women: Naomi had not so much as talked of her kindred in Bethlehem, nor till now had she told Ruth that she had a wealthy kinsman; neither had Ruth inquired of her husband's great alliance; but both sat down meekly with their own wants, and cared not to know any thing else, save that themselves were poor. Humility is ever the way to honour. It is a discourtesy, where we are beholden, to alter our dependency; like as men of trade take it ill, if customers, which are in their books, go for their wares to another shop. Wisely doth Naomi advise Ruth not to be seen in any other field, while the harvest lasted. The very taking of their favours, is a contentment to those that have already well deserved; and it is quarrel enough that their courtesy is not received. How shall the God of heaven take it, that while he gives and proffers large, we run to the world, that can afford us nothing but vanity and vexation! Those that can least act, are ofttimes the best to advise. Good old Naomi sits still at home, and by her counsel pays Ruth all the love she owes her. The face of that action, to which she directs her, is the worst piece of it; the heart was sound. Perhaps the assurance, which long trial had given her, of the good government and firm chastity of her daughterin-law, together with her persuasion of the religious gravity of Boaz, made her think that design safe, which to others had been perilous, if not desperate. But besides that, holding Boaz next of blood to Elimelech, she made account of him as the lawful husband of Ruth; so as there wanted nothing but a challenge, and consummation. Nothing was abated but some outward solemnities, which, though expedient for the satisfaction of others, yet were not essential to marriage; and if there were not these colours for a project so suspicious, it I would not follow that the action were warrantable, because Naomi's. Why should her example be more safe in this, than in matching her sons with infidels, than in sending back Orpah to her father's gods? If every act of an holy person should be our rule, we should have crooked lives. action that is reported, is not straightways allowed. courses were very uncertain, if God had not given us rules, whereby we may examine the examples of the best saints, and as well censure as follow them. Let them that stumble at the boldness of Ruth, imitate the continence of Boaz. Every Our These times were not delicate. This man, though great in Bethlehem, lays him down to rest upon a pallat, in the floor of his barn; when he awakes at midnight, no marvel if he were amazed to find himself accompanied; yet, though his heart were cheered with wine, the place solitary, the night silent, the person comely, the invitation plausible, could he not be drawn to a rash act of lust; his appetite could not get the victory of reason, though it had wine and opportunity to help it. Herein Boaz shewed himself a great master of his affections, that he was able to resist a fit temptation. It is no thank to many, that they are free of some evils; perhaps they wanted not will, but convenience. But if a man, when he is fitted with all helps to his sin, can repel the pleasure of sin out of conscience, this is true fortitude. Instead of touching her as a woman, he blessed her as a father, encourageth her as a friend, promiseth her as a kinsman, rewards her as a patron, and sends her away laden with hopes and gifts; no less chaste, more happy than she came. O admirable temperance, worthy the progenitor of Him, in whose lips and heart was no guile ! If Boaz had been the next kinsman, the marriage had needed no protraction, but now that his conscience told him that Ruth was the right of another, it had not been more sensuality than injustice to have touched his kinswoman. It was not any bodily impotency, but honesty and conscience, that restrained Boaz; for the very next night she conceived by him; that good man wished his marriage-bed holy, and durst not lie down in the doubt of a sin. Many a man is honest out of necessity, and affects the praise of that which he could not avoid but that man's mind is still an adulterer, in the forced continence of his body. No action can give us true comfort, but that which we do out of the grounds of obedience. Those which are fearful of sinning, are careful not to be thought to sin: Boaz, though he knew himself to be clear, would not have occasion of suspicion given to others; "Let no man know that a woman came into the floor." A good heart is no less afraid of a scandal, than of a sin; whereas those that are resolved not to make any scruple of sin, despise others' constructions, not caring whom they offend, so that they may please themselves. That Naomi might see her daughterin-law was not sent back in dislike, she comes home laden with corn. Ruth had gleaned more this night, than in half the harvest. The care of Boaz was, that she should not 1 return to her mother empty. Love, wheresoever it is, cannot be niggardly. We measure the love of God by his gifts; how shall he abide to send us away empty from those treasures of goodness! Boaz is restless in the prosecution of this suit, and hies him from his threshing-floor to the gate, and there convents the nearer kinsman before the elders of the city. What was it that made Boaz so ready to entertain, so forward to urge this match! Wealth she had none, not so much as bread, but what she gleaned out of the field: friends she had none, and those she had elsewhere Moabites; beauty she could not have much, after that scorching in her travel, in her gleanings. Himself tells her what drew his heart to her; "All the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman." Virtue, in whomsoever it is found, is a great dowry, and, where it meets with an heart that knows how to value it, is accounted greater riches than all that is hid in the bowels of the earth. The corn-heap of Boaz was but chaff to this, and his money dross. As a man that had learned to square all his actions to the law of God, Boaz proceeds legally with his rival; and tells him of a parcel of Elimelech's land, which, it is like, upon his removal to Moab, he had alienated; which he, as the next kinsman, might have power to redeem; yet so, as he must purchase the wife of the deceased with the land. Every kinsman is not a Boaz; the man could listen to the land, if it had been free from the clog of a necessary marriage; but now he will rather leave the land than take the wife, lest, whiles he should preserve Elimelech's inheritance, he should destroy his own; for the next seed, which he should have by Ruth, should not be his heir, but his deceased kinsman's. How knew he whether God might not, by that wife, send heirs enough for both their estates? Rather had he therefore incur a manifest injustice, than hazard the danger of his inheritance. The law of God bound him to raise up seed to the next in blood; the care of his inheritance draws him to a neglect of his duty, though with infamy and reproach; and now he had rather his face should be spit upon, and his name should be called, " The house of him whose shoe was pulled off," than to reserve the honour of him, that did his brother right, to his own prejudice. How many are there that do so over-love their issue, as that they regard neither sin nor shame in advancing it, and that will rather endanger their soul, than lose their name! It is a woeful inheritance that makes men heirs of the vengeance of God. Boaz is glad to take the advantage of his refusal; and holds that shoe (which was the sign of his tenure) more worth than all the lands of Elimelech. And whereas other wives purchase their husbands with a large dowry, this man purchaseth his wife at a dear rate, and thinks his bargain happy. All the substance of the earth is not worth a virtuous and prudent wife! which Boaz doth now so rejoice in, as if he this day only began to be wealthy. Now is Ruth taken into the house of Boaz; she, that before had said, she was not like one of his maidens, is now become their mistress. This day she hath gleaned all the fields and barns of a rich husband; and that there might be no want in her happiness, by a gracious husband, she hath gained an happy seed, and hath the honour, above all the dames of Israel, to be the great grandmother of a king, of David, of the Messiah. Now is Marah turned back again to Naomi; and Orpah, if she hear of this in Moab, cannot but envy at her sister's happiness. O the sure and bountiful payments of the Almighty! Who ever came under his wing in vain! Who ever lost by trusting him! Who ever forsook the Moab of this world for the true Israel, and did not at last rejoice in the change? CONTEMPLATION V. ILL customs, where they are once entertained, are not easily discharged polygamy, besides carnal delight, might now plead age and example; so as even Elkanah, though a Levite, is tainted with the sin of Lamech, like as fashions of attire, which at the first were disliked as uncomely, yet, when they are once grown common, are taken up of the gravest. Yet this sin, as then current with the time, could not make Elkanah not religious. The house of God in Shiloh was duly frequented of him; oftentimes alone, in his ordinary course of attendance, with all his males thrice a year, and once a year with all his family. The continuance of an unknown sin cannot hinder the uprightness of a man's heart with God; as a man may have a mole upon his back, and yet think his skin clear the least touch of knowledge or wilfulness mars his sincerity. He, that by virtue of his place was employed about the sacrifices of others, would much less neglect his own. It is a shame for him, that teaches God's people that they should not appear before the Lord empty, to bring no sacrifice for himself. If Levites be profane, who should be religious! It was the fashion, when they sacrificed, to feast: so did Elkanah; the day of his devotion is the day of his triumph; he makes great cheer for his whole family, even for that wife which he loved less. There is nothing more comely than cheerfulness in the services of God. What is there in all the world, wherewith the heart of man should be so lift up, as with the conscience of his duty done to his Maker! While we do so, God doth to us, as our glass, smile upon us, while we smile on him. Love will be seen by entertainment; Peninnah and her children shall not complain of want, but Hannah shall find her husband's affection in her portion; as his love to her was double, so was her part: she fared not the worse because she was childless. No good husband will dislike his wife for a fault out of the power of her redress; yea, rather, that which might seem to lose the love of her husband, wins it, her barrenness. The good nature of Elkanah laboured, by his dear respects, to recompense this affliction; that so she might find no less contentment in the fruit of his hearty love, than she had grief from her own fruitlessness. It is the property of true mercy, to be most favourable to the weakest; thus doth the gracious spouse of the Christian soul pity the barrenness of his servants. O Saviour, we should not find thee so indulgent to us, if we did not complain of our own unworthiness! Peninnah may have the more children, but barren Hannah hath the most love. How much rather could Elkanah have wished Peninnah barren, and Hannah fruitful! But if she should have had both issue and love, she had been proud, and her rival despised. God knows how to disperse his favours so, that every one may have cause both of thankfulness and humiliation; while there is no one that hath all, no one but hath some. If envy and contempt were not thus equally tempered, some would be over-haughty, and others too miserable; but now every man sees that in himself which is worthy of contempt, and matter of emulation in others; and, contrarily, |