Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 8
Verſe 8. Therefore the kinſman ſaid vntounto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his ſhoo.
THis is a concluſion of the bargaine betweene them. Shewing what the kinſman both ſpake and did, graunting Boaz libertie to buy it, and obſeruing the cuſtome then amongſt them, to ratifie the ſame, in the reſigning of his right.
Therefore the kinſman ſaid vntounto Boaz.] That is, becauſe he ſaid he could not redeeme it, hee ſaith to Boaz, Buy thou it: and becauſe the cuſtome was ſo, he drew off his ſhoo: for this word therefore hath reference to both clauſes. Heere is a worldly man, yet hee dealeth in the reſigning of his right very honeſtly, and ſo, as by Law and cuſtome, the ſame might be confirmed and made good to Boaz. Hereby we ſee, that ſome men out of common honesty being worldlings, will ſo paſse away their right to another, as it ſhall stand good by Law to them: for they will obſerue in ſuch things morall honeſty; they louelove their credit before men, they care to preſerue ſuch iuſt dealing for their more free commerce with others, and to preuent future troubles, which they might occaſion otherwiſe by any trick of diſhoneſty, when it ſhould appeare. This we find true by experience among our ſelues, which is very praiſe-worthy; and a condemning of ſuch as pretend a greater ſhew of pietie, but hauehave not halfe the honeſty, which ſome ciuill worldly men hauehave: for if wee paſſe an eſtate to any, why ſhould wee not make the purchaſe good to the vtmoſt according to Law? Honeſty and equity requre it at our hands, if wee bee not deceiuers, as ſome be, who make ſale of that which ſecretly they hauehave conueyed to others before: which practice, yea and eueryevery ſuch like deceitfull dealing, is very theft and damned villanie.
Buy it for thee.] Before, the kinſman in verſe 6. willeth Boaz to redeeme it to himſelfe; heere hee ſaith, Buy it: ſo that to redeeme, was to buy theIer. 32. inheritance; of which ſomewhat in the next verſe.
So hee drew off his ſhoo.] Thus hee obſerued the cuſtome, to confirme the right vntounto Boaz. Two things are here done to put ouer his right, firſt, his word, and then his deed: one was not enough to conuey it ouer vntounto Boaz, therefore both are conioyned. So doth the Lord deale with vsus in giuing vsus a right in the eternall Inheritance; he giueth firſt his Word, then, his Deed, ſetting to his Hand and Seale, to confirme his Word, which internally is the Spirit and heanenly graces thereof, externally the Sacraments: ſo that which is bought by Chriſt, is conueyed vntounto vsus. God giueth vsus good aſſurance, as heere the kinſman to Boaz. Good aſsurance is to bee giuen and taken Gen. 23. 18. Ier. 32. 6, 7, 8.in paſsing of right from one to another. It is honeſty on the one ſide, and wiſedome on the other. And therefore heerein let vsus be both honeſt and wiſe. But now for plucking off the ſhoo, wee muſt know that we find it two wayes vſed, religiouſly and ciuilly. Religiouſly, in reuerence to God, as did Moſis and Ioſhua in drawing neereExod. 3. 5. Ioſh. 5. 15. vntounto him: which ſignifieth the putting off of foule and carnall affections, and to draw neere with a pure heart vntounto God: and in witneſſe of great humility, as Dauid did, acknowledging a2. Sam. 15. 30. ſenſible feeling of the heauie hand of God, and his afflicted eſtate then, which by ſinne hee hadEſai. 20. 2. iuſtly brought vponupon himſelfe. Ciuilly: this plucking or putting off the ſhoo was firſt, for conueniencie to waſh the feete▪ next, for confirmation of ſale of land▪ as heere: and thirdly, for diſgrace, when the kinſman would not performe the part of a kinſman, according to the Law of Moſes. Deut. 25. 9.This is not here meant▪ for by the Law, the woman, after ſhe had claimed marriage of the kinſman priuately, then alſo ſhee complained to the Magiſtrate; if the kinſman ſhould refuſe to doe the office of a kinſmā, then is ſhe to plucke off his ſhoo, & ſpit in his face; which ſome expound, to ſpit before his face. But here is a voluntary plucking off of his owne ſhoo: and alſo the former verſe ſheweth it to be a cuſtome touching redeeming and changing; and thereupon the kinſman vſeth it to reſigne his right, and to confirme it vntounto Boaz: & not as an act of diſgrace to himſelfe, for not yeelding to doe the kinſmans part, which was not claimed at his hands by Ruth either priuately or before authority: and therefore I take that this putting off the ſhoo, and that ſpoken of in the Law of Moſes, are not one and the ſame.Deut. 25.