Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 2 · Verse 15
Verſ. 15. And when ſhe was riſen vp to gleane, Boaz commanded his yong men, ſaying, Let her gleane euen among the ſheaues, and reproach her not.
RVTHS returne to her labour is here ſet downe, and her encouragement in the ſame by Boaz his louelove, who charged his ſeruants to giuegive her leaue to gleane, and that among the ſheaues, and not reproach her for ſo doing.
Before I come to the words, here it may be demanded, Whether there was giuing of thankes, ſeeing there ſitting downe, and there ariſing vp to labour is mentioned, but not this duety of thankſgiuing, and prayer to God for a bleſſing vponupon their food?
Anſw. We are to thinke they did, though not here noted: for eueryevery thing is not written which there was done; as Ruths thanks for her food, which we cannot thinke ſhee omitted, who before did ſhew her ſelfe eueryevery way ſo thankefull. And there are ſuch reaſons to perſwade vsus that Boaz would not neglect this duety, as we may eaſily admit his giuing of thankes. Firſt, his owne godlineſſe and knowledge of his duety; and then the commandement of God, Deut. 8. 10. which he could not be ignorant of, and of which no doubt he made conſcience. Therefore let not any from hence gather a looſe liberty to neglect this duety, becauſe the holy Writer mentioneth it not, but learne from other places to know it to be their1. Cor. 10. 30. duety. It was a cuſtome among Chriſtians, as at this day with vsus; there is a commandement to1. Cor. 10. 31. glorifie God in eating and drinking. The creatures of God are to be receiued with thankſgiuing,1. Tim. 4. 3, 5. and are ſanctified by the Word of God and prayer. And holy men hauehave vſed it; Samuel, Saint1. Sam. 9. 13. Paul: yea when he and the people had long faſted,Act. 27. 35. yet ate hee not before grace. Our bleſſed Sauiour, the innocent Lambe of God, ſpotleſſe andIoh. 6. 11, 23. ſinleſſe, yet ate not, but firſt gaue thankes. It therefore is our duety, and befitting all, before they receiue food, to giuegive thankes: For what can our meate doe without Gods bleſſing? How ſoone hauehave ſome beene choaked, and hauehave ended their dayes ſuddainely? And doe we not remember, that the Iſraelites periſhed with meate in their mouthes? Neither let this duety be put off to children, as if it were too meane a duety for the Maſter of the table. Were it not groſly ridiculous, and a very ſcornefull part, for a man to receiue a fauour from a King, and then call his child to giuegive him thankes? Our Sauiour put not this off to another, nor Samuel, nor Paul: are they not worthy imitation?
And when ſhee was riſen vp to gleane.] The Hiſtory turneth againe to Ruth, and ſheweth what ſhee did after her repaſt, and the liberall feeding allowed her by Boaz: ſhe betooke her ſelfe to gleaning againe, and returned to her former labour. Whence we may learne, I. That the godly poore, by their fauours receiued, and helps in their need, are not the more negligent, but the rather the more painefull in their labours, as may be ſeene here in Ruth. For they know that ſuch helps are for to ſtirre them vp to well-doing, which vſe they make of them, and not to liue idly, as many doe, who are not2. Theſ. 3. worthy to eate. The poore are to follow Ruths ſteps, and learne for the mercies of men towards them, to continue painefull in their calling. II. That the true vſe and end of receiuing food, is to Eccleſ. …0. 17.ſtrengthen our bodies to preſerue them in labour. Ruth eateth to ſuffice nature to returne to worke. The Apoſtle ioyneth eating and labour together, neither2. Theſ. 3. 10. 2. Theſ. 3 8. would he eate the bread of idleneſſe; nor the good woman, commended in the Prouerbs.Prou. 31. 27. God would not allow the ſole Monarch of all the whole earth, no not in innocencie, when the Earth brought forth without labour, to eate without paines-taking; he muſt dreſſe the Garden. Food is the reward of labour of ſuch as be able, and it is a bleſſing to eate the labour of ourPſal. 128. 2. hands. Therefore ſuch are here reproued, which riſe vp to eate and drinke, and doe eate and drinke to riſe vp and play, or prate, or ſleep, or to runne to playes, to fulfill their luſt; to decke themſelues like wantons, the ſonnes and daughters of Belial, of Iezabel: ſome be Cains race, and eate to be vagabonds, going vp and downe begging: ſome of Eſaus race, and eate to hunt and hawke, till they hauehave ſold their inheritance for a meſſe of pottage, and themſelues be leſſe worth than one meale, which they before beſtowed vponupon their dogs; theſe ſhould know that they are borne to labour, and that godly men and women hauehave ſo beſtowed their time; yea Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe liued in a calling painefully.
Boaz commanded his yong men, ſaying, Let her gleane euen among the ſheaues.] What Ruth deſired, verſe the ſeuenth, here Boaz alloweth her, when he ſaw her ſo well giuen and ſo painefull. So we ſee how the godly diligent hand obteineth fauour and Prou. 13. 4. Gen. 31.a bleſsing: as appeareth in Ruth here; and in Iacob, whoſe paines the Lord rewarded abundantly.Mat. 25. This is taught in the Parable of the talent, in which the ſtocke of the diligent is increaſed. ForProu. 13. 4. God hath thus promiſed to doe; and labour is a meanes appointed of God to get his bleſſings, who alſo openeth the heart of the rich to doe good to the poore which labour painefully. Would we hauehave ſupply of our wants? Would we hauehave earthly bleſſings? Then muſt we labour and take paines. Of gathering among the ſheaues, ſee verſe the ſeuenth. Boaz here is not onelyonly content that ſhee ſhould gather, by, or beſides, but betweene the ſheaues, where more plentifull gathering was of eares and ſcattered corne; it was more then a common fauour, an argument of his ſpeciall louelove. The rich are to be mercifull, yet may they extend their bounty, as they ſhall like, to one more than to another, as they ſhall thinke fitting. Of which before on verſe 7.
And reproach her not;] or as the marginall reading is, ſhame her not. From theſe words note, I. Yong men are apt to offer iniurie, and to reproach the poore women, widdowes, and ſtrangers; elſe Boaz would not hauehave giuen them this charge, but that he knew their wanton behauiour by nature, and how the Iewes tooke libertie to vſe their ſpeeches againſt ſuch ſtrangers, eſpecially, perhaps, when they ſaw her better reſpected then their owne countrie women. II. That reproching is to put ſhame vponupon one, therefore is ſuch a word here vſed,foreign as may be tranſlated either way. III. That goodneſſe and mercy ſtands not onelyonly in doing good, but alſo in preuenting euill, as much as lyeth in vsus: both is here done by Boaz, as is alſo before noted out of verſ. 9.