Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 2 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. And Naomi had a kinſman of her huſbands, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.
HEre is the party ſet out, whom God in his ſecret counſel had prouided for Ruth, who is deſcribed by his affinity with Naomi, & how that was, then by his wealth, next, by his family, and laſtly, by his name; the drift is, to declare, what moued ſo great a man to ſhew ſuch kindneſſe to Ruth a ſtranger, and a poore woman.
And Naomi had a kinſman of her husbands.] Naomi was not baſely marryed, but to one of an honourable ſtocke, though now growne poore; yet this her affinity brought Boaz to hauehave a good reſpect vntounto Ruth, euen for kindred ſake, and therfore are theſe words ſet downe, as is before noted. Here obſerue,
I. That rich and poore may be nigh of kin. Naomi had a great wealthie man to her kinſman, by her husband, and that very nigh too, Chap. 3. 1. for diuerſity of outward eſtates doth not alter blood and kindred, though it make a change in their perſons. Let not therefore the rich diſdaine their poore kindred: for pouertie is no diſgrace where there is not want of honeſty: Chriſt was poore, and very poore, liuing of the almes of others. God chooſeth his people of ſuch, Iam. 2. None but hauehave poore kindred, and the beſt hauehave in ſome of their forefathers beene meane enough.
II. That euen kindred either is, or ſhould be of force to moue kinsfolke to reſpect one another. This is gathered hence, for that the ſcope of theſe words is to ſhew how Boaz came to reſpect Ruth, which was for Kindred ſake, yet chiefly for her vertues, as after ſhall be ſhewed; and for louelove of kindred, ſee it in Rahab, Ioſh. 2. 13. and in the Sichemites, Iudg. 9. 3. though in other reſpects, in their chooſing of Abimelech, they were not to be commended. See this alſo in Samſons friends, Iudg. 16. in Cornelius to his friends, Act. 10. 24. For kindred are bone of bone, as the Iſraelites ſpake of Dauid,2. Sam. 5. 1. and are as the branches from one roote, and as members of one body, and therefore muſt louelove one another; which reproueth this age, vvhichwhich careth not for their kindred, except they bee rich, vvhichwhich is the ſinne of vnnaturalneſſe, 2. Tim. 3.
A mighty man of wealth.] Yet alſo a godly man, as appeareth by his godly behauior, his ſpeeches, his vvorkes of mercy, his praiſing vertue in others, and his obedience vntounto Gods Lavv, in taking Ruth to vviſe. We ſee then, that a wealthy man may be a godly man ſometime. Such a vvealthy man vvas Abraham: ſo Iſaac, Iacob, Iob, and Ioſeph of Arimathea: for goods and graces are not in themſelues oppoſite, being both the gifts of God; the one may helpe the other, grace to guide and diſpoſe vvell of goods, and goods vvell vſed, to declare and ſet forth the graces of the heart in almesdeeds, in maintenance of Gods Word, and in doing other Chriſtian duties: grace humbleth, vvhere riches vvould puffe vp, yet riches vvell vſed bring grace in eſtimation before men, for they inable men to ſhew forth godlineſſe, & to paſſe onEccles. 5. 20. their time with the more comfort, and to countenance and defend their poore Chriſtian brethren in well-doing. Therefore if grace and goods goe together, thou haſt great cauſe to bleſſe God: for it is a moſt happy eſtate, to bee rich towards the world, and to God too, to bee rich body and ſoule: But although this is a very rare eſtate, yet wee ſee that they may meete together; and therefore we may not thinke, that he which is rich, cannot be religious. True it is, that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heauen;Luk. 18, 24. 25. but it is not impoſſible. If any aske mee why ſo few are rich which be godly? I anſwer, Becauſe the Lord chooſeth moſt of ſuch as be poore, for his people; theſe make conſcience of getting goods, and will not follow the way of euill men and worldlings, to enrich themſelues, neither will the Lord make many of them rich, leſt they ſhould waxe in their wealth proud, and forgetfull of God, as men in their abundance do. Why, will ſome ſay, are moſt rich men hardly religious? Becauſe1. Cor. 1. 26. God chooſeth few of them, they be taken vp with the cares of this life, which choaketh theMat. 13. ſeede of the Word in them; they ſet their hearts vponupon their riches, as they ſee them encreaſe, and are wholy taken vp therewith, ſo as they cannot ſet their mindes on better things. Laſtly, theyMark. 10. 17. make riches their God, ſo as they cannot ſerue God, becauſe they ſerue Mammon.
And of the family of Elimelech.] So as Boaz and hee were both of one houſe and ſtocke, and very nobly borne both of them, Chap. 4. 20, 21. yet Elimelech poore, and his wife in a very meane eſtate: ſo as wee hence may ſee, That parents may prouide for poſterity, but which of their children ſhall be rich, which poore, is of Gods diſpoſing, and not of mans forecaſt; as wee may ſee in theſe two, whoſe Anceſtor Nahſhon was the Prince of Iudah, theNum. 1. 7, 16. & 2. 3, 27. Eccleſ. 5. 14. Royall Tribe, and ruled ouer 74000. men of war, or was fit for it. Thus parents may hauehave a goodly portion, when ſome of theirs may hauehave nothing left them. For riches are Gods gift, he can beſtow them, and he can take them away againe, which Iob acknowledged. If parents cannot make their children rich, then let them not with too much care vexe themſelues for them: let them not think that by their ſcraping together, they can make them wealthy after them; that is Gods bleſſing; that is his mercy; for if he bleſſe it not, Oh how ſoone is that conſumed by children, which parents got with great labour and care, and perhaps with an ill conſcience too, which procured the curſe, beſides much infamy and hatred of men in their life time! Is it not madneſſe in parents to damne themſelues, in hope to make their children great, ſeeing they cannot effect what they ſtriue for, except God bee ſo pleaſed to hauehave it? And then heere let children looke vp to God, and learne to feare him, and reſt not in their parents gettings, but rather let them ſet themſelues to honeſt callings, and learne how to bee able honeſtly and frugally to manage that which ſhall be giuen to them, that when they ſhall hauehave ſuch goods and lands in their hands, which their parents ſhall leaue them, they may the better be able to employ them, and ſo preſerue vviſely that which is befallen vntounto them: For let parents get what they can, if they leaue their children without callings, idlely brought vp, to goe brauely, and to follow the looſe wayes of moſt rich mens children in theſe dayes, as not knowing any thing, but how to play the Gentlemen, as they call it; a conſumption will ſoone ſeaſe vponupon all, and turne them out of all, and they become beggers, as dayly experience ſheweth.
And his name was Boaz.] This is added for more certaine knowledge of the party her kinſman; circumſtances make Hiſtories more credible, and therefore are they expreſſed. This name ſignifieth [ſtrength or fortitude] whoſe ſonne he was, and of what houſe he came, is noted afterwards in the end of the fourth chapter.