of the earth Of all these mistryes you may see in the booke of Iudges Samuel and Kings to which I referre you at your leasure as of Saul Dauid Ieroboam Achab Zidkia others as in this present place where they are oppressed ten yeares together so that heauen and earth may passe but the word of the Lord abideth for euer For this cause the prophets adde to their preaching of iudgmentes Thus sayth the Lorde as if they had said it shall neuer bee altered And if the lawes of heathen men such as the Medes and Persians might not alter much lesse the word of the Lord which is like siluer purified seuen times should haue any drosse or changeable substaunce in it Wee see the law of nature stand inuiolable for euer and shall not the law of him which made nature be also immutable when the fire ceaseth to bee hote and the water to be colde then shall be exception taken against God his iudgments and not before The vse of this doctrine is to cast downe the presumption of notorious sinners who to auoyd the terrors of God his iudgmentes deceiue their owne soules vvyth this that God is mercifull So that in theyr most singular sinnes they will flye to the mercyes of God as if they were the verie bonde of all iniquitie yea and these kinde of people perswade themselues to bee as good Christians as anie in the worlde because they can saie the Lord is mercifull But heare me a little in one word I praie you I am perswaded that I speake to many these people this daie What hurt hath the Lorde done vnto you that you rob him of his iustice Shall the Prophet be found a liar that sayth The Lord is iust in all waâ—es and holy in all his workes Or shall the Apostle speake vntruth that sayth It is a iust thing with God to render affliction to them that afflict you release to you that are afflicted Why shall we then spoile God of his iudgements vnlesse wee wyll depriue our selues of our owne saluation But you will saie this serueth for the wicked as Atheists Turkes Pagans Infidels and such lyke which shall haue no part with Christ I answere what greater wickednes can there be than to depriue God of his iustice Would a mortall man indure to be accounted without honestie and shall the euerlasting king abide to be spoiled of his righteousnesse Nay the iustice of God pertaineth to such as you would be holy persons as well as to anie For what saith the Prophet When the iust man turneth from his righteousnesse to doo iniquitie he shall die in it And Peter sayth that iudgement must begin at the house of God And a father once saide God of his most deere iustice hath decreed the summe of all discipline both in exacting and in defending as if he had sayd there is no correction of the Lord but it proceedeth from his iustice now the children of God are corrected for hee scourgeth euerie child whom he receiueth And therfore the iudgmentes of God must bee thundered out as well for the confirming of the faithfull as the confusion of Infidels But others there are that are so farre past feeling of either mercies or iudgements that as soone the deafe adder wil heare the voice of the charmer as they anie impression of terrour for sinne Hence commeth this custome of sinning which euerie sabboth commit their wonted iniquitie euerie houre vomit out their poison of blasphemies and euerie daie violate the lawes of charitie who through their dayly staring on the sonne of righteousnesse are nowe become starke blinde and with the continuall noise of God his waters are made so deafe that they can heare no goodnesse Vnto both these sortes of people hearken what the Lorde sayth in his Gospell But if that euill seruant shall saie in his heart the Lorde deferreth his comming and shall begin to finite his fellow seruants and to eate and drinke with the dronken The Lord of that seruant shall come in a daie that hee looketh not for and in an houre that hee knoweth not and shall separate him and giue him his parte with vnbeleeuers there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth This shall be the end of secure christians and contemptuous sinners carnall Atheists despisers of wholsome doctrine which haue no part but in this present life with endlesse and fearefull damnation in the world to come Thus much of the first parte the circumstance of time now let vs go to the thing which is the second parte of the occasion There was a famine in the land This was the chiefe cause which moued these persons to trauell the auoiding of the pinching penurie of fearefull death by lingering till the end of this pining famine Of all the punishments of sinne which happen in this life theâ—e is none more vehement than famine Therefore the Lord by the Prophet threatneth to send his arrowes of famine to breake the staffe of bread Where he alludeth to a maine battell signifying vnto vs first as the arrow is the fittest instrument to break the ranke so a famine is the sharpest weapon to dismaye the couragious stomackes of rebellious sinners For as the arrowe is alwaie in sight so a famine euer in sense the arrowe hurteth but not with a speedie death a famine spoileth yet with tedious miserie the arrowe entered doth procure more paine and greater wound at the pulling forth than the falling in euen so abundance of meate sooner dispatcheth a famished person than lingering hunger Therefore Dauid put to his choice of three plagues famine flying and pestilence chose the last as the most sodainest and therefore accompanied with lesse griefe for that disease by the rule of phisicke is most daungerous which is the longest in growing Now wee may reade of many famines in the Scripture one and the first we read of was in the dayes of Abraham another in the daies of Izhak his sonne Seuen yeeres famine was in Egypt where Ioseph by the hand of God succored the Church in his fathers familie And to omit that in Dauids time and that in Ahabs time with those in the dayes of Iehoram and Zidkia with many others VVee reade in the new Testament of a vniuersall famine in the dayes of Claudius Caesar prophesied by Agabus when the Church dyd most notably releeue one another Vnto the which wee may adde that at the destruction of Ierusalem about fortie yeeres after Christe All which are most worthie spectacles of humane miserie and worthy examples of God his iudgementes to terrifie all them which saie in theyr prosperitie they shall neuer be moued There wee may reade of the pittifull death of many thousands which starued in the streetes in the face of theyr dearest friendes and yet were not able to releeue them There wee may see howe men were driuen to eate dogges cats rats mice and horse
said euen as a man striueth to be deliuered in the pangs of death so he from his tribulation Iob that mirrour of patiēce did so delight in his suffrings that in one place he seemeth to accuse God himselfe to adde to his transgressions that is to make his sins seem greather then they were and how doth hee desire to plead with God about his affliction cursed the day and houre of his death Our sauiour would neuer haue warned vs that in the world we should haue sorrowe and lamentation had he not knowne that the smart of our sufferings would thrust foorth abundance of teares through the vehemency of the paynes and presently hee addeth a secret comparison between a woman in trauail a christian in persecution so that as the one hath most vehement sorrowes and pitifull lamentations so also may the other infinite testimonyes might bee brought for the proofe of this to teach vs that God his children are made of fleshe as well as of spirite and the fleshe is weake though the spirite bee willing therefore wee may feare and cry vnder the burthen of our paines that our afflictions are bitter vnto vs and that the hand of the Lord is grieuous vppon vs. Againe for the comfort of the godly I speake this that if any haue grieuously complained of their sufferings let them impute it to the sharpnes of their paines and the weaknes of their natures wee see this Naomi calleth bitternes vnto her such as shee woulde not willinglye take except it were for the phisicke of her soule and nowe almost ten yeares space this griefe hath growen vppon her so that it may seeme of all others shee was most grieued for now she vttereth her minde as freshlye as if the potion were yet vndigested in the stomacke Be comforted therefore my sorrowfull brethren and sisters you see you are not alone in this miserie for Dauid Iob Naomi Annah Nehemiah and many other are as farre indebted to the Lord in this pointe as euer was any striue to suppresse it by prayer and quench it by singing of psalms neither let vs iudge but charitably of those which in this case are troubled bee it for the losse of their children the death of their husbands the decay of their wealth or the lacke and want of their health If they seme impatient and weaker then our selues let vs beare parte of their burthens vppon our christian comforts that they with vs we with thē like seling members of the same infirmities may sustaine our crosses by our mutuall supplications and obtaine our deliuerance by the bloud of Christ I went out ful In these words she amplifieth her former complaint by this comparison of a full vessell and an empty shewing that as the fullest vessell is the soundest the emptiest good for nothing so it fareth with her when she looketh vpon her former life when shee went foorth shee had plenty but now shee returneth in want then she was found but now broken then ioyfull but now sorrowful why should she be called pleasant or beautiful or by her old name seeing God hath humbled her whereas in times past hee vpheld her in prosperity but now hee hath cast her downe into aduersity Where wee first of all obserue the nature of worldly prosperity which to day is like a ful vessell but to morrowe like an emptye now it is greene anone it is withered now it groweth anone it is cut downe now like Nabuchadnezzar sitting vppon his throane with his counsellors and courtyers of estate about him but anone both Court and Countrey driue him to the companie of wilde beastes for as a little breache emptyeth the barrell so a lyttle trouble bringeth worldly welfare to wallow in the mire Therfore we read of none either king or country which had such a prosperous estate but it had one enimy or other to worke his woe if wee consider the raigne of Salomon where gold was innumerable and siluer as plentifull as stones yet it wanted not his miseries the people were punished by paiments to their prince the king was threatened which the losse of ten parts of his kingdome God stirred Hadud the Edomite against him where ended their peace Where is then y e roialty of Salomon was it not cast downe in one day his riches consumed his buildings burned his children captiuated his wisedome turned to idolatrie his posperitie decayed and al his honour ouerturned Oh that worldlings would consider their sickle estate and bee admonished of their iminent dangers the Lord putteth them into his balance finding them to light casteth them out Ieremy sayth they are but fatted sheepe kept for the day of slaughter now in the pasture and presently it the fire they are but aduanced to bee cast downe againe as the vessel is filled to bee emptied in due time the eares which are now full of corne in the field anon shall ly without on the dunghyll Babilon the queene of the world which ruled as yet was troden downe made a seruant Tyrus that crowned men with her wealth was consumed by warre for the Lord of hosts decreeth al this to staine the pride of glory to bring to contempt all that be mighty vpon the earth Weep weep O daughters of honor the days will come whē y e tēder shal not be regarded for your welth shal not al. ways endure the crowne abideth not from generation to generation your houses shall bee ouerturned your names forgotten your children impouerished your glory defaced your inheritance changed your welfare powred on the earth like water and your worship shall bee neuer repayred This haue God his dearest children felt and the greenest trees haue bene scorched which the fire of God his wrath for hee is not delighted in worldly brauery but hath buried great treasure in the sea which shall neuer bee found to keepe mankind kind from the ende of his purpose for this is their honour they get nothing but with much trauaile and in one houre loose labour life and wealth Secondly that which in our texte is the Lord hath humbled me in the hebrew is The Lord hath testified or witnessed against mee for by his iudgments hee humbleth vs as it ◠were producing witnesses to accuse vs of ous iniquityes as wee see in common iudgments all things passe by euidence if they be antient by witnes if it be late so the Lord when hee hath a quarrell against vs he first prooueth vs guilty by witnes of our sins and then punisheth vs for committing transgressions For this cause Moses commaundeth the book of the law to be laid vp in the side of the ark of the couenant for a witnes against the people so the Lord speaketh by Dauid Heare O my people and I will speake heare O Israel I will testifie vnto thee for I am thy God and after this hee reporteth his witnes against them first y t their sacrifices were corrupted
other as they themselues wer first entreated for this too much shamefastnes in many is worthy blame because it doth not onely couer the countenance but also couer the tongue leauing them speecheles when they are to answere their superiors but as these labuoring reapers vse Boaz so also must wee any of our betters which is with reuerence to speake our mindes and godlines to pray for their welfare and therefore wee must put on the spirite of meekenes and euery one esteeme better of another then of our selues But some will say there is no such necessitie of salutation as you would make it for Elisehah sending his seruaunt commaunded him to salute no man by the way and if any saluted him he should not answere them likewise our sauiour Christ sending his disciples to preach willed thē not to salute any by the way therefore it is no such signe of pride as you would make it To the which I aunswere first that Elisehah sent his man in wonderfull hast which respected the life of the Shunamites son therefore he willeth him to admit no let or hindrance in his iourney but with all speed to go forward insomuch as he should not doo the common curtesie to strangers either in salutation or in answer Euen so meaneth our sauior that his disciples being hastilie sent as it were to gather the haruest of the Lorde might admit no delay either in necessary or vnnecessary busines And this teacheth vs that the labor of preaching excelleth all earthly duties yea that all other must serue to it as handmaides and seruaunts to further the course and not hinder the proceedings Therefore this must remaine inuiolable as grounded on the lawe of God and men that curteous and godly salutations are verie commendable Then Boaz. Now in these three verses following insueth the communication had with his seruaunt who Ruth was vnto which his seruant telleth or answereth in the 6. and 7. verses First that it is Ruth which came with Naomi from the country of Moab secondly that shee asked him leaue to gather among the sheaues thirdly that she came but that morning and had continued till that instant Where we see the carefulnesse of Boaz in doing good would know the persons whether they were worthie or not and the faithfulnesse of the seruant which so plainly declared the truth to his master And this is the pure meaning of the wordes other doctrines can none be drawen from hence and therefore let vs giue praise to God for that which hath beene spoken The end of the fifth Lecture The sixt Lecture Chap. 2. Verse 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. 8 Then sayd Boas to Ruth Hearest thou my daughter go to none other field to gather neither go from hence but abide here by my maidens 9 Let thine eies be on the field that they doo reape and go after the maidens Haue I not charged the seruantes that they touch thee not Moreouer when thou art thirstie go vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the seruants haue drawen 10 Then shee fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and sayd vnto him How haue I found favour in thy eies that thou shouldest knowe mee since I am a stranger 11 And Boaz answered and sayd vnto her All is tolde shewed me that thou hast done vnto thy mother in law since the death of thy husband and how thou hast lefte thy father and mother and the land where thou wast borne and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not in times past 12 The Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel vnder whose wings thou art come to trust 13 Then she said Let me find fauor in thy sight my Lord for thou hast comforted me spoken to the hart of thy handmaid yet I shall not be like to one of thy maides 14 And Boaz said vnto her At meale time come thou hether and eate of the bread and dippe thy morsell in the vineger and she sate beside the reapers c. IN these wordes the holy Ghost declareth the cōmunication which Boaz had with Ruth for so soone as he vnderstood who she was he turneth his speech from the man to the woman This conference according to the number of the persons hath two partes The first is of Boaz and the second of Ruth The first parte which respecteth Boaz is the singular curtesie he offereth to Ruth ver 8.9.14 Wherin first he biddeth her to gleane freely among his maidens not onely in that fielde but also wheresoeuer the reapers bestowe themselues secondly he commandeth his seruants that they doo her no iniurie but giue her drinke when she is thirstie and himselfe called her to meate and gaue her so liberally that she being sufficed left for her mother The other part which concerneth Ruth is her manner of behauior to this curteous intertainment of Boaz wherein first shee boweth her selfe to the ground verse 10 secondly she confesseth the greatnesse of his kindnesse in the same verse because she was a stranger and her vnworthinesse of anie benefit vers 13 because shee should be as one of his maidens For this speech of Ruth Boaz sheweth the cause of all his curtesie ver 11. because shee had dealt so well with her mother in lawe and had forsaken countrie and kindred to come to the people of God therefore shee deserued to be honourably intreated secondly he prayeth for her ver 12 that the Lord would not frustrate his promise deceiue her hope but recompence her labour and shield her with his wings Of these partes let vs speake in order as the spirit shall giue vtterance and the time permit Then sayd Boaz. So soone as hee vnderstoode who that woman was whereof hee had demaunded his seruant hee turneth his speech vnto her that so soone as might be he might comfort her afflicted pouertie and testifie any good will to a godly stranger where first of al it is commendable that he vouchsafeth to cal so base a person by the name of Daughter for truly this louing word bewrayeth the tender affection of a godly heart forgetting his lofty degree and calling an abiect stranger by the name of daughter which proueth that hee longed to giue vnto her some comfort of kindnes This humble and most tender title of daughter and sonne are very vsual in the scripture for when the Lord would comfort the Church of the Iewes against the blasphemies of Senacherib Rabsakeh he calleth it a virgine the daughter of Sion as if he had said euen as a father is carefull for the wealth of his daughter so do I watch for the welfare of my church in like manner Christ our sauiour comforted the women that wept at his death by the name of the daughters of Ierusalem Out of the which we gather this profitable doctrine that it is one property and duety of an humble minde to speake kindly where it wisheth
baser they will enuie them this mischiefe had godly Ioseph noted when hee commanded his seruants to vse his brethren so kindly and Dauid by a seruant was whetted on to bee reuenged vppon Saul Therefore right worshipfull and yet our brethren in Christ as you are careful in your owne persons to do good to the godly euen so followe this Boaz in commanding your seruants to deale friendly also I knowe you shall neuer choose all your seruants of your owne disposition yet if you often warne them you maye chance to winne them for the beginning of religion is the loue of them that professe it euen as hunger in a sicke person is a token of recouerie Then shall you cheerefully receiue Christ into our houses in his poore members and ioyfully assure your consciences you haue vnfainedly loued him for hee which hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs willeth also that we should giue our seruantes charge ouer our brethren the vnkindnesse which many poore soules haue receiued at the handes of your churlish and stubborne seruantes hath discomforted them more than all your liberalitie hath comforted them What accesse coulde the little children haue to Christ whē the disciples forbad them euen so how shal we repaire to your dwellings when your owne seruants so much as in them lyeth diswarn vs of your houses keepe vs from your presence enuie our meetings and deride our profession Wherefore she fell This verse concerneth Ruth and her answere to those wordes of Boaz first her gesture is described that she fel vpon the earth bowed hir selfe to the ground that is with all shewe of humilitie secondly she commendeth this his kind curtesie because she was a stranger so that by outward behauiour shee gratifieth his gentlenes and exalteth his liberality toward hir by the consideration of her own person which was a stranger therefore vnworthy of so great kindnes Out of the which we chiefely obserue first that it is a dutye of the poorer sort not onely to acknowledge their thankfulnes by woordes but also to testifie it by outward submission for Abraham himselfe vsed it euen to the idolatrous Hithits whē they gaue him leaue to bury his dead twise together This noteth a greater thankfulnes then all the wordes of the worlde in somuch as it is accounted a speciall duetye belonging to superiors as wee may see in Bathshebah to her husband when shee came to tell him how Adoniah raigned and likewise in king Salomon towarde her when she came to aske Abisag Now if these stately persons bowed themselues but in curtesie much more ought wee of duety Then is heere condemned the vnciuill behauiour of many stout personnes which are so farre from bowing that they will hardly thanke theyr brethren for their liberalityes accounting it their duty as they say to giue as if also it were not their dutie to bee thanfull The knowne example of the ten leapers doeth much commend this kind of thankfull behauiour and also condemne the ingratefull affection Other there bee that are in such loue with this cap and knee that it doth them more good to see the poore people bende vnto them then they reioyse that they haue giuen for Christes sake insomuch as they giue that themselues and not the Lord might bee honoured This lacke of reuerence in the one and loue of honour in the other are both vnlawfull because they both proceed from one roote which is the pride of our owne heartes and the conceit of our owne persons But some will say wee do but as that godly Mordecai did which refused to honour the wicked Haman so wee abstaine from doing reuerence to the proud and vaineglorious because wee will not feede their disposition Vnto whom I answere that there were manye causes for which Mordecai refused to bend vnto Haman which they can neuer alledge for themselues the first because he was a wicked Amalekite of a nation whom the Lord commanded the Iewes vtterly to destroy neyther to spare man woman or child as appeareth in the historye of Saule who because he transgressed this commandement of God in sauing Agag their king and certaine oxen to sacrifise it cost him his kingdome and displeasure of God Because of this lawe of the Lorde Mordecai woulde do no honour to this childe of destruction and was blameles Secondly it is thought that the honour which Haman obtained was proper onely to God because hee was aduanced aboue all other and such kind of reuerence we must alway beware of for Shedrach Meshach and Abednego had rather dye then fall downe before the image of the king of Babylon euen so wee must not giue more to man then is his owne but vnto Caesar the thinges which are Caesars and vnto God the things which are Gods And if any for these causes defend their stately behauiour let them consider that the Lord bids vs not to destroy but rather to loue our enemyes And though they require such worship as is due onely to God yet we must not refuse to giue them that which belongeth to man Other can be content to honour them whom they knowe to be godly but the wicked they thinke vnworthy of reuerence because our sauiour would do none to Herod or Pilate Paule to the high Priest when hee called him painted wall To whom I answere that Christ though he called Herode a foxe and woulde do no miracle before him because hee desired but to wonder and not to gloryfie God by it Yet gaue to Herod that duety which pertained vnto him Likewise vnto Pilate when hee tolde him his power came of the Lorde so Paule did reuerence not onely the high priest but also Felix Festus Agrippa who were heathen men though magistrates and therefore were honourable by the lawe of God So then this must remaine for a grounded truth that our betters must bee honoured as men not worshipped as God wee must with Abraham bende as well to the idolatrous Hebron as with Bathshebah to godly Dauid if they receiue more then they are worthy it is not our default but their danger let vs giue to the prophanest person his right and vngodliest caytife that which is his owne Secondly by this wee note that the godlye in giuing must haue no respect of persons countrey or kindred strangers or neyghbours children as Boaz did heere to Ruth who by her owne confession was a stranger and therefore vnworthy but wee shewed you this in the first chapter by the example of the Moabites to Elimelech and his family to bee a thing incident to very naturall men and by them condemned that vse it not much more in them that haue known the truth The which Abraham did to angelles wherevppon the Apostle wisheth to keepe hospitalitie for so some haue receyued angelles in steede of men The Lorde commaunded verie sharplye that no violence bee done to strangers neither yet that any should oppresse
your acquaintance to be carefull for theyr children as well as themselues first to try and then trust first to prepare somewhat that if sicknes come or charges come or are ouertake thee yet then thou mayest comfort thy selfe with thy owne gotten goods and rather be helpefull then chargeable to any Fourthly by this that Boaz sayeth he taketh Ruth to wife for to stirre vp the name of the dead and that the name of the dead be no more forgotten among his brethren in the gate of his place We note that our mariages must be taken in hand also to this end for the multiplying of the Church of God we haue alreadie shewed how one cause of this brothers mariage was for that vse and purpose and in this place not vnnecessary to confirme For the lawe of this mariage was speciall onely for God his people and therefore for the augmenting of the number of the Lords flocke And as this was among the Iewes that euery family might haue some temporall inheritours euen so is it among the Gentiles that if it be possible eueryone should bring one infant or other to be an inheritour of the Lords kingdome By the which parents are taught to be more carefull for the education and instruction of their children then for their procreation and birth for they are made the fathers and mothers of Christ in his members therefore they must not leaue him to Herod that is they must not giue their children to the power of Sathan by theyr negligence and want of teaching they are accursed that lay stumbling blocks before the blinde and shall not they also that leade them into the sea where is nothing but drowning euen so if godlesse parents doe leâ—de theyr children and innocent babes into damnable ignorance who shall aunswere for their soules shall not the authors of this destruction Had not parents neede then to looke to themselues for if they haue as much golde as Salomon had and as great inheritances as Caleb had and as much possession of Cattell as Iob had yet if they be not able to bring vp their children in the feare of God it were better for parents and children they had neuer beene borne then miserably to liue in wealth and bee euery houre in daunger of damnation But how then will you say must we be carefull for the instruction of our children I aunswere you must be carefull of these two things first that you teach them that which is good secondly that you giue no euill example vnto them Concerning the first for the teaching of them the truth you must first teach them the matter of theyr faith and secondly how to pray The matter of theyr faith is contayned in the twelue articles commonly called our creede or beliefe which euery father and mother is bound to teach theyr children with the pure vnderstanding thereof and as they be able to shewe them the proofes thereof out of the word of God I meane as the children be able to receiue it Heerein they must instruct them of the miserable estate of mankinde after their fall by the vse and vnderstanding of the morall lawe contayned in the two tables of the tenne Commaundements with the proofes thereof out of the scripture and the deliuerance by the death and bloudsheading of Iesus Christ the eternall and onely begotten sonne of God Againe you must teach them to pray according as the Lord hath taught vs in that forme which we call the Lords prayer with the vnderstanding thereof out of the word of God for except you teach them what they pray for by the vnderstanding of it you were as good to teach them in Greeke or Latine as in English For there are many thousands in England that call God Father in their prayers but I knowe not that there be any which knowe the meaning of the word I my selfe haue reasoned with many both young and olde and of men of good calling in the world about that one word which is the easyest and playnest in all the word of God but some fewe excepted which haue laboured for knowledge in the hearing of Sermons I neuer met with man woman nor childe that coulde giue mee any reasonable aunswere vnto this question beside this that God made them and therefore is theyr Father which euery Iewe and almost euery Pagan knoweth as well as they Therefore as our righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies Iewes and Gentiles so must our knowledge also for by our knowledge of Christ wee are iustified to be hys members And although wee repeate the Lordes prayer a thousand times euery day and vnderstand it not we doe but bable before the Lord taking his name in vaine vsing it in our lips when our hearts haue no vnderstanding and therefore our prayers are without fruite Lastly if you your selues doe not walke before them without reproofe in pure and sanctified conuersations whatsoeuer you teach them you presently tread out againe for simple people and young children liue by examples and not by precept If you teach them to worship God you must also before their faces worship the same that they may practise by your example If you bid them that they sweare not you your selfe must be carefull not to sweare or else they will not beleeue you for as the people looke vpon the life of their pastour so the young children beholde the steps of their parents And we see in bruite beasts that examples are much more effectuall then precepts they cannot speake yet how do they traine vp their young ones It is reported of the Harts of Scithia that they teach their young ones to leape from banke to banke from rocke to rocke from one turfe to another by their owne example leaping before them which otherwise they would neuer practise by which meanes when they are hunted no beast can euer take them Euen so if you goe before your children in examples while they are young Sathan the hunter and roaring Lion shall neuer haue them for his pray When they learne to speake they take the words from our owne mouthes euen so when they shall learne to worship feare loue honour and pray vnto the Lord let them take you for their examples as Iacob did Abraham and Izaak Now let vs giue prayse to God The fourteenth Lecture Chap. 4. ver 11.12 11 And all the people that were in the gate and the elders saide we are witnesses The Lorde make the wife that commeth into thy house like Rahel and Leah which twain did build the house of Israel that thou mayest doe worthily in Ephrathah and bee famous in Bethlehem 12 And that thy house be like the house of Pharez whom Thamar bare vnto Iudah of the seede which the Lorde shall giue thee of this young woman AS we haue hitherto heard of Boaz and his kinseman the one in resigning the other in receyuing his right in the place of iudgement and the presence of
of spring and children of Bohaz which succeeded him first Hobed secondly Ishai and thirdely Dauid the king Of these parts and persons let vs briefly speake so much as serueth for the exposition of the Scripture and the satisfying of the tyme through the assistaunce and help of the spirite of God These are the generations Now that the holy Ghost had declared vnto vs this history of Ruth though briefly and in a fewe words yet in ample and large circumstances for the vnderstanding of his minde at the ende hereof hee annexeth the kindred of the personnes whome it chiefly concerneth that he might shew vnto vs that they were no meane or base persons for whom this history was compiled but such as descended of the noblest family in all y e world who were the appointed fathers of many kinges and that which is most of all the persons of whose seede our sauiour Iesus Christ tooke the beginning and substaunce of his humane nature And therefore in this place wee must declare the causes that moued the holy Ghost to be so careful in the rehearsing of the genealogies of the fathers for we must not imagine◠that hee mustereth not the names of those auncient persons to worke any wonder in our mindes at the recitall of them or that the scripture coulde haue beene perfecte without the seuerall generations therein described but wee must knowe that there were dyuers necessary and waighty causes by the iudgement of the auncientest and most approued wryters which moued the Spirite of God to intersert these genealogies First therefore according to the condition of all mankinde there is equally described the generations both of the godly and vngodly in the scriptures for this cause to shewe the multiplycation of mankinde of this sort are the generations of Adam Seth and Cain reported by Moses that hearing the number of mankinde so quickely multiplyed wee might the more earnestly giue prayse vnto God Agayne the genealogies of the sonnes of Noah are described vnto vs to shewe the replenishing of the earth the destruction of countryes and the restoring of the worlde But to come neerer vnto the matter wee must take this for a generall rule that the genealogies of the wicked are reported in the scripture for to shewe the blessing and loue of God vpon the godly and righteous men as for example the Lorde reckoneth vp the posterity of Ismaell the sonne of the bonde woman shewing vs howe great a people hee became and howe many Dukes or princes proceeded out of his loynes to shewe vnto vs the promise and couenant which hee made to his father Abraham that hee shoulde bee a great people was fulfilled and this serued to magnify and exalt the name of godly Abraham We read that the Lorde bestoweth a great genealogie vppon wicked Esau or Edom numbring or reckoning vp his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes his kingdome and the kinges of his seede that raigned after him for no other ende but to report and to manifest the blessing vppon godly Isaacke and Rebecca his parentes according to the oracle that hee gaue to his mother when shee demaunded and enquired the cause of the strugling or striuing in her wombe The like may bee saide of godlesse Cham for Noah his fathers sake of the sonnes of Iacob for Israels sake of Ephraim and Manasses for Iosephes sake By the which we gather and note this excellent doctrine that if the wicked haue any good it is for the sake of their godly and righteous parentes or frendes Wee see they should not haue so much as a name in the booke of God were it not for the cause of the righteous and godly we reade that when the Sodomites were ouercome in warre their people lead captiues and their goods spoyled by the company of Cedorlahomer then for Lots sake the Lord stirred vp Abraham and armed him with men and courage who wonne the victory recouered the spoyle brought backe the prisoners restored their goods and gaue them all libertie for godly Lots sake who was shortly after despised by them but they for their wickednes were burned in brimstone when righteous Lot was deliuered from them If Ioseph had not beene they had had no corne in Egipt If Moses had not beene the Lord had often destroyed the Israelites while they wandered and wauered in the wildernes For Iacobs sake the Lord increased the flocks of Laban For Iosephs sake he blessed the affaires of Potiphar for Paules sake he saued all them that suffered shipwracke at Myletum Euen so also he blessed the house of Obed-edomi because the arke was kept therein and at this day giueth greatest peace to those Countreys where his Gospell is promoted Let the atheists thinke if there were none that feared God they should quickly be condemned let the drunkards know if there were not some temperate persons their bodies should be quickly consumed let the couetous wretches assure themselues if there were not some liberall men their owne goods would turne to their death let the profaners of sabbaoths remember that if there were not some sanctifiers thereof their delightfull vanities would long agoe haue wrought their sorrowfull destinies let the contentious plaintifes be certified that if there were not some peaceable Christians among them their wealth had long agoe beene wasted for the prayers of the faithfull are like the walled Cities against the rage of enemies to keepe the vengeance of the Lord from falling vpon vs as the bloud of the Lamb spotted vpon the posts of the Israelites houses caused the angell to passe by them when all the first bornè in Egipt were slaine euen so the bloud of the lambe of God which is shead in the hearts of the godly maketh his messengers of death to depart from our countrey and kingdome If there were not a remnaunt among vs that are in league with the Lord that dayly are the hearers of his word the beseechers for his mercy and as the ambassadours of peace to disswade him from punishing our contempt of his word with condemnation our abuse of his creatures into pining famine our wantonnes in peace into lamentable warres our riotous liues into forraine captiuitye and our pampered bodyes to the slaughter of the sword You euen you that blaspheme the name of God if there were not a number that reprooue your abhominations the heauens would raigne downe stones to reuenge your accursed tongues you euen you that spend the Sabbaoths in dauncing and playing if there were not a company that refraine your pollutions you had beene cut off from your pleasure with some fearefull death before you had passed thus many dayes of securitie you euen you that thinke the preaching of the Gospell like the voyce of one that singeth whereunto you owe no more obedience then eare-seruice if there were not a remnant that heard the word of power which they beleeue is able to saue their soules you had beene many yeares since suffering the reward
vs from heresie but also a salue or remedie if wee haue been poysoned by falshoode The sting of the Scorpion is cured by applying the Achates stone the grasse Alimos preserueth the famished person from death The Baare hauing eaten Mandragora saueth his life by the little Emmet and the poyson of the Chamelaeon is expelled by a Baye leafe euen so the word of God cureth the heresies of Poperie which are compared to the stinging of the Scorpions in the Scriptures it is the fruite of the tree of life and whosoeuer eateth and disgesteth in shall neuer die it is a preseruatiue against all poyson and the leaues thereof shall cure the nations By this alone the Lord hath wrought the calling of his children the confusion of his enemies the comfort of his Saintes and the replenishing of his kingdome All the Kings of the earth haue beene in armes against it yet the ministers thereof who neuer bore armes against them by their onely preaching haue wonne a glorious fielde All Egypt coulde not resist Moses and Aaron because they came on the Lordes message no more shall all the world ouercome the preachers of peace so long as they faithfully performe their heauenly Ambassage Wordes haue wrought more then weapons the spirite hath pearced more then the Speare the wals of Paper and the ordinaunce of Fathers haue battered downe the stately kingdome of the whoore of Babilon learning hath done better seruice then Launces Gownes haue conquered moe then Gunnes Bookes haue done more good then Bullets and the prayers of the faithfull haue preuailed more then the Pikes of horsemen the stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner this is the Lordes doing it is maruailous in our eyes the bloude of the dead Martyrs hath giuē greater wounds in this quarrell then the swords of the liuing souldiours But thus I haue too long troubled your Hon. with that which you knewe before and haue presumed on your fauour for the acceptation of these my slender labours vpon one parte of Scripture the booke of Ruth which as the holy Ghost hath vouchsafed to call by the name of a woman to the praise of the whole sexe and euerlasting commendation of her Religion so am I emboldned to Dedicate it to so Honourable a Lady as your selfe whome I know to be a Ruth by Religion though a Noble woman by birth For many witnesses can testifie this also if I should be silent and the ordinarie exercises at Seuenoke will sound your name because your presence and diligence at them hath stirred vp manye meaner persons comforted some godly people thereabout and much euery way countenanced and encouraged the preachers of the same There are many causes which might compell me though vnwilling to commit my labours to the Presse yet willingly to present them to the world vnder the name of your Honour For I am assured of the acceptation of any small thing that shall bee offered in the name of Religion much more of this which comprehendeth the recompence and rewarde of our profession Your Honour knoweth that better is it to see the smoke of ones owne Countrie then the fire of another so I trust my slender studies which are but as smoke being compared with the burning coales of others knowledge such as dayly you heare shall be the better accepted because there I had my being where your Honour hath your dwelling Also I am hereunto moued that I might haue any occasion to testifie my bounden dutie which I owe vnto that Noble and worthie Gentleman Sir Henrie Leonard your Sonne of whome I haue receiued especiall encouragementes in the course of my studies and to whom I must remaine a debtour to the ende of my dayes being no wayes able to recompence his wonted kindnesse but onely by this daylye to praye for the life and prosperitie that hee may be as the heyre of your Honour so an ornament of the Noble house of the Dacres And the God of all peace blesse your owne person with such blessings as you daylye desire that you may still liue to the comfort of the godlye in this present life to the enlarging of your owne Honour to the reioysing of your whole family and to the endlesse saluation of your owne soule with Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them which haue vnfainedly embraced true religion London this first of October 1596. Your Honours to command in the Lord. Edward Topsell To all them that haue vnfainedly embraced true Religion DEarely beloued in Christe when I consider that comfortable Oracle of the Apostle when he saith that godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come it commeth into my mind that religion is none of the meanest professions that is laboured for in the worlde for the greatest rewardes are promised to the chiefest exploytes and the worthiest enterprises are Crowned with glorious benefits Ioseph for his wisedome was made the gouernour of Egypt Othniel for his seruice receiued Aisah the daughter of Caleb for his wife Iiphtah for his victorie was made iudge of Israel and Dauid for his Musicke was made one of the Courtiers of Saul In so much as it seemeth an ordinarie practise that euerie knowledge is rewarded with some curtesie whereby wee are certified that it is no maruaile to heare hope for so excellent blessings as are promised to the Religious For they are the house of the Lorde and as hee dwelleth with all maiestie in heauen so he raigneth with all Authoritie in the righteous they are a chosen generation borne of God a Royall and holy priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people the free men of Christ the inheritours of the earth the iudges of the worlde the coheires of Christes kingdome and the Cittizens of heauen If wee looke for their Nobilitie they are the Sonnes of God if for their instruction they are taught of God if for their tuition the heauenly Angels are their seruants if for their degrees they are kings and priestes for the eternal God if for their calling they are Saintes if for their life it is heauenly if for their wealth it is the whole worlde and finally their death is the birth day of all felicitie For this cause Dauid desired rather to bee a doore-keeper in the house of God then a dweller in the stately tents of the wicked as if the meanest condition among the professors of Religion were more excellent then the chiefest estates among the worldlings their Crosses excell the others Crownes their barrenesse the others fruitfulnesse their humilitie the others honour their ignorance the others knowledge their simplicitie the others wisedome their weakenesse the others strength and a little thing that the righteous hath is better then the great possessions of the vngodly When there is famine they are satisfied when ther is warre they are deliuered when there is plague they are without daunger if fire fall from heauen it shall not burne them if the waters arise aboue
their insteritâ—â—ice to multiplie their Fathers family for wordly honour the Rewarde of the Religion THE REVVARD OF RELIGION Ruth Cap. 1. ver 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. In the time that the Iudges ruled there was a famine in the land and a certain man of Bethleem Iudah went for to soiourne in the countrie of Moab hee and his wife and his two sonnes 2. And the name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wyfe Naomi and the names of his two sonnes Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites of the lande of Iudah and when they were come into the land of Moab they continued there 3. Then Elimelech the husbande of Naomi died there and shee remained with hir two sonnes 4. Which tooke them wiues of the Moabites the name of the one was Horpah the name of the other Ruth they dwelled there about ten yeres 5. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both twaine so the woman was lefte destitute of her two sonnes and of her husband 6. Then she arose with her daughters in lawe and returned from the countrie of Moab for she had heard saie in the countrie of Moab that the Lord had visited his people giuen them bread ALthough the author of this booke of Ruth hath not expressed his name yet there is no doubt but it proceedeth from the spirit of God as well as the bookes of the Iudges Kings Chronicles which haue not the names of their authors described but if it may be lawfull to iudge or giue anie sentence thereof it was either Samuel or some other godly prophet vnder the raigne of Saul which is proued by the genealogies in the last chapter where Dauid is by name mentioned testifying vnto vs that it was then written when he was chosen from his bretheren and anointed king ouer Israell and yet before his raigne or els there had bene added vnto it the title of a King for the aduauncing of the name of Ruth who was his grande mother vppon whom this history following dependeth for the sumne and scope hereof is to shewe the pedigree or ancestry the naturall progenitours of Christe from Iudah the fourth sonne of Iacob vntill the time that he beganne to challenge the princelye seate the royall scepter the right of gouernment ouer the people of Israell which was at that time when Dauid was chosen from his fathers house anoynted king by Samuel Againe in this history there is deliuered vnto vs the hope which the fathers had concerning the calling of the Gentiles for this mariage of Ruth into the kindred of Christ who was a Gentile by nature none of the people of God did plainely foretell that the Gentiles shoulde be called in Christ for as hee tooke parte of his humane nature of them so he shewed vs that hee would giue the same for them that there might be no difference in his bodye between Iewes gentiles but that the power of his death the graces of the spirite and the knowledge of redemption might redounde to all Now the occasion of this history is deliuered vnto vs in this first Chapter which is the soiourning of a certaine Iew in the land of Moab by reason there was a famine in the land of Iudah with his familye and the returne of them that liued which were onely Naomi his wyfe and one other Ruth the Moabitesse the widdowe of his eldest sonne This wandering or soiourning is described with all the circumstuances thereof in these first sixe verses lately read and generally containe in them these two parts the first is theyr trauaile to the land of Moab the second those things that happened vnto them after they came thither The first parte is expressed in these two first verses first by the occasion which is declared by the time and by the thing that moued them thereunto in these wordes In the time that the Iudges ruled there was a famine c. Secondly by the persons that trauayled who are described by the place froÌ„ whence they were namely of Bethlehem Iudah these were the parents and the children which are named in the 2. ver The second part of these woordes is in the foure other verses following and it concerneth eyther the parents or the children the parents that one of them euen Elimelech the father of the familye dyed there shorâ—y after their arriuall the children first that they married ver 4 secondly that they likewise dyed ver 5 Then remained onely Naomi with hir two daughters in lawe and the time of her a bode in Moab is set downe to be ten yeares ver 4 secondly the occasion of hir departure because shee heard say that God had visited his people giuen them bread ver 6 of these partes let vs speake in order as the spirite shall giue vttrance and the time permit In the dayes that the Iudges ruled In these wordes the holy Ghoste after his accustomed manner for the more certaintye of the historye beginneth at the time as Moses beginneth his booke of Genesis from the first creation of the world so the prophets in the beginning of their bookes set downe vnder what king or kings they prophesied so also in the newe Testament we may see how three of the Euangelists beginne their Gospels from the preaching of Iohn Baptist and the raigne of king Herod The which order they vndoubtedly learned of the olde writers the same spirite guiding them to one and the same trueth vseth but one and the same manner of speaking For the almighty desiring to meete with the wrangling obiections of humane inuentions so tempereth the texte of euerie scripture as if question were made who did such a thing He nameth the persons where it was done He quoteth the place and when it was done Hee mentioneth the time The cause heereof is that hee might staie the waues of our sickle mindes vpon the piller of truth his euerlasting word But in this place he chiefly mentioneth the time of the Iudges to shew vnto vs that wheÌ„ religion was corrupted the worship of God decaied and idolatrye aduannced when the Lord was forgotten of his owne people when his lawes were no more obserued but euery man did that which seemed good in his owne eyes yea when there were almost as many Gods among them as they were men then euen then did the Lord send this plague of famine among them For Salomon sayth the blewnes of the wounde serueth to purge the euell and the stripes within the bottome of the belly as if he had sayd as the rypenes of a wounde calleth for a corasiue so the fulnes of sinne cryeth for vengeance by this therfore we note that the corruption of religion neglect of the worship of God is the cause of all his iudgments that are exercised in the world For the idolatry of Ieroboam and his sinnes whereby hee induced Israell to sinne did the Lord threaten by Achia the prophet to
scatter the people so we may reade of Bahascha king of Israell and so Salomon prayed at the dedication of the temple when heauen shall be shut and thou giue no rayne bicause they haue sinned against thee c. where hee comprehendeth the chiefe capitall worldly punishementes of sinne as dearth and famine sword pestilence blindnes ignorance which are also the rewards of sin the vnseparable companions of all vnrighteousnes And what saith the Lord by the Prophet Cast froÌ„ you all your sins wherewithall you haue transgressed make you a new hart for why shuld you die oh you house of Israel as if hee had sayde either repent or else be damned for it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God And may not wee thinke that all these thunderings out of God his iudgements among vs wil stirre vp some rain of punishments vpon vs. Are we not alreadie put into the wine presse to be brused vnder the hand of fearefull destruction How many plagues haue come vppon vs within these fewe yeeres Where is become the remembrance of the late enemies pretended inuasion The rumor whereof amazed the harts of our couragious champions which spend all their daies in pleasure Oh then they cryed if they might be deliuered they would a lot some time of their dayes to the seruice of the Lord Where is the remembrance of the late plague which was scattered almost in euerie place of the lande Oh then wee cryed vnto the Lord in our distresse and he deliuered vs out of all our miseries Oh that men woulde therefore confesse the Lord and declare the wonders hee doth for the children of men But what are we now amended Is the vngodly person turned from his vngodlynesse and not rather strengthned in his iniquitie They which were ignorant are ignorant still and many like Demas who seemed religious haue imbraced this present world As for the prophane both of poore and rich they haue made a league with death a couenant with the graue though a swoord come thorough the land yet saie they it shall not come at them And therefore who can without waterye eyes and bleeding heart tell this present plague of dearth and famine which we now most iustly endure and yet who knoweth how long it shall continue Now as the prophet sayth wee are gathered together and howle vppon our beds for corne and for newe wine that is for the bellye and for the throate but there is a greater leannes in the soule Now wee bite the stone which the Lord hath cast at vs but we looke not at the hand which did sende it and who thinketh it to bee a punishment of sinne that now raigneth among vs The papists say it is for one heresies the popishe atheists say that the world was best when the old religion was for then all things were cheape like the idolatrous Iewes which sayd vnto Ieremy that it was wel with them when they burntincense and made cakes to the host of heauen The russians say to the preachers as Achab said to Eliah Are not you the troublers of Israel when it is themselues and there fathers houses while they haue lefte the commaundement of God and followed their pleasures yea almost the whole Countrey is so vainely addicted that among those multitudes of preachers that are abroad there is not one that saythfully followeth his vocation but they are molested by the basest and contemned by the best So that wee may saye as our sauiour sayth we haue piped vnto you you haue not daunced we haue mourned and you haue not sorrowed yet wisedome is iustified of her children who are not ashamed to plead her cause in the gates of the cities before the face of her enimies the Lord increase the number of them Wee haue long retained the name of Christians that is the annoynted of the Lord and yet our lampes are empty and we deferre our dayes in slumber thinking our selues as good Christians as the best till we be vtterly excluded from the bridechamber we haue promised the Lorde oftentimes to worke in his vineyarde but yet who hath entered we are the vineyarde of the Lord and he hath dressed vs what fruite haue we brone vnto him we are the sheepe of Christ and yet we knowe not his voice as Rahel couered hir fathers idolls with sitting on them and with a lye so we that are the greatest sinners couer our iniquities with hipocrisy and dissembling Such pollution of sabbaothes as neuer was yea euen in this time of dearth and famine drinking and drunkennes dauncing and riot feasting and suâ—fetting chambering and wantonnes swearing foreswearing accompting gaine to bee godlines and godlines to be the burthen of the world with a thousand greater and more greueous calamities as if the bird could sing in the snare or as the fatted oxe that runneth wilfully to the slaughter Then beloued let vs looke about vs euenâ— now is the axe of God his iudgments laid to the root of euery mans heart and he is accursed that feareth it not euen now the Lord is knocking at the doore of our hearts and if euer let vs open vnto him that the king of glory may come in Euen these are the daies wherin iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand and the loue of many is waxen colde Therefore as the Angell warned the godly so must wee still come out from among them my people bee not partakers of their sinnes least you beare a parte of their plagues This is the haruest of the Lord oh let vs that be the Lords seruants gather out the wheat least it bee burned with the tares There is a holye conuocation to the Lord the Lords ministers found out the truÌ„pet if we appeare not the earth will open hir mouth and reuenge our rebellion swallow vs vp aliue Let vs at the length say with the Iewes Come let vs turne vnto the Lord for he hath spoyled vs and he shall heale vs he hath smitten vs and he shall binde vs vp after two dayes he shall giue vs life and the third day he shall raise vs vp and we shall liue before him if with knowledge wee follow him to know the Lord his rising is like the morning and he shal come vppon vs like raine in a drought both the first and the latter raine vpon the earth Let not our righteousnes bee as the deaw before the sunne rising but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and let none call vppon him but such as departe from iniquity Secondly by this we gather that the Lord is as true in his iudgments as in his mercyes for hee threatened by Moses saying if you forsake me fal to worship strange Gods as nowe they did then your heauen shall bee as brasse and your earth as iron and your raine like dust til they were consumed from the face
Lorde were not able to releeue vs or else were vniust in punishing our sinnes howe can that bee seeing hee calleth for repentaunce and amendement and then promiseth plentye and abundaunce These saintes endured some three some seuen and other tenne yeeres famine and yet wee saye was there euer such a people thus afflicted like to vs with one yeres dearth They were driuen to wander abroade in their enemies Countrie for manie yeeres together shall wee then thinke it such a miserye to goe two or three miles for our corne They aduentured the losse of their liues and wee are afraide of the lessening or diminishing of our goods And shall wee yet saye there was neuer anye people tormented like vnto vs Yea I adde this that euen at this daye there are people in the worlde which sâ—ant in all their liues doe eate anye bread but onely the barke of trees with some other vnseasonable fish others liue on the rootes of the earth some on the fruites of trees And what shall I saye more our wickednesse is greater then our want our sore is smaller then our sinne our transgressions haue deserued to bee punished with the scourge and yet wee are scarce corrected with the rodde our complaintes are greater then our huâ—te and our murmuring exceedeth our misery therefore wee haue greater cause to tremble at that which hangeth ouer our heades then to feare or crye for this which wee already suffer for it is hardly the beginning of sorrow So Mahlon and Chilson Now when they were compassed about vvith the friendes of their vviues vvhich did promise securitie then after a fevve yeeres spent in safetie the Lorde called them avvay after their father Where vvee see our former doctrine iustified that the end of one sorrovve vvas the beginning of another When they were most like to continue then they gaue ouer as it were in the armes of theyr wiues and the sight of their aged mother to whome no doubte this was the greatest griefe of all other that now beeing lefte destitute both of husbande and children she should without comfort liue with the Moabites and without ioye returne agayne vnto her owne Countrey as a bird robbed of her young ones Yet seeing this is our worldly lot still to endure misery let vs set both our shoulders vnder the burthen if it be too heauy let vs flee to the finisher of our faith with zealous and earnest prayers desiring him eyther to ease or to remooue his hande But seeing wee haue spoken of this before this shall suffise at this time to serue for a remembrance Then shee arose When her friends were departed and her selfe lefte comfortles yet the Lord remembred her for euen then came the rumor vnto her that the famine was ceased in Iewry that the Lord had visited the sicknes of his people and restored the plenty of the earth againe and therefore it is time for her to bee hasting home againe for here the holy Ghost setting downe her returne and the cause of the same sheweth that it was euen then when her children were dead for what should a godly woman liue there where were non that could strengthen hir in the wayes of the Lord but rather prouoke her to imbrace infidelity And againe euen at that time when shee was most comfortlesse for the losse of her children came this rumor vnto her of the restoring of her Countrey so that now Naomi thou art here in Moab a sorrowfull pilgrime go home to thy Countrey and bee a ioyfull inhabitant indeede thy children are dead but thou shall haue greater comfort of thy ancient acquaintaince What knowest thou but now the Lord hath called thee to consolation whereas of late thou mightest thinke hee had wrought thy confusion By this wee note that the Lord deferreth to helpe till greatest necessity euen as hee stayed the stroke of Abraham when hee was at the verie instant to cut of little Isaks necke So wee read that when the king of Assiria had inuaded the kingdome of Ezechia wonne his cities subdued his Country conquered his people and had not lefte him two thousand horsmen being destitute of all helpe then the Lord raised vp the king of Ethiop who called the Assyrians from the siege of Ierusalem What shall I saie of Lazarus raised from death Of the deliuerance of Peter out of the handes of Herod the daie before he should haue bene martyred Of the shipwracke wherein Paul was and yet not one of them were lost And excellent is that of Christ sleeping in the shippe on a pillowe suffered his disciples to bee so long tossed with the violence of the sea till they cryed out Lord saue we perish and then hee awaked rebuked the rage of the windes and stilled the stormes of the sea and a peaceable calme followed This is that preseruatiue agaynst desperation which must staie our mindes on the leasure of the Lorde wee must not at the first look for our desires but as Abraham and Zacharia were old before they had any children and yet in the end the Lord promised and also perfourmed euen so when wee haue least hope for obtaining of our desires wee most often receiue them For the Lord desireth our requests for the triall of our fayth and pacience that like as the wheate corne groweth not till it bee dead euen so his works doe not answere our expectation till they seeme to vs impossible that as the most precious pearles are farthest brought and longest in comming when wee haue them we keepe them more carefully euen so his excellent mercies being with difficulty obtained should be esteemed more thankfully Therefore be of good comfort you that now sorrow for you shall bee comforted you that now hunger for you shal be satisfied you that nowe weepe for you shall laugh the Lord will shortly come beare but a litle and he will wipe away all teares from your eies then oh how happy shal they be which haue trusted in him That the Lorde had visited This is the last parte of this scripture being the reason that moued her to returne into her Countrey O it is as if the holy ghost had sayd The Lord looked vpon the afflicted estate of his people supplied their want of food To visit in the scriptures is taken two wayes first to punishe as when God sayth in the second commaundement that he will visite the sinne of the fathers vppon the children vnto the third fourth generation secondly it signifieth some times to pardon or to show mercy as that of Zachary The Lord hath visited and redeemed his people that is hee hath shewed mercy in redeming his people In this later sense it must be taken in this place Now the word properly signifieth to goe to see and is referred to them that are sicke which by a metaphor is applied to sinne for sinne is the sicknes of the soule and is very fitly applied to punishments sent
sorrow her comfort that God with whom is mercy hath wounded her heart The hand of the Lord is taken in the scriptures many wayes but generally it signifieth the meanes whereby he accomplisheth his counsell and is referred eyther to his mercy and fauour as when it is said the hand of the Lord was with Iohn Baptist or els to his iudgements punishement or chastisement so the hand of the Lord was against the Israelites when they had forsaken him and serued Baalim So when the Arke of God was in the house of Dagon the god or idoll of the Philistines the Lorde ouerthrewe their god cut of his hands and head and smote the Priests with Emerods then they confessed the hand of God to be sore against them so in this place it is taken for his chastisement or correctiō vpon Naomi Out of the which we note many profitable doctrines First that all our afflictions come from the Lord that he might chastise his owne and confounde the vngodly Reade but the 34. 36 Chapter of Iob most excellently intreating of this matter wherein is shewed that neyther the godly escape nor the wicked goe scot-free This is the confession of Moses to terrifie the Israelites of Iosuah to keepe them in obedience and of Dauid a man more exercised in trouble then all the world beside This must we accompt with ourselues in all our miseries we are robbed by theeues spoiled by murtherers stroke by bruite beastes reproched by slaunderers euill intreated by the worlde hurte by our enemies sustaine the losse of our goodes the daunger of our health and are oppressed with sickenesse surely in all these thinges say The Lorde gaue and the Lorde hath taken away euen as it hath pleased the Lorde so commeth thinges to passe But men will say we knowe it well ynough alreadie we confesse it And doe you knowe and confesse and will you not practise A man being sicke at the beginning neuer thinketh on the Lorde but posteth to the Physition for counsell without crauing the forgiuenesse of his sinnes the cause of his sicknesse yet you say God hath sent it and laide vpon vs as if the Lorde sendeth sickenesse to helpe the Physition to money for with him you agree for his paynes and cunnning but with the Lorde you agree not for your owne paynes which you endure But you will say we find ease by medicines our sickenesse is a bated I aunswere so the Lord suffreth witches and coniurers to tell them that come vnto thē the things they desire yet you will not say they are guiltlesse I speake nothing against the excellent and commendable profession of Physicke but rather for the commendation of it seeing God so accepteth it as that thereby he seemeth to salue vp the sinnes of many doing away their paynes and also to giue them longer time of repentance But this I wish both in this in all other miseries of mankinde that first we purge our consciences from notorious crimes and then the Lorde will stay his hande from striking our hearts from wauering our goodes from wasting our bodies from pining and our soules from euerlasting dying Secondly by this we note whence it commeth that the godly are so patient in all their tribulations euen frō this consideration that the Lordes hand afflicteth them This is worthie to bee noted in the example of Dauid when Shemei cursed him Abishai standing by wisheth Dauid to punishe him but Dauid answereth him what haue I to doe with you yee sonnes of Zeruiah hee curseth because the Lorde hath bidden him to curse me as if he had sayde I may punish the Lord as wel as Shemei The very like did Iob aunswere his wife when she would haue him curse God and dye Thou speakest like a foolish woman what shall we receiue good at the hands of God and not euill as if he had sayd wee are bounde to receiue euill at the hand of God as well as good if we receiue the one with blessing let vs not curse him for the other This was it that made the Apostles to reioyce that they were accompted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ and this must sincke into our ignoraunt and rebellious heartes that we may learne at the first to humble our selues least as wee now suffer for sinne so anone we be punished for impatiencie The patient abiding of the righteous auaileth much in the sight of the Lorde men thinke they be forgotten if they bee a little afflicted and crie out like desperate persons Lord Lord but they neuer pray for patience but all for deliuerance Oh howe excellent is this example of Naomi which being in many miseries in a straunge countrey hauing buried husbandes and sonnes being now to departe from her acquaintaunce to take a tedious iourney into her owne countrey poore wearie and desolate yet all her woordes are these The hand of the Lorde is gone out against mee as if she had said hee that gaue them tooke them and he that tooke them lefte me patience Thus must we stay our mindes on the worke of the Lorde as the Arke was stayed by the Priestes in the middest of the riuer Iordan which made the waters to flie backe till all the children of Israel were passed thorow euen so the the floudes of great troubles shall not ouerthrowe vs if we stay our minds on the hand of the Lorde and safely escape the dangerous destruction of worldly affliction Then they lift Now cōmeth the effect of this cōmunication wherein is shewed how sorrowfully these daughters tooke it yet diuersly minded for Horpah notwithstanding her gentle proffers to her mother in law her bitter teares pitiful lamenting yet she taketh her leaue with a sweet kisse returneth back to her idolatrous friends Naomi vsed no perswasions but worldly reasons taken from marriage to perswade thē both she seeth her sister remaine constant she that euen nowe for the loue of people mother in law would goe as far as the farthest now for the cogitation of a heathē husband forsaketh both God people mother and sister Who would haue thought that Horpah which bid her friends farewell her countrey adieu her kindred forsake idolatry abhorre would thus cowardly as I may tearme it flie back again in hope of a husband But yet we see she doeth and out of her example we may note many thinges First that the world carnal reasons are feareful hinderances vnto vs in Religion We see this woman how doth she fall away from God his people all the Church that she knewe her mother and sister We knowe how many being sent for to the great Mans supper which is the Lorde they excused their absence one for his farme another for his oxen another for his wife as Horpah doeth for her husbande What shall I say the loue of the worlde is the hatred of God and Iohn saith Loue not the world
by false Gods still as Laban did that is they must etiher dy or the wrath of God must be powred downe vppon vs for euer for his curse shal neuer departe from the house of the swearer And if you helpe not to cure this euill the Lord shall curse both you and them with euerlasting plagues Hee crieth and saith whome shall I send the ministers haue said they will go yea they haue told Iacob his sin and Israel his transgression and England his swearing also but they are come again with Ieremie vnto you O princes publish you the decree that whosoeuer sweareth by the name of God rashly hee should be cut off from the people and his house sowed with salt neuer to be builded againe Secondly by this we obserue that it is not lawful to sweare but only by the name of God for Ruth sayth so And so let God do vnto me and more also She calleth not heauen and earth to record or any other thing saue only he which is able to punish or els to pardon knoweth the secrets of euery mans hart Wherby we are taught that it is sacriledge in God his sight to sweare by our faith or troth our honour or honestye bread or drinke or anie thing else Many think they auoid swearing verye cleanly if they sweare by anie of these not knowing that he that sweareth by the gold sweareth by the temple he that sweareth by the temple sweareth by him that sitteth thereon euen so he that sweareth by his faith sweareth by Christ for faith is no faith without Christ he that sweareth by the sonne sweareth by the father and the holy Ghost Therefore dearely beloued let vs frame our tongs to honour not to dishonour God to glorifie not to defame his name For if he that toucheth his Saintes toucheth the apple of his eie what doth hee which thrusteth at his name which is dearer vnto him than heauen and earth Surely the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse but as he hath not pittyed the Lorde in tearing him with oaths no more shall the Lord shew anie mercie to his soule from punishing it in hell Lastly by these wordes of Ruth wee obserue that an oath must be the last thing we produce in the testimonie of any truth Shee denieth her mother once and the second time when her sister went awaie but nowe the third time after solemne protestation made she addeth an oath as the last refuge and end of all controuersie Against this do all the former offend which will not tary till the last but euen at the first rap out their oathes as fast as a brauling dog his barking swearing through custome to truth and falsehood making no difference betweene waightie matters and idle toies especially in gaming playing hunting chiding and such like they spit out their poison against God himself neither sparing the wounds bloud hart death and nailes of the Lord renting him worse being in heauen than the Iewes did vpon the crosse But let Ruth and her companions teach ten thousand of them with what reuerence they must vse the holy name of God shee had not bin past ten yeeres with a godly woman but she had learned her religion both of faith and manners for in this she vttereth both but we haue a great many both men women which haue had twentie and thirtie a peece not with one but with a whole church of godly persons and yet they haue got neither faith nor maners from them they can easily giue them leaue to practise religion but themselues wallowe in pleasure But bee not deceiued God is not mocked when he beginneth hee will make an end and consume your viperous tongues and beastly heartes as the fountain of this mischiefe in the fire of hell We are as importunate on you as the blind men of Iericho the more we are rebuked the more we cry vnto you let not our countrie bee cursed our prince remoued our God blasphemed his Gospell translated from vs our souls bodies euerlastingly plagued To God let vs giue praise The fourt Lecture Ruth 1. Verse 18.19.20.21 22. 18 When she saw that shee was stedfastly minded to go with her she left speaking vnto her 19 So they went forth both vntil they came to Bethleem when they came to Bethleem it was noised of them thoroughout all the citie and they sayd Is not this Naomi 20 And she answered Cal me not Naomi but call me Mara for the almightie hath giuen me much bitternes 21 I went out full and the Lord hath caused me to returne emptie Why call you me Naomi seeing the Lorde hath humbled me and the almightie hath brought nice vnto aduersitie 22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitesse c. HAuing heard y e conference between Naomi Ruth now the holy ghost descâ—â—beth the issue of this iourney to the end of this chapter wherein Naomi ceaseth to vex her daughter or dissuade her to proceed in her purpose but willingly taketh her with her both of them trauaile to Bethelehem whither they come in a most fit and acceptable time neither hindred in their iourney nor forgotten of their freinds but kindly receaued to their great comfort Those wordes containe in them two parts the first their consent to trauaile and iourney vnto Bethlehem the second is their intertainment there The first part is expressed in the eighteene and ninteene verses hath two members first Naomi rested satisfied with the answere of Ruth vexed her no more verse eighteen secondly their prosperous iourney to the city Bethelehem verse ninteene In the end of this verse is set downe the entertainment they found there which is this the citizens came flocking to see her calling and welcomming her by name in these words Is not this Naomi vnto the which salutation shee her selfe aunswereth in the two next verses first acknowledging her name but confessing hir selfe vnworthie of it in these wordes Call mee not Naomi but call me Mara secondly shee addeth the cause of her speeche in these wordes for the Lord hath giuen me much bitternes this is amplified in the next verse by an allegory taken from a vessel In these words I went out full finally shee setteth downe the vse shee maketh of her affliction shewing vnto them that shee could not glory in all the vaine titles of the world first because the Lord had humbled her secondly because he had brought her into aduersity in the last verse is set downe the time when these pilgrims came from Moab to Bethlehem which was the beginning of barley haruest When she saw As Naomi in the beginning dealt very wisely in the triall of her daughters before they were too farre gone so in the end shee dealeth very godly with Ruth in that shee yeldeth to her answere and petition giuing ouer to molest her with any more obiections This frendly and worthy meeknes is very commendable in all the godly for without this they can neuer in
them Whereby the vngodly entreating of strangers that manye wishe for among vs is too wicked enuying that any shoulde bee permitted to come and soiourne among vs like free borne children Yet heerein wee are to prayse God that these persons cannot bite although they barke at poore harbourles strangers and also that hee hath blessed our magistrates with more pitifull mindes And let these personnes knowe and consider that it is as easie to go out as to come into England this is they may as sone be driuen to other places out of their owne countrey to bee strangers there as these are repayred for succour hither The vncertaintie of worldly estate that hath brought great princes to extreme pouerty should bridle their churlishe and vngodly affections from offering one thought of iniurie to these poore harbourlesse strangers Wee knowe the parable of Christ of a man that trauailed from Iericho to Ierusalem and fell among theeues the kindnes of that stranger Samaritan should mooue vs to do good to strangers while the world standeth seeing wee are more helped by their presence then by our owne neyghbours but these kinde persons that thus rayle vppon poore strangers are such as are grieued against God and men who in their hearts would haue no man liuing in the lande besides themselues and theyr cursed posteritye But some will saye you make too much account of strangers the Lorde doeth not make such reckoning of them because forbidding vsury to the Iewes yet hee permitted them to take vsurye of the strangers I answere those strangers were the cursed Cananites and none other whome God had vowed to destruction to the intent the Iewes might haue them in all slauerie Of them he permitted to take vsury for this is the blessing of God vppon that people that they should bee able to lend to other but stand in no need to borrowe of other Therefore that beeing but a permission for the Iewes onely hath ceased in that common wealth but in Christ there is no difference of Iewe or gentile male or female bond or free for all are his and hee the Lordes so that nowe the name of a straunger is quite ceased but all are neighbors and brethren for euermore And Boaz answered In this verse is contained the replye of Boaz vnto the speeche of Ruth wherein is set downe the true cause of his liberalitye vnto her first in regarde of her mother in lawe and his kinswoman with whome shee had dealt so well in her owne countrey secondly in regard of her selfe she had forsaken father and mother with countreye and kindred to come among strange people Where we first obserue a singular encouragement to obey our godly parents for wee see that our good actions needed not to bee preached abroade by other for our farther coÌ„mendation but at the time appointed they will shewe themselues as the life of trees by sending foorth leaues in the spring time of the yeere Ruth as wee haue heard dealt most louingly with her mother in lawe in Moab yet you see that her kindnes hath followed her to Bethlehem in Iudah manye myles distant the one from the other If it had beene knowen there to a few onely it had bin sufficient but being spread a broade the chiefe man in a citie doth commende her for it among a multitude in a haruest field the place could not hide it were it neuer so far of the time not conceale it bee it neuer so secret the commendation of it be couered because shee was a stranger nor the credit of it bee loste in another countrey Such is the nature of good thinges which wee do to other that no obliuion can euer bury it What needeth this boasting of our almes deedes like the blowing of a trumpet this bragging of our worthynes some of their manhood some of their friendship other of their riches and many of their labour as if they slept not foundly til al the world did ring of their commendation This one thing loseth all our reward for it is better that the workes then the wordes should witnes it We may also by this assure our selues that we haue done nothing so secretly to the flocke of Christ but it is knowne and the name of God praysed for it for as euill deedes remaine to the graue so good workes reâ—ound to perpetuall memory Secondlye by this wee obserue the excellencye of religion for whose sake it is commendable to forget nature and praise worthye to forsake our parents and people Which if we should doo for any other cause whatsoeuer we were accursed When the Lorde woulde establishe his couenant with Abraham â— hee called him from Father and countrey to shewe that for religion sake it is a glory and not onely to do thus but also for to bee scourged yea and to suffer death Why then is it so contumeliously vpbraided so scornefully refused of many and but of fewe â—ectiued till this day Among all the world onely Abrahams posterity had the couenant and promises and now though men bee as the sande on the sea shoare and the starres of heauen which cannot bee numbered yet shall but a remnant bee saued none come vnto it but by the especiall grace of God whereby hee draweth them as it were against theyr mindes fewe persons woulde resorte to Noahs arke because they scorned his preaching euen so fewe are religious because they account it a base worke to heare the worde of God plainely opened and sincerely expounded Where is then become this auncient zeale that made men and women as well noble as base to bee obedient to the calling of the Lord for which cause they forsook both wealth parentage cuntry kindred but in these dayes men will forsake Christe and his Gospell religion and preaching for the least of these Once the Apostle saide hee accounted all thinges as dung in regarde of Christe but nowe Christ is regarded as dung in comparison of the worlde Once Christ sayd whosoeuer loueth father or mother wife or children house or landes more then mee is not worthy of mee but nowe whosoeuer loueth Christe more then these is not worthy to liue Once it was saide firste seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other thing shall be cast vppon you but nowe first seeke the worldes riches and wealth and religion will follow too soone Oh what miserable daies are we fallen into where ignoraunce aduanceth it selfe like the moone and is not ashamed the Gospell reuiled by euerie atheist the ministers molested for euery papiste the sacramentes prophaned the professours tearmed by slanderous titles which for Christes sake haue loste their kindred and aduentured their liues Surely surelye some great plague is approaching for the quenching of this burning heate of sinne when they shall say here is a God that rewardeth the righteous verily there is a God that iudgeth the worlde Thirdly we obserue out of this verse that wee must not without
consideration giue liberally to all but with speciall fauour do good to the godly for you see Boaz telleth this second cause of her forsaking both countrey and kindred as if hee were bound to do for such as for his owne children thereby signifying that if wee haue neuer so much to giue yet wee can neuer giue inough to the saintes of God This our sauiour signifieth when he saith There were many widdowes in Israel in the dayes of Eliah yet to none was hee sent but to Sarephthah a cittie of Zidon to a woman a widdowe as if hee had sayde as God with speciall kindnes releeued her in the three yeeres famine euen so must wee with the like fauour succour the godly and labouring poore Therefore when Paule biddeth do good vnto all hee addeth especially to the household of faith This is profitable for our dayes that wee might also learne to whome we may giue for now our land is full of wandering and roaguing beggers who as their life is most base yet their manners are far worse first they worke not at all but are idle and hee that worketh not must not eate because he walketh inordinatly secondly they are for the most parte vtterly voide of all feare of God atheistes ignorant persons blasphemers prophaners of Sabaothes disobedient to magistrates and maisters common whooremaisters and whoores hauing almost euerye weeke newe husbands and wiues theeues and such drones as sucke away the almes from poore labouring persons They will praye at euery doore for any simple reliefe with their hats on their heades most unreuerently but if any man appeare before them they will presently breake off their prayers and vncouer their heades esteeming more of the presence of a seely man or woman then of the maiestye of the eternall God if they bee not satisfied they will curse more vehementlye then before they prayed earnestly Those are the poore which get our almes but for other I heare of few for I speake nothing but that which I haue heard and seene with my owne eyes And to speake nothing of their changing of their voyce their counterfaiting sores and their common drunkennes I thinke I maye euerie way conclude they are the caterpillers of our countrey the Canaanits of our common wealth the vngodliest and vnprofitablest members among vs. For whome I haue two sutes the one to the magistrats that so often as they finde such persons they would duety execute the lawe vppon them that the other may beware and my other to the people that they would bee deafe at their cryes and shut vp their compassions from them and bestowe it vppon the poore labourers among vs to encourage them with patience to endure their trauailes and to discourage the other from this kind of wicked life Whatsoeuer you giue them is but seede cast into the sea whereof shall neuer come any profit but those that are of the house of the Lord let vs wishe them prosperity The Lord recompense This is the second parte of this replie of Bohaz which is his prayer for Ruth wherein as wee shewed you are deliuered two thinges first that the Lord would giue her some reward secondly hee comforteth her in that hee telleth her shee is come to trust vnder the wings of God Where first of all heere seemeth some holde for popish merites seeing hee prayeth for a recompense and perfect reward Therefore it may be probably gathered will they say from hence that workes after faith merite grace for heere I cannot conceale the subtilty of our English papists which they learned from the Remish Seminarie being asked whither workes merit they answere no meaning those workes which goe before faith whereas they euerie one doo confidently beleeue that workes after fayth doo merite eternall life Thus they blinde our eyes with the schoole distinction of workes before faith and after faith that they might the better couer their sophistrie but we praysed be God for it most confidently affirme that no workes eyther before or after faith doe concurre in the matter or cause of iustification As for workes before faith wee acknowledge they are sinne for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and for workes after faith we constantly beleeue with Paul that our saluation commeth not by them But let vs come to this scripture and continue a little with our saluation workers We grant Bohaz prayeth for a reward What then therefore works eyther merite or he prayeth amisse both which wee denie and will confirme by this scripture First did Bohaz thinke that Ruth had merited by this forsaking of her countrey I answere no why then doth he pray for her if she had deserued it God is not vniust hut hee that commanded that the hire of a labourer shoulde not bee kept backe one night woulde not or needed not to be intreated for that which he must of necessity performe By the which we see that the praier of Bohaz the merite of Ruth the iustice of God cannot stand together Secondly for what cause doth hee praye for a recompense Was it not because shee had forsaken her owne idolatrous people to come to the Lordes common wealth yes verily it was so Then was it of faith or of workes no worke assuredly but faith for faith caused Moyses when hee was growen vp to forsake the courte of Pharao and to ioyne himselfe with God his afflicted people Faith caused Abraham to come into the land of promise from his owne idolatrous countrey and this same faith caused Ruth to come from the Countrey of Moab to the people of the Iewes and therefore Bohaz addeth that she was come to trust vnder the winges of God but confidence proceedeth of faith and not of workes Therefore to conclude Bohaz prayeth for such a rewarde as God had promised to all the faithfull for as the sunne looketh vpon the earth and the earth looketh vpon the sunne again so faith respecteth the promise of God and the promise of God regardeth faith because it is written whosoeuer beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life but whosoeuer beleeueth not though hee purchase landes for Catholikes build Churches ordaine chaunteries and got neuer so farre on pilgrimage yet is hee condemned already But now they wil renewe their wonted outcry saying we preach for faith we condemne works wee driue men to a wicked life and tell them all is well if they beleeue wel we condemne say they housekeeping giuing to the poore with builders of colledges and Churches and founders of hospitals with all charitable actions but these are great thunderclappes but yet without rayne I aske the resolutest papist liuing where euer he read any of these in all the writinges of the protestants once mētioned w t out singular cōmendatiō for I am sure none of you y t are resolute papists wil come to the churches to hear our preachers speak against them yet you crie out beleeue them not they broche heresies This is brought vnto you by
founde to be nothing but rotten woode good for nothing But to come to Ruth shee perfourmeth her promise to God as Dauide sayth though it bee to her owne hinderance shee knoweth it with the appostles better to obeye God then men to followe Christe and not the flesh for the world it selfe shall bee shortelye consumed and then the louers thereof shall bee vtterlye condemned Oh let vs then practise the deniall of our selues before the time of tryall come let vs as the martirs did trye the burning of our fingers before wee venter our whole bodyes let vs giue some of our wealth to the poore nowe rather then keepe all to be spoyled by the wicked apostataes then but howe will men doo this at that fierye tryall when nowe in peace they will forsake and forsweare the Lorde some for their merchandise other for rentes reuenewes some to bringe the poore Nabaothes into destruction many for worldly profite and temporall gaine but this quene of worldly desire shall one daye bee meate for the dogges when it shall bee sayd that happye are all you that in wealth and pouertye haue followed the sonne of righteousnes in sinceritye 〈◊〉 Feare not my daughter His prayer and the reason thereof being ended nowe followeth the consolation hee giueth to Ruth in these wordes bidding her to caste awaye feare for what soeuer lyeth in his power he would doe for the whole citty would testifie the estate of her person and vprightnes in her liuing and therefore hee should bee much to blame if hee denyed so lawfull a request Out of the which we note First here is set down the duetie of all magistrates which is with meekenes and gentlenes to heare the petitions of their sutors for Boaz was a publike person or els Naomi had complayned to the magistrate but himselfe being a godly elder the suite is first priuately handled with him Therfore they must follow y e example of Bohaz here declared which is with the kindest wordes to intreate them and iust iudgementes to proceede for them alway yeelding to equitie where the cause is required For our sauiour accompteth a magistrate that is contrary minded neyther to feare God or to respect man that is such a one is hated of God and man For if magistrates loue God or regarde their subiectes they must bee easily entreated by the voyces of their suitors Therefore is that euerlasting commendation of Moyses y t hee sate in the door of his tent in iudgment frō euening vntil morning where al the people might freely haue accesse to his presence and godly conference with his person the which all the iudges in christendome might imitate without impeachment to their honours Olde Samuel when he had annointed and appointed Saule to raigne in his steade ouer all Israel appealed to the people what iniury he had done to any and the people iustified him in all thinges now hee was easily come vnto at all times when Saule and his fathers seruant seeking for asses woulde go to the man of God meaning Samuel Oh that all that are in authoritie would hearken to these examples that with all gentlenesse they might intreate the people of God committed to their gouernment that they might freely come to them and frendly speake with them that at the daye of their deathes they might haue the poore saintes of God praying for their deliueraunce their consciences vnburthened their duties discharged their subiectes satisfied iustice offered and their soules euerlastingly saued Secondly by this wee gather that iudges and iustices must especially looke to the godly for Boaz saith that all the cittie knew Ruth to be a godly woman So that hee bindeth himselfe by her religion to be as carefull for her being a stranger as if she were his naturall daughter For as all the cittie knewe her religious so they would all reioyce to see her aduanced And this is the cause wherefore the Lorde hath so much commended vnto vs the estate of widdowes and fatherlesse children because for the most parte they are oppressed and not oppressors vexed and not vexours receyuers and not doers of iniurie And surely such are simple godly men they will beare many burthens before they complain for euery trifle they wil not trouble a magistrate Therefore euery magistrate must saye with Dauid My eyes shalbe on them that speake truth on the earth and they that walke vprighly shall be my seruantes so haue you respect of persons though not in iudgement yet in common opinion for the professors of religion are your dearest friends who without ceasing powre forth their prayers for you that in equitie you might drawe your sword for them Oh howe lamentable is it to heare how poore godly men are dayly blasphemed and reproched for their religion when wicked Atheistes carnall persons common swearers godles wretches haue their harts desire at the hands of the magistrate Surely such persons who desire your aide against other deserue your swordes of iustice against themselues for they neuer come into your presence but to the dishonour of God Execute iudgement therefore for them and vpon them Thirdely by this wee gather what it is that most commendeth women for Boaz saith vertue and if all y t world crie the contrary yet Bathsheba the mother of king Salomon will confirme it for thus she saith Fauour is deceitful beautie is vaine but a woman that feareth God shee shall get praise for her selfe for vertue and the feare of the Lorde are both one thing So that this is the thing they are most commended for if religion will take any roote in their hartes for beauty is worne by age proportion of body lost by sicknes loue of men at the wagging of a hand and braue apparell when wealth decayeth onely the feare of the Lord endureth for euer We reade that Vasti the queene of Asuerus was exceeding beautifull but she disobeyed her husbande and was put from her princely roome when godly Ester was taken in her steade If the feare of God had beene in the former to obey her husbande Esther had not so soone come into her place But the Lorde that hee might punish the pride of the one and reward the religion of the other lifted vp vertuous Esther and cast downe that stately Vasti to shewe vnto vs that much better is the feare of the Lorde then all the beautie and glorie of the world We finde many commended in the worde of God for their faith but fewe for their fairenesse that all shoulde learne more earnestly to labour that the hid man of the hearte may bee founde in incorruption of a gentle and a quiet spirite which is very precious in the sight of the Lord. Lastly let vs all learne by this aswell rich as poore gouernours as subiectes men as women that aboue all thinges we followe the example of Ruth to please God more then our selues to labour for vertue and religion as for a treasure
in the three nexte verses contayneth a declaration of those thinges which passed betweene them twaine after shee came from Bohaz Wherein first Naomi asketh who she was because comming home earely before the day she coulde not knowe her by her countenaunce To whom Ruth declareth all things which passed between Boaz and her shewing vnto her the sixe measures of barley which the man gaue vnto her for Naomies sake verse 16.17 Secondly after Naomi vnderstood the proceedinges of Ruth shee comforteth her verse 18. assuring her of the diligence of Boaz that hee woulde not sleepe till hee had ended the matter the very same day Of these partes let vs briefly speake in order as the spirite of God shall giue vtterance and the time permit And so she lay at his feete vntill the morning As we haue heard in the former verses the conference had betweene Bohaz and Ruth the ende and conclusion whereof was this that Ruth shoulde content her selfe to tarry with him and sleepe vntill the morning So in this place the performance thereof is noted vnto vs. For the holy Ghost vndoubtedly expressing these wordes doth it to signifie vnto vs these two thinges First that Ruth remayned satisfied with the answere of Bohaz and troubled him no more with farther talke Secondly that hee might deliuer these two innocent persons from all suspicion of incontinency for neyther talked they anye more or turned one to another but either of thē both contented with their hard lodging gaue themselues to quiet sleepe vntill the morning Where wee first of all note that the gift of continency or chastity is not in nature or the power of man but is a holy fruite of true and vnfayned religion yea a special worke of the spirite of God as appeareth in both these godly persons for if eyther of both had beene giuen ouer no doubt but nature hath put them forward to the satisfying of their carnall lustes But seeing as Christ saith none can haue it but them to whom it is giuen and every gift commeth downe from the Father of lightes This among other is a speciall and extraordinarie blessinge of God vpon many persons truely religious not for any other cause but that thereby they might more freely giue themselues to please the Lorde as Ioseph answered his wanton mistresse howe shall I doe this seeing I feare God The vse of this pointe is this seeing wee acknowledge this benefite to come from the Lord let vs among our prayers desire y e same that we might crucifie the works of the old man within vs sanctify y e powers of our souls bodies be strengthened to resist the temptations of Sathan and bring euery wanton desire and wauering affection into subiection of the spirite of God which ruleth and raigneth in the heartes of the faithfull And aboue all thinges let vs earnestly labour for the feare of the Lorde that wee may haue the tree aswell as the fruite the fountain as well as the streame the roote from whence it springeth as well as the blade increase of the same for except the streame be supplyed by the spring it will quickly die except the blade be nourished by the roote it will soone bee withered except the fire of the holy Ghost be increased with the coales of the knowledge of God it will soone be quenched with the colde water of humane infirmities or els willingly go out of it selfe And if euer this exhortation were needefull it is most necessary in these our vncleane and filthy dayes wherin fornications adulteries whoredomes and all actions of incontinency did neuer more abounde and the reason hereof is this because men and women haue refused the knowledge of God and therefore as the Apostle sayeth hee hath giuen them ouer to worke filthines one with another As the fleshe lusteth agaynst the spirite so the spirite lusteth against the flesh the one is carnall and bringeth damnation◠the pure knowledge of God is spiritual worketh saluation but if the bodies of men were made the temples of the holy Ghost how coulde they conuert them to the members of harlots But be not deceiued for God who is true is not mocked you which now delight your bodies in the pleasures of vncleannes shall lament your woes in the sorrowes of bitternes when your soules and bodies for their wonted follies shall eternally curse themselues and crie vengeaunce vengeance to all their deserts Yea though the Almighty shold graunt you repentance yet the consideration of your whoredomes will trouble your consciences that it will be much longer before your hearts be eased or sinnes released for such as is the festered wound such must be y e searching purging corasiue he that stole little hath but little to restore but he that stole much must recompence much againe Secondly by this we note the diuersity of the distribution of the giftes of God for many godly personnes are cleare from one sinne which raigneth in other and have some proper gifts which are denied to other some are subiect to one sinne and some to another In this place Bohaz and Ruth are declared and commended for continent persons but in another place Dauid and Bathshebah godly also are ouertaken with this folly Iudah the sonne of Iacob was a good man yet hee lay with his daughter in lawe Thamar sitting in the likenes of a whoore Ioseph his brother also feared God yet he refused his Lady mistresse And as it is in this so it falleth out in all other for some that haue great giftes of God his spirite yet are too much giuen to the loue of money others againe like Zacheus distribute the greatest parte of their possessions to satisfie their iniuries and relieue the poore Other of the faithfull like the Apostles Iames and Iohn desire the superioritie and chiefest places in the Church but manye like the other Apostles enuy and disdaine them for it And thus the Lorde which deliuereth his spirite by measure giueth to some a lesse and to some a greater measure thereof euen as a rich man distributeth his almes giuing to one a good rewarde and to another a small so the Lorde leaueth some to bee ouercome by their lustes other by their money many by their honour some by their office other by their pride euery man hath some speciall sinne that raigneth in him aboue other for diuers men being called to one hope and obtayning the like precious faith in regarde of Christ yet are diuersly affected and infected with sinne And this teacheth vs these doctrines first that we neuer condemne the persons of the sinners but the sinfull actes they do committ who should condemne Noah for drunkennes Dauid for murther Iudah for incest or y e Apostles for desiring superioritie surely these were godly persons and had their seuerall falles that the mercy of God might be magnified in their raysing vp againe for none of the godly are able to go vpon the waters
giue ouer his right to Bohaz wherein surely he doth him a pleasure but if there had beene any profite in it hee woulde first haue serued himselfe wherein wee haue a worthy example of a worldly minde which graunteth all things til it touch his discoÌ„moditie for thus the world wil heare vs preach till we rebuke their couetousnesse or craue their beneuolence for euery one will goe as farre dry foote as they can but none will be wet for the law of the Lord that is so long as we tell them of their faithes exhorte them to repentaunce perswade them from pleasure and drunkennesse but once touch their purses as Iohn Baptiste did Herodes whoredome then farewell preaching faith and repentance But thus much shal suffice for this time Now let vs giue praise to God The end of the eleuenth Lecture The twelfth Lecture Chap. 4. ver 7.8.9.10 7 Now this was the manner before time in Israel concerning the redeeming and chaunging for to stablish all thinges a man did plucke off his shooe and gaue it his neyghbour and this was a â—ure witnesse in Israel 8 Therefore the kinseman said to Boaz buy it for thee he drewe off his shooe 9 And Bohaz said vnto the elders and vnto all the people ye are witnesses this day that I haue bought all that was Elimeleches and all that was Chilions and Mahlons of the hande of Naomi 10 And moreouer Ruth the Moabitesse the wife of Mahlon haue I bought to bee my wife to stirre vp the name of the dead vpon his inheritance and that the name of the deade bee not put out from among his brethren and from the gate of his place ye are witnesses this day THese wordes contayne the finishing vp the matter betweene Bohaz his kinseman how the one resigneth his right to the other and the knitting vp of the marriage They consist of two partes first a description of the auncient maner of alienation or chaunging of titles rightes and properties in the seuenth verse in these wordes Nowe this was the manner afore time c to the ende of the verse The seconde is the manner how this man doth giue ouer and resigne his right to Boaz in the eyght ninth and tenth verses and contayneth two partes the first respecteth the kinsman in the ninth verse where first hee biddeth Boaz to buye or redeeme it Secondly hee draweth off his shooe The second parte respecteth Boaz and sheweth how he receyueth it in the 2. next verses wherin first he calleth witnes of the elders and people vers 10. Secondly he accepteth the proffer or purchase which is double first the lande or inheritaunce vers 10. Secondly the widdowe or wife of Machlon vers 11 of these let vs briefly speake in order as they lie with the assistaunce of God his spirite and the permission of the time Now this was First of all here is described the manner of God his people how in ancient time they were wont to alienate or put of their right from one to another which the holy Ghost setteth downe for the better vnderstanding of that which followeth And this manner of chaunging or selling was commaunded by the Lord himselfe as we reade in these wordes Then the Elders of his cittie shall call him and commune with him if he stand and say I will not take her Then shal his kinswoman come vnto him in the presence of the Elders and loose his shooe from his foote and spit in his face and aunswere and say so shall it be done to him that will not builde vp his brothers house And his name shall bee called in Israell the house of him whose shooe is put of In the which wordes wee note these thinges First that it was the dutie of the woman to complain of such a man before the magistrates as wee may see in the 7. ver Secondly that the magistrates were bounde to call and examine such personnes of the causes of their deny all Thirdely that the woman shoulde pul off the shooe and also spit in his face which the Lorde did doubtles commande for the poore comfortles womans sake that no excuse shoulde bee admitted of delay but that they might eyther be presently receyued or presently refused for shee which was not fit to day woulde not be to morrowe where wee gather the great care of the Lorde for widowes which hath warned their frendes to prouide for them marriages armed the magistrates to defende their weakenes truely as they which are least accompted in the worlde are most esteemed of the Lord euen so they which are most regarded of the worlde are least respected of the Lord for in this lawe the almighty had an especial eye to the poore for hee knewe the wealthy could want no husbandes Whereby wee are taught first to magnifie the goodnes of the Lorde which as Marie sayth looketh vpon the poore degree of his seruantes and beholdeth the rich a farre off his delight is in aduauncing of them that are cast downe and all his lawes defend the causes of the oppressed Secondly that wee make no light accompt or reckoning of those whom the Lord in his worde doth so highly commende vnto vs for it is an especiall token of them that shall bee saued that they make much of them that feare the Lorde what though they bee as poore as Lazarus and neuer so contemptible in the eyes of the worlde yet it is a thousand times more commendable to be frendly to such then to al the rich gluttons of y e world but of this point we haue spoken before and it is sufficient to touch it nowe Secondly by this wee also note that if there bee any iniury done to the children by their parentes or to widdowes by their friendes in their marriages it is lawfull for them to appeale to the magistrates As for example if the parentes woulde force their children eyther not to marrie at all or els to marry against theyr mindes rather then they yeelde to eyther of both they may and ought to sue to the magistrate The which as it was lawfull for the Iewes by this lawe here mentioned euen so it is left to vs to immitate although the ceremoniall vse of it bee ceased which consisted onely in the brothers marriage and as long as magistrates are so long the true vse of it remayneth as it doth in many others Yet although the Gospell speake not of it because it is a thing so farre against nature yet it commaundeth that they which doe euill shoulde feare the sworde of the magistrate because hee beareth it not in vaine and moreouer it is flatly against the Gospell that any shoulde doe vnto other which they woulde not haue done to themselues much more this forcible dealing with frendes or children And if it bee lawfull for the wife or husband to flie to the magistrate in priuate iniuries much more for the children which are weaker and therefore neede more helpe
for little or nothing others which haue not so much worldly wit as were to bee wished make priuate bargaynes of their landes when they are in want or pouerty wherein they sell them halfe for nothing And thus younge men are deceyued with the sight of a little golde vnwyse and vnthriftie persons are cosoned with nothing in regarde of the value of their inheritaunce widdowes leste comfortlesse children left harbourlesse and the country troubled and pestred with such couetous encrochers and why because they make subtill and deceytfull bargaynes in secreate whereof they woulde be ashamed if eyther before iudges Elders or Magistrates this sale were propounded Therefore by the rule of God his worde wee holde him a thiefe and a robber which hath thus bought to the hinderance of the seller Thirdely it is lawfull to buy for necessity house or landes or any other thing lawfull to bee solde the former conditions alwayes obserued but it must not bee for vayneglorye or for the aduauncing of their children or posteritye or that they might bee lande lordes to many Not euery one that is wealthy and hath much money must alway purchase lande the former example of Abraham proueth this who being a very wealthy man yet hee neuer offered to buy any lande till Sara his wife was deade and that was for necessitie to bury her in So did Iacob his sonne buy a parcell of lande of Hemor the father of Shechem for an hundred peeces of siluer whereon hee pitched his tente and builded an Altar Hee might haue bought and purchased much more as hee was able but hee woulde not onely a dwelling place and an Aultar roome he prouided surely wee haue an infinite and great number that buy dwelling places but fewe that giue any of their landes or liuings to build aulters or Churches on Nay who seeth not how men sue dayly to pull downe the aulters and to make arrable land where they stand that is they pull personages and spirituall liuings to their nests they get away tythes and oblations they enter vpon the lands and profits of the ministery and I think verily in many places they are grieued that the Churches and Churchyards are so big bicause they would haue the more profit these persons I warrant you are none of Iacobs children nor Abrahams neither which haue taken to themselues the houses of God in possession Against these the Prophet cryeth woe be vnto them that ioyne house to house and field to field that there might be no more place that ye may be placed by your selues in the mids of the earth therefore heare their punishment This sayth the Lord is in my eares surely many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire houses without inhabitants This shall be the end of these couetous cormorants who desire to be the Lords of the earth And if good King Dauids posteritie within a thousand yeares after him had not one house to lodge in but euen in the same which was their fathers Ioseph and Mary were fayne to harbour in the stables feare not you but your posterities will be beggered within a hundred yeares after you which neyther are so wealthy or so godly as Dauid was but I may sooner poure out my very heart then make any forsake their purchasing so louing a sinne is the desire of wealth that men choose it with abundance heere for a season and damnation there for euer but let the godly vse the world as if they vsed it not for the desire of money is the roote of all euill But now we haue laboured for the buyers whome I know will be more carefull of their profit then my instruction let vs in a word direct the sellers also before we goe from this point If any demaund wherefore or for what causes they ought or it may be lawfull for them to sell their possessions I answere briefly for these causes a man may and for none else First to relieue his pouertie as being in sicknes for to recouer his health being imprisoned for some good cause or lawfull debt being taken a captiue to pay his raunsome or such like all this is vnderstoode by the name of pouertie or any other meanes whereby a man may come into pouertie for the Lord which gaue inheritances gaue them for the benefit of the possessors that they might be helpes vnto them in this miserable life for they must euer esteeme more of their life then of their lands of their libertie then their inheritance of their welfare and health then riches or wealth and therefore the Lord permitted the Iewes to doe away their inheritance and mention is made of a godly woman in the Gospell that had spent all the substance she had vpon Phisitions which is reported to magnifie the goodnes of our Sauiour vnto her which cured her for nothing and deferred to helpe her till she had spent all that she might accompt more of her health then her wealth of the kindnes of Christ then the cunning of the Phisitions but I neede not many reasons to prooue this and therefore I will leaue it Secondly a man may lawfully depart with some of his inheritance to helpe him that hath none at all eyther to sell it or giue it So did Ephron sell Macpelah to Abraham that had none so did Hemor sell a parcell of land to Iacob that had none and vnto this I may referre the threshing floore of Arannah which Dauid bought to build an aultar on when the Lord stayed the plague after he had numbred the people this was to speciall vse and therefore for some speciall causes I thinke it lawfull for men to giue or sell their inheritance By this we learne what to iudge of them which are so farre from giuing or selling that it is a hart-sore vnto them to see such goodly hospitalls and almes houses erected for the poore although not of their cost yet to their griefe for they had rather be fatted with the rent of the houses then poore and miserable maimed people should be fed with the reuennewes these persons thinke nothing well spent but that which is bestowed in surfetting and pleasures in costly apparell and dainty fare thinking the time long till these poore almes-mens gownes be turned into veluet coates but I pray God their possessions may be hospitalls not hospitalles their possessions Other thinke much if a poore bodie get a little Cottage to be builded vpon the Commons or wast grounds they had rather haue styes for theyr swine then dwellings for such destitute soules surely let them take heed that their owne styes I meane their houses wherein such fat hogs as themselues are liuing in pleasure and in follyes be not made worse then the silly houell of the other and God curse thē their posterity because they haue hated him in his pouerty for if he which giueth to the poore do lend to the Lord then he which reuileth the poore reuileth or as
nothing for his paynes euen so all they whatsoeuer they be which haue married of their owne brayne without respect to the law of God can neuer haue or craue any blessing of the Lord vpon themselues or their posterity Oh fearefull consideration worthy to be considered of all them which vnaduisedly go about to marry for a wild tree bringeth foorth sowre fruite and wicked parents which haue no regard of holinesse in their mariages do seldome bring any wholesome fruite to the Lord. But some will say how shall we knowe how or in what sort to behaue our selues that before wee marry wee might ayme at nothing beside the commaundement of God Hearken a little and I will briefely instruct you out of the word of God First of all the care of those that will be maried must be for the onely blessing of God which is the very finall cause of this institution Therefore after the floud the Lord in the restoring all things amongst other confirming marriage Moses sayth And he blessed Noah and his sonnes and sayde Increase and multiplye so that they which looke for any increase or fruite of their marriage must first of all be assured that the Lord hath blessed them But how shall we obtayne this blessing of God I aunswere by diligent reading of his word and by prayer Dauid asking this question wherewithall a young man shall cleanse his way and then he aunswereth himselfe and sayth euen by taking heed vnto thy word And Paule sayth that the vnmaryed care for the things that please the Lord as if he had sayd they must remayne vnmaryed for no other cause but that they might the more freely giue themselues to the seruice of God If a man want faith he may obtayne it by prayer and if he want the blessing of God vpon his mariage which is a lesse thing then faith may hee not obtayne it by prayer Izaac hauing beene maryed twentye yeares yet was without children and then hee prayed for issue and the Lord gaue him two at one time and may not prayer obtayne this for the vnmaried as well as for the maryed yes verily if eyther woulde take the paynes to vse it But oh who are they that euer in their liues once offred of theyr prayers to God to blesse them with wiues or husbands that is that they might be so marryed as the name of God might be glorifyed by them Nay what young man or woman among a thousand in these dayes that is delighted with eyther prayer or preaching but rather affect nothing but libertie pleasure and pastime they neuer thinke of any neede they stand of these thinges but rather imagine that theyr youthfull dayes and yeares must bee consumed in riotous sports and wanton wandrings so that most men and maydens come by their wiues and husbands at feastings and dauncing by dallying and playing chosen by outward apparell not inward and secret vertues which are wonne with vanitie kept with pride and forsakē to the destruction of wiues and husbands therefore first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other things shall be cast vpon you Secondly the intention of them that marry for the commaundement of God is that thereby they might liue more soberly in their seuerall vocations for as the wanton oxe is brideled in the yoke so vnruled youth is gouerned by mariage for if we regard the minde of them that marry it is stayed vpon one if the company of the body it is bound to one if life it can not be solitary if wealth it must not be possessed alone Therefore Peter said husbands dwell with your wiues like men of knowledge as if he had sayd in your vnmaried time you were wanderers but now you are maried you are dwellers in your vnmaried age you were inconstant but now you are maried you are as vnmoueable as a house when you were single you were ignorant but now you be married be men of knowledge and finally when you were young you were troubled with the desire of many but now you are maried you are comforted with the loue of one and as a man without a dwelling place so is the vnmaried without a companion Such is the commoditie of mariage if it be duely considered and each party rightly instructed that it is as sleepe to a weary man as wine to the thirstie as a house to the harbourlesse and as a garment against winter and therefore is it compared to the felowship of Christ with his Church How then commeth it to passe that men liue more riotously being maried then when they are vnmaried for they amend nothing but thinke all things as lawfull for them then as it was before their houses without their presence their wiues without their company their families without their gouernment so that you shall see married persons wandring abroad as if they were vnmaried disporting themselues as shamefully and as loosely as any in the world not liuing in sobriety and modesty like the turtle doue but in gaming and daunsing like the wanton goate these partyes neuer marryed for the commaundement of God but some rash desire possessed theyr mindes and a little youthfull lust tickled theyr fancies much like the sauour of iuniper which continueth but a little while Other are so farre from this point to marry that they might liue more soberly that they make their mariages the couer of their dishonesty making the world beleeue they liue in perfect chastity because they are maried but priuily they giue themselues to most filthy adulteryes but the Apostle sayth mariage is honourable but adulterers God will iudge that is will vtterly condemne and if their behauiours were well examined you should finde this the cause that their houses cannot hold them the filthinesse of these partyes is condemned by the very bruite beasts and shall be punished by the seueare iudgement of God for they which make the members of Christ the members of harlots shall be with harlots the members of the deuill therefore marry for modesty not for filthinesse that your vngouerned age may be brideled with the consideration of your present estate your wearyed dayes may be quieted in the bed of godly holy and honourable mariage Thirdly they which marry for obedience vnto God must onely minde godly and not wealthy matches they must looke on the heart not on the face they must waigh the disposition and not the riches they must not say as the deuill said to Christ all this will I giue but they must say as Iacobs sonnes sayd to Shechem and Hemor if you will be circumcised you shall haue our sister that is if you feare God and receiue his true knowledge if you loue his word and honour his sacraments if you can benefit the soules as well as the bodies But a man may weary himselfe many dayes before he finde any of this inclination for parents will denye their consents if they see
thankesgiuing to God vers 14. in these words Blessed be God secondly the matter of their thankesgiuing in the words following first for Bohaz his sake in that God had left him to be Naomies kinseman secondly because this childe of Ruthes her louing daughter in law should renew her yeares and cherish her old age of these parts let vs briefely speake in order So Boaz tooke After the solemnitie of this mariage in the presence of the people and their prayer ended which they powred foorth in the behalfe of both these partyes and their posteritie Bohaz proceedeth to the end of this action and taketh Ruth to his house to be his wife as a duety of a kinde and a godly husband For all this while we must imagine that Ruth was absent from the place of this communication and according to the counsayle of her mother sate wayting at home for some prosperous newes and praying no doubt for a ioyfull successe of this desired mariage our of this we gather First the duety of all godly husbands which is to take their wiues and dwell with them as this Boaz doth Ruth for it is no doubt but that he presently went to the house of her mother and thence tooke her bringing her to his owne house that there they might liue and loue together This phrase of scripture wee may finde vsed in many places as in the history of Izaak how he tooke Ribkah his wife and brought her into the tent of Sarai his mother and was comforted after his mothers death where the holy Ghost doth not onely declare the kindnesse of Izaak but also the commoditie of dwelling with a wife for the presence of Ribkah caused her husband to forget the death of his mother as if he had sayd the presence of a wife is greater then the comfort of a mother For this cause Peter exhorteth that husbands should dwell with their wiues like men of vnderstanding giuing honour to their wiues as to weaker vessels because they are the heyres of the same grace and that their prayers be not hindered as if he had sayd they must dwell together and they must pray together for as Christ is alway present with his Church so husbands must keepe the companies of their wiues This point being euident both by reason and religion it condemneth the wandring abroade of many idle husbands some which are neuer satisfied with riches by markets and merchandise trauailing in the world depriue their wiues of their due beneuolence others for their pleasure walke from Countrey to Countrey spending their dayes in pleasant disport among carnall and suspitious companions leaue wife and family to the sea of this world like children in a Ship without guide or mariner many are present but to the discommoditie and discomfort of their poore wiues and children oh how doe any of these persons take their wiues with godly mindes eyther to dwell or pray together How can the vine prosper when the roote is vncouered and how can women be comforted when their couer is taken from them I meane their husbands as Abimelech the king of Gerar tolde vnto Sara Is not the body dead without a head yea if it be but a minute of an houre do not then our wandering youths murder the bodie of their owne family being absent about vnnecessary busines sometime for the space of many moneths Is not the body maymed if it want but the least member yea but a finger how is then those households wounded where the chiefest parts either husbands or wiues be wanting and wandering abroade and finally what is this but to diuorce themselues for a season without any lawfull cause to put asunder them whome the Lord hath ioyned together to breake the felowship of holy wedlocke to despise the societie of godly marriage to lay open themselues to the temptations of the deuils and to thrust both bodyes and soules into daunger of damnation This I speake not as if all absence frō eyther party which consent for a time about necessary busines were vtterly vnlawfull for so Iacob Moses Aaron Dauid and the Apostles should be faulty but I speake against this wilfull departing of one from the other without either consent of man or wife conscience of the law of God or regard to their owne persons for the company of these twayne is greater then parents or children for which the Apostle sayth that if one be a beleeuing person and the other an infidell yet they must not depart if they be willing to dwell with them and he giueth no libertie for breaking theyr companie except it be to pray the more feruently and wisheth also that if they doe so yet it must be but for a season that sathan tempt them not so great regard must be had of the fellowship in marriage that the zeale of prayer the worship of God the loue of our owne parents the increase of wealth and the pleasure of the world must not separate without the voyce of both partyes and yet the time must be but short for the auoyding the temptation of Sathan and the daunger of their owne damnation Secondly by this we may gather who is the author and sender of children which is the Lord for this scripture sayth that the Lord gaue her to conceiue for as Paule sayth of the corne that is cast into the earth that it increaseth neither by the planter nor yet the waterer but by the Lord so must we say by the seede of mankinde that it lyeth neyther in the husband nor in the wife but in the blessing of God for which cause when Rahell sayd to her husband Iacob giue me children or else I dye he answered her in anger am I in Gods steede that kept thee frō the fruite of thy womb as if he had said it is God that sendeth issue and not man therefore Dauid saith that children are the possession of the Lord and the fruite of the womb is his reward By the which we are taught many excellēt and worthy lessons first that seing they come from the author of euery good gift we haue a ready way where to aske them when we want them for as when we want wisedome the Apostle saith we must aske wisedome at the hand of God so whē we want children we must aske children at the hand of God When Ribkah was barren by her husbands prayer she was made fruitfull so barren women by their husbands prayers haue bene made the mothers of many children Annah obtained by her prayer at the temple not only Samuell but also three other sonnes and two daughters Oh let vs not be vexed then for many children but let euery one aske confidently by the will of God and they shall receiue if it so please him plentifully to their owne desire Secondly seeing children come of the Lord we are taught to vse them as the blessings of God and as the child by nature should first know
his mother that bare him so we by instruction should first teach our childrē the feare of God that gaue them it is farre better for many children that they had neuer bene borne except their parents had more knowledge to till their mindes with the immortall seede of God his holy word then to looke vpō the sunne as the condemned person which commeth out of prison and so goeth to execution in like maner childrē without the knowledge of y e feare of God do come from the womb of their mothers which is their prison to the fire of hell which is y e place of execution Oh my beloued looke vpō your tender childrē and so often as you see them you behold the blessings of God vpon you make much of their soules by praying for their saluation you haue brought thē into the world leaue thē not to the deuill Thirdly seing children are y e gift of God those which haue children haue greater accompt to make then those which haue none for of him to whom much is giuē shal much be required and they to whome y e Lord hath giuen childrē and seruants lands and cattels shal answer for euery one of these to y e Lord therfore parēts must finish their reckning which they must giue to the Lord and let not one farthing of their debt be omitted for he will plague thē as well for not doing their duties to their own children as gracelesse children for contemning of God And this one cōsideration should mitigate y e desire of posterity because if they abuse thē their own damnation shall be the greater if they be vnruly they bring nothing but sorrow to their parents if they be godly the world will hate them and if they be wicked the deuill will haue them Were it not a pitifull sight to see the father burned for murthering his sonne how much more grieuous is it to see both father and sonne mother and daughter husband and wife maister and seruaunt mistresse and maides pastors and people to goe all to damnation together because the former did not guide the later oh would God that the desire to escape this iudgement would sinke into the hearts of all that we might euery one addict our liues to holines our minds to knowledge our bodies to obedience our hearts to vnderstanding our children to instruction our seruants to religion and all our soules to saluation Thirdly by this we gather that it is a greater blessing to be the mother of a sonne then the parent of a daughter if it so please God to send them for in this place the holy Ghost sayth that the Lord gaue her and she conceiued and brought foorth a sonne as if he had said the Lord gaue her her owne desire and the best issue which was a manchild for this cause our Sauiour saith that a woman forgetteth her paines in trauaile so soone as a man child is borne into the world Therefore is it that the Lord promised Abraham a sonne that he gaue Zachary and Elizabeth a sonne and finally therefore the Lord calleth vs all his sonnes as a father reioyseth more for a sonne so the Lord reioyseth in the saluation of all the faithfull By this we are taught to magnify the name of the almighty for euery one his benefits in their degree and if we want any by prayer to craue it at the hands of God alwayes remembring that we leaue the end of our desires to be agreeable to his will And here we see the prayer of the people in the former verse to be in part fulfilled when the Lord did so soone blesse this good old man by giuing him a sonne for it is no doubt but the holy Ghost doth so presently after their prayer adde her conception and his birth that he might stirre vs vp with greater zeale to desire the prayers of the faithfull which are alwayes auaileable in the presence of y e Lord. Come therefore my bretheren and let vs fulfill the desire of the Lord and accompt more of the petitions of the godly then all the possessions of the wealthy by prayer the earth is made fruitefull and the heauens drop downe abundance by prayer famine is remoued warres appeased the wrath of God pacified and the health of the bodye recouered by prayer wisedome is increased faith confirmed remission of sinnes obtained the barren woman made a fruitfull mother of many children the dayes of life lengthened peace of countreys and consciences prolonged and the kingdome of heauen eternally inherited Therefore those which cannot pray abhorre the presence of God are weary of our assemblyes forsake sermons and congregations depart from the fellowship of the faithfull and haue their sinnes sealed vp their liues accursed and their soules euerlastingly condemned And the women Now we must proceede to the second part of this scripture wherein is declared what issue and effect this wrought in other for so soone as the child was borne it did not only bring comfort to the parents but also ioy and gladnes to the godly citizens of Bethlehem among whome these women are reported by the holy Ghost which no doubt were present at the deliuery of Ruth to magnify the name of God for this so great a benefit bestowed vpon the old woman although her childrē were dead yet her name might be recouered by her louing daughter in lawe By this we first of all obserue the duety of all the faithfull which is to reioyse with them that reioyse and to weepe with them that weepe for as there godly Iewish women reioyse with Naomi for the fruitfulnes of Ruth so must we euery one be like affected for the blessings that are powred vpon our bretheren The like vnto this may we reade of the neighbours and kindred of Elizabeth hearing of the wonderfull mercy of God vnto her they reioysed with her This teacheth vs the same duety that the ioy of our brethren should be our reioysing and their sorrow our lamentation for there is no fellowship but there must be a feeling of the same ioyes or miseries not onely in publike affayres which respect their whole common wealth but also in priuate busines the benefit of euery particular person The head is sore when the stomacke is sicke the hand is grieued when the foote is maymed and euery part of the body being in prosperity reioyseth together For this cause Paule biddeth vs to endure all things with the same minde meaning that euery mans minde should be like his brothers eyther in sorrow or reioysing But is this the fellowship that raigneth among vs in these dayes or rather are we not merryest when our neighbours are tormented and doeth it not grieue vs to see other to prosper beside vs yes surely for there is no more hartie and vnfayned friendship among men in our dayes then is betweene the hauke and the bird when either of them is taken the other reioyseth This is the cause that men are no more
might cry and not be heard And this shall In this verse is the second part of their ioy in so much as now Ruth hath brought forth a son it is better to Naomi then seuen sonnes for seuen is taken for many not for any definite number as when Dauid saith that he prayseth God seuen times a day y t is many times euery day Also they protest in this verse that it reioyceth them to see Naomi so comforted with the birth of this childe as that now her life is restored whereas before it was dying like an old stubble which had no greene twigges vpon it but nowe this one being shoote forth shee reuiueth and gathereth comfort in her olde yeares By this wee see the duetie of parentes which is to reioyce when their children encrease and they see their childrens children these Iewish women no doubt but spake by the experience of their owne dayes that as a woman lying at the point of death being recouered is ioyful thankeful for the same euen so old persons haue newe liues in their childrens children for which cause they ought to be thankeful to the Lorde for the comfort of their children who may likewise reioyce whē they see their parentes delight in their ofspring Thus no doubt but Abraham did when he saw Esau and Iacob his sonne Isaackes children being borne about fifteene yeares before his death this did Iacob when hee sawe Manasseh and Ephraim his sonne Iosephes children kissing and imbracing them and saying I had not thought to see thy face any more but the Lord hath let me see thy seed and posterity as if he had said I thanke God for seeing thee but I reioyce that I see thy children also And truely this I am sure wil godly aged parentes do who haue these for their examples of faith conuersation that they might with more thankfulnes prayse the Lorde who letteth them see their childrens children with greater comfort reioyce in them that were born of their owne bodyes but with greatest ioy and most willing mindes commend their withered age and all worne yeares to the hands of the Lord who hath multiplyed their seede in this life and will glorifie themselues in the life to come Nowe let vs giue prayse to God The end of the fifteenth Lecture The sixteenth Lecture Chap. 4. ver 16.17 16 And Naomi tooke the childe and laid it in her lappe became nurse vnto it 17 And the women her neighbours gaue it a name saying there is a childe borne to Naomi and called the name thereof Obed the same was the father of Ishai the father of Dauid IN the former wordes wee hearde the last Sabboath the prayer and thankes giuing of the people or the women of Bethlehem for the birth of this son of Bohaz and the comfort of Naomi but now in these words the holy ghost proceedeth to the education and circumcision of the childe in these two verses wherein the holy Ghost deliuereth vnto vs these thinges first that Naomi tooke the care of the education of this childe verse 16. Secondly the naming of the child by the neighbours the women of Bethlehem which they gaue vnto it by occasion of their owne wordes when they saide in the 15. verse that he should cherish her namely Naomi and therefore they call him Hobed which signifieth seruing thereby signifying that he shoulde serue for the comfort of Naomi of these parts let vs briefly speak in order as the spirite of God shall giue vtterance and the time permit And Naomi tooke the child After the mercy of God in the blessing of Ruth with a sonne who was the onely heyre vnto the house of Elimelech the husbande of Naomi which brought no small ioy to the old woman to see her name and the name of her family reuiued in the birth of this sonne when it was vtterly decayed in the sight of the worlde for she was olde a straunger in Moab and had no hope of any moe children neither was it likely that her daughters in lawe their husbandes being deade woulde returne from their countrey and kindred vnto a straunge people with whom they had smal acquaintance euen none at all Naomi their mother in lawe excepted so that the hope of her posteritie being buried in Moab the life of her family must needs decay in Bethlehem Therefore her returne to her owne countrey was a fauour of God vnto her and raysing vp the minde of Ruth to bee partaker of her iourney and companion in her trauaile was an especiall comfort to her wearied age but prouiding so honourable a marriage for her and making her so fruitfull a wife in short time was the life of Naomies death the renewing of her family the restoring of her hope and the resurrection of her dead sonnes for the continuance of their names in the gate of their places and therefore she like a ioyfull and thankfull grandmother for discharge of her conscience loue of the infant ease of her daughter becommeth a fellow nurse for the better educatiō of the child out of the which we note First that as we haue heard how the miseries of Naomi were cast vpon her together so now the mercies of God are multiplyed in the same in greater measure For then her wo was begunne by the death of her husbande continued through her long dwelling with the wicked Moabites and ripened through the death of her two sonnes so now it falleth againe as the darkenesse departeth at the dawning of the day and giueth place to the light of the Sunne so her miseries are repealed first with the louing and constant felowshippe of her daughter in law Ruth who was as a carefull husbande to her in labouring for her liuing and a blessed childe to increase her posterity Againe she now was in quyet dwelling among the people of God enioying the company of the faithfull and the fellowshippe of her frendes moreouer her posterity is restored in the fruitfulnesse of Ruth and she euen she herselfe liueth to see the day when al this falleth vpon her to the endles comfort of her withered age and present prayse of the name of God Thus we see it a righteous thing with God first to wound and then to heale first to strike and then to stroke first to cast downe and then to lift vp for this is certainely the cuppe of all the faithfull that they must taste of many bitter afflictions before they come to the possession of eternall blessednesse yea of worldly misery they must sustayne some crosse before they can be thankefull enough for that which they quietly inioy So wee reade of Iob howe in one day hee had his corne burnte his cattell stolne and his children slaine this was bitter vnto him for many dayes yet in the ende he was restored two for one and sawe more sonnes and more beautifull daughters yea his childrens children to his vnspeakable comfort The like may be said of innocent
of such impious infidelity What stayeth the Lord from comming to iudgement but the faithfull and elect company what keepeth you in your possessions reuennews and lands but the poore Saincts of God who are hardly admitted to the tables of your seruants who prayeth for the increase of your wealth the prosperitie of your liues the feeding of your bodies and the continuance of your honour but these despised persons who haue entered a couenaunt for your dayly welfare with the king of heauen and earth They are the flocke for whose sake you haue your wooll to clothe you and your milke to feede you they are the bees for whose sake you enioy the hony for your delight and the hony combe for the pleasure of your meate they are the birds which haue builded vp your pallaces and houses of rest for the defense of your weakenesse they are the oxen that bring your corne to your barnes and your store into your garners they are the beasts that beare you out of the daungers in safetye and deliuer your liues from trouble Finally there is not a vsurer but he hath his money for theyr sake there is not a Gentleman but hee hath his landes for theyr sake there is not a Prince but hee hath his Crowne for theyr sake there is not a rich man but hee hath his wealth for theyr sake there is not a Minister but hee preacheth for theyr sake and there shoulde be no peace prosperitye or plentye if it were not for them for the Angels are theyr seruaunts the earth is theyr mayntenaunce and heauen is theyr inheritaunce Be assured therefore beloued if righteous Lot goe out of Sodome or godly Noah into his Arke then fire will fall from heauen and the depthes will open theyr fountaynes of water to burne and destroy the world euen so if the Lord take away the righteous from among vs then euen then presently shall follow the destruction of our countrey the consuming of our kingdome the confusion of the world and the condemning of the reprobate and therefore let vs make much of them in whome we see any hope of religion for they are the right heyres of the world and you that haue their lands are but ouerseers of their fathers testaments and therefore shall giue an accompt of your possessions to them when they come to age and be answerable for euery farthing which you spent not vpon them Secondly another cause of the genealogies or recitall of generations in the Scriptures is for the Chronologies or noting of seuerall times wherein euery worthie thing was done and how the world grewe in yeares and the mercy of God in sparing the wicked liues of so many godlesse men and choosing but one family among all the world with whome hee would establish his couenaunt for this cause in the genealogie of Adam we reade how long he and euerie one of his children liued to shew how long the Lord suffered the wicked before he brought the floud and in what age of the world the same ouerflowed which by the genealogies there set downe appeareth to be in the yeare of the world one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe when Noah was sixe hundred yeares old Againe we reade in the genealogie of Sem by the supputation of the yeares therein mentioned how long after the floud Abraham was called from his countrey and receyued the couenaunt of promise concerning the incarnation of Iesus Christ and the saluation of the world The same may be sayd of the often repetition of the age of Abraham as at his calling at the time of his circumcision at the birth of Izaak and at his death which giueth a great light to euery part of the scripture for thereby the occasions of many excellent histories are taken the darkest places are opened the faithfull are confirmed and the Church of God instructed of her age of her continuance of her members and of her condition which is subiect to many often changes Sometimes her glory is greater as in the first age sometime lesser as in Abrahams time sometime afflicted as the estate of Iacob in Egipt and all his children testifieth sometimes without any knowne and publique ministery or offices as till Aarons dayes sometime without any ciuill or politique gouernement as in the time of all the Patriarks sometime without peace in persecution as in the time of the Iudges wherein these persons heere named liued and sometime in most flourishing estate as vnder Dauid Salomon Asa Iosiah and such like By the which we gather that it neuer standeth in one stay but either increaseth or decreaseth ebbeth or floweth riseth or falleth waxeth or waineth therefore heerein lyeth the great comfort of the godly euen in these troublesome dayes but yet the best that euer are to be looked for in this earth wherein they see the auncient to depart and new men in theyr roome one generation commeth and another goeth iniquitie aduaunced coldnes in religion embraced dissimulation and hipocrisie maintained warres and persecution threatned to the Gospell schismes defended errors inuented the world blinded the truth declined godlines defaced and the Church of God disquieted with a thousand greater calamities this all the fathers suffered before vs and this we their children must also abide onely heerein let vs reioyse that we shall be accompted worthy to suffer for Christ and that our names are written in the kingdome of heauen Thirdly and lastly the especiall cause of this genealogie and of all the fathers and children of Abraham in one kindred was for to shew the naturall discent of Christ from Adam and so foorth vnto the virgin Mary for seeing he was to be incarnated it behoued that his parentage should be described from the beginning of the world for this cause Luke the Euangelist gathered togither the seuerall descriptions of all the genealogies pertaining to Christ throughout all the whole scripture as a necessary ground of the Gospell to declare the kindred of our Sauiour from the beginning of the world whereof these persons mentioned in this place are a part from whence he tooke them into his number Now least any man should thinke that the birth of Christ should be obscure and the taking vpon him the flesh of mankinde should be incertaine as well to conuince all errours that arose about his humanitie as to testifie the nobilitie of his birth and worthines of his parentage the persons of whome he descended are in many bookes of the scripture seuerally named and not without great commendation For this family of Christ had many and speciall blessings which were the armes of the same by which it was distinguished from all other In Adam it had this promise that the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head meaning that Christ which should be borne of a woman should ouercome the force of the deuill In Noah it had this promise that the couenaunt of God should be established with him and his seede meaning
that his promise which he had made vnto Adam should be perfourmed in his posteritie which was for the comming of Christ This promise was renewed vnto Abraham vnto Izaak and vnto Iacob and most plainely vnto Iudah the third sonne of Iacob who was the father and graundfather of this Pharez that the Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor the lawgiuer from betweene his feete vntill Shiloh come and the people shall be gathered vnto him and againe vnto Dauid he swore that the fruite of his body should sit vpon his Throne both which promises or prophesies respect the comming and the raigne of Christ By this then we first of all gather the scope of the whole scripture namely that aboue all other it respecteth Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world the Prince of peace the mightye King and the great Counsellour For this cause he himselfe speaketh to the Iewes Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life and they are they that testifye of me Agayne Iohn speaketh in the end of his Gospell that the Scripture was written that we might beleeue in Christ And we reade that Apollo did mightely confound the Iewes proouing by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christ But most euident and playne is that of the Disciples going to Emaus and Iesus ouertaking them by the way it is sayd that hee began at Moses and all the Prophets shewing them that Christ ought so to suffer and that redemption and remission of sinnes might be preached in his name to all the world By the which it is most easye to be gathered and doeth necessarily follow that the summe drift and scope of the Scripture dependeth vpon Christ First because all the godlie that are named therein were eyther his Fathers according to the flesh or else the singuler types prefiguring his person such was Melchizedeck Ioseph Moses all the Iudges Samuell and the Prophets which although they were not of his naturall linage Melchizedeck excepted yet they did most liuely represent him Moses and the Iudges in this that as they deliuered the people from earthlye captiuitie so should hee redeeme them from euerlasting calamitye Samuell and the Prophets in this that as they instructed the Iewes in the lawe of the Lord which was giuen by Moses so Christ shoulde put his lawe in the inwarde partes of the Churche and teache them the Gospell of trueth theyr redemption wrought by himselfe the lawe of righteousnesse the words of eternall life Aaron and his fellowes in this that as they sacrificed for the sinnes of the people with bullocks and beasts and sprinckled the bloud with hysop for their outward cleansing so Christ sacrificeth his owne bodye and cleanseth from sinne thorough the sprinkling of his owne bloud Dauid and the Kings in this that as they ruled the people by theyr temporall lawes conquering theyr enemies and giuing them rest and worldly honour so Christ doeth raigne with the spirituall lawe of his word triumphing ouer hell death and sathan leading captiuitie captiue ascending vp on high receyuing gifts for men deliuering his Church from theyr aduersarye the Deuill bestowing vppon them spirituall peace and libertye giuing them the honours of hys Ministerie Word and Sacraments in this life present and Crownes of glory in the life to come Thus if wee looke vpon the Iudges they shewe vs our redemption If wee looke vppon the Kings they shewe vs our saluation If wee looke vppon the Prophets they shewe vs our instruction If wee looke vppon the Priests they shewe vs our reconciliation and if wee looke vppon the very names of the fathers of Christ which are described in the old Testament they teach vs that our names are also described in heauen and this is the profit we reape by the generation or genealogie of the faithfull to confirme vnto vs the true humanitie of our Sauiour So that heerein most liuely appeareth the dignitie of the Scriptures and the maiesty of Christ one mutually looking on another as the sunne doeth the starres and the starres the sunne for as the excellencie of the sunne appeareth by the glory of the starres to whome it giueth light so the maiesty of Christ is manifest by the scriptures to whome he giueth credit On the other side as the glory of the starres is magnified because it is the light of the sunne so the credit of the scriptures is exalted because they concerne the Sonne of God If the doings of earthly men be but paynted in some pamphlets tragedies or bookes of Chronicles we accompt them famous because their actions are commended in print what shall we then say of the Sonne of God whose workes excell the worthiest enterprises of all the world togither and are recorded by the holy Ghost the eternall God of trueth thoroughout all the sacred bookes of his eternall word farre aboue the credit of worldly commendations is not his maiesty incomparable Do we buy the bookes of earthly mens deuises to reade the fayned and doubtfull aduentures of Princes long since in their graues and shall we suffer this booke of the heauenly stratagemes of our Sauiour lye asleepe in the shops Compare their worthines togither you shall finde the difference as great as is betweene the light of the sunne and a little rotten wood glistering in the darke They ouercame some worldly Princes but he ouercame the Prince of the whole world they thorough a multitude of earthly souldiours but he thorough himselfe alone an infinite number of infernall powers they inuented politique lawes for their peaceable gouernment but he giueth spirituall precepts and ruleth by them the hearts of men himselfe they had the heads of many noble persons vncouered at their presence but he hath the tongues and knees of all them in heauen in earth and vnder the earth bowing vnto him yea the Angels do him reuerence for he is their head they prepared names of Ships to cut the seas but he could commaund the waters to beare him vp when he walked vpon them they had their glory in gold siluer pretious stones and soft apparell but he being on earth had his countenance like the brightnes of the sun his garments as white as the light they could digge in the earth to find treasures for their maintainance but he commanded the fishes of the sea to render him his want they were able vpon infinite charges to keepe great families but he without any charge fed fiue thousand men besides women children with a few barley loaues two fishes and caused much more to be taken vp then at the first was deuided among them finally they were able to destroie the bodies of men but he is able to destroy both body and soule they shewed themselues in outward glorie but he shall shew himselfe in flaming fire to render vengeance to all them that haue not obeyed his Gospell Therefore here must wee learne the maiestie of Christ euen in the Scriptures
alienation of the right from the other kinsman to Boaz in the foure next verses the conference is described by the place that it was at the gate of the City verse 1. secondly by the witnesses that it was before the elders of the City verse 2. The matter being thus prepared Bohaz propoundeth the cause of their meeting in two parts first for the redeeming of the land at the hand of Naomi which was the inheritance of their kinsman Elimelech whereunto he answereth that he will redeeme it verse 4. secondly he propoundeth to him the mariage of Ruth that the case so standeth if he redeeme the inheritance he must also marry with the widdow for otherwise she would not agree and this is in the fift verse Vnto which latter condition the kinsman answereth that he cannot doe it first shewing the reason of it least he destroy his owne inheritance secondly yeelding him power to redeeme his right in his behalfe verse 6. Of these parts let vs briefly speake as the spirit of God shall giue vtterance and the time permit And Boaz went vp to the gate We haue heard in the former Chapter how Boaz after he had dispatched Ruth backe againe to her mother in law himselfe went into the City to finish vp the matter now in this verse we see the place mentioned where Boaz bestowed himselfe after he was come thither which is the gate of the City where he wayted till he could see his kinsman come in or out and seeing him called who came vnto him and sate downe beside him Now the gates of the Cities in those auncient dayes were the publike places of iudgement as appeareth in many places of scripture among other when Hemor and Sichem would perswade their people to be circumcised it is sayd they sate in the gate of the City the like is that of Moses that the obstinate sonne should be brought by his own parēts to the elders of his City and to the gate of the place likewise if any man should accuse his wife not to be a virgin at the day of her mariage then her parents should bring the signes of her virginitie to the elders of the City and the gate thereof But we must also know that the publike iudgements and trials were done so openly for diuers causes first that no truth might be concealed and so wrong iudgemēt pronounced for thither euery one might freely come and speake their minds Secondly that strangers might haue lawe and iustice as well as their naturall and natiue inhabitants and therfore it was at the very entrance of their Cities so we see Abraham a stranger in the iudgemēt place was heard before Hebron Heth whē he bought his burying place Lastly because y e munition strength furniture power and defence of the City lay in the gates as God blesseth Abraham and so also Laban and his mother blesse their sister Ribkah that their seede should possesse the gates of their enemies that is their strongest defenses And our Sauiour Christ shewing his Apostles that he would build his Church vpon the faith which they had confessed saith that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it meaning the whole power of the deuill should neuer ouerturne it And this teacheth vs many things first that in matters of triall equitie and iustice it is an iniury if publike faults be priuately adiudged for Abraham dealing but for a piece of land w t Hebron which was but a priuate matter could not obtaine it till it came to the gate of the City the publike place of iudgemēt and if a matter so honest and lawfull could not be ended without such an open publike assembly much more open offences which are in themselues wicked and dishonest for the Apostle saith that those which sin opēly must be openly rebuked Surely there is none of vs that are ignorant of the great euill which commeth by the priuate handling of offences for thereby guilty persons escape vnpunished vniust matters are by deceipt confirmed publike peace is much abused as if colours were discerned by blind men or gold without the touchstone in the light Yet heerein are we much bound to magnify y e Lord who hath vouchsafed vs open Courts for deciding of controuersies punishing of fellons and maintenance of peace some for waightier and some for lighter contentions for as the waxe melteth before the sunne so the subtiltie of offendours at the examination of the magistrate Secondly by this we note that we must in iudgement haue regard both to the stranger and to the free borne to the poore and to the rich to the widdow and to the maried and finally both alike to women men for thus the Lord commaundeth Peruert not the right of the stranger and infant neither take the garment of a widdow to pledge For we must remember that Abraham Izaac and Iacob the fathers of the faithfull were all their liues strangers in other lands and therefore we which either would or should be their children by doing iniury to harbourles straungers do reuile and oppresse our spirituall fathers when we loue not their persons maintaine not their right receiue not their suites and heare not their supplications though they were against our owne selues if we iustly deserue them but of this matter we haue spoken in the first and second chapters Thirdly by this we learne that publike Iudges Iustices and iudgements should be defended by publike authoritye for as these Iudges fate in the gate where the munitions were that if any should refuse them they had power and strength to compell them euen so if men of wisedome haue not authority who seeth not y t euery disordered person doth contemne them But if they haue authority and do not shew it in punishing offendors without feare or fauor of men they are like to Saul whē God had commanded him to kill the Amalekits spare neither man womā child or beast aliue yet contrary to this cōmandement he saued king Agag but the Lord refused him and cast him out of fauour and Agag was hewen in peeces by the prophet Samuell euen so it is to be feared that there are a great many Saules in euery place whose affections stand for law sparing their friends for fauour and great men for feare who are likewise reprobated of the Lord and rebuked by his ministers And heere we haue good occasion to be thankefull to the Lord which hath giuen our Magistrates this power that all things are done in the name of the Prince and assisted by the countrey for the punishment of offendours and I pray God increase more obedience to their authoritie in others and more courage in themselues to strike asunder with the sword of iustice the indissoluble knots of iniurious and contentious persons and to giue the offendours their deserued reward Then heere we haue Boaz sitting in the iudgement place as one that was not ashamed of his lawfull cause
and the Lord which guideth all things and would now reward the religion of Ruth bringeth the other kinsman to the sight of Boaz who calleth him and he commeth at the request of Boaz and there tarieth and sitteth downe where we will leaue him and goe to the second part which is the witnes of this conference Then Boaz tooke ten men The witnesses of the actions which are to passe in this place we heare in these words to be ten men of the elders of the Citie there are onely ten in my iudgement because euery Citie of the Israelites had twelue gouernors according to the number of the tribes of Israell to whome appertained the ordering of all ciuill causes among them for they medled not with religion now it is very likely that Boaz and this other kinsman being men of so great kindred and wealth were two of the number of the elders who being the parties in suite had the residue of their fellowes to be witnesses of the actions that passed betweene them And this interpretation is confirmed by the diligent examination of the place for it is said that Boaz tooke them as if he were equall or greater in authoritye then they and the other being a man of great wealth as appeareth by this that he was willing to redeeme the inheritance of Naomi which could be no small charge considering the late troublesome dayes and after we shall heare in the 6. verse that he would not take Ruth for feare his owne name should be put out in Israell whereby appeareth his calling not to be meane beside his linage which was to the greatest house in Iudah by the which it must needes follow that he was an elder or ruler among them which being plaine both by this and other places of scripture that the ciuill gouernment of the people was exercised by elders and that the elders themselues could do nothing without the consent of their fellowes We see heere noted vnto vs this excellent doctrine namely that men in authority and gouernment must exercise nothing without the due execution of their owne law and decrees we see heere this Boaz a man of great authoritye and lead by the spirit of God hauing a cause for himselfe would not desire or goe about to accomplish it but in the iudgement seate and presence of the elders so that no fauour of persons may breake the course of iustice whereby a common wealth is ruled Some thinke it a base thing that great men shall stand to be iudged in the place of common persons and I thinke it as great a fault that common persons should haue any accesse to Magistrates to be iudged by them for as it debaseth their estate to be ioyned with these iudgement so it troubleth their quietnes to be iudges ouer thē But some and they of the greater sort which haue the law in their owne hands deale with it as Iudah did when it was told him that his daughter Thamar was with child then there was nothing but fire and fagot to punish her for her whoredome till she shewed him that he was the man by whome it came as Nathan did with Dauid but then the heate of the fire was well cooled when himselfe was found to be the greatest offendor euen so many deale against the weaker and poorer sort the lawes are executed to the vttermost but the rich and wealthy which offer all the iniurye gather all the friendship which is not onely a fault to others but in their owne consciences for how can they iudge another when the same offence condemneth themselues and therefore as there was one generall place of iudgement so there was but one common manner of triall like as God iudgeth the rich and poore so a good Magistrate should equally receiue both and be as willing to be iudged themselues as to giue sentence vpon other Secondly by this example of Boaz and the elders of Bethlehem we obserue that in our publike busines we must resort especially to the Magistrates euen in those things that require nothing but record and witnes-bearing This Boaz might haue gotten some of his priuate friends before whome he might haue effected the matter but we see him heere the sollicitour of his owne cause and craueth no friendship but the witnes of the elders by the which this doctrine is confirmed and therefore our Sauiour hauing clensed a leper biddeth him goe shew himselfe to the Priests for a witnes vnto them and for this cause it was commaunded in the law that the waighty matters should be brought before the Priests for Magistrates must heare as well the conclusions of peace as the contentions of disquietnes betweene man and man Wherein we are bound to render most humble and earnest thanks to almighty God who hath vouchsafed vs this blessing that the contracts of matrimony the conueyance of possessions the redeeming of morgaged lands the records of inheritances and the purchase of euery lawfull thing remaineth written in the seuerall courts and offices of credit that they might be euerlasting testimonies for the posterities succeeding Afterward Boaz said Boaz like a wise man concealeth his minde from the elders and kinsman till they were all quietly set together and then he beginneth with one part of his suite telling his kinsman of the land of Elimelech which was to be redeemed by his neerest kinsman the which Boaz propoundeth but very obscurely that thereby he might thoroughly try his minde and good will toward Naomi and making it knowne in the presence of the elders he might by no meanes recall his word And this teacheth vs not only innocent vprightnes but also godly pollicy that we be carefull for the speaking in iudgement so much as may further our iust and lawfull cause and not hinder it For thus dealeth Boaz he did not at the first shew the drift and secret of his minde which was the mariage of Ruth whereof as yet he speaketh nothing but beginning the matter with the redemption of the lands coloureth the mariage by the restoring of the inheritance for by this meanes he openeth the secrets of his kinsmans heart that he bore some good will to the cause of Naomi but of this matter inough Wherefore I determined In the former verse and in this Boaz propoundeth the matter to his kinseman testifying thereby that of duety and conscience he did it in the behalfe of the widdow and requireth him for his duetie and conscience to perfourme the part of a kinseman which is either to redeeme the right or to render it vp shewing that beside them two there is not one that was bound vnto it and also promising that if he refused then he himselfe would discharge that duetie Where we see first of all a holy example teaching vs to deale with our neighbours for our selues or for other euen as Boaz did in this place for he might haue charged his kinsman that he had no loue or care to Naomi that he had omitted his duetie