Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 2 · Verse 19
Verſe 19. And her mother in law ſaid vntounto her, Where haſt thou gleaned to day? and where wroughteſt thou? Bleſſed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And ſhee ſhewed her mother in law, with whom ſhee had wrought, and ſaid, The mans name with whom I wrought to day, is Boaz.
HEre is Naomi her queſtion to Ruth, with her heartie prayer to God for him that had ſo mercifully dealt with Ruth; and Ruths anſwer to her againe, ſhewing with whom ſhee had gleaned, and naming the name, euen Boaz her kinſman.
And her mother in law ſaid, Where haſt thou gleaned to day, and where wroughteſt thou?] When Ruth went out in the morning, ſhee asked leaue of Naomi to goe to gleane, but whither ſhee knew not; therefore now being returned with ſo much corne, and ſuch food, ſhee asketh Ruth where ſhe had beene; not doubting of Ruths honeſt dealing, but in admiration of Gods mercy, and in deſire to know who was the inſtrument of that hand of God vponupon her. For fauours beſtowed, doe win affections, and cauſe a longing after the partie to know who he is, if we know not his perſon, as here; and alſo what his name is, and of what kindred, though we looke vponupon the man, as Saul did; that1. Sam. 17. 55, 56, 57, 58. ſo we might ſee the reaſon thereof, and might ſhew particularly our louelove vntounto ſuch a one, praiſe God, and pray alſo for him. Now, if this be the force of benefits from man, how much more from God, from whom we receiue ſo many and daily bleſſings! Theſe ſhould win our affections to him, & worke in vsus a deſire to know him, who he is, and why we ſhould receiue ſuch kindneſſe, that ſo we might louelove him, praiſe him, and in all thankefulneſſe yeeld him all obedience. But, alas, vponupon whom doe his bleſſings thus worke? I wiſh that his mercies made vsus not forget him, and to forſake him, when we hauehave knowne him. In this that Naomi ſuſpecteth not Ruth, but rather admireth Gods mercy towards her, wee may alſo note, that the godly are not vncharitably ſuſpicious of them that be poore, when they know them to bee godly. Naomi did not thinke of any vniuſt dealing of Ruth, as if ſhee had ſtolne this corne, nor that ſhee had gone a begging to get it, or this other food; for ſhee asketh where ſhee had gleaned and wrought? not where ſhee had ſtolne and begged? For louelove is not ſuſpicious, it thinketh 1. Cor. 13. 5.no ill. Naomi was perſwaded that ſome had beſtowed this fauour vponupon Ruth gleaning and working in the field. This grace of charitie muſt wee labour for, euen in thinking not amiſſe of others in getting goods, though much in a ſmall time, ſo there be not apparent tokens of the ill meanes vſed in getting the ſame: for God can ſuddainly enrich a man; as he did Abraham, and Lot; ſo Iacob in the ſeruice of Laban: For the bleſſing Prou. 10. 22.of the Lord maketh rich. Yet if the man be wicked, and haſtily is made rich, except an apparent cauſe be ſeene, and the meanes alſo, he may be ſuſpected: for of ſuch Salomon ſpeaketh in the Prouerbs, that they ſhall not be innocent, andPro. 28. 20. and 20. 21. goods ſo gotten, ſhall not bee bleſſed in the end. Some frō hence teach, becauſe Naomi asketh Ruth, where ſhe had gleaned, and wrought that day? that Parents are to take an account of their children, how they ſpend their time, where they hauehave beene, and with whom? Indeed this will make children to take more heed to their wayes, it will diſcouer to parents their nature and conditions the better, and it may preuent many euils through feare to be called to an account for the ſame. As on the contrary, this neglect in parents giues children the reine, and ſo they take libertie to ſinne, preſuming of parents indulgencie, as did Adoniah, to1. King. 1. 6. whom Dauid neuer ſaid, Why haſt thou done ſo? Which made him proud and preſumptuous to his owne deſtruction.
Bleſsed be he that did take knowledge of thee;] to wit, to ſhew thee this mercy and kindneſſe; for hee taketh knowledge of another, who conſidereth ſo of him, as his eſtate and condition requireth, and thereafter doth him good, as Boaz did to Ruth, when he knew what ſhee was, as is before noted out of verſes 8. and 9. For which here Naomi is thankefull, before ſhee knew the name of the man, and here heartily prayeth for him. Hence teaching, that benefits receiued, prouoke the godly to be thankefull, though they know not the parties, and alſo to pray for them; as Naomi doth here. Which ſerues to encourage men to doe good to the godly, though their perſons be not knowne: they ſhall not loſe with them the fruit of their well-doing; for ſuch will be thankefull, and will pray for them, that God may bleſſe them. And this teacheth ſuch as receiue fauours, to ſhew themſelues thankefull to them which beſtow them. Now thankefulneſſe appeareth, Firſt, in acknowledging of benefits receiued: the contrary is ingratitude, and a note of pride withall. Secondly, in praying for them, as Naomi doth here; and Saint Paul, for his friends. Thirdly, in2. Tim. 1. 16. requiting the kindneſſes, as we ſhall be able, and1. King. 2. 7. Ioſ. 6. 23. 2. King. 4. 13. Eſter 6. 3. occaſion offered, as Dauid to Barzillai; the Spies to Rahab; Eliſha to the Shunamite; and the great Emperour Aſsuerus to poore Mordecai. Which is a reproofe to the ingratefull, ſuch as will not acknowledge a benefit, or leſſen it when they confeſſe it; they that neuer care to requite it, though it be in their power ſo to doe it, yea and need on the other ſide require it. Laſtly, ſuch as doe requite euill for good. Here we may farther note, that a good heart reioyceth in the well-fare of another. For Naomi bleſſeth God for Boaz taking knowledge of Ruth, & for doing this kindnes vntounto her; ſo doe the Macedonians for the Corinthians kindneſſe vntounto the Saints at Ieruſalem. For ſuch hauehave louing hearts, & are void of enuie, therefore can they reioyce and bleſſe God, yea and pray for a bleſſing vponupon thoſe which doe good vntounto others: which grace we muſt ſtriue for.
And ſhe ſhewed her mother in law, with whom ſhe had wrought, and ſaid, The mans name with whom I wrought to day, is Boaz. As Naomi did demand of her where and with whom ſhee had beene, ſo Ruth anſwereth plainely, telling her that the mans name, in whoſe field ſhe gleaned that day, was Boaz: by which Naomi perceiued the good hand of Gods prouidence conducting her into the kinſmans field, whoſe fauour made her afterwards to counſell Ruth to goe into the threſhing floore to Boaz, as it followeth in the next chapter. Ruth calleth gleaning, working, as Naomi did before: for the diligent hand worketh euen in that, which otherwiſe may ſeeme to require no great labour. Shee ſaith, ſhee wrought with him, not that he laboured with her, neither that ſhee did worke for him, as the Phraſe in our ſpeech doth intimate, but her meaning is, that ſhee wrought in his field with his leaue & good liking. In telling his name to her mother in law, it ſeemeth ſhe learned it in the field; no doubt, ſhe did aske after it, that ſo ſhee might ſpeake of his goodneſſe vntounto her mother in law, when ſhe came home. And we muſt know, that it is our duety to take ſpeciall notice of ſuch as doe vsus good, to know them by name, that ſo they may be acknowledged, as occaſion ſhall be to meet with them, that they may in particular pray for them, and to giuegive them their due praiſes to others. For either to neglect to know them, or eaſily to forget our Benefactors, is a fault.