Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 10
Verſe 10. And they ſaid vntounto her, Surely wee will returne with thee vntounto thy people.
BEfore was noted their affection; here is ſet downe their reſolution, which was to accompany her, and alſo how farre.
And they ſaid vntounto her.] All this while they heard her, they accompanyed her, but no mention of any ſpeech hitherto made vntounto her: but now neceſſity compelleth them to breake ſilence. Which though it be a ſpeciall iewell in women, who are too tonugue-ripe, yet ſometime neceſſity enforceth them. If this might bee the onelyonly key to make them ſpeake, they then ſpeaking, were worthy attention, if with all they would ſpeake in wiſedome, and within compaſſe, knowing when againe to keepe ſilence.
Surely we will returne.] That is, diſſwade vsus not thus to leaue thee; for we are reſolued to go with thee in this thy returne home. Where note, that an earneſt affection ſuffereth not eaſily a ſeparation from the party affected. For the truth of this, ſee it in any ſort of louelove, as in carnall louelove, betweene Samſon and Dalilah, Iudg. 16. In naturall, betweene Dauid and Abſalom. In friendly louelove, betweene Ionathan and Dauid: and Mephiboſheth to Dauid alſo. In Chriſtian louelove, as in Paul to the Iewes, Rom. 9. 13. and in Moſes to the Iſraelites: and in Diuine louelove, as of Gods to vsus, and of bleſſed Martyrs towards God againe. In all theſe what prouocations vvere there to breake off, except it bee in Gods behalfe towards vsus, who offereth no occaſion to make vsus leaue him? yet where affection is ſettled, there will hardly be a ſeparation: for true louelove liueth in the party beloued, and can no more forſake him, then himſelfe. It is alſo full of patience to put vp wrongs, and taketh eueryevery thing in the beſt part, and hopeth of better in the worſt things. Let vsus hereby try our louelove, which is euer with peace and vnity; for where diſcord is, there is no louelove. Such then are hollow-hearted friends, which profeſſe louelove, and yet vponupon eueryevery trifle breake out into manifeſt ſignes of hatred.
With thee.] As if they had ſaid, Though thou beeſt our mother in law, and art but one, and a poore woman, yet thy grace and vertue is ſuch, as wee are content to forſake our countrey, and carnall kindred for thee; with thee: will we therefore goe. And indeede it is better to hauehave the company of one ſound Chriſtian, than to enioy the fellowſhip of a world of worldlings. Good Ionathan took more delight in one Dauid, than in the ſociety of all his fathers houſe: for the fellowſhip of the godly is comfortable, and very ioyous to the ſoule of ſuch as bee godly; but the company of worldlings vaine and vnfruitfull to God-ward. The godly are worthy to bee affected, and loued, they be the children of the moſt High, and the world is not worthy of them, no not when they be in the moſt baſeſt condition in the iudgement of men, Heb. 11. 38. And the godly are ſuch as with whom God is for euer, who goe the way to eternall life, which whoſoeuer looketh for, muſt keepe them company thither. And therefore let vsus ioyne our ſelues to them, ſit downe with them, delight in them, Pſal. 101. 6. and 16. 3. and 119. 63, 79. and auoid others, Prou. 23. 1. Pſal. 26. 4, 5. and 101. 3, 4, 7, 8.
VntoUnto thy people.] Thus they call the people of Iſrael, Gods people, and Gods Church, to ſhew, that there is a right in eueryevery particular member to the Church, as in the Church to eueryevery member, and all to Chriſt, and Chriſt to them, 1. Cor. 12. 12. For the Church is as a body, whereof Chriſt is the head, and eueryevery one, one anothers members. We may therefore clayme a right in one another, to care for, and watch ouer one another; wee may clayme a right in all the Churches Rites and diuine Ordinances of God belonging thereto, for our ſaluation: and therefore ſhould eueryevery member care for the preſeruation of the whole, and the whole for eueryevery member, and take their wrongs to heart. Laſtly, note out of this Verſe, that both the women, in their paſſion, ſpeake the ſame thing; but yet, vponupon more deliberation, one of them calleth backe her word. By which wee may ſee, that in paſsionate affection more will be ſpoken than acted: as wee may here ſee in Orpha her promiſe; in Saul alſo, 1. Sam. 24. 16, 17. and 26. 21. and in Dauids heat of ſpirit, 1. Sam. 25. 32. For paſſion cauſeth men to ſpeake vnaduiſedly, and more than they would, if they did conſider thereof; yea, in paſſion men are not themſelues, neither can the hypocriſie of the heart be diſcerned, no, not of the parties themſelues at the preſent inſtant of time, which maketh ſuch to ſpeake better than they either can or will do afterwards; as appeareth here in Orpha, and in Saul. Wee are not to valew words vttered in paſſion, nor to regard them, either to aduantage our ſelues, or to harme the ſpeaker, as many doe, who catch men in their ſudden ſpeeches, ſometime to gaine by them, ſometime to trouble them. This ought not to be; Charitie would teach better things.