Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 4
Verſe 4. And I thought to aduertiſe thee, ſaying, Buy it before the Inhabitants, and before the Elders of my people. If thou wilt redeeme it, redeeme it; but if thou wilt not redeeme it, then tell me that I may know: for there is none to redeeme it, beſides thee, and I am after thee. And hee ſaid, I will redeeme it.
BOaz here ſheweth why he telleth the kinſman of Naomi her ſelling of land, to offer him the ſale firſt. In which offer note, Firſt, what the offer is, to buy it; then, before whom. Thirdly, the manner of propounding it, as left free to his choiſe, to redeeme or not to redeeme. Fourthly, the reaſon why offered to him in the firſt place, and that by Boaz. Laſtly, the kinſmans anſwer, taking the offer.
And I thought to aduertiſe thee.] To wit, of the ſale of the land: and this Boaz doth, for that hee had to deale with a worldling, with whom hee would deale plainely, in telling him firſt of that which moſt affected him, and of the earthly commodity, before hee ſpake of marrying Ruth. Whence we may learne, Firſt, that worldlings are carried away most with worldly reſpects: therefore Boaz doth thus begin with the kinſman: for worldlings ſauour onelyonly of the Earth, like Moales which liue in it; and though they now and then come vp out of the Earth, they by and by runne againe into it; they are like the Serpent, whoſe ſeed they bee, liuing vponupon the duſt of the Earth, gold, ſiluer, and tranſitorie goods, the ſight & enioying whereof is to them as food and life; their wiſedome alſo is from below, which is Earthly, making men couetous; and Senſuall, Iames 3. 15.making men delight in beaſtly pleaſures; and Deuiliſh, full of craft, fraud, wicked policie, and ſubtill deuices. This wiſedome below followeth the things of this world, euen the luſts of the eies, which are earthly; the luſts of the fleſh, which are ſenſuall; and pride of life, which is deuiliſh. Therefore let vsus hereby try our worldlineſſe, and whether wee be ſuch as worldlings be, the ſignes whereof bee theſe: Firſt, when we are more moued to doe any thing for profit and againe, then for the Commandement of God, or charitie, or any other motiue by which the godly are drawne on to doe that which they ſhould doe. Secondly, when our hearts are wholly ſet vponupon the world, minding altogether earthly things, which ſheweth that there is our treaſure, becauſe our hearts be there. Thirdly, when we grow more couetous, as riches encreaſe, ſetting our hearts vponupon them.Eſai. 32. 6. Fourthly, when wee ſpeake like worldlings, who can vtter their thoughts freely in theſe earthly matters; but are in ſpirituall matters very blockiſh, if not ſenſeleſſe. Fifthly, when wee bee not liberall-minded; for a liberall perſon is ſet againſtEſai. 32. the niggard and churle, who is called in Hebrew, Nabal, a foole: for ſo is the couetous worldling: alſo Kelai, of a word which ſignifiethforeign to conſume, for that hee waſteth himſelfe in the world, and for the world: by circumlocution he is ſaid to be one greedie of gaine, one that louethProu. 1. 19. Eccleſ. …. 10. ſiluer, and abundance, and is not ſatisfied. The Grecians calleth him Philarguros, one that louethforeign Luke 16. 14. foreign. money; and Pleonectes, one that would hauehave more, neuer contented: and therefore to be couetous and contented, are put as contraries, the one being forbidden, and the other commanded: this is the worldling. Secondly, note, that an honest man dealeth plainely, and not couertly with others in theſe worldly buſineſses. Boaz concealeth not the commoditie, which the kinſman might reape in marrying of Ruth; he propoundeth not her, & cō cealeth this: for an honeſt man hateth fraud and deceit; he doth to others, as hee would that they ſhould doe to him. If therefore we would bee held honeſt, let vsus deale vprightly and plainely with others, with whom we hauehave to doe: for it is ſincerity, it maketh a mans word of credit, and bringeth him into the reputation of an honeſt man: and let this be remembred, that fraud and1. Theſ. 4. deceit God will certainly auenge. Thirdly, note, that albeit man may not deceiue his brother, yet is he to proceed wiſely, to vſe prudence and diſcretion in his affaires: as knowing what to ſpeake firſt, what next: for there is time for all things, as Salomon ſaith, ſo in this alſo. And it is no fraud to vtter one thing before another, and ſo to ſpeake truely to further the matter in hand; to conceale alſo a thing for a time, ſo it be with no ill intent, not to deceiue, or hurt my brother any way, it is not to bee condemned, but rather to bee allowed, as a point of wiſedome and prudence in a man: and therefore may it be obſerued honeſtly and iuſtly, without ſtaine or cracke of credit.
Saying, Buy it before the Inhabitants, and before the Elders of my people.] Both the Elders and people were gathered together, as we may heere ſee, and in verſes 9. 11. Here the Inhabitants are named before the Elders; in the 9. verſe the Elders before them; and in verſe 11. theſe before the Elders againe, as ſhewing how one dependeth vponupon the other, the Elders vponupon the people, and the people on them by mutual relation, one aſſiſting another; the Officers, the people, by their power and authority; and the people theſe by aid and helpe, as they ſhould be commanded: which is peaceable happineſſe in a Common-wealth. In that they bee called Boaz his people, it ſheweth the greatneſſe of this mans power in Bethlehem, as Lord and chiefe Gouernor there; of whoſe greatneſſe I hauehave ſpoken before. He doth heere bring this matter thus into the publicke Aſſembly; for that it was publicke▪ for more peaceable proceeding; for better aſſurance, ratification, and confirmation of the buſineſſe, when it ſhould be concluded there before ſuch Elders, and ſo great Aſſembly of people. Laſtly, becauſe it was to be finiſhed in the gate of the City, by the Law of Moſes; Deut. 25. 7, 8.ſo it was not done in vaine-glory, or from an high ſpirit, but for that reaſon and neceſſity ſo required. Matters of importance are ſo to bee handled for place and perſon, as may best ſerue to end the ſame peaceably without farther adoe, if it may be.
If thou wilt redeeme it redeeme it.] Boaz doth not vrge him, but leaueth him to his choiſe; he telleth him of the land, but vrgeth him not with the Law; becauſe he did not much care, whether the kinſman would redeeme it or no, hauing a deſire to match with Ruth himſelfe. Whence we may obſerue, that there a thing is rather propounded, then heartily vrged, where the mind is not bent to hauehave it effected: that wee vſually leaue to mens choiſe, which we are very indifferent in, not much caring whether it be, or bee not. So doe many preach, propounding the Doctrine of godlineſſe, rather than earneſtly vrging the ſame; becauſe they bee indifferent towards their hearers, not much caring whether they ſerue God or no. By this may the heartie affection or coldneſſe in a cauſe be iudged of. Here note by the way, how the Kinſman the Redeemer was a type of Christ, whoEſai. 59. 20. became, by taking our nature vponupon him, our Brother and Redeemer, who redeemeth vsus, Firſt,Tit. 2. 14. 1. Pet. 1. 18. from ſinne, from a vaine conuerſation, that wee might bee a peculiar people to God, zealous of good workes. Secondly, from our Enemies, thatLuk. 1. 74, 75. we might ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſeGa. 4. 5. all the dayes of our life. Thirdly, from vnderunder the Law, that we might receiue the adoptionGal. 3. 13, 14. of ſonnes. Fourthly, from the curſe of the Law, that the bleſſing of Abraham might come vponupon vsus, and that wee might receiue the promiſe of the Spirit. Fifthly, from the wrath to come, and1. Theſ. 1. 10. ſo to giuegive vsus the Inheritance of Life and Glory.
But if thou wilt not redeeme it, then tell me, that I may know.] Note, Firſt, that a man is either to performe his duetie, or to render vp his right to another that will: for elſe he is as the tree, which keepethLuke 13. the ground barren, and good for nothing, but to bee cut downe, and caſt into the fire. A good leſſon to idle and negligent Miniſters, who ſhould either take paines to teach, or yeeld vp their places to ſuch as would; elſe let them looke for the end of the vnfruitfull tree, and the reward of the vnprofitable, wicked and ſlothfull ſeruant, which was caſt into vtter darkeneſſe, where isMat. 25. 30. weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Secondly, that one man knoweth not the mind of another, till it bee reuealed and made knowne vntounto him, as Boaz acknowledgeth here, and as the Apoſtle teacheth,1. Cor. 2 11. Prou. 20. 17. and Salomon alſo: and therefore are we to bee charitable in cenſuring mens hearts, when wee know not the intent thereof, till it be reuealed, as by words: for of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh: or by workes: for, as our Sauiour ſaith, By their workes you ſhall know them; or by ſignes and tokens; by lookes and geſture: for where the eyes bee loftie, the heart is hautie;Pſal. 131. 1. & 101. 5. and the geſture ſtately, the minde is great. Thus may wee iudge of the mind and heart: for by words, workes, and geſture may they be knowne, and their countenance, ſaith Eſay, doth witneſſe against Eſai. 3. 9, 16.them. And therefore ſhould we looke to theſe, and ſtriue to hauehave an outward carriage comely and decent as befitteth Chriſtians, if we would not hauehave the inward man cenſured and thought euill of.
For there is none to redeeme it beſides thee.] The reaſon why he aduertiſeth the kinſman: for that he was the next, if the other refuſed, and the other had the right before him. An honest and iust dealing man will not enter vponupon another mans right without his leaue, and first acquainting him therewith: for otherwiſe wrong ſhould bee offered to him, which an honeſt man is loth to doe, louelove binding him to doe better vntounto his neighbour, as we ſee by Boaz here; whoſe example let vsus bee willing to follow, as we would be accounted iuſt and honeſt. Againe note, that in the ſale of land, he is to hauehave the firſt offer, who hath a right thereto after the preſent poſſeſſour, before another: if ſuch a one be able and willing to buy the ſame; if either the Law would make him herre, or the bond of naturall louelove ſhould perſwade thereto. In ſo doing, an euen courſe is kept, louelove is obſerued, houſes and families are vpheld, when that which belonged to a familie or kindred, is kept among themſelues, and not alienated vntounto another houſe or ſtocke: which therefore for mens outward name and better ſtrengthning of their familie, is fit to be obſerued.
And I am after thee.] As if he had ſaid, I rather than any other propound this vntounto thee, becauſe if thou wilt not doe thy duety, I will, being the next kinſman. They are most fit to put others in mind of their duety, which hauehave a more ſpeciall reaſon and calling thereto than others, and a mind and abilitie to performe what others doe neglect: for where theſe concurre, as they did in Boaz, the partie admoniſhing cannot iuſtly bee excepted againſt. And therefore let vsus looke whether we, in going to vrge others to their dueties, hauehave a calling by ſpeciall reaſon ſo to doe, elſe may we be condemned for too buſy-bodies; likewiſe whether wee hauehave a conſcience in our ſelues, that we bee not guiltie of vnwillingneſſe to do our duety in that which we preſſe others vntounto, leſt it bee ſaid to vsus, Phyſician, heale thy ſelfe.
And hee ſaid, I will redeeme it.] This ſheweth that hee was a worldling: for this kinſman, after ſo long a famine, had ready money to purchaſe, but not a penny to giuegive to poore Naomi and Ruth, as Boaz did. Boaz was rich, and had wherewith to redeeme the inheritance, but he was mercifull; ſo he was a rich man in the world, but not of it, as a worldling is: for a worldling is one of the world, louing it, ſeeking it with greedineſse, hoarding vp, and ready euer to be buying, but without mercy to the poore, as this Kinſman ſeemed to be. By this, learne to behold a worldling, and a godly rich man; both getters, both full of coyne, both ready to purchaſe, herein they differ not: but the one hath regard to the Law of God, ſo not the other, one hath a mercifull heart to be liberall to the poore, and ſo hath not the other; the one in his purchaſe hath reſpect to the good of his brother, the other regards wholly and onelyonly his owne commodity; for hee is vnſatiable, being like the dry ſandy ground, which drinks vp raine; like the Dropſie, the Horſe-leech, the Graue, and barraine Wombe, which be neuer ſatisfied; no more is the couetous worldling, his encreaſing and getting ſatisfieth him not; but rather maketh him the more greedy of gaine. Which miſerable corruption is much to be bewailed, and happy contentment is to bee ſought after, as the Apoſtle exhorteth.Heb. 13. ….