Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 15
Verſe 15. And he ſhall be vntounto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nouriſher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loueth thee, which is better to thee thenſeuen ſonnes, hath borne him.
THis is ſtill the continued ſpeech of the women to Naomi; the ſcope whereof is ſtill to comfort her, in foreſhewing what this Babe ſhould be vntounto her, and the reaſon why they ſo ſpeake of him.
And he ſhall be vntounto thee a restorer of thy life.] Naomi had many croſſes, ſhe had loſt her Huſband and Children, yea, and her outward ſtate in the world, which made her, as it were, dead with ſorrow, which theſe Women and godly Neighbours well conſidered of, and here therefore doe enlarge their ſpeech for Naomies greater comfort; to teach vsus, That true friends, affected with others miſeries, cannot but meditate many arguments of comfort in the daies of their felicity. For the ioy of their hearts is vnfained for their friends proſperity, as truely as before they were mooued with their calamitie. Thus let vsus learne to trie the ſympathy of mens hearts towards other in proſperitie and aduerſitie.
Arestorer of thy life.] So they ſpeake, as if by her former miſery ſhe had, as it were, been liueleſſe. Whence note; That heauy croſſes, as pouertie, old age, Widdowhood, and loſſe of Children, doe bedead the ſpirit, euen of godly perſons. So theſe words imply, and experience teacheth. For no affliction is ioyous for the preſent, but grieuous, Heb. 12. 12. How much more when many come together? Therefore let vsus hauehave compaſſion of the afflicted, and labour to raiſe vp their ſpirits, eſpecially of poore afflicted Widdowes; for it is a part of pure and vndefiled religion before God, Iam. 1. 27. This condemneth ſuch of cruelty, as will vexe the afflicted; or bee miſerable comforters, as Iobs friends were to him. Secondly, wee may learne, That godly Children are as restorers of life to their Parents, Prou. 10. 1. they make them glad. Let Children labour to be ſuch, that they may cheere vp their Parents hearts; and not bee as too many be, cauſers of hearts griefe to them, making them to goe downe with mourning to the graue; for ſuch are fooliſh Children, Prou. 15. 20. and 10. 1. and 17. 25.
And a nouriſher of thine old age.] Note, firſt, that old age needs nouriſhing: for it maketh man feeble, and to want heate, 1. King. 1. 1. Eccleſ. 12. 3. Alſo to be ſubiect to diſeaſes, as to bee blind, as was Iſaac, Gen. 27. and Iacob, Gen. 48. 10. & to be lame, as Aſa, 1. King. 15. Therefore in the youth of Summer, prouide ſomewhat for the Winter of old age: and when thou haſt prouiſion for age, thanke God therefore. Secondly, that children are to be nouriſhers of their parents in their old age: as Ioſeph was to Iacob, Gen. 45. 11. and Ruth but aSee before Chap. 2. 18. daughter in law here, to Naomi, Chap. 3. 18. and ſuch a one the women hoped Obed would be. Let children learne this duety: for firſt, nature teacheth it, in the Storke; and branches of trees receiuing the ſap from the roote, doe returne it againe to it towards Winter. Secondly, Reaſon teacheth to bee thankefull, and to doe good to them that hauehave done vsus good. From parents children hauehave being, bringing vp, and their preſeruation; whoſe louelove, care, paines and cost, children can neuer recompence. Thirdly, it is one end why they bee borne: for if a friend bee borne to helpe his friend in aduerſitie, Prou. 17. 17. then much more children to helpe their parents, who are bone of their bone, and fleſh of their fleſh. Fourthly parents are childrens glory, Prou. 17. 6. Therfore ſhould they make much of them. Fifthly, hereto adde the Commandement, Exod. 20. to honour our parents. Now, how are they honoured, when in want they are not relieued? Sixtly, ſuch as ſuccour their parents, may expect a bleſſing from their children. Thoſe children therefore which are without naturall affection, ſinne againſt God, againſt Nature, Reaſon and Religion. But children will, perhaps, ſay, Our parents are froward and hard to pleaſe, and therefore they make vsus wearie and vnwilling to keepe and nouriſh them. Anſw. Firſt, conſider how froward you were in childhood, and yet poore parents carefully kept you, and caſt you not off. Secondly, when old age commeth, you may bee ſuch. Do then, as you would be done vntounto: learne to beare with your parents, to teach your children how to beare with you. Thirdly, note how children can beare with rich parents well enough, while they hope for profit, and feare to loſe what they looke for. If hope of gaine can make children put on ſuch patience, then let true louelove doe it much more.
For thy daughter in law, which loueth thee, which is better then ſeuen ſonnes, hath borne him.] This is a reaſon of the womens hope of this childs kindneſſe towards Naomi. From theſe words we may learne theſe things: Firſt, That there is good hope of childrens louelove, which come of louing parents, that they will louelove ſuch as their parents hauehave loued. Thus the women conclude: and this was a leſſon which Dauid taught his ſonne Salomon, 1. Kin. 2. 7. And Chriſt louing thoſe whom his Father loueth, teacheth ſo much. Let therefore children be thus affected, eſpecially if their parents hauehave ſet their louelove aright, vponupon ſuch as were worthy of louelove. Secondly, That there may be great louelove betweene a mother in law, and a daughter in law. Ruths louelove towards Naomi was very great, ſhee left her countrey and kindred for her, Chap. 1. 16, 17. laboured painefully for her, Chap. 2. 18, 23. and Naomi was not wanting to ſeeke the good of Ruth, Cha. 3. Let theſe two bee examples to ſuch: and to make them louing, ſtriue to bee religious, and to feare God, as theſe did: for Religion will worke, what corrupt nature cannot effect. Let them performe mutuall dueties. And let ſtepmothers know that they ſtep in, to be in ſtead of naturall mothers, and ſo let children take them; ſo will they louelove one another. Thirdly, that true louelove cannot be hid: for it ſo will expreſſe it ſelfe, as other ſhall take notice of it. Theſe women knew Ruths louelove: ſo did Saul Ionathans to Dauid: the people Chriſts louelove to Lazarus, Iohn 11. 36. for true louelove will breake out as fire. Try true louelove by the manifeſtation thereof. Ioſeph may hide his aGen. 45. 1. 2. Sam. 13. 39. and 14. 1. while from his brethren, and Dauid from Abſalom, but it will breake out at length. They therefore but boaſt vainely of louelove; which neuer expreſſe it. Fourthly, that true louelove in aduerſitie, is not lost in proſperity. Ruth is ſaid ſtill to louelove Naomi, though thus exalted: ſo did Huſhai Dauid: ſo did Iobs friends, Chap. 2. howſoeuer they erred in iudgement. Let not louelove be altered with our eſtates, nor honours change good conditions, as it doth in too many. Fifthly, that the louelove of a ſtranger may ſometime exceed the louelove of many children by nature. The women preferre Ruths louelove aboue ſeuen ſonnes, that is, aboue many ſonnes. Such God by fauour can ſupply, what is wanting in them by nature, and make a ſtrangers louelove ſurpaſſe. Let this be comfort to the diſtreſſed.