Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 10
Verſe 10. Moreouer, Ruth the Moabiteſse, the wife of Mahlon, hauehave I purchaſed to be… my wife, to raiſe vp the name of the dead vponupon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: yee are witneſses this day.
BOaz relateth the ſecond thing of which they were to be witneſſes, which was concerning his marriage: where note, firſt, with whom. Secondly, how obtained. Thirdly, to what end, is double. And fourthly, the calling of them againe to witneſſe it.
Moreouer, Ruth the Moabiteſse.] This was ſhee whom he had promiſed to marry, and whom hee now went about to make ſure to him, though ſhe were a Moabiteſſe. Here it may bee demanded, whether perſons of diuers religions may marry together? Anſw. If they be conuerted, they may: ſo Moſes married Iethroes daughter, Salomon Rahab, and Boaz Ruth heere, and Sheſhan married his1. Chron. 2. 34. See Zipper. de Lege Moſ. li. 4. cap. 18. Deut. 7. 3. Eſd. 10. Nehem. 13. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Gen. 27. daughter to his ſeruant an Egyptian: but otherwiſe they may not; God forbad it his people; ſuch matches were condemned; the Yoke is vnequall, as Saint Paul ſpeaketh: it was reproued in Eſau, and herein was hee a griefe vntounto his parents. This is not to marry in the Lord; it is dangerous to the ſoule, if the heart ſhould bee drawne from God, as was Salomons; and ſuch matches hath1. King. 11. 1. Nehe. 13. 26. Deut. 4. 7. 2. Chro. 19. 2. & 21. 6, 13. God curſed, as we may ſee in Iehoſhaphat matching his ſonne with Ahabs daughter; it had almoſt rooted out his whole Houſe. Fathers and Councils doe condemne it, and therefore beware of making ſuch matches.
The wife of Mahlon.] See for this before, Chap. 1. 4. and in this Chapter verſe the 5. where Ruth is called the wife of the dead, and here ſhewed to bee Mahlon the Elder brother to Chilion the huſband of Orpha, who by her apoſtaſie loſt her bleſſing in Iſrael, which Ruth obtained by her conſtancie.
HaueHave I purchaſed to be my wife.] We ſee hence, a good man will be at cost to obtaine a good wife: Abraham Gen. 24.will ſend farre a meſſenger to this purpoſe with Camels loaden, and with Iewels of ſiluer and gold: Iacob will ſerue ſeuen yeeres and ſeuenHoſ. 12. 12. Gen. 28. & 29. too, but he will hauehave Rachel; Boaz here will purchaſe a poore Ruth for her vertues: for indeed a vertuous womans price is aboue Rubies, ſheeProu. 31. will doe her huſband good all his dayes, ſhee is worthy therefore the getting, and worthy to bee honeſtly maintained: and yet wee ſee moſt care leaſt for ſuch an one, but they will labour and ſpare no coſt to get one that is faire, though beautie be deceitfull vanity, and ſometime ſuchPro. 31. 30. a one not ouer-honeſt; or one rich, louing the portion better than the partie, marrying baſely, and after liuing diſcon…e…dly▪ or for birth and friends, when the one lifteth vp the heart with pride, and the other becommeth chargeable. Beautie maketh not bleſſed, but vertue; not goods, but grace; not naturall generation, but ſpirituall regeneration; not friends heere, but the ſweet fauour of God, which hee onelyonly affordeth vntounto the vertuous. See further from hence the louelove of Naomi to Ruth, who giueth her right to Boaz to redeeme the land for aduancement of Ruth: for louing parents will doe much for the preferment of their children. Naomi heere liueth vnmarried, ſhee doth all ſhee may to get Ruth a good match, for her owne ſake, and in louelove to the dead, that of her may be gotten one to beare the name of the dead, as Boaz ſpeaketh in the words following. Which honeſt and louing care of Naomi checketh ſuch widdowes, as being well left by the dead, doe, either of couetouſneſſe and careleſneſſe neglect to marry their children, liuing onelyonly for themſelues; or elſe of a wanton luſt doe caſt themſelues away vponupon ſuch as will both vndoe them and their children.
To raiſe vp the name of the dead vponupon his inheritance.] Of theſe words ſomewhat is ſpoken before on verſe the 5. which I will not repeat. Here Boaz alledgeth theſe words as a reaſon of his marrying this young woman; they are the words of the Law in Deuteronomie, and ſo are the nextDeut. 25. 6, 7. following; to which Law Boaz had reſpect in thus matching with Ruth: from whom we learne theſe things; Firſt, that a wiſe man will preuent an offence, which by others might bee taken at him, when hee conſiders the occaſion thereof: for Boaz telleth them the true ends of his marrying thus, leſt the Beholders and Hearers ſhould hauehave cenſured ill of him, as of lecherie, he being old, and ſhe yong; or of folly, ſhe being poore, and he rich; ſhe baſe, and he honourable; or of an inclining in her to idolatry, he being an Iſraelite, and ſhee a daughter of Moab, of that race, which inticed Iſrael to ſinne, and brought a great iudgement vponupon theNum. 25. people. And this hee did for the care and creditEccleſ. 7. 1. Prou. 22. 1. of his name, which is highly to be eſteemed, and in louelove vntounto thoſe there gathered before him, in whom hee would preuent the offence, which on their behalfe might be taken, though not on his part giuen. And thus muſt wee learne to doe:1. Cor. 10. 32. Mat. 18. both to beware of offences to all ſorts; and alſo where wee perceiue that any might take an offence, there wiſely to preuent it in them, if wee can, and not bee like ſuch as giuegive themſelues to all licentious libertie to liue as they liſt, as almoſt eueryevery one doth in theſe dayes, not caring for a good name of a graue and ſober Chriſtian, or of adorning their holy profeſſion, or of diſpleaſing the godly minds of others; but to liue onelyonly like Libertines after their owne luſts, opening the mouthes of the Aduerſaries to ſpeake ill of the Goſpell of God. Secondly, from Boaz wee may learne, that a godly man in his marrying is guided by Gods Law, and hath reſpect vntounto Gods good pleaſure therein: ſo had Abraham in matching his ſonne Iſaac, and Iſaac in marrying of his ſonne Iacob: for ſuch as be godly, make the Lords Will & Word their Rule in all things, much more in a matter of this weight and conſequence; they know it to be Gods ordinance, and therefore will aduiſe with God about it: yea, they know that God hath not left men herein to their liberty and luſt, to marry as they like beſt; but hath limited them, and in his Word hath taught them with whom, how, and to what end to marry. And therefore in marrying we muſt be ruled by the Lord, which will appeare by theſe things: If we ſee what calling wee hauehave to marry, before wee enter into this troubleſome eſtate, as Reaſon and Religion ſhould perſwade vsus; If we ſee that wee hauehave a iuſt cauſe to marry, then to conſider with whom God alloweth vsus to marry; If we ſeeke out ſuch a one, as not onelyonly with whom we may marry lawfully, but alſo fitly: & therefore to pray earneſtly to God for ſuch a one: for God maketh fit matches;Gen. 2. and a vertuous woman is his gift. It is a happy thing to match fitly, and more hard then to match lawfully. If laſtly, we vſe marriageGen. 2. as God hath appointed, for increaſe of poſterity, and to auoid fornication, the firſt end was before1. Cor. 7. the fall, the latter after; and withall for mutuall ſociety, helpe and comfort, which one ought to hauehave with another: which cannot be, except there bee fitneſſe, grace, true louelove, humilitie and patience. But who are thus led by the Lord in their marrying? Men ſeeke wiues now without any reſpect to Gods will and pleaſure: they follow the luſts of the eyes, the luſts of the fleſh, and pride of life. Thirdly, we may obſerue how the vertuous are to match ſo, as they may raiſe vp a ſeed of the righteous among Gods people: for the preſeruation of the Church and Religion, as Boaz heere had a care to raiſe vp the name of the dead vponupon his inheritance. But this cannot the married doe, except they themſelues be true Louers of goodneſſe, and hauehave a ſpeciall care to traine vp their children religiouſly, firſt, in knowledge of God, elſe are they Atheiſts; of the true God, elſe Heatheniſh Idolaters; and of the true worſhip of this God, elſe but will-worſhippers: then to enforme them in the Doctrine of faith, withoutHeb. 4. 2. and 11. 6. which grace they can neuer profit by the Word, nor euer pleaſe God; the ſumme of which beliefe is ſet downe in the Articles of our Creed. Next, to teach them how to pray aright; which is the meanes to conferre with God, to ſpeake to him, to obtaine bleſſings from him, and without the practice whereof men are but as beaſts, and a marke of ſuch as thinke there is no God. ThePſal. 14. ſumme of our prayer, and the perfect rule of direction for matter, and manner, and end, is ſet downe by our Sauiour Chriſt. Laſtly, to teach them obedience, and to walke in Gods Commandements, without which, all knowledge and1. Iohn 2. 4. Iames 2. faith is vaine: the fumme of what we are to obey, is in the ten Commandements, which children muſt be taught and inſtructed in. Here may bee noted this alſo from the words, that the dead doe liue againe, as it were in their posterity, which keepe their inheritance: for children and the preſeruation of their fathers inheritance, doe keepe aliue the name of the dead. Therefore let children hauehave a care hereof, leſt they deſtroy the name of the dead, as many prodigall children doe.
That the name of the dead bee not cut off from among his brethren.] This is another end, the other being the meanes to preuent this: for the raiſing vp of the name of the dead, preuenteth the cutting of it off from among the brethren. Concerning the word brethren, hereby is meant others than very naturall brethren: for the people of God before and vnderunder the Law, as in the Primitiue Church vnderunder the Goſpell, were wont to call one another brethren, of which I hauehave ſpoken before out of the third verſe. For cutting off: this may bee when one will not marry to hauehave children, or marrying, are not bleſſed of God with children, or hauing children, are cut off by Gods iuſt iudgement, and ſo the name periſheth,1. King. 14. 10. 2. King. 9. 8. Ier. 22. 30. and 36. 30. Deu. 29. 18. 19. Deut. 25. 6. as it befell Ieroboam, Ahab, Iehoiakim, and as God doth threaten the obſtinate ſinner in Deuteronomie. Howſoeuer this cutting off be of poſterity, we may learne hence, that the decay of posteritie, is a cutting off of a mans name from among his brethren, as the words heere and in the Law imply. And therefore let people pray for this bleſſing of marriage, and thanke God for their poſterity and fruit of the wombe. Abraham moſt highlyGen. 15. 2. Pſal. 127. 3. and 128. 3. eſteemed hereof; and the Pſalmiſt maketh it a reward to ſuch as feare God: yea, children are a crowne to the old men; and it was a heauy curſe vponupon Iehoiakim to be made childleſſe; and it wasIer. 36. 30. and 22. 30. Leuit. 20. 20. threatned in the Law as a puniſhment for ſinne. They be much to blame then, which do marry of purpoſe with ſuch as they thinke are paſt bearing of children, or with others apt for children, but yet in heart deſire to hauehave none, or perhaps but one or two, rather to dally with, than to be troubled with: but ſuch children often proue a ſcourge to theſe parents, through their fooliſh affection and too great indulgencie, becauſe they hauehave no more.
And from the gate of his place.] Theſe words ſhew that Elimelech was a man of authority among them, an Elder and Iudge in the Gate, which honour Boaz would vphold in marrying with Ruth, that his name might not bee cut off from the place of authority, heere vnderſtood by the Gate. Good men ſeeke to vphold the honour, & to preſerue the dignitie of one another, as the fifth Cō mandement teacheth: which being our duety, wee muſt care to obſerue, both to the dead and to the liuing. To the dead, as Boaz doth heere: now their honour we preſerue, when we ſpeake of them with honour, as Dauid did of Abner; when2. Sam. 3. wee maintaine their good name againſt calumnies and ſlanderous reports; & when we imitate their vertues, and ſeeke to vphold their poſterity, eſpecially when they ſhall deſerue well, and follow the ſteps of the dead in well-doing. Thus ſhall wee truely and with praiſe preſerue their honour, though we doe not as the Papiſts dedicate dayes in honour of them, and make them Interceſſours to God for vsus, to the great diſhonour of Chriſt. And as we ſhould maintaine the honour of the dead, ſo ſhould wee the honour of the liuing, by acknowledging their dignity, in age, place and gifts; by ſpeaking thereof as is meet, without enuy or diſdaine, and by doing reuerence in our outward behauiour according to their dignity. Heere may alſo bee noted, that men of place and authority may ſoone leaue their family in a low estate: for Elimelechs wife was poore Naomi, and glad of the helpe of her daughter in lawes gleanings. How poore was the widdow left, for whoſe reliefe the Prophet Eliſha wrought2. King. 4. 1. King. 18. 3. a miracle, being, as is ſuppoſed by ſome, the wife of an honourable man, Obadiah, Ahabs Steward, who did feed an hundred Prophets of God in Caues, in the time of famine? This may fall out ſometime by Gods hand in puniſhing the fathers, that they can leaue nothing to children; ſometime for triall, as in Iobs caſe, who was brought to great miſery; and ſometime a mans owne doings may bring him vnderunder the power of authority, which may iuſtly depriue him of his honor and eſtate, as it befell Abiathar in the daies1. King. 2. 26, 27. of Salomon. Let not men bee therefore proud of their parents preſent glory; an alteration may ſoone come, as we ſee in Ieroboam and Baaſha, in Ahab, Iehoram, and Iezabel; in Haman alſo, Athaliah, and others: for Gods power, Princes authority,Pſal. 75. 6, 7. and a mans owne way, may ſoone bring downe his greatneſſe, and alſo a ruine vponupon his whole houſe.
Yee are witneſses.] That is, as if Boaz had ſaid, not onelyonly of the ſale and purchaſe of the land, but alſo of this my marriage with this yong woman, Ruth: which here we ſee to be publike, and in the Gate of the Citie, in a ciuill Court and place of iuſtice. Whence uote, Firſt, that marriages are to be made publikely before ſufficient witneſses, as was Iacobs, this here, and that to which our SauiourIohn 2. was bidden. This is fit for the honour of marriage, for the better ratification thereof, and to preuent pretences of marriages: for if marriages were not publike, but priuately huddled vp, ſome might pretend marriage, and liue together as man and wife in ſhew, and yet be but lewd liuers: ſo others wearie of one another, might ſay they were not married, and ſo vnlawfully ſeparate themſelues. Therefore let marriages be publike, and in a publike place, as here it was, and as now by our Lawes we bee bound thereto; and auoid priuate making of marriages, and in corners, for they are often made in haſte, and end vnhappily. Secondly, that marriage in old time was onelyonly a ciuill action: there was no need of a Miniſter to make it, it was lawfully and ſufficiently done, when it was made openly, by ſuch as might marry, among the people, as we may ſee in the marriage of Iſaac, of Iacob, Eſau, Samſon. Which confuteth the Papiſts that make marriage a Sacrament, as if marriage were onelyonly lawfull in the Church, and not among the very heathen: when yet from the beginning it is common to all mankind, and allowed to all ſorts. True it is, that we doe make ſuch marriages lawfull onelyonly when miniſters make them, but this is not with a papiſticall opinion of a Sacrament, nor for that our Church condemneth marriages otherwiſe made in other nations, as vnlawfull, but the Church and State hauehave ſo ordained, for the greater reuerence to Gods ordinance, when his Miniſters ſhall bleſſe the ſame, in the publike Congregation, with the prayers of the Church; and when they ſhall teach them their dueties, which doe marry: Thus gracing Gods holy ordinance by their praying and preaching, the one for benediction, the other for inſtruction, and therefore worthily ordained, and ſo of vsus to be religiouſly obſerued.