Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 2 · Verse 8
Verſe 8. Then ſaid Boaz vntounto Ruth, Heareſt thou not, my daughter? Goe not to gleane in another field, neither goe from hence, but abide here faſt by my maidens.
BOaz hauing heard of his ſeruant who ſhe was, and then alſo taking notice of her, from that which he alſo before had heard of her, as it appeareth in verſe 11. he now turneth his ſpeech vntounto her. Wherenote, who, to whom, how he ſpeaketh, and what; euen words of louelove and kindneſſe, forbidding her to goe any whither elſe, but to abide by his maidens.
Then ſaid Boaz vntounto Ruth.] This noble rich man ſheweth great kindneſſe vntounto the poore woman and ſtranger: when he knew what ſhee was, he vouchſafed to ſpeake to her, and to comfort her in her poore eſtate. The rich and the mightie are to ſhew themſelues reſpectiue to the poore, which be godly, though ſtrangers, when they be rightly informed of them, as Boaz ſheweth himſelfe to Ruth here. It is a ſigne that they are godly, which louelove godlineſſe in others, eſpecially the poore, themſelues being rich. It greatly comforteth the afflicted ſpirit, and lifteth vp the heart of ſuch poore, and doth in ſome ſort ſtrengthen them in their well-doing. Thoſe rich men doe not well then, who doe in their high eſteeme of themſelues deſpiſe the poore, and hold them very diſſemblers in their profeſſion; ſuppoſing without charity, that the poore cannot be religious, when yet of the poore, for the moſt part, God chuſeth hisIam. 2. people.
Heareſt thou not, my daughter?] Thus louingly he ſpeaketh vntounto her. And wee find in Scripture, that two ſorts of perſons thus ſpoke vntounto others: the elder vntounto the yonger, as Eli to Samuel; Boaz here to Ruth; and men of authoritie to inferiours. So ſpake Ioſua vntounto Achan; and Ioab Ioſ. 7. 2. Sam. 18. 22.vntounto Ahimaaz. From this courteous ſpeech of Boaz both as an old man, and alſo indeed as a man of authoritie, as appeareth in verſe 1. and Chap. 4. 1. we learne,
I. That an humble and mercifull man ſpeaketh kindly where he wiſheth well, as alſo Ioſeph did to his brethren; Ionathan to Dauid in diſtreſſe; and Iob to the poore. Humility is not highminded,Iob 31. 18. and mercy is compaſſionate, louelove cannot bee rough-hewed, and therefore ſuch as hauehave theſe graces, will be courteous, and cannot but vſe good tearmes, eſpecially to the poore and needie. Which condemneth thoſe as void of humility, mercy, and louelove, which are like churliſh Nabals, and not like bleſſed Boaz vntounto the honeſt and painefull poore.
II. That the ancient in yeeres, and men in authority, are to behaue themſelues as Fathers vntounto others; for ſo are they called, 1. Sam. 3. 6. Ioſ. 7. 19. 1. Sam. 24. 11. 2. King. 5. 12. and this muſt be in inſtruction, and good example; and the Magiſtrate in correcting, not with rigour, but as a father with mercy and compaſſion puniſhing the ſinne, but louing the perſon, as a father doth. It is a ſoule fault for the gray-headed to be more child-like, then father-like: and for a Magiſtrate to ſhew rather crueltie, then compaſſion. It were good for ſuch to remember, That they are as Fathers, That the world is vnſtable, That their turne may come to ſtand in need of mercy; and they ſhould think that God made the one as well as the other. This made Iob to carry himſelfe gently andIob 31. 15. humbly towards his inferiours. And here let ſuch as be in authoritie, be reuerenced and loued as fathers, and beware that the ancient in yeeres be not deſpiſed, but rather doe them honour, Leuit. 19. 32. for old age is a Crowne of glory,Prou. 16. 31. when it is found in the way of righteouſneſſe. Let the children deuoured, which mocked the old Prophet Eliſha, be a warning to all ſuch to take heed, and remember Corah his rebellion againſt authority, and how the Lord puniſhed it.
Goe not to gleane in another field, neither goe from hence; but abide here faſt by my maidens.] In harueſt all worke that can; men and women are here ſent into the field, & continued working: It is the time of reaping and carrying in Gods bleſſings giuen, and therefore may none be idle. To come to the matter betweene Boaz and Ruth, we ſee how before he in a louing tearme ſpake to her; here he expreſſeth his louelove in deeds, both in theſe, and the words following in the next verſe. Note, That the goodneſſe of a mercifull good man ſtands not onelyonly in louing tearmes, nor in faire words, without good deeds: both words and deeds are neceſſary to comfort the afflicted; with both which Boaz declareth his louelove to Ruth: he alloweth her to gleane amongſt the ſheaues; he warneth her not to goe any whither elſe; he willeth her to keepe with his maidens, and to follow his Reapers, to eate victuals with them. Thus let men ſhew1. Ioh. 3. 18. mercy in word and deed: we may not doe well, and ſpeake vncomfortably, neither may we giuegive good words, and neglect good deeds, as ſome in Saint Iames time did, and too many now doe.Iam. 2. Another thing may we hence note, That women are to keepe with women; this is Boaz aduice to her: and it is moſt fit for ſexe, for ſafety, for preſeruation of chaſtitie, and a note of woman-like modeſtie, from which ſuch be farre, as delight rather in mens company: a note of wantonneſſe, and of an vnchaſte heart. Women muſt company with women; and yet ſome not with any of that ſexe. Ruth muſt keepe with Boaz maidens, the ſeruants of a godly man. It is dangerous for a Dinah to goe to the daughters of the land; a chaſte maiden to goe amongſt wanton idolatrous women, or a vertuous woman amongſt vicious wantons, and vnchaſte perſons. Therefore let her, which loueth her honeſtie, walke wiſely towards both; auoid altogether the one, & be wiſe to iudge of the other.