nor the thinges of the world for he that loueth the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him And Christ sayth Whosoeuer commeth to me and hateth not father and mother and wife and children is not worthie of mee Where are nowe our naturalles that woulde be professors but their friends will not let them they woulde be Christians but their wiues will not agree to them this yeere they will be worldlings and the next yeere when they haue ouercome their businesse if they haue any leasure they will heare the word preached Oh daungerous delayes of subtill Sathan studying by the worlde to drawe men from God they lye like sluggardes in winter it is too cold in sommer it is too hotte to worke so they in their youth will be religious when they are olde beeing in age when they bee riche being rich they waxe harder and harder and so continue till the day of their damnation Secondly by this we may gather howe farre an hypocrite or an infidell may goe in Religion Horpah forsaketh her owne people for the loue of God his people she weepeth and cryeth when it is but mentioned vnto her that shee woulde departe shee trauaileth on the way towardes the countrey of God his people and in this her iourney for a fewe worldly reasons she turneth backe againe though as it may seeme with a bitter heart Euen so hypocrites may forsake the worlde and their friendes ioyne themselues to God and his people trauaile and profite in Religion towardes the heauenly Ierusalem bee readie to weepe with them that weepe and lament with them that lament and in any good action set his foote as farre forth as the best yet some occasion giuen eyther for profite or pleasure feare or daunger sodainely turneth sayle and commeth to the worlde againe Euen so sayth our Sauiour of the seede that is sowen in the 2. and 3. grounde it taketh roote it springeth and groweth vp but sodainely the heate of persecution ariseth or offence taken at the doctrine which is taught them or the cares of this life deceitfulnesse of riches choake them By this we learne what to thinke of our softe hearted Christians many among vs that will diligently heare and wring out teares from their moistened braine at the hearing of God his iudgementes thundered and threatned by the Preacher yet being gone will make no conscience of oathes carding dicing tabling gaming for their neighbors mony going abroad on the sabboth day to feasts and beeing sharply reprooued for it then farewell Religion and profession also Thirdely by this we gather what exceeding kindnes an heathen an Atheist or an infidell may shew to them that feare God Horpah for the loue of godly Naomi goeth with her on the way weepeth and kisseth at their departure so great loue did she beare to her mother in lawe that had it not bene for one thing shee had gone thorough with her to her owne people So wee may see many among vs speake well of Religion yet they will not go so farre as Bethlehem for it that is they will wish they had a preacher yet they will hardly eyther on the Sabboth day or weeke daye stirre one foote from their owne places to heare a Sermon so colde is their deuotion but if they giue a poore man a meale of meate or lende him a little money at his neede or receiue a Preacher for a night then he is the onely man in the Countrey But oh Lorde open their eyes that they may see their curtesie is but light in regard of their duetie if for their brethren they would die it were but their duetie howe little is it then that they giue them meat But they woulde knowe of vs what is the way to be saued I aunswere so woulde the young man in the Gospell yet when Christ tolde him he woulde not doe it but went away sorrowing euen so these men may outwardly and inwardly in some measure professe kindenesse and humilitie to be instructed but alasse their profession is far from true feeling of Christian religion Lastly by this verse we note that as Horpah and her companions are carnally minded so Ruth and her fellowes are spiritually minded though one be ouerthrowen with worldly reasons yet the other remaineth inuincible in her first pretended purpose So that here is an image of a Congregation where all heare and yet there is a difference of hearing in one and the same Company one parte with profite another with disprofite one to their health another to their sickenesse to some the sauour of life vnto life to other the sauour of death vnto death Yet blessed be God that hath no earth so barren but it bringeth forth some fruite no people so rude but there are some sanctified persons among them which will not be drawne away till death no battell so cruell but some escape with life If the Pharises will not beleeue in Christ yet the poore people that knowe not the lawe will receiue him for the Messiah Among the mockers at Athens Paul receiued some fruite of his labours and the Gospell was neuer preached in any countrey but it gayned some This teacheth vs to follow the example of Ruth and we shall haue the rewarde of Ruth sticke to the Lorde and to the faithfull with purpose of heart let not the vaine glittering pleasure of pleasaunt pastime or profite drawe vs from the hope of our euerlasting blessednesse The time is but shorte wee haue to spende the labour easie if we willingly endure it the profite euerlasting if we continue to the ende This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our Faith for to him that beleeueth are all thinges possible Let vs therefore heare the worde with diligence that our fayth may be strengthened beleeue with assurance that our soules may be iustified and stand fast in the tryall of this world that bodie and soule may be crowned for blessed are they that endure to the ende And thus much of this conference or communication and the effecte thereof Novve let vs giue thankes to God for that vvhich hath bene spoken The thirde Lecture Ruth cap. 1. Vers 15.16.17 15. And Naomi saide beholde thy sister in lawe is gone backe to her people and to her gods returne thou after thy sister in lawe 16. And Ruth answered intreate me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee for whither thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people and thy God my God 17. Where thou dyest will I dye and there will I be buried the Lord do so vnto me and more also if ought but death departe thee and me IN these wordes the holy Ghost declareth vnto vs the conference had betweene Naomi and Ruth after the departure of Horpah wherein Naomi ceaseth not throughly to trie and examine the minde of Ruth for what cause shee woulde goe with her the wordes containe in them 2. partes
of the earth Of all these mistryes you may see in the booke of Iudges Samuel and Kings to which I referre you at your leasure as of Saul Dauid Ieroboam Achab Zidkia others as in this present place where they are oppressed ten yeares together so that heauen and earth may passe but the word of the Lord abideth for euer For this cause the prophets adde to their preaching of iudgmentes Thus sayth the Lorde as if they had said it shall neuer bee altered And if the lawes of heathen men such as the Medes and Persians might not alter much lesse the word of the Lord which is like siluer purified seuen times should haue any drosse or changeable substaunce in it Wee see the law of nature stand inuiolable for euer and shall not the law of him which made nature be also immutable when the fire ceaseth to bee hote and the water to be colde then shall be exception taken against God his iudgments and not before The vse of this doctrine is to cast downe the presumption of notorious sinners who to auoyd the terrors of God his iudgmentes deceiue their owne soules vvyth this that God is mercifull So that in theyr most singular sinnes they will flye to the mercyes of God as if they were the verie bonde of all iniquitie yea and these kinde of people perswade themselues to bee as good Christians as anie in the worlde because they can saie the Lord is mercifull But heare me a little in one word I praie you I am perswaded that I speake to many these people this daie What hurt hath the Lorde done vnto you that you rob him of his iustice Shall the Prophet be found a liar that sayth The Lord is iust in all waâ—es and holy in all his workes Or shall the Apostle speake vntruth that sayth It is a iust thing with God to render affliction to them that afflict you release to you that are afflicted Why shall we then spoile God of his iudgements vnlesse wee wyll depriue our selues of our owne saluation But you will saie this serueth for the wicked as Atheists Turkes Pagans Infidels and such lyke which shall haue no part with Christ I answere what greater wickednes can there be than to depriue God of his iustice Would a mortall man indure to be accounted without honestie and shall the euerlasting king abide to be spoiled of his righteousnesse Nay the iustice of God pertaineth to such as you would be holy persons as well as to anie For what saith the Prophet When the iust man turneth from his righteousnesse to doo iniquitie he shall die in it And Peter sayth that iudgement must begin at the house of God And a father once saide God of his most deere iustice hath decreed the summe of all discipline both in exacting and in defending as if he had sayd there is no correction of the Lord but it proceedeth from his iustice now the children of God are corrected for hee scourgeth euerie child whom he receiueth And therfore the iudgmentes of God must bee thundered out as well for the confirming of the faithfull as the confusion of Infidels But others there are that are so farre past feeling of either mercies or iudgements that as soone the deafe adder wil heare the voice of the charmer as they anie impression of terrour for sinne Hence commeth this custome of sinning which euerie sabboth commit their wonted iniquitie euerie houre vomit out their poison of blasphemies and euerie daie violate the lawes of charitie who through their dayly staring on the sonne of righteousnesse are nowe become starke blinde and with the continuall noise of God his waters are made so deafe that they can heare no goodnesse Vnto both these sortes of people hearken what the Lorde sayth in his Gospell But if that euill seruant shall saie in his heart the Lorde deferreth his comming and shall begin to finite his fellow seruants and to eate and drinke with the dronken The Lord of that seruant shall come in a daie that hee looketh not for and in an houre that hee knoweth not and shall separate him and giue him his parte with vnbeleeuers there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth This shall be the end of secure christians and contemptuous sinners carnall Atheists despisers of wholsome doctrine which haue no part but in this present life with endlesse and fearefull damnation in the world to come Thus much of the first parte the circumstance of time now let vs go to the thing which is the second parte of the occasion There was a famine in the land This was the chiefe cause which moued these persons to trauell the auoiding of the pinching penurie of fearefull death by lingering till the end of this pining famine Of all the punishments of sinne which happen in this life theâ—e is none more vehement than famine Therefore the Lord by the Prophet threatneth to send his arrowes of famine to breake the staffe of bread Where he alludeth to a maine battell signifying vnto vs first as the arrow is the fittest instrument to break the ranke so a famine is the sharpest weapon to dismaye the couragious stomackes of rebellious sinners For as the arrowe is alwaie in sight so a famine euer in sense the arrowe hurteth but not with a speedie death a famine spoileth yet with tedious miserie the arrowe entered doth procure more paine and greater wound at the pulling forth than the falling in euen so abundance of meate sooner dispatcheth a famished person than lingering hunger Therefore Dauid put to his choice of three plagues famine flying and pestilence chose the last as the most sodainest and therefore accompanied with lesse griefe for that disease by the rule of phisicke is most daungerous which is the longest in growing Now wee may reade of many famines in the Scripture one and the first we read of was in the dayes of Abraham another in the daies of Izhak his sonne Seuen yeeres famine was in Egypt where Ioseph by the hand of God succored the Church in his fathers familie And to omit that in Dauids time and that in Ahabs time with those in the dayes of Iehoram and Zidkia with many others VVee reade in the new Testament of a vniuersall famine in the dayes of Claudius Caesar prophesied by Agabus when the Church dyd most notably releeue one another Vnto the which wee may adde that at the destruction of Ierusalem about fortie yeeres after Christe All which are most worthie spectacles of humane miserie and worthy examples of God his iudgementes to terrifie all them which saie in theyr prosperitie they shall neuer be moued There wee may reade of the pittifull death of many thousands which starued in the streetes in the face of theyr dearest friendes and yet were not able to releeue them There wee may see howe men were driuen to eate dogges cats rats mice and horse
them Whereby the vngodly entreating of strangers that manye wishe for among vs is too wicked enuying that any shoulde bee permitted to come and soiourne among vs like free borne children Yet heerein wee are to prayse God that these persons cannot bite although they barke at poore harbourles strangers and also that hee hath blessed our magistrates with more pitifull mindes And let these personnes knowe and consider that it is as easie to go out as to come into England this is they may as sone be driuen to other places out of their owne countrey to bee strangers there as these are repayred for succour hither The vncertaintie of worldly estate that hath brought great princes to extreme pouerty should bridle their churlishe and vngodly affections from offering one thought of iniurie to these poore harbourlesse strangers Wee knowe the parable of Christ of a man that trauailed from Iericho to Ierusalem and fell among theeues the kindnes of that stranger Samaritan should mooue vs to do good to strangers while the world standeth seeing wee are more helped by their presence then by our owne neyghbours but these kinde persons that thus rayle vppon poore strangers are such as are grieued against God and men who in their hearts would haue no man liuing in the lande besides themselues and theyr cursed posteritye But some will saye you make too much account of strangers the Lorde doeth not make such reckoning of them because forbidding vsury to the Iewes yet hee permitted them to take vsurye of the strangers I answere those strangers were the cursed Cananites and none other whome God had vowed to destruction to the intent the Iewes might haue them in all slauerie Of them he permitted to take vsury for this is the blessing of God vppon that people that they should bee able to lend to other but stand in no need to borrowe of other Therefore that beeing but a permission for the Iewes onely hath ceased in that common wealth but in Christ there is no difference of Iewe or gentile male or female bond or free for all are his and hee the Lordes so that nowe the name of a straunger is quite ceased but all are neighbors and brethren for euermore And Boaz answered In this verse is contained the replye of Boaz vnto the speeche of Ruth wherein is set downe the true cause of his liberalitye vnto her first in regarde of her mother in lawe and his kinswoman with whome shee had dealt so well in her owne countrey secondly in regard of her selfe she had forsaken father and mother with countreye and kindred to come among strange people Where we first obserue a singular encouragement to obey our godly parents for wee see that our good actions needed not to bee preached abroade by other for our farther coÌ„mendation but at the time appointed they will shewe themselues as the life of trees by sending foorth leaues in the spring time of the yeere Ruth as wee haue heard dealt most louingly with her mother in lawe in Moab yet you see that her kindnes hath followed her to Bethlehem in Iudah manye myles distant the one from the other If it had beene knowen there to a few onely it had bin sufficient but being spread a broade the chiefe man in a citie doth commende her for it among a multitude in a haruest field the place could not hide it were it neuer so far of the time not conceale it bee it neuer so secret the commendation of it be couered because shee was a stranger nor the credit of it bee loste in another countrey Such is the nature of good thinges which wee do to other that no obliuion can euer bury it What needeth this boasting of our almes deedes like the blowing of a trumpet this bragging of our worthynes some of their manhood some of their friendship other of their riches and many of their labour as if they slept not foundly til al the world did ring of their commendation This one thing loseth all our reward for it is better that the workes then the wordes should witnes it We may also by this assure our selues that we haue done nothing so secretly to the flocke of Christ but it is knowne and the name of God praysed for it for as euill deedes remaine to the graue so good workes reâ—ound to perpetuall memory Secondlye by this wee obserue the excellencye of religion for whose sake it is commendable to forget nature and praise worthye to forsake our parents and people Which if we should doo for any other cause whatsoeuer we were accursed When the Lorde woulde establishe his couenant with Abraham â— hee called him from Father and countrey to shewe that for religion sake it is a glory and not onely to do thus but also for to bee scourged yea and to suffer death Why then is it so contumeliously vpbraided so scornefully refused of many and but of fewe â—ectiued till this day Among all the world onely Abrahams posterity had the couenant and promises and now though men bee as the sande on the sea shoare and the starres of heauen which cannot bee numbered yet shall but a remnant bee saued none come vnto it but by the especiall grace of God whereby hee draweth them as it were against theyr mindes fewe persons woulde resorte to Noahs arke because they scorned his preaching euen so fewe are religious because they account it a base worke to heare the worde of God plainely opened and sincerely expounded Where is then become this auncient zeale that made men and women as well noble as base to bee obedient to the calling of the Lord for which cause they forsook both wealth parentage cuntry kindred but in these dayes men will forsake Christe and his Gospell religion and preaching for the least of these Once the Apostle saide hee accounted all thinges as dung in regarde of Christe but nowe Christ is regarded as dung in comparison of the worlde Once Christ sayd whosoeuer loueth father or mother wife or children house or landes more then mee is not worthy of mee but nowe whosoeuer loueth Christe more then these is not worthy to liue Once it was saide firste seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other thing shall be cast vppon you but nowe first seeke the worldes riches and wealth and religion will follow too soone Oh what miserable daies are we fallen into where ignoraunce aduanceth it selfe like the moone and is not ashamed the Gospell reuiled by euerie atheist the ministers molested for euery papiste the sacramentes prophaned the professours tearmed by slanderous titles which for Christes sake haue loste their kindred and aduentured their liues Surely surelye some great plague is approaching for the quenching of this burning heate of sinne when they shall say here is a God that rewardeth the righteous verily there is a God that iudgeth the worlde Thirdly we obserue out of this verse that wee must not without
fines defrauders of simple persons bargaining who all are condemned in the last commaÌ„dement as the couetors of other mens goods and therefore guiltie of eternal damnation And do you These words are the seconde part of his coÌ„mandement whereby the former point is confirmed that Bohaz knew Ruth would not picke the sheaues therefore willeth to let fall on the grounde plentifully for her to auoide her farther and more vnprofitable labour which he therefore doth that he might testifie his goodes to bee not onely his but all theirs that feare the Lord for no doubt but there were many that did gleane in the field beside Ruth with whom Bohaz did not thus deale shewing vnto vs that there may be a difference in giuing and that we are not bounde to giue equally to all but as the persons are so must bee the gift the poorest must not haue the greatest share but the godliest for pouertie without godlines is like the apple of Sodome which is as fayre to looke on as any other but being taken in the hand resolueth to smoke and powder so if vngodly poore folks be a little examined they shal be found as the apple not worthy eating so the other not worthy to be giuen to although they crie like the horseleaches daughters giue giue yet wee must answere theÌ„ w t spare spare But Bohaz doth in this place as Ioseph did to his brethren he feasted all of theÌ„ but Beniamins part was fiue times so big as the residue afterward he gaue to euery one chaunge of garmentes but vnto Beniamin he gaue three hundred shikles and fiue change of garments the reason of all this was because hee was Rachell his owne mothers sonne but all the other were his fathers children onely euen so must we do good to all that are our fathers children by creation but to our mothers children which is the Church of Christ the houshold of faith whereof Rachel was a tipe we must w t special portions for feeding their hunger and clothing of their nakednesse compasse their wantes with the supply of our beneuolence for which cause Sainte Paule in his preaching was willed by the other Apostles to haue speciall and heedfull care ouer the poore brethren which if it were put in practise wee should be more able to do good vnto the godly and to denie the contrary minded This one thing is aboue all other to be required y t euery one giue where God may most of all be glorified but the vngodly sort take their reliefe as the hungry houndes their feeding if they bee hindered they will flye vppon their owne maisters in like sort the wicked will blaspheme God liberally and not humbly thanke or praise him for anye thing they receiue What if they murmure against thee and saye my part is not so good as thine you giue him more then to mee and you care for none but for these precise fellowes Tell them againe it is lawfull for thee to doo with thy owne as thou wilt neyther ought thy eye to bee euill because my hand is good the vnworthiest in the world shall haue the worthiest portion they which with them are last with thee let be first the first with them be last with thee for spirtuall men must looke for spirituall hearts to cast the seed of their almes into good ground where the fruit may be increased the want of the faithfull may be relieued the glorie of Christ may be magnified thy owne duetie may bee discharged a good conscience satisfied and thy soule for euer comforted Secondly by this wee obserue that Boaz might haue admitted many hinderances whereby hee might haue bene better aduised before he gaue such large liberty either to Ruth or to his seruants for her as to gather among the sheaues or to let fall handâ—ulls vnto her Hee might haue thought thus with himselfe it was lately a derth for a long time together it may be shortly y e Lord wil send such another then all that I haue will be too litle for my selfe and my family and therefore I must be wise and giue not so much till I knowe what I shall lacke but all this coulde not turne away the heart of Boaz from doing good vnto Ruth for he esteemed more of one godly Ruth then of all the possessions hee had neyther ought any of the godly once to admit any such doubt in their minde as to be vexed in distrust of the mercye of God to come They must pray with Dauid o Lord incline my hearte to thy testimonies not to couetousnes The widdow of Zareptha might haue so answered Eliah that she had but so little lefte as would onely suffise for one meale and giue him nothing yet she was obedient and beleeued the worde of the prophet and her store increased that she wanted no more The church of the Macedonians might haue said that they were poore saints as wel as the residue therefore as they asked nothing but were content with their pouerty so none should charge them in giuing to other but yet the Apostle Paule said they supplied the want of the Cornithians and gaue more then they were able And euerlasting is the commendation which hee giueth of Onesiphorus how often hee refreshed him and was not ashamed of his chaines but came to Ephesus and visited him there and followed him to Rome many hundred miles that there also he might succor him with his charity Which teacheth vs when wee haue to deale with the godly as all these persons had no coste must be spared couetousnes not admitted no feare of want suspected for he which is Lord ouerall is also rich vnto all Obadiah in a famine fedde an hundered prophets yea and hidde them in caues from the wrath of Iezabell What want did he sustaine thereby surelye none for distrust causeth want and not liberalitye for hee which maketh thee to feede his saints nowe will also prouide another to feed the when thy store is wasted Oh hearken to this you possessors of the earth vppon whome in this time of dearth the eyes of the poore doe looke as on the handes of the Lord whereby hee filleth euerie liuing thing with his plenteous goodnes Open your gates wider that more poore maye come into your houses to bee refreshed with breade open your purses farther that more beneuolence maye come out to bee caste into the fruitefull lande of the famished poore for after manye dayes you shall finde it againe put on the bowels of compassion and let not your owne bretheren want seeing you haue inough Hee that willeth you to doo this for his sake will commaunde heauen and earth to restore his owne debte which you haue lent him feare not that you shall want for the Lorde is the owner of the earth this is senâ—e vppon vs to trye your charitye and compassion towarde the poore for his sake if you nowe bee liberall Paule hath prayed for
is all heaped on the children they match without wealth or blessing they are detayned in the best tyme of their dayes and finally are discredited by their owne parents Would God you that are naturall parentes would learne of Naomi which was but a stepmother She differred not the time she knewe it a sinne against nature that youth should bee wasted and not in marriage she had a conscience of her duetie and a care to her daughter in lawe that her welfare might encrease her solitarie life be comforted her name aduaunced her religion rewarded with a temporall blessing of a godly husband and eternall saluation in the kingdome of heauen Secondly by this wee gather that for many causes mariage is better then the vnmaried estate if with the feare of God it be vndertaken For in this place Naomi calleth it rest as she did in the first Chapter and therefore by relation the vnmaried life is disquietnes and as rest is better then trouble so the maried life is better then the other And truely in the vnmaried life wee find many inconueniences First the heart is neuer satisfied if a man haue riches honour pleasure health and fauour yet wanting a conuenient mariage hee is not at rest but desireth that If he bee in sicknes the diligence care of a wife is better then a phisition Nature biddeth him marry to increase his name The world biddeth him marry to multiply mankind The Lorde biddeth him marry to prepare some heyres for the kingdome of heauen So that if nature worlde religion require it who shal speak against it Secondly in the vnmaried estate is either too too much solitarinesse or too too much pleasure the meane betweene both is mariage where hee shall alway finde company to expell sorrow and ioyfull care to driue away ouer merry pastimes it calleth a man to grauitie it admonisheth of death if sheweth the world to bee vanitie hath no hope but in heauen Therefore Salomon speaking of one kind and alluding to both saith Hee that findeth a wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord euen so may a woman say If she find a godly husbande she hath a great fauour Christ taketh greatest delight in his Church and his Church in Christ Such is mariage when the hart of one resteth in another that is the rest which is to be required As for temporall blessinges which further it they must be sought for by diligent labour and prayed for by faithfull supplication because it is the Lord that giueth power to get riches grace to vse them and his blessing to increase them We knowe all the fathers so soone as their children were growen vp they willed and wished them to marry that their mindes might first be stayed at home as it were the foundation and then their actions would bee wiser abroad which would make a perfect building But some will say Paule affirmeth it is not good for a man to touch a woman that is to marrie I answere that saying of Paule is because of troubles that are incident to mariage by reason of the wickednes of the world The marchant that ventureth on the sea hath greatest gaine and suddainest losse not as if the sea were in fault but because the stormes fall on the sea euen so if any find their mariages bitter vnto them let them knowe the fault is not in the thing but in the time place or persons And though troubles followe it it is but sowre sawce to sweet meat as the furnace doth purge the golde that their loue might be manifested their fidelity tried their patience approued and their religion if they haue any declared Againe they will obiect the same Apostle saith in the same Chapter He that giueth in mariage doth wel but he that giueth not in mariage doth better therefore the vnmaried life is better then the married To which I answere first he speaketh to them that haue the gifte of chastitie but we knowe the fewest parte are endued therewith Secondly his speech is for those troublesome dayes of persecution when the faithfull were in continuall troubles and feare of their liues then was it better to die single then leaue many helpelesse widdowes behind that they might the better flie in danger bee constant in affliction and haue no lets or pul-backes to keepe them from Christ so hee wisheth and protesteth for their troubles were meanes to keepe them from mariage in which sense the Apostle calleth it better not to marrie and yet yeeldeth the other to bee good and lawfull But in times of peace where there is plentie and libertie the swelling nature will not bee appeased but onely by mariage where the gift is not and the Apostle saith in those daungerous times that it was better to marrye then to burne that is to bee vexed with the daylie desire through the feeling of our owne necessities Thirdelie they may obiect that the vnmaried care for the thinges of God but the maried to please their husbandes and wiues to the which I aunswere that marriage hindereth not the seruice of God but furthereth it in many respects first because a householde is a little Church where the married persons are the ministers of their families by priuate instruction to drawe both children and seruantes to the kingdome of heauen Secondly it putteth them in minde of the loue of God to them when they loue one another and admonisheth them of their duties which is to loue God againe Thirdely they haue mo priuate blessinges as the seales of God his fauour towarde them which also stirreth them vp to serue the Lorde Fourthly two are better then one for if one bee negligent in the worshippe of God the other may whette his fellowe on their prayers are more acceptable because the number of them that praye is greater And if any omit these duties the fault is in the persons not in the marriage for that is it which the Apostle Saint Paule condemneth when eyther partie are so much inclyned to one another that they weigh not the loue of God and care of heauenly thinges for the fondenesse ouer themselues and trauaile for earthly commodities but wee must bee married as if wee were vnmarried in this respect we must vse the world as if wee vsed it not reioyce in the company of one another as if wee reioyced not Therfore to conclude mariage is honorable in all instituted by God himselfe obserued by the Fathers before Christ both princes priestes and prophets commaunded by our Sauiour his apostles to bee vndertaken that such persons as haue not the gifte of continencye might marry keepe themselues the vndefiled members of Christes misticall body Let vs then bee exhorted to bee patient in the troubles that accompanye it for although a bitter shell doe compasse the nutte yet how sweet is the kernell that lyeth within although it haue as many miseries as the winter hath colde dayes yet vnspeakeable
founde to be nothing but rotten woode good for nothing But to come to Ruth shee perfourmeth her promise to God as Dauide sayth though it bee to her owne hinderance shee knoweth it with the appostles better to obeye God then men to followe Christe and not the flesh for the world it selfe shall bee shortelye consumed and then the louers thereof shall bee vtterlye condemned Oh let vs then practise the deniall of our selues before the time of tryall come let vs as the martirs did trye the burning of our fingers before wee venter our whole bodyes let vs giue some of our wealth to the poore nowe rather then keepe all to be spoyled by the wicked apostataes then but howe will men doo this at that fierye tryall when nowe in peace they will forsake and forsweare the Lorde some for their merchandise other for rentes reuenewes some to bringe the poore Nabaothes into destruction many for worldly profite and temporall gaine but this quene of worldly desire shall one daye bee meate for the dogges when it shall bee sayd that happye are all you that in wealth and pouertye haue followed the sonne of righteousnes in sinceritye 〈◊〉 Feare not my daughter His prayer and the reason thereof being ended nowe followeth the consolation hee giueth to Ruth in these wordes bidding her to caste awaye feare for what soeuer lyeth in his power he would doe for the whole citty would testifie the estate of her person and vprightnes in her liuing and therefore hee should bee much to blame if hee denyed so lawfull a request Out of the which we note First here is set down the duetie of all magistrates which is with meekenes and gentlenes to heare the petitions of their sutors for Boaz was a publike person or els Naomi had complayned to the magistrate but himselfe being a godly elder the suite is first priuately handled with him Therfore they must follow y e example of Bohaz here declared which is with the kindest wordes to intreate them and iust iudgementes to proceede for them alway yeelding to equitie where the cause is required For our sauiour accompteth a magistrate that is contrary minded neyther to feare God or to respect man that is such a one is hated of God and man For if magistrates loue God or regarde their subiectes they must bee easily entreated by the voyces of their suitors Therefore is that euerlasting commendation of Moyses y t hee sate in the door of his tent in iudgment frō euening vntil morning where al the people might freely haue accesse to his presence and godly conference with his person the which all the iudges in christendome might imitate without impeachment to their honours Olde Samuel when he had annointed and appointed Saule to raigne in his steade ouer all Israel appealed to the people what iniury he had done to any and the people iustified him in all thinges now hee was easily come vnto at all times when Saule and his fathers seruant seeking for asses woulde go to the man of God meaning Samuel Oh that all that are in authoritie would hearken to these examples that with all gentlenesse they might intreate the people of God committed to their gouernment that they might freely come to them and frendly speake with them that at the daye of their deathes they might haue the poore saintes of God praying for their deliueraunce their consciences vnburthened their duties discharged their subiectes satisfied iustice offered and their soules euerlastingly saued Secondly by this wee gather that iudges and iustices must especially looke to the godly for Boaz saith that all the cittie knew Ruth to be a godly woman So that hee bindeth himselfe by her religion to be as carefull for her being a stranger as if she were his naturall daughter For as all the cittie knewe her religious so they would all reioyce to see her aduanced And this is the cause wherefore the Lorde hath so much commended vnto vs the estate of widdowes and fatherlesse children because for the most parte they are oppressed and not oppressors vexed and not vexours receyuers and not doers of iniurie And surely such are simple godly men they will beare many burthens before they complain for euery trifle they wil not trouble a magistrate Therefore euery magistrate must saye with Dauid My eyes shalbe on them that speake truth on the earth and they that walke vprighly shall be my seruantes so haue you respect of persons though not in iudgement yet in common opinion for the professors of religion are your dearest friends who without ceasing powre forth their prayers for you that in equitie you might drawe your sword for them Oh howe lamentable is it to heare how poore godly men are dayly blasphemed and reproched for their religion when wicked Atheistes carnall persons common swearers godles wretches haue their harts desire at the hands of the magistrate Surely such persons who desire your aide against other deserue your swordes of iustice against themselues for they neuer come into your presence but to the dishonour of God Execute iudgement therefore for them and vpon them Thirdely by this wee gather what it is that most commendeth women for Boaz saith vertue and if all y t world crie the contrary yet Bathsheba the mother of king Salomon will confirme it for thus she saith Fauour is deceitful beautie is vaine but a woman that feareth God shee shall get praise for her selfe for vertue and the feare of the Lorde are both one thing So that this is the thing they are most commended for if religion will take any roote in their hartes for beauty is worne by age proportion of body lost by sicknes loue of men at the wagging of a hand and braue apparell when wealth decayeth onely the feare of the Lord endureth for euer We reade that Vasti the queene of Asuerus was exceeding beautifull but she disobeyed her husbande and was put from her princely roome when godly Ester was taken in her steade If the feare of God had beene in the former to obey her husbande Esther had not so soone come into her place But the Lorde that hee might punish the pride of the one and reward the religion of the other lifted vp vertuous Esther and cast downe that stately Vasti to shewe vnto vs that much better is the feare of the Lorde then all the beautie and glorie of the world We finde many commended in the worde of God for their faith but fewe for their fairenesse that all shoulde learne more earnestly to labour that the hid man of the hearte may bee founde in incorruption of a gentle and a quiet spirite which is very precious in the sight of the Lord. Lastly let vs all learne by this aswell rich as poore gouernours as subiectes men as women that aboue all thinges we followe the example of Ruth to please God more then our selues to labour for vertue and religion as for a treasure
as Peter woulde but they must sinke as Peter did and yet they perish not but are lifted vp and saued by Christ as Peter was though our olde Adam cause vs to commit many sinnes yet our newe Adam will remoue all wee must iudge charitably of all our brethren that are ouertaken in their seuerall sinnes Sara lyed vnto the Lorde himselfe Onesimus was a thiefe and a runne away from Philemon Rebecca caused Iacob her sonne to beguile his owne father and all the holy Patriarkes had many wiues yet none must bee so bolde as to condemne any of these notwithstanding their seuerall and manyfolde faultes Euen so in these our dayes though we see and beholde our brethren some ouercome with the worlde other by promotion many by their lustes and concupiscences other in their braue apparell nay if they steale and robbe yet wee must not iudge but charitably of them I speake not this to encourage any hereunto for if grace abounde aboue sinne yet cursed are they that sinne that grace and blessing might abounde vnto them for if wee may not doe euill where wee certainely know good may ensue thereof much lesse may wee doe euill to make the mercy of God the baude of our sinnes but this we must remember that there is no condemnation to the righteous although they fall seuen times a day but if any sinne vppon presumption of God his mercies theyr damnation is iust and are like a thiefe that stealeth because hee seeth one among twentie pardoned by the Prince Secondly there are many that condemne the whole profession because they liue not all in the same perfection and bring not forth the same fruites which by this doctrine we see here condemned For as the grapes of the vine haue some lesse and some more sweetnes yet all are grapes and grow of the vine so the Saints of God haue some more purity and some lesse and yet all are nourished by Christ the vine what if some saith the Apostle haue not beleeued shall the grace of God be made of none effect and what if some haue often fallen into sinne shall the whole Gospel for their sakes bee discredited nay the Lorde hath alway some that liue so purely such as Isaacke Ioseph Bohaz Daniell Zacharie and Elizabeth whom all the world can neuer blemish howsoeuer others haue their publike faultes first that the worke of repentance which is a grace of God might be practised Secondly that God his mercy in sauing great sinners might be magnified Thirdely that the faithfull seeing their dayly falles might more earnestly desire their finall deliuerance Lastly that the wicked by this meanes might haue occasion by their blasphemies to worke their owne damnation Afterward she arose for Boaz said Nowe the night well passed in quiet sleepe and the dawning of the day approching Ruth at the commandement of Boaz ariseth before the day light least any should know she had taried w t him all that night whereby the good old man signifieth vnto vs that it is no newe thing in the worlde that slaunders should bee raised for this was the thing that Boaz feared that if any should haue seene the woman with him they woulde presently conceiue it were for no goodnes For the worlde museth as it vseth and they will soonest espie a mote in the eye of a godly man it euer was is and will be that causles surmises and reproches shall be brought vp vpon the godly for princes nor people can be freede therefrom the which Dauid felt wel inough when he said in a certain place that one blessednesse in God his kingdome shall bee this to be kept from the strife of tongues thereby insinuating that they must needes endure them in this life present We knowe what our sauiour reporteth of the Pharisies how they accused him to bee a friend of publicanes harlots and sinners and Iohn Baptiste to haue a Deuill Therefore this must worke patience in the faithfull that are like affected and afflicted with venemous tongues for wee are not better then those fathers are who many yeares agoe sustayned the same reproches and lefte the burthen behinde them to bee borne by vs for the world is no chaungeling that which then they spoke against them now they spitte agaynst vs and though the authours of these slaunders be many yeares since departed yet their manners and heyres shall abide while the worlde standeth But to come to the wordes wherein the minde of Bohaz is that none should knowe that woman were with him at such a suspected time Why will some say is it such a matter to talke with a woman priuately and alone we may doe it publikely and who can say nay vnto it I graunt wee may and with lesse offence yet Bohaz woulde giue no occasion of offence because we must abstayne from all appearaunce of euill wee must not onely bee carefull wee sinne not but Christians must bee carefull to auoide all suspition of sinne it is not lawfull for Christians commonly to company and keepe with enemyes because it may bee thought that they are secreatly in league with them it is not lawfull for a christian to go into the house of a harlot because it will discredite his name it is not lawfull for a Christian to goe into a Temple of idols vnlesse it be to deface them because it may be thought he goeth to worshippe the like may bee said of all other in the like kinde where men are as guiltie that looke on as they that are the principalles And beloued I would to God that this carefulnesse to auoide and shunne the outwarde appearaunce of iniquitie were well considered then extraordinary charges in diet or apparel wolde bee eschewed lest wee bee accompted daynty and prodigall or proude slackenesse in going to sermons woulde bee amended lest wee be deemed idle and secure Atheistes buying selling playing and gaming on the sabbaoth day would be punished lest it be thought we haue no feare or care to worship the Lorde the dayly and most lamentable swearing of rich and poore old and younge parentes and children maysters and seruantes husbandes and wiues men and women would with terrour of the Lordes iudgementes be restrayned idlenes woulde be reformed drunkennesse in euery degree woulde bee corrected dalliaunce and wantonnes ashamed cosening and deceyuing simple persons bee banished and finally if this fearing the shaddowe of sinne would rest in the heartes of mankinde neyther should the substance thereof ouercome them the pleasures allure them the hope deceiue them the profite compel them the glory prouoke them or the end these of condemne them Let vs therfore beloued neyther frequent or approch to persons y t are suspected or places that are corrupted we can touch no pitch but wee must be polluted nor any vncleane thing but wee are defiled sinne is a contagious disease it wil infecte the walles and the garmentes where it is committed and what agreement is between the children of God
your acquaintance to be carefull for theyr children as well as themselues first to try and then trust first to prepare somewhat that if sicknes come or charges come or are ouertake thee yet then thou mayest comfort thy selfe with thy owne gotten goods and rather be helpefull then chargeable to any Fourthly by this that Boaz sayeth he taketh Ruth to wife for to stirre vp the name of the dead and that the name of the dead be no more forgotten among his brethren in the gate of his place We note that our mariages must be taken in hand also to this end for the multiplying of the Church of God we haue alreadie shewed how one cause of this brothers mariage was for that vse and purpose and in this place not vnnecessary to confirme For the lawe of this mariage was speciall onely for God his people and therefore for the augmenting of the number of the Lords flocke And as this was among the Iewes that euery family might haue some temporall inheritours euen so is it among the Gentiles that if it be possible eueryone should bring one infant or other to be an inheritour of the Lords kingdome By the which parents are taught to be more carefull for the education and instruction of their children then for their procreation and birth for they are made the fathers and mothers of Christ in his members therefore they must not leaue him to Herod that is they must not giue their children to the power of Sathan by theyr negligence and want of teaching they are accursed that lay stumbling blocks before the blinde and shall not they also that leade them into the sea where is nothing but drowning euen so if godlesse parents doe leâ—de theyr children and innocent babes into damnable ignorance who shall aunswere for their soules shall not the authors of this destruction Had not parents neede then to looke to themselues for if they haue as much golde as Salomon had and as great inheritances as Caleb had and as much possession of Cattell as Iob had yet if they be not able to bring vp their children in the feare of God it were better for parents and children they had neuer beene borne then miserably to liue in wealth and bee euery houre in daunger of damnation But how then will you say must we be carefull for the instruction of our children I aunswere you must be carefull of these two things first that you teach them that which is good secondly that you giue no euill example vnto them Concerning the first for the teaching of them the truth you must first teach them the matter of theyr faith and secondly how to pray The matter of theyr faith is contayned in the twelue articles commonly called our creede or beliefe which euery father and mother is bound to teach theyr children with the pure vnderstanding thereof and as they be able to shewe them the proofes thereof out of the word of God I meane as the children be able to receiue it Heerein they must instruct them of the miserable estate of mankinde after their fall by the vse and vnderstanding of the morall lawe contayned in the two tables of the tenne Commaundements with the proofes thereof out of the scripture and the deliuerance by the death and bloudsheading of Iesus Christ the eternall and onely begotten sonne of God Againe you must teach them to pray according as the Lord hath taught vs in that forme which we call the Lords prayer with the vnderstanding thereof out of the word of God for except you teach them what they pray for by the vnderstanding of it you were as good to teach them in Greeke or Latine as in English For there are many thousands in England that call God Father in their prayers but I knowe not that there be any which knowe the meaning of the word I my selfe haue reasoned with many both young and olde and of men of good calling in the world about that one word which is the easyest and playnest in all the word of God but some fewe excepted which haue laboured for knowledge in the hearing of Sermons I neuer met with man woman nor childe that coulde giue mee any reasonable aunswere vnto this question beside this that God made them and therefore is theyr Father which euery Iewe and almost euery Pagan knoweth as well as they Therefore as our righteousnesse must exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies Iewes and Gentiles so must our knowledge also for by our knowledge of Christ wee are iustified to be hys members And although wee repeate the Lordes prayer a thousand times euery day and vnderstand it not we doe but bable before the Lord taking his name in vaine vsing it in our lips when our hearts haue no vnderstanding and therefore our prayers are without fruite Lastly if you your selues doe not walke before them without reproofe in pure and sanctified conuersations whatsoeuer you teach them you presently tread out againe for simple people and young children liue by examples and not by precept If you teach them to worship God you must also before their faces worship the same that they may practise by your example If you bid them that they sweare not you your selfe must be carefull not to sweare or else they will not beleeue you for as the people looke vpon the life of their pastour so the young children beholde the steps of their parents And we see in bruite beasts that examples are much more effectuall then precepts they cannot speake yet how do they traine vp their young ones It is reported of the Harts of Scithia that they teach their young ones to leape from banke to banke from rocke to rocke from one turfe to another by their owne example leaping before them which otherwise they would neuer practise by which meanes when they are hunted no beast can euer take them Euen so if you goe before your children in examples while they are young Sathan the hunter and roaring Lion shall neuer haue them for his pray When they learne to speake they take the words from our owne mouthes euen so when they shall learne to worship feare loue honour and pray vnto the Lord let them take you for their examples as Iacob did Abraham and Izaak Now let vs giue prayse to God The fourteenth Lecture Chap. 4. ver 11.12 11 And all the people that were in the gate and the elders saide we are witnesses The Lorde make the wife that commeth into thy house like Rahel and Leah which twain did build the house of Israel that thou mayest doe worthily in Ephrathah and bee famous in Bethlehem 12 And that thy house be like the house of Pharez whom Thamar bare vnto Iudah of the seede which the Lorde shall giue thee of this young woman AS we haue hitherto heard of Boaz and his kinseman the one in resigning the other in receyuing his right in the place of iudgement and the presence of
in the Hebrewe is gather wealth in Ephrathah For it is more generall in the english then in the originall for to gather wealth by honest meanes is to doe worthely because it is the blessing of God Therefore wee wil take the surest and the safest interpretation by y e which this collection is confirmed and their meaning is that Boaz which in his mariage respected not riches should by his godly choise enioy a vertuous wife to bring vp faithfull children increase his substance by the blessing of God that he might aduance the honour of their countrey and Cittie Neyther is this vnknowne that after children the growing in wealth is the next blessing of the Lorde as Abrahams seruant telleth Laban the Lorde hath blessed my maister exceedingly and made him very great for he hath giuen him flockes and heardes siluer and gold seruants and maidens cammels and Asses all this did the Lord blesse Abraham with after his marriage with Sara Againe the holy Ghost describing Iob after his children which were seuen sons three daughters he reckoneth his wealth faith His possession was seuen thousand cattel three thousand camels fiue hundred yoke of oxē and fiue hundred she asses with a great houshold For wealth in marriage is the best seruant that can be entertained I might speake of many moe but few perswasions will suffice in this point because wealth was wont to be the maide and godlines the mistresse but nowe riches is become the mistresse and religion the maide For wealth men rise early and go late to bed labour diligently and fare hardely trauaile earnestly sweat painefully and I can finde no fault but with too much following this wealthy trade For first of all I must complaine with Salomon that there is but one and not a seconde who hath neyther brother nor sonne yet there is no end of his labour neyther is his eye satisfied with riches for this olde canker infecteth euery age whereby it is a pleasure to certaine couetous wretches to toyle theyr bodies with vntimely labours to clogge their mindes with golden cares and to weary their sences in numbring their wealth what is y e end hereof surely this the gatherer is like an asse which carryeth the treasure but cannot vse it being laide on his backe it must be taken of agayne the heyres like the drones spend all but gather none for as they sweat not for it as it was in getting so they spare not as long as it lasteth lauishing out that in riotous company which was gathered in couetous encroching Others that they may thriue count all thinges lawfull for they saye God hath giuen the earth to the children of men therefore they spende the sabbaothes in buying and selling in bargayning and labouring they get by right wrong forgery and deceite play and worke neyther lands not cattels come amisse to them so they may haue them But we must alway remember that wee neyther go to the right hand nor to the left that is if thou haue many children thou must vse no vnlawfull meanes to keep them if thou haue none thou must not hoarde vppe thy wealth as if thou haddest some but remember the day of aduersitie and deale somewhat for thy present neede and not altogether for thy owne commodity But you will say shewe vs some briefe rules by which wee may practise the truth by your fauourable audience I will giue you these three rules the first is in getting the second in keeping and the thirde in departing from it Concerning the first which is getting of wealth first our onely care must bee for the blessing of God to encrease vs We haue an excellent example in Iacob hauing nothing in the worlde beside his wiues and children yet woulde receyue no wages of Laban but promisde his seruice for the spotted lambes choosing rather to depend vpon the blessing of God then the pollicy of his owne wit to testify his vprightnes in the presence of Laban to teach vs all that thriuing commeth more by y e fauour of y e Lord then the wisedome of the world For Laban thought he had made a good bargain for himself w c indeed proued to his great hinderance euen so when men think they haue compassed the world to increase theyr profit sodainly the Lorde sendeth a crosse to disapoint their purpose y t they might know y t to be true w c Moses saith that it is the Lorde w c giueth power to get wealth against this those offende w c encrease their wealth liue vpon vsury for they depend not vpon the blessing of God but bind their debtors in bands win or loose they wil haue both principal increase Againe others are so greedily bent vpon their profits that their only desire is to wax rich of whō Paul speaketh They which wil wax rich fal into many temptations snares many foolish damnable lustes w c drown men in euerlasting destruction for y e loue of money is the root of all euil which while some desired they erred from the faith pearced themselues w t many sorrowes This striketh to the earth false measures naughty wares breaking of promises detaining of heirs raysing of rentes oppressing the poore deceytful bargaynes vnlawful trades for none of these depende vpon the Lord but giue their soules to the Deuil for encreasing their wealth Secondly you must know how to vse your wealth according to the word of God w c is thus according to the coūsel of th'Apostle if thou haue little be contented for godlines is great gaine if a man be contented with that he hath for we brought nothing into the worlde neyther shall wee carry any thing out of the worlde this is the reason of contentation but some will say howe much shal wee haue before we be contented the Apostle answereth in the nexte verse if we haue meat clothing we are there w t all contented Againe if they be rich the same Apostle sheweth how they shall beare their wealth in these words Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded neither trust in their vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs all things to enioy aboundantly That they distribute to other that they be rich in good workes that they be willing to giue and easy to be intreated Laying vp for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Out of the which words we must obserue these things First that riches must not make men proude for they are the gift of God but our rich men scorne and disdaine their poore bretheren of Christ commaunding and oppressing them both by word and deede in most odious and shamefull manner Secondly they must not put any confidence in their wealth but repose their trust in the liuing God who gaue it to them and to whome they
accompted after wealth fayleth friendship withdraweth when they stand in most neede and least pitie is in the greatest extremitie Euery tree is greene in the Spring euery bird will sing in sommer and euery false hearted Christian will faune vppon theyr bretheren in prosperitie but bee ashamed of theyr want in aduersitie yea there neuer wanteth priuie repiners and grudgers at the wealth and welfare of euery one for some say it is too much if theyr neighbours corne increase others say it is too little when they are vexed and troubled by losse of their goodes and this maketh many medlers in other mens matters many backbiters for other mens welfare many enuye that any should haue theyr shares as good as themselues like him in the Gospell whose eye was euill because the Lords hand was good and as all the waues of the sea doe beate vpon the shore so all the braines of the world doe breathe against the prosperous Secondly the manner of theyr reioysing must be considered which the holy Ghost hath set downe in these words Blessed be the Lord wherein they testifye perfect ioy both to the Lord by praysing him and giuing thankes and also to Naomi vnto whome nothing could be more acceptable then to heare the name of God to be blessed for her sake To blesse in the scripture whensoeuer it is referred to God signifieth to prayse or to giue thankes as when Zachary sayth Blessed be the Lord God of Israell for he hath visited and redeemed his people that is Praysed be the Lord God of Israell Likewise the Apostle Paule sayth Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercyes and the God of all consolation that is praysed be God And in another place he sayth If thou blesse with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen to thy thanksgiuing that is if thou giue thanks with the spirit In this place it is of the first sence as if these women had sayd We prayse thee O God that thou hast looked on the misery of Naomi and hast reserued her a kinseman by whome the name of the dead might be raysed vpon the inheritance and his owne honor continued in Gods people By the which we are taught what manner of ioy the faithfull are to haue for their bretheren namely such as may redound to the prayse of God according to the saying of the Apostle that he which reioyseth must reioyse in the Lord for as bodily exercise profiteth little so carnall ioy profiteth lesse such as is the framing of vayne songs giuing ouer our labours and to reioyse in pastimes and such as is vsed in ringing of bells and the like sort being onely for man and not for God Therefore heere wee haue an excellent manner of reioysing when God is glorifyed by our mirth Thus we reade Moses and Aaron with theyr sister Miriam did after they came out of Aegypt Thus did Deborah and Barach after the victory against Sisera Thus did the women after the victory of Saule and Dauid when they came from the slaughter of the Philistins Thus did Zachary when his tongue was restored vnto him Thus did the children of Ierusalem cry when Christ came riding vpon the Asse Thus doe the faithfull reioyse after the destruction of Rome and Antichrist singing Praysed be God saluation and honour and glory and power to our Lord God And the Lord cryeth out of heauen vnto vs Prayse the Lord all ye his seruants and whosoeuer feare him both small and great Therfore beloued seing it becommeth the iust to be thankefull let vs prayse the Lord both euening and morning and let vs not see a sparrow to light on the ground without some prayse to God by whose prouidence all things are gouerned by whose will all things are ordered for whose glory are all things appointed that we should euermore giue thanks to him that sitteth on the highest heauens and ruleth the mightiest princes appointing the measure for the sea and calling the whole world to iudgement in whose presence is light and life for euermore Thirdly the matter of their thanksgiuing must be considered for they prayse God because he had kept a kinsman aliue for Naomi whose name should be continued in the people of God so that in plaine words they commend the kindnes of God because he had so prouided for this godly Naomi as she might be comforted by his meanes and his name continued by her daughter and all three eased by this one childe By the which we are taught these two profitable lessons first that we must magnify God for the life of our friends so doe these Iewes for the life of Bohaz by whome the Lord brought such great comfort to both these destitute and desolate widdowes for as we are sorry for their death when it is too late so must we be thankefull for their life when yet they are with vs the sonne for the life of his father and the father for the sonne the wife for her husband and the husband for his wife the seruant for his maister the subiects for their prince the people for their teachers and y e daughters for their mother There are few of these but they bring much benefit vnto vs and no small comfort doth arise by their presence which we shall better perceiue when we want them then now we enioy them and for these the Apostle also willeth vs to pray and one cause of these two miracles vpon Lazarus and Dorcas was that their life might bee prolonged with the church of God and more kindnes shewed to their godly frendes Secondly by this all those that are able to bestowe any kindnesse vpon other are taught their duties to their owne kindred that especially they bee carefull for the reliefe of their pouertie the maintaynance of their dignitie the preseruation of their honesty the nourishing of their own flesh for vnto that end hath y e Lord encreased their substance continued their name prolonged their daye and aduanced their seates that they may be more able to do for their poore brethren which are commended to them by the Lorde committed by the worlde compelled by nature which are bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh that they might bee maintayned as your owne selues When Dauid was made king he aduanced his sisters sons his kinsemen when Saule was king he aduanced Abner and other his frends and wee knowe that many of Christes Apostles were his kinsmen vnto the which end Paule exhorteth that poore widdowes be prouided for by their frendes that the Church be not charged with them This condemneth the forgetfulnesse of many in our age which being in wealth will scant acknowledge their poore kindred whereby they shew themselues like vnnaturall beasts as if the Lord were not able to bring thē down to y e footstool in the place of the other y t they