Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 19
Verſe 19. So they two went vntill they came to Bethlehem: and it came to paſſe, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the Citie was moued about them, and they ſaid, Is this Naomi?
IN the ſixth verſe they tooke their iourney, and after ſtood parleying by the way; now they goe forward till they came to the end thereof; ſo as here is ſhewed how long they did iourney, and whither, and then what was the euent when they came there.
So they two went vntill they came to Bethlehem.] When Naomi had tried her, ſhe tooke her to her, and ſo ſhee poore woman returneth into her Countrey, left of all except this one; ſhee was forſaken, but not of all; one goeth with her, and they two poore women goe together, and left not off, till they did come vntounto Bethlehem. Whence obſerue,
I. That they are to bee admitted into our fellowſhip, whom wee find to be conſtant in a good courſe, and true louers of goodneſſe, whatſoeuer they were before. Naomi thus admits of Ruth no doubt, with great comfort. Thus Paul alloweth of Marke, 2. Tim. 4. 11. though before hee had refuſed him, Act. 15. 38. and willeth others to entertaine him, Col. 4. 10, 11. For thus Gods Angels deale with vsus; they will account vsus their fellow-ſeruants whē we turne to God, though before we were neuer ſo lewd, yea they will reioyce ouer vsus, and will louingly attend vsus: let vsus then admit of ſuch, as God alſo himſelfe doth accept of vsus.
II. That God leaueth not his in diſtreſſe, or altogether comfortleſſe. Naomi went out with husband and children, and loſt them: ſhee returneth not alone, but God ſent her one to accompany her, and to comfort her. And where mans company to helpe and comfort faileth, there God will ſend his Angels, as with Iacob in his trauell to Meſopotamia, and with the three children in the Fornace; Yea God will ſtand by Paul, when all men forſake him, 2. Tim. 4. becauſe hee knoweth our frailty and weakeneſſe, and therefore will not leaue his altogether comfortleſſe, that their faith ſhould not faile: which to thinke vponupon, is not a ſmall comfort vntounto Gods people in their affliction and troubles.
III. That a true reſolution will ſhew it ſelfe in a full execution. Shee reſolued to goe with Naomi, and ſo ſhee did, till ſhee came to Bethlehem. Iacob vowed, and ſo reſolued in his returne from Meſopotamia, to build an Altar to God at Bethel, and ſo he did, Gen. 18, and 35. Yet this is ſo to be vnderſtood, if forcible impediments hinder not, as we may ſee in Pauls will to goe to the Theſſalonians, which yet he did not then, becauſe Satan hindred him, 1. Theſ. 2. 18. By this may we learne to know the difference betweene ſolid reſolutions and ſuddaine flaſhes, raw and vndigeſted purpoſes, betweene true reſolutions, and ſuch as be made in ſhew, but in ſubſtance proue nothing ſo, neuer ſeene in the effects.
IV. In this their trauell to Canaan, and therein to Bethlehem, note three things: their vnity, feruencie, and conſtancie; they went together louingly, they ceaſed not to goe on, they did not linger, they tooke no by-paths, neither forgate they whither they were going, till they came vntounto Bethlehem in Canaan. As theſe thus went to Canaan, ſo ſhould we vntounto the ſpirituall Canaan, and heauenly Bethlehem: we muſt goe in vnity, 1. Cor. 1. 10. and be of one heart, Act. 1. 14. and 2. 1, 46. and 4. 24. in a godly feruency, Rom. 12. 11. Tit. 2. 14. Ezech. 3. 14. as Eliah, Nehemiah, the Angel of Epheſus, Reuel. 2. 1, 2. and as our Sauiour, whom the zeale of Gods houſe had eaten vp. And we muſt goe in a conſtant Spirit, and not be weary of well-doing, Gal. 6. for he that continueth to the end, ſhall be ſaued. To conclude the obſeruations from theſe words, note how Bethlehem, the houſe of bread, yea Canaan, a land flowing with milke and hony, and no lacke in it, Deut. 7. 8, 9. and 11. 9, 11, 12. and 27. 3. was made ſo barren, as Naomi was faine to goe into Moab for reliefe, and yet now is made fruitfull againe, anſwerable to the name. Whence ſee, how the Lord can make a fruitfull land barren, Pſal. 107. 33, 34. for the ſinnes of the people, and againe can turne barrenneſſe into plenty, of his mercy and goodneſſe, Pſal. 107. 35, 36. Therefore to hauehave the continuance of Gods mercies, take heede of ſin: when we enioy them, prayſe him for them; & when we be in ſcarcitie, ſeeke to him, becauſe God can helpe, Pſal. 65. 10, 11, 12. and he hath promiſed to giuegive a bleſſing, Eſay 41. 17, 18. 2. Chron. 7. 14. and beware of murmuring in want, 1. Cor. 10. remember there the iudgement: yet is this a common thing amongſt vsus now a dayes, vponupon any vnſeaſonable weather, or worldly croſſes, to repine, which yet eaſeth vsus nothing, but doth the more prouoke God to puniſh vsus.
And it came to paſſe, when they were come to Bethlehem.] Theſe words are a repetition of the former words immediately before. Thus plainely ſpeaketh the Holy Ghoſt, declaring the matter not in curiouſneſſe of ſpeech, but in euidence of the truth.
That all the city was moued about them.] That is, All the Inhabitants of the City. A figuratiue ſpeech, as in Mat. 2. 3. There was a generall comming together to ſee them. Such a mouing is ſometime for feare, Mat. 2. 3. ſometime for ioy, 1. King. 1. 45. Mat. 21. 10. and of a wonderment, Act. 2. 6. All this noteth, that Naomi was not an obſcure perſon before, but a woman of fame before ſhee went; and therefore was this obſeruation of her returne, when ſhee now was come to Bethlehem. By which we may vnderſtand, that the more renowned any be in proſperity, the more remarkeable are they in a downefall and in aduerſity. This experience ſheweth to be true among our ſelues, by very late inſtances; for the eminency of ſuch in proſperity hauehave the eyes of many vponupon them, friends, enemies, equals; one ſort lookes on with louelove, another with hatred, the laſt with enuie and diſdaine; and as they be affected in a mans dayes of proſperity, ſo will they ſpeake and ſhew fully themſelues in aduerſity. This ſhould make ſuch as be ſet out ſo to the view of men, to behaue themſelues wiſely in eueryevery eſtate, ſeeing they be ſo obſeruable.
Is this Naomi?] There be three opinions of this, and it may be, that the company being mixt and of all ſorts, they might ſpeake the ſame words, but with differing minds. Some thinke the words ſpoken in contempt, Is this Naomi?] Shee that was ſo faire and full, is ſhee now brought downe? If this may ſtand, we ſee, that pouerty bringeth contempt euen vponupon the beſt. So was Iob contemned by baſe fellowes, Chap. 30. 1, 11. So was Dauid of Nabal, of Shemei, yea our Sauiour vponupon the croſſe. Salomon ſpeaketh of the poore as ſubiect to ſcorne and contempt, Prou. 17. 5. and 19. 4. which commeth through the want of heauenly wiſedome, Prou. 11. 12. the want of Gods feare, Iob 6. 14. and becauſe men in proſperity are proud, and doe ſiniſterly interpret of ſuch as be in aduerſity. Doth aduerſity bring contempt? Then let vsus take heed how by our owne prodigality, folly, and wickedneſſe, we bring euill vponupon our ſelues; if it be the immediate hand of God, and not thy fault, thou ſhalt be cenſured, as Iob was; how much more, when the cauſe is apparently from thy ſelfe? Againe, let men in aduerſity prepare to beare contempt; and not be impatient, nor take it to heart; for Iob, Dauid, Chriſt Ieſus ſuffered it patiently. If men learne not patience in this, it will make them lay violent hands vponupon themſelues, as Saul, who could not1. Sam. 31. 14. endure contempt, and therefore would preuent it by killing himſelfe: for impatient proud hearts take contempt in aduerſity, to be worſe to them then death it ſelfe. Indeed to mocke or deſpiſe the miſerable, is an argument of the want of Gods feare, and that ſuch are vncharitable, cruell, and void of mercy, for whom there remaineth iudgement mercileſſe; yet howſoeuer the wickedly proud behaue themſelues we muſt in aduerſity be content. Some thinke the words to be ſpoken with admiration, Is this Naomi! as if it had beene ſaid, Oh what an alteration is here! And ſo taking the words, we learne, that ſtrange alterations in mens eſtates, make people to wonder whether it be in proſperity or aduerſity, for good or euill in any quality. The wiſe and learned friends of Iob were aſtoniſhed at the change of his eſtate. Sauls conuerſion was wondred at, 1. Sam. 10. 11. So the gifts of the Apoſtles and miracles, Act. 2. 7. and 4. 13. and Chriſts wiſedome and learning being but twelue yeeres old; for men are more carryed away with the conſideration of the outward meanes how things came to paſſe, then of the power and pleaſure of God to make ſuch an alteration. Therefore in great alterations looke for wonderings, and take no offence thereat; for it is mans nature ſo to doe at vnuſuall things: yea it is a certaine corruption and folly in the vulgar ſort, who conſider not the cauſes of things. It could not but ſomewhat moue Naomi, to ſee ſuch a concourſe of people to come to wonder and gaze vponupon them, as people doe at ſtrangers, or at others in a changeable eſtate, euen among our ſelues. But theſe follies of people wee muſt paſſe by. Some thinke the words to be vttered from pitty and commiſeration towards her, as if it had beene ſaid, Is this Naomi? Alas, what a change is in her? This is that good woman Naomi, whom wee cannot yet forget, though in her eſtate ſhee bee much altered. And it is moſt like they ſpake in louelove and compaſſion, rather than in contempt, becauſe ſhee was the kinſwoman of the chiefeſt man among them, who, it ſeemeth, eſteemed much of her: for hee entertained Ruth kindly for her ſake, Chap. 2. 6, 11. and ſent her corne, Chap. 3. 17. likewiſe the women ſpoke after very comfortably to her, Chap. 4. 14, 16. neither doth Naomi taxe them for contemning her, but rather anſwereth to their eſteeme of her name from her former eſtate: and therefore this being vttered from their louelove, and pitty, and good reſpect towards her, as being a grace fit for Gods people to ſhew to them which are in aduerſitie, wee learne: That good and godly people doe nothing leſſe eſteeme of the vertuous, for their outward low eſtate and pouerty. Theſe call her ſtill Naomi, and ſo acknowledge her; and Boaz eſteemed-vvell of her, euen in this poore eſtate: Ionathan did nothing leſſe eſteeme of Dauid, becauſe hee was out of the Kings fauour: neither did Ioſeph of Arimathea leſſe reuerence or honor Ieſus Chriſt, becauſe he was condemned and executed as a malefactour among theeues: for outward croſtes, afflictions and miſeries of this life, are no ſtaine to true piety, when the croſſes fall vponupon good men for righteouſneſſe ſake, or for the triall of their faith & patience. Let vsus not then, for outward aduerſitie, like the godly worſe, when wee hauehave loued them, or made ſhew of louelove in their proſperity, but in aduerſitie ſhew greater tokens of louelove; and doe not as Iobs friends, ſit downe and cenſure him; nor as Chriſts friends, and Saint Pauls, which forſooke them in their troubles. An healthfull member of the body is beloued, but when it is in diſtreſſe, then louelove of all the reſt of the members moſt ſheweth it ſelfe: and ſhould not our louelove appeare to the godly in aduerſity, which be members with vsus of the ſame body in Chriſt?