must bee masters sometime painefull but Peacok-like proud often more mad or fullen sad than merrie if merrie it keepes not in with modesty if she speake it is lowd often heard farther then seene and yet oftener seene by a quiet husband then well liked of In a word a wicked foolish woman is shame to his person and rottennesse to his bones Pro. 12. 4. II. That grace in one preuents not death in another Naomies husband must die so Abrahams wife also Iacob must bid his Rachel adieu and Ezech. 24. 16. Ezechiel the desire of eyes for no mans grace can free himselfe much lesse another from death Psal 49. 7 9. and married persons are not appointed the same length of daies No we come not together and wee goe not together Let none hope for life by the grace of another let the neerest and dearest looke to part by death Ruth loued Naomi most dearely and saith that nothing should separate them but onely death verse 17. because shee knew that that must needes be yelded vnto III. That it is a great crosse for a woman to lose a good husband This is implied as I said in naming her by name for in him the wife loseth her head her guide her stay and comfort if hee be a vertuous man and a good husband I neede not intreat good and louing wiues to mourne for such sure enough they haue cause and wiues cannot but mourne except they conceit a new comfort very quickly as some doe for feare the old griefe should lye too long at the heart for him that is dead and cannot be recalled so with them the liuing is better to be liked of than the dead for they know their husbands would perhaps haue so dealt with them And shee was left and her two sonnes Death seazed onely vpon Elimelech and left Naomi and also her sonnes that she might not be vtterly comfortlesse in a strange countrey From this may we note these two things I. That albeit death is due to all in as much as all haue sinned yet it seazeth not vpon all at once but one dyeth now and another hereafter as we see in all ages which cōmeth not to passe for any good in one more than in another but God will haue mankind vpon earth till the last day hee forbeareth some and repriueth them for their amendment for the lengthning of life is for our further repentance if wee bee the Lords or for the greater condemnation of such as shall perish For this mercy God is to bee praised for we deserue death and it might seaze vpon euery one at once and take vs away because wee are borne
doe it another shall as wee see in the prodigall son and Gods dealing with Manasses for the Lord is loth to lose his owne And therefore if one affliction happen make good vse thereof else another shall follow yea another after that till we returne home Againe marke that it is then time to leaue the place of our abode when the Godly are taken away and none left but wicked to conuerse with Thus and for this cause many left Israel in Ieroboams dayes 2. Chr. 11 13 16. for the godly should delight in the fellowship of the godly Dauids delight was in the Saints It is also dangerous for the Godly to frequent the company of the wicked as a Lambe to be among Wolues Dauid will not dwell in the tents of the wicked neither sit among them Psalme 26. and it is a good mans propertie to auoid them Psalme 1. 1. And therefore let vs flee the fellowship of Idolaters 1. Iohn 5. 2 Cor. 6. and the societie of euill persons For such as can liue with delight among them are like them are no true Conuerts to God and yet not a few which will be held religious can make themselues merrie with vaine persons and condemne others for too Stoicall too censorious for that they cannot away with fleshly and carnall delights With her daughters in law It appeareth that these two did voluntarily accompany her of their owne minds and not by Naomies intreatie this appeareth out of verse 8. and 11. What moued them hereto but Naomies vertues So as we may see that the truly vertuous are of an attractiue power euen as the load-stone to draw others vnto them partly by instruction partly by their godly conuersation Both which meanes we may thinke shee vsed towards these while shee aboade in Moab for the religious cannot but incyte others vnto pietie This is worthie imitation in Naomi If practice shew our Religion it will win others 1. Pet. 3. 1. without which euen the most glorious profession in words hath no operation no power to perswade And here also was a mercy of God to this poore old woman that shee lost not all outward comfort shee had some to keepe her company in her aduersitie It is a good grace to be content to beare the poore company in a miserable estate they be true friends which will sit downe vpon a dunghill with Iob to mourne with him Well here were two daughters of Moab which would accompany Naomi poore and afflicted Naomi A reproofe to counterfeit friends of which now the world is full neuer more That shee might returne from the countrey of Moab This is the end why she arose that is left the particular place of her dwelling not to goe into some other place in Moab as hoping of better successe there but quite to forsake the countrey The kindnesse receiued there could not hold her when she perceiued the Lord to call her home partly by afflictions in Moab and partly by mercies now in Israel Outward kindnesse of Worldlings cannot keepe the godly with them when God calleth them away from them either by afflictions or by checke of conscience or by falling into sinne by them or by feeling the want of the godly and the vse of Gods publike seruice or else by seeing or hearing of Gods fauour to his people When these or such like doe call vpon the godly to come away they cannot by any worldly pleasure profit or familiar acquaintance or kinde intertainement stay with such men they be like Abrahams seruant which could not be held with Gen. 24. rest and good cheare to stay in Bethuels house nor Dauid in Ziklag when he had liberty to goe 2. Sam. 2. 2. into Iudah For their spirits differ so as they cannot truely affect one another and the godly finde crosses among the wicked to hunt them out from their societie and they cannot but feare in a godly iealousie to be made the worse by them for that they know their own weakenesse And therefore let vs labour for this grace to leaue the society of the vngodly lest wee be insnared by them and if we be with them let it be by warrant of our calling or of necessity and onely so long as we haue hope to doe them good and to win them but if they bee found obstinate forsake them Ierem. 51. 9. For she had heard in the countrey of Moab That is while she did stay in that countrey newes was brought of plenty in Israel As the famine did driue her from thence so now food being there and the crosses she found in Moab mooued her to returne backe againe As aduersitie maketh many to leaue the Church so the prosperity thereof bringeth many vnto it some in truth and loue as Naomi heere others for the world or for feare Ester 8. 17. Let vs then pray for the Churches prosperity yet not then are wee to trust all that come within her lappe Note againe how Naomi in her greatest distresse heard of comfort to her Countrey to bring her home againe God is often the neerest in mercy to helpe when in mans reason hee seemeth to be furthest off Thus was God with Ionah in the Whales belly and with the three Children in the Furnace with Daniel in the Den with Dauid to helpe against most present danger 1. Sam. 23. 26 27. Peter the very night before his intended death by Herod must be deliuered and so the Gun powder plot here bee discouered And God thus suffereth his so long and to come to so narrow a straite before he set them free shew himselfe to humble them to beate them out of confidence in themselues to shew his power and mercy the more that they may see more fully his goodnesse to them to make them thankefull obedient and the more in vtmost perils to rely vpon him We are not to despaire in the greatest dangers nor to thinke our selues forgotten in great extremities but then seeke to God trust in him and doubt not of comfort God will haue Lazarus in the graue before Christ restore him to life and Isaac boâ—nd vpon the Altar before he forbid Abraham to slay him Till the ship be ready to sinke Christ will not awake Mat. 8. 25 26. for so the Lord is more seene in his power and mercy towards his How the Lord had visited his people in giuing them bread By bread is meant all necessary food but especially corne of which bread is made Here the Lord is made the giuer thereof to the Israelites called his people whom in mercy bee visited to bestow his blessings vpon for so is visited here taken and in Gen. 21. 1. Luk. 1. 68. Ier. 29. 10. Note from hence these things I. That God seeth his people in aduersity and want and commeth in his due time to helpe them Exod. 3. 7 8. which is from his meere mercy and the stability of his loue and promise to his people And therefore we may learn patience in
approue of their deferring off to marry but that being yong they should not refuse to marry againe when God should send them fit husbands A godly and wise mother in law like Naomi cannot onely be willing but also will perswade her children in law should marry againe For they know this liberty is graunted them of God and in their owne conscience they know it reasonable and perhaps in others of necessity Shee was not like those mothers in law which after the death of their owne children cannot endure to heare of the second marriage of their children in law whether sonnes or daughters For it grieueth me much Here is the reason giuen why she willeth them to returne and to take husbands againe euen for the griefe of her heart for that seeing them as poore widdowes as her selfe and remembring her sonnes and how little she could doe for them she heauily sustained the griefe and therefore perswaded them to take husbands againe in whom they might haue comfort Note here how the most godly sometime do take their afflictions very heauily as Naomi here so Iob Chap. 3. Ieremy Chap. 20. 9 12. which commeth through weakenesse of faith want of patience want of humility through also the strength of corruption and the aggrauating of the affliction euer looking vpon it but not weighing the will of God the necessity of the crosse and the good which might come thereby Well yet if the best may be much cast downe then let not such as be free not vnder the crosse not knowing how they can beare it censure others for their weakenesse vnder the burthen but rather take notice thereof and be a staffe of comfort vnto them helpe to beare the burthen with them and pray for their patience For your sakes Afflictions are the more grieuous for friends wrapped therein so as one cannot well helpe another Naomi was greatly afflicted but the more shee saith for her daughters miserie with her who losing her sonnes made also them poore widowes Abimelechs destruction encreased Dauids Psalme 52. 1. King 17. 20 21. sorrowes and troubles Eliah not a little grieued for the widowes sorrow with whom he soiourned Acts and Mon. pag. 77 5. a. and so was Luther for the Duke of Saxonie and the reason hereof is true loue which taketh to heart a friends affliction in their owne troubles as Dauid did Abiathars 1. Sam. 22. 22. This grace of true friendship is much to be wished for men now a dayes care not much for their friends miserie if they be in prosperity or if in aduersity with them how they themselues may get out though they leaue their friends as a pawne for themselues yea such villanie is in some men that they will purposely bring their friends into misery to doe themselues a pleasure coozen them to inrich themselues ouerthrow them to set vp themselues That the hand of the Lord. Thus she calleth her affliction the hand of the Lord because all afflictions come by the power and prouidence of God as by an hand vpon vs Iob 1. 21. and 16. 12. Lam. 1. 12 17. Amos. 3. 6. and 4. 6 7 11. 2. Chro. 15. 6. Esay 45 6 7. For afflictions come not out of the dust neither do troubles spring out of the ground Iob 5. 6. Let then all afflictions bee acknowledged to be Gods hand not as chance with the Philistims not of the Deuill witches and ill instruments If we acknowledge them with Iob from God we will goe to him humble our selues before him pray for pardon and deliuerance by him as who onely can deliuer vs yea this will make vs patient vnder the crosse this will worke some contentment and say It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good This will make vs quiet towards the ill instruments as Dauid was towards Saul and towards Shemei This will comfort vs vnder the affliction when we know it to be Gods hand and that out of his fatherly mercy he will lay no more vpon vs then we shall be able to beare Is gone out against mee This good woman applieth the whole crosse to her selfe The godly in cōmon calamities take themselues to be especially chastised they put not off the cause to others but take it to themselues as Dauid did 1. Chr. 21. 17. 2. Sam. 24. 27. They thinke vpon their own sinnes and not on other mens misdeeds This is that which humbleth them and this is it which would humble vs which grace we must labour for Verse 14. And they lift vp their voice and wept againe and Orpha kissed her mother in law but Ruth claue vnto her HEre is the euent and effect of Naomies speech againe first ioyntly in both which was againe their passion and then distinctly shewed in contraries in Orphaes valediction and Ruth remaining still with her mother in law And they lift vp their voice and wept againe Againe their passion of teares is recorded both alike in passion of affection but farre differing in the truth of the action the best demonstration of the heart for in both was a like shew of loue in their weeping yet not the like cōstant coniunction of heart towards Naomi for the one forsooke her and the other abode and went on with her Whence we may see that all outward sorrow giueth not certaine witnesse of the soundnesse of the heart this is plaine by this example and by Sauls weeping to Dauid As this is true in men so more in women who haue teares at command Doe we not reade how the Israelites would weepe on one day and be in rebellion another Was not Ishmael in his very weeping a very deepe disembler the like neuer heard of We are not easily therefore to be perswaded of inward hearty affection from weeping and sheading of teares This deceiued the fourescore men which met Ishmael and were most of them slain by him Some can shead teares at will and all weeping doth not come from the like cause though many weepe together and in appearance haue the same reason there be that will weep for company because they see others to weepe neuer inwardly moued from the cause but most from the outward passion of the parties yet though there be a weeping not commendable as that which is counterfeit that which is vpon euery light occasion or which is vpon iust cause but in excesse yet it is sometime a matter praise-worthy when it is from a naturall affection as in Ioseph to his brethren and father from sound loue to a friend as Ionathans and Dauids weeping and when it is from a gracious heart for a mans owne sinnes as Peters weeping was or for the sinnes of others as Dauids Psal 1 19. Ieremies Chap. 13. And Iesus Christ his weeping ouer Ierusalem Luke 19. 41. Blessed are these mourners for they shall be comforted these teares are put into the Lords bottle Psal 56. 8. And such as be so doggedly hard-hearted and want naturall affection and sound loue so as neither for
due which is the scatterings of Gods mercy towards them And here let the poore honestly take this libertie to gleane but first let them aske leaue of the owner as Ruth did verse 7. then also to acknowledge it a fauour as shee did Thirdly to gather the scattered eares and not to cut off the eares of standing corne nor Deut. 23. 24 25. to steale whole sheaues or out of shockes as many theeuish people doe to the hurt of their owne soules and the hardening of mens hearts against themselues and other poore people more honest then they In whose sight I shall find fauour So she went but as vnacquainted Shee had libertie to gleane by Law yet shee speaketh as one that would gleane with leaue and as shee that had hope to find fauour somewhere though shee knew not of whom to expect it in particular Thus shee goeth as we say at random or at aduenture but God as he had decreed so he directed her by the hand of his prouidence whither shee should goe One thing note here that the godly in vsing lawfull meanes to liue hope to find fauour with one or other for their reliefe this Ruths words here doe shew as much For they trust in God who hath the hearts of men in his hand to encline them as he pleaseth as he did Boaz towards Ruth who also hath promised his helpe to those which vsing Psal 37. 3. lawfull meanes do depend vpon him And therefore in doing our part and vsing the meanes let vs in our wants hope well let vs not doubt but that he will blesse our labours And shee said vnto her Goe my daughter See here how meekely and louingly this good old Naomi answereth no doubt but it reioyced her heart to see her so willing to take paines whom shee perhaps would haue beene loth to haue pressed to such a meane businesse We may note that requests are to be graunted of parents vnto children when they be lawfull and fit As Iob did to his children to feast together Dauid to Amnon his request 2. Sam. 13. to haue Tamar sent to dresse meate for him though yet villanie was in Amnons heart but the request was resonable and therefore yeelded vnto of Dauid so was Absaloms desiring to goe to Hebron as he pretended to pay his vow which he had made vnto God Caleb also graunted his Ios 15. 19. daughter her request and Naomi Ruths here which is to be followed of louing parents but yet withall with deliberate consideration of the reasons vpon which the request is made lest a Dauid be deluded and wickednesse be committed by an outragious Amnon Another thing may bee obserued which is this that a meeke and louing spirit giueth a meeke and a louing answere Naomi saith not Goe as a sturdy speech but Goe my Daughter for shee was not of a sturdy proud and impatient spirit of which a rough and churlish speech is a signe And therfore let vs learne to answere meekely and louingly that we may not be iustly censured for churlish natures proud and impatient good speech is very gracefull to others and procureth loue to our selues as the contrary doth prouoke vnto wrath as we see Nabals answere did vnto Dauid Verse 3. And shee went and came and gleaned in the field after the Reapers and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz who was of the kindred of Elimelech AS Ruth craued leaue and obtained it so she now goeth abroad and by Gods good prouidence lighteth on the field of Boaz. So as here is shewed what shee did abroad shee gleaned then how after the Reapers where it was in Boaz field who is here againe said to bee Elimelechs kinsman that so the prouidence of God might herein more clearely appeare And shee went and came and gleaned in the field Shee craued leaue to goe and when it was graunted her shee accordingly went Honest motions and intendments to well-doing are to bee put into practice else they bee nothing worth Paul had a Act. 14. mind to visite the brethren and so hee did the prodigall sonne had a purpose to returne home and hee returned Moses thought of going out Exo. 2. to visit his brethren and so he did If motions be good it is good to put them in execution and that speedily if cause so require as Ruth doth here and not to mind purpose and will to doe well and yet neuer to doe as they so purpose losing the fruit of good thoughts Againe note from this her bold aduenture and going forth in such perillous times that whom necessity moueth and confidence in God encourageth they doe feare no danger Ruth went abroad among strangers shee was a stranger and a young woman yet trusting in God and being vrged of necessity to vse honest meanes to liue shee feared no perill though in those dayes euery one did what they listed because there was then no King in Israel Of such an Iudg. 18. vndaunted spirit was Ehud in setting vpon Eglon Gideon in destroying Baals altar Eliah in seeing the face of Achab and Michaiab in telling the truth before 2. Kings cōtrary to the word of 400. false prophets For when men haue faith in God when the duty of their calling warranteth them they grow couragious and bold and doe put on a resolution without feare Therefore in our affaires to remoue feare let vs haue an honest calling to that which wee goe about and haue confidence in God who is able and will stand by to helpe vs. After the Reapers Shee followed such as cut vp the standing corne she thrust not her selfe in before or among them as an impudent bold housewife but followed after thē to gather vp the scattered eares which they did leaue and neither this did shee neither without leaue see verse 7. all making to the commendation of the honesty modestie humility and good behauiour of this vertuous young woman that her example might be for others to imitate And her hap was That is though shee went at vnawares making choise of no place but where shee should find fauour yet shee light well by Gods good prouidence which is here to be vnderstood in her good hap which word is spoken according to men when things fall out besides a mans purpose or otherwise than was intended and whereof a man is ignorant before the thing come to passe then it is counted hap Deut. 19. 4. or lucke or as the Heathen vsed to speake fortune It is not vnlawfull to speake according to men Luk. 10. 31. thus It happened It chanced It was my luck so it be we vnderstand thereby that which happeneth beyond our purpose and expectation but yet guided by Gods hand and prouidence and also that Mat. 10. 29 30. Act. 27. 34. wee know and hold no meere chance and fortune as the Heathen haue imagined without the hand of God acknowledged therein as the idolatrous priests and diuiners
that cause more worthy of encrease of honour with men of wisedome and vnderstanding For that thou hast comforted me to wit a stranger a widdow and poore euen me hast thou comforted by such gracious speeches so full of mercy and pietie The word comforted by an Antiphrasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 24. 64. signifieth a freedome from griefe which implyeth that before she was not without heauinesse in this her poore estate for a widdow poore and a stranger in the place of her abode how can shee not be sad and pensiue Afflictions are not ioyous to any for the present they will make sad the heart of the best for a while so long as we carry about this corrupt heart and nature of ours and therefore let men looke vpon the afflicted with compassion to comfort them Many wayes did Boaz comfort poore Ruth First by a louing appellation calling her his daughter verse 8. Secondly by allowing her to gleane in his fields and willing herso to continue with his maidens vers 8 9. Thirdly by charging his seruants in her hearing not to touch her verse 9. Fourthly by graunting her freedome to drinke with his seruants when shee should be thirstie Fifthly by commending her vertues and making mention of her former well-doing And sixtly in heartily praying for her Thus may the poore afflicted be comforted by the wealthy and persons of authority and especially in praysing their vertues and praying for them for the godly esteeme highly of the prayers of the godly for they know that God heareth them The prayer of faith and feruency Iam. 5. 16. of spirit auaileth much and God hath promised Gen. 20. 7. Iob 42. 8. to heare one for another and it is a signe of the Lords great displeasure when he will not 1. Sam. 16. 1. Ier. 7. 16 and 11. 14. and 14. 11. haue one to pray for others Therefore let vs make much of the prayers of the godly for they are comfortable Saint Paul besought the Saints to pray for him and that very often and this he doth almost in euery Epistle he intreateth the Romanes Ephesians Philippians Corinthians Rom. 15. 30. Ephe. 6. 18. 2. Cor. 1. 11. 2. Thes 3. 1. 1. Thes 5. 25. Heb. 13. 18 19. Phil. 1. 19. Col. 4. 3. Thessalonians Colossians the Hebrewes all but the backsliding Galatians a thing worthy of note And for that thou hast spoken friendly vnto thine handmaid This sheweth wherein shee tooke the greatest comfort euen in his last words in praising her vertues and praying for her which sheweth what it is wherein the godly poore take speciall comfort euen in their good name for well-doing and in the prayers of such as be godly To be praised of the godly for well-doing is great comfort for they be the best Iudges thereof and they be the best men and their prayers as before is noted are auaileable with God Let vs then striue to get a good name with them and to haue their prayers and requests to God for vs and when we get these let vs be comforted therein The word translated friendly is in the Hebrew to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart and so the Septuagints translate it The heart is affected with comfortable words Thus Ioseph Gen. 50. 21. also spake to the heart of his brethren for the heart in aduersity wisheth comfort and when the same is offered it reioyceth therein Therefore must we so speake to the afflicted as we may Osea 2. 14. make glad the heart of the oppressed So doth the Lord speake to his people and so commandeth Esai 40. 2. he his Prophets to speake vnto them Now to speake to the heart of another is thus First when we speake with a feeling of their afflictions from our owne hearts thus the Iewes comforted Mary Iohn 11. 19. and Martha The Syriach there is They spake with their heart and so spake Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2. 11. And secondly to speake such things as tend to their comfort and what we know in their case may comfort them as Ioseph did to his brethren Gen. 50. 21. and as the Prophet Esay sheweth in Cha. 40. 2. If this be our duety and our mercy to the distressed then they offend against mercy and charity who speake vncomfortably vnto the afflicted as the Iewes did to our Sauiour vpon the crosse and the friends of Iob vnto Iob which much displeased the Lord and kindled his wrath against them Boaz before called her his daughter but shee nameth her selfe to be his handmaid a tearme of humility and a note of modesty in her selfe who was nothing lifted vp with a proud conceit of her selfe for all his fauour and commendations For godly and humble persons are in themselues no whit the higher minded for the good that is spoken of them nor for the countenance of great persons towards them for they truely know themselues to be nothing and that all is from God the Fountaine of goodnesse Therefore there is no danger to praise these vpon iust cause to their faces for their comfort as Boaz doth Ruth here especially being in a low estate and in affliction Though I be not like one of thine handmaidens Thus doth Ruth debase her selfe for such as be truely religious haue a low esteeme of themselues The examples are pregnant in Moses Gideon Abigail Exod. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 6. â—5 1. Sam. 25. 24. and the Centurion who held himselfe noâ— worthy that Christ should come vnder the roofe of his house so lowly thought he of himselfe Because they know and feele their infirmities they haue ouermastered pride and selfe-loue they acknowledge that in themselues that is in their flesh dwelleth no good and therefore they thinke and speake of themselues very humbly Which grace we must labour for for it will procure Prou. â—2 4. and 15. 33. loue yea honour for he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Now the true signes of such as be lowly in their owne eyes are these First they thinke better of others than of themselues Phil. 2. 3. as Ruth doth here and as men should doe Secondly they be loth to vndertake great and high matters as Moses to goe to Pharoah and Exod. 3. 11. 1. Sam. 18. 23. to bring Israel out of Egypt and Dauid to be Sauls sonne in law Thirdly if they be aduanced they receiue honour with great humilitie as Abigail did Fourthly in their high place and prosperity 1. Sam. 25. 41. they be not of a proud and hautie spirit as we may see in Ioseph Moses Dauid Ester ruled by Mordecai and in the Apostle Saint Paul Fifthly they scorne no duety though meane if it Gen. 13. 8. be a duety for them to doe Abraham the Vncle will intreat peace at the hands of his Nephew Lot If Dathan and Abiram scorne to come to Moses Num. 16. 12 25. he will goe out to them they stand not vpon
their place so as they neglect what is fit to be done Which iustly reproueth those which haue too high an esteeme of themselues which pride ariseth First of an ouerweaning of themselues of their owne gifts or what they thinke to be good in them Secondly by onely looking vpon the good in them and what by their place and birth they may clayme but not at all of the euils in themselues by which they haue cause to be cast downe And thirdly by comparing themselues either with their inferiours or with their equals vpon whom yet they cannot looke with an equall eye but with some better esteeme of themselues by some one thing or other wherein they would find themselues to excell them but they neuer looke vpon their superiours except with the eye of enuie nor vpon any in that wherein they be ouermatched which maketh them so proud the true signes whereof are these First they highly esteeme of themselues and very meanely of others and that often of their betters as did Gaal Iudg. 9. 28 29. Secondly they haue aspiring spirits and thinke themselues worthy of higher places as Adam and Eue Absalom with Corah and his company Thirdly they are in prosperity impatient and cannot endure the neglect of duety towards them which they looke for as Haman Lastly Ester 3. 5. and 5. 9. Num. 16. 12. Gen. 16. they disdaine to be at command of their betters as did Dathan and Abiram and Hagar to be in subiection to her Mistresse for they thinke themselues as good as others Quest Here it may be asked how Ruth was vnlike to Boaz handmaidens Answ It is thought shee so spake because shee was not an Israelitish borne one within the Couenant and of Gods people but a Moabitish woman of an idolatrous kindred and incestuous race In which respect she might well thinke her selfe inferiour to them for the children of the Church are more excellent than any other people whatsoeuer Dauid therefore held it better to be a dore-keeper in Gods house than to dwell in the Tents of the vngodly and Moses iudged the Israelites in affliction more happy then the Egyptians and himselfe in Pharaoes court for the Churches children are Gods Children when all other are but his seruants they are in the couenant of God the other strangers they haue spirituall gifts communicated to them the other enioy but temporall fauours they are highly esteemed of God and bought with a price when the other are accounted but as whelps as Christ spake to the Canaanitish woman and are left in their spirituall captiuity they haue Angels for their guard and commanded to attend vpon them the other haue not so Lastly they haue inheritance in Heauen but the wicked shall goe into Hell and all the people which forget God And therefore in this respect Ruth might speake truely though now shee was become a Proselyte and so was to be held as one of the Lords people Verse 14. And Boaz said vnto her At meale time come thou hither and eate of the bread and dip thy morsell in the vineger And shee sate besides the Reapers and he reached her parched corne and shee did eate and was sufficed and left THe last words of Boaz in this first conference with Ruth still expressing more and more his loue vnto her First in calling her to their victuals Then in giuing her some himselfe euen so much as was sufficient for the present and more also for shee left thereof So here Boaz inuiteth her to dine with them then shee sitteth downe he welcommeth her and shee eateth and is sufficed And Boaz said vnto her The more thankefull she shewed her selfe the more fauour she found for thankefulnesse and humilitie increase fauour as we see here Which two vertues are so louely as they draw the liking of all men vnto them humilitie graceth a mans person and another thinketh himselfe honoured by a humble carriage towards him and thankes is the praising of his goodnesse and an acknowledgement of being beholden which doe much moue mens hearts vnto kindnesse and fauour very thankefull was Saint Paul and so was Dauid to them which did Phil. 4. 15. 1. Sam. 30. 26. them good whose examples we must follow At meale time come thou hither Boaz knew her to be poore and therefore he helpeth euery way to supply her wants in the field for the present but he leaueth her to her labour to prouide for afterwards And thus the poore are to be sustained in their present wants so as they may yet follow their calling and labour therein In saying at Meale time it noteth that there were set times to eate preparatiō made for it And so indeed do good housholders as we see in the commendations of the good huswife Prou. 31. 15. for this argueth a care and loue to seruants and also preuēteth their lingring in their labour when they need not murmure for their dyet nor long waite for it This care should be in the Gouernours of families which reproueth First such as can call vpon their seruants to set them to worke but are too negligent in preparing food for them wholesome and sufficient Secondly such as doe prouide but not in due season Thirdly such as will prouide in time but will hardly allow them time to eate for hastening them to their worke But these cause seruants to pocket to steale to haue their secret meetings to the great damage of the family and so make good that which Salomon saith There is that with-holdeth Prou. 11. 24. more then is meete but it tendeth to pouerty This also is contrary to that precept in some sort Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe which Deut. 25. 4. treadeth out the corne And it is contrary to the condition of such as be godly for such a one is mercifull to his beast then much more to his seruant Prou. 12. 10. And eate of the bread and dip thy morfell in the vineger Here is their houshold fare and haruest mens feeding they had bread of wheat but the 1. King 5. 11. vsuall was of barly being most commonly mentioned Iudg. 7. 13. 2. King 4. 42. Iosu 6. 9. as the ordinary bread Vineger was vsed in hot countreyes both to stirre vp appetite and to quench thirst they vsed also oyle 1. King 5. 11. In Italy Lauater in hunc locum they vsed in haruest to mingle vineger and wine and water together this fare prouided for Boaz family he allowed Ruth to eate of For a mercifull man will not onely relieue the poore abroad but sometimes at home with the food of his family as Iob Iob 31. 17 18. Nehe. 5. 18. did He limits not his goodnesse but is ready to helpe as he seeth occasion and as the poore shall stand in need Let the rich then this way Luk. 14. 13 14. 1. Sam. 25. 11. relieue the poore and not play the Nabals part if reason so require Note againe here
grace to repent These Idlers and loose liuers yet say for themselues that it is a disgrace for them to mind so meane things as the men of old time did Disgrace Who can hold that to be a disgrace which better meÌ„ haue done Better for pietie to God better before men for noblenesse of birth for greatnesse of state and for name of renowne in the world Againe who doe make that a disgrace now which God in his Word sheweth to haue beene their praise This conceit of disgrace ariseth from the spirit of pride and vanitie in the sonnes of Belial But if conceit of disgrace make them auoid labour in some calling whether of the mind or body then would I faine know why they auoid not those things wherein disgrace is indeed and why they shame not to liue idly prodigally lasciuiously in ryot and excesse in foolish pride and vanitie and lewd courses vnbeseeming the name of Christianity Lastly these vnprofitable members will say they haue better beene brought vp than to take paines What is this better bringing vp It is to follow fashions or to drinke and whiffe the Tabacco pipe or to congie and complement or to hunt and hawke and then curse and sweare as the furies of Hell or else to handle a weapon to strike and stab and vpon a word to challenge and so into the field to play the Deuils companion or to play at dice and cards or to read amorous bookes to court a Curtisan I should say a Gentlewoman or a yong Gallant to vanitie and wantonnesse How much more commendable were it and profitable to be imployed in some good literature as in the knowledge of tongues and arts And will their bringing vp allow them to liue idly Was not Paul brought vp at the feet of Gamâ—liel a great Statesman among the Iewes and yet he laboured with his hands and neuer liued out of a particular calling And was not Moses brought vp in Pharaoes Court and in all the learning of the Egyptians Yet did he liue in a calling and would be a Shepheard rather then liue idly or in Pharaoes Court wickedly he pleaded not his birth his gentrie his better education as these doe It is enough to be a Gentleman as they speake now adayes to countenance him in sinne in sloth in brauerie in contempt of a strict life to liue out of a calling sauing the calling of a Gentleman a profession so abused to aduance sinne and Satans kingdome as nothing more yet neuer read I nor heard I of in holy Writ or elsewhere that the title and name of a Gentleman should be a calling to exempt men from all callings from all honest labours and to leaue them loose as wild Colts without bit or bridle to their owne lusts and licentious libertie and finally to their ruine and destruction This is not Gentrie but rather Gentilisme to be hated of a Christian The practice whereof was odious euen in the Common-wealths of Heathen men And it was about an Epha of Barley Thus much Exod. 16. 36. her daies labour came vnto which was almost a bushell after our measure An Epha was tenne times as much as an Omer which was the measure for gathering Mannah and this was as much Exod. 16. 16. as would serue one man bread for a day So Ruth had gathered so much in one day as might serue her many dayes thus the Lord blessed her labour Whence we may learne this that the Lord can and will giue sometime a plentifull blessing to the diligent hand Thus he blessed Iacob in his painefull seruice so as hee was able to giue to Esau a Gen. 32. 13 14. present of fiue hundred fiftie head of beasts and cattell of one sort and other for all things are in his hand and at his disposing How soone did hee enrich againe Iob It is nothing with the Lord to make a poore man rich And therefore in our labours let vs haue recourse vnto God because Deut. 8. 18. hee giueth power to get wealth without Psal 127. 2. Haggai 1. 6. his blessing our labour is in vaine but with his blessing our labour shall take good effect Iohn 21. 6. Vers 18. And shee tooke it vp and went into the citie and her mother in law saw what shee had gleaned and she brought forth and gaue to her that shee had reserued after she was sufficed RVthes comfortable returne out of the field with what whither to whom with her kindnesse in giuing what shee had reserued at meale-time from Boaz table so as she had a double witnesse to shew her mother his kindnesse the Epha of barley and the food of his table both which did no doubt greatly comfort the heart of Naomi as appeareth by her heartie prayers in the next verse And she tooke it vp and went into the Citie Shee beareth the burthen her self And this is noted to shew how the Lord taketh notice of the burthens of his children which are of two sorts either such as bee voluntarily vndertaken and willingly for discharge of their dutie as Iacob in his seruice to Laban or Ruth here for her honest maintenance or else imposed vpon them as the burthens of Gen. 31. 12. Exod. 3. 7. Pharaoh vpon the Israelites on both the Lord looketh approouing the one and pitying the other Which may giue comfort vnto the painefull in bearing the burthen of their calling or of oppression for the Lord knoweth their troubles their labour and trauell and will doe them good in the end if they waite with patience And her mother in law saw what she had gleaned By this it appeareth that Ruth did hide none of her gleaning from Naomi but shewed her all and this for three causes to manifest Gods mercy towards her that she might praise God with her to shew that she had been painefull in her absence and not spent her time idly and to shew her faithfulnesse that she kept nothing from her And thus should children and seruants doe to such as depend vpon their labour approoue their labour by the fruits thereof and their faithfulnesse vnto their Parents and Masters They may not bee faithlesse as some seruants bee nor carelesse and idle as be too many children who vnder their Parents take libertie to be lazy when yet they haue more reason to bee painefull and carefull then seruants as nature better maintenance and the hope of portions and inheritance binde them And she brought forth and gaue her After that Ruth had shewed what she had gleaned she took out some victuals and gaue to her mother in law also Godly children are kind and louing to their Parents If this bee in a daughter in law to a mother See chap. 4. vers 15. in law much greater is the bond of duty of naturall children to their naturall Parents if they be truly religious as may bee seene in Dauid to 1. Sam. 22. 3. Gen. 45. 11. his Parents and Ioseph to his And
Chapter Then will I doe the part of a Kinsman to thee Boaz hauing laid downe the condition he reneweth his promise made in vers 11. yea though the other refuse her he will take her for one mans dislike maketh not true loue to decay in another mans heart for true loue is fixed vpon the thing beloued without respect to other mens affections to the same their liking may the more increase loue but dislike cannot vtterly remoue it where it is firmely settled this experience telleth vs to bee true in the loue of young persons affecting marriage And it were to bee wished that our loue were so strong that our soules were so glued to Religion that though others dislike wee may not therefore cease to loue it but bee as Ruth to Naomi and so say as she to her though shee saw Chap. 1. 16. Orpha depart from her Note againe that albeit Boaz made this promise to her alone and without other witnesses but God onely yet hauing promised and sworne to keepe it he after honestly and faithfully performes the same as in the next Chapter is plaine For an honest man will Numb 32. 27. Iosh 4. 12. and 22. 3. Iudg 1. 3 7 12 13. Gen. 50. 21. Iosh 6. 23. Iudg. 1. 25. keepe his oath and his word as may be seene in the Reubenites Gadites and halfe Tribe of Manasseh in Ionathan and Dauid in Iudah with Simeon in Ioseph to his brethren after acobs death Caleb to Othniel the Spies to Rahab and to the man of Bethel for an honest man hath a binding conscience when the word is passed out of his mouth he careth for his honest name and credit which to him is more then riches and better then oyntment If therefore we be of vpright and honest dealing and so would be accounted let vs keepe our words and our othes for this is common honesty iustice and a thing of good report Phil. 4. 8. Psal 15. 4. which we are commanded to haue care of It is a marke of a good Christian though it bee to our owne hinderance wee shall be like the children of our heauenly Father who faileth not of any thing which he speaketh Without keeping promise Iosh 21. 45. 1. King 8. 56. men cannot bee trusted it cutteth off all commerce and traffique with men Godly men haue euer made conscience of their word and very heathen men haue been worthy of admiration in this point And yet these things mooue nothing a number of base-minded false-hearted and dishonest Christians vnworthy the name of such when they lose their common honestie As the Lord liueth This is an oath Ier. 4. 2. This oath hee taketh because it was a matter of great importance and for that he would put the poore woman out of all doubt and that shee should not feare the accomplishment though he was rich and she poore he noble shee meane he an Israelite and she a stranger of Moab From this note First that it is lawfull to take an oath against the Anabaptists assertion of which see Chap. 1. 17. Secondly That the godly vse to sweare by God when they sweare and by none other of this more at large also in chap. 1. 17. Thirdly that the forme of an oath is diuersly expressed and not one manner of way as thus I speake it before God God is my witnesse The Lord knoweth As the Lord liueth I protest before the Lord I call God to record and diuers such like besides the common forme By God and so forth which I note to taxe the vsuall swearing of many who seeme to hate swearing in the common forme and yet they themselues sweare too often in another forme so subtill is Satan to beguile them in that and therein to make them guiltie of that from which they take themselues to be most free but they be deceiued for when God or his name and attributes are at any time mentioned for this end to confirme the truth of that which a man speaketh it is an oath Let men take notice hereof and cease to be common swearers Fourthly that it is lawfull to sweare in priuat cases as Ionathan did to Dauid and he to Ionathan the spies to Rahab Boaz here to Ruth in case of necessitie and in weightie matters In such cases wee may vse our lawfull libertie but yet with great warinesse with great reuerence of the high Maiestie of God not suddenly not in passion not without due aduisement Fifthly that an oath is the confirming of Heb. 6. 16. the mind of another in the truth of that which is spoken whether of things past spoken or done or of things present or of things to come and promised to be done This is the end of Boaz swearing here If this be so then let men rest satisfied with an oath as Ruth doth here and as in some cases God would haue men so to do for it is the greatest Exod. 22. 11. confirmation of a truth that may bee except the partie swearing either hath been conuinced or is at that present conuincible by good probabilities of falshood If this be the end of an oath then also let men care to sweare truly that the mind of others may trust them and relye vpon their faithfull oath taken But we haue cause to bewaile these times in which there bee such as professing Christianitie yet will vse oathes yea and fearefull execrations to coozen with to make their lyes and secret villanies intended to bee the lesse suspected as by miserable experience some simple and plaine meaning men may speake being deluded by faire shewes of godlinesse zeale of goodnesse words confirmed by oathes fearefull execrations and counterfeit letters that wicked hypocrites and Satanicall deceiuers might attaine to their vnlawfull desires Let men therfore take heed of men and beware whom they trust seeing men dare with pretence of godlinesse goe so farre in detestable villanies but I wish him or them that practise it to leaue it betimes else let them looke for deserued doome without serious Repentance Lie down vntill the morning With these words hee endeth his conference not spending the night in vaine or vnnecessary prattling as idle louers and wanton suters will doe but hauing answered her request and shewed to her his loue and honest resolution hee willeth her to lie downe vntill the morning By which words it seemeth she was risen vp as ready to depart but that hee would not permit her so to doe for the reasons before mentioned and because the night is ordained for rest as the Psalmist saith At night man goeth to his rest Neither is it safe for young women to bee abroad in the night it sauoureth not well it befitteth not their sex may endanger their chastitie Wee must beware of beeing Night-walkers for Satan the prince of darkenesse will then be the most busie Such also as hate the Light loue to be in darkenesse as the theefe the adulterer Againe the night imboldeneth Iob.
by to goe into Egypt while Ioseph lay in the pit that he might be sold to them that they might carry him into Egypt as God had determined the like prouidence in Moses preseruation Exod. 2. by Pharaohs daughter is very apparent for Gods prouidence is his guiding hand to effect what he hath decreed hee willeth and then his prouidence worketh the same Which if wee will obserue we may easily see in our courses and say Behold the prouidence of God and by wel marking the same we would be moued greatly to praise God wee would not murmure against crosses wee would commit our wayes vnto him and waite on his good pleasure with patience in all our affaires knowing this certainely that if hee hath determined a thing it shall come to passe though in mans reason most vnlikely Vnto whom he said Ho such a one c. This kinsman was of worth it appeareth by this that hee sate next Boaz before the ten Elders that he was able to redeeme land so soone after ten yeeres dearth that hee regarded so much the marring of his owne inheritance and lastly because he was of the same family of Elimelech and in birth before Boaz yet by place it may seeme that Boaz was his better though Boaz would not stand vpon his greatnesse and power with him but he would proceed in this businesse according to equity and right respecting so himselfe as yet hee would not wrong another but doe what was most meet to be done teaching this that a godly man a iust man will not doe what hee may by his power but what he ought by right Such a Nehem. â— 15. Gen. 14. 2â— 23. one was Nehemiah and Abraham who would not doe according to that which was in their hand but what was agreeable to iustice and fit for them to doe Nehemiah giueth the reason because he feared God This was it also that made Ioseph so to deale with his brethren and not according to his power and their deserts This is it which made Iob not to contemne his seruant for he knew his seruant as well as himselfe to be the Lords Oh then let men of power imitate these men of might it will argue that they also feare Prou. 14 2. God and vpright and iust dealing is more acceptable Prou. 21. 3. to God than sacrifices Men must not be like Nimrods nor Sauls to make their lusts a law and their power the bounds of their practise Remember Iezabel who tooke by force and fraud 1. King 21. 7. Naboths Vineyard but shee at length dearely paid for the same Note hence againe that one not before another by birth may bee his better by authority as Boaz was heere so Moses before Aaron Ioseph before his brethren and Dauid before his for God aduanceth not men as they be in birth but as his good pleasure is And therefore let the Elder submit to the yonger if God please to haue it so and men descended of Nobles submit to meane men aduanced by God and that without 2. Sam. 2. enuie or disdayne for God fetcheth beggers from the dung-hill to set them among Princes promotion is not from East or West but from his hand therefore must wee rest contented Thirdly note that a man according to his authority may speake to another with authority though in some respect the same be his better as the kinsman is here by birth to whom Boaz yet thus speaketh But why did hee not name him Boaz did name as these words Such a one doe shew but the Pen-man of the Spirit passeth him by either as not materiall or rather for that hee was a worldling louing land better than Gods Law desiring the Verse 4 6. one but not caring to obey the other Hereby giuing vs to know that hee which loueth more the world and his owne outward estate than the Law and Word of God is worthy to haue no name in Gods Booke in the Booke of Life Therefore take heed and beware of couetousnesse Old Father Latimers Text. Turne aside sit downe here Boaz willeth him to set aside his priuate busines for this publike work and to sit downe to heare the matter the matter concerned them both Boaz doth call him into the Court and place of iudgement about it Whence note that it is lawfull vpon iust cause for one man to call another into publicke places of iustice to cleare mens rights fot this cause God himselfe appointed amongst his people publicke Courts of iustice gaue them Lawes to iudge by and allowed Exod 22. 8. men to take the benefit thereof and godly men haue sate as Iudges as Moses Dauid and Exod. 18 1â— 1. Chro. 18. 14. others for without this some controuersies cannot bee ended so peruerse and partiall are many in their owne cause Which confuteth the Anabaptists who allow not of Magistrates and this course of iustice in ending controuersies yet on the other side albeit men may sue one another it must not be for euery trifle it must not be in reuenge malice and with desire to hurt my neighbour it must bee the last remedie and when men goe to Law they must doe it in loue vse the Law as a Iudge and Moderator and therefore must they chuse the most honest Lawyers which will not sell their tongues and abuse their wits for gaine they are to beware of bribing any they must not vse circumuentions but bee content peaceably and louingly to let the equity of the Law decyde the matter and therein quietly rest And he turned aside and sate downe Though this man was one of some worth among them and a worldly man too yet hee for this publicke businesse and for to shew his obedience to authority turneth aside from his priuate affaires and doth sit downe as Boaz did will him Whence note First that when any are called to publicke businesses priuate are to be laid aside for the time to further the publicke as this man doth here and as all good members of a Common-wealth should do for that publicke actions and publicke causes should bee more neere and deare to vs than priuate for in publicke things there is a respect vnto the priuate which is more safe in the safety of that which is publicke Therefore such as doe neglect wholely publicke wel-fare and attend onely to the priuate good of their owne estate they doe amisse and euen so as if a member of the body should see to it selfe and neglect the body which is the way at length to bring ruine vpon it selfe which it seekes to preuent This reproueth such as being able and fit men for publicke businesses doe labour yet by all meanes to auoid them As also much more such as being called to publicke authority yea and bound by oath to the same doe neuerthelesse liue as if no such duety were imposed vpon them and are wholely taken vp with the thoughts of their owne priuate and houshold affaires This so
great neglect of that which is publicke is no small detriment to to the Common-weale this great care of euery man for himselfe and for his owne priuate and little or rather none for the publicke is the cause of so great and so many euils euery where among men Secondly that men are to yeeld readily to lawfull authority commanding whatsoeuer worth they be of which are so commanded Men must bee like the Israelites and do as they said they would doe to Iosua euen to obey readily in all things Ios 1. 16 17 18. and so to vphold his authority as also they would oppose theÌ„selues against such as would not obey Dauid was very obedient vnto Saul albeit hee was anointed himselfe hee stood not vpon his right but waited the Lords time and was willingly obedient Thus should wee be to lawfull authority as the Apostle exhorteth and that by Rom 13. 1 4. Tit. 3. 1. many reasons in the Epistle to the Romanes though in those times the Kings and Gouernors were Heathen and bloudy persecutours This condemneth those which are like Corah and his Companie and like Absalom and his associats in conspiracie which are so farre from obedience as they rise vp in open Rebellion against lawfull authority Such were the counterfeit Catholicks and such be they euer in heart though not alway in action in this our Soueraignes Dominions This also checketh those which though they hate treason and rebellion and will not disobey supreme authority yet will despise inferiour officers but they are commanded the contrary as the Apostle Peter teacheth for not onely 1. Pet. 2. 13. the King as Supreme but also such as be sent of him are to bee obeyed of conscience for the Lords sake Verse 2. And hee tooke ten men of the Elders of the Citie and said Sit yee downe heere And they sate downe HEre is set downe the Assistants in this businesse how many what they were whence taken and their sitting downe in the place of Iudgement with Boaz and the Kinsman after that Boaz had willed them so to doe And he tooke ten men The Elders and people were gathered together it may seeme before vnto the Gate whether it was that they were especially sent for or that they hearing that Boaz was gone vp to the Gate of the Citie and so came voluntarily as it was perhaps their manner so to doe when they heard of any to goe vp to the place of Iudgement it is not certaine but the Elders were there and the people also verse the 11. and of the Elders hee chose onely ten to sit in the place of Iudgement why onely ten is no reason giuen it may be the number was chosen according to the ten yeeres of Naomi her absence Chap. 1. 4. in Moab or according to the number of the ten Commandements to put them in mind of their duety or for what else I will not further coniecture it was a number thought fit in this case for the hearing and determining of the matter This wee note in Boaz taking of these men men of authority that publicke causes are to bee handled Deut. 25. 7. Ios 20. 4. before publicke persons and of them a competent number for the determining thereof for therefore are such appointed publicke persons for publicke causes and by such as haue authority to end matters the thing in hand is more firmely established and if there haue beene before or might after contention arise the same hereby is cut off and preuented And therefore in such cases let such fit persons and so many bee Iudges as may by their authority end businesses betweene one anther Of the Elders Here I will note First what Elders were Secondly of whom chosen Thirdly of what sort of persons Fourthly why set ouer the people And lastly why called Elders For the first Elders were men of authority distinguished 1. King 20. 7 8. from the people and ioyned with others so as it is said the Princes and Elders Esdra 10. 8. Iudg. 8. 6 14 16. Iudges and Elders Deut. 21. 2. Elders and Officers Num. 11. 16. vnder this name were the chiefe in the Common-wealth comprehended both out of Israel Ios 9. 11. Num. 22. 7. and in Israel as in many places it fully appeareth and 2. Chro. 5. 2. Esdra 5. 9 10. 1. Sam. 15. 30. 2. Sam. 3. 17. 5. 3. and 17. 15. Exod. 4. 29 and 17. 5. and 24. 1. therefore Princes are included in Elders Iudg. 8. 6 14 16. and Rulers and Elders made one Esdra 5. 9 10. and 6. 7 8. The chiefe of the Kings house were called Elders 2. Sam. 12. 17. and such as in euery city bare rule Deut. 21. 3 19 20. for those which were appointed in euery city to be Iudges and Officers in Deut. 16. 18. are euery where after called by the name of the Elders of the city Deut. 21. 20. and 22. 15 18. Thus the Lord ordeined Gouerners to rule his people For the second they were chosen by the people and admitted by Moses as himselfe in a place witnesseth Deut. 1. 13. which was to them a great libertie and freedome For the third they were of the best able and fittest men thus to be qualified first to bee men of Exod. 18. 21. See Zipper de Lege Mos â—â— 3. ca. 9. Deut. 1. 13. Esai 3. 4. 2. Chro. 19. 11. 2. Sam. 23. â— 2. Chro. 19. 7. Exod. 18. 21. wisedome and vnderstanding and not childish and simple persons for that is a punishment vpon the people to haue such ouer them Secondly to be good men religious and fearing God for such should rule ouer men as haue conscience towards God vnder whom and for whose glory they are to rule and with those the Lord will be 2. Chron. 19. 11. Thirdly to be men of truth as Exod. 18. 21. Gen 42. 11. Iethro aduiseth that is true men as Iosephs brethren call themselues such as are that which they seeme to bee not pretending one thing and intending another but in the course of iustice doe follow the truth of the cause as the truth thereof shall appeare vnto them Fourthly to bee men Deut. 16. 19. Prou. 1. 19. Ezech 2â— 27. 1. Sam. â— 3. hating couetousnesse else will they take bribes and loue dishonest gaine and peruert iustice Fifthly to be knowne men in these things Deut. 1. 13. When such are set ouer a people let vs praise God and reioyce where such bee wanting pray to God to send them and where the contrary be lament and bewaile the estate of such a people Touching the fourth why they bee set ouer a people For the praise of the good and the punishment 1. Pet. 2. 15 14. 2. Chron. 9. 8. of the bad and to rule in iustice and in iudgement and to gouerne the people for that we bee all of a rebellious nature since the fall of Adam Now to gouerne well Magistrates and men in authority must doe two things
adultery with Dauid to shew hereby that be our blessed Sauiour came into the world to saue sinners which 1. Tim. 1. 15. is for the comfort of the penitent And here also such as be godly may learne not to be discouraged not to be daunted neither to account worse of themselues because they haue had of their kinred fouly tainted with vices We see here the innocent Lambe of God to haue been of such and yet he the Holy one of Israel Let such then put themselues to silence who seeke to disgrace the vvell deseruing by the staine of Ancestors or some of their kinred By thus doing men should offer wrong to Iesus Christ which euery Saint of God is very farre from and who is hee that should not bee disgraced if this might serue to disgrace a man Note farther how these words come in by a parenthesis whether vttered by the Elders and people or else put in by the Pen-man of the holy Ghost it is not materiall but heere we see how God would haue a remembrance of the birth of Pharez with his honour and outward blessings from God for that it is good in our great glory and outward prosperity to be put in mind whence wee be Thus God put Dauid in remembrance 2. Sam. 7. 8. and Ierobâ—â—â— for so such persons shall haue cause to praise God for his mercies and bee kept humble and not forget themselues as men commonly doe in their peace and prosperity Let such then as bee raised vp from a low estate remember whence they are and bee willing to heare thereof from others for Gods mercie shall be the more knowne admired and glorified whose praise wee must seeke with the very vtter contempt of our selues if so the case shall require How great a signe of pride is it then and of a will to obscure Gods mercies when men will chafe in themselues against such as shall mention their meane or base birth But if men may not forget whence they be in their worldly aduancement then may wee not forget our naturall birth in our spirituall exaltation when wee bee made the children of God Kings and Priests to him of children of wrath and bond-slaues to Satan If the remembrance of the other put vs in minde of Gods mercy much more this for betweene them is no comparison Lastly note that it is said that Tamar bare Pharez vnto Iudah Mothers bring forth children to the fathers of the children so is it said that Leah bare sonnes to Iacob Gen. 29. 34. for the father is to beare the name and take the child into his care and tuition whether borne in wedlocke or otherwise Let fathers therefore take care of such as they beget for to them hath the mothers brought them out Of the seed which the Lord shall giue thee of this young woman Hence may bee obserued that an old man may marry a young woman as heere Boaz did Ruth and Ioseph did the Virgin Mary but not for wantonnesse but for issue and posterity as Boaz doth allow therefore of such marriages in such a case but beware of an old man lecherous who is one that God hateth so an old woman wantonly affected to marry with a young man Secondly that Children are Gods gift of Gen. 4â— â— which at large before Which must mooue vs to thank God for them and to traine them vp to his seruice and to acknowledge them his gracious gift as Iacob did Thirdly that true prayer is not Gen. 33. 5. without faith for it proceedeth from it as the Apostle teacheth and heere the words plainely Rom. 10. 14. imply that these Elders and people were perswaded that God would giue to Boaz children of Ruth for they said Which the Lord shall giue thee As taking it for granted that he would giue him children which they were perswaded vnto from the young yeeres of Ruth then from the obedience of Boaz who married Ruth onely to raise vp children to the dead that his name might not perish according to the Law of God which hee Deut. 25. herein chiefely respected and thirdly because this was the Line and Stocke out of which the Messias should come according to Iacobs prophesie and therefore they knew that of these should come issue to fulfill the prophesie In praying let vs also with these beleeue so are wee Iam. 1. 6. commanded and if we doe beleeue we shall obtaine what wee aske if the Lord thinke it needfull Mat. 21. 22. for vs for the prayer of faith auaileth much Iam. 5. 15 16 17. if it be feruent Fourthly and lastly hence obserue that Prayer is a meanes to make an honourable house and to continue it in the following posterity Therefore Dauid vsed prayer in this case as these 2. Sam. 7. 25. doe here for Boaz house in his posterity and so did Abraham pray for Ishmael to continue in the Gen. 17. 20. Lords sight who promised him mercy and an honourable issue to many generations from him Let vs vse this meanes to vphold and continue our house I haue spoken of many good meanes before let this bee added to them But men in Out of verse â— their worldly wisedome seeke by other meanes without prayer to continue their posterity in honour as by these First by great purchases for their children But doth not Salomon tell th 〈…〉 Prou. 27. 24. that riches are not for euer And we find it true by experience Secondly by building stately houses and calling them by their owne names thinking that their houses shall continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations But doth not the Psalmist tell them that this their Psal 49. 13. way is their folly Is not the Tower of Babel throwne downe And became not that their Gen. 11. 4 8. confusion by which they sought a name and to continue together Thirdly by intailing of lands vpon the heires male from one to another for many generations But could there be a surer intaile than the Kingdome of Israel to Dauid which yet was almost quite cut off by Salomons idolatrie so as Rehoboam lost ten Tribes in his dayes Intaile it as sure as they can yet the iniquity of the children will make it to bee cut off God liketh not that men should by their deuices tye his blessings to whom they list for vaine-glory sake and to keepe vp a name And doe not we see Lawyers which teach parents to intaile how they can teach their children to vntaile it againe Fourthly by matching with great houses and by this they thinke their house shall stand But did not Ahab by marrying with Iezabel the King of Zidons daughter root out his whole posterity And did not Iehosaphat by marrying his sonne to Ahabs daughter doe almost the like Fiftly and lastly by procuring great places of honour in the Common-wealth oh then they thinke they are surely founded But doth not Salomon tell Prou. 27. 24. them
Thus Adam was so called of the matter whereof his body was made so Moses of the place whence he was taken Some had a name from their miserable estate and condition as Enosh some to call to remembrance some fauours of God thus Simeon was so called of his Mother Leah and Ioseph for the like reason called Gen. 29. 41. 51 52. his sonnes Manasses and Ephraim Sometime names were giuen from some thing which fell out at the birth hence Pharez had his name Gen. 38. 29. 1. Sam. 4. and Ichabod his Some were named so from that which should come to passe afterwards as Salomon was for that in his daies should be rest and 1. Chron. 22. 9. peace Some had their names from some things to be effected and done by them so was our Lord called Iesus because hee should saue his people Mat. 9. from their sinnes Besides these inducements to impose a name they did sometime call them after their Ancestors to keepe them in remembrance Luk. 1. 59 61. We must learne to imitate the holy men of God in these things to expresse our own graces or to teach our children some duties or to call to minde the workes of God or to remember holy men and women to imitate their vertues And we may not thinke this to be too precise a practice seeing Gods wisdome interposed it selfe sometime both in giuing names and in changing of names and the reuerence due to the holy Sacrament administred aduiseth vs to a due consideration hereof in honor of the Sacrament And a good name may call sometimes a man to the remembrance of his duty I knowe that a name maketh not a man good for some haue good names but their conditions starke naught yet a good name may sometime occasion a man to thinke of goodnesse and howsoeuer the party so named doth make no vse of it yet it is commendable in the imposers thereof who imitate the example of godly men in the old time the Saints also in the Primitiue Church and the godly-disposed at this day Which reprooueth such as giue names idly without sense or reason ridiculous names Heathenish rather then Christian and some such names as bee very prophane But of this thus much And they called his name Obed. That is as they gaue him his name so thus was hee called which words may imply that the name once giuen was with authority confirmed so as the Infant was commonly so called without alteration neither were euer any names altered but vpon some extraordinary occasion for to suffer a change thereof is either folly or worse if good and honest causes mooue not thereunto Obed. This signifieth seruing because hee should serue as a comforter to old Naomi as the women said verse 15. which is the reason of this name to teach him and also all Children their duetie which is this to labour to be a comfort vnto their Parents of which before in verse 15. Now this they shall doe if they liue in obedience to their Parents with feare to offend yeelding euer to bee ruled by them if they seeke to imitate their Parents vertues and to follow them in all good things if they frame their courses to godlinesse striuing to haue an Heauenly Father also for their guide and direction if they settle themselues to a good course of life to liue within some honest calling either in the Church or Common-wealth if lastly they liue in mutuall loue one with another like Iobs children These things will comfort Parents which therefore let children labour for let them bee Obeds seruing thus to their comforts let them bee Isaacs to make their Parents to laugh for ioy and not Benonies Sonnes of sorrow like Cains Esaus and Absaloms wicked prophane and vnnaturall Note here one thing more before I come to the next words how that this child is not called either Elimelech or Mahlon and yet was he giuen to raise vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance that might not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place and Verse 10. for this end did Boaz marry Ruth Whence therefore we may perceiue that the preseruation of the name of the dead stood not in anothers bearing of his name so to be called as he was but rather in the issue hauing a right to the inheritance and inioying of it that it might not bee alienated from the kindred and stocke of the dead which being so sheweth the grosse folly and wrong which some shew to their neere blood in disinheriting daughters and passing their inheritance vnto meere strangers for a very bare name as if that were to hold vp their name when oftentimes it commeth to passe that such sell away the inheritance and so roote out their name which is better kept by continuing an inheritance in their blood and bowels then by the sound of a word vpon the person of a stranger this folly we see by examples to be condemned and cursed before our eyes in not a few Hee is the Father of lesse the Father of Dauid These words are added to shew first who this Obed was or rather what a one he came to be in his posteritie euen very honorable and of high renowne Here wee see that as Ancestors may grace posteritie so honorable of spring may grace Ancestors and forefathers Againe by these words we vnderstand when this Story was written euen in the daies of Dauid and that also when he was chosen of God from his brethren for else Iesse his eldest sonne should haue been named and not Dauid who was the seuenth and youngest sonne of his Father Thirdly these words shew whereto this History tendeth to bring vs vnto Dauid that sweet singer of Israel the chiefe type of Iesus Christ the Sauiour not onely of the Iewes but likewise of the Gentiles of whom he was pleased to come to be their Sauiour also as it appeareth to vs at this day blessed be God for euer Amen Verse 18. Now these are the generations of Pharez Pharez begat Ram. HEre is the last part of this booke and the conclusion of this chapter containing a genealogie from Pharez to Dauid ten generations as they be reckoned in order in this and the rest of the verses from the father to the sonne and from the sonne to the end of the tenth generation The occasion of this genealogie was from the last words of the former verse speaking of Obeds being father to Iesse and Grand-father to Dauid and to shew this the holy Ghost beginneth a genealogie from before Obeds time in seuen of his Ancestors and descended to Dauid his Grand-child Now these are the generations Vsually the genealogies of the godly are recorded but sometime the generation of the wicked as of Ismael Gen. 25. 13 36. 9. 21. 13. 4. 17 18 19. and Esau are set downe not so much for their sakes as to shew the truth of Gods promises made to