Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 8
Verſe 8. And Naomi ſaid vntounto her two daughters in law, Goe, returne each to her mothers houſe: the Lord deale kindly with you, as you hauehave dealt with the dead and with me.
NAomi ſeeth their kindneſſe, and weighing afore-hand all circumſtances, beginneth to make triall of the ſoundneſſe of their louelove, and to know vponupon what ground it ſtandeth, as appeareth out of the verſes 11, 12, 13. The words conſiſt of an exhortation, and a petition to God for them, rendering a reaſon thereof.
And Naomi ſaid vntounto her two daughters in law.] To this place, there is no mention of any ſpeech of Naomi, but onelyonly what ſhee did: Firſt, in following her huſband into Moab, verſe. 1, 2. and then, of his leauing that Countrey to returne into Iudah, verſe. 6, 7. Hitherto her Story is of her walking, and not of her words and talking: it ſeemeth her tongue did not hang looſe, to be vponupon eueryevery touch tolling, as ſome womens be. And this her ſilence commendeth her vertue therein, and alſo giueth vsus to know, that ſhe did not ſollicite her daughters to go with her, but that they voluntarily vndertooke the iourney: for if ſhee had requeſted them, their louelove had not ſo appeared, neither could ſhe hauehave tried them, by intreating them to returne backe.
Goe and returne.] How farre on the way they were come, is not noted; but on the way they were, before ſhe ſpake thus to them; which ſhe did not, as careleſſe of their ſoules, or of any doubt, whether God would prouide for them, who would forſake their country, and become proſelytes; but two reaſons may be alledged why ſhee exhorteth them to returne home againe. Firſt was her louelove to them, for their kindneſſes formerly to her and hers, as appeareth by her prayer, and therefore ſhee might now ſeeme to be loth to trouble them, though their company in the way might hauehave beene comfortable, except ſhee had knowne certainely how to hauehave recompenced their louelove. Taking this for one, we learne, that a true Louer is loth to diſaduantage a friend or friends for priuate reſpects to himſelfe: for true louelove ſeeketh alſo the good of a friend beloued; and a found-harted friend will follow the Apoſtles aduice, 1. Cor. 10. 24. not ſeeke his owne, but his friends well-fare. But this alas is contrary to our times, when now men are all for themſelues; which ſelfe-louelove is contrarie to Chriſts commandement, to louelove our neighbour as our ſelues; it is againſt the communion & fellowſhip of Chriſtians as members one of another; it is contrary to the end of our labour in our callings, 2. Cor. 12. 14. Eph. 4. 28. which is, to doe good to others; contrary to that care which God cōmandeth, for the preſeruation of other mens eſtate, Deut. 22. 2, 4. Exod. 23. 4, 5. contrary to Abrahams practice, Gene. 23. 9. whoſe children we muſt be, and whoſe workes we muſt doe. This ſelfe-louelove is the originall of all bribery, extortion, vſury, deceit, fraud, oppreſſion, and vniuſt dealings among men; this maketh men enuious, that they cannot reioyce in other mens welfare, and this maketh men without compaſſion in another mans miſery, if they themſelues liue at eaſe: this roote of bitterneſſe muſt be rooted out. The ſecond reaſon was her want of meanes, to giuegive them comfort in the world, to prouide for them neceſſaries, or conuenient matches, as her words imply in verſes 12, 13: ſhee knew them to hauehave friends & parents in Moab, but none in Iudah, and therefore ſhee was loth to make them worſe, and to carry them to an vnknowne place, except ſhee could better hauehave prouided for them with ſome certainty. True louelove will not make worſe, where it cannot make better. But here it may be demanded, Whether Naomi did well, to perſwade them to returne? I anſwer, If ſhe had done it in careleſneſſe of their ſoules, or in a coldneſſe of religion, ſhee had offended: but it was partly in her louelove to thē for their outward eſtate, not knowing how to pleaſure them, if they ſhould take ſuch paines to goe with her, and leaue their owne country, and partly out of her wiſedome to trie them, whether indeed they fully reſolued to goe with her, let fall out, what might fall out. And this was praiſeworthy in her, thus to try their ſoundneſſe: for hereby ſhee found one rotten at the core, and the other moſt ſound. And thus ſhould wee alſo doe in theſe deceitfull dayes, trie before we truſt ſuch as offer themſelues to come among the godly, as alſo did our Sauiour, Luke 9. 57, 58. leſt when they haſtily intertaine Religion, they as ſuddainely fall backe to the reproach of the Goſpell, and blemiſh of ſuch as admitted them without tryall. If any aske why ſhee perſwaded them not to ſtay at home whilſt they were there, but to let them goe on the way, and then to will them to returne backe? I anſwer, It may be that ſhe tooke their comming forth to be of courteſie to take leaue of her, after ſhe had gone ſomewhat on her iourney; which kindneſſe there was no reaſon to refuſe; but perceiuing that they would goe on, ſhee then fell to make tryall of them, and to vnderſtand what might leade them thereto. And this was better done in the way, than at home, to diſcerne more fully of their reſolution. In the tryall of others it is then beſt done, when the ſame may moſt appeare; this is wiſedome.
Each to her mothers houſe.] Here is an argument to moue them to returne backe, becauſe they had naturall parents aliue, and ſhee but a mother in law. Shee trieth them with this firſt, to ſee whether nature wrought more then grace. This ſhe knew to be a ſtrong pull-backe, and that nature muſt firſt be ſubdued to follow ſoundly the courſe of godlineſſe. We muſt forſake father and mother for the Goſpell, ſaith Chriſt, yea and deny our ſelues. If thus we can doe, then are we to be admitted into the fellowſhip of the faithfull. Theſe words ſhew, they were not naturall ſiſters, becauſe Naomi willeth each of thē to go to her mothers houſe, as hauing either of them a mother. In that Naomi thus ſpeaketh, we may further note:
I. That of either parent, children are drawne with moſt affection to their mothers; becauſe all children hauehave moſt of their mothers, being conceiued in them, long borne of them, and nurſed by them; alſo, for that mothers are more tender-harted towards them: and moſt familiar with them: therefore here is their mothers houſe named, though afterward Ruths father, Chap. 2. 11. And yet ſome childrē we ſee ready enough to deſpiſe their mothers, which is contrary to nature, contrary to the commandement, Exod. 20. Prou. 1. 8. Yea, it is great ingratitude to requite ſo the great paines in conception, in bearing, in nurſing, which a child can neuer recompence: and therefore a curſe is pronounced againſt ſuch children, Deut. 27. 16. Pro. 20. 20. and of this the Prophet Ezekiel complaineth, Chap. 22. 7.
II. That poore widowes are to be maintained of their able parents, when they be left alone, and cannot maintaine themſelues, Leuit. 22. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 16. The law of nature, and we ſee, the Law of God leadeth thereto; and Naomi knew not whither elſe to ſend them: And whither ſhould children goe, but vntounto their parents? If this be ſo, then let parents ſee to the well matching of their children, to preuent their pouertie if it may be, and a ſecond charge of them. Let children be then ruled of their parents in taking marriage vponupon them, ſeeing parents are to be troubled againe with them, if need require. Yea and let husbands hauehave care, when they hauehave receiued their wiues portions, ſo to husband the ſame, that they may leaue them to liue after them, and not to be againe chargeable to their friends.
The Lord deale kindly with you.] Her prayer for them, which was her beſt recompence for their louelove, being now poore, and not otherwiſe able to requite them their kindneſſe. Note hence,
I. That it is a duety to pray for thoſe which doe either vsus, or ours good: So doth Naomi here; ſo Boaz for Ruth, Chap. 2. 12. Dauid for Abigails good counſell, 1. Sam. 25. 33. and Saul for Dauids ſparing his life, 1. Sam. 24. 19. And this duety let vsus performe, as Chriſt in the forme of Prayer hath taught vsus, Mat. 6. and not pray onelyonly for our ſelues, as worldlings doe, nor to thinke a fauour done, is requited with I thanke you onelyonly, and that prayer for a bleſſing vponupon them is not required, eſpecially if they be ſuperiours: and yet we ſee here the practice of ſuperiours to inferiours.
II. That at parting, friends are to pray one for another; as we may ſee the practice of it in Iſaac, Gen. 28. 1, 3. Laban, Gen. 31. 55. Iacob, Gen. 43. 14. and in Paul, Act. 20. 36. It is very Chriſtian like, an argument of louelove, and deſire of their owne welfare, which cannot be without Gods protection: put this therefore into practice. True it is, that men now doe it, but it is not with that reuerence, nor expreſſed with that earneſt deſire, as is meet and befitting in ſuch a caſe.
III. That the godly are perſwaded, that the Lord is a mercifull Rewarder of the dueties of louelove, which one doth towards another. This Naomi her prayer to God for them here teacheth: for the godly know, that the Lord hath commanded ſuch dueties; and what he commandeth to be done, that will hee reward in the doer. And hereof let vsus bee well perſwaded, this wil make vsus do our duties cheerefully, though men requite not our paines, becauſe God will. By this reaſon Saint Paul encourageth ſeruants to their duties, and to doe what they ought heartily, Col. 3. 24.
IV. That children ſhould ſo well deſerue of parents, yea though but parents in law, as they may bee moued heartily to pray for them: as Naomi doth in this place. A good carriage is a duty towards all, then much more to parents; and the prayers of parents is a meanes to put a bleſſing vponupon their children. But ſome children are ſo farre from doing their duties to their parents to procure a bleſſing, as they with Cham deſerue a curſe; ſuch a one was rebellious Abſalom, bloody Cain: ſuch a one was Ruben Simeon and Leui, whom the Lord puniſhed.
V. That God will not onelyonly barely reward, but ſo deale with vsus, as wee deale with others. This Naomi begges for, this the Lord in mercy will doe, Mat. 7. 2. for our incouragement to well doing, he will reward vsus according to our works. This ſhould ſtirre vsus vp to doe our duties vntounto our brethren, knowing that as we doe, we ſhall be done vntounto.
As yee hauehave dealt with the dead and with mee.] Here Naomi acknowledgeth their louing obedience and good carriage towards their husbands when they were aliue, and now to her, they being dead: and this maketh her to pray thus for them.
Note here, firſt, that daughters of a bad race, may prooue good wiues, and good children in law ſometime: as theſe daughters of Idolaters did; when God reſtraineth nature, and giueth grace withall. For many times there are tr…ctable and gentle natures, where Religion is not grafted, theſe by good inſtruction, and Gods bleſſing, may proue excellent wiues. Children therefore are not euer to bee cenſured according to their parents; though it is dangerous to graft in a bad ſtocke: for an hundred to one, but a Michol will make a Dauid know that ſhee is a Sauls daughter. But here, women Chriſtians are taught to ſhew themſelues good wiues and children, or elſe theſe daughters of the Heathen will condemne them, whom Naomi commendeth for good wiues. Now, to bee a good wife, a woman muſt know her duty, and be very deſirous to doe it, which ſtands in louelove vnfeigned, in feare to offend,Ephe. 5. 22. Col. 3. 18. 1. Pet. 3. in cheerefull obedience, in meekeneſſe of ſpirit, and in ſympathizing with her husband in proſperity and aduerſity. But where is the woman? where is this Sarah, this Rebeccah? Shee will anſwer perhaps, Where there is an Abraham, and an Iſaac; for a good husband will make a good wife; a good Iohn, a good Ioane: the body will obey, where the head knoweth how to rule well.
II. That good and truely louing wiues louelove their husbands parents for their husbands ſake, as theſe did Naomi. For the wife and husband are one, and ſhould be of one heart, and the one louelove, vvhere the other liketh: and a good vvife ſtriueth to pleaſe and content her husband, in ſhevving louelove to his friends. Shee vvill not bee like ſuch levvd vviues, vvomen not vvorthy to bee vviues, vvhichwhich hate their husbands kindred, and brovv-beate them out of their houſes.