Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 14
Verſe 14. And they lift vp their voice and wept againe: and Orpha kiſſed her mother in law, but Ruth claue vntounto her.
HEre is the euent and effect of Naomies ſpeech againe; firſt, ioyntly in both, which was againe their paſſion, and then diſtinctly, ſhewed in contraries, in Orphaes valediction, and Ruth remaining ſtill with her mother in law.
And they lift vp their voice and wept againe.] Againe their paſſion of teares is recorded; both alike in paſſion of affection, but farre differing in the truth of the action, the beſt demonſtration of the heart: for in both was a like ſhew of louelove in their weeping, yet not the like cōſtant coniunction of heart towards Naomi; for the one forſooke her, and the other abode and went on with her. Whence we may ſee, that all outward ſorrow giueth not certaine witneſſe of the ſoundneſſe of the heart; this is plaine by this example, and by Sauls weeping to Dauid. As this is true in men, ſo more in women, who hauehave teares at command. Doe we not reade how the Iſraelites would weepe on one day, and be in rebellion another? Was not Iſhmael in his very weeping, a very deepe diſembler, the like neuer heard of? We are not eaſily therefore to be perſwaded of inward hearty affection, from weeping and ſheading of teares. This deceiued the foureſcore men which met Iſhmael, and were moſt of them ſlain by him. Some can ſhead teares at will; and all weeping doth not come from the like cauſe, though many weepe together, and in appearance hauehave the ſame reaſon: there be that will weep for company, becauſe they ſee others to weepe, neuer inwardly moued from the cauſe, but moſt from the outward paſſion of the parties; yet though there be a weeping not commendable, as that which is counterfeit, that which is vponupon eueryevery light occaſion, or which is vponupon iuſt cauſe, but in exceſſe: yet it is ſometime a matter praiſe-worthy, when it is from a naturall affection, as in Ioſeph to his brethren and father; from ſound louelove to a friend, as Ionathans and Dauids weeping; and when it is from a gracious heart, for a mans owne ſinnes, as Peters weeping was; or for the ſinnes of others, as Dauids, Pſal. 1 19. Ieremies, Chap. 13. And Ieſus Chriſt his weeping ouer Ieruſalem, Luke 19. 41. Bleſſed are theſe mourners, for they ſhall be comforted, theſe teares are put into the Lords bottle, Pſal. 56. 8. And ſuch as be ſo doggedly hard-hearted, and want naturall affection, and ſound louelove, ſo as neither for friend, nor kinſman, nor the nigheſt of blood, they can weepe for, are very vnnaturall, and worſe then bruite beaſts, which bleate and loow for their own kinde: ſo alſo they which can perhaps weepe for the world, for departure of friends, for loſſe of parents, children, husband, or wiſe, yet not for ſin, not for Gods diſhonor, not for the affliction of Ioſeph, not for want of the Word, and the taking away of the righteous; are worldlings, are deſtitute of diuine grace, of the true louelove of God and goodneſſe; for men can and will mourne for ſuch things as be euer neere and deare vntounto them, and which they, indeede, take to heart.
And Orpha kiſſed her mother in law.] As Naomi did by this act, in verſe 9. take her farewell of Orpha with Ruth, ſo now, Orpha departing, thus taketh leaue of her. She wept in louelove, and kiſſed her in token of louelove, and as loth to depart, yet voluntarily leaueth her, becauſe ſhee perceiued by Naomi her words, that ſhe could not receiue worldly contentment, if ſhee ſhould goe with her. So here were ſignes of louelove onelyonly, but not the truth of it. It is eaſie to make ſignes of louelove, but not to ſhew the true fruits of louelove. Theſe be chargeable, the other coſt nothing, therefore they are afforded very cheape: and where onelyonly outward ſignes of louelove be, and not a hearty vnion, there worldly loſſes, or the feare of ſuch loſſes, or not the hope to gaine the things of this life, will ſoone ſeparate ſuch friends, as wee ſee in this woman. Note further,
I. That worldly reſpects are great hinderances in the courſe of Godlineſſe: the world keepeth from the entertaining of the Truth, Mat. 22. 5. It hindereth in the receiuing of it, Mat. 13. It pulleth men from it, which hauehave ſomewhat gone forward in it, as wee may ſee here in Orpha, in Iehu, Iudas, Demas, and Henry the 4. the laſt King of France: and this commeth from the exceeding louelove of it, and our chiefeſt care for the body, and the things of this life. But let vsus take heede of this world, for ſuch as louelove it, the louelove of God1. Iohn 2. 15. the Father is not in them: & many for louelove of the world, forſaking Religion, hauehave felt the wo thereof, and hauehave loſt that which they loued. Remember Iudas, he had the money, but what was hee the better? it did not comfort him, neither did it continue with him, neither he long in the world. And yet wretched Caitifes that wee be, like Gadarens, we will loſe Chriſt, rather then our ſwine; and with Eue, loſe Paradiſe for an Apple.
II. That an vnſound heart may for a time make a faire ſhew in the way to Canaan, but yet turne backe at the laſt, as Orpha doth here; and as we may ſee in Iehu, Iudas, Demas, Hymeneus, Alexander, Philetus, and many other in all ages, falling backe from the Truth, which they indeed did neuer ſoundly louelove, and yet will ſuch make ſo faire an entrance. And this is by reaſon, firſt, of certaine general motions of Religion, which maketh them in generall to approue of the ſame; againe, the generall eſteeme of the very name of Religion? all holding this, that it is a good thing to bee religious, and that none can find fault with a man for that. Further, the working of the Word, mouing the heart in ſome ſort, to intertaine it: and laſtly, the deſire of praiſe and good eſteeme with men. Theſe will make hollow hearts to ſet on a while to heauenward, but ſhall not bee able to enter. Therefore we are not eaſily to entertaine men for ſincere, becauſe they hauehave made and doe make faire ſhewes in Religion for a time, ſeeing they may be vnſound, and after fall away. And this ſhould make vsus to examine our owne hearts, leſt ſecret hypocriſie lurke therein, and it breake out at the length to our ſhame.
III. That ſuch as want ſoundneſſe towards God for Religion, may yet hauehave otherwiſe commendable parts in them. For Orpha is commended for a kind wife, as well as Ruth by Naomi, and for a kind daughter in law, verſe 8. and ſhee ſhewed good humanity … going on the way with her mother in law, ye… good natural affection in weeping, ſo at parting. What ſhall I ſpeake of Ioahs valiant and hardy ſpirit, of the great vviſedome of Achitophel in all worldly affaires, and of morall men among the Heathen? Many, which had no part nor portion in Chriſt, hauehave done vvorthily in the things praiſe-vvorthy among men, by a reſtrained nature by the povver of conſcience, from the law of nature, vvritten in their hearts, and by the common gifts of the Spirit: And therfore not to iudge our ſelues or others ſoundly religious, and regenerate by Gods Spirit, for our cōmendations in meere moral vertues, or common gifts of the Spirit; for the Heathen hauehave ſurpaſſed many true Chriſtian hearts herein; & many by a meere ciuill education, and orderly bringing vp in the lavvdable faſhions of men, and good carriage of themſelues, as men among men, attaine to great commendations in and for their courteſie, affability, diſcretion, & many qualities, in learning and Arts, which they affect for praiſe with men, for their priuate profit, for aduancement in the world, and not that they doe good things for goodneſſe ſake, from the power of grace and godlineſſe in their hearts, which was as yet neuer ingrafted in them, as appeareth by their little knowledge in the Word of God, by their demeaning of themſelues like Statiſts, indifferently betweene two religions, by neglecting the examination of their wayes by the Word, but keeping company with all ſorts alike, ſo farre as worldly diſgrace come no… hereby, by neuer caring for the growth of Religion in themſelues, or in others, to make the leaſt oppoſition for it againſt the common ſtreame. By all which, and by many good things wanting in them, as a holy zeale, feruency in prayer, the louelove of the truth for the truths ſake, & ſuch as louelove it, delight in meditating of Gods Word, and conferring thereof, ſorrow for the afflictions of Gods people, and ioy in the ouerthrow of the enemies thereof, (which graces meere moraliſts are quite deſtitute of) wee may ſee that the life of Religion, and that heauenly light of true grace is not ingrafted in them; which is more worth than all the reſt, which yet are commendable: but theſe ought chiefely to be our praiſes, and yet not leaue the other vndone: for the one makes a man, but the other a Chriſtian: and theſe together, I meane, good carriage, and ciuill behauiour, Learning, Arts and other good qualities, make an excellent Chriſtian man.
But Ruth claue vntounto her.] Though Orpha gaue occaſion for Ruth to fall off from Naomi, yet her example moued not. A well-grounded affection is not remoued by the inconſtancy of others, Ioh. 6. 68. for true louelove is fixed vponupon the thing beloued, and is not tyed to any by-reſpects. Their louelove then is to be reproued, who fall off for company; their affections were neuer well ſettled: but Ruths louelove was moſt firme, her perſon was as it were glewed vntounto Naomi, as the force of the Hebrew word is, to be knit as man and wife inſeparably. So the word is vſed, Gen. 2. 24. Mat. 19. 5. Thus ſhould the louelove of Gods people bee one to another, hearty and conſtant.