Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 2 · Verse 3
Verſe 3. And ſhee went, and came and gleaned in the field after the Reapers; and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
AS Ruth craued leaue and obtained it, ſo ſhe now goeth abroad, and by Gods good prouidence lighteth on the field of Boaz. So as here is ſhewed what ſhee did abroad; ſhee gleaned: then how; after the Reapers: where it was; in Boaz field, who is here againe ſaid to bee Elimelechs kinſman, that ſo the prouidence of God might herein more clearely appeare.
And ſhee went, and came and gleaned in the field.] Shee craued leaue to goe, and when it was graunted her, ſhee accordingly went. Honeſt motions and intendments to well-doing are to bee put into practice: elſe they bee nothing worth. Paul had aAct. 14. mind to viſite the brethren, and ſo hee did; the prodigall ſonne had a purpoſe to returne home, and hee returned; Moſes thought of going outExo. 2. to viſit his brethren, and ſo he did. If motions be good, it is good to put them in execution, and that ſpeedily, if cauſe ſo require, as Ruth doth here; and not to mind, purpoſe, and will to doe well, and yet neuer to doe as they ſo purpoſe, loſing the fruit of good thoughts. Againe, note from this, her bold aduenture, and going forth in ſuch perillous times, that whom neceſsity moueth and confidence in God encourageth, they doe feare no danger. Ruth went abroad among ſtrangers, ſhee was a ſtranger and a young woman, yet truſting in God, and being vrged of neceſſity to vſe honeſt meanes to liue, ſhee feared no perill, though in thoſe dayes eueryevery one did what they liſted, becauſe there was then no King in Iſrael. Of ſuch anIudg. 18. vndaunted ſpirit was Ehud, in ſetting vponupon Eglon; Gideon, in deſtroying Baals altar; Eliah, in ſeeing the face of Achab; and Michaiab, in telling the truth before 2. Kings, cōtrary to the word of 400. falſe prophets. For when men hauehave faith in God, when the duty of their calling warranteth them, they grow couragious and bold, and doe put on a reſolution without feare. Therefore in our affaires to remoue feare, let vsus hauehave an honeſt calling to that which wee goe about, and hauehave confidence in God, who is able and will ſtand by to helpe vsus.
After the Reapers.] Shee followed ſuch as cut vp the ſtanding corne; ſhe thruſt not her ſelfe in before, or among them, as an impudent bold houſewife; but followed after thē, to gather vp the ſcattered eares, which they did leaue, and neither this did ſhee, neither without leaue, ſee verſe 7. all making to the commendation of the honeſty, modeſtie, humility, and good behauiour of this vertuous young woman, that her example might be for others to imitate.
And her hap was.] That is, though ſhee went at vnawares, making choiſe of no place, but where ſhee ſhould find fauour, yet ſhee light well, by Gods good prouidence; which is here to be vnderſtood in her good hap: which word is ſpoken according to men; when things fall out beſides a mans purpoſe, or otherwiſe than was intended, and whereof a man is ignorant, before the thing come to paſſe, then it is counted hap,Deut. 19. 4. or lucke, or as the Heathen vſed to ſpeake, fortune. It is not vnlawfull to ſpeake according to men Luk. 10. 31.thus, It happened, It chanced, It was my luck, ſo it be we vnderſtand thereby, that which happeneth beyond our purpoſe and expectation, but yet guided by Gods hand and prouidence, and alſo thatMat. 10. 29, 30. Act. 27. 34. wee know and hold no meere chance, and fortune, as the Heathen hauehave imagined, without the hand of God acknowledged therein, as the idolatrous prieſts, and diuiners of the Philiſtims1. Sam. 6. 9. once ſpoke; if wee vnderſtanding our ſelues in this wiſe, there is no ſcruple to be made of ſpeaking, as aforeſaid; alwaies excepting in cleare caſe, where the apparent hand of God is ſeene: for thus offended the Philiſtines.
To light on a part of the field belonging vntounto Boaz.] God doth ſo gouerne mens actions, as things fall out beyond expectatiō as they were to be wiſhed. See it in the ſucceſſe of Abrahams ſeruāt, ſent to fetch a wife forGen. 24. Iſaac: in Eliah his comming to the poore widdow of Sarepta in a moſt fit houre; and in Sauls comming into the Caue where Dauid and his men were; by which, Dauid tooke occaſion to cleare his innocency to Saul, which otherwiſe could neuer hauehave beene ſo well demonſtrated. And this God doth, as foreknovving, and determining eueryevery thing, and ruling the ſame by the hand of his prouidence, as himſelfe hath determined to bring things to paſſe. This ſhould make vsus to rely vponupon Gods prouidence, as Abraham did in thatGen. 24. 7. thing, vvhichwhich vvas to his ſeruant vncertaine, and alſo to acknovvledge his prouidence in eueryevery thing, in a vvorke of mercy to be thankefull, and in any other triall to learne patience. Note again hence, that God will proſperouſly direct the wellminded, which will vſe honeſt meanes to relieue themſelues. So hath he promiſed, Pſal. 37. 3. for their vvay is vvell pleaſing to God, in ſuch a courſe and caſe. Let vsus therefore depend on God, and vſe honeſt meanes to ſuſtaine our vvants: ſo ſhall vve aſſuredly hauehave experience of Gods goodneſſe tovvards vsus.
Who was of the kindred of Elimelech.] Theſe vvords are againe mentioned, to ſhevv that it vvas the ſame Boaz, mentioned before, and alſo to ſhew why Ruth had ſo quickly obtained leaue to gleane there, and why Boaz did ſo much reſpect her afterwards, and that of a ſuddaine, vponupon ſo ſmall acquaintance, and to giuegive vsus to know, what a way hereby was made to further the Lords intendment in matching Boaz with this Ruth, Elimelechs daughter in law, and the wife once of Mahlon, one of his ſonnes, which being dead, the next kinſman was to raiſe vp the name of the dead, and to take the widdow for his wife, ſo that Elimelech might not want one for his inheritance amongſt Gods people.