Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 3 · Verse 12
Verſe 12. And now it is true, that I am thy neere kinſman: howbeit, there is a kinſman neerer then I.
BOaz his information of Ruth, wherein ſhee was ſomewhat miſtaken, granting the truth that he was a neere kinſman, but not the neereſt: ſo as here he preuenteth her apprehenſion of the promiſe made, for taking it abſolutely, but conditionally, as in the next verſe more at large hee declareth his mind. So that heere is a conceſſion of that which ſhe had ſpoken of him in verſ. 9. and withall an inſtruction touching another neerer then himſelfe, which ſhe knew not of.
And now it is true.] Boaz will not deny a truth, for a godly man is a louer of the truth, and will yeeld to it, when hee heareth it: for it ſwayeth with him, which if it ſo did with eueryevery one, it would preuent tedious diſputes & contentions among the Learned; preuent long ſuites of law; put Lawyers to ſilence in corrupt pleading, and ſaue many pounds contentiouſly miſſpent, preuent deceit in buying and ſelling, and many other miſchiefes, which miſerably fall out for want of acknowledging the truth, which men ſhould and would doe, if they hated falſhood and lying, if they had a hearty louelove of the truth, if they would caſt off pride and the deſire of vaine praiſes, and couetouſneſſe, and the greedy deſire of gaine; for theſe hinder the truth; and where theſe reigne, hardly will truth bee acknowledged as it ought, or reigne among men as it ſhould.
That I am thy neere kinſman.] Foure things might moue him thus ingeniouſly to confeſſe himſelfe ſo nigh a kinſman to thoſe poore women. Firſt, his louelove to the truth, ſo to ſpeake as the thing was. Secondly, his holy and religious reſpect vntounto the Law of God, by authority whereof ſhee made claime to him. Thirdly, his humility and vprightneſſe of heart, not diſdaining his godly poore kindred. Fourthly, her owne vertues, and his louelove which he bare to her for the ſame. (Of rich and poore kinsfolks I hauehave ſpoken before in Chap. 2. 20.) Here obſerue, that a louing, godly, humble, and vpright-hearted rich man will readily confeſſe himſelfe of neere kindred to his poore kinsfolke, if they be vertuous: for vertue maketh them honourable with the vertuous, though pouertie make them contemptible to the world. And therefore for the poore to get an acknowledgement of them from their rich kindred, let them be vertuous, that whereas they want goods, grace may procure them fauour and reſpect: for poore and lewd are not worthy the acknowledging, being contemptible both in body and ſoule.
Howbeit there is a kinſman neerer than I.] So that the nighest to a right, are first to be preferred thereto: this is here implied; and this reaſon and equitie will yeeld. Therefore Boaz honeſtly maketh heere mention of this other kinſman, to whom Ruth ſhould firſt hauehave gone: for both Naomi and ſhee were miſtaken in this, to come firſt to Boaz for the right of marrying her: yet ſee how courteouſly and louingly hee anſwereth her, teaching, that ſuch as demand in ſimple ignorance a matter at our hands as due, and yet in ſome ſort not ſo, wee are meekely to informe them, and not ſcornefully to reiect them, as great Ones now will doe: for a ſimple errour is pardonable, and it is a fruit of goodneſſe to informe them in the right: and this would preuent contention and ſtrife, which otherwiſe might grow thereupon for want of better information. Let this then reproue thoſe which gladly take occaſion from ſuch miſtakes, to laugh at and ieſt away the parties, making themſelues very merry with the parties ſimplicitie, though their meaning be both good and honeſt.