durable helpe of true loue euen vertue she hath the Lord to speake for her and to procure her fauour and to cause her to bee beloued This should make women to striue for vertue and to get a good name from it and not for beautie and braue attyre for a good name is better then riches then Eccles 7. 1. Prou. 22. 1. precious oyntment and rather to bee chosen then great riches Let Parents hence learne to bring vp their daughters vertuously it is a good portion and meanes of preferment This may comfort poore maidens which bee vertuous and want friends and goods by a good report yet may they match well let them striue therefore though they want goods yet to get grace and good conditions as pietie and Religion in heart and modestie in countenance apparell and gesture let them preserue chastitie and not bee giuen to youthfull company let them bee skilfull in good huswifrie painfull also and industrious hauing power to gouerne the tongue if thus they be beautified and enriched they haue a better portion then many pounds and faire enough to the wise in heart so as they will giue a good man contentment for beauty is fading Prou. 31. 30. and fauour deceitfull and vaine but a woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised Verse 12. And now it is true that I am thy neere kinsman howbeit there is a kinsman neerer then I. BOaz his information of Ruth wherein shee was somewhat mistaken granting the truth that he was a neere kinsman but not the neerest so as here he preuenteth her apprehension of the promise made for taking it absolutely but conditionally as in the next verse more at large hee declareth his mind So that heere is a concession of that which she had spoken of him in vers 9. and withall an instruction touching another neerer then himselfe which she knew not of And now it is true Boaz will not deny a truth for a godly man is a louer of the truth and will yeeld to it when hee heareth it for it swayeth with him which if it so did with euery one it would preuent tedious disputes contentions among the Learned preuent long suites of law put Lawyers to silence in corrupt pleading and saue many pounds contentiously misspent preuent deceit in buying and selling and many other mischiefes which miserably fall out for want of acknowledging the truth which men should and would doe if they hated falshood and lying if they had a hearty loue of the truth if they would cast off pride and the desire of vaine praises and couetousnesse and the greedy desire of gaine for these hinder the truth and where these reigne hardly will truth bee acknowledged as it ought or reigne among men as it should That I am thy neere kinsman Foure things might moue him thus ingeniously to confesse himselfe so nigh a kinsman to those poore women First his loue to the truth so to speake as the thing was Secondly his holy and religious respect vnto the Law of God by authority whereof shee made claime to him Thirdly his humility and vprightnesse of heart not disdaining his godly poore kindred Fourthly her owne vertues and his loue which he bare to her for the same Of rich and poore kinsfolks I haue spoken before in Chap. 2. 20. Here obserue that a louing godly humble and vpright-hearted rich man will readily confesse himselfe of neere kindred to his poore kinsfolke if they be vertuous for vertue maketh them honourable with the vertuous though pouertie make them contemptible to the world And therefore for the poore to get an acknowledgement of them from their rich kindred let them be vertuous that whereas they want goods grace may procure them fauour and respect for poore and lewd are not worthy the acknowledging being contemptible both in body and soule Howbeit there is a kinsman neerer than I. So that the nighest to a right are first to be preferred thereto this is here implied and this reason and equitie will yeeld Therefore Boaz honestly maketh heere mention of this other kinsman to whom Ruth should first haue gone for both Naomi and shee were mistaken in this to come first to Boaz for the right of marrying her yet see how courteously and louingly hee answereth her teaching that such as demand in simple ignorance a matter at our hands as due and yet in some sort not so wee are meekely to informe them and not scornefully to reiect them as great Ones now will doe for a simple errour is pardonable and it is a fruit of goodnesse to informe them in the right and this would preuent contention and strife which otherwise might grow thereupon for want of better information Let this then reproue those which gladly take occasion from such mistakes to laugh at and iest away the parties making themselues very merry with the parties simplicitie though their meaning be both good and honest Verse 13. Tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if hee will performe vnto thee the part of a kinsman well let him doe the kinsmans part but if hee will not doe the part of a kinsman to thee then will I doe the part of a kinsman to thee as the Lord liueth lie downe vntill the morning BOaz his confirmation of his promise before concerning his marrying of Ruth wherein is noted the time when hee will goe about it vpon what condition hee will doe it the confirmation it selfe by solemne oath and his aduice to rest for that night till the morning Tarry this night Boaz deferreth to performe the kinsmans part for a space though very short and seeing it was night and now dangerous for her to goe alone from thence hee aduiseth her to tarry there that night in the floore Note first that vpon reasonable cause that may bee deferred which cannot absolutely be denyed to be done Which may bee of vse to checke the impatient of delay when there may be good reason and iust cause of delaying the matter Secondly that a true and louing friend careth for the safety of such as he loueth Thus Lot tooke care for his guests Michol for Dauids escaping from the hand of Saul so Ionathan in this respect shewed his care and loue to Dauid and Hâ—shâ—â— his friend likewise So did the Disciple care for Pauls safetie for true loue is not Act. 9. onely to doe fauours but to expell iniuries and to preuent dangers from friends Which reproueth the ill friendship of men in these daies for some will see their friends running into euill yet will not care by good counsell to preuent it much lesse being in trouble to seeke their deliuerance if it should haply proue either troublesome or costly for neither of these will these counterfeit friends bestow vpon those they pretend to loue when they stand in need of them Some are worse euen Iudas-like who for gaine will betray their friend or play Achitophels part turne his counsel against him for
affliction and not bee impatient as if God had forgotten Psal 13. 1. 1. Cor. 10. nor murmure lest the Lord punish vs. II. That God hath euer had more specially a people for his owne called his people Thus were certaine called the sonnes of God Gen. 6. Thus after were the Israelites his Deut. 7. 6. and 26. 18. and such be now true Christians 1. Pet. 2. 9. Reu. 18. 4. These he chose not for any merit in them but of his meere loue Deut. 7. 8. Ephe. 1. 4. This should make vs to examine our selues how we be Gods people whether according to Creation or after the worke of Regeneration for these differ from the other greatly in the graces of Gods Spirit and holy conuersation Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26 27. Psal 15. in glorious titles Deut. 26. 19. Exo. 19. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Reu. 1. 6. and in heauenly prerogatiues as in peace with God Rom. 5. 1. in free accesse with a holy boldnesse to God in Christ Heb. 4. in hauing God euer with them Mat. 18. 20. in this blessing that all things worke together for the best to them Rom. 8. and in being a Communion of Saints to whom is belonging the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Wee are therefore to labour to bee of this sort of Gods people III. That corporall food and the necessaries of this life are Gods gift Leuit. 26. 4 5. Deut. 11. 14 15. Hos 2. 8 9. Ioel 2. 19. It is he that maketh the earth fruitfull he giueth raine and with-holds it Osea 2. 8 9. Amos 4. 7. and man without him can doe nothing Psal 127. 2. Hag. 1. 6. Deut. 8. 1â— Praise him for these blessings Ioel 2. 26. in the want of them acknowledge it from God and goe to him pray to him Mat. 6. and this must bee done in an humiliation of our selues for the affliction 2. Chron. 7. 14. Ioel 2. 16 17 19. If wee looke for these blessings we are to serue him because they bee his gift and to such hath hee promised them Leuit. 26. 3. Deut. 11. 13 16. Let this reprooue such as forget God doe not praise him nor serue him for these blessings and let it confute such as ascribe them to the heauens or to the industry of man neuer remembring the precept of Moses Deut. 8. 18. and that saying in Iob 31. 26 27. Verse 7. Wherefore shee went forth out of the place where shee was and her two daughters in law with her and they went on their way to returne vnto the Land of Iudah IN the former verse was Naomi her preparation for her iourney here is her setting forward noting from whence with whom and whither Wherefore That is because she heard of plenty in her countrey which giueth vs this to vnderstand which before I noted that the Churches welfare procureth friends and draweth her old acquaintance to her for prosperity is of an attractiue vertue and men are affected with it this will make Abimelech to seeke to Isaac Gen. 26. 26. and Iobs friends gather vnto him Iob. 42. 11. This should make vs seeke the Churches prosperity yea and make men frugall to preserue their estates for prosperity gets friends though not a few counterfeit and aduersity maketh men to bee forsaken and yet many which might liue well bring themselues by prodigality and lewd courses vnto misery vnworthy they bee of pitty Shee departed out of the place where shee was In what particular place of Moab shee was in is not named though here to bee vnderstood by the name place There was food here as well as in Iudah yet shee would not stay though shee was an old woman hauing poore and weake attendance the iourney somewhat long for her her estate wasted and therefore was shee to returne in a base estate which other perhaps might cast in her teeth for leauing Iudah and going into that idolatrous Moab but all these things did not withhold her from her godly purpose And two reasons may be giuen for this the loue of her owne Countrey and her piety esteeming highly of the means of saluation Whence may be noted I. That there is a loue naturally in euery one to their owne Countrey See it in Iethro Exo. 18. 27. Num. 10. 29 30. and Barzillai 2. Sam. 19. 27. Iacob would returne into Canaan out of Mesopotamia where he had gotten great riches And this loue vnto their Countrey made men to aduenture their liues in defence thereof 2. Sam. 10. 12. Therefore such are vnnaturall who will seeke the destruction thereof II. That corporall meanes cannot keepe the truely religious from the place where God is worshipped if they may enioy the meanes of life in a poore measure Naomi would not stay in Moab though shee in Iudah had nothing to maintaine her but her hands and that Ruth must gleane for bread when they came thither What a change Moses made wee all doe know a crust of bread for the body is better with the food of the soule than all carnall abundance without it And therefore if the choyce of our dwelling be either where bodily plenty is whithout the Word or a poore estate for the body and plentifull instructions for the soules safety let vs chuse this rather then the other Seeke saith our Sauiour for the food Iohn 5. which endureth vnto eternall life which perisheth not And her two daughters in law with her This their accompanying of her argueth Naomi her singular good carriage towards them while her sonnes liued for if shee had beene proud froward and vnkind as some mothers in law haue beene they would haue despised her and shaken her off but we see first how good carriage procureth loue and secondly how true loue sheweth it selfe in the aduersity of a friend Pro. 17. 17. for these 2. forsake not poore old Naomi in this her contemptible estate Thus Ionathan shewed his loue in Dauids trouble and Iobs friends when they sate downe by him for true loue is not tyed to outward respects such loue is false and hollow-hearted the loue of these times We must imitate God in loue to loue euer and chiefely in aduersity for either loue them or not at all Be not as the Shadow which sheweth it selfe only in sunne-shine nor as the Swallow which chatters and sings ouer thy chimney in warme Summer but cannot be seene in Winter Friends onely in appearance shape their loue like to the Deuill who onely maketh a shew of loue to man and is euer sinister in the intendement And they went on their way to returne to Iudah It seemeth by this that the two women came out to returne with Naomi who onely is properly said to returne because she came out of Iudah and they had a purpose to goe thorow with her to the end and to leaue their own natiue soile their parents and friends which was a great degree of loue but yet we may reade that Orpha afterwards gaue ouer
a quiet contented marriage to their comfort Note hence I. That godly and wise friends pray not onely in generall but in particular as they know them to stand in neede for whom they doe pray as here Naomi for good husbands for her daughters in law for wee should take notice of our friends wants and so pray for them and not rest in generals II. Godly mothers in law are hearty well-wishers to their children in law whether they bee such by a former husband departed or by another husband liuing or by the marriage of their children as Naomi is here mother to these for the loue they beare to their husbands and because godly women know themselues to bee Stepmothers stept in to be in stead of naturall mothers and therefore doe make conscience to supply their want which if it be so or ought to be so it reproueth those Stepdames which are vnkind and cruell to their children in law and cannot endure the sight of them III. That second Marriages be lawfull 1. Tim. 5. 11 14. The reason is giuen by the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 9 36. Which confuteth such heretikes as in former times haue denied this contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the example of Abraham in marrying Keturah IV. That husbands are to bee their wiues rest Chap. 3. 1. and they are so called because of the desire of women to marry and because they seeke rest in their marriage and for that louing wiues take rest and contentment in their owne husbands who ought therefore to be rest vnto them which shall bee if they doe loue them as they ought Ephe. 5. 22. if they wisely gouerne them 1. Pet. 3. 7. if they prouide and allow them what is meete according to their abilitie in all decencie and honest contentment if they keepe their faith plight and reioyce in them and with them they cannot but find rest But vnlouing and fierce natures Lamech-like husbands a word and a blow or terrible threats miserable and niggardly Nabals so prodigall and vnthrifty drunken or adulterous husbands are so farre from being poore womens rest as they make them weary of their liues But now if husbands must bee their wiues rest and that they looke for it then wiues must care to make their husbands so to them by willing obedience by meekenesse of spirit very acceptable to God 1. Pet. 3. 4. by seeking to please them by speaking to them in a louing reuerence and to keepe silence when words may offend or not doe good as wise Abigail did by a wise frugall course and good huswisery as the woman in the Prouerbs Chap. 31. Speake not foolishly as Iobs wife to thy husband in his griefe nor mock him not like a barren Michol nor abuse him not as Potiphars wife would haue done her husband nor be impatient for not hauing thine own will as Rachel was but rest in his will and thou shalt find him thy rest Here is also an vse for parents to match so their daughters as they may get husbands as rests for them and this will be when they marry their daughters betime to men of wisedome fit for yeeres not vnfit for birth and estate well agreeing in qualities and good conditions and in religion V. That it is Gods blessing to bee peaceably marryed Pro. 18. 22. and 19. 14. He is the Marriage-maker whosoeuer are the meanes and he is the disposer and framer of their hearts one to another therefore let God herein be sought vnto and let him receiue praises and thankes for such a blessing the greatest corporall comfort in this world Then shee kissed them This action we may find foure-fold Carnall as in fleshly lust Hypocriticall as was Ioahs and Iudas kisse Holy of which the Apostle speakes 1. Cor. 16. 20. or Ciuill as here This was vsed at the meeting of friends Gen. 29. 11. and 33. 4. at their departing Gen. 31. 55. 2. Sam. 19. 39. Act. 20. 37. This was vsed betweene men and men Gen. 45. 15. Exod. 4. 27. 2. Sam. 19. 39. betweene women and women as here in this place and betweene some men and some sort of women as betweene husband and wife in meeting and departing parents and children and nigh kinsfolke Gen. 29. 11. but not strangers nor others not of kindred to auoid the suspicion of wantonnesse It was honestly vsed to testifie loue and vnitie as Isaac did to Iacob Gen. 27. 26. therefore in the Primitiue Church before they receiued the Sacrament they thus saluted Iust Apol. 2. Bezâ—â—â— 2. Cor. 13. one another And they lift vp their voice and wept Here was an answerable affection to the kindnesse of her action her signe of loue was not without loue againe to her for it was not a few silent teares from the eyes but a passion of the heart breaking forth into wailing and weeping so as their voice of mourning was heard An argument of loue and true affection towards her This is rare loue betweene mothers in law and daughters in law in these daies But concerning weeping it is vsed in Scripture I. To expresse sorrow as at the parting of friends Ioseph at his fathers departing Abraham at Sarahs Ioash at Elishas 2. King 13. 14. and when friends must leaue one another though death separate them not as when Ionathan and Dauid parted 1. Sam. 20. 41. And who can but weepe if true loue be there when friends must bid adieu one to another and especially for euer as we may see in Acts 20. 37 II. For very ioy as Iosephs sight of his brethren Gen. 45. 14. and so Iacob at Iosephs comming to him Gen. 46. 29. so did Iacob in meeting with Rachel Gen. 29. 11. Such true louing natures haue beene in the godly in former times but now men are louers of themselues without naturall affection 1. Tim. 3. III. In pitty and compassion from a mercifull heart to behold the miseries of others as Iob did for the poore Chap. 30. 25. Esay for the people Chap. 22. 4. so Ieremy Chap. 4. 19. and 9. 1. and 13. 17. Christ Iesus for the Iewes Luke 19. 41. This is a charitable a holy weeping when men can weepe for the miseries of other corporall but chiefely spirituall as Dauid did because men kept not Gods Law Psal 119. IV. Sometime some will weepe in the apprehension of the kindnesse shewed to them where none but vtmost extremity is deserued 1. Sam. 24. 16. Now if Dauids forbearing of Saul wroght in Saul this passion how should we be moued to consider of Christs loue to vs and our cruelty against him Verse 10. And they said vnto her Surely wee will returne with thee vnto thy people BEfore was noted their affection here is set downe their resolution which was to accompany her and also how farre And they said vnto her All this while they heard her they accompanyed her but no mention of any speech hitherto made vnto her but now necessity compelleth them to breake silence Which though it be
kind that euen as men haue wished so hath the iudgement falne out and therefore let vs not be See the booke called the Theater of Gods iudgements rash with our mouthes herein lest the Lord make vs examples of his iustice If ought but death part thee and mee This is that which shee sealeth with an oath euen to be constant to death and this is the praise of her action Many can begin well but they hold not on to death as did this Ruth Of constant loue I haue spoken before Note further that though nothing else can yet death will diuide friends asunder therefore Ruth doth not except against any thing but death which cannot be auoided This will separate Abraham and Sarah Iacob and Rachel Aaron and Moses Ionathan and Dauid and this Ruth from Naomi but nothing else shall so firmely are faithfull friends vnited and made one I will not complaine here of the leuitie of this age of the inconstancie of mens hearts and how for euery trifle they that seemed to be one become two of a suddaine they will preuent death and seuer themselues before But so much shall suffice for this verse and the constant resolution of Ruth Verse 18. When shee saw that shee was stedfastly minded to goe with her then she left off speaking vnto her HEre is the force and effect of Ruths resolution vpon Naomi and withall the very drift of Naomi her speeches to Ruth concerning her going backe only for triall of her constancie which when shee saw shee ceased to speake thereof any more vnto Ruth So as here is to be noted First the silence of Naomi Secondly the cause thereof This is in the first place the other followeth in the last words of the verse When she saw That is when she perceiued her full resolution then she admitted of her fellowship but not before whence and from whose wisedome we learne That the godly wise are warie in their admittance of others into their company till they well know them Wee see the wisdome of Nehemiah Chap. 6. 2 11 12. of Iacob when Esau offered him kindnesse and of Dauid towards Saul though he both wept and spake him faire hee kept off from him neither would our Sauiour commit himselfe to all his followers Ioh. 2. 24. for mans heart is deceitfull and a shew may bee made of that which is not in the heart indeede therefore should wee learne Christs counsell to be as wise as Serpents with a Doues innocencie lest like a well-meaning Gedaliah without suspicion of euill in others because wee intend none euill in our selues we perish by hypocriticall Ishmaels Ier. 41. 6. Let vs in these fraudulent times trie know and so approue and admit or dislike and leaue men That shee was stedfastly minded to goe with her This is it which held Ruths stedfast spirit she was not of a light and vnstable heart But how savv Naomi this in her By Ruths constant abyding by her promise expressing her minde and by her solemne oath confirming the same promise So then words with an oath and actions agreeing sufficiently may perswade vs of the stedfastnesse of the heart and the inward disposition of the minde of such as shew themseules vertuous And with this should wee rest satiffied as Naomi doth here as it followeth in the next words for charity bindeth vs to thinke the best of such testimonies of promises oathes and actions concurring True it is that all these may be feigned for wicked men will promise sweare and in some sort doe but yet not so as they bee free from guile therein they will promise what they truly intend not they will sweare to be the better credited and lesse distrusted euen when they meane to deceiue because they feare not God and in some things they will be doing in such things as may rather delude than indeede effect what they pretend but not what they secretly intend Such Machiauellians or rather matchlesse villaines there bee in the world But I spake before of such as feare God who are to be beleeued when they take an oath to shew the truth of the heart in that which they doe speake But that we may rest satisfied with an oath wee must obserue these things in the party first see to his life whether such a one feare God then whether hee make conscience of an oath or be an ordinary swearer not regarding an oath and thirdly what doth make him to sweare whether it be hope of gaine some comming towards him or feare or some suddaine passion and not a religious ground as these concurre so may wee beleeue or doubt The words translated was stedfastly minded are in Hebrew Shee strengthened her selfe to wit by her oath By which we may learne that an oath is the strengthening of the mind of him that sweareth to doe that which he hath sworne to doe if it bee lawfull and that the oath was not rashly taken Thus Elisha strengthned himselfe not to leaue Eliah till he was taken vp and Michaiah to performe faithfully his ministerie before and vnto Ahab when he came thither where he was And this is lawfull sometime in great and weighty affaires Wherein wee may feare the fainting of our hearts then with prayer to God to vow our obedience and if iust cause require to vvitnesse by oath our resolution as Ruth doth here and the rest before named But when we haue sworne lawfully then let vs looke to it that we doe not breake it Psal 15. Iosh 9. 19. for God will require it at our hands except it be like Herods oath it is then better broken and to be repented of rather than kept Then she left speaking vnto her To wit of her returning backe againe and of willing her to goe after Orpha vnto her owne Countrey and people and she left off because she saw that Ruth was resolued to go with her without sinister and by-respects for that Ruth could not by such reasons as she had laid before her be made to depart from her being an old poore woman and stranger albeit Orpha did leaue her So then hence note that there is no reason to make further triall where an honest resolution is or may be well discerned for this were folly and also vncharitablenesse to call still into question that which is out of question and to suspect an honest mind which fully sheweth it selfe as far as it can for the present Let vs then learne this wisdome so to trie before we trust and then to trust after sound triall for this is the end therof Againe where we see the mind settled to well-doing let vs not put it to further triall then neede is lest we doe weaken the parties faith and bring the mind into wauering but leaue him to his honest resolution Act. 21. 14. 1. Cor. 16. 12. Verse 19. So they two went vntill they came to Bethlehem and it came to passe when they were come to Bethlehem that all the Citie was moued about them
hope of fauour when he thinkes his friend downe the wind and another like to arise such false and faithlesse hearts may now be found more than enow who also will expose their friend into any danger or losse so they may get or saue thereby Let men therefore learne soundly to try before they too hastily trust the pretended rather then truely intended loue in these dayes for now is falsehood in friendship for that commonly euery man loueth another for himselfe onely as experience sheweth for otherwise true friends will be as Ionathan who valued nothing of a Kingdome for his friend Dauids sake they will be like Hushai in aduising for Dauids welfare as Barzillai in relieuing him in distresse and in shewing him kindnesse when most were against him as Abishai in exposing himselfe into imminent danger for his safetie What friends can be found like the Heathen Mariners to Ionah who in a tempest stroue with all their powers to saue him with danger of all their liues or like the Nurse of Mauricius the Emperours child who offered her owne to be slaine by that bloudie Phocas to preserue her foster childs life the sonne of the Emperour Rare examples worthy imitation but not to be paralelled in these dayes But to returne to Boaz it may be asked Why he would suffer her to be within alone in the floore all night I answer his care of her safetie for hee would rather admit of an inconuenience to himselfe then the danger of a mischiefe to her knowing the wickednesse of the times then Againe it may be he felt in himselfe strength by Gods grace and also a resolution to withstand the temptation because he was a man of yeeres though yet some old are wanton enough because he was a iust man as it is said of Mat. 1. Ioseph the husband of Mary and would preserue right to his neighbour And thirdly for that he had an honest and true intent to marry her if so hee might and therefore hee would not offer her dishonesty though many of vnbridled affections make such oportunities ready motiues to themselues of abasing themselues one with another because forsooth they mind to marry Of which euill in this Booke elsewhere I haue spoken See Verse 14. And it shall be in the morning So Boaz though hee deferred it yet it was but a very little while hee would not long as Naomi saith after delay Verse 18. the matter for a wise man will not bee ouer-hastie yet will hee not neglect but hasten the businesse which hee taketh in hand For the one is the property of Prou. 14. 15. a foole but the other of a man of vnderstanding if so be the matter doe require haste for there be two extremes in businesses to be auoided the one is too great haste where need is not and this is rashnesse punished in good Iosias and in 2. Chro. 35. 22. Numb 14. 40. the heady Israelites the other is too great remisnesse and slackenesse when the matter requireth haste which was Amasa his fault And therefore 2. Sam. 20. 5. the matter is to be considered of and thereby wee may iudge when to make haste and when to take more time and deliberation for that is not rashly attempted which is first vndertaken with good aduice though with speed executed Secondly done seasonably as the circumstances of the time place and persons require Thirdly whē it is done by our calling warrantably When a man faileth in these though hee take time enough hee is but a rash Aduenturer That if hee will performe to thee the part of a kinsman That is if hee will marry thee and raise vp the name of the dead for he is before me by right to take or refuse thee so as if he will haue thee thou canst not refuse him then take him and so an end hereof betweene vs. Though it appeareth many wayes that Boaz had an earnest affection to Ruth yet would hee not wrong the kinsman if hee would haue her for a good and a iust man euen in what hee desires will not wrong another because the Law of righteousnes bindeth Ier. 22. 3. him to iust dealing of which hee maketh conscience So requireth the Law of loue which possesseth his heart which is to loue another as himselfe Matth. 22. 37. Mat. 7. 12. and to doe as he would be done vnto And thus should euery man learne to doe and not to withhold any good from the owner thereof and Prou. 3. 27. to whom it is due In this kind owe nothing to any man neither wrong any for God is an Auenger 1. Thes 4. 6. of all such things Here then come iustly to be reproued such as make no conscience of wronging others of which sort are all these First Theeues and Robbers against which the Prophet and Apostle Zach. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 10. speaketh 2. Partakers with such by counsell command consent prouoking flattery concealing receyuing defending or if it be in our power by not punishing such for such be wicked Psal 50. 18. persons such do hate their owne soules Thirdly fraudulēt persons of which there be these first 1. Thes 4. 6. Leuit. 19. 13. 25. 27. such as pretend law to doe wrong as the Iudge in giuing wrong sentence for by-respects who by the Prophet are called theeues So Lawyers in Esai 1. 23. craftie pleading to ouerthrow iustice and innocencie the Sheriffes in panelling partiall Iuries to pleasure men and all such as be false witnesses or procure their vniust cause to passe by giuing bribes To these may be added deceitfull buyers Prou. 20. 14. Deut. 25. 13 16. sellers in praising or dispraising ouermuch for aduantage in counterfeit wares in false weights and measures So likewise those Villaines counterfeit Bankrupts damnable Theeues Cony-Catchers cheating Gamesters and Gnathonicall Knaues who soothe flatter to gaine by others simplicity and folly Fourthly and lastly such as withhold goods from the owners and will not Leuit. 6. 1. make restitution as in conscience they are bound for so God commandeth and promiseth Ezech. 18. 7 12. mercy to them that restore and threatneth the punishment for not restoring It is a Rule of equitie and iustice that requireth it which is to giue euery one his owne and the Law of nature to doe as wee would be done vnto Yea we haue the practice of the godly to moue vs the sonnes of Iacob Zacheus and Samuel offer it If they had Gen. 43. 21. Luke 19. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 3. St. Aug. in Epi. ad Mac. Danaeus in Eth. lib. 2. cap. 15. Perkins in the pract of Rep. Prou. 3. 28. Mat. 5. 23. Leuit. 6. 5. Ioseph antiq lib. 4. cap. 8. done wrong to any Lastly this is the iudgement of the godly Learned that restitution should be made affirming the sinne not to be remitted except the thing taken away be restored and also that Repentance is not sound
approue of their deferring off to marry but that being yong they should not refuse to marry againe when God should send them fit husbands A godly and wise mother in law like Naomi cannot onely be willing but also will perswade her children in law should marry againe For they know this liberty is graunted them of God and in their owne conscience they know it reasonable and perhaps in others of necessity Shee was not like those mothers in law which after the death of their owne children cannot endure to heare of the second marriage of their children in law whether sonnes or daughters For it grieueth me much Here is the reason giuen why she willeth them to returne and to take husbands againe euen for the griefe of her heart for that seeing them as poore widdowes as her selfe and remembring her sonnes and how little she could doe for them she heauily sustained the griefe and therefore perswaded them to take husbands againe in whom they might haue comfort Note here how the most godly sometime do take their afflictions very heauily as Naomi here so Iob Chap. 3. Ieremy Chap. 20. 9 12. which commeth through weakenesse of faith want of patience want of humility through also the strength of corruption and the aggrauating of the affliction euer looking vpon it but not weighing the will of God the necessity of the crosse and the good which might come thereby Well yet if the best may be much cast downe then let not such as be free not vnder the crosse not knowing how they can beare it censure others for their weakenesse vnder the burthen but rather take notice thereof and be a staffe of comfort vnto them helpe to beare the burthen with them and pray for their patience For your sakes Afflictions are the more grieuous for friends wrapped therein so as one cannot well helpe another Naomi was greatly afflicted but the more shee saith for her daughters miserie with her who losing her sonnes made also them poore widowes Abimelechs destruction encreased Dauids Psalme 52. 1. King 17. 20 21. sorrowes and troubles Eliah not a little grieued for the widowes sorrow with whom he soiourned Acts and Mon. pag. 77 5. a. and so was Luther for the Duke of Saxonie and the reason hereof is true loue which taketh to heart a friends affliction in their owne troubles as Dauid did Abiathars 1. Sam. 22. 22. This grace of true friendship is much to be wished for men now a dayes care not much for their friends miserie if they be in prosperity or if in aduersity with them how they themselues may get out though they leaue their friends as a pawne for themselues yea such villanie is in some men that they will purposely bring their friends into misery to doe themselues a pleasure coozen them to inrich themselues ouerthrow them to set vp themselues That the hand of the Lord. Thus she calleth her affliction the hand of the Lord because all afflictions come by the power and prouidence of God as by an hand vpon vs Iob 1. 21. and 16. 12. Lam. 1. 12 17. Amos. 3. 6. and 4. 6 7 11. 2. Chro. 15. 6. Esay 45 6 7. For afflictions come not out of the dust neither do troubles spring out of the ground Iob 5. 6. Let then all afflictions bee acknowledged to be Gods hand not as chance with the Philistims not of the Deuill witches and ill instruments If we acknowledge them with Iob from God we will goe to him humble our selues before him pray for pardon and deliuerance by him as who onely can deliuer vs yea this will make vs patient vnder the crosse this will worke some contentment and say It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good This will make vs quiet towards the ill instruments as Dauid was towards Saul and towards Shemei This will comfort vs vnder the affliction when we know it to be Gods hand and that out of his fatherly mercy he will lay no more vpon vs then we shall be able to beare Is gone out against mee This good woman applieth the whole crosse to her selfe The godly in cōmon calamities take themselues to be especially chastised they put not off the cause to others but take it to themselues as Dauid did 1. Chr. 21. 17. 2. Sam. 24. 27. They thinke vpon their own sinnes and not on other mens misdeeds This is that which humbleth them and this is it which would humble vs which grace we must labour for Verse 14. And they lift vp their voice and wept againe and Orpha kissed her mother in law but Ruth claue vnto her HEre is the euent and effect of Naomies speech againe first ioyntly in both which was againe their passion and then distinctly shewed in contraries in Orphaes valediction and Ruth remaining still with her mother in law And they lift vp their voice and wept againe Againe their passion of teares is recorded both alike in passion of affection but farre differing in the truth of the action the best demonstration of the heart for in both was a like shew of loue in their weeping yet not the like cōstant coniunction of heart towards Naomi for the one forsooke her and the other abode and went on with her Whence we may see that all outward sorrow giueth not certaine witnesse of the soundnesse of the heart this is plaine by this example and by Sauls weeping to Dauid As this is true in men so more in women who haue teares at command Doe we not reade how the Israelites would weepe on one day and be in rebellion another Was not Ishmael in his very weeping a very deepe disembler the like neuer heard of We are not easily therefore to be perswaded of inward hearty affection from weeping and sheading of teares This deceiued the fourescore men which met Ishmael and were most of them slain by him Some can shead teares at will and all weeping doth not come from the like cause though many weepe together and in appearance haue the same reason there be that will weep for company because they see others to weepe neuer inwardly moued from the cause but most from the outward passion of the parties yet though there be a weeping not commendable as that which is counterfeit that which is vpon euery light occasion or which is vpon iust cause but in excesse yet it is sometime a matter praise-worthy when it is from a naturall affection as in Ioseph to his brethren and father from sound loue to a friend as Ionathans and Dauids weeping and when it is from a gracious heart for a mans owne sinnes as Peters weeping was or for the sinnes of others as Dauids Psal 1 19. Ieremies Chap. 13. And Iesus Christ his weeping ouer Ierusalem Luke 19. 41. Blessed are these mourners for they shall be comforted these teares are put into the Lords bottle Psal 56. 8. And such as be so doggedly hard-hearted and want naturall affection and sound loue so as neither for
vs take heed how by our owne prodigality folly and wickednesse we bring euill vpon our selues if it be the immediate hand of God and not thy fault thou shalt be censured as Iob was how much more when the cause is apparently from thy selfe Againe let men in aduersity prepare to beare contempt and not be impatient nor take it to heart for Iob Dauid Christ Iesus suffered it patiently If men learne not patience in this it will make them lay violent hands vpon themselues as Saul who could not 1. Sam. 31. 14. endure contempt and therefore would preuent it by killing himselfe for impatient proud hearts take contempt in aduersity to be worse to them then death it selfe Indeed to mocke or despise the miserable is an argument of the want of Gods feare and that such are vncharitable cruell and void of mercy for whom there remaineth iudgement mercilesse yet howsoeuer the wickedly proud behaue themselues we must in aduersity be content Some thinke the words to be spoken with admiration Is this Naomi as if it had beene said Oh what an alteration is here And so taking the words we learne that strange alterations in mens estates make people to wonder whether it be in prosperity or aduersity for good or euill in any quality The wise and learned friends of Iob were astonished at the change of his estate Sauls conuersion was wondred at 1. Sam. 10. 11. So the gifts of the Apostles and miracles Act. 2. 7. and 4. 13. and Christs wisedome and learning being but twelue yeeres old for men are more carryed away with the consideration of the outward meanes how things came to passe then of the power and pleasure of God to make such an alteration Therefore in great alterations looke for wonderings and take no offence thereat for it is mans nature so to doe at vnusuall things yea it is a certaine corruption and folly in the vulgar sort who consider not the causes of things It could not but somewhat moue Naomi to see such a concourse of people to come to wonder and gaze vpon them as people doe at strangers or at others in a changeable estate euen among our selues But these follies of people wee must passe by Some thinke the words to be vttered from pitty and commiseration towards her as if it had beene said Is this Naomi Alas what a change is in her This is that good woman Naomi whom wee cannot yet forget though in her estate shee bee much altered And it is most like they spake in loue and compassion rather than in contempt because shee was the kinswoman of the chiefest man among them who it seemeth esteemed much of her for hee entertained Ruth kindly for her sake Chap. 2. 6 11. and sent her corne Chap. 3. 17. likewise the women spoke after very comfortably to her Chap. 4. 14 16. neither doth Naomi taxe them for contemning her but rather answereth to their esteeme of her name from her former estate and therefore this being vttered from their loue and pitty and good respect towards her as being a grace fit for Gods people to shew to them which are in aduersitie wee learne That good and godly people doe nothing lesse esteeme of the vertuous for their outward low estate and pouerty These call her still Naomi and so acknowledge her and Boaz esteemed-vvell of her euen in this poore estate Ionathan did nothing lesse esteeme of Dauid because hee was out of the Kings fauour neither did Ioseph of Arimathea lesse reuerence or honor Iesus Christ because he was condemned and executed as a malefactour among theeues for outward crostes afflictions and miseries of this life are no staine to true piety when the crosses fall vpon good men for righteousnesse sake or for the triall of their faith patience Let vs not then for outward aduersitie like the godly worse when wee haue loued them or made shew of loue in their prosperity but in aduersitie shew greater tokens of loue and doe not as Iobs friends sit downe and censure him nor as Christs friends and Saint Pauls which forsooke them in their troubles An healthfull member of the body is beloued but when it is in distresse then loue of all the rest of the members most sheweth it selfe and should not our loue appeare to the godly in aduersity which be members with vs of the same body in Christ Verse 20. And shee said vnto them Call mee not Naomi call me Marah for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me THis is Naomi her answer vnto the multitude flocking about her calling her Naomi continuing a disswasion for so calling her and shewing what name they should giue her with the reason thereof drawne from her present poore estate which shee setteth out partly in this verse and partly in the next And shee said vnto them Call mee not Naomi This name signifieth pleasant and merry which in her aduersity shee thought did not befit her and therefore she did not reioyce in it Aduersitie maketh the afflicted nothing to regard worldly names and titles of a better condition and estate while they be in miserie and haue lost their former outward comforts if they be wise and truely humbled for such as be humbled indeed are not vainely in loue with goodly names and titles to which their estate is not answerable Which checketh the foolish pride of such as being in a base beggerly condition liuing almost of almes hanging vpon this and that friend yet forsooth will brag of their name their house and Gentility or rather indeed to call it as they make it Gentilisme through their lewd and vaine conuersation Call me Marah That is bitter one in a heauie and distressed estate The truely humbled desire to be accounted as they be and not as they be not as Naomi here is willing to be called Marah because her estate was answerable Shee was not proud shee submitted her selfe to Gods hand and therefore shee refused not a name according to the nature of her present condition Whose humility may checke the pride of such as would haue better names then they deserue seeking the name of Goodman when goodnesse is farre from them of Master when their Gentlemanship did hardly creepe out of a dunghill of worshipfull Esquire right worshipfull many such vaine titles which euery Vpstart now in these dayes doe eagerly affect not for any desert of vertue but for that they haue gottē some money to put to vsurie or procured some office basely by their money or a little better outward estate by illiberall and base scraping pinching and niggardly sparing or by depending vpon some person in authority by whose countenance they may domineere ouer their poore neighbours or by some such way and meanes whereof this now present age affordeth instances enow yet are such farre enough off from the true causes of Gentrie worship and due honor This good womans humility and patience may also checke the pride and impatiencie of such as cannot endure
by Boaz and not the rest we learne That seruants who are betrusted with the care and charge of businesse are to giue account touching any thing or person within their charge to them the question is to be made which will make such to looke to their charge to be ready to answer according to the trust committed into their hands Whose damosell is this This sheweth that Ruth was yet but yong and therefore the more commendation to her that came to be so famous for vertue And in that Boaz asketh not what but whose damosel shee is it giueth vs to know that he thought her to belong to some as one of the maids of Israel and that shee was not as now vaine yong women desire to be at their owne hand which is the next way to lewdnesse and all loosnesse Such Mistrislesse maids were not then as now too common which maketh them also to become common An euill not sufferable in a well gouerned state to haue Masterlesse men or Mistrislesse women It is fit to aske young people till they be marryed Whose they be to whom they belong and whom they doe serue Before I conclude this verse another thing may be noted frō Boaz That it is a wise part of a housholder to knowe who they be which come to his house or into his grounds or field to take commoditie by him as he doth here finding her in his field with his reapers lest a man giue countenance to the vnworthie 2. Thes 3. for men are to be mercifull but yet in wisedome because some are not to be relieued Therefore let men well know to whom to giue In former times amongst vs men haue beene commended for good housekeepers but if their housekeeping were examined by Gods Word we should find it nothing lesse then good housekeeping but rather such houses were houses of riot excesse prodigality gluttony and drunkennes suffering all sorts of idle lewd and licencious Mates to come in to eate drinke card dice ryot and reuell vnder a Lord of misrule especially at Christmasse a time pretended to be spent in ioy and reioycing in the honor of Christ but was indeed abused to his great dishonour to the increase of sinne and the pleasing of Satan Verse 6. And the seruant that was set ouer the Reapers answered said It is the Moabitesse damosell that came backe with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab THe seruants answer vnto his Master briefely and fully In which he here and in the next verse prayseth Ruth also He telleth here what shee was whence shee came and with whom and so sheweth whose shee was and to whom shee did belong And the seruant that was set ouer the Reapers answered and said By this seruants ready answer vnto his Masters demand it appeareth that he had made enquirie of her what she was Faithfull seruants which haue charge committed to them should be able to answer to their Lord or Master concerning any person or thing which fall within their charge when the question is asked This doth argue the care and diligent circumspection which is to be vsed of all such as be put in trust and it will commend their faithfulnesse and honestie and the contrary sheweth faithlessenesse and dishonestie It is the Moabitesse damosell that came backe with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab This seruant very briefely telleth to the full what shee was and here it is not a bare declaration but also a commendation of her who being but a yong woman would come with an olde poore woman from her owne countrey into a strange land which indeed was a great praise to her as I haue afore noted and if the seruant spoke this as some Learned thinke in the way of commendation wee may learne I. That as the Master was a Louer of vertue so was the man so like happy Master like happy man For as this praised her to the Master as it better appeareth in the next verse so the Master greatly commendeth her after he tooke notice of her by which the loue of goodnesse in them both appeareth Which may set out their happinesse and on the contrary it is vnhappinesse to an Obadiah to dwell with a wicked Ahab or a Iacob with a Laban so to an Hezekiah to haue his Shebnah or an honest Mephibosheth his wicked Zibah II. We may see That the godly and well-disposed will praise vertue in whomsoeuer they see it whether in strangers or home-borne in poore or rich noble or base persons friend or foe as Dauid did in both Saul and Abner because honest and vertuous minds loue vertue truely in euery one they are not transported with an ill-disposed heart either through pride or enuie to disdaine or maligne graces in other but to speake the truth and to praise them for whatsoeuer is good in them This marke of true loue let vs shew forth this will preserue goodnesse and vertue in others procure respect to our selues and good fauour to such of them as be poore as we may see here from Boaz towards Ruth This condemneth such First as cannot praise other for well-doing which argueth pride or enuie or malice or all of thē and by which they shew too much selfe-loue in themselues and little loue or none at all to their neighbour Secondly those which are so farre from praising men as they lessen their vertues and blazon their infirmities and so seeke to disgrace them contrary to true loue and charitie and yet a common euill in these dayes in most Thirdly those that will commend perhaps others but not before better then themselues not to the full but with their Iffs And 's with words of exceptions shewing plainely they be loth to giue men their due falsely supposing the praises of other should derogate from themselues and from their owne worth so vainely iealous are we of our owne reputation III. We may obserue that in praises Religion is to haue the first place for here is Ruth set out as one forsaking her heathenish acquaintance to keepe company with a vertuous woman and leauing her idolatrous countrey for to dwell in Iudah amongst Gods people and thus is Iob set Iob 1. Act. 10. 2. forth Cornelius For Religion Vertue is that which is in man most excellēt making him more then a man for as much as he becomes a spirituall man of a carnall Therefore here let our commendations begin and not dispraise men for profession of Religion an argument of the want of Religion nor iudge them worthy commendations which are altogether without Religion True it is that many may haue such gifts of nature and art as may much set them out with men but if they want Religion and vertue their praise is more heathenish then Christian and therefore they haue no cause to reioyce in abilities of nature or art seeing Satan the enemy of al mankind may therein be preferred before them and in nothing can man be said to be more excellent
leaue to drinke It may seeme a very small kindnesse to vouchsafe her libertie to drinke of the water but we must know that it was common drinke for the best aswell as the worst Saul drunke 1. Sam. 26 11. Iudg. 4. Gen. 21. 14. and 24. water Sisera called for water Abraham gaue a bottle to Hagar for Ishmael his sonne and his seruant drank water at Rebeccaes hand It was not easie neither to come by in such an hot and high countrie water was not euery where so plentifull as appeareth by the strife of Abimelechs and Gen. 26. 19 20. and 21. Isaaks seruants by Hagars lamenting for want of water by the Miracle wrought for Samson Iudg. 15. for the countrie was hot and the waters aboue the earth soone dried vp the springs were hard to be found and wells were very deepe so as this was a very good fauour of Boaz to Ruth Ioh. 4. and Ruth we see in the next verse tooke it to be a great kindnesse and was very thankfull in all humilitie By this we see that a worke of mercy and loue may be shewed in a small matter as in a cup Mat. 10. 42. of cold water sometime which shal not lose the reward for it is mercie to supply the want of others for an heartie compassion how little soeuer the thing be This may teach men to bee thankfull for supply of their want though the matter be but little and not to thinke mercie and kindnesse to consist in great gifts and good turnes to be done in things of weight onely Verse 10. Then she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground and said vnto him Why haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger RVths thankfulnesse to Boaz set out by action and speech the action was a most humble and lowly gesture the speech was an acknowledgement of fauour with admiration with a reason thereof for that she was a woman of another nation Then she fell on her face and bowed her selfe to the ground Thus Ruth beginneth to shew her thankfulnesse in a most respectiue fashion which commendeth to vs her good manners to so great a person This manner of behauiour was much vsed in those Easterne parts as we may see in Iacob to Esau Abraham to the Hittites Dauid to Ionathan Gen. 33. 3. and 23. 7. 12. 1. Sam. 20. 41. Matth. 18. 26. Abigail to Dauid and the seruant to his Lord. The Scripture often noteth the ciuill gesture and comely behauiour of his Seruants as worthy imitation and as a iust reproofe to the rude and vnciuill But yet here is a caueat first to them which vse such outward courtesies that the same be done in humility of heart that it be not a foolish affection an apish imitation or meere courtly complementing being but all shadowes of humility and yet indeed nothing lesse as appeareth in the liuely colours and publike Ensignes of pride in such persons if they be obserued aright Then next that such as haue these reuerent gestures giuen them doe consider whether they deserue them for their place and person if they doe not receiue them not if they doe yet not to waxe proud in heart thereby It may bee some will here make some questions as first Whether it be lawfull to giue honour thus vnto man in such an adoring manner This is answered before for the holy Ghost recordeth it as commendable Secondly then what difference betweene this which is done to men and that which is done to God Almighty Surely in respect of the outward act no difference is there at all but of the minde which doth conceiue of God herein as God and so this outward humiliation becommeth diuine adoration and of man but as man worthy of reuerence and honour for his place his age and gifts and so the worship and reuerence done him is onely ciuill Thirdly some perhaps will aske Whether this may be giuen vnto wicked men Yes without doubt as we see Iacobs reuerence to profane Esau Dauids to wicked Saul and Abrahams bowing of himselfe to the idolatrous Hittites for men and their places are to be distinguished True it is that Elisha shewed little respect vnto Iehoram and Mordecai would doe no reuerence to proud Haman but these had no doubt some extraordinary warrant so to doe and are not therefore for ordinary imitation the reasons alleaged for Mordecai are knowne and therefore I will not trouble here the Reader with them because they bee but weake coniectures Why haue I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger This humble soule wondreth at his so great kindnesse though it was but to haue leaue to gleane and to drinke water out of the vessels She thought it strange that so great a personage should speake thus respectiuely to her that was but a stranger From hence may we obserue first that the vertuous and thankefull persons take most kindly such fauours as bee shewed them and doe wonder rather thereat then make light thereof though but in common and meane things especially if the fauours bee done with cheerefulnesse as this vertuous woman Ruth doth here for such doe looke into themselues and their vnworthinesse thinking with themselues what might rather withdraw mens affections from them than win them to them They also looke vp to God and doe behold him in the Giuer she being as Gods hand offering his mercies to them These things make them to bee very thankfull and to expresse it fully This example of thankfulnesse is to be imitated of euery one beholden vnto others and iustly reproueth the vngratefull of which there be these sorts First such as receiue fauours will not acknowledge them like the nine Lepers Secondly such as scornefully Luk. 17. 18. refuse kindnesses offered as they that will not be beholden vnto others because they thinke they can liue of themselues Thirdly which will not requite a good turne done them but rather churlishly reproach the partie as Nabal did Dauid Fourthly which will not helpe in need such as put their very liues in their hands for them and for others thus dealt the men of Sucoth with Gideon Fifthly which in prosperity forget their friends and what pleasure was done them in their Gen. 40. 23. aduersity as did Pharaoes Cup-bearer Sixtly Eccles 9. 15. which recompence euill for good as Ioash did to Iehoiada his sonne Hanun to Dauids Messengers 2. Sam. 10. 4. or which loue a man lesse because of his loue to them and so the Corinthians to Paul the more 2. Cor. 12. 15. he loued them the lesse was he beloued All these are ingratefull Now ingratitude is a foule sinne it is a stoppage to all fauours and drieth vp the affection of mens hearts and God punished it in 2. Chro. 24. 25. Iudge 9. 16 20 56 57. Ioash and reuenged it vpon the Sechemites and
and at length vvill be abhorred of all And here let the rich learne vpon whom to bestow freely their kindnesse and whom to loue and respect euen the godly poore such as bee Gal. 6. 10. Mat. 25. 10. of the houshold of faith for in them Christ is relieued and such shall not lose their reward If you aske Who are these godly poore I answer Euen such as Ruth which get a good name by their vertuous liues their duty done to their betters their painefulnesse in labour their conscience of Religion These be the godly poore and not the stubborne the idle the irreligious swearing fighting railing drunken poore who are more worthy of punishment than reliefe Vnto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband Thus Boaz beginneth to particularize her vertues and the first here is her louing carriage and praise-worthy behauiour vnto her mother in law not onely while her husband liued but euer after not ceasing to loue because he was dead for whose sake shee first was occasioned to loue her Due prayses can be shewed in particular vertues See it in the praises of Iob Cornelius the Iob. 1. Act. 10. 2. Reu. 2. 1 2. Angell of Ephesus And therefore in praising any wee must bee able to instance in those things which deserue such praises else it is sottish ignorance or grosse flatterie or both Againe note That whom we loue for our friends sake being aliue if loue be vnfaigned it will appeare when they be dead This is Ruths loue vnto Naomi Dauids to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake True loue is a fountaine that neuer can be drawne drie This reproueth the loose loue of many who can loue and lightly turne it into hatred of the same person vpon small occasions such also as can loue their friend for his time but when he is dead will neglect all respect to euery one of his whom in his dayes they pretended to loue And how thou hast left thy father and thy mother and the land of thy natiuity and art come vnto a people which thou knewest not heretofore This was rare loue and a very great measure of grace for Religon sake to forsake naturall parents for a mother in Law her owne country for a strange nation and people shee must needs bee endued with a strong faith and an extraordinary measure of loue to Religion and the worship of the true God By which wee see that faith and feruent loue ouercome all difficulties euen nature it selfe as here in her so in Abraham when leauing his Heb. 11. Gen. 12. Gen. 22. 21. Gal. 1. 10. countrey he trauelled hee knew not whither and did offer vp Isaac at Gods bidding and put away Ismael and al three without gainsaying cherefully These ouercame carnall reason and this desire of pleasing God made Saint Paul a zealous Professor Faith made Gideon to leaue thousands Iud. 7. 7 12. 8. 10. 13 5000. Iosh 6. behind him and to bee content to enter the battaile whith 300. against many thousands so did Ioshua by Gods direction command seuen Priests to goe seuen times about the walls of Iericho to beate them downe with sound of Rammes hornes This faith loue made many proselytes and Heathen to become Christians and Christians in the time of bloody persecutions to forsake all for Christs sake and his Gospell as the Apostles spake of themselues vnto Christ This faith and loue of God will vanquish the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4 5. and will make 〈◊〉 leaue the Court of Pharaoh to bee with Gods people in affliction and will make Amaziah to separate himselfe from the 2. Chro. 25. 6 9 10. wicked and make light of an 100. talents of siluer Yea so powerfull is faith and loue of God as they will ouercome our selues euen to make light of our selues and our liues for the Lords sake as we see in the blessed Martyrs suffering cruell torments for the truth sake for the power of faith and spirituall loue is supernaturall and is wrought and so assisted by Gods Spirit as no worldly or fleshly impediments can hinder them in the way to eternall life Therefore must we labour for these graces aboue all things if wee would be masters ouer our selues if wee would preuaile against all hinderances of our saluation These will bridle lusts contemne vaine honours resist Satan and his temptations and seeing they are so powerfull hence may we see whether wee haue this faith and true loue if we can ouercome our corrupt nature carnall reason and this euill world but if these ouermaster vs then want wee this faith and loue from which those be farre off who are led like beasts by nature like sensuall men by lusts corrupt reason and by this vnconstant world and the vanities thereof Though they doe beare the name of Christians yet Christs power is farre from them Note further hence why hee speaketh thus to Ruth euen to giue her to know the true cause of his kindnesse and good respect towards her euen her godlinesse and grace which may teach That vertue and grace are the greatest motiues to incite great men which be also good men vnto the workes of mercy and bounty to the poore as we here see by Boaz speeches for vertue is louely to them which are vertuous though the parties be neuer so poore Let thē the poore labour for grace and godlinesse that they may find mercy at the hands of the wealthy for if they feare God he wil be their spokes-man hee will moue the hearts of others to doe them good Though this bee the way to procure fauour yet commonly we see the poore idle and too lewd of life and yet they murmure curse and rage if they be not relieued for they thinke they ought to be relieued euen because they bee poore though neuer so wicked though they will hardly labour to take any paines to liue when of such the Apostle speaketh that they should not be relieued Hee that will not labour let him not eate 2. Thes 3. saith the Apostle As this is for instruction to the poore so the rich from Boaz may learne on whom to bestow their fauours and workes of mercy euen vpon the godly the houshold of Gal. 6. 10. Mat. 25 10. Pro. 19. 17. Psal 41. 1 2 3. faith for in them Christ is relieued in them they doe lend vnto the Lord who vvill repay them to the full and greatly reward them But of this a little before in the beginning of this verse Verse 12. The Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward be giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel vnder whose wings thou art come to trust THese words are a prayer and blessing pronounced out of the mouth of Boaz vpon poore Ruth which doth maruailously set out the pietie of this man Here may be noted who makes this request to whom for what for whom and why The Lord recompence thy worke This rich Boaz prayeth for
thine heart Doe we not receiue his blessings with one hand shew our vnmindfulnesse of him by the other If the keeping of his commandement be the marke of our loue as it 1. Iohn 5. 2. is then surely our waxing wanton against him by abusing of his blessings openly proclaime rather hatred than loue vnto him This is our vnthankefulnesse of which we must repent Blessed be hee of the Lord. This is her prayer made to the Lord to blesse him From this note many things I. That Prayer in and by euery true member of the Church hath beene onely made vnto God This the examples of all the godly doe confirme and thus are we commanded to doe and therefore the prayers made to Sants Angels yea or to the Virgin Mary are abominable and cursed idolatry II. That it is the Lord that doth blesse and make happy for what is begged of God that is acknowledged to be his gift And what happinesse corporall or spirituall can man attaine vnto but by the Lord Therefore if we want blessings let vs beg them of him if wee haue them acknowledge him the Authour and be thankfull in cheerefull obedience for the same as wee be exhorted in the Word of God For who can Deut. 10. 12. Rom. 12. 1. think himselfe blessed of God not be thankfull and obedient vnto him but such as be void of all grace III. That the Lord will blesse the mercifull For shee prayeth for that which she had warrant to aske and wee find that the Lord hath so promised Psal 41. 1 3. Mat. 5. 7. to doe And therefore let the mercifull looke for a blessing and let vs pray for that blessing vpon their heads which shew mercy vnto the poore and needy that they may be encouraged in such workes of charitie And to moue them hereto let them consider Gods promise to them how they be vnder Gods protection Deut. 24. 13. how others pray for them when they doe little thinke thereof and doe blesse them as Naomi doth Boaz here and if the poore faile of their duety yet the almesdeed ascendeth vp to God and Act. 10. 4. the worke done shall blesse them euen the backe and belly of the poore Let these things moue Iob 31. 20. the rich to doe workes of mercy and to reioyce therein IV. That the poores reward vnto the rich for their workes of charity is onely their prayer to God for them Naomi had no other recompence for Boaz but this and this is a great requitall when it is a feruent prayer from faith for such the Lord doth heare and will himselfe reward their workes he becomes bound for them to make good what on their behalfe is wanting Which may greatly comfort such as be mercifull And seeing the poore haue nothing else to repay backe but their prayers let them not faile in this not onely when and while the benefit is in receiuing but euen when for time the fauour may seeme to bee forgotten so often as their Benefactors come to their remembrance not to faile to lift vp a thought to God for them Who hath not left off his kindnesse to the liuing and to the dead The reason which moued Naomi to pray so feruently for a blessing vpon Boaz was his constant fauour towards them aliue as before to her husband and children then dead and it is as if Naomi had said He continueth still in his former kindnesse to vs that be now aliue to thee and me which he shewed to my husband and children now departed this life The Papists prattle Feuardentius in hunc locum I know not what of benefiting the dead by workes of charity out of this place by wresting the sense thereof to maintaine their errour which I leaue as idle and vnprofitable and come to more sound and profitable instructions for our selues Hence may we obserue That true loue in good men dyes not with the dead but is shewed to those they leaue behind them as Boaz doth here to Ruth and Naomi for their husbands sake so did Dauid to Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake 2 Sam 9. 1. Prou. 17. 17. 1. Sam. 22. 4. for a true friend loueth at all times Dauid receiued kindnesse of the King of Moab and being dead hee sent to comfort his sonne Hanun if it 2. Sam. 10. 2. had beene so taken For a true friend seeth his friend aliue in his children and posterity Let vs then if we loue one truely not bury our loue with him in his graue as the manner of the world is now which is full of counterfeit loue But let vs imitate our heauenly Father who loued Abraham Isaac and Iacob and their seed after them and promiseth mercy vnto thousands of the posterity Exod. 20. of such as loue him and keepe his commandements This reproueth such which let their loue die with their friends also such as loue their friends posterity if they be rich but not if they be poore as Boaz doth here But true friendship maketh no difference of a friend by riches and pouerty for if this make the difference the friendship is certainely counterfeit Thirdly this condemneth such friends as loue such as remaine of their friends departed so as vnder colour of kindnesse they rob their children committed by the will of their dead friend to their custodie such villanie there is in the world and falsehood masked vnder the shadow of loue Besides instruction here is also matter of cōsolation if we consider how God raiseth vp constant friends to poore posterities though this be rare yet wee haue in this place an example that God is the same in power and mercy to doe the like still for his children but be it that men faile to be faithfull in their loue let vs be comforted in this that the Lord is faithfull if he loue Abraham his friend his posterity in Egypt after foure hundred yeeres shall reape benefit thereby if the Lord chose a Dauid he will for a long time for his sake shew kindnesse to his posterity Let this this I say settle the hearts of carefull parents for their posterity for if the Lord loue them hee will not faile them nor forsake their posterity that shall depend vpon him hee is the sure and constant friend and will not leaue off his kindnesse to the liuing and to the dead as Naomi speaketh heere of Boaz. And Naomi said vnto her The man is neere of kin vnto vs one of our next kinsmen It may seeme by this that before now Naomi had not told Ruth of Boaz her rich kinseman but at this present as occasion had now offered it selfe now she telleth her that hee was a very neere kinsman one of her Redeemers which had a right to redeeme the inheritance and so to marry her and to raise vp seed vnto the dead as the Law required and this Deut. 25. Naomi telles her of to shew how naturall affection did in some sort bind him
shall be vnto thee a restorer of thy life Naomi had many crosses she had lost her Husband and Children yea and her outward state in the world which made her as it were dead with sorrow which these Women and godly Neighbours well considered of and here therefore doe enlarge their speech for Naomies greater comfort to teach vs That true friends affected with others miseries cannot but meditate many arguments of comfort in the daies of their felicity For the ioy of their hearts is vnfained for their friends prosperity as truely as before they were mooued with their calamitie Thus let vs learne to trie the sympathy of mens hearts towards other in prosperitie and aduersitie Arestorer of thy life So they speake as if by her former misery she had as it were been liuelesse Whence note That heauy crosses as pouertie old age Widdowhood and losse of Children doe bedead the spirit euen of godly persons So these words imply and experience teacheth For no affliction is ioyous for the present but grieuous Heb. 12. 12. How much more when many come together Therefore let vs haue compassion of the afflicted and labour to raise vp their spirits especially of poore afflicted Widdowes for it is a part of pure and vndefiled religion before God Iam. 1. 27. This condemneth such of cruelty as will vexe the afflicted or bee miserable comforters as Iobs friends were to him Secondly wee may learne That godly Children are as restorers of life to their Parents Prou. 10. 1. they make them glad Let Children labour to be such that they may cheere vp their Parents hearts and not bee as too many be causers of hearts griefe to them making them to goe downe with mourning to the graue for such are foolish Children Prou. 15. 20. and 10. 1. and 17. 25. And a nourisher of thine old age Note first that old age needs nourishing for it maketh man feeble and to want heate 1. King 1. 1. Eccles 12. 3. Also to be subiect to diseases as to bee blind as was Isaac Gen. 27. and Iacob Gen. 48. 10. to be lame as Asa 1. King 15. Therefore in the youth of Summer prouide somewhat for the Winter of old age and when thou hast prouision for age thanke God therefore Secondly that children are to be nourishers of their parents in their old age as Ioseph was to Iacob Gen. 45. 11. and Ruth but a See before Chap. 2. 18. daughter in law here to Naomi Chap. 3. 18. and such a one the women hoped Obed would be Let children learne this duety for first nature teacheth it in the Storke and branches of trees receiuing the sap from the roote doe returne it againe to it towards Winter Secondly Reason teacheth to bee thankefull and to doe good to them that haue done vs good From parents children haue being bringing vp and their preseruation whose loue care paines and cost children can neuer recompence Thirdly it is one end why they bee borne for if a friend bee borne to helpe his friend in aduersitie Prou. 17. 17. then much more children to helpe their parents who are bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh Fourthly parents are childrens glory Prou. 17. 6. Therfore should they make much of them Fifthly hereto adde the Commandement Exod. 20. to honour our parents Now how are they honoured when in want they are not relieued Sixtly such as succour their parents may expect a blessing from their children Those children therefore which are without naturall affection sinne against God against Nature Reason and Religion But children will perhaps say Our parents are froward and hard to please and therefore they make vs wearie and vnwilling to keepe and nourish them Answ First consider how froward you were in childhood and yet poore parents carefully kept you and cast you not off Secondly when old age commeth you may bee such Do then as you would be done vnto learne to beare with your parents to teach your children how to beare with you Thirdly note how children can beare with rich parents well enough while they hope for profit and feare to lose what they looke for If hope of gaine can make children put on such patience then let true loue doe it much more For thy daughter in law which loueth thee which is better then seuen sonnes hath borne him This is a reason of the womens hope of this childs kindnesse towards Naomi From these words we may learne these things First That there is good hope of childrens loue which come of louing parents that they will loue such as their parents haue loued Thus the women conclude and this was a lesson which Dauid taught his sonne Salomon 1. Kin. 2. 7. And Christ louing those whom his Father loueth teacheth so much Let therefore children be thus affected especially if their parents haue set their loue aright vpon such as were worthy of loue Secondly That there may be great loue betweene a mother in law and a daughter in law Ruths loue towards Naomi was very great shee left her countrey and kindred for her Chap. 1. 16 17. laboured painefully for her Chap. 2. 18 23. and Naomi was not wanting to seeke the good of Ruth Cha. 3. Let these two bee examples to such and to make them louing striue to bee religious and to feare God as these did for Religion will worke what corrupt nature cannot effect Let them performe mutuall dueties And let stepmothers know that they step in to be in stead of naturall mothers and so let children take them so will they loue one another Thirdly that true loue cannot be hid for it so will expresse it selfe as other shall take notice of it These women knew Ruths loue so did Saul Ionathans to Dauid the people Christs loue to Lazarus Iohn 11. 36. for true loue will breake out as fire Try true loue by the manifestation thereof Ioseph may hide his a Gen. 45. 1. 2. Sam. 13. 39. and 14. 1. while from his brethren and Dauid from Absalom but it will breake out at length They therefore but boast vainely of loue which neuer expresse it Fourthly that true loue in aduersitie is not lost in prosperity Ruth is said still to loue Naomi though thus exalted so did Hushai Dauid so did Iobs friends Chap. 2. howsoeuer they erred in iudgement Let not loue be altered with our estates nor honours change good conditions as it doth in too many Fifthly that the loue of a stranger may sometime exceed the loue of many children by nature The women preferre Ruths loue aboue seuen sonnes that is aboue many sonnes Such God by fauour can supply what is wanting in them by nature and make a strangers loue surpasse Let this be comfort to the distressed Verse 16. And Naomi tooke the child and laid it in her bosome and became nurse vnto it THis verse sheweth the education of the child by whom and how And Naomi tooke the child This the old woman did voluntarily out of