Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 9
Verſe 9. The Lord grant you, that you may find reſt each of you in the houſe of her husband. Then ſhe kiſſed them, and they lift vp their voice and wept.
NAomi her continuing in prayer for them, as before in generall, now in particular for a ſpeciall bleſſing. This verſe containeth a petition, an act of a valediction, and the paſſion which is wrought.
The Lord grant you, that you may find reſt each of you in the houſe of her husband. Shee prayeth here for their ſecond marriage, and that the ſame might be bleſſed of the Lord, the chief Marriagemaker, ſo as it might procure them reſt, and be a quiet contented marriage to their comfort. Note hence:
I. That godly and wiſe friends pray not onelyonly in generall, but in particular, as they know them to ſtand in neede, for whom they doe pray: as here Naomi for good husbands for her daughters in law; for wee ſhould take notice of our friends wants, and ſo pray for them, and not reſt in generals.
II. Godly mothers in law are hearty well-wiſhers to their children in law, whether they bee ſuch by a former husband departed, or by another huſband liuing, or by the marriage of their children, as Naomi is here mother to theſe: for the louelove they beare to their husbands, and becauſe godly women know themſelues to bee Stepmothers, ſtept in to be in ſtead of naturall mothers, and therefore doe make conſcience to ſupply their want: which if it be ſo, or ought to be ſo, it reproueth thoſe Stepdames, which are vnkind and cruell to their children in law, and cannot endure the ſight of them.
III. That ſecond Marriages be lawfull, 1. Tim. 5. 11, 14. The reaſon is giuen by the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 7. 9, 36. Which confuteth ſuch heretikes as in former times hauehave denied this, contrary to the Apoſtles Doctrine, and the example of Abra ham, in marrying Keturah.
IV. That husbands are to bee their wiues reſt, Chap. 3. 1. and they are ſo called, becauſe of the deſire of women to marry, and becauſe they ſeeke reſt in their marriage, and for that louing wiues take reſt and contentment in their owne huſbands, who ought therefore to be reſt vntounto them, which ſhall bee if they doe louelove them, as they ought, Ephe. 5. 22. if they wiſely gouerne them, 1. Pet. 3. 7. if they prouide and allow them what is meete, according to their abilitie, in all decencie and honeſt contentment; if they keepe their faith plight, and reioyce in them, and with them, they cannot but find reſt. But vnlouing and fierce natures, Lamech-like husbands, a word and a blow, or terrible threats: miſerable and niggardly Nabals, ſo prodigall and vnthrifty, drunken or adulterous husbands are ſo farre from being poore womens reſt, as they make them weary of their liues. But now if husbands muſt bee their wiues reſt, and that they looke for it, then wiues muſt care to make their husbands ſo to them, by willing obedience, by meekeneſſe of ſpirit, very acceptable to God, 1. Pet. 3. 4. by ſeeking to pleaſe them, by ſpeaking to them in a louing reuerence, and to keepe ſilence, when words may offend, or not doe good, as wiſe Abigail did, by a wiſe frugall courſe, and good huſwiſery, as the woman in the Prouerbs, Chap. 31. Speake not fooliſhly, as Iobs wife, to thy huſband in his griefe, nor mock him not, like a barren Michol, nor abuſe him not, as Potiphars wife would hauehave done her husband, nor be impatient for not hauing thine own will, as Rachel was, but reſt in his will, and thou ſhalt find him thy reſt. Here is alſo an vſe for parents to match ſo their daughters, as they may get husbands as reſts for them; and this will be, when they marry their daughters betime, to men of wiſedome, fit for yeeres, not vnfit for birth and eſtate, well agreeing in qualities and good conditions, and in religion.
V. That it is Gods bleſſing to bee peaceably marryed, Pro. 18. 22. and 19. 14. He is the Marriage-maker, whoſoeuer are the meanes; and he is the diſpoſer and framer of their hearts one to another: therefore let God herein be ſought vntounto, and let him receiue praiſes and thankes for ſuch a bleſſing, the greateſt corporall comfort in this world.
Then ſhee kiſſed them.] This action we may find, foure-fold; Carnall, as in fleſhly luſt, Hypocriticall, as was Ioahs and Iudas kiſſe; Holy, of which the Apoſtle ſpeakes, 1. Cor. 16. 20. or Ciuill, as here. This was vſed at the meeting of friends, Gen. 29. 11. and 33. 4. at their departing, Gen. 31. 55. 2. Sam. 19. 39. Act. 20. 37. This was vſed betweene men, and men, Gen. 45. 15. Exod. 4. 27. 2. Sam. 19. 39. betweene women and women, as here in this place, and betweene ſome men, and ſome ſort of women, as betweene husband and wife in meeting and departing, parents and children, and nigh kinsfolke, Gen. 29. 11. but not ſtrangers, nor others not of kindred, to auoid the ſuſpicion of wantonneſſe. It was honeſtly vſed, to teſtifie louelove and vnitie, as Iſaac did to Iacob, Gen. 27. 26. & therefore in the Primitiue Church, before they receiued the Sacrament, they thus ſalutedIuſt Apol. 2. Bez… … 2. Cor. 13. one another.
And they lift vp their voice and wept.] Here was an anſwerable affection to the kindneſſe of her action; her ſigne of louelove, was not without louelove againe to her: for it was not a few ſilent teares from the eyes, but a paſſion of the heart, breaking forth into wailing and weeping; ſo as their voice of mourning was heard. An argument of louelove and true affection towards her. This is rare louelove betweene mothers in law, and daughters in law, in theſe daies. But concerning weeping, it is vſed in Scripture:
I. To expreſſe ſorrow, as at the parting of friends, Ioſeph at his fathers departing, Abraham at Sarahs, Ioaſh at Eliſhas, 2. King. 13. 14. and when friends muſt leaue one another, though death ſeparate them not; as when Ionathan and Dauid parted, 1. Sam. 20. 41. And who can but weepe, if true louelove be there, when friends muſt bid adieu one to another, and eſpecially for euer, as we may ſee in Acts 20. 37?
II. For very ioy, as Ioſephs ſight of his brethren, Gen. 45. 14. and ſo Iacob at Ioſephs comming to him, Gen. 46. 29. ſo did Iacob in meeting with Rachel, Gen. 29. 11. Such true louing natures hauehave beene in the godly in former times; but now men are louers of themſelues, without naturall affection, 1. Tim. 3.
III. In pitty and compaſſion, from a mercifull heart, to behold the miſeries of others, as Iob did for the poore, Chap. 30. 25. Eſay for the people, Chap. 22. 4. ſo Ieremy, Chap. 4. 19. and 9. 1. and 13. 17. Chriſt Ieſus for the Iewes, Luke 19. 41. This is a charitable & a holy weeping, when men can weepe for the miſeries of other, corporall, but chiefely ſpirituall as Dauid did, becauſe men kept not Gods Law, Pſal. 119.
IV. Sometime ſome will weepe in the apprehenſion of the kindneſſe ſhewed to them, where none but vtmoſt extremity is deſerued, 1. Sam. 24. 16. Now, if Dauids forbearing of Saul, wroght in Saul this paſſion: how ſhould we be moued to conſider of Chriſts louelove to vsus, and our cruelty againſt him?