Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 11
Verſe 11. And Naomi ſaid, Turne againe, my daughters: Why will you goe with me? Are there yet more ſonnes in my wombe, that they may bee your husbands?
NAomies reply vntounto their ſpeech, and ſecond triall of them: wherein is an Exhortation, and a double Interrogation; the firſt mouing to a more ſerious examination of their reſolution; and the ſecond, a reaſon of her continued Exhortation.
And Naomi ſaid.] She maketh a ſecond eſſay vponupon them, though ſhee ſaw their paſſion, and heard their reſolution; for ſhe knew, that a ſound triall is not made at once. Wee ſee Orpha withſtood the firſt, and made as good a ſhew as Ruth, both in her teares and talke: yet ſoone after ſhee gaue ouer. With theſe faire onſets Satan was well acquainted; and therefore both with Iob and Chriſt, though he preuailed not at the firſt, yet hoped to ouercome at the laſt. Conſtancie ſtandeth not in one act, neither is therein to bee diſcerned: And therefore let none thinke they hauehave ſufficient triall of any, becauſe they hauehave made once an eſſay with them, in any matter; neither let any man thinke that he hath done valiantly, becauſe he hath reſiſted a temptation once, and could not be ouercome: for thou maieſt be ſet vponupon againe and againe; and if after many, thou beeſt ouercome, thou haſt loſt thy glory in the reſt.
Turne againe, my daughters.] Of the exhortation before in the 8. verſe. Here Naomi kindly calleth them her Daughters, which ſhe might doe, both for her ancientneſſe in yeeres, and alſo for that ſhe was their mother by marriage. This is a terme of louelove, which here ſhee doth expreſſe, to ſhew that her exhortation came not for want of louelove, but euen in louelove ſhe did it, as before is noted, and as appeareth plainely in the laſt words of the verſe 13. And herein is a point of Godly diſcretion, which is, that in giuing counſell to or fro, it is good ſo to ſpeake, as may declare louelove and reſpect to the parties, as ſhee doth here: Abigail to Dauid, Iethro to Moſes, yea and Lot to the very abominable Sodomites: becauſe the manifeſting of louelove in aduiſing, exhorting, admoniſhing, or reprouing, doth make way in the heart of the party aduiſed & reproued; and the contrary ſhuts vp mens hearts and eares, as experience doth ſhew. And therefore in ſuch caſes let vsus ſhew louelove, by vſing good and louing termes, by proteſting our true affection, if ſo neede require, by giuing good reaſons thereof, that may fully ſhew it, and by being ready to doe them good, offering them to doe it, if there ſhall be occaſion of it. Note more, that it was a custome among the Iewes, for parents and children to ſpeake moſt commonly one to another in the neereſt and deareſt termes of louelove, by the name of father, mother, ſonne, daughter, and not by calling them onelyonly by their names, as parents doe children now. See this in Gen. 22. 7. and 27. 1. and 48. 19. and in many other places, which argued meekeneſſe of ſpirit, intyre affection, and a louing naturall kindneſſe, worthy imitation.
Why will you goe with mee? This queſtion is propounded to draw them to a conſideration of ſome reaſons within themſelues, why they ſhould reſolue to goe with her; as if ſhee had ſaid, I louelove you, as a mother her daughters, therefore I aduiſe you to conſider ſeriouſly of your reſolution aforehand, and weigh with your ſelues, what may ſo lead you; for I can ſee no reaſon in wordly reſpects (for ſuch onelyonly ſhee vrged both heere and in the verſes following) why you ſhould go with mee. And by this, as ſhe taught them, ſo vve may learne, that it is a point of wiſedome to aske our ſelues, Why we will doe this or that thing, before wee vndertake it, or reſolue vponupon it? And hereunto our Sauiour aduiſed, Luke 14. 28. for that is well begun, which is laid vponupon good grounds and ſound reaſons; it is a wiſe proceeding, it will preuent the after Had I w…ſt, and future repentance. Let vsus therefore learne this wiſedome, and not bee fooliſhly raſh in our attempts.
Are there yet any ſonnes in my wombe, that they may be your husbands?] Naomi now beginneth to bring in her reaſons, why ſhee would hauehave them to returne, all drawne from the world: in which reſpect, ſhee giueth them no comfort to follow her; and it is, as if ſhe had ſaid, If you vvill goe with mee for any vvorldly reſpect, alas, I cannot pleaſure you, I am old, I hauehave no ſonnes to marry you againe vntounto; and as for an outward eſtate, you ſee me very poore. In thus ſpeaking plainely, and diſſwading onelyonly by worldly reaſons to try them, vve may learne,
I. That the true honeſt-hearted, and ſuch as feare God, in the kind offers of their friends, deale truly with them, and will not lead them into vaine hopes. Thus Naomi dealeth; thus did our Sauiour, Mat. 8. 20. for they would not deceiue them. Wee muſt labour for this plaine dealing; and not onelyonly looke to our ſelues, and what preſent benefit wee may get to our ſelues, as moſt doe in theſe deceitfull times, which is contrary to our Chriſtianity, 1. Theſ. 4. 6. to true louelove, 1. Cor. 13. and to the comfort of our ovvne conſciences. Men now a daies gladly make gaine of all proffers of louelove, vvithout any reſpect to their friends; becauſe men are falſe-hearted, and like ſuch as Dauid vvas troubled vvith, Pſal. 41. 6.
II. That worldly reſpects are not the motiues which ſhould induce any to ioyne themſelues with Gods people; for they want theſe things often. Of this our Sauiour telleth the Lawyer, Luke 9. 57. The Godly heere hauehave their leaſt ſhare in the things of this life, becauſe they hauehave a better portion prouided for them in the life to come. Wee are not then to become profeſſours of Religion with others for theſe worldly things. Naomi telleth thee, this is not a good reaſon. Chriſt telleth thee hee is poore, and ſuch as follow him, muſt take vp their croſſe; muſt ſuffer affliction, ſaith Paul, 2. Tim. 3. 12. for to the godly it is giuen to ſuffer for him, Phil. 2. 29. Beware of a Iudas minde, to come for the bagge; or a Demas▪ like diſpoſition, to come before thou haſt ſhaken off the louelove of the world: for if thou doeſt not, thou wilt ſell Chriſt for the world, and bid the Goſpell adieu for goods.
Queſt. Why is it ſaid that ſhee had no ſonnes moe for them to marry? why ſhould ſhee thus ſpeake to them? We muſt know that it was a Law among the Iewes, that a brother ſhould raiſe vp ſeede to a brother, who left a wife, and dyed childleſſe, Deut. 25. 5. Gen. 38. 8, 11. To which Law and practice her ſpeech alludeth. And by this wee may thinke it very likely, that theſe women were taught in the Law of God, and made acquainted with the practice of Gods people. This is very probable, becauſe Naomi was ſo godly a Matrone; and it appeareth by Ruths vertues: which being ſo, it commendeth the care of Naomi and her ſonnes, for the ſoules of theſe young women, borne of Idolaters out of the Church, to teach them the Law of the true God. A good example for parents to follow, and for husbands; for fathers and mothers; See Pro. 4. 3, 4. Deut. 6. 7. Ephe. 6. 4. Deut. 11. 19. Pro. 31. 1. 2. Tim. 1. 5. and 3. 15. and for husbands read 1. Cor. 14. 35. But alas, many are ſo ignorant, as they cannot teach them, and many ſo careleſſe, as they neglect them, many ſo wretched, as they will not, and ſome ſo prophane, as they mocke at it, and hold it no duety for them, but for the Prieſt (as in ſcorne they call the Miniſter of Chriſt) to performe.