Two Sermons, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 1
CHAP. 1. Vers. 1.
Now it came to passe in the dayes when the Iudges Ruled, that there was a Famine in the Land,
BEfore we enter into these words, something must be premised, concerning the Name, Matter, End, Author of this Book. It hath the name from Ruth, the most remarkable person in it, to whom God vouchsafed his Grace, not onelyonly to write her name in the Book of Life in Heaven, but also to prefix her name before a Book of Life in Earth. The Matter may be divided into these two Parts: The first Chapter sheweth, Th…t many are the troubles of the right…us; and the three last do shew, That … them out of all. One of the Ends is to shew the Pedigree of our Saviour▪ otherwise Genea…ogers had been … a loss, for four or five Descents in the deducing thereof: Another End is, unde… the conversion of Ruth the Moabitesse, to typifie the calling of the Gentiles, that a… he took of the blood of a Gentile into hi… body, so he should shed the blood out o… his body for the Gentiles, that there migh… be …ne Shepheard, and one Sheepfold The Authors name (probably Samuel) i… conceal'd, neither is it needfull it should be known: for even as a man that hath … piece of Gold that he knows to be weight and sees it …amped with the Kings Imag… careth not to know the name of that ma… wh… minted or coined it: So we, seeing this Book to have the superscription of Caesar, the stamp of the Holy spirit, nee… not to be curious to know who was th… Pen-man thereof. And now to the words.
Now it came to passe in the dayes when the Iudges Ruled, that there was a Famine i… the Land.
Observe in the words; What? a Famine: Where? in the Land: When? In the time that the Iudges judged; the time being set down for the better certainty of the History.
Quest. Is this the Land whereof it is …aid, Gen. 49. 20. Asher his bread shall be fat, and afford dainties for a King; which is call'd, Deut. 8. 7. A good Land of Wheat and Barley, Vineyards and Fig-trees, Oyle, Olive and Hony, which is commended, Ezek. 20. 6. …o be a Land flowing with Milke and Hony, the glory of all Lands. How commeth it to passe, that thy Rivers of Oyl are now dammed up? thy …treams of Wine drained drie? that there is no bread found in Bethlem, the house of bread?
Answ Israel hath sinned, a fruitfull Land maketh he barren, for the sinne of the people that dwell therein. The peoples hard hearts were rebellious to God, and the hard earth proved unprofitable to them: their flinty eyes would afford no tears to bemoan their sins, and the churlish Heavens would afford no moystur… to water their earth: Man proved unfaithfull to God his Maker, the Earth proved unfruitfull to Man her Manurer.
Obser. Famine is …a heavy punishment, wherewith God …fflicteth his people …or their sinnes: that it is an heavie punishment appeareth, because David, 2 S…. 24. 14. chose the Pestilence before it; for even as Zebah and Zalmunna, Iudg. 8. 21▪ chose rather to fall by the hand of Gideo…, then by the hand of Iether his Son, because the Childs want of strength would cause their abundance of pain: so better it is to be speedily dispatcht by a violent disease, then to have ones life in … Famin… prolong'd by a lingring torture. That it is inflicted for their sinnes, is shewed, Lev. 26. 19. Deut. 28. 23. 1 King. 8. 37. and these sinnes most especially procure Famin…. 1. Idolatry, 1 King. 17. 1. 2 King 4. 36. 2ly. Abuse of plenty, the prodigall Child, Luk. 15. from the keeping of Harlots, was brought to the keeping of Hoggs. It is just with God to make men want that to supply their necessity, which they have mispended in their nicetie. 3ly. Shedding of Innocent blood, 2 Sam. 21. 1. 4ly. Oppressio… of the poor, Amos 4. 16. And no wonder if men, to grind the faces of poor people make mony, to which God gave no naturall fruit, to bring forth a monstrous increase, if God cause the earth which naturally should be fruitfull, to become barren and afford no profit.
Vse 1.
It may serve to confut … such, that when God doth scourge them with Famine▪ (as blind Balaam fell a beating of his dumb beast▪ when he himself was in fault) they vent their spite in cursing and railing on the poor Creatures, whereas indeed were the matter wel weighed▪ they might say of all Creatures as I…dah did of Thamar his daughter-in-law, they are more righteous then …e: for locusts, mildew, blasting, immoderate drought, and moysture, are the means by which mans sinne is the cause, for which Famine is inflicted. And yet in prosperity, we are commonly like Hogs feeding on the mast, not minding his hand that shaketh it down; in adversity, like Doggs biting the stone, not marking the hand that threw it.
Vse. 2.
If any desire to prevent or remove a Famine, let us prevent and remove the causes thereof. First let us practise that precept, 1 I…h. 5. 21. Babes keep your selves from Idols. 2ly. Let us be heartily thankfull to God for our plenty, who by the seasonable weeping o… the Heavens, hath …aused the plentifull laughter of the Earth, and hath sent the former Raine to perform the part of a Midwife, to Deliver the infant Corne out of the wombe of the parched Earth; and the latter Rai…e to doe the duty of a Nurse▪ to swell and battle the Grain. Let us not seeth the Kid in the Mothers Milke▪ let not our want on Pallats spoile wholsome Meat, before it commeth to the just Maturity; neither let us cast away any good food, but after our Saviours example, Let us cause the Fragments to be basketted up that nothing may be lost. 3ly. Let us pray with David, Psal. 51. 14. Deliver us from blood guil…inesse O Lord: and let us seeke that the hoary hairs may not go down to the Grave in peace of such as have shed Innocent blood, … lea…t the personal offence of a priva…e Man remaining unpunish…d, become the Nationall sinne of a Kingdom…) bu… upon the Kin… ▪ and upon his Seed▪ and upon his House, and upon his Throne shall be Peace fo…ever from the Lord.
Lastly, Let us be pittifull, and liberall to relieve the distresses of the poor; for why should our dead Tables groan under the weight of needlesse feast upon them▪ whil's… Gods living Temples gro…n under the want of necessary food within them▪ The Atheni…n women had a custome to make a Picture of Famine every yeare, and to drive it out of their City with these words: Out Famine, in Food: out Penury, in Pl…nty: but let us say in word, and second it in deed; Out Sin, in Sanctity: Out Propha…esse, in …íety: and then we shall see, that as long as our King Reig…eth, there shall be no Famine in our Land.
But however God shall dispose of us for outward blessings, I pray God keepe us from that …le Fami…, mentioned …os 8. 12. that w… living under the Nor…hern Heavens should wander to the East, …nd run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and should not find it; but may the light of the Gospell remain with us on Earth, as long as the faithfull witnesse endureth in Heaven.
And a certain man of BethlehemJudah went to sojourne in the Country of Moab,
THese words containe a Journey or Removall, wherein observe; Who went; a certai… Man: Whence? from Bethlehem-Iudah: Whether? to sojourn… in Moab. We shall have a fitter occasion to speak of the party removing hereafter. I begin with the place from whence he went, Bethlehem-Iudah.
This w… the place, nigh to which … chel as she was travelling fell into Travail▪ and ended her journey to Heaven, in the▪ midst of her journey on Earth: there was▪ another of the same name in Z…bulo…, … 19. 15. and therefore Iu…h is added for▪ difference and distinction.
Observ.
The Holy spirit descends to our capacity, and in S…ripture doth multiply words to make th… matter the plainer: let thi… teach the Sons of Levi, when they deliver one doubtfull and ambiguous Doctrine, which may admit of severall constructions, so that there is danger … that peopl… may mistake their meaning, to de…ur a while on such a point, and not to be niggardly of their words, till they hav… blotted all doubt and difficulty out of it. Herein they shall follow God for their pattern, who least Bet…lehem i… my T… ▪ should be confounded with Bethlehem in Zab…lon, addeth for distinction BethlehemI…dah.
Went to Sojourne in Moab.
The Prodig…ll Child complained, Lu…. duplicate page duplicate page 15. How many hired Servants of my Father have bread enough, and I die for hunger: So here we see that the uncircumcised Moabites, Gods slaves and vassalls, had store of plenty, whilest Israel, Gods Children (but his prodigal Children, which by their sinnes had displeased their heavenly Father) were pinched with penurie.
Observ.
Hence we gather, God oftentimes denyes outward blessings to his Children, when as he vouchsafeth them to the wicked: the wicked mans eyes start out with fatnesse; Davids bones scarce cleave to his flesh: Ahab hath an Ivory House, th… Godly wander in Dens and Caves of the Earth; the Rich Glutton fareth deliciously every day, whilest the Godly, Psal. 107▪ …ere hungry and thirsty, their s…ul fainted in them: H… was clothed in purple and fine linnen, whilest the Godly wander up and down in sheep skins; and well may they wear their skins without them, that carry their innocency within them; and the reason thereof is, Because judgement begins at the house of the Lord, whilst the wicked have their portion in this world.
Vse.
Let us not judge according to outward appe…rance, but judge righteous judgement, least otherwise we condemn the Generation of Gods Children, if we account outward blessings the signs of Gods favour, or calamities, the arguments of his displeasure: neither let the afflicted Christian faint under Gods heavy hand, but let him know to his comfort, God therefore is angry in this world, that he may not be angry in the world to come, and mercifully inflicteth temporall punishment, that he may not justly confound with eternall torment.
But here ariseth a question, Whether Elimelech did well to go from Bethlehem-Judah, into the Land of Moab? for the better satisfaction whereof, we will suppose a plain and honest Neighbour thus disswading him from his departure.
Dissw…sion.
Give me leave Neighbour Elimelech to say unto thee, as the Angel did to Hagar, whence commest thou? and whether goest thou? wilt thou leave that place wher… Gods worship is truly professed, and go… into an Idol…trous Country? Woe is the… that must dwell in Moab, and be an inhabitant amongst the w…rshippers of Melchom: Indeed our Father Abraham came out of Vr of the Chaldees, an idolatrous Country, to come into the Land of C…n…an; but why shouldst thou go out of the Land of Canaan into an idolatrous Country▪ where thou shalt have neither Priest nor Pr…phet, nor Passeover. Yea, what most is to be feared, your frequent conversing with the People of the Country, will at length bring you into a love and liking of their Superstitions, and so draw Gods anger against you; wherefore reverse your intent of removing, least while thou seek 'st to store thy Body, thou starve…t thy Soul; rather venter the breaking of the Casket, then the loosing of the Iewel, and go not from Bethlehem-Iudah, unto the Land of Moab.
Answer.
To this Elimelech might answer; your disswasion doth somewhat move me, but not remove my resolution; I do not forsake my Country, but am forced from it; God hath with-holden the Wine and the Winepresse, and if I stay, I am likely to starve; I conceive it therefore to be my bounden duty to provide the best means for my Family, and following the examples of Isaac's going into Gerah, and Iacobs going down into Egypt in the time of Famine; I intend to remove to Moab. And though I shall be divided from the visible Congregation of Israel, yet shall I with my Family still remain the lively Members of Gods true Church. For first I intend to carry with me the …ive books of Moses (they will be no great burthen, being comprised in so small a Volum) and according to my poor ability, out of them will I instruct my Family, whilst my deare wife Naomi, and dutifull children▪ Maclon and Chilion, will be diligent to heare and practise what I propound unto them: I confesse we shall have no outward sacrifices, (because I am not of the Tribe of Levi) yet may we offer unto God prayers and praises, which God no doubt will as graciously accept, as of a Bullock that hath Hornes and Hoofes: thus hope I to have a little Church in mine own House; and I know, where two or three are met together in th… name of God, there he will be in the midst of them. Whereas you object, I should be in danger of being defiled with their Idolatry, I will be by Gods grace so much the more warie, watchfull and vigilant over my wayes; we see the flesh of fishes remaineth fresh, though they alwaies swim in the brackish waters, and I hope that the same God who preserved righteous Lot in the wicked City of Sodome, who protected faithfull Ioseph in the vicious Court of Pharaoh, will also keep me unspotted in the midst of Moab, whether I intend speedily to go, not to live, but to lodge; not to dwell, but to soj…urne; not to make it my habitation for ever, but my harbour for a season, till God shall visit his people with plenty, when I purpose to return with the speediest conve…iency.
Thus we see Elimelech putting the dangers of his removall in one scale, the benefits thereof in another; the beam of his judgement is ju…ly weighed down to go from Bethlehem-Iudah, into the Land of Moab.
Observ.
It is lawfull for Men to leave their Native Soyle, and to travell into a forraign Country, as for Merchants, provided alwaies, that while they seek to make gainfull Adventures for their Estates, they make not sheepwrack of a good Co…science.
2ly. For Embassadors, that are sent to see the Practises and Negoci…tions in forraigne Courts.
3ly. For private persons, that travell with an intent to accomplish themselve… with a better sufficiency to serve their King and Country; but unlawfull it is for such to travell, which Dinah like, go only to see the Customes of severall Countries, and make themselves the L…ckie… to their own humorou… curiosity: henc… commeth it to p…sse, when they returne, it is justly questionable, whether their Clothes be disguised with more foolish fashions, or bodies disabled with more loathsome Diseases, or souls defiled with more notorious vices; having learned Jealousie from the Italian, Pride from the Spaniard, Lasciviousness… from the …rench, Drunkennesse from the D…tch; and yet what need they go so farre to learn so bad a lesson, when (God knows) w… have too many Schooles, where it is taught here at home.
Now if any do demand of me my opinion concerning our Brethren, which of late left this Kingdome to advance a Plantation in New England; surely I thin…, as St. Paul said concerning Virgins, He had received no comma…dment from the Lord: so I cannot find any just warrant to incourage men to undertake this removall; but think rather the counsel best that King Ioash prescribed to Amaziah, tarry at home: yet as for those that are already gone, farre be it from us to conceive them to be such, to whom we may not say, God speed, as it is in 2 Ioh. vers. 10. but let us pitty them, and pray for them, for sure they have no need of our mocks, which I am affraid have too much of their own miseries: I conclude therefore of the two Englands, what our Saviour saith of the two wines, Luk. 5. 39. No man having tast…d of the old, presently desireth the new; for he saith the old is better.
He, and his wife, and his two sons.