Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 3
Verſ. 3. And Elimelech Naomies husband dyed, and ſhee was left, and her two ſonnes.
THis telleth vsus of the heauie croſſe which befell Naomi, which was in the death of her husband, and that, as it may ſeeme, very ſhortly after they were come into Moab, before the ſonnes did marry: ſo ſhe was left a widdow, with two fatherleſſe children, to take care for them in a ſtrange countrey. This verſe is a narration of an euent, what it was, and vponupon whom it fell, to the great heauineſſe of Naomi: the euent was death, and here is ſhewed whom it tooke, and whom it left.
And Elimelech dyed.] His age is not reckoned, he could not bee very old, if wee may gaſſe his yeeres by his ſonnes marrying ſo young women after his death, yet he dyeth, yea and there alſo, wither he went for food to preſerue▪ life: He went firſt from Iſrael, the Land of the liuing, and led them thence, and ſo he now goeth out of the world before them; from whence note:
I. That death is the end of all, and it ſpareth none, Ioſh. 23. 14. Iob 21. 33. Eccleſ. 7. 2. and 6. 6. 1. Cor. 15. 51. Heb. 9. 27. for all hauehave ſinned, Rom. 5. and death is the reward of ſinne, Rom. 6. And therefore let all prepare to die.
II. That a full ſupplie of bodily wants cannot preuent death: The man muſt die in Moab, where was food enough: the rich Glutton muſt die alſo, and the Rich man with his barne full: for the ſentence of death is irreuocable, and mans life dependeth not vponupon the outward meanes of life, for then the rich and mighty would neuer die.
Let not men in their abundance thinke to eſcape death: let them therefore not ſet their hearts on their wealth, for they muſt leaue it. It is follie to truſt in riches, for they cannot deliuer from death, either ordinary, or extraordinary, lingering▪ or ſuddaine, naturall, or violent, as examples and experience it ſelfe teacheth.
III. That where men think to preſerue life, there they may loſe it, as Elimelech doth here, fleeing from the famine in Iſrael, yet dyed where plenty was, in Moab: for no place is free from death, and when the appointed time is come, man cannot paſſe it, Iob 14. 5. we cannot thinke therefore our ſelues ſafe any where from death, nay, many times, where we may think our ſelues ſecure, there death may take vsus away.
Naomies husband.] It is not ſaid her husband, which might well hauehave beene ſpoken, by way of relation to her, without her name, becauſe ſhee was named before, and no other woman; but this woman was a very vertuous woman, and this was a great croſſe to her, and therefore, both to expreſſe her excellency, and her begun miſery, it is ſaid, Naomies husband dyed, the huſband of ſo rare a wife died. Note hence,
I. That it is a grace for ſome, to be called the huſbands of ſome women; their name is a grace to them, if they be vertuous: for ſuch a one is a crowne to her husband, Pro. 12. 4. Now, a crowne is high glory to a man: and her husband is knowne in the gates, Pro. 31. 23. Such wiues are to bee made much of, as rare Birdes; for too many may ſit downe with ſhame, and bluſh to bee named the husbands of ſome wiues: Fooliſh, though faire: faire, but perhaps filthy: rich, but withal retchleſſe: wiues, but without gouernement, husbands named the head, but they muſt bee maſters: ſometime painefull, but Peacok-like proud; often more mad, or fullen ſad, than merrie; if merrie, it keepes not in with modeſty; if ſhe ſpeake, it is lowd, often heard farther, then ſeene, and yet oftener ſeene by a quiet husband, then well liked of. In a word, a wicked fooliſh woman, is ſhame to his perſon, and rottenneſſe to his bones, Pro. 12. 4.
II. That grace in one, preuents not death in another; Naomies husband muſt die, ſo Abrahams wife alſo: Iacob muſt bid his Rachel adieu, andEzech. 24. 16. Ezechiel the deſire of eyes: for no mans grace can free himſelfe, much leſſe another from death: Pſal. 49. 7, 9. and married perſons are not appointed the ſame length of daies; No, we come not together, and wee goe not together. Let none hope for life by the grace of another; let the neereſt, and deareſt looke to part by death; Ruth loued Naomi moſt dearely, and ſaith, that nothing ſhould ſeparate them, but onelyonly death, verſe 17. becauſe ſhee knew, that that muſt needes be yelded vntounto.
III. That it is a great croſſe for a woman to loſe a good husband. This is implied, as I ſaid, in naming her by name; for in him the wife loſeth her head, her guide, her ſtay, and comfort, if hee be a vertuous man, and a good husband. I neede not intreat good and louing wiues to mourne for ſuch; ſure enough they hauehave cauſe: and wiues cannot but mourne, except they conceit a new comfort very quickly, as ſome doe, for feare the old griefe ſhould lye too long at the heart for him that is dead, and cannot be recalled; ſo with them, the liuing is better to be liked of, than the dead: for they know their husbands would, perhaps, hauehave ſo dealt with them.
And ſhee was left and her two ſonnes.] Death ſeazed onelyonly vponupon Elimelech, and left Naomi, and alſo her ſonnes, that ſhe might not be vtterly comfortleſſe in a ſtrange countrey. From this may we note theſe two things:
I. That albeit death is due to all (in as much as all hauehave ſinned) yet it ſeazeth not vponupon all at once; but one dyeth now, and another hereafter, as we ſee in all ages, which cōmeth not to paſſe for any good in one, more than in another; but God will hauehave mankind vponupon earth till the laſt day; hee forbeareth ſome, and repriueth them for their amendment; for the lengthning of life, is for our further repentance, if wee bee the Lords, or for the greater condemnation of ſuch, as ſhall periſh. For this mercy God is to bee praiſed, for we deſerue death, and it might ſeaze vponupon eueryevery one at once, and take vsus away, becauſe wee are borne in ſinne, brought vp therein, and none ſo free euer, but in his higheſt pitch of well-doing, he may be tainted of ſinne, 1. Ioh. 1.
II. That the Lord in afflicting his children, ſweeteneth the ſame with ſome comforts: he wholly leaueth not them without ſome taſte of his mercy and goodneſſe, as we may ſee in his dealing with Naomi: he tooke away her husband, and left two ſonnes; and after tooke them away, but gaue her an excellent daughter in Law. Eliſha had an2. King. 6. 10. earthly power comming againſt him, but he then ſaw a great help from heauen. It was a bitter affliction for Ioſeph to be ſold of his brethren, but it was ſweetened with Potiphars fauour; This at length impriſoned him vniuſty, but the Lord gaue him fauour in the eyes of the Keeper of the Priſon, to ſugar this bitter pill with. And this the Lord doth in mercy, that his children might not be ouerwhelmed with griefe, and ſwallowed vp of ſorrow: therefore by one meanes he caſts them downe, but by another ſuſtaineth them. Let not therefore men, which feare God, bee ouer-ſad when afflictions come; God will lay no more then they can beare: he layeth on them a burthen, but he putteth vnderunder his hand. If wee looke vponupon the affliction, let vsus alſo conſider, what cauſe of comfort wee hauehave; marke when, for what, how long or ſhort, what it is allayed with, that we bee not wholy caſt downe.