Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 2 · Verse 6
Verſe 6. And the ſeruant that was ſet ouer the Reapers, anſwered & ſaid, It is the Moabiteſſe damoſell that came backe with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab.
THe ſeruants anſwer vntounto his Maſter briefely and fully. In which he here and in the next verſe prayſeth Ruth alſo. He telleth here what ſhee was, whence ſhee came, and with whom, and ſo ſheweth whoſe ſhee was, and to whom ſhee did belong.
And the ſeruant that was ſet ouer the Reapers, anſwered and ſaid.] By this ſeruants ready anſwer vntounto his Maſters demand, it appeareth that he had made enquirie of her what ſhe was. Faithfull ſeruants which hauehave charge committed to them, ſhould be able to anſwer to their Lord or Maſter, concerning any perſon or thing which fall within their charge, when the queſtion is asked. This doth argue the care and diligent circumſpection which is to be vſed of all ſuch as be put in truſt, and it will commend their faithfulneſſe and honeſtie: and the contrary ſheweth faithleſſeneſſe and diſhoneſtie.
It is the Moabiteſse damoſell that came backe with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab.] This ſeruant very briefely telleth to the full what ſhee was; and here it is not a bare declaration, but alſo a commendation of her, who being but a yong woman, would come with an olde poore woman from her owne countrey, into a ſtrange land; which indeed was a great praiſe to her, as I hauehave afore noted: and if the ſeruant ſpoke this, as ſome Learned thinke, in the way of commendation, wee may learne,
I. That as the Maſter was a Louer of vertue, ſo was the man: ſo like happy Maſter, like happy man. For as this praiſed her to the Maſter, as it better appeareth in the next verſe; ſo the Maſter greatly commendeth her, after he tooke notice of her; by which the louelove of goodneſſe in them both appeareth. Which may ſet out their happineſſe: and on the contrary it is vnhappineſſe to an Obadiah to dwell with a wicked Ahab; or a Iacob with a Laban; ſo to an Hezekiah to hauehave his Shebnah; or an honeſt Mephiboſheth, his wicked Zibah.
II. We may ſee, That the godly and well-diſpoſed will praiſe vertue in whomſoeuer they ſee it, whether in ſtrangers or home-borne, in poore or rich, noble or baſe perſons, friend or foe, as Dauid did in both Saul and Abner: becauſe honeſt and vertuous minds louelove vertue truely in eueryevery one; they are not tranſported with an ill-diſpoſed heart, either through pride or enuie, to diſdaine, or maligne graces in other, but to ſpeake the truth, and to praiſe them for whatſoeuer is good in them. This marke of true louelove let vsus ſhew forth: this will preſerue goodneſſe and vertue in others, procure reſpect to our ſelues, and good fauour to ſuch of them as be poore, as we may ſee here from Boaz towards Ruth. This condemneth ſuch Firſt, as cannot praiſe other for well-doing: which argueth pride, or enuie, or malice, or all of thē, and by which they ſhew too much ſelfe-louelove in themſelues, and little louelove or none at all to their neighbour. Secondly, thoſe which are ſo farre from praiſing men, as they leſſen their vertues, and blazon their infirmities, and ſo ſeeke to diſgrace them, contrary to true louelove and charitie; and yet a common euill in theſe dayes in moſt. Thirdly, thoſe that will commend perhaps others, but not before better then themſelues, not to the full, but with their Iffs & Ands, with words of exceptions, ſhewing plainely they be loth to giuegive men their due, falſely ſuppoſing, the praiſes of other ſhould derogate from themſelues, and from their owne worth; ſo vainely iealous are we of our owne reputation.
III. We may obſerue, that in praiſes, Religion is to hauehave the firſt place: for here is Ruth ſet out, as one forſaking her heatheniſh acquaintance, to keepe company with a vertuous woman, and leauing her idolatrous countrey, for to dwell in Iudah amongſt Gods people; and thus is Iob ſetIob 1. Act. 10. 2. forth & Cornelius: For Religion & Vertue is that which is in man moſt excellēt, making him more then a man, for as much as he becomes a ſpirituall man of a carnall. Therefore here let our commendations begin, and not diſpraiſe men for profeſſion of Religion: an argument of the want of Religion: nor iudge them worthy commendations, which are altogether without Religion. True it is, that many may hauehave ſuch gifts of nature and art, as may much ſet them out with men: but if they want Religion and vertue, their praiſe is more heatheniſh then Chriſtian: and therefore they hauehave no cauſe to reioyce in abilities of nature or art, ſeeing Satan the enemy of al mankind, may therein be preferred before them: and in nothing can man be ſaid to be more excellent or happy then a very Deuill, except in the right vſe of true Religion: in nothing elſe can he goe beyond him, nay, in no other thing can he equall him. Let therefore true Religion and vndefiled before God the Father, which is, to viſit the fatherleſſe and widdowes in their aduerſity, and to keepe our ſelues vnſpotted of the world, be our chiefeſt praiſe.