to the making in all probabilitie it is something the farther from the undoing thereof How-ever grant Religion were in never so peaceable and prosperous an estate yet the sad Sâ—bject we now inâ—ist on could not be unseasonable All Spirituall Meâ—t is not to be bought up and brought in for our present spending and feeding thereon but as good Husbands we are to powder up some for the time to come And seeing none of us know what is to come and all of us deservâ— the worst that may be it will not be amisse to arme our selves with Counsels and Cautions in case God should give us to live in an Age wherein the Foundations are destroyed First Enter a Silent Protestation in the Court of Heaven of thine owne Integritie as to this particular That thou hast not willingly consented to the destroying of the Foundations of Religion I say Silent IT is Davids counsell Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your heart upon your Bed and be still There may be danger in making a loud Protestation it may be interpreted to be the Trumpet to Sedition Secondly it may be quarrelled at as tasting of the Leven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie for men to make a publique confession of what may seeme to tend to the sinfull praysing though indeed it be but the needfull purging of themselves A Silent Protestation Nothing more difficult then in dangerous Times for Innocence it selfe to draw up a Protestation with all due Caution so as to give her Adversaries no advantage against her If it be layd too low the Protestor destroyes his owne innocence and may be accessarie to the robbing himselâ—e of his due and so may die Felo de se of his owne integritie If it be drawnâ— up too high with swelling expressions the Protestor may expose himselfe to just Censure as a Libeller against that Authoritie before which he entreth his Protestation We cannot therefore be too warie and too cautious in the making thereof to observe the Golden Meane betwixt both extreames For the better effecting whereof we will weigh every word in the Counsell propounded In the Court of Heaven And that for a double Reason First because it is a standing Court no danger that it will ever be put downe secondly because it is a just Court no suspition that any Corruption can ever prevaile therein Of thine owne Integritie He that hateth Suretiship is sure saith Solomon Prov. 11. 15. Breake not thy selfe by undertaking more then what thou art able to performe Man may have not onely a charitable opinion due from us to all of whom the contraâ—ie doth not appeare but also a confident presumption of the goodnesse of such with whom they have had a long and intimate familiaritie Yet all this amounts not to that certaintie to embolden one to undertake a Protestation in their behalfe which he ought to confine to himselfe of whom alone and that scarcely too by reason of the deceitfulnesse of mans heart above measure he can have any competent assurance Thine owne Integritie As to this particular Confesse thy selfe in other things a notorious sinner guiltie of sinnes of Omission Commission Ignorance Knowledge Presumption Despaire against God thy Neighbours thy selfe in thought in word in deed We reade of the Daughters of Zelopheâ—ad that they pleaded before Moses and gave this Character of their dead Father Numbers 27. 3. Our Father died in the Wildernesse and he was not amongst the assembly of them that were assembled against the Lord in the companie of Korah but died in his sinne Meaning that he was none of those Mutineer not eminently notorious for Rebellion onely being a sinfull man as all are he was mortall with the rest of his kinde What a comfort will it be if one can truly avouch it in his Conscience to the searcher of hearts Lord I acknowledge my selfe a grievous sinner yet I appeale to thee that I have not been active in the destroying of the Foundations of Religion but opposed it as much as I might and when I could doe no more was a Moâ—rner in Sion for the same That thou hast not willingly consented Where know to thy comfort that God keepes a Register in Heaven of all such who doe or doe not consent to any wicked action And if we may prosecute the Metaphor after the manner of men we may say On the one side of the Booke are set downe the Names of such who concurred and consented to Wickednesse On the other side such are recorded who were on the Negative and by their suffrages did dissent from the same Thus we finde it written to the eternall commendation of Ioseph of Arimathea Luke 23. 51. He did not consent to the counsell and deed of them who betrayed our Saviour Not willingly Be it here observed that mens Bodieâ— may be forced to countenance that with their corporall presence which their Soules doth both reluctate at and remonstrate against One eminent instance whereof we have Ierem. 43. 5. For in the fore-going Chapter Iohanan the sonne of Kareah came to Ieremiah pretending desire of advice from him and promising to conforme himselfe to his Counsell in that great Question of importance Whether he with the Remnant of Israel should goe downe into AEgypt Ieremiah disswades them from that Journey as contrarie to the will of God and threateneth them in case they undertooke the same How-ever we reade in the next Chapter verse 4. That this Iohanan the sonne of Kareah and all the Captaines of the Forces were not content to carry downe the Remainder of the Captivitie into AEgypt but also they tooke Ieremiah the Prophet and Baruch the sonne of Neriah along with them for the more credit of the matter to weare them for a countenance of their wicked Designe Captaines of the Forces indeed they were and here they shewed a Cast of their Office violently to force two aged perâ—ons contrarie to their owne intentions and resolutions Egregiam verò laudem spolia amplae refertis Goe Cowardly Tyrants erect Trophies to your owne Victories make Triumphs of your owne Valour A great matter of Manhood a Noble Conquest to compell poore Ieremâ—ah the Prophet and painfull Baruch his Scribe each of them by proportionable computation above sixtie yeares of age to returne into AEgypt whilest their Mindes with a contrarie motion to their Bodies went back to or rather never removed from the Land of Israel An eminent Instance that mens Bodies may sometimes be forced to doe that which their Soules doe detest Secondly we except such from willing consenting as have been fraudulently circumvented instrumentally to concurre to the destroying of Foundations cleane contrarie to their owne desires and intents as erroneously conceiving they supported the Foundations when really they destroyed them This commonly commeth to passe by having mens persons in admiration Jude 16. So that possessed with the opinion of their Pietie they deliver up their Judgements as their Act and Deed signed and sealed â—o them to beleeve
And they came into the Couâ—try of Moab and they continued there The meaning is That the Moabites afforded them harbour without any molestation Observ. From whence the Observation is this We ought to be Hospitall and courteous to receive strangers First Because God in severall places of Scripture enjoyneth it Exod. 23. 9. Levit. 19. 33. 2ly Because God apprehendeth all courtesie done to a stranger as bestowed on himselfe He that receiveth you receiveth me c. I was a stranger and ye harboured me Mat. 25. And then if we entertain strangers it may be said of us not onely as it is of Lot and Abraham Heb. 13. 2. That we entertained Angels bâ—t that we entertained God himselfe unawares 3ly Because it spiritually considered we our selves are strangers with the Patriarks Heb. 11. We have here no abiding City but seeke one from above whose bâ—ilder and maker is God I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims 1 Pet. 2. 11. Lastly Because of the uncertainty of our own estates for thou knowest not what evill shall be upon the earth it may be we that now relieve strangers hereafter our selves being strangers may be relieved by others Vse Let us not therefore abuse strangers and make a prey of them making an advantage of their unskilfulnesse in the language and being unacquainted with the fashions of the Land like Laban that deceived his Nephew Iacob in placing Leah for Rachel and to cloak his cheating pleaded it was the custome of the Country wherefore rather let us be courteous unto them least the Barbarians condemne us who so courteously intreated S. Paul with his shipwrackt companions and the Moabites in my Text who suffered Elimelech when he came into the Land to continue there Vers. 3. 4. 5. And Elimelech Naomies Husband dyed and she was left and her two Sonnes c. IN these words we have two Marriages ushered and followed by Funeralls I will begin there where one day all must make an end at Death And Elimelech Naomies Husband dyed I have seldom seen a Tree thrive that hath been transplanted when it was old the same may be seen in Elimelech his aged body brooks not the forraign Aire though he could avoid the Arrows of Famine in Israel yet he could not shun the Darts of Death in Moab he that lived in a place of Penury must die in a Land of Plenty Let none condemne Elimelech's removal as unlawful because of his suddain deaâ—h for those actions are not uâ— godly which are unsuccessfull nor those pious which are prosperous seeing the lawfulnesse of an action is not to be gathered from the joyfulnesse of the event but from the justnesse of the cause for which it is undertaken Observ. 1. Hence we observe that God can easily frustrate our fairest hopes and defeat our most probable projects in mâ—king those places most dangerous which we account most safe and secure causing death to meet us there where we think furthest to flie from it Observ. 2. 2. We see that no outward plenty can priviledge us from death the sand of our liâ—e runneth as fast though the Hour-glass be set in the sunshine of prosperity as in the gloomy shade of affliction And she was left and her two Sons Here we see how mercifully God dealt with Naomi in that he quenched not all the sparks of her comfort at once but though he took away the stock he left her the stems though he deprived her as it were of the â—se of her own leggs by taking away her Husband yet he left her a staffe in each of her hands her two Sons to support her Indeed afterwards he took them away but first he provided her a gracious Daughter-in-law whence we learn God powreth not all his afflictions at once but ever leaveth a little comfort otherwise we should not onely be pressed down but crush't to powder under the weight of his heavy hand And they tooke them wives of the women of Moab c. Here we see the fashion of the world mankind had long ago decaied if those breaches which are daily made by Death were not daily made up by Marriage But here ariseth a question Whether these matches were lawfull for answer whereof we will suppose Naomi disswading her Sonnes on this manner Disswasion What my Sonnes and what persons of my wombe and what the Sonnes of my desire give not your strength to strange women and your wayes to that that destroyed men It is not for you O Mahlon and Chilion it is not for you to marry Moabites nor for the Sonnes of an Israâ—lite tâ— marry the Daughters of the uncircumcised Remember my Sonnes what God saith by the mouth of Moses Deut. 7. 3. Thou shalt not make Marriages with them thy Daughter shalt thou not give to his Sonne nor take his daughter to thy Sonne for they will turn away thy Son from following me to serve strange Gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against thee to destroy thee suddenly Take heâ—d therefore least long looking on these women you at length be made blind least they suck out your souls with kisses and Snake-like sting you with embraces curb your affections untill you come into Canaan where you shall find varietie of wives who as they come not short of these for the beauties of their bodies so they farre go beyond them for the sanctitie of their souls Answer To this disswasion thus might her Childeren answer We thank you deare Mother for your carefulnesse over our good but we must intreat you not to interpret it undutifulnesse if upon good reason we dissent from your judgement herein In the place by you cited Marriages are forbidden with such strange women as are of a stubborn obstinate and refractory nature such as are likely to seduce their Husbands whereas you see the mild towardly and tractable disposition of these women we meane to make our wives we hope to plant these wild branches in Gods Vineyard to bring these straggling sheep to his fold to make them Proselytes to our Religion Besides this Marriage will be advantagious for us thereby we shall endeare our selves into the Moabites affections they will use us the more courteously when we have married one of their own kindred â—ut methinks my tongue refuseth to be any longer the advocate of an unlawfull deed and my mouth denyeth to be the Orator of an unjust action when I have said what I can for the defence of their Marriage I shall but make a plaster too narrow for the sore the breach is so broad I cannot stop it though I may dam it up with untempered morter Nothing can be brought for the defence of these matches something may be said for the excuse of them but that fetcht not from pietie but from poliey not certain but conjecturall yet here may we see thâ— power and providence of God who made so good use of these Mens defaults as hereby to bring Ruth first to be a retainer to the family
of Faith and afterwards a joyfull Mother in Israel This is that good Chymick that can distill good out of evill light out of darknesse order out of confusion and make the crooked actions of men tend to his own glory in a straight line and his Childrens good I speak not this to defend any mans folly in doing of evill but to admire Gods wisdome who can bring good out of evil and surely he that will turn evill to good will turn good to the best And they dwelled there about ten years Here we have the term of Naomi's living in Moab and the Families lasting in Israel ten years we read of a Famine for three years 2 Sam. 21. of three years and a half 1 King 17. of seven years Gen. 42. as also 2 King 8. but this ten years Famine longer then any seven yeares which Iacob served for Rachel seemed to him but a short time but surely those ten yeares seemed to the afflicted Israelites and to the banished Naomi as so many millions of years Observ. God doth not presently remove his rod from the back of his Children but sometimes scourgeth them with long-lasting afflictions the reason is because we go on and persist so long in our sinnes and yet herein even mercy exalteth her selfe against judgement for if God should suffer the fire of his fury to burn so long as the fuell of our sinnes do last Lord who were able to abide were the dayes of our suffering apporâ—ioned to the dayes of our living no flesh would be saved but for the Elect sake those dayes are shortned Vse Beare with patience light afflictions when God afflicteth his Children with long lasting punishments mutter not for a burning Fâ—aver of a fortnight what is this to the woman that had a running Issue for twelve years murmur not for a twelve moneths quartain Ague ' is nothing to the woman that was bowed for eightteen years nor seven years Consumption to the man that lay thirty eight years lame at the Pool of Bethezda And Mahlon and Chilion died also bâ—th of them It was but even now that old Elimelech was gone to bed see his Sonnes would not sit long up after the Father onely here is the difference He like ripe fruit fell down of his own accord they like green Apples were cudgel'd off the Tree Observ. Even young men in the prime of their age are subject to death the Sons of Iacob when they came to the Table of Ioseph sat down the eldest according to his age and the youngest according to his youth but Death observes not this method she takes not Men in seniority but sometimes sends them first to the buriall that came last from the birth and those that came last from the wombe first to their winding sheet There were as many Lambs and Kids sacrificed in the old Testament as Goats and old Sheep but surely more there be that die in infancy and in youth then of those that attain to old age Vse Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth you whose joynts are knit with sturdy sine ws whose veines are full of blood whose arteries are flush't with spirits whose bones are fraught with Marrow Obediah-like serve God from your yâ—uth put not the day of death far from you think not your strength to be armour of proof against the darts of Death when you see the Corslet of Mahlon and Chilion shot through in the left so Mahlon and Chilion died both of them And the woman was left of her two Sons and of her Husband Before we had the particular losses of Nâ—omi now we have them all reckoned up in the totall sum a Threefold Cable saith Solomon is not easily broken and yet we see in Naomies threefold cable of comfort twisted of her husband and her two sonnes broken by Death of the two Sex the woman is the weaker of women old women are most feeble of old women widows most wofull of widowes those that are poor their plight most pittifull of poor widows those that want Children their case most dolefull of widows that want Children those that once had them and after lost them their estate most desolate of widows that have had Children those that are strangers in a forraign Country their condition most comfortlesse yet all these met together in Naomi as in the center of sorrow to make the measure of her misery pressed down shaken together running over I conclude therefore many Men have had affliction none like Iob many women have had tribulation none like Naomi Vers. 6. Then she arose with her Daughters in law that she might returne from the Country of Moab for she had heard in the Country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread THese words contain two general parts 1. Gods visiting his people with Plenty 2. Naomies visiting of her people with her person I begin with the first in the Order of the words Then she arose with her Daughters in law c. Observ. We must tarry no longer in an Idolatrous Land when God offereth us an occasion to returne into our own Country for so long as we tarry in an Idolatrous Land on a just cause so long we are in our vocation in Gods protection but when God openeth us a Gap to returne and we will not through it we are neither in our calling nor Gods keeping but must stand on our own adventures and who knows not how slenderly we shall be kept when we are left to our own custody let not therefore Ioseph with his Wife and Son tarry any longer in the Land of Egypt when he is dead that sought the life of the Child Examples we have oâ— those which in the dayes of Queen Mary fled beyond the Seas though they were not in a Paganish onely in a forraign Country Mr. Scorey Cocks Whitehead Grindall Horne Sandys Elmore Gest Iewel if fear lent them feet to run when they went away joy gave them wings to fly when they came home againe let none therefore pretend in needlesse excuses to linger in the Land of Egypt when they may return into the hony-flowing Land of Canaan For she had heard in the Country of Moab I suppose when any Messenger arrived in Mâ—ab out of the Land of Canaan Naomie did presently repaire unto him and load him with questions concerning the estate of her Country How do the Iews my Country-men How faireth it with the Bethlehemites my Neigâ—bours with Boaz my Kinsman What is the rate of Corne What the price of Oyle What the value of Wine if there be no performance for the present what promise is there for the future though things be bad now what hope is there but they will be better hereafter Alas he answers little and from his silence and sorrowfull looks Naomi gathers a denial but as Elijah sending his servant towards the Sea to see what â—igns there were of Raine for six severall times together he returned
each of you to her mother THese words containe the continuation of Naomies returne wherein we may observe Fiâ—st the companie that went with her her two daughters in law Secondly the discourse she had with this companie consisting of a Precept in the Text Goe returne each of you to her mother and of a prayer in the words following Now whereas her daughters in law did not take their farewell of Naomi at the threshold of their house but went part of the way with her we gather Observation That all offices of kindnesses and courtesies ought to be betwixt the mother in law and the daughter in law I meane her sonnes Wife And yet looke into the world and ye shall commonly finde enmitie betwixt them as saith Terence in Hessera Neque declinatam mulierem reperias ab aliarum ingenio ità adeò uno omnâ—s animo socrus oderunt nurus And their fallings out chiefely proceed from these two causes First they contend which should have the greatest right interest in the Man who is Sonne to the one Husband to the other Iudah and Israel contested 2 Sam. 19. 43. which should have most part in King David the former claiming it because he was bone of their bone the latter pleaded they had eleven parts in him to Iudahs single share Thus mother in lawes and daughter in lawes use to fall out the mother because her sonne is flesh of her flesh and bone of her bone pleades it is right that he should side and second with her the daughter in law because he is her Husband and therefore one flesh challengeth that he should rather take her part so betwixt them they fill the Family with all discord Secondly they fall out about the managing of the matters in the Household after whose mind they should be ordered but as S. Iames said in another case Beloved these things ought not to be so both these brawles may be easily ended The first may be taken up by the wisdome and discretion of the sonne in law who ought so indifferently to poyse his affections betwixt them both with such dutifulnesse and respect to the one such love and kindnesse to the other that neither may have just cause to complaine And the second controversie may thus be decided If the mother hath the state still in her hands good reason it is she should rule the Affaires and that the daughter in law should wait till her mother in lawes naturall death hath paved the succession to the governing of the Family but if the old woman hath resigned her estate and confined her selfe to an yearely pension then ought she not to intermeddle with those matters from which she had willingly sequestred her selfe Were this observed there would not so many daughters in law rejoyce when the day of mourning for their mother in law is come some whereof say as the wicked said of David O when will she die and her name perish Now to come to the discourse she had with them Goe returne c. Where ariseth a question Whether Naomi did well in perswadiug her daughters to goe back unto Moab For the satisfaction whereof I will set downe first what may be said against secondly what may be brought for her defence Accusation Why Naomi Why didst thou quench the zeale of thy daughters which proffered themselves so willingly to goe with thee Oh rayne them not backward with disswasions but rather spurre them forward with exhortations and strive to bring them out of an Idolatrous Land to a place where Gods Worship is purely profest Say unto them Hearken O daughters and consider encline your ears forget also your Country and your own Mothers house so shall the Lord your God have pleasure in you true it is ye have a Mother in Moab but what of that care not for your Mother but care for your Maker care not for her that Conceived you but care for him that Created you tarry not with them no not so much as to expresse your last love in performing their Funeralls rather let the dead bury their dead those that are dead spiritually let them bury such as die naturally and come go ye along with me to the Land of Canaan Thus Naomi oughtest thou to have said and then hadst performed the part done the duty of a Mother if whilst thou hadst travelled with them on the way thou hadst travelled with them till God had been formed in them then shouldst thou shine as a double Sunne in heaven for saving of two souls whereas now thou art in a manner accessary to their ghostly murther in sending them back to an idolatrous Country Defence To this accusation Naomi might justly answer It is my hearts desire and prayer go God that I may be an instrument of my Daughters in laws conversion but the wisdome of the Serpent as well as the innocency of the Dove is to be used in all our actions least we draw needlesse danger upon our selves True it is my Daughters in law proffer to go with me but here is the question whether this is done out of courtesie and complement or out of singlenesse and sinceritye Now should they through my perswasions go into the Land of Canaan and there live in want and penury they will be ready to raile on me another day We may thank Naomi for all this we had plentifull provisions in our own Country but she must have us hither she by her restlesse importunitie must wring a constrained consent from us to come into Canaan all these miseries are befallen upon us through her default Yea I am affraid that finding want that they again will return into their own Country to my shame the scandall of our Religion and the deeper punishment of their own souls Wherfore without their minds would I do nothing that their going might not be as it were of necessity but willingly To which end I will put them to the touchstone to see whether their forwardnesse be faithfull or faigned sound or seeming cordiall or counterfeit I will weigh them both in the ballance hoping that neither shall be found too light Upon these Grounds learned men have acquitted Naomi from any fault in managing this matter she doing it onely with an intent to trie them Whence we may observe That Pagans that proffer themselves to become Converts are not without proof presently to be received into the Church And here we may take occasion to digresse a little to shew how Christians ought to behave themselves in the converting of Infidels First They must strive in their mutuall conversing with them to season them with a good opinion of their honesty and upright dealing otherwise their Doctrine will never be embraced whose manners are justly mislik't Secondly Having possessed them with thâ—s good esteem they ought as occasion is offered to instruct them in the Rudiments of Christian Religion and to begin with such as are plain and evident by the light of nature and so in due time to
I had borne sonnes Woâ—ld you tarry for them while they were of age Would you be deferred for them from taking of Husbands Nay my daughters for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me And when she kissed them KIsses was the ordinarie salutation of the Iewes at the meeting of acquaintance men with men women with women men with women provided that then they were of neere kindred to avoid all suspition of unchastitie And they lift up their voices and mept The observation here may be the same which the Iewes collected Iohn 11. which when they saw our Saviour weepe for Lazarus they said Behold how he loved him So these teares in this place were the expression of their affection Sorrow like the River of Iordan 1 Chron. 12. in the first moneth did overflow the bankes and streamed water downe their cheâ—kâ—s But Naomi said Turne againe my daughters c. In these words she disswadeth her daughters in law from returning with her the strength of her Reason contained in three Verses may thus be set downe as if she had said Happily daughters you have heard that it is the custome in the Land of Canaan for Childlesse Widowes to marry their deceased Husbands Brothers But if your returne be grounded hereon know that you build your hopes on a false foundation it being impossible for me by the course of Nature to have any more sonnes Who will looke that Water should â—low from a drie Fountain Grapes grow on a withered Vine Fruit flourish on a dead Figge-tree Though Sarah at 90 was made a Mother though Aarâ—n's Rod did bud and blossome when it was drie I my selfe should be a Miracle if I should expect such a Miracle and therefore know that there are no more sonnes in my Wombe Doctrine Now whereas Nâ—omi dealeth thus plainly with her daughters not feeding them with false hopes it teacheth us this We ought not to gull our friends with the promises of those things that neither will nor can come to passe Otherwise we shall both wrong our friends who the higher they are mounted upon the Hill of seeming hopes at length the deeper they will be cast into the Dale of reall despaire and also we shall wrong our selves when Time the Mother of Truth shall unmaske us we shall prove our selves to be no better then Lyars and Cheaters Vse Let us labour to be Nathanaels true Israelites in whom there is no guile and as Iohn Baptist when as the Pharises asked him whether he was the Christ or no Iohn 1. 20. he confessed and denyed not and said plainly I am not the Christ So if we neither meane to doe nor know that such things cannot be done which our friends request of us let us confesse denie not and say plainly that their suites cannot shall not be granted and by such downe-right dealing we shall at last get more favour from them then they who flatter them with their tongue Let not the Physician when he reades in the Urinall those dismal symptomes which are the Ushers of Death still promise Life and Health unto his Patient but plainly tell him that there is Mors in olâ—a that so he may flye unto the Physician of the Soule for a better Life when this shall fade Let not the Lawyer when he knowes the Case is desperate feed his Clyent with false hopes to recover it that so from â—im he may be fed with Money but rather let him advise him to agree with his adversarie while he is in the way that though he cannot get the Conquest yet he may have the easier Composition For I am too old to have a Husband Here ariseth a Question Question Is there any Age so old wherein a man or woman may not marry Answer Naomies meaning was not simply and absolutely that she was too old to marry but she was too old to have a Husband and by a Husband to have Children and that those Children should grow up and make fit Husbands for Orpah and Ruth Yet by the way I would advise such who are stricken in yeares especially if impotencie be added unto Age and that it may stand with their conveniencie to refraine from all thoughts of a second Marriage and to expect that happie day when Death shall solemnize the Nuptiall betwixt their Soule and their Saviour For when Barzillai hath counted 80 yeares he hath even had enough of the pleasure and vanitie of the world let him retire himselfe to a private life and not envie his sonne Cimcham to succeed to those delights of which his Age hath made his Father uncapable Yet if any ancient persons for their mutuall comfort and societie which is not the least end for which Marriage was ordained are disposed to match themselves herein they are blamelesse especially if they have a care to observe a correspondenciâ— of Age with those to whom they linke themselves Otherwise as our Saviouâ— noteth when the old Cloth was joyned to the new it made no good medley but the Rent was made the worse So when the Spring of Youth is wedded to the Winter of Age no true comfort can arise from such unequall Yokes but much jealousie and suspition are caused from the fame Would ye tarry for them That is you would not tarry for them or if you should tarry for them you should wrong your selves and doe unadvisedly because in the mean time refraining from the using of Gods Ordinance you expose your selves to the Devill to tempt you to incontinencie Therefore S. Pauls councell is good which he prescribes in 1 Tim. 5. 14. I will therefore that the younger Women c. While they were of age Note from hence that Children are not to be married in their Non-age before they are arrived at yeares of discretion Thanâ—ar Gen. 38. is to wait till Selah be grown up Those Parents are therefore to be blamed who out of by-respects match their Children in their infancie Whence it commeth to passe that as their age doth increase their minde doth alter so what formerly they did like afterwards they do loath such Marriages proving commonly most insuccessfull Nâ—y my Daughters for it grieveth me much for your sakes As if she had said It grieveth me much that you are already plunged into povertie but it would add more to my sorrow if you should increase your calamities by returning home with me for mine own part my misery troubleth me not so much because the Sun of my life is readie to set and it mattereth not though the Ship be scanted of Victuals when it is hard by the Harbour all my care is for you who are young women and stand upon your own preferment it grieveth me much for your sakes Doctrine See here Such is the ingenuous nature of Gods Children that they sorrow more for others that are inwrapped with them in a common calamitie then for themselves Example in Elias 1 King 17. 20. Put then it goeth
best of their House to be thankful to Gods gracious goodnesse who hath raised them to such a height He hath not dealt thus with every one neither are all of their kindred so well provided for outward maintenance And also let them learn to be bountiâ—ul and beneficial to their kindred in distress Mordecai said to Esther Esth. 4. 14. Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time namely to deliver her Country-men the Jews from that imminent danger So who knoweth whether God hath raised thee up who art the best of thy kindred to this very intent that thou â—ightest be the Treasure and the Store-house to supplie the want of others which are allied unto thee But if one should chance to be of so wealthy a stock as that none of his alliance stood in need of his charity let such a one cast his eye upon such as are of kindred unto him by his second birth and so he shall find enough Widows Orphans and poor Christians to receive his libeâ—alitie Notwithstanding let poor people be warie and discreet that through their idlenesse they be not a burthen to wealthie men of their alliance When a Husband-man claimed kindred in Groâ—ted Bishop of Lincoln and would fain on the instant turn a Gentleman and to this end requested his Lordship to bestow an Office upon him the Bishop told him that if his Plough were broken he would mend it if he wanted a â—lough he would make him a new one telling him withall that he should by no means leave that Calling and Vocation wherein God had set him So ought all poor people industriously to take pains for themselves and not to give themselves over to ease relying and depending for their maintenance on their reference and relation to a rich kinsman Come we now to the second Observation That the same man may be godly and also mighty in wealth like Boaz. Behold your Calling not many wise yet some wise as Salomon and Sergius Deputie of Cyprus not many rich yet some rich as Abraham Iob not many noble yet some noble as Theophilus For it is not the having of wealth but the having confidence in wealth not the possessing it but the relying on it which makes rich men incapable of the Kingdome of Heaven otherwise Wealth well used is a great blessing enabling the owner to do God more glorie the Church and Common-Wealth more good Vse Let all Wealthie men strive to add inward grace unto their outward greatness Oh 't is excellent when Ioash and Iehoiada meet together when Prince and Priâ—st Power and Pietie are united in the same person that so Greatnesse may be seasoned and sanctified by Grace and Grace credited and countenanced by Greatnesse that so Kings may be Nursing-Fathers and Queenes Nursing-Mothers to Gods Church Contrarie to which how many be there â—hat thinke themselves priviledged from being good because they are great Confining Pietie to Hospitals for their owne parts they disdaine so base a Companion Hence as Hills the higher the barrenner so men commonly the wealthier the worse the more Honour the lesse Holinesse And as Rivers when content with a small Channell runne sweet and cleare when swelling to a Navigable Channell by the confluence of severall Tributarie Rivulets gather mudde and mire and grow salt and brackish and violently beare downe all before them so many men who in meane Estates have been Pious and Religious being advanced in Honour and inlarged in Wealth have growne both empious and prophane towards God cruell and tyrannicall over their Brethren And Ruth the Moabitesse said unto Naomi I pray thee let me goe into the field and gather eares of Corne c. Herein two excellent Graceâ— appearâ— in Ruth First Obedience she would not goe to gleane without the leave of her Mother in law Verily I say unto you I have not found so much dutie no not in naturall Daughters to their owne Mothers How many of them now-adayes in matters of more moment will betroth and contract themselves not onely without the knowledge and consent but even against the expresse Commands of their Parents Secondly see her Industrie that she would condescend to gleane Though I thinke not with the Iewish Rabbins that Ruth was the Daughter to Eglon King of Moab yet no doubt she was descended of good Parentage and now see faine to gleane Whence we may gather that those that formerly have had good birth and breeding may afterward be forced to make hard shifts to maintaine themselves Musculus was forced to worke with a Weaver and afterwards was faine to delve in the Ditch about the Citie of Strasburgh as Pantalion in his Life Let this teach even those whose veines are washed with generous bloud and aâ—teries quickned with Noble spirits in their prosperitie to furnish qualifie and accommodate themselves with such Gentile Arts and liberall Mysteries as will be neither blemish nor burthen to their birth that so if hereafter God shall cast them into povertie these Arts may stand them in some stead towards their maintenance and reliefe And Naomi said Goe my Daughter See here how meekely and mildly she answers her The discourse of Gods Children in their ordinarie talke ought â—o be kinde and courteous So betwixt Abraham and Isaac Gen. 22. 7. betwixt Elkanah and Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 23. Indeed it is lawfull and necessarie for Iacob to chide Rachel speaking unadvisedly Gen. 30. 2. for Iob to say to his Wife Thou speakest like a foolish Wife But otherwise when no just occasion of anger is given their words ought to be meeke and kinde like Naomies Goe my Daughter Vers. 3 4. And she went and came and gleaned in the field after the Reapers and it happened that she met with the portion of the field of Boaz who was of the family of Elimelech And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the Reapers The Lord be with you and they answered him The Lord blesse thee FOrmerly we have seene the dutifulnesse of Ruth which would not leave her Mother untill she had leave from her Mother Proceed we now to her industrie and Gods providence over her As the Starre Math. 2. guided the Wise-men to Iâ—dea to Bâ—thlehem to the Inne to the Stable to the Manger so the rayes and â—eames of Gods Providence conducted â—uth that of all Grounds within the compasse and confines within the bounds and borders of Bethlehem she lighted on the field of Boaz. And it happened Objection How comes the holy Spirit to use this word a prophane terme which deserves to be banisht out of the mouthes of all Christians Are not all things ordered by Gods immediate Providence without which a Sparrow lighteth not oâ— the ground Is not that sentence most true God stretcheth from end to end strongly and disposeth all things sweetly Strongly Lord for thee sweetly Lord for me so S. Bernard Or was the Providence of God solely confined to his people of Israel that so Ruth being a
stranger of Moab must be left to the adventure of hazard How comes the holy Spirit to use this word Hap Answer Things are said to happen not in respect of God but in respect of us because oftentimes they come to passe not onely without our purpose and fore-cast but even against our intentions and determinations It is lawfull therefore in a sober sense to use these expressions It chanced or It fortuned Luke 10. 30. Nor can any just exception be taken against those words in the Collect Through all Changes and Chances of this mortall life Provided alwayes that in our formes of speech we dreame not of any Heathen Chance It is observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used in all the Workes of Homer but sure S. Austine in the first of his Retract complaineth that he had too often used the word Fortuna and therefore in the Pagans sense thereof we ought to abstaine from it Observation Now whereas Ruth by chance lighteth on Boaz his field we may observe Admirable is the providence of God in the ordering of contingent events to his glory and his Childrens good The Scripture swarmeth with Presidents in this behalfe which at this time I surcease to recite and conclude with the Psalmist O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all the Earth is full of thy Riches To which I may adde Oh that men would therefore prayse the Name of the Lord and shew forth the wonderfull workes that he doth for the children of men And behold Boaz came unto his Reapers He had a man over them yet himselfe came to over-see them Observation Where note it is the part of a thriving Husband not to trust the carâ— of his affairs to his servants but to over-see them himselfe The Masters eye maketh a fat Horse and one asking what was the bâ—st compost to Manure Land it was answered the dust of the Masters feet meaning his presence to behold his own business Hushai would not councell Absolon to let Achitophel goe with his Armie but advised him Thou shalt goe to battel in thine own person However he herein had a secret intent yet thus farre the proportion holds Things thrive best not when they are committed to Surrogates Deputies Delegates and Substitutes but when men themselves over-see them Let Masters therefore of Families carefully attend on their own businesse and let the Daughters of Sâ—rah whom the meeknesse of their Sex hath priviledged from following without doors affairs imitate the wise woman Proverbs 37. 15. 27. She rises whiles as yet it is night and giveth her meat to her Houshold and their portions to her Maids She looks well to all the wayes of her Houshold and eateth not the bread of idlenesse And such servants which have carelesse Masters let them look better to their Masters estate then their Masters do to their own let them be neither idle nor unfaithfull in their place knowing that though their earthly Master be negligent to eye them yet they have a Master in heaven who both beholds and will punish or reward them according to their deserts And as for the Sons of the Prophets let them feed the Flock over which they are placed and not thinke to shuffle and shift off their care to their Curaâ—es and Readers in their own unnecessary absence and yet how many arâ— there that Preach as seldome as Apollo laughs once in the yeare Indeed Eliah fasted forty dayes and forty nights in the strength of one meale but surely these think that their people can hold out fasâ—ing a twelve-moneth Well let them practise Boaz example as they have Curates so had he one to care for his affairs and yet behold in person he comes forth unto his Reapers And said unto them The Lord be with you Observe Curteous and loving salutations beseeme Christians indeed our Saviour Mat. 10. forbade his Disciples to salute any in the way but his meaning was that they should not lag or delay whereby to be hindred from the service wherein they were imployed and S. Iohn in his second Epistle saith That to some we must not say God speed lest we be made partakers of their evill deeds but that is meant of notorious sinners which have discovered their impious intents It is commonly said that the Small Pox is not infectious untill it be broken out so that before the time one may safely converse eat drinke lie with them but after the Pox is broken out it is very dangerous So we may safely salute and exchange discourse with the most wicked sinners whiles yet they smoother and conceale their bad designes but when once they declare and expresse them then it is dangerous to have any further familiarity with them for such Marsions the first born of the Devill and the eldest Sonne of Satan are salutations good enough Vse Those are justly to be reproved which lately have changed all heaâ—y expressions of love into verball Complements which Elymologie is not to be deduced a completione mentis but a completè mentiri And yet I cannot say that these men lie in their throat for I perswade my selfe their words never came so neare their heart but meerly they lie in their mouths where all their promises Both birth and burial in a breath they have That mouth which is their womb it is their grave Yea those words which S. Paul to the Corinthians thought to be the most affectionate expression of love is now made the word of course commonly bandied betwixt superficial friends at the first encounter YOUR SERVANT worse then these are the ambitious Saluters like Absolon 2 Sam. 15. 4. who at the same time by taking his Fathers Subjects by their hands stole away their hearts and the lower his bodie did couch the higher his mind did aspire Worst of all is the treacherous salutation of Iudas and Ioab who at one instant pretend lip-love and intend heart hatred who both kisse and kill embrace another with their hands and imbrew their hands in his blood whom they embrace And they answered him The Lord blesse thee When one offers us a curtâ—â—ie especially being our superiour it is fitting we should requiâ—e him It is a noble conquest for to be overcome with wrongs but it is a signe of a degenerous nature to be out-vied with courtesies and thereforâ— if one begin a kindnesse to us let us if it lie in our power pledge him in the samâ— nature Vers. 5 6 7. And Boaz said unto the servâ—nt which was appointed over the Reapers Whose is this Maid And the servant which was appointed over the Reapers answered and said This is the Moabitish Maid which came with Naomi from the Countrey of Moab Which came and said Let me gather I pray among the sheaves after the Reapers and so she came and stayed here from morning untill now onely she tarried a little in the house And Boaz said unto the servant which was appointed over the Reapers HEre we
thou wast borne trouble when thou wast nurst She was cold whilest thou wast warme went whilest thou layd'st still waked whilest thou slept'st fasted whilest thou fed'st These are easier to be conceived then express'd easier deserved then requited Say not therefore to thy Father according to the Doctrine of the Pharises Corban it is a gift if thou profitest by me but confesse that it is a true Debt and thy bouâ—den dutie if thou beest able to relieve them so did Ruth to Naomi who was but her Mother in law Which she had reserved when she was sufficed Observation We must not spend all at once but providently reserve some for afterwards we must not speake all at once without Iesuiticall reservation of some things still in our hearts not spend all at once without thriftie reservation of something still in our hands Indeed our Saviour saith Care not for to morrow for to morrow shall care for it selfe but that is not meant of the care of providence which is lawfull and necessarie but of the care of diffidence which is wicked and ungodly Those are to be blamed which as Abishai said to David concerning Saul I will strike him but once and I will strike him no more So many men with one act of Prodigalitie give the bane and mortall wound to their Estates with one excessive Feast one costly Sute of Clothes one wastfull Night of Gaming they smite their Estates under the fifth Rib which alwayes is mortall in Scripture so that it never reviveth againe But let us spare where we may that so we may spend where we should in the seven yeares of Plentie let us provide for the seven yeares of Famine and to make good construction of our Estates let us as well observe the Future as the Present Tense Then her Mother in law said unto her Where hast thou gleaned to day These words were not uttered out of Jealousie as if Naomi suspected that Ruth had dishonestly come by her Corne for Charitie is not suspitious but ever fastens the most favourable Comments upon the actions of those whom it affects but she did it out of a desire to know who had been so bountifull unto her Yet hence may we learne that Parâ—nts after the example of Naomi may and ought to examine their Children how and where they spend their time For hereby they shall prevent a deale of mischiefe whilest their Children will be more watchfull what Companie they keepe as expecting with feare at Night to be examined Neither can such Fathers be excused who never say to their Children as David to Adoniah Why doest thou so But suffer them to rove and range at their owne pleasure Am I say they my sonnes keeper He is old enough let him looke after himselâ—e Now as for those Ioashes whose Iehoiada's are dead those young men whose Friends and Fathers are deceased who now must have Reason for their Ruler or rather Grace for their Guide and Governer Let such know that indeed they have none to aske them as the Angel did Hagar Whence commest thou and whither goest thou None to examine them as Eliab did David Wherefore art thou come downe hither None to question them as Naomi did Ruth Where wroughtest thou to day But now as S. Paul said of the Gentiles that having no Law they were a Law unto themselves so must such young persons endeavour that having no Examiners they may be Examiners to themselves and at Night accordingly as they have spent their time either to condemne or acquit their owne actions Blessed be he that knew thee 1 Kings 22. The man shot an Arrow at unawares yet God directed it to the Chinke of the Armour of guiltie Ahab â—ut Naomi doth here dart and ejaculate out a prayer and that at Rovers aiming at no one particular Marke Blessed be he that knew thee Yet no doubt was it not in vaine but God made it light on the head of bountifull Boaz who deserved it Learne we from hence upon the sight of a good deed to blesse the doer thereof though by Name unknowne unto us And let us take heed that we doe not recant and recall our prayers after that we come to the knowledge of his Name as some doe who when they see a laudable Work willingly commend the doer of it but after they come to know the Authors Name especially if they be prepossessed with a private spleene against him they fall then to derogate and detract from the Action quarrelling with it as done out of ostentation or some other sinister end And she shewed her Mother in law with whom she had wrought Children when demanded are truly to tell their Parents where they have been rather let them hazard the wrath of their earthly Father by telling the Truth then adventure the displeasure of their heavenly Father by feigning a Lye Yet as David when Achish asked him where he had been 1 Sam. 27. 10. told him that he had been against the South of Judah and against the South of the Jerahmeelites and against the South of the Kenites when indeed he had been the cleane contrarie way invading the Geshurites and â—ezrites and the Amalekites So many Children flap their Parents in the mouth with a Lye that they have been in their Studie in their Calling in good Companie or in lawfull Recreations when the truth is they have been in some Drinking-School Taverne or Ale-house mis-spending of their precious time And many serve their Masters as Gehezi did the Prophet who being demanded answered Thy servant went no whither when he had been taking a Bribe of Naaman The mans Name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. We ought to know the Names of such who are our Benefactors Those are counted to be but basely borne who cannot tell the Names of their Parents and surely those are but of a base nature who doe not know the Names of their Patrons and â—enefactors Too blame therefore was that lame man cured by our Saviour Iohn 5. 13. of whom it is said And he that was healed knew not the Name of him that said unto him Take up thy Bed and walke Yet let not this discourage the charitie of any Benefactors because those that receive their courtesies oftentimes doe not remember their Nâ—mes let this comfort them though they are forgotten by the living they are remembred in the Booke of Life The Aâ—henians out of Superstition erected an Altar with this inscription Vnto the unknowne God but we out of true Devotion must erect an Altar of Gratitude to the memorie not of our once unknown but now forgotten Benefactors whose Names we have not been so carefull to preserve as Ruth was the Name of Boaz And the mans Name was Boaz. Vers. 20. And Naomi said unto her Daughter in law Blessed be he of thâ— Lord for he ceaseth not to do good to the living and to the dead Againe Naomi said unto her the man is neere unto us and of our affinitie THese