Two Sermons, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 12
Vers. 19, 20, 21, 22.
So they went both untill they came to Bethlehem, and when they came to Bethlehem, all the Citie was moved at them, and they said, Is not this Naomi?
And she said, Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah, for the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me.
I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to returne emptie; why call you me Naomi, sithence t…e Lord hath testified against me, and the Almightie hath afflicted me?
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitesse; her Daughter in law with her, when she came out of the Countrey of Moab; and th…y came to Bethlehem in the beginning of Barley Harvest.
THe holy Spirit mentioneth not what discourse …hey exchanged by the way; yet no doubt they were neither silent, nor bu…ied in unprofitable talke.
And all the Citie was moved, &c.
See here, Naomi was formerly a woman of good qualitie and fashion, of good ranke and repute; otherwise her returne in povertie had not been so generally taken notice of. Shrubs may be grubb'd to the ground, and none misse them, but every one markes the felling of a Cedar. Groveling Cottages may be evened to the Earth, and none observe them; but every Traveller takes notice of the …all of a Steeple. Let this comfort those to whom God hath given small Possessions. Should he visit them with povetie, and …ake from them that little they have, yet their griefe and shame would be the lesse: they should not have so many fingers pointed at them, so many eyes staring on them, so many words spoken of them; they might lurke in obscuritie; it must be a Naomi, a person of eminency and estate, whose povertie must move a whole Citie.
And they said, Is not this Naomi?
Remarkable it is, that so many peopl… should jump in the same expression; but as Abraham laughed, and Sarah laughed, both used the same outward gesture, yet arising from different causes; his laughter from joy, her's from distrust: so all these people might meet in the same forme of words, yet farre dissent in their minds wherewith they spake them. Some might speak out of admiration, strange, wonderfull is this she who once was so wealthie? how quickly is a River of Riches drained drie? she that formerly was so faire, … one can scarce read the ruines of …eauty in her face: Is not this Naomi? Some out of exprobation; See, see, this is she that could not be content to tarry at home to take part of the Famine with the rest of her fellows, but needs with her Husband and Sons, …ust be gadding to Moab: see what goo… she hath got by removing, by changing her Country, she hath changed her Condition: Is not this Naomi? Some might speak it out of Commiseration: Alas, alas, Is not this that gracious woman, that godly Saint, which formerly by her Charity relieved many in distresse? how soon is a full clod turned into parched earth? one that supplied others, into one that needeth to be supplied by others: Is not this Naomi?
And she said, call me not Naomi, but call me Marah.
Naomi, signifieth Beautifull; Marah, Bitter, Exod. 15. 23. where we see, that the Godly in poverti… are unwilling to have Names and Titles, disagreeing and disproportioned to their present estates, which may confute the folly of many, which being in distress, and living little better then upon the alms of others, will still stand upon their points, bear themselves bravely on their▪ birth, not lose an inch of their place, not abate an ace of their gentrie; far otherwise was Naomi affected, being poor, she would not be overnamed, or Title-heavie: Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah.
Observ.
Here also we may see, that it was a custome of great Antiquitie in the World, that Men and Women should have severall names whereby they were called, and that for these three Reasons.
1. That they might be differenced and distinguished from others.
2. That they might be stirred up to verifie the meanings and significations of their names: wherefore let every Obadiah strive to be a servant of God, each Nathaniel to be a gift of God, Onesimus to be profitable, every Roger quiet and peaceable, Robert famous for counsell, and William a help and defence to many; not like Absalon, who was not a Father of Peace, as his name doth import, but a sonne of Sedition; and Diotrephes, not nursed by God, as his name sounds, but puffed up by the Devill, as it is 3 Iohn 9.
3. That they might be incited to imitate the vertues of those worthy persons, who formerly have been bearers and owners of their names. Let all Abrahams be faithfull, Isaac's quiet, Iacobs painfull, Iosephs chaste, every Lewis pious, Edward confessor of the true faith, William conqueror over his own corruptions. Let them also carefully avoid those sinnes for which the bearers of the Names stand branded to posteritie. Let every Ionah beware of frowardnesse, Thomas of distrustfulnesse, Martha of worldliness, Mary of wantonnesse. If there be two of our names, one exceedingly good, the other notoriously evill, let us decline the vices of the one, and practise the vertues of the other. Let every Iudas not follow Iudas Iscariot, who betrayed our Saviour, but Iudas the brother of Iames, the writer of the generall Epistle; each Demetrius, not follow him in the acts who made silver shrines for Diana, but Demetrius 3 Iohn, who had a good report of all men. Every Ignatius not imitate Ignatius Loiola the lame Father of blind obedience, but Ignatius the worty Martyr in the Primitve Church. And if it should chance through the indiscretion of Parents and God-fathers, that a bad name should be imposed on any; oh let not folly be with them, because Nabal is their name; but in such a case, let them strive to falsifie, disprove, and confute their names; otherwise if they be good, they must answer them.
In the dayes of Q. Elizabeth, there was a Royall Ship called the Revenge, which having maintained a long fight against a Fleet of Spaniards, (wherein eight hundred great Shot were discharged against her) was at last faine to yeeld: but no sooner were her men gone out of her, and two hundred fresh Spaniards come into her, but she suddenly sunke them and her selfe; and so the Revenge was revenged. Shall livelesse pieces of Wood answer the Names which men impose upon them, and shall not reasonable soules doe the same? But of all Names, I pray God that never just occasion be given, that we be Christened Icca…od, but that the glory may remaine in our Israel so long as the faithfull Witnesse endureth in Heaven. And so much of those words, Call me not Naomi, but &c.
For the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me.
Afflictions rellish soure and bitter even to the pallats of the best Saints.
Observation.
Now bitter things are observed in Physick to have a double operation: first, to strengthen and corroborate the Liver; and secondly, to cleanse and wipe away Choler, which cloggeth the stomack: both these effects afflictions by their bitternesse produce; they strengthen the inward Vitals of a Christian, his Faith and Patience, and cleanse Gods Saints from those superfluous excrements which the surfeit of Prosperitie hath caused in them. It may therefore serve to comfort such as groane under Gods afflicting hand, Hebrews 12. 11. The Book which S. Iohn eat, Rev. 10. 10. was sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly: cleane contrarie, afflictions are bitter in the mouth, but sweet in the belly; God by sanctifying them, extracting Honey out of Gall, and Sugar out of Wormewood. And let it teach us also, not t… wonder if the Children of God winch and shrug, and make soure faces, when afflicted: Wonder not at David, if he cryeth out in the anguish of his heart; at Iob, if he complaineth in the bitternesse of his soule; at Ieremiah, if he lamenteth in the …xtremitie of his griefe: For even then they are swallowing of a Potion, which is bitter unto flesh and blood.
I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to returne emptie.
Here may we see the uncertaintie of all outward wealth.
Observation.
How quickly may a Crassus, or Crosu… be turned into a Codrus; the richest, into the poorest of men! Whom the Sunnerising seeth in wealth, him the Sunnesetting may see in want. Set not up then your hornes so high, neither speake presumptuous words, ye wealthie men; for God, it it pleaseth him, can in a moment dispossesse you of all your Riches. And let us all not lay up Treasures here on Earth, where Rust and Mothes doe corrupt, and Theeves breake through and steale; but lay up your Treasure in Heaven, where Rust and Moth doe not corrupt, and Theeves doe not breake through and steale.
Why call you me Naomi, sithence the Lord &c.
The mention of their former Wealth is grievous to the godly, when they are in p…esent Povertie.
Observation.
When the Children of Israel are Captives in Babylon, it cuts them to the heart to be twitted with the Songs of Sion. And it may teach this point of wisdome to such as repaire to give comfort to men in affliction, not to mention that tedious and ingratefull subject, what happinesse that partie formerly enjoyed. Summe not up to Iob in distresse, the number of his Camels, tell not his Sheepe, reckon not his Oxen, reade not unto him an Inventorie of those Goods whereof he before was possessed, for this will but adde to his vexation; rather descend, to apply solid and substantial comfort unto him.
…ithence the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almightie hath afflicted me…
Every affliction is a witnesse that God is angry with us for our sinnes.
Observation.
Who then is able to hold out Suit …ith God in the Court of Heaven? For God himselfe is both Judge and Witnesse, and also the executor and inflicter of punishments. It is therefore impossible for sinfull man to plead with him; and it is our most advised course, as soone as may be, to come to te…mes of composition with him, and to make meanes unto him through the mediation of our Saviour. Now that all afflictions are immediately inflicted by God, we have shewed formerly.
And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of Early Harvest.
The Iewes had two distinct Harvests of Wheat and Barly, and Barly was the first, 2 Sam. 21. 9. So here we see the providence of God, in ordering and disposing the Journey of Naomi, to end it in the most convenient time. Had she come before Harvest, she would have been straitned for meanes to maintaine her selfe; if after Harvest, Ruth had lost all those occasions which paved the way to her future advancement. God therefore, who ordered her going, concludes her Journey in the beginning of Harvest.
And thus have we gone over this Chapter. Now as Samuel in the first Booke, chap. 7. vers. 12. erected an Altar, and called it Eben-ezer, for, said he, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us: so here may I rayse an Altar of Gratitude unto God, with the same inscription, Eben-ezer, Hitherto the Lord of his goodnesse hath assisted us.