East and West North and South all the children of Abraham to enioy the presence of his Maiestie the inheritance of his kingdome and the end of their faith the saluation of their soules Pharez begat Hezron Now we will briefely giue you the exposition of the names so make an end of this Historie Pharez or rather Peretz in Hebrue signifieth a diuision and the occasion of this name was because of the two twinnes in the wombe of Thamar he first of all brake foorth and therefore they called him a diuision from the time of his birth hee was borne in the land of Canaan Hezron or Chetzron which was also borne in the land of Canaan and the Sonne of Peretz who was borne about the time that the Israelites went into Egypt and signifieth in our English tongue the arrow of ioye for till the Israelits went into Egypt they endured a great famine which â—zechiel calleth the arrowe of famine and when they were deliuered from this famine by going into Egypt for corne this child being then borne he was called the arrow of ioy as the famine is called the arrowe of sorrow as a remembrance of the mercie of God to them in giuing them bread Ram was the Sonne of Chetzron and was borne in Egypt about the time of Iacobs death when the children of Israel began to be hated of the Egyptians and therefore they called him Ram which signifieth in our English tongue cast downe or cast off because they then began to bee afflicted and saw no doubt great misery like to fall vpon them and they should be cast downe so soone as either the king or Ioseph should bee dead Haminadab the Sonne of Ram was also borne in Egypt about the time of Iosephes death when he tolde the Israelites that the Lord would visite them and deliuer them from the Egyptians and it signifieth in our English tongue a people that would be free being compounded of two words wherein the Israelits testifie the hope of their deliuerance that although they were now in thraldome yet they should bee in freedome againe Nahashon or Nachschon the Sonne of Haminadab was also borne in Egypt a little before the departure of the Israelites when hey cryed grieuously to the Lord for their affliction which they endured in Egypt vnder the Taxe-masters and it signifieth a crying or complayning thereby noting in the name of the child that hee was borne in affliction which might put him in minde of his Fathers miserie this man when the children of Israel were gon out of Egypt and pitched their tents in wildernesse of Sinai was by election or appointment of God made the Prince of the whole Tribe Salmon or Shalmon the Sonne of Nachschon was borne after the Israelites were departed from Egypt while they wandered in the desert and were deliuered from the Amalekits and other their enemies and his name signifieth peaceable because they liued then peaceably being freed from the Egyptians and other calamities this man married with the victualer Rachab of Iericho of whoÌ„ he begat Boaz. Boaz signifieth in strength who was born about the time of the deliuerance of y e Iewes from the tyrannie of the Moabites by the hand of lame Ehud by which meanes they got strength and remained a long time in peace Obed signifieth a seruant who was borne as wee see in Ephratha Bethlehem his mother being Ruth the Moabitesse the women gaue him this name because hee shoulde serue for the raysing vp of Elimelechs family the restoring of Naomies life and the comfort of his parents Boaz and Ruth Ischai or Ishai the Sonne of Obed signifieth an oblation and was borne about the daies of Iipthach and it may bee had his name giuen by reason of the vowe of Iipthach when he went against the Hammonites that he would offer the first liuing thing that met him after he returned with y e victorie whervpon his daughter meeting him she liued in perpetuall virginitie Dauid the youngest Sonne of Iischai who no doubt was borne in the time of Heli signifieth beloued because commonly the youngest are best loued or else his name did prophesie that hee should be so loued of God with whom he would establish his couenant concerning Christ and aduance him to the kingdome By which wee may plainely see that this Historie was written after he was chosen from his brethren and anoynted to be king after Saule or else the eldest Sonne of Iischai should haue beene named because the birth-right belonged to him Lastly by this we may gather that the foundation of the Gospell must be searched for in the olde Testament for this Genealogie as all the other of Christ is taken from thence and the Apostle defining the Gospell saith that God had promised it before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures that is in the olde Testament and therefore it was needfull for Mathew to begin his Gospell with the Genealogie of Christ from Abraham and Dauid who had most liuely promises of his incarnation also Marke and Luke begin with Iohn Baptist who was the promised Eliah and the forerunner of Christ according as before it was prophesied and Iohn fetcheth it from the creation and beginning of the worlde as it appeareth in the entraunce of his Gospell By which we may see the hope of the Fathers for the comming of Christ to be the same with ours and had the liuely promises thereof reuealed in the law and the Prophets Secondly the heauenly agreement that is betweene the olde Testament and the new for there he was promised thence he was proued to be the Messiah all the Prophets giue witnesse vnto him now he is exhibited humbled and aduanced to the highest degree the gouernment heauen and earth sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for his Saints working in the calling of his seruantes with the ministerie of his worde disposing all things to the damnation of the wicked and the saluation of the godly Now let vs giue praise to God FINIS Gen. 1.1 Esay 1.1 Iere. 1.2 Eph. 1.1.2 Math. 2.1 Mar. 1.3.4 Luke 1. â— Iudg. 2.18 21 25 Pro. 20.30 1. Ki. 14.16 16 2.3.4 1 Kin. 18 35 37. Hos 7.14.13 Ier. 44.19 1. Kin. 18 17 1. Kin. 18 15.17 Psa 127.5 Mat. 25.3 Mat. 21.30 Ioh. 15.2 Ioh. 10.14 Ge. 31.34 Pro. 7.22 Mat. 3.10 Reu. 18.4 Num. 16.12.32 Hos 6.1.2 Deut. 28.23.24 Dan. 6.9 Psal 12. â—6 Ps 145.17 2. The. 1.6 Eze 18.26 1. Pe. 4.17 Heb. 12.6 Mat. 25.48 Eze. 5.16 1. Sam. 24 14.15 Ge. 12.10 Gen. 26.1 Ge. 41.30 2. Sam. 21 1. 1. Kin. 18.2 2. King 6.25 Act. 18.28 Am. 8.11 Ios 19.15 Ge. 35.19 Math. 2.1 Chap. 15. 1. Kin. 22 34. Psa 29 6.6.8 Psa 149 8 Psa 113 7 Exo. 10.22 Exod. 11.29 2. Kin. 25 10. Gen. 2.24 Gen. 12. â—1 8. Gen. 26.1 Gen. cap. 42 43.44 1. Tim. 5.8 Gen. 6.1 Pro. 5.18 Psa 37.35 Psal 17.14 Psal 73.4 Ver. 12 Iob. 21.7 Ier. 12.1
flesh but that which is most miserable the mothers to succour theyr stomackes and bodies with the slaughter and eating of their owne children VVhat heart of Adamant would not weepe yea rather bleede at the sight heereof And yet beholde a greater famine than all these Is it possible yea verily a famine of the worde of God when men shall goe from one sea to another and from the North to the East running to seeke the word of God shall not find it In that daie shall fall both the fayre virgins the young men which sweare by the idols of Schomron saie As thy God liueth O Dan and as the God of the waie of Beershebah liueth they shall fal neither shall they euer rise vp again Is not this greater than the famine of bread There was neuer famine so great but if liberty were giueÌ„ the famine was eased but in this they shall haue libertie to runne too and fro and shall not bee releeued There was neuer anie famine wherewith men were so hunger-starued but some recouered but in this sayeth the Lorde They that fall shall neuer rise agayne Oh that the open contemners of God his woorde woulde drinke but one droppe for a tast of these fearefull iudgementes I am perswaded that the heat of greedie sinne woulde bee so cooled in them that they shoulde recouer the health of their soules which will neuer bee tyll of open prophaners they become publike professours But of all these famines there is but one cause which is the abuse of the creatures of God for so the equitie of iustice requireth that in the same thing wherein they sinned they shoulde bee punished Like as the theese was bound for that which hee stole to restore foure folde Fulnesse of bread was one of the sinnes of Sodome and they vnderstoode not from whome they had it because they were vnmerciful to the poore and therefore abused it by vnthankfulnes And this is a worthie doctrine to bee vrged in our dayes wherein our abuse is greater than our want and yet our want is such as hath not beene heard of these many yeeres The couetous seller keepeth in his corne and draweth vppon himselfe the curse of the poore saying it is scantie it is scantie vvhen his garners are full Is not this to tell that the Lorde his hande is shortned when in deede it is lengthened Is not this to say thou openest thy hande and fillest vvith thy blessing euerie liuing thing Nay you plainely accuse the Lorde of illiberalitie Oh detestable crueltie vvho for to fat vp their owne posterityes vvyll murther the bodyes of manye thousandes of pouertieâ— yea this is more cruell than murther in the sight of God VVhy deale you not playnely and saie the Lorde hath giuen abundaunce yet your price must bee raysed so you shoulde speake truelye and excuse the liberalitie of the Lorde in accusing your owne couetous desires But oh vvretchednesse you wyll not laye the faulte vppon the guiltie you iustifie the couetous whome the Lorde abhorreth and condemne the innocent liberalitie of him vvho giueth to all freely and casteth none in the teeth Another sorte there are more viler than thase who of this great want vvhich if the Lorde suffer to indure vvyll turne to extreme famine yet they will spend more vpon one to make him dronke than vpon one dozen of poore folkes These are the tiplers alesellers dronkards the very caterpillers of our countrey who like the horse leache are euen sucking and neuer satisfied and these onely consume much that other should not be contented with it Of these both cities and countreyes are replenished and the magistrates suffer them with little or no punishment at all but if the poore preachers rebuke the folly their safety is indangered by this rauenous brood who are not ashamed to giue rayling yea threatning speeches And magistrates seruants are in greatest fault who are not onely partakers of this vnseasonable drinking but also deale priuatly with theyr maâ—sters that those which are complained might escape vnpunished Thus are the poore vnrelieued the countrie vnprouided the people vnanswered the wicked vnpunished the commonwealth vnreformed the godly vncomforted and the iudgments of God haled downe vppon vs that we might be euerlastingly confounded There went a certaine man Now are we come to the persons that traueled which is the second part of this verse which we shewed you ended in the second verse they are first generally described in this verse and after specially by name in the next verses They are of two sorts first the parents Elimelech Naomi secoÌ„dly the children Mahlon and Chilion who are all described by the place from whence they went Bethlehem Iudah it is so called because there was another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun and this is that Bethlehem which in Genesis is called Ephratha therefore these persons are in these two verses called Ephrathits of the place where afterward Christ was borne Then it is apparaunt by the booke of Iosuah that the tribe of Iudah had the fruitfullest posession in all the land of Canaan they were the greatest in number the wysest in pollicy the richest by inheritance yet we see when the scourge of God came the famine inuaded their countrie and crope into the wals of Bethlehem and made the wealthiest among them to flie yet this Elimelech which was as appeareth by his consanguinity of the princes of the whol tribe such is the vehemency of the Lords arrowes when he shooteth them abroad that if king Achab were in his chariot in the middest of his host yet one of them shall giue him a mortall wound The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs that if the Lord suffer his plague to continue he will strike downe the chosen men in Israel the chosen men in England yea the noblest among vs who thinke themselues in greatest securitie can he easily bring to greatest misery Therfore you whose heads the Lorde hath aduauncted ouer your brethren look to your calling for the voice of the Lord shaketh as well the ceders of Libauns as the little shrubs in the wildernes of Cades it is as easie with him to bind the nobles in chaines and the princes in linkes of yron as to raise vp the poore from the dunghill to the throne Did not his darknesse couer as well the court of Pharao as the countrie of Egypt Was not the first borne of the king destroyed as well as of the poore pesants of the dwellings of Ham Yea when the Israelites were carried captiue to Babylon theyr King had his children slaine before his face his owne eyes put out and after lead in a chaine neither was hee spared for his throne nor you for your dignitie and wealth Oh that you woulde therefore bee warned of your slipperie estate that you might auoide the heauy wrath of God when without respect of persons he shall iudge both quicke and
scripture and seeing we haue brought these strangers to their Inne â—t Moab let vs heare their intertainment those things that happened vnto them after they came thither for the parts wee haue in the beginning set downe which I trust you remember and therefore we will to the words And they continued there This is as much to say as they found entertainment answerable to their expectation they had liberty of residence granted and obtained a place for their dwelling in safety Where wee first note the gentlenes or humanity of these heathen Moabits who had learned by nature this pointe of curtesie which is friendlye to succour poore harbourlesse straungers and no doubte but hee that watcheth the descending of sparrowes on the ground directed this iourney to Moab for the accomplishing of his owne counsell and prepared the heartes of these people with fauour to relieue them For as before he guided the iourney of Abrahams seruant to the citie of Machor where Rebecca was framed hir answere according to his praier eueÌ„ so he coÌ„ducted these to Moab where Ruth was and tempered the hearts of the wicked to giue these pilgrims a dwelling place among them By the which we are taught what friendship or loue we owe to strangers which are come among vs yea though we know not the purpose of their harts yet we must doo good vnto them for the proportioÌ„ of their bodies that is because they are men This is not a law written only in the booke of God but imprinted in the verie nature of euery one Wee see these Moabits do it by nature yet they had no religion in them we know how the king of Fgipt gaue commandement for Abraham that none should hurt him or any of his possessions Read but the Acts of the Apostles you shal see how barbarous nations receiued the church with curtesy and some vppon their reporte beleeued the doctrine of Christ What shall we then say to this beastlike behauiour of many among vs who will hardly permit poore Christian straungers to harbour among vs if it were not for that they are men the children of Adam like our selues yet because they call vppon the name of Christ being of the household of sayth let vs doe good vnto them But some will say what shall wee doe vnto them if they will not ioyne with vs in our religion I answere none must bee of Abrahams familye but those which wil be circumcised that is none must dwell with thee but such as wil be of thy profession Yet thou maiest for humanity or curtesy receiue a Turke or a pagan a Iew or an infidell papist or heretike to talke or table for a night or a small time so thou kepe they selfe from his pollutions So did Iacob feast his idolotrous father in law and kinsmen when they pursued him to the mount of Gilead with purpose to hurt him and our sauiour Christ biddeth vs to feede our enimies and to giue them drinke if they thirste So did Elischah to the host of Sirians who being sent to take him yet when he had taken them and lead them to the city he suffered the king to do them no hurt but refreshed them with meat and drinke and sent them away in safety For our outward curteous receuing of infidels is like coales of fire to draw them in loue with our inward religion we know how the Lord commaunded the Iewes to be good vnto strangers because they were strangers in Egipt We know how the Lord commendeth the stranger Samaritan beyond the priest and the leuite beccause he succoured the poore wounded Iewe which had fallen among theeues And truely wee our selues may bee strangers in other Countreies therefore let vs doe good vnto them now that we may receiue the like of them againe for this is the law and the prophets Then Elimelech when they had escaped one daunger they fell into another sorrow when by the mercifull kindnes of the Lord they were ioyntly come togither into Moab and there quietlye seated scaped the arrowes of famine by the hand of God the father of the family the nerest and derest vnto them dieth in plenty Where we note the verie lot of all the godly namely that the end of one sorrow is the beginning of another like the drops of raine distilling from the top of a house when one is gone another followeth like a ship vppon the sea being on the top of one waue presently is cast downe to the foote of another like the seede which being spread by the sower is hanted by the foules beeing greene and past their reache is endaungered by forste and snow being passed the winter â—s hurt by beasts in sommer being rype is cut with the sickle threshed with flaile purged in the floore ground in the mill baked in the ouen chewed in the teeth and consumed in the stomacke This made Dauid say Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth out of all But be not discomforted oh my brethren for thorough many afflictions must we enter into the kingdome of heauen and by affliction we are made like to the sonne of God But to the matter We see here their sweet fellowship is preuented by death which in deed is the end of al worldly friendship This is a good lesson for all worldlings to remember how the Lord disappointeth all their purposes and ouerthroweth their counsells more vainer then vanity The merchant hauing obtained his banke promiseth rest and security to himselfe the husbandman hauing gathered his fruits neuer doubteth but hee shall spend them prouideth for more the Gentleman comming to his landes thinketh his reuenewes and pleasant life will indure alway like the apostles when Christ was transfigured in the mount presently they would builde tabernacles of residence but as the cloude came betwixt them and heauen and bereaued them of their purpose euen so sodainly will death come and depriue you of your profits call the marchant from his banke the husbandman from his farme the Gentleman from his lands the noble man from his honour the prince from his kingdome the Lady from her pleasures as this Elimelech was sodainly from wife and children Secondly by these words we note the goodnes of God toward both the dead man and also wife and children for no doubte but they all desired to bee seiled in some place or other and here the Lord suffereth the husband with wife and family to bee quietly feared before their separation He might haue called him away in his iourney as he was comming then oh how would it haue grieued hoth him and them him to leaue a poore comfortles widdow and children behind without dwelling or maintenance for home again they could not returne by reason of the famine and to goe forth on the iourney without a guide was like as if a ship were set on the sea without a mariner Therefore in suffering them all to
come safe to Moab and there to liue till they got fauour and dwelling and also maintenance was a singular fauour of the Lord towards both that howsoeuer they were afflicted yet they were not lefte destitute And this teacheth vs that in al our afflictions we receiue especiall blessings at the hands of God for this end that we should not bee swallowed vp of sorrowe There is no sicknesse but it is eyther short and sharpe or els tedious and light if it bee sodaine and verie extreame the continuance of it is but short if it belong and tedious it hath some time of ease some time of more quietnes so that in all our miseries we may say with the godly If the Lord had not bene on our side we had bene swallowed quick he tempereth the sodainest showres with least continuande and the longest winter hath many faire dayes Be strong therfor my brethren and sisters for sure the Lord will stablishe your hearts feare not all the daungers of the world though as many troubles compasse vs as there were Sirians about Eliseah yet lifte vp your eyes there are many thousands more with vs then are against vs. He that suffereth none to bee tempted aboue their power will not lay more vppon vs then we are able to beare but as he wrestled with Iacob with one hand he held him vp with the other so though hee afflict with one arme he shall sustaine with the other Which tooke them wiues Now we are come to the childrē the holy ghost expresseth the frendship which they receaued of the Moabits after the death of the father which is their mariage with their daughters Where first of all it may be demanded in this place seeing the Lord forbideth all strange mariages whither these sons of Elimelech did not offend against this law we know that the vnmaried are at liberty to mary whom they will onely in the Lord now the Moabits were heathen people and strangers from God his couenant and therefore these persons maried not in the Lord. To which I answere briefly that the Lord forbiddeth mariages with infidells for two causes first when wee may lawfully and without daunger ioyne our selues to them that are godly and wil presumptuously for worldly respects run to the daughters of men secondly that wee should refraine from all such mariages where wee are like to bee drawne away from our profession as wee see in Salomon But these sonnes of Elimelech offended in none of these For first they were now straungers and had no other choise and secondlie it appeareth by that which followeth that they were both well perswaded in religion For as Moses marryed a Madianitish woman and was blamelesse and Salman the sonne of Nahasson the prince of the Iewes maried with Rahab which both were the parents of Boaz mentioned hereafter and was faultles nay it was done by the permission of Iosuah therefore lawfull euen so these straunge Iewes moued with the same reasons chused the like mariages But some wil say the Iewes which had maried strange wiues in the captiuity of Babilon might haue alledged this against Nehemiah that they were in captiuitie had no women to take but strangers To the which I answere if they had so obiected they had spoken vntrueth and so would Nehemiah haue replyed for there were Iewishe women captiues as well as men and further I say that this their marying of strange women was the cause of the destruction of many Iewish women who being forsaken of their owne people must of necessity bee maried to infidells which could neuer returne to Ierusalem Again these sons of Elimelech by their mariage gayned greater fauour of the Moabits but especially the hande of God was in it that when they both should be dead Ruth might be maried to Boaz and be made a mother of Christ First therfore we note out of this that as these Moabits were kind to the father in giuing him residence so they were louing to the sons in giuing them wiues a notable example of humane curtesy giuen vnto vs by these heathens that we with the like fauour should entertaine strangers But manie couetous parents in these dayes which would be accompted Christians are so farre from doing this vnto strangers that they will hardly doe the like to their natural Countriemen rather imitating that vngodly Laban who made marchaundise of his daughters then godly Caleb in beestowing them on Othniell be he neuer so poore if they haue deserued well of Church or cōmon wealth rather desiring to aduance their postiritie in the glory of the world thē to discharge their duetyes in the presence of God They will say they ayme at this the feare of the Lord when as if they had matched their children with Turkes or infidells they would not or could not be more profane then those sauing onely these are outwardly obedient to a Christian prince that they might with more libertie followe theyr licentious Atheisme when as peraduenture the other woulde not so dissemble so that goods and not goodnesse the worlde and not the woorde earthly vanitie and not heauenly felicitie our parents ayme at But what shall wee saie to them that force theyr children not onely to match agaynst theyr mindes but to marrie with publike papists and knowen recusants onely for thinges of this lyfe Truely I aunswere that it is agaynst these that the Lorde speaketh when hee sayth You shall not take theyr daughters to your sonnes nor giue your daughters to theyr sonnes but as they haue marryed wythout the counsell of the Lorde in murdering the fruites of theyr owne bodyes euen so they shall prosper wythout the blessing of God in confounding the soules of theyr owne posteritie and as the children of the Iewes which were borne of strange women were separated from the newe founded temple euen so these shall bee excluded from the euerlasting Ierusalem And they tarryed there This time of theyr abode in Moab signifieth the great continuance of this miserie First for the Iewes at home who indured famine and secondly for these abroade which liued among Infidels tenne yeeres together It is a fearefull thing wyth vs that wee haue but one yeeres famine oh then wee thinke that the Lorde hath forgotten to bee mercifull But we haue heard alredie of famines of great continuance that in Iosephs time was seauen yeeres together that in Dauids time was three yeeres and a halfe and this miserie lasted tenne yeeres together Wherein many godly persons dyd patiently indure it Howe is it then that for this lyttle dearth among vs there are so great exclamations for corne and plentie such horrible blasphemies agaynst the Lorde himselfe saying Shall this indure alwaie Was there euer anie poore people thus afflicted Is this the fruit of the Gospell Are these the fauours of God and his righteousnesse in keeping his promise with such lyke too horrible to bee suffered as if the
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
the time permit Now Naomies husband In this verse is contained the description of Boaz vppon whome the whole historie following dependeth This Boaz was the sonne of Salmon who was sonne to Nahasson the prince of the hoast of Iudah the mother of Boaz was Rachab the harlot which receiued the spies of Israel into her house at Iericho as we see in Mathew and is commended for her faith by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes So that euerie waie wee see this dignitie commended vnto vs if we looke for birth his grandfather was the chiefe of the princely tribe of Iudah if for authoritie he was sayth this scripture of great power if for wealth his inheritance must needes bee great who was deriued of such noble ancestours and the reaping of his corne lasted to the end of all haruest the chief of all his religion is excellently commended vnto vs in the text and historie following So that we haue not to deale heere with meane and base personages being all of a kindred howsoeuer some are soner come to decay then other but out of this wee learne many profitable lessons First that seeing Boaz and Elimelech are said to be kinsmen as those which are desceaded from the same predecessors or ancestry wee are admonished of the frailty and vanity of worldly dignity that howsoeuer parents prouide for the maintenance of posterity yet the Lord must dispose the decay of their children Here we see poore Naomi hath a wealthy and an honourable kinsman yet shee a destitute and a desolate widdowe Her husband and shee were no meane persons but vndoubtedly both descended of noble familyes the yeares were but few since the death of Iosuah vnder whom the inheritance of euery tribe was giuen by lot and all the Iewes Israelits wealthy possessors yet see this godly Naomi is faine to liue of the gleanings of her daughter which neither her parents nor her husband did euer thinke vppon Beholde therefore as in a glasse the perfect image of temporall felicyty the father a king the children beggers the father honourable the sonne not worshipfull the predecessors the chiefest in authority but the successors the meanest in calling this made the fathers thinke that the world was like the sea heere a mighty waue and there a great downefall some thought it to be like ise where a man can neuer stand sure but the one will bee breaking or hee bee slyding some like to trees whereof the tallest are soonest ouerturned but all agree in this that worldly felicity is miserable vanitie For our present wealth is like a pleasant summer which must needes come to an end though all the world should striue to the contrary it was accounted to king Dauid for a specyall blessing of God vnto him and none other that shee shoulde not bee without a sonne to sit on his seate if his posteritie would obserue his commaundements yet wee see in Ioseph and Mary the mother of Christ beeing both of his ofspring how they could not obtaine in his owne citie a chamber to lie in but were faine to lodge in a stable so that this is not onely to the wicked but to the dearest saints of God Adam continued not still in paradise but was cast out that his felicity might bee heauenly and not earthly euen so the posterity of the righteous are brought into pouerty that they set not their mindes vppon temporall glory Therefore the Lord doth heere correct vs with pinching pouerty that there wee shoulde not with the world be condemned for delighting in vanity Then by this we learn humilitie in our wealth and worship honour and dignitie Set not vp your homes so highe sayth Dauid and if riches encrease set not your hearts vppon them for the Lorde resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and meeke Wee read of stately kings and Emperours which haue beene caste from throne to the foote stoole of wealthy persons which in one houre haue beene vtterly vndone but of children whose parents were honourable riche many thousandes brought to perpetuall slauerye If you feare not your owne estates yet care for your posteritie and make much of them whome now you see cast downe the poore the destitute the despised the miserable for if Ionathan in his honour make of Dauid in his humilitie when Dauid commeth to his kingdome hee will aduaunce his ofspring to his owne table euen so if you make much of them that are poore nowe when you shall bee humbled in your posterity the Lord shall prouide for your issue by these that haue beene fauoured by you The wheele of the world runneth round sometime that which was lowest is highest and that which was highest is made lowe againe So bee you assured the Lord aduanceth dayly out of the dust to set with princes therefore make you friendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when you shall haue neede they may receiue you into their euerlasting habitations Distribute liberally giue plentyfully line peaceablie walke humbly for the wealth of the world doth not alway last neither the crowne from generation to generation Secondly by this we gather that the godly may safely enioy great possessions of the blessing of God be exceeding rich men but some will say indeede they may be wealthy but with the hazarde of their soules for Christ sayth How hardly shall they which haue riches enter into the kingdome of God it is easier for a cable to go thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Then if the danger of it bee so great the poorest condition is the safest welfare I grant you but Christ speaketh of carnal wealthy which make their goods their God as after he saith those that put their trust in their riches Of this sorte the world was neuer fuller as on the contrary of the other there was neuer fewer you shall haue them in all places which speake against the Gospell because it is an enimy to their liuings and offices promotions and honors like Demetrius for Diana a heathen deuill you shall haue other that will offer largely to the Gospell like the young man that came to Christ but when it toucheth a litle greater cost then farwell religion But this is the faulte of the men not of their wealth and yet I am persuaded that there are many wealthy Abrahams which will giue of the tenthes of their possessions to the heauenly Melchisedech Iesus Christ many Lots that will harbour the angels of God and rather wishe violence to their own daughters then to the righteous and finally like to this Boaz in riches religion of whom wee dayly pray the Lord increase the number Thirdly we see in this Boaz an excellent example of the reward of religion and faith for we haue heard that hee was the sonne of Rachab which receiued the spyes of Iosuah who afterwarde was married to Salmon the son of Nahasson by
This I speake not to stirre vp the mindes of any against their parents but with the Apostle I exhort and commande that euery one obey their parentes in all thinges lawfull for hee is accursed that doth otherwise but to this ende I vtter it that wee may knowe what is lawfull and what is vnlawfull for the same God which hath commanded that parentes shoulde bring their vnruly sonnes daughters for to bee punished willeth also that they w c do any hurt to their children either in soule to drawe thē from y e Lord or in body as in vnlawfull or vngodly mariages in vnlawful vngodly actions their only rerefuge should be to y e minister of God y e lawful magistrate to whom they owe more obedience then to their owne parents Therefore Paul willeth parents that they prouoke not their children to wrath which is by their tirannous commaundementes to binde their consciences and their cruell authority to murther their mindes For if a priuate subiect may sue agaynst the Prince and craue the lawe much more a sonne or a daughter being grieued by their parentes The vse of this doctrine is to teach and instruct vs first what duetie wee owe to the magistrates who haue greater care and charge ouer vs for the peace of our countrey and publike welfare then parentes for our maintaynance and priuate obedience therefore Paule willeth to pray and giue thanks for the magistrates that vnder them we may liue godly and quiet liues for that is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour whereby wee maye iustly complayne of the slacknes of our vnhappie age wherein men murmure grudge at any charge which ariseth for our prince but especialy that there are so few which in all their liues haue prayed for Prince or Magistrates and if they haue it was but a wishe and no more that they might liue in peace to gather wealth not in godlines for the profite of their soules Again by this all parentes must bee instructed howe to deale with their children that they reygne not like Gods ouer the fruites of their bodyes but intreate them in meekenesse being of yeares of discreation like their fellowe heyres of God his kingdome euen as they wil aunswere to the Almightie who gaue them such issue and to the lawes of our Prince that requireth accompt of them for the chiefest stroke lyeth not in them but in those that gouerne both church common wealth and wee haue already shewed that in some causes it is a glorie for their children to decline from their counselles Lastly all children must herein also bee schooled that with all reuerence they submit themselues to the aduice of their parentes but especially like free men in Christ they listen alway what the word of God saith for that must bee their iudge and parentes also when it shall not goe for payment that they did it for feare of their friendes but they which feare them more then God shall with them bee excluded for euer from God and let vs euermore giue thankes to the Almighty which thus prouideth for our misery to defende our innocency that if wee bee in one place oppressed we may bee redressed in another appointing courtes of appeale from our owne parentes to his owne magistrates Thirdely by this also wee obserue and note when hee saith that this was a sure witnes in Israell that it is a thing required in our religion that of our publike affayres there may bee publike testimonyes as for example our purchasing buying or selling ought by religion and the feare of God to bee done with open and publike witnesse for the better assuraunce to buyers and sellers to auoide deceit in the one and couetousnesse in the other and therefore it was said in the lawe that vnder the witnesse of twoe or three shall euery worde stande And further also there must bee some outwarde signe to seale vp the matter in this place here is the putting of the shooe which signifieth possession and dispossessinge againe the rendring of a mans right to him that hath it Therefore in some places there is vsed striking of handes as the shutting and making vp of bargaines and couenauntes and who knoweth not that in the purchace of Lande there is seisin and deliuery by a peece of earth and a twigge of houses all goe forth and the buyer entreth in alone and there abideth and this I may say is a sure testimony in Englande But you woulde knowe why the Lorde beside the recorde of the magistrates required such outwarde and open signes To which I answere he did it for this cause that the simplest among them might not be deceyued but might haue y t as the euidence of his possession for euermore witnes sayleth magistrates dye people are vnconstant yea and some will falsely sweare and witnesse to any vntruth yet the shooe remayned an euerlasting testimonie Therefore among vs there is writing and seale by the which thinges are confirmed which passed many ages ago and this was taken from the ancient vsage wherein mens names were entred in brasse and stone and the quantity of their possessions described Therefore doth the holy Ghost so precisely set downe the purchase which Abraham made with Ephron where the fielde is named the borders or boundes of it is described the caue is mentioned and the very trees that grew in the same are made sure vnto him the like may bee saide of the stones in mount Gilead that Iacob reared as a witnesse betweene him and Laban and many other which serue to this ende that as Paule sayth Wee shoulde not defraude one another For if hee were accursed that remooued the lande marke of his neighbor what shall they bee which get markes and lands both some by deceyuing some by forged euidence other by false witnes and some force their neighbours wil they nil they to depart from their dwellings and possessions and to leaue them for little or nothing in the clawes of these cormorantes their great possessions require great accomptes and I feare mee when that day shall come they will be as ready to restore as euer Iudas was but it shall bee to late and without fruite for the sentence is already pronounced that fire shall consume their dwellinges and their children or posteritie shall be vagabounds but the righteous shall haue the land in possession Therefore the kinseman This verse sheweth howe the right was resigned first the kinseman giueth Boaz authority when he biddeth him buy it for himselfe and secondly hee renounceth his owne when he pulleth off his shooe Where first of all it may bee demaunded why doth hee plucke off his owne shooe seeing by the lawe the woman shoulde doe it and also spitte in his face as wee haue hearde already Vnto which I briefly aunswere First the law beforesaide wherein the woman was bound to plucke off the shooe and to spit in her kinsemans face was for such as vtterly denied both