Two Sermons, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 8
Vers. 14.
And Orpah kissed her mother in law, but Ruth clave unto her.
THese words containe two generall parts:
First, A blazing Meteor falling downe out of the Ayre; And Orpah, &c.
Secondly, A fixed Starre fairely shining in the Heaven; But Ruth, &c.
And Orpah kissed her mother.
Is this she which even now was so promising in her words, and so p…ssionate in her weeping? See how soone a forward Professor may turne to a fea…efull Apostate: Though she standeth or falleth to her own Master, yet as the Psalmist saith, I am horribly afraid for those that forsake thy Law; so have we just cause to suspect the fearefull finall estate of Orpah.
Kissed her mother.
That is, gave her this last salutation of her departure. Here we see, that those who want grace and true sanctitie, may notwithstanding have manners and good civil…tie. Now had Orpah changed the corporall Kisse she gave to her mother, into a spirituall Kisse to her Saviour, Psal. 2. Kisse the Sonne, lest he be angry, her case had been as happie as now it may seeme to be hopelesse. But leaving her, we come to our selves, and gather this Doctrine.
Doctrine.
Those who at the first were forward in Religion, may afterward altogether fall away, 1 Tim. 1. 20. Heb. 6. 4. Matth. 13. 20. It may therefore serve to abate the proud carriage of such, who as if it were not enough to be sure, will also be presumptuous of their salvation, and thereby take leave and libertie to themselves to live more licentiously.
Objection.
But as once one of the Children of the Prophets cryed out to Elisha, Oman of God, there is Death in the Pot; so may the weak Christian complaine against this Doctrine: O it is a deadly and dangerous one, containing much matter of despaire, too bitter for the pallat of a poore Christian to taste, or his stomack to digest, it quencheth all the sparkes of my comfort, and hacketh asunder all the sinewes of my hope; I feare, lest Orpah-like, I also should fall away: what shall I doe, that I may be saved?
Answer.
Let not the smoaking Flax be dismay'd, which in time may be a blazing flame; nor the bruised Reed be discouraged, which may prove a Brazen Pillar in the Temple of God: That therefore thou mayest finally persevere, observe these foure Rules.
1 Rule.
First, utterly renounce all sufficiencie in thy selfe. Who but a mad man will now adayes warrant the Paper-Shields of his owne strength, that knowes that Adams compleat Armour of Original Integritie, was shot thorow in Paradise.
2 Rule.
Secondly, place all thy confidence on the undeserved merciemercy of God: Perseverance commeth neither from the East, nor from the West, nor as yet from the South; but God suffereth one to fall, and holdeth up another. The Temple of Solomon had two Pillars; one called Iachin, sounding in Hebrew, The Lord will stablish; the other Booz, signified, In him is strength: So every Christian (the Temple of the HolyGhost) is principally holden up by these two Pillars, Gods Power, and Will, to support him. Wherefore in every distresse let us crie out to God, as the Disciples did to our Saviour, in the midst of a Tempest, Helpe Master, or else we perish.
3 Rule.
Thirdly, use all those means which God hath chalked out for the encrease of grace in thee; as Prayer, Meditation, reverent receiving the Sacraments, accompanying with Gods …hildren, Reading, Hearing the Word, &….
4 Rule.
Fourthly, alwayes preserve in thy selfe an awfull feare, lest thou shouldst fall away from God: Feare to fall, and Assurance to stand, are two Sisters; and though Cain said, he was not his Brothers keeper, sure I am, that this Feare doth watch and guard her Sister Assurance: Tantus est gradus certitudinis, quantus sollicitudinis: They that have much of this Feare, have much certaintie; they that have little, little certaintie; they that have none, have none at all. It is said in Building, that those Chimneyes which shake most, and give way to the wind, will stand the longest: The Morall in Divinitie is true; Those Christians that shiver for feare by sinnes to fall away, may be observed most couragious to persist in Pietie.
Comfort.
To those that diligently practise these Rules, I will adde this Comfort: Encourage thy selfe, that God will keepe thee from Apostasie unto the end, because alreadie hitherto he hath preserved thee: For Gods former favours are pawnes and pledges of his future love. Davids killing of a Lyon and a Beare, were the Earnests of his Victorie over Goliah. Thus S. Paul reasoneth, 2 Cor. 1. 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. When Rachel bare her first sonne, Gen. 30. she called him Ioseph, and said, The Lord shall adde to me another sonne. So, when God hath alreadie blessed us and supported us for the time past, let us say with Rachel, Ioseph, the Lord will adde: he will not stay, or stint, or stop here; but as he hath kept me from my mothers wombe, and ever since I was borne, so I trust he will not forsake me when I am aged, and full of gray haires.
But to returne to her which returned againe to Moab: We reade in 2 Sam. 20. that the people which passed by the Corp… of murthered Amasa, being moved with such a hideous and uncouth a spectacle, they stood still: But when we reade this Booke of Ruth, and come to Orpahs Aposta…ie, there let us a while pause and demurre, to reade in her fall a Lecture of our owne infirmitie. For if we stand, it is not because we have more might in our selves, but because God hath more merciemercy on us. Let us therefore worke out our salvation with feare and trembling: ever trembling, lest we should be cast to Hell; ever triumphing, that we shall come to Heaven: ever fearfull, lest we should fall; ever certaine, that we shall stand: ever carefull, lest we should be damned; ever chearfull, that we shall be saved. Concerning Ruths perseverance, we intend to treat hereafter.