Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 6
Verſe. 6. Then ſhe aroſe with her daughters in law, that ſhee might returne from the Countrey of Moab: for ſhee had heard in the Countrey of Moab, how that the Lord had viſited his people in giuing them bread.
HEre is at the length the returne of Naomi, with whom, from whence, and the reaſon drawing her minde homeward.
Then ſhee aroſe.] Shee had long abode in Moab: now after ſuch croſſes, ſhee ariſeth to goe thence, vntounto the Church and people of God: when the Lord thus afflicted her, when ſhee ſaw her ſelfe deſtitute of her husband and children, and had none to goe vntounto and to conuerſe with but Idolaters, the Moabites, then ſhe aroſe to leaue thoſe coaſts. Note, how affliction ſhall follow affliction, to bring home ſuch as be the Lords: if one croſſe will not doe it, another ſhall, as wee ſee in the prodigall ſon, and Gods dealing with Manaſſes; for the Lord is loth to loſe his owne: And therefore if one affliction happen, make good vſe thereof, elſe another ſhall follow, yea & another after that, till we returne home. Againe marke, that it is then time to leaue the place of our abode, when the Godly are taken away, and none left but wicked to conuerſe with. Thus and for this cauſe many left Iſrael in Ieroboams dayes, 2. Chr. 11 13, 16. for the godly ſhould delight in the fellowſhip of the godly: Dauids delight was in the Saints. It is alſo dangerous for the Godly to frequent the company of the wicked, as a Lambe to be among Wolues. Dauid will not dwell in the tents of the wicked, neither ſit among them, Pſalme 26. and it is a good mans propertie to auoid them, Pſalme 1. 1. And therefore let vsus flee the fellowſhip of Idolaters, 1. Iohn 5. 2 Cor. 6. and the ſocietie of euill perſons. For ſuch as can liue with delight among them, are like them, are no true Conuerts to God: and yet not a few, which will be held religious, can make themſelues merrie with vaine perſons, and condemne others for too Stoicall, too cenſorious, for that they cannot away with fleſhly and carnall delights.
With her daughters in law.] It appeareth that theſe two did voluntarily accompany her, of their owne minds, and not by Naomies intreatie; this appeareth out of verſe 8. and 11. What moued them hereto, but Naomies vertues? So as we may ſee, that the truly vertuous are of an attractiue power, euen as the load-ſtone, to draw others vntounto them, partly by inſtruction, partly by their godly conuerſation. Both which meanes we may thinke ſhee vſed towards theſe, while ſhee aboade in Moab: for the religious cannot but incyte others vntounto pietie. This is worthie imitation in Naomi. If practice ſhew our Religion, it will win others, 1. Pet. 3. 1. without which, euen the moſt glorious profeſſion in words, hath no operation, no power to perſwade. And here alſo was a mercy of God to this poore old woman, that ſhee loſt not all outward comfort, ſhee had ſome to keepe her company in her aduerſitie. It is a good grace, to be content to beare the poore company in a miſerable eſtate; they be true friends, which will ſit downe vponupon a dunghill with Iob, to mourne with him. Well, here were two daughters of Moab, which would accompany Naomi, poore and afflicted Naomi. A reproofe to counterfeit friends, of which now the world is full, neuer more.
That ſhee might returne from the countrey of Moab.] This is the end why ſhe aroſe, that is, left the particular place of her dwelling, not to goe into ſome other place in Moab, as hoping of better ſucceſſe there, but quite to forſake the countrey. The kindneſſe receiued there, could not hold her, when ſhe perceiued the Lord to call her home, partly by afflictions in Moab, and partly by mercies now in Iſrael. Outward kindneſſe of Worldlings cannot keepe the godly with them, when God calleth them away from them, either by afflictions, or by checke of conſcience, or by falling into ſinne by them, or by feeling the want of the godly, and the vſe of Gods publike ſeruice, or elſe by ſeeing or hearing of Gods fauour to his people. When theſe or ſuch like doe call vponupon the godly to come away, they cannot by any worldly pleaſure, profit, or familiar acquaintance, or kinde intertainement ſtay with ſuch men; they be like Abrahams ſeruant, which could not be held withGen. 24. reſt and good cheare, to ſtay in Bethuels houſe; nor Dauid in Ziklag, when he had liberty to goe2. Sam. 2. 2. into Iudah. For their ſpirits differ, ſo as they cannot truely affect one another, and the godly finde croſſes among the wicked, to hunt them out from their ſocietie, and they cannot but feare, in a godly iealouſie, to be made the worſe by them, for that they know their own weakeneſſe. And therefore let vsus labour for this grace, to leaue the ſociety of the vngodly, leſt wee be inſnared by them: and if we be with them, let it be by warrant of our calling, or of neceſſity, and onelyonly ſo long as we hauehave hope to doe them good, and to win them; but if they bee found obſtinate, forſake them, Ierem. 51. 9.
For ſhe had heard in the countrey of Moab.] That is, while ſhe did ſtay in that countrey, newes was brought of plenty in Iſrael. As the famine did driue her from thence, ſo now food being there, and the croſſes ſhe found in Moab, mooued her to returne backe againe. As aduerſitie maketh many to leaue the Church, ſo the proſperity thereof bringeth many vntounto it; ſome in truth and louelove, as Naomi heere, others for the world, or for feare, Eſter 8. 17. Let vsus then pray for the Churches proſperity: yet not then are wee to truſt all that come within her lappe. Note againe, how Naomi in her greateſt diſtreſſe heard of comfort to her Countrey, to bring her home againe. God is often the neereſt in mercy to helpe, when in mans reaſon hee ſeemeth to be furtheſt off. Thus was God with Ionah in the Whales belly, and with the three Children in the Furnace, with Daniel in the Den, with Dauid to helpe againſt moſt preſent danger, 1. Sam. 23. 26, 27. Peter, the very night before his intended death by Herod, muſt be deliuered: and ſo the Gun powder plot here bee diſcouered. And God thus ſuffereth his ſo long, and to come to ſo narrow a ſtraite, before he ſet them free, & ſhew himſelfe; to humble them, to beate them out of confidence in themſelues, to ſhew his power and mercy the more, that they may ſee more fully his goodneſſe to them, to make them thankefull, obedient, and the more in vtmoſt perils to rely vponupon him. We are not to deſpaire in the greateſt dangers, nor to thinke our ſelues forgotten in great extremities, but then ſeeke to God, truſt in him, and doubt not of comfort. God will hauehave Lazarus in the graue, before Chriſt reſtore him to life; and Iſaac bo…nd vponupon the Altar, before he forbid Abraham to ſlay him: Till the ſhip be ready to ſinke, Chriſt will not awake, Mat. 8. 25, 26. for ſo the Lord is more ſeene in his power, and mercy towards his.
How the Lord had viſited his people in giuing them bread.] By bread is meant all neceſſary food, but eſpecially corne, of which bread is made. Here the Lord is made the giuer thereof to the Iſraelites called his people, whom in mercy bee viſited, to beſtow his bleſſings vponupon: for ſo is viſited here taken, and in Gen. 21. 1. Luk. 1. 68. Ier. 29. 10. Note from hence theſe things.
I. That God ſeeth his people in aduerſity and want, and commeth in his due time to helpe them, Exod. 3. 7, 8. which is from his meere mercy, and the ſtability of his louelove and promiſe to his people: And therefore we may learn patience in affliction, and not bee impatient, as if God had forgotten;Pſal. 13. 1. 1. Cor. 10. nor murmure, leſt the Lord puniſh vsus.
II. That God hath euer had more ſpecially a people for his owne, called his people. Thus were certaine called the ſonnes of God, Gen. 6. Thus after were the Iſraelites his, Deut. 7. 6. and 26. 18. and ſuch be now true Chriſtians, 1. Pet. 2. 9. Reu. 18. 4. Theſe he choſe not for any merit in them, but of his meere louelove, Deut. 7. 8. Ephe. 1. 4. This ſhould make vsus to examine our ſelues, how we be Gods people, whether, according to Creation, or after the worke of Regeneration: for theſe differ from the other greatly, in the graces of Gods Spirit, and holy conuerſation, Ezech. 11. 19. and 36. 26, 27. Pſal. 15. in glorious titles, Deut. 26. 19. Exo. 19. 6. 1. Pet. 2. 9. Reu. 1. 6. and in heauenly prerogatiues; as in peace with God, Rom. 5. 1. in free acceſſe, with a holy boldneſſe to God in Chriſt, Heb. 4. in hauing God euer with them, Mat. 18. 20. in this bleſſing, that all things worke together for the beſt to them, Rom. 8. and in being a Communion of Saints, to whom is belonging the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, the reſurrection of the body, and life euerlaſting. Wee are therefore to labour to bee of this ſort of Gods people.
III. That corporall food, and the neceſſaries of this life are Gods gift, Leuit. 26. 4, 5. Deut. 11. 14, 15. Hoſ. 2. 8, 9. Ioel 2. 19. It is he that maketh the earth fruitfull, he giueth raine, and with-holds it, Oſea 2. 8, 9. Amos 4. 7. and man without him can doe nothing, Pſal. 127. 2. Hag. 1. 6. Deut. 8. 1…. Praiſe him for theſe bleſſings, Ioel 2. 26. in the want of them acknowledge it from God, and goe to him, pray to him, Mat. 6. and this muſt bee done in an humiliation of our ſelues, for the affliction, 2. Chron. 7. 14. Ioel 2. 16, 17, 19. If wee looke for theſe bleſſings, we are to ſerue him, becauſe they bee his gift, and to ſuch hath hee promiſed them, Leuit. 26. 3. Deut. 11. 13, 16. Let this reprooue ſuch as forget God, doe not praiſe him, nor ſerue him for theſe bleſſings, and let it confute ſuch as aſcribe them to the heauens, or to the induſtry of man, neuer remembring the precept of Moſes, Deut. 8. 18. and that ſaying in Iob 31. 26, 27.