Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 3 · Verse 13
Verſe 13. Tarry this night, and it ſhall be in the morning, that if hee will performe vntounto thee the part of a kinſman, well, let him doe the kinſmans part: but if hee will not doe the part of a kinſman to thee, then will I doe the part of a kinſman to thee, as the Lord liueth: lie downe vntill the morning.
BOaz his confirmation of his promiſe before, concerning his marrying of Ruth: wherein is noted the time when hee will goe about it, vponupon what condition hee will doe it, the confirmation it ſelfe by ſolemne oath, and his aduice to reſt for that night till the morning.
Tarry this night.] Boaz deferreth to performe the kinſmans part for a ſpace, though very ſhort: and ſeeing it was night and now dangerous for her to goe alone from thence, hee aduiſeth her to tarry there that night in the floore. Note firſt, that vponupon reaſonable cauſe, that may bee deferred, which cannot abſolutely be denyed to be done. Which may bee of vſe to checke the impatient of delay, when there may be good reaſon and iuſt cauſe of delaying the matter. Secondly, that a true and louing friend careth for the ſafety of ſuch as he loueth. Thus Lot tooke care for his gueſts; Michol for Dauids eſcaping from the hand of Saul: ſo Ionathan in this reſpect ſhewed his care and louelove to Dauid, and H…ſh… his friend likewiſe. So did the Diſciple care for Pauls ſafetie: for true louelove is notAct. 9. onelyonly to doe fauours, but to expell iniuries, and to preuent dangers from friends. Which reproueth the ill friendſhip of men in theſe daies; for ſome will ſee their friends running into euill, yet will not care by good counſell to preuent it, much leſſe being in trouble to ſeeke their deliuerance, if it ſhould haply proue either troubleſome or coſtly: for neither of theſe will theſe counterfeit friends beſtow vponupon thoſe they pretend to louelove, when they ſtand in need of them. Some are worſe, euen Iudas-like, who for gaine will betray their friend; or play Achitophels part, turne his counſel againſt him for hope of fauour, when he thinkes his friend downe the wind, and another like to ariſe: ſuch falſe and faithleſſe hearts may now be found more than enow, who alſo will expoſe their friend into any danger or loſſe, ſo they may get or ſaue thereby. Let men therefore learne ſoundly to try, before they too haſtily truſt the pretended, rather then truely intended louelove in theſe dayes: for now is falſehood in friendſhip, for that commonly eueryevery man loueth another for himſelfe onelyonly, as experience ſheweth: for otherwiſe true friends will be as Ionathan, who valued nothing of a Kingdome for his friend Dauids ſake; they will be like Huſhai in aduiſing for Dauids welfare; as Barzillai in relieuing him in diſtreſſe, and in ſhewing him kindneſſe when moſt were againſt him, as Abiſhai in expoſing himſelfe into imminent danger for his ſafetie. What friends can be found like the Heathen Mariners to Ionah, who in a tempeſt ſtroue with all their powers to ſaue him, with danger of all their liues? or like the Nurſe of Mauricius the Emperours child, who offered her owne to be ſlaine by that bloudie Phocas, to preſerue her foſter childs life, the ſonne of the Emperour? Rare examples worthy imitation, but not to be paralelled in theſe dayes. But to returne to Boaz, it may be asked, Why he would ſuffer her to be within alone in the floore all night? I anſwer, his care of her ſafetie: for hee would rather admit of an inconuenience to himſelfe, then the danger of a miſchiefe to her, knowing the wickedneſſe of the times then. Againe, it may be, he felt in himſelfe ſtrength by Gods grace, and alſo a reſolution to withſtand the temptation, becauſe he was a man of yeeres (though yet ſome old are wanton enough:) becauſe he was a iuſt man (as it is ſaid ofMat. 1. Ioſeph, the husband of Mary) and would preſerue right to his neighbour. And thirdly, for that he had an honeſt and true intent to marry her, if ſo hee might, and therefore hee would not offer her diſhoneſty; though many of vnbridled affections make ſuch oportunities, ready motiues to themſelues of abaſing themſelues one with another: becauſe (forſooth) they mind to marry: Of which euill in this Booke elſewhere I hauehave ſpoken.See Verſe 14.
And it ſhall be in the morning.] So Boaz, though hee deferred it, yet it was but a very little while; hee would not long, as Naomi ſaith after, delayVerſe 18. the matter: for a wiſe man will not bee ouer-haſtie, yet will hee not neglect, but haſten the buſineſse which hee taketh in hand: For the one is the property ofProu. 14. 15. a foole, but the other of a man of vnderſtanding, if ſo be the matter doe require haſte: for there be two extremes in buſineſſes to be auoided: the one is too great haſte, where need is not: and this is raſhneſſe, puniſhed in good Ioſias, and in2. Chro. 35. 22. Numb. 14. 40. the heady Iſraelites: the other is too great remiſneſſe and ſlackeneſſe, when the matter requireth haſte, which was Amaſa his fault. And therefore2. Sam. 20. 5. the matter is to be conſidered of, and thereby wee may iudge when to make haſte, and when to take more time and deliberation: for that is not raſhly attempted, which is firſt vndertaken with good aduice, though with ſpeed executed. Secondly, done ſeaſonably, as the circumſtances of the time, place, and perſons require. Thirdly, whē it is done by our calling warrantably. When a man faileth in theſe, though hee take time enough, hee is but a raſh Aduenturer.
That if hee will performe to thee the part of a kinſman;] That is, if hee will marry thee, and raiſe vp the name of the dead: for he is before me by right to take or refuſe thee; ſo as if he will hauehave thee, thou canſt not refuſe him: then take him, and ſo an end hereof betweene vsus. Though it appeareth many wayes, that Boaz had an earneſt affection to Ruth, yet would hee not wrong the kinſman, if hee would hauehave her: for a good and a iust man, euen in what hee deſires, will not wrong another: becauſe the Law of righteouſnes bindethIer. 22. 3. him to iuſt dealing, of which hee maketh conſcience. So requireth the Law of louelove, which poſſeſſeth his heart, which is, to louelove another as himſelfe,Matth. 22. 37. Mat. 7. 12. and to doe as he would be done vntounto. And thus ſhould eueryevery man learne to doe, and not to withhold any good from the owner thereof, andProu. 3. 27. to whom it is due. In this kind owe nothing to any man, neither wrong any: for God is an Auenger 1. Theſ. 4. 6.of all ſuch things. Here then come iuſtly to be reproued ſuch as make no conſcience of wronging others; of which ſort are all theſe: Firſt, Theeues and Robbers, againſt which the Prophet and ApoſtleZach. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 10. ſpeaketh. 2. Partakers with ſuch, by counſell, command, conſent, prouoking, flattery, concealing, receyuing, defending, or (if it be in our power,) by not puniſhing ſuch: for ſuch be wickedPſal. 50. 18. perſons, & ſuch do hate their owne ſoules. Thirdly, fraudulēt perſons, of which there be theſe: firſt,1. Theſ. 4. 6. Leuit. 19. 13. & 25. 27. ſuch as pretend law, to doe wrong, as the Iudge in giuing wrong ſentence for by-reſpects, who by the Prophet are called theeues. So Lawyers, inEſai. 1. 23. craftie pleading to ouerthrow iuſtice and innocencie; the Sheriffes in panelling partiall Iuries to pleaſure men; and all ſuch as be falſe witneſſes, or procure their vniuſt cauſe to paſſe, by giuing bribes. To theſe may be added deceitfull buyersProu. 20. 14. Deut. 25. 13, 16. & ſellers, in praiſing or diſpraiſing ouermuch for aduantage, in counterfeit wares, in falſe weights and meaſures. So likewiſe thoſe Villaines, counterfeit Bankrupts, damnable Theeues, Cony-Catchers, cheating Gameſters, and Gnathonicall Knaues, who ſoothe & flatter, to gaine by others ſimplicity and folly. Fourthly and laſtly, ſuch as withhold goods from the owners, and will notLeuit. 6. 1. make reſtitution, as in conſcience they are bound: for ſo God commandeth and promiſethEzech. 18. 7, 12. mercy to them that reſtore, and threatneth the puniſhment for not reſtoring. It is a Rule of equitie and iuſtice that requireth it, which is, to giuegive eueryevery one his owne; and the Law of nature, to doe as wee would be done vntounto. Yea, we hauehave the practice of the godly to moue vsus; the ſonnes of Iacob: Zacheus, and Samuel offer it; If they hadGen. 43. 21. Luke 19. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 3. St. Aug. in Epi. ad Mac. Danaeus in Eth. lib. 2. cap. 15. Perkins in the pract. of Rep. Prou. 3. 28. Mat. 5. 23. Leuit. 6. 5. Ioſeph. antiq. lib. 4. cap. 8. done wrong to any. Laſtly, this is the iudgement of the godly Learned, that reſtitution ſhould be made, affirming the ſinne not to be remitted, except the thing taken away be reſtored: and alſo that Repentance is not ſound without it, if there bee ability to reſtore. Neither may this bee deferred, when it is in our hand, and when we come to worſhip before God: But we muſt reſtore the thing found, borrowed, or otherwiſe gotten, and not iuſtly beeing our owne, vntounto the true owner himſelfe, if we know him, or to his children, executors, or next kinſman; and if theſe bee not to bee found, then to God, for ſome publike vſe toNumb. 5. 7, 8. Read Exod. 21. 19, 29, 30. Leuit. 24. 19. Exod. 21. 33, 34, 36. & 22. 1. 2. Sam. 12 6. Deut. 22. 2. Exod. 22. 5, 6, 14. Pſal. 37. 21. 2. King. 6. 5. Leuit. 6. 4. Deut. 22. 2, 3. Leuit. 5. 16. Deut. 14. 22. Prou. 20. 25. Leuit. 27. 33. Mal. 1. 8, 13, 14. the Church, or reliefe of the poore. And this reſtitution muſt bee made by mee for eueryevery wrong done to my brother, in body, either by my ſelfe, or by my beaſt; in his goods in like manner, by ſtealing, by eating their ground with my beaſts, by burning, by borrowing and not repaying, by withholding what was deliuered to be kept of fidelitie, by hiding cattell going aſtray, or keeping things found. Herein alſo may iuſtly be reckoned ſacriledge, robbing of Churches, or Church-men of their maintenance allowed by God, and the good Lawes of our Land, by not tything, or tything deceitfully. The labourer is worthy of his hire: let him enioy ſuch maintenance as by Law is giuen him, and godly Anceſtours truely intended him; and bee not guiltie of this ſpirituall theft, which the very heathen would not doe to their prieſts: for in the great famine of Egypt all the Egyptians lands and goods were bought andGen. 47. 22. ſold, but the lands of the Prieſts were not, but they did eate the portion which Pharaoh gaue them: but with vsus men are of ſo greedy and more then heatheniſh appetite, that they can deuoure vp both land, and liuing, and tything, the whole Portion of Chriſts Miniſters; ſo as theſe heathen ſhall riſe vp in iudgement againſt theſe deuourers, which eate vp from the Lords Meſſengers what hath bin dedicated for the maintenance of his Seruice and Worſhip.
Well, Let him doe the kinſmans part.] That is, I yeeld him his right in thee, becauſe hee is before mee, as I hauehave ſaid, neither will I take thee, except hee renounce his right in thee. Boaz, we ſee, ſeeketh not to gaine her to himſelfe without conſent, neither will abuſe her, but honeſtly behaueth himſelfe in the night with her alone, as in the eyes of men, and open view of the world: for a godly man is not good becauſe of men, but for that he feareth God which looketh vponupon him, and vponupon whom hee looketh: and therefore eueryevery where behaueth himſelfe as hee ought. Boaz here loueth her, but luſts not after her to defile her, as ſome would, making it a ſport to commit fornication, with thoſe whom they thinke doe belong vntounto others, either betroathed maids, or married wiues: but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge.Heb. 13. 4.
But if hee will not doe the part of a kinſman to thee.] Theſe words Boaz vttereth as the ground of his promiſe to marry with Ruth, to wit, if hee the kinſman refuſe her: for when one renounceth his right, it is then free for another: for the releaſe made, is a ſetting free of that which before was tied, which is for direction to ſuch as take houſes, or grounds. It is a common complaint to ſay, He hath taken my houſe and my grounds from me: But often vniuſtly, as when the Lord letteth not lands or houſes, but to a limited time, which being expired, the ſame is free to let to another, except either cuſtome bind to let the preſent poſſeſſor to hauehave the refuſall, or that ſome promiſe be made, which bindeth an honeſt man to keepe it. Beſide this, there is indeed a friendly courteſie in the Land-Lord to offer to the preſent Inioyer that which hee hath, before any other; but he is not ſimply bound ſo to doe, but only of good wil. Yet muſt I needs acknowledge, that it is not a neighbourly part for any one out of a greedy couetouſneſſe, to vnderunder-myne the poſſeſſour, or by any indirect meanes to procure from him at the Land-Lords hands, his houſe or lands: for this is againſt the Law of louelove, to doe as wee would be done vntounto, and not to doe to others, what wee would not that they ſhould doe vntounto vsus, as the Law and Prophets teach, and our Maſter Chriſt cōmandeth; and yet this is a common practice now for want of louelove. Note againe how warie Boaz is in making her a promiſe to marry with her, it is done cautelouſly, with condition of vpright dealing betweene him and another. For, as eueryevery promiſe is to be made of an honeſt man with due conſideration, (becauſe once made, it bindeth, except there be a releaſe) ſo eſpecially the promiſe of marrying one another; both for the weightines of the matter (nothing being ſo much concerning the welfare, or downefall of man in this life) as alſo for the indiſſolubleneſſe of the knot; for here is no releaſing one of another, but they muſt liue together till death. And therfore let vsus learne to bee warie in making this match: and to doe this, firſt, conſider theſe two things before mentioned, and weigh them well to preuent haſte and raſhneſſe herein. Secondly, how fit or vnfit the marriage is, and what good reaſons there be to perſwade to it, or diſſwade from it. Thirdly, what is required before the marriage to further it, or elſe which might hinder the ſame. We may not raſhly, and vnaduiſedly runne into this holy ordinance, as many doe, firſt, vponupon fooliſh, light, and vnaduiſed louelove. Secondly, vponupon ſtrong and vnbridled luſt, violently preſſing them to ſudden contracts, and often to filthy vncleaneneſſe, like bruit beaſts, which hauehave no vnderſtanding. Thirdly, vponupon a feare to loſe the opportunitie of enioying one another, if friends ſhould know it, therefore they will contract themſelues, and giuegive themſelues one to another, and that diſhoneſtly, to force friends to conſent. Fourthly, couetouſneſſe, when men are carried away, not with the louelove of the partie, but with the greatnes of a portion. Theſe, and ſuch like, make haſtie matches, at leaſure to be repented of. Here it may be demanded, Why Boaz made an (if) of the other Kinſmans mind and good will, ſeeing firſt he was the nigheſt Kinſman, and had ſecondly, the Law of God to mooue him thereto; was it not vncharitableneſſe? I anſwer, No: for hee knew not his kinſmans mind, as it appeareth by his triall of him the next day. Againe, hee knew well, that albeit nature and Religion tie men to doe a thing; yet worldlings will not doe their dutie. Cain had Nature, Reaſon, and Religion, to louelove his brother Abel; ſo had Saul to reſpect Dauid; but theſe preuailed with neither of them, no more then the Law here was of force to mooue this worldling; for ſuch a one he was, as ſhall be ſhewed in the next Chapter.
Then will I doe the part of a Kinſman to thee.] Boaz hauing laid downe the condition, he reneweth his promiſe made in verſ. 11. yea, though the other refuſe her, he will take her: for one mans diſlike, maketh not true louelove to decay in another mans heart: for true louelove is fixed vponupon the thing beloued, without reſpect to other mens affections to the ſame; their liking may the more increaſe louelove, but diſlike cannot vtterly remoue it, where it is firmely ſettled: this, experience telleth vsus to bee true, in the louelove of young perſons affecting marriage. And it were to bee wiſhed, that our louelove were ſo ſtrong, that our ſoules were ſo glued to Religion, that though others diſlike, wee may not therefore ceaſe to louelove it, but bee as Ruth to Naomi, and ſo ſay, as ſhe to her, though ſhee ſawChap. 1. 16. Orpha depart from her. Note againe, that albeit Boaz made this promiſe to her alone, and without other witneſſes, but God onelyonly; yet hauing promiſed, and ſworne to keepe it, he after honeſtly and faithfully performes the ſame, as in the next Chapter is plaine: For, an honeſt man will Numb. 32. 27. Ioſh. 4. 12. and 22. 3. Iudg 1. 3, 7, 12, 13. Gen. 50. 21. Ioſh. 6. 23. Iudg. 1. 25.keepe his oath and his word; as may be ſeene in the Reubenites, Gadites, and halfe Tribe of Manaſſeh, in Ionathan and Dauid, in Iudah with Simeon, in Ioſeph to his brethren after acobs death, Caleb to Othniel, the Spies to Rahab, and to the man of Bethel: for an honeſt man hath a binding conſcience, when the word is paſſed out of his mouth, he careth for his honeſt name and credit, which to him is more then riches, and better then oyntment. If therefore we be of vpright and honeſt dealing, and ſo would be accounted, let vsus keepe our words and our othes: for this is common honeſty, iuſtice, and a thing of good report,Phil. 4. 8. Pſal. 15. 4. which we are commanded to hauehave care of. It is a marke of a good Chriſtian, though it bee to our owne hinderance; wee ſhall be like the children of our heauenly Father, who faileth not of any thing which he ſpeaketh. Without keeping promiſe,Ioſh. 21. 45. 1. King. 8. 56. men cannot bee truſted; it cutteth off all commerce and traffique with men. Godly men hauehave euer made conſcience of their word; and very heathen men hauehave been worthy of admiration in this point. And yet theſe things mooue nothing a number of baſe-minded, falſe-hearted, and diſhoneſt Chriſtians, vnworthy the name of ſuch, when they loſe their common honeſtie.
As the Lord liueth.] This is an oath, Ier. 4. 2. This oath hee taketh, becauſe it was a matter of great importance, and for that he would put the poore woman out of all doubt, and that ſhee ſhould not feare the accompliſhment, though he was rich, and ſhe poore; he noble, ſhee meane; he an Iſraelite, and ſhe a ſtranger of Moab. From this note; Firſt, that it is lawfull to take an oath, againſt the Anabaptiſts aſſertion, of which ſee Chap. 1. 17. Secondly, That the godly vſe to ſweare by God, when they ſweare, and by none other; of this more at large alſo in chap. 1. 17. Thirdly, that the forme of an oath is diuerſly expreſſed, and not one manner of way; as thus, I ſpeake it before God; God is my witneſſe; The Lord knoweth; As the Lord liueth; I proteſt before the Lord; I call God to record, and diuers ſuch like, beſides the common forme, By God, and ſo forth; which I note, to taxe the vſuall ſwearing of many, who ſeeme to hate ſwearing in the common forme, and yet they themſelues ſweare too often in another forme: ſo ſubtill is Satan to beguile them in that, and therein to make them guiltie of that, from which they take themſelues to be moſt free: but they be deceiued, for when God, or his name and attributes are at any time mentioned, for this end, to confirme the truth of that which a man ſpeaketh, it is an oath. Let men take notice hereof, and ceaſe to be common ſwearers. Fourthly, that it is lawfull to ſweare in priuat caſes, as Ionathan did to Dauid, and he to Ionathan; the ſpies to Rahab, & Boaz here to Ruth, in caſe of neceſſitie, and in weightie matters. In ſuch caſes wee may vſe our lawfull libertie, but yet with great warineſſe, with great reuerence of the high Maieſtie of God, not ſuddenly, not in paſſion, not without due aduiſement. Fifthly, that an oath is the confirming of Heb. 6. 16.the mind of another in the truth of that which is ſpoken, whether of things paſt, ſpoken, or done, or of things preſent, or of things to come, and promiſed to be done. This is the end of Boaz ſwearing here. If this be ſo, then let men reſt ſatisfied with an oath, as Ruth doth here, and as in ſome caſes God would hauehave men ſo to do, for it is the greateſtExod. 22. 11. confirmation of a truth that may bee, except the partie ſwearing either hath been conuinced, or is at that preſent conuincible, by good probabilities of falſhood. If this be the end of an oath, then alſo let men care to ſweare truly, that the mind of others may truſt them, and relye vponupon their faithfull oath taken. But we hauehave cauſe to bewaile theſe times, in which there bee ſuch, as profeſſing Chriſtianitie, yet will vſe oathes, yea, and fearefull execrations to coozen with, to make their lyes and ſecret villanies intended, to bee the leſſe ſuſpected, as by miſerable experience ſome ſimple and plaine meaning men may ſpeake, being deluded by faire ſhewes of godlineſſe, zeale of goodneſſe, words confirmed by oathes, fearefull execrations, and counterfeit letters, that wicked hypocrites and Satanicall deceiuers might attaine to their vnlawfull deſires. Let men therfore take heed of men, and beware whom they truſt, ſeeing men dare with pretence of godlineſſe, goe ſo farre in deteſtable villanies: but I wiſh him or them that practiſe it, to leaue it betimes, elſe let them looke for deſerued doome, without ſerious Repentance.
Lie down vntill the morning.] With theſe words hee endeth his conference, not ſpending the night in vaine or vnneceſſary prattling, as idle louers and wanton ſuters will doe: but hauing anſwered her requeſt, and ſhewed to her his louelove and honeſt reſolution, hee willeth her to lie downe vntill the morning. By which words it ſeemeth ſhe was riſen vp, as ready to depart, but that hee would not permit her ſo to doe, for the reaſons before mentioned: and becauſe the night is ordained for reſt, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith: At night man goeth to his rest. Neither is it ſafe for young women to bee abroad in the night; it ſauoureth not well, it befitteth not their ſex, & may endanger their chaſtitie. Wee muſt beware of beeing Night-walkers: for Satan the prince of darkeneſſe will then be the moſt buſie. Such alſo as hate the Light, louelove to be in darkeneſſe, as the theefe, & the adulterer. Againe, the night imboldenethIob. 24. 15. to al villanie and wickednes, which in the day time they will not dare to doe, as may bee ſeene in the Sodomites, and Gibeonites. Laſtly,Gen. 19. Iud. 19. 22, 25. Night-walkers hauehave euer beene ſuſpected for illdiſpoſed perſons.