Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 12
Verſe 12. And let thy houſe bee like the houſe of Pharez (whom Tamar bare vntounto Iudah) of the ſeed, which the Lord ſhall giuegive thee, of this young woman.
THeſe words be the third part of their prayer. They did firſt pray for the woman, as the builder of the houſe, as before it is ſaid of Rachel and Leah. Next, for the man, becauſe hee is the glory of the houſe; now for the poſterity, becauſe they doe continue it. Heere note what is prayed for, for an honourable poſterity, ſet out by the houſe of Pharez, whoſe father and mother are mentioned; then, of whom it muſt come, and by whoſe gift and goodneſſe.
And let thy houſe.] That is, thy children and poſterity: ſo as they praying before for the parents, and now for the children, doe teach this, that they which truely wiſh well in louelove to the parents, 1. Ioh. 5. 1.cannot but be well-minded to their children and poſterity: ſo did Dauid to Mephiboſheth the ſonne of2. Sā. 19. & 10. Ionathan, to Chimham the ſonne of Barzillai, and to Hanun the ſonne of the King of Ammon: for how can wee louelove the fountaine, and not the ſtreame? the roote, and not that which ſpringeth from it? Let vsus trie hereby true louelove to parents, by the louelove we beare to their children.
Be like the houſe of Pharez.] Pharez ſignifieth a breach, becauſe in the wombe he ſtroue for the birth-right, and brake out before his brother Zarah, who had put out his hand to come firſt forth, to bee the firſt borne, but pluckt backe his hand againe. Zarah may ſet out the Iewes, who were the firſt of Gods people, but by apoſtaſie loſt their birth-right; Pharez may ſet out the Gentiles, who made a breach vponupon them, and got the birth-right and the honour, to be called now the people of God. There bee two ſorts of Pharez, one heauenly, which ſtriue for to be of the firſt borne of God: this is a bleſſed ſtriuing which few contend for. There is another earthly, when brethren contend for to get the elder brothers inheritance from him, and doe labour to get him diſinherited: the neglect of the former, is vnholineſſe; and the purſuing of the latter, is too great worldlineſſe. Theſe words, To be like the houſe of Pharez, giuegive vsus to know, that he was greatly bleſſed and honorable in his poſteritie, ſeeing they deſire that Boaz houſe might bee like his. Now men wiſh not ſuch a thing to great perſons, but where there is an eſtate anſwerable to their greatneſſe, and may well befit them, and be held a bleſſing vntounto them: and yet this Pharez was baſe gotten, and that in inceſt alſo. Whence wee may ſee, that baſely begotten may become very honorable, ſo as it may bee happy with others to be bleſſed like them for worldly reſpects. Thus alſo was Iephte honorable, a man of valor, madeIud. 11. the head ouer all the inhabitants of Gilead, and yet the ſonne of an Harlot. Thus it pleaſeth God to ſhew mercy on whom hee will ſhew mercy: which may comfort ſuch as be baſe borne, that if they bewaile their birth, and repent and beleeue, the Lord will hauehave mercy likewiſe on them, and regiſter them in the beadroll of the Saints, as Iephtah is. Againe, this may teach from theſe EldersHeb. 11. and people, that they are to be esteemed honorable, whom God doth make honorable; for theſe ſpeake highly of Pharez for all his birth; and the Gileadites thought worthily of Iephoah, and did him honor: yea, the holy Ghoſt hath vouchſafed to honor him, and to put him among the faithfull, though hee was by birth a baſtard. They therefore doe amiſſe, who deſpiſe men for their birth, when otherwiſe they be worthily qualified, and better conditioned, then thoſe perhaps which be more lawfully begotten. True it is, that a Baſtard was not to come into the congregation for ten generations, but God can diſpenſe with his Law, and where he ſo doth, let vsus doe them honor, and not debaſe whom the Lord exalteth.
Whom Tamar bare vntounto Iudah.] Iudah was one of Iacobs ſonnes, and one of the twelue Patriarks, and begot this Pharez on this woman Tamar, who was his daughter in law: the hiſtory is in Gen. 38. Whence we may note briefly, That great were the falls of many of the holy Patriarks: as nine of them in the conſpiracy againſt innocent taſeph, Gē. 37. 2, 3, 11.whoſe death they intended, becauſe he told his father their ill report; for that alſo Iacob loued him more then all of them, and becauſe he told them his dreame, for which they the more eniued him, and were the more bent againſt him. But more particularly Ruben fell into that foule ſinne, to lie with his Fathers Concubine: Simeon and Leur, brethren in euill, who vnderunder colour of religion ſought to reuenge themſelues, and abuſed the ſeale of Gods couenāt to ſhead much blood▪ and Iudah here committeth inceſt with Tamar. Thus they we ſee, that men … of godly parents, and pillars of the Church may fal…ery fearefully, as may alſo appeare beſides theſe in Aaron, in Samſon, Ahtathar, Dauid, Sat…, and many others. Such i… the ſtrength of corruption when we are left of God; and therefore are we to feare and to looke to our ſtanding; watch and pray continually, leſt vve fall into temptation… and bee ouercome And alſo vvee may obiſerue how Ieſus Christ was con…ei…ed to come of ſuch as were tainted with foule vices, as of men ſtained and polluted, with inceſt, as Iudah; with adultery, and murther, as Dauid; with idolatry, as …; with witchcarft and ſorce… ▪ as Man … ſo of women defiled, as of this Tamar, of R…h… the harlot, and of Bathſheba, which ſinned in adultery with Dauid to ſhew hereby, that be our bleſſed Sauiour came into the world to ſaue ſinners; which1. Tim. 1. 15. is for the comfort of the penitent. And here alſo ſuch as be godly, may learne not to be diſcouraged, not to be daunted, neither to account worſe of themſelues, becauſe they hauehave had of their kinred fouly tainted with vices. We ſee here the innocent Lambe of God to hauehave been of ſuch, and yet he the Holy one of Iſrael. Let ſuch then put themſelues to ſilence, who ſeeke to diſgrace the vvell deſeruing, by the ſtaine of Anceſtors or ſome of their kinred. By thus doing, men ſhould offer wrong to Ieſus Chriſt, which eueryevery Saint of God is very farre from: and who is hee that ſhould not bee diſgraced, if this might ſerue to diſgrace a man? Note farther, how theſe words come in by a parentheſis: whether vttered by the Elders and people, or elſe put in by the Pen-man of the holy Ghoſt, it is not materiall: but heere we ſee, how God would hauehave a remembrance of the birth of Pharez, with his honour and outward bleſſings from God: for that it is good in our great glory and outward proſperity, to be put in mind whence wee be. Thus God put Dauid in remembrance2. Sam. 7. 8. and Ierob…: for ſo ſuch perſons ſhall hauehave cauſe to praiſe God for his mercies, and bee kept humble, and not forget themſelues, as men commonly doe in their peace and proſperity. Let ſuch then as bee raiſed vp from a low eſtate, remember whence they are, and bee willing to heare thereof from others: for Gods merciemercy ſhall be the more knowne, admired, and glorified, whoſe praiſe wee muſt ſeeke with the very vtter contempt of our ſelues, if ſo the caſe ſhall require. How great a ſigne of pride is it then, and of a will to obſcure Gods mercies, when men will chafe in themſelues againſt ſuch as ſhall mention their meane or baſe birth? But if men may not forget whence they be in their worldly aduancement; then may wee not forget our naturall birth in our ſpirituall exaltation, when wee bee made the children of God, Kings and Prieſts to him, of children of wrath, and bond-ſlaues to Satan. If the remembrance of the other put vsus in minde of Gods mercy, much more this: for betweene them is no compariſon. Laſtly note, that it is ſaid, that Tamar bare Pharez vntounto Iudah. Mothers bring forth children to the fathers of the children: ſo is it ſaid that Leah bare ſonnes to Iacob: Gen. 29. 34.for the father is to beare the name, and take the child into his care and tuition, whether borne in wedlocke or otherwiſe. Let fathers therefore take care of ſuch as they beget: for to them hath the mothers brought them out.
Of the ſeed which the Lord ſhall giuegive thee of this young woman.] Hence may bee obſerued, that an old man may marry a young woman: as heere Boaz did Ruth, and Ioſeph did the Virgin Mary: but not for wantonneſſe, but for iſſue and poſterity, as Boaz doth: allow therefore of ſuch marriages in ſuch a caſe: but beware of an old man lecherous, who is one that God hateth; ſo an old woman wantonly affected, to marry with a young man. Secondly, that Children are Gods gift: ofGen. 4…. …. which at large before. Which muſt mooue vsus to thank God for them, and to traine them vp to his ſeruice, and to acknowledge them his gracious gift, as Iacob did. Thirdly, that true prayer is not Gen. 33. 5.without faith: for it proceedeth from it, as the Apoſtle teacheth; and heere the words plainelyRom. 10. 14. imply, that theſe Elders and people were perſwaded, that God would giuegive to Boaz children of Ruth: for they ſaid, Which the Lord ſhall giuegive thee;] As taking it for granted, that he would giuegive him children; which they were perſwaded vntounto from the young yeeres of Ruth, then from the obedience of Boaz, who married Ruth onelyonly to raiſe vp children to the dead, that his name might not periſh, according to the Law of God, which heeDeut. 25. herein chiefely reſpected: and thirdly, becauſe this was the Line and Stocke, out of which the Meſſias ſhould come, according to Iacobs propheſie; and therefore they knew that of theſe ſhould come iſſue to fulfill the propheſie. In praying, let vsus alſo with theſe beleeue, ſo are weeIam. 1. 6. commanded; and if we doe beleeue, we ſhall obtaine what wee aske, if the Lord thinke it needfullMat. 21. 22. for vsus: for the prayer of faith auaileth much,Iam. 5. 15, 16, 17. if it be feruent. Fourthly and laſtly, hence obſerue, that Prayer is a meanes to make an honourable houſe, and to continue it in the following posterity. Therefore Dauid vſed prayer in this caſe, as theſe2. Sam. 7. 25. doe here for Boaz houſe in his poſterity; and ſo did Abraham pray for Iſhmael to continue in theGen. 17. 20. Lords ſight, who promiſed him mercy, and an honourable iſſue to many generations from him. Let vsus vſe this meanes to vphold and continue our houſe: I hauehave ſpoken of many good meanes before, let this bee added to them. But men inOut of verſe …. their worldly wiſedome ſeeke by other meanes without prayer, to continue their poſterity in honour, as by theſe: Firſt, by great purchaſes for their children. But doth not Salomon tell th… Prou. 27. 24.that riches are not for euer? And we find it true by experience. Secondly, by building ſtately houſes, and calling them by their owne names, thinking that their houſes ſhall continue for euer, and their dwelling places to all generations. But doth not the Pſalmiſt tell them that this theirPſal. 49. 13. way is their folly? Is not the Tower of Babel throwne downe? And, became not that theirGen. 11. 4, 8. confuſion, by which they ſought a name and to continue together? Thirdly, by intailing of lands vponupon the heires male, from one to another for many generations. But could there be a ſurer intaile than the Kingdome of Iſrael to Dauid, which yet was almoſt quite cut off by Salomons idolatrie, ſo as Rehoboam loſt ten Tribes in his dayes? Intaile it as ſure as they can, yet the iniquity of the children will make it to bee cut off. God liketh not, that men ſhould by their deuices tye his bleſſings to whom they liſt, for vaine-glory ſake, and to keepe vp a name. And doe not we ſee Lawyers, which teach parents to intaile, how they can teach their children to vntaile it againe? Fourthly, by matching with great houſes, and by this they thinke their houſe ſhall ſtand. But did not Ahab by marrying with Iezabel, the King of Zidons daughter, root out his whole poſterity? And did not Iehoſaphat by marrying his ſonne to Ahabs daughter, doe almoſt the like? Fiftly and laſtly, by procuring great places of honour in the Common-wealth: oh then they thinke they are ſurely founded! But doth not Salomon tellProu. 27. 24. them, that the Crowne endureth not to eueryevery generation? but let theſe conſider of Haman, and of his high place, and yet how ſuddainly hee came to a fearefull end; and with this let them not forget the Treaſurer …, who graued, asEſa. 22. 16, 17, 21. it were, his habitation in a Rock… by policie, and by making ſtrong ſides for himſelfe. But doth not Eſay ſay, That the Lord would lead him into captiuity, and violently turne him, and toſſe him as a Ball, and driue him from his ſtation, and beſtow his place vponupon another? And therefore without the Lord all theſe meanes are weake to vphold a houſe; yea, ſuch a houſe, ſinne will vnderunder-myne and cauſe to fall. Let none therefore reſt on theſe weake props, but pray vntounto the Lord for his bleſſing, which maketh ſtrong the habitation of the righteous.