Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 14
Verſe 14. And the women ſaid vntounto Naomi, Bleſſed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinſman, that his name may bee famous in Iſrael.
PRaiſe and thankeſgiuing vntounto God at the birth of the child. The parties reioycing were the women, their ioy was vttered to Naomi, the manner was holy and religious praiſing God; the matter thereof, or the moouing cauſe was, that God had not left her without a kinſman, and the hopefull end thereof, that his name may be famous in Iſrael.
And the women ſaid.] That is, ſuch godly women as were at the child-birth, theſe reioyced In Naomies behalfe. For it is the duty of one to reioyce in the welfare of another, when God best… his bleſsings vponupon them. As theſe doe here, the neighboursLuk. 1. 58. Exod. 18. 9. Iob. 42. 11. of Elizabeth, Iethr… at the proſperity of Iſrael, and the friends of Iob at his recouery: This we are commanded to doe, to reioyce with thoſeRom. 12. 15. 1. Cor. 12. 26. Matth. 22. 39. that doe reioyce: the godly are members one of another, and therefore muſt needs hauehave a fellow feeling: it is a fruit of louelove and charity, and that wee louelove our neighbours as our ſelues, which if we doe, we will reioyce in their welfare, as we doe in our owne. But let this be with them in lawfull things; for charity reioyceth not in iniquity: let vsus reioyce with them in their happy and bleſſed1. Cor. 13. welfare, whether temporall as former examples ſhew, or ſpirituall, as Saint Paul reioyced in the behalfe of the Philippians and Coloſſians, andPhil. 1. 3, 4. Col. 1. 3. 12. 2. Ioh. Verſe 4. Saint Iohn in the graces of the elect Lady and her children. This reprooueth three ſorts, firſt, ſuch as enuy the proſperity of others, as Sanballats Nehe. 2. 10. Exod. 1.and Tobies, like Egyptians, which cannot endure to ſee others proſper by them. Theſe are voyd of charity which is without enuy: and they1. Cor. 13. 4. are like the diuell, that being caſt from Heauen, could not endure to ſee man in Paradiſe; or like diueliſh men, Cain, Saul, and the Scribes and Phariſes, the enemies of Chriſt. Secondly, ſuch as reioyce with their friends in their proſperity, though they get vp by vniuſt meanes, and by vnlawfull practices vphold themſelues: this is not1. Cor. 13. 6. true louelove; for here is more cauſe of mourning then of reioycing; for what ioy can it bee to a godly heart, to ſee his friend rich and in glory, by vſury, bribery, oppreſſion, deceit and fraud, which came for plagues vponupon him from Heauen, and are the high way to hell and damnation? But outward proſperity ſo dazeleth the eyes, and deludeth the heart, as the plagues of the ſoule, and vengeance due for the ſame, they either ſee not, or beleeue not; therefore they reioyce like worldlings with ſuch as themſelues. The third fort are they, which cannot reioyce with others in their ſpirituall welfare, that men are become godly, as Saint Paul and Iohn did, but rather deſpiſe them for it, becauſe they themſelues ſauour not of the things of God, they louelove darkeneſſe rather then the light. If they doe reioyce herein, it is rather for the good, which conuerſion brings in worldly reſpects, then of religion it ſelfe, as that hereby they leaue to be vnthriſtie, and doe care to liue in the world, and ſuch like, vvhichwhich is no reioycing at their heauenly graces, but for vvorldly profit, and for ſuch things as Religion maketh good in regard of the outvvard things of this life; as profit, good report in a common acception, ciuill carriage, and ſo forth. This is a worldly, and not a ſpirituall reioycing with-thoſe that truely reioyce in the Spirit.
VntoUnto Naomi.] And why to her more then to Ruth? Becauſe ſhe was the principall inſtrument for the effecting of the marriage, and ſhee ſtood in moſt need of comfort, hauing endured a long time affliction. For thoſe chiefely are to be cheared with the conſideration of Gods mercies and bleſsings, who hauehave been most humbled: As theſe doe here Naomi; for they ſpeake ſo to her, as if this bleſſing had been onelyonly for her comfort, ſaying, He hath not left thee without a kinſman, hee ſhall be to thee a reſtorer of life, and ſo forth. And therefore when wee ſee any to hauehave been much caſt downe, and that the Lord beginneth to ſhew them mercy; let vsus ſpeake thereof chearefully vntounto them, and comfort their hearts; for they know how to vſe well Gods mercies, their former humiliation hath prepared them, hath ſchooled them, ſo as they will not waxe proud with the Lords bleſſings, as others doe.
Bleſsed bee the Lord.] Words of praiſe and thankeſgiuing to the Author of this bleſſing. Thus begin they their ioy and mirth: for the ioy of the godly is holy and religious: for the matter of their ioy is good and lawfull, the manner withEpheſ. 5. 19. grace in the heart, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, and the end, to ſet forth the Lords glory, of whom with praiſes they make mention. This was the ioy of Moſes and the Iſraelites, of Deborah andExod. 15. Iud. 5. 2. Chron. 20. Luk. 1. Barak, of Iehoſaphat and Iudah, of Zacharie and Elizabeth: for the godly take occaſion from all the good which befalleth them, to be mindfull of the Lord, from whom they know they receiue all bleſſings whatſoeuer they be, and whoſoeuer be the inſtruments thereof to them: with Dauid Pſalm. 103.therefore they ſay, O my ſoule, praiſe thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits! If this bee the ioy of the godly, what wickedneſſe then is it in thoſe, who in their mirth, and in the midſt of Gods bleſſings doe put away the remembrance of God, and the thought of his precepts: ſpirituall ſongs, and gracious ſpeeches marre vtterly their mirth; the preſence of the godly is hatefull to them, and hindereth their merriments; for they cannot reioyce, but in vani…ie▪ their talke is ribauldry, their ſongs wancouneſſe, their laughter madneſſe, and the delight of their hearts meere ſenſuality; the mirth of theſe muſt turne into mourning before they dye, elſe ſhall their muſicke b…e elſe-where weeping, wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth: And here, before I end this, women may learne how to behaue themſelues at the birth of Children, as firſt in prayer, then in praiſes; pray they ſhould for pardon of ſinne, and bewaile, in the womans pangs, original corruption; in the birth, our ſpirituall pollution; and praiſe God they ought for ſafe deliuerance, acknowledging it his mercy and goodneſſe, as theſe doe here. Many things might mooue them hereto, and to be far from the behauiour of ſome, who in ſtead of praiſing God, ſit downe to bee merry, and to ſpend their ſpeeches idly, prating of others, yea, ſometimes in lewd ſlandering of their Neighbours, or in filthy ſcurrility, wherein the Midwife, which ſhould bee a mother of modeſty, is often chiefe; when ſuch ſhould be chaſte, graue and godly matrons, who by their office and godly counſell might doe much good, if they were as they ought to bee; but ſo lewde are ſome of them, as they cannot endure the company of better diſpoſed perſons: Their praiſes ſhould bee like the Midwiues in Egypt, womenExod. 1. fearing God, able to inſtruct, to comfort, to pray vntounto God, and to praiſe him for his goodneſſe.
Which hath not left thee this day without a kinſman.] This is it they bleſſe God for; that God had giuen to Naomi a young kinſeman; a kinſman indeed, which will ſo ſhew himſelfe. Naomi had a kinſman very nigh vntounto her before, Chap. 3. 12. but hee ſhewed himſelfe not like a kinſman, and therefore was here paſſed ouer as no kinſman. For as men in deede ſhew themſelues, ſuch they bee, and ſo are to bee esteemed, otherwiſe they hauehave but a name of a Brother, Father, Kinſman, Friend, Chriſtian, yea, Miniſter, Magiſtrate, and hauehave not the trueth and ſubſtance of ſuch. They be but meerely titular, and glory in ſhadowes, as moſt doe, who are nothing anſwerable to that title and name of nature, of louelove, of fellowſhip, or of office and place, which they are called by, or fettled in. Note further, that it is of God, that the godly poore are not left comfortles of ſome friend, one or other, both able and willing to helpe them. Thus the women here tell Naomi, and doe bleſſe God therefore in her behalfe; for if God ſhould not raiſe them vp ſuccour, who would reſpect them? Becauſe pouerty cauſeth contempt, or neglect at the leaſt, and the religion of the poore is but held counterfeit, and themſelues hypocrites: ſo the world iudgeth of them. And therefore when God raiſeth vp friends to take knowledge of them, and to doe them good, great cauſe hauehave they to bleſſe God, as they here doe, both for hope of ſupply of wants, and alſo preuenting of iniuries, which honeſt poore by ſuch able and good friends are leſſe ſubiect vntounto, then others which want them.
That his name may be famous in Iſrael.] This is the hope they hauehave of this young Obed; and one mercy of God, in giuing this Sonne vntounto this honorable family, is, that he might be renowned among Gods people. Whence note theſe two leſſons: firſt, That much is expected and looked for from the children of great & godly Parents, both in reſpect of the Parents, & alſo of the Childrē. For is it ſuppoſed, that Parēts being godly, will hauehave care to inſtruct, and if need be, to correct their Children, to pray for them, and bee good examples to them, and being great, that they will vſe the beſt meanes, and procure the beſt helps for their good education, and leaue them ſufficient to ſhew forth the fruits of godlineſſe. And if thus Parents doe, who may imagine otherwiſe, till the contrary appeare, but that the Children of ſuch will demeane themſelues as they ſhould? And who can expect but good from Children of godly Parents? Should not the Fathers graces prouoke Children to goodneſſe? and their greatneſſe, to abhorre baſe practices? Good Children will not degenerate from good Parents; whoſe goodneſſe will more perſwade to well-doing, then greatneſſe to make them proud and wicked, as ſome Abſaloms and Eſaus hauehave beene, and yet are, to the griefe of religious Parents, and at length to the ſhame and confuſion of themſelues. Secondly, here may be obſerued, that God giueth Children to the better ſort, great and honorable, that they may become famous amongst Gods people. So conceiued theſe godly women of this Sonne of Boaz; for, indeed, all the bleſſings of riches and honor giuen vntounto Parents, are not only giuen for their owne good, but amongſt other ends, for the better inabling of them to bring vp their family in good order, and eſpecially their Children in the waies of God, for his ſeruice and honour, as they hauehave more meanes to prouoke them thereto. Let therefore ſuch Parents here take ſuch a courſe with their Children, as they may make them, by Gods bleſſing, famous in Iſreal, in Gods Church, and among his people; which they may effect by theſe good meanes. Firſt, by being eueryevery way, and at all times a good example of piety to them, as Dauid was, and Zacharie. Pſal. 101. Luk. 1.Secondly, by inſtructing them carefully in godlineſſe and Religion, as Parents are commanded,Ephe. 4. 4. Prou. 4. and as Dauid did inſtruct Salomon. Thirdly, by ſeeing them ſet to the practice of that which they are taught, and to hauehave an eſpeciall eye thereto. Men teach their Children good manners among men, for ciuill carriage of their outward man, and will ſee therein if they offend, and reprooue them; ſo ſhould they thus ſee to them in their Chriſtian good manners and behauiour towards God and good men, and in eueryevery Chriſtian duty towards all. Fourthly, by ſetling them in ſome particular calling, as Adam the Monarch of the world did his ſonnes; to keepe them from idleneſſe, from being buſiebodies, and from a world of wickedneſſe, which ſuch as liue but of a calling runne into. Fifthly, by reſtraining them from ill company, idle, wanton, prodigall and prophane perſons, and exhorting them to hauehave fellowſhip with ſuch as feare God, alſo with ciuill and honeſt men well reported of, well brought vp, and well diſpoſed vntounto goodneſſe. Sixthly, by commending, countenancing, and encouraging their well doing, both by preſent rewards and promiſes of future good: but if they doe ill, then fatherly to admoniſh at the firſt, to with-hold them from euill by louelove, rather then by ſlauiſh feare; but if this will not preuaile, then to rebuke ſharpely, and to puniſh as the cauſe ſhall require. Thus if Parents would doe, there is no doubt, but by Gods mercy, many mens children of place, may become famous in Iſrael, and not be ſo infamous, as ſome be to Parents ſhame, and their owne ouerthrow.