Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 9
Verſe 9. And Boaz ſaid vntounto the Elders, and vntounto all the people, Yee are witneſses this day▪ that I hauehave bought all that was Elimelechs, and all that was Chilions and Mahlons, of the hand of Naomi.
BOaz heere taketh witneſſe of that which is done: the witneſſes are the Elders and the people; the matter which they are to bee witneſſes of, is the ſale of all the land of Elimelech, Chilion and Mahlon; and the purchaſe thereof at Naomi her hand; the Kinſman reſigning his right to him, that hee might buy it to himſelfe.
And Boaz ſaid vntounto the Elders, and vntounto all the people.] Boaz eſteemeth of the Elders, as men in authority: but yet hee neglecteth not the people, whom alſo hee calleth vponupon to be witneſſes alſo; this was his wiſedome to proo…e louelove of all, as appeareth by their prayer made for him afterwards, verſe the 11. Heere in this verſe and the reſt following, we may ſee the happy ſucceſſe of that which Boaz tooke in hand: for it was a good matter, for a good end, and done in a right manner. Now, when a thing which is lawfull, is taken in hand, and done well, to a right end, there may bee expected a good iſsue: as may bee ſeene in Dauids ſetting vponupon Goliah; it was an honorable attempt, the manner of his proceeding was lawfull, hee waited for it, and had publicke authority to ſet him forward, and the end was Gods glory, and ſafety of Iſrael: for God is with ſuch, and his power ſhall aſſiſt them, and his fauour ſhall giuegive them good ſucceſſe, as hee promiſeth vntounto ſuch. And therefore if wee would proſper, let vsus obſerue theſe things in our attempts: for if the end bee good in thy intendment, and the thing vnlawful, the act is ſinnefull; if the matter bee good, and the end ſiniſter, this marreth the matter: but if the matter and end bee as they ſhould be, yet if the manner be amiſſe, wee may for this miſcarry, as we ſee in Dauids remouing of the Arke. This2. Sam. 6. 6. 1. Chro. 15. 13. 1. Cor. 11. let vsus obſerue in comming to the Word and Sacrament.
Yee are witneſses this day.] Boaz ſaith, that they are witneſſes, for that they ſaw and heard what was done at that time, in that aſſembly betweene him and the kinſman; ſo as we ſee, that what men come for, and are called to ſee and heare, that are they witneſses of: ſo ſaith he, and they alſo confeſſe it, in verſe the 11. By this may wee know who to produce for fit witneſſes in a matter: ſuch as perſonally are ſeers and hearers of that which they teſtifie; and as they bee fit witneſſes, ſo then are they ſound and faithfull, if they will truely and without reſpect of perſon affirme that for truth, which they know to be ſo: for it is one thing to be a fit witneſſe, in reſpect of a mans knowledge; and another thing to bee a faithfull witneſſe, to ſpeake truely what he knoweth. Seeing what we ſee and heare, maketh vsus fit to bee produced for witneſſes, when occaſion ſhall ſerue, let vsus in matters of moment, for vpholding of truth, iuſtice, and peace, obſerue well, what we doe ſee, and heare, that we may be true and faithfull witneſſes, to maintaine truth, iuſtice, and peace, without all partiality.
That I hauehave bought all that was Elimelechs, and all that was Chilions and Mahlons.] Here is ſhewed whereof they were witneſſes: one thing is here ſpecified, the other in the next verſe. This heere is of the purchaſe of land, whereunto hee calleth them to bee witneſſes, for better confirmation of the land, and the right thereof to himſelfe: forDeut. 19. 15. witneſſes are for to eſtabliſh a matter. So wee ſee in Boaz a care to make ſure the eſtate. A wiſe man will ſeeke to make ſure that which hee purchaſeth, as Abraham alſo did, and Ieremie, who had for confirmationGen. 23. Ier. 32. 10, 11, 25. of the land, firſt, the euidence drawne, then, the ſame ſealed; thirdly, the ſame done according to Law and cuſtome: and laſtly, before witneſſes. Thus the Scripture commendeth vntounto vsus a care herein from theſe examples: it is wiſedome and prudence to ſecure our eſtates in the beſt manner, ſo it be iuſt and honeſt: for ſo ſhall wee preuent future contentions, which after might riſe about it. And if euer men had cauſe to looke about them in any age, now they hauehave: for it may be ſaid, as Ieremie ſaid in his time, Take Ier. …. 4.yee heed eueryevery one of his Neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for eueryevery brother will vtterly ſupplant. Heere may bee noted Boaz his vprightneſſe alſo, who deſireth to hauehave others to take notice of his doings, and to hauehave that publike, which ſhould be publike: for an honest mind is deſirous to be publike, where the matter requireth it, as in buying and ſelling of land, in the courſe of iuſtice, in the Miniſtery of the Word, in ſolemnizing of marriage, and ſuch like. It argueth an honeſt intention, not caring who ſeeth it; it will cleare him of the ſlander or ſuſpition of fraud and circumuention. And therefore in ſuch caſes labour to bee publike: for onelyonly they which do euill, or intend it, hate the light: honeſt minds care not who ſeeth them. It is no good ſigne of a good intent, when buyers will marke in ſecret to buy lands of others, of ſuch as bee young prodigals, or old Spendthrifts, or ſuch as muſt ſell for need; for thoſe hope to make a prey, and to get that for a little, which is worth much: but ſuch gaine is vniuſt: and where fraud and oppreſſion is, there will1. Theſ. 4. God be an Auenger. Laſtly, note hence, that it is lawfull for a rich man to buy land of others, when it is offered, as here, when as alſo need is of ſome parcell for a ſpeciall vſe, as Abraham did buy aGen. 23. burying place, and Omri the hill of Samaria: and1. King. 16. 24. when it is for good vſes, as for the maintenanceLeuit. 27. 22. of Gods publike Worſhip, to build an Altar, as Iacob and Dauid did: ſo now to buy land forGen. 33. 19. 2. Sam. 24. maintenance of the Word, for Scholes of learning, for Hoſpitals, and to ſet poore on worke. Againe, hee may buy, to helpe a poore man, that for need muſt make ſale to ſupply his want with money: but ſuch a purchaſe muſt bee made inLeuit. 25. 14, 15, 16, 17, 25. mercy, in great equity, and without oppreſſion, in the feare of God. And thirdly, when the ſaleſman is his kinſman, then to buy, as a friend and kinſman, to preſerue the land in their name, but eſpecially to do the kinſman good, & that in two things: in giuing to the vtmoſt what it is worth, and in being ready at all times to let him redeeme it againe, if euer hee ſhall bee able. Thus may a rich-landed man buy land: but heere hee muſt take heed, firſt, that he intice not others to make ſale of their eſtates, which bee not willing thereto, as Ahab did, which wrought that miſchiefe1. King. 21. 2, 4. which afterwards inſued. Secondly, that hee make not a prey of a poore man, not of anyLeuit. 25. 14. other, which ſtandeth in need to ſell. Thirdly, that hee buy not vponupon a greedy deſire, and an inſatiable couetouſneſſe, to hauehave all about him: forEſai. 5. 8, 9, 10. the Prophet denounceth a woe and iudgements againſt ſuch. Fourthly, that hee buy not in the dayes of a generall calamity, but rather imploy his money in workes of mercy: this was a vertueNehem. 5. 16. in Nehemiah. They therefore erre, who thinke they may buy as much as they can, if they hauehave money, conceiuing no other vſe thereof, but to buy and purchaſe therewith only for themſelues, to make themſelues great. And this reproueth thoſe, which are ſo greedy of buying land, as they runne into the Vſurers bookes, and borrow what they may, to purchaſe, till the vſe of the money eate vp a good part of the land, & themſelues at the laſt become beggers, and ſo leaue their children poore, their friends in bonds, and not a few lenders, perhaps, in the lurch: ſuch is the fruit of greedy couetouſneſſe. But, wee may ſay, as it is lawfull to buy, ſo is it lawfull to ſell. True, of which before ſomewhat is ſpoken already, yet heere a little more of the ſame matter. A man may ſell, to ſuſtaine his pouerty happening by Gods hand, as did the Egyptians; to recouerGen. 47. 18, 20. their liuelihood and health, as did the diſeaſedMark. 5. 25. woman; to pay debts, as did the poore widdow,2. King. 4. 7. to be free from bondage, and to ſaue her life: for goods and lands are for our vſe: and liberty, life, health, and credit are more to bee eſteemed then any lands or poſſeſſions. A man may alſo ſell to others for their need, as Ephron ſold to Abraham Gen. 23. & 33. 2. Sam. 24.a field, Hamor to Iacob, and Araunah to Dauid. And thirdly, for to relieue the want of their brethren, as they did in the Primitiue Church. InAct. 2. 45. and 4. 36, 37. & 5. 1. ſuch caſes may men ſell, but not to vphold prodigality, whoredome, idleneſſe, pride and vanity.
Of the hand of Naomi.] The right, it may ſeeme, of all the lands of theſe three, was in Naomi her hands, when they dyed childleſſe. Thus the Law left her well, as our Law doth many widdowes now, and the louelove of kind huſbands. But that too many widdowes waxe wanton, and doe, in following their luſt and fantaſie, ouerthrow themſelues, and their eſtates too; they follow not this holy and modeſt Matron, who ſought no marriage for her ſelfe in her old age (as ſome with vsus doe, to their ſhame) but ſhee had care for her beloued daughter in law, Ruth. If ſhee had ſuch lands to ſell, may ſome ſay, why liued ſhee ſo poorely, and ſuffered Ruth to goe and gleane, and liue vponupon the almes of Boaz? Naomi had not the poſſeſſion of theſe lands, being ſold away before, but the right firſt to redeeme, if ſhee had beene able, which ſhee put ouer to Boaz, when the Kinſman refuſed to redeeme them, and ſo to helpe Ruth in her marriage.