Fuller's Comment on Ruth; with two Sermons on special occasions.   

TWO Sermons:  
The first, COMFORT IN CALAMITY, teaching to Live well.  
The other, THE GRAND ASSIZES, minding to Die well.  
BY THOMAS FULLER, B. D.  
LONDON, Printed for G. and H Eversden, and are to be sold at the Sign of the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard. 1654.   

TO The Right Worshipful, and deservedly Honoured, the Lady ELIZABETH NEWTON, of CHARLETON in KENT.  
MADAM,  
SAint Paul in the first to the Thessalonians, chap. 2. vers. 18. saith unto them, I would have come unto you once and against, but Satan hindered us. I may make use of the former part of his Expression, applying it to my frequent Intentions to visit the Place of your Abode, and bestow some Spiritual pains therein.  
But I must not play Satan with Satan, be a false Accuser, to charge on him the frustrating of my Design, (though generally he be a Backfriend to all good Desires) but must justly impute it to my own manifold avocations.  
May your Ladyship now be pleased to see what you expected to hear, and read what I intended to speak. The first of these Sermons was designed for your Forenoons, the latter for your Afternoons Repast.  
I am confident you will not measure my respect to you to be the less, because the benefit to others may be the greater by publishing thereof; and request you to accept hereof, not as intende● a full payment for my many Obligations unto you, but as tendered in consideration of your forbearance, till I am enabled to express my Gratitude in a greater proportion.  
The Lord bless you in your Self, daily sanctifying your rare natural Endowments with his choicest Graces; bless you in your Sel●e divided, your Worthy Husband; in your Self multiplied, your hopeful Son; and slowly, but surely, terminate your Prosperity here with endless happiness hereafter: The hearty desire of  
Your Ladyships boundant Orator, THOMAS FULLER.   

COMFORT IN CALAMITY.  
A Sermon preached upon a special Occasion in S. Clement's Church in London, near East-cheap.  PSAL. 11. 3. If the Foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 
WE may observe, that David is much pleased with the Metaphor in frequent comparing himself to a Bird, and that of several sorts: first, to an Eagle, Psal. 103. 5. Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles: Sometimes to an Owl, Psal. 102. 6. I am like an Owl in the Desert: Sometimes to a Pelican, in the same Verse, Like a Pelican in the Wilderness: Sometimes to a Sparrow, Psal. 102. 7. I watch, and am as a Sparrow: Sometimes to a Partridge, as when one doth hunt a Partridge. I cannot say, that he doth compare himself to a Dove, but he would compare himself, Psal. 55. 6. Oh that I had the wings of a Dove, for than I would flee away, and be at rest.  
Some will say, How is it possible, that Birds of so different a feather should all so fly together, as to meet in the Character of David? To whom we answer, That no two men can more differ one from another, than the same servant of God at several times differeth from himself. David in Prosperity, when commanding, was like an Eagle; in Adversity, when contemned, like an Owl; in Devotion, when retired, like a Pelican; in Solitariness, when having no company, like a Sparrow; in Persecution, when fearing too much company [of Saul] like a Partridge.  
This general Metaphor of ● Bird, which David so often used on himself, his enemies in the first Verse of this Psalm used on him, though not particularising the kind thereof: Flee as a Bird to your Mountain; that is, Speedily betake thyself to thy God, in whom thou hopest for succour and security.  
Quest. Seeing this counsel was both good in itself, and good at this time, why doth David seem so angry and displeased thereat? Those his words, Why say you to my soul, Flee as a Bird to your Mountain, import some passion, at leastwise a disgust of the advice.  
It is answered, David was not offended with the counsel, but with the manner of the propounding thereof. His enemies did it Ironically, in a gibing jeering way, as if his flying thither were to no purpose, and he unlikely to find there the safety he sought for. However, David was not hereby put out of conceit with the counsel, beginning this Psalm with this his firm resolution, In the Lord put I my trust, how say ye then to my soul, etc.  
Learn we from hence, when men give us good counsel in a jeering way, let us take the counsel, and practise it, and leave them the jeer, to be punished for it.  
Indeed, Corporal Cordials may be invenomed, by being wrapped up in poisoned Papers; not so good Spiritual Advice, where the good matter receives no infection from the ill manner of the delivery thereof. Thus when the chief Priests mocked our Saviour, Math. 27. 43. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he will have him. Christ trusted in God never a whit the less for the fleer and flout which their profaneness was pleased to bestow upon him, Otherwise, if men's mocks should make us to undervalue good counsel, we might in this Age be mocked out of our God, and Christ, and Scripture, and Heaven; the Apostle jude, verse 18. having foretold, that in the last times there should be mockers, walking after their own lusts.  
The next Verse presents an unequal Combat betwixt armed Power, advantaged with Policy, on the one side, and naked Innocence's on the other.  
First, Armed Power: They bend their Bows, and make ready their Arrows, being all the Artillery of that Age.  
Secondly, Advantaged with Policy: That they may privily shoot, to surprise them with an ambush unawares, probably pretending amity and friendship unto them.  
Thirdly, Naked Innocence: If Innocence may be termed Naked, which is its own Armour; at the upright in heart.  
And now in due order succeeds my Text, which is an Answer to a tacit Objection which some may raise; namely, That the Righteous are wanting to themselves, and by their own easiness and unactivitie, (not daring and doing so much as they might and ought) betray themselves to that bad condition. In whose defence David shows, that if God in his wise will and pleasure seeth it fitting, for Reasons best known to himself, to suffer Religion to be reduced to terms of extremity, it is not placed in the power of the best man alive to remedy and redress the same. If the Foundations be destroyed, what can the Righteous do?  
My Text is hung about with Mourning, as for a Funeral Sermon, and contains,  
First, A sad Case supposed, If the Foundations be destroyed.  
Secondly, A sad Question propounded, What can the Righteous do?  
Thirdly, A sad Answer employed; namely, They can do just nothing, as to the point of re-establishing the destroyed Foundation.  
Note by the way, that in Scripture, when a Question is propounded, and let fall again, without any Answer returned thereunto, that it generally amounts to a Negative. Thus saith Thamar, 2 Sam. 13. 13. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? that is, Nowhither: neither City, Court, or Country, will afford me any shelter to cover my shame, or recover my reputation. Prov. 18. 14. But a wounded spirit who can bear? that is, no mere man by his sole self, without God's gracious assistance. Math. 16. 26. What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, ●nd lose his own s●ule? that is, nothing at a●l; w●en he casteth up his Audit, he shall find himself a great loser by the bargain. If the Foundations be destroyed, what can the Righteous do? that is, they can do just nothing; bemoan and bewayl● they may; restore and rebuild they cannot, what is so destroyed.  
Before we go any further, it will be worth our pains to inquire into the time and occasion of this Psalm. But here we are left at a loss▪ and cannot of ourselves recover any certainty, nor meet with others to direct us. The Title of the Psalm is speechless, as to the date and occasion thereof: Nor maketh it, with Zachariah, any signs when, or why composed; only we may be confident, David made it when the Church was in some great affliction, and reduced to a doleful condition.  
For (under favour) I conceive, that the destroyed Foundations mentioned in the Text, relate not so properly to the Civil State as to the Church in Israel. Had this destruction▪ been principally of Temporal concernment, David would have said, What can the valiant Champion, or what can the Politic Statesman do? But seeing the Question is confined to the Righteous, it probably intimates, that the desolation complained of, concerned chiefly the Cause of the Church, Religion, and Religious persons therein.  
If one may offer to make a modest conjecture, it is not improbable this Psalm might be composed on the sad murder of the Priests by Saul, 1 Sam. 22. 19 when after the slaughter of Ahim●le●h the Highpriest, Doeg the Edomite by command from Saul, slew in one day fourscore and five persons which wore a Linen Ephod. I am not so carnal, as to build the Spiritual Church of the jews on the material walls of the Priest's City at Nob, (which then by Doeg was smitten with the edge of the sword) but this is most true, that knowledge must preserve the people, and Mal. 2. 7. The Priest's lips shall preserve knowledge: and then it is easy to conclude, what an Earthquake this Massacre might make in the Foundations of Religion.  
There is some difference in the Translations, even as much as is betwixt the Praeter and Future Tense.  
The Old Translation What have the righteous done?  
The New Translation What can the righteous do?  
We embrace the latter, as confident that those Worthy Translators were led thereunto by sufficient Reasons from the Original, seeing Sextinus Amama, a learned Foreign Critic (but so long living in Oxford, that he perfectly understood the English Tongue) professeth that Translation was done usque ad orbis invidiam. And now we proceed to a Paraphrase upon the words of the Text.  

If.  
It is the only word of Comfort in the Text, that what is said is not Positive, but Suppositive; not Theticall, but hypothetical. And yet this Comfort, which is but a spark, (at which we would willingly kindle our hopes) is quickly sadded with a double Consideration.  
First, Impossible Suppositions produce impossible Consequences. As is the Mother so is the Daughter. Therefore surely Gods holy Spirit would not suppose such a thing, but what was feasible, and possible, but what either had, did, or might come to pass.  
Secondly, the Hebrew word is not the Conditional In, si, si forte, but Chi, quia, quoni●m, because, and (although here it be favourably rendered If) seemeth to import more therein, that the sad Case had already happened in David's days.  
I See ●herefore, that this If, our only hope in the Text, is likely to prove with jobs friends, but a miserable Comforter. Well, it is good to know the worst of things, that we may provide ourselves accordingly: and therefore let us behold this doleful Case, not as doubtful, but as done; not as feared, but felt; not as suspected, but at this time really come to pass.   

The Foundations.  
Positiones, the things formerly fixed, placed, and settled: It is not said, if the Roof be ruinous, or if the side Walls be shattered, but If the Foundations.   

Foundations be destroyed.  
In the Plural. Here I will not warrant my skill in Architecture, but conceive this may pass for an undoubted Truth: It is possible, that a Building settled on several entire Foundations (suppose them Pillars) close one to another, if one of them fail, yet the Structure may still stand, or rather hang, (at the least for a short time) by virtue of the Complicative, which it receiveth from such Foundations which still stand secure. But in case there be a total Rout, and an utter Ruin of all the Foundations, none can fancy to themselves a possibility of that Buildings subsistence.   

What can the Righteous?  
That is, he that would be Righteous, that desires it, that endeavours it, that in God's acceptance through Christ, is interpreted to be Righteous. Otherwise, take the word in the high sense and strict acceptance thereof, for such a one whose Righteousness is of proof against God's sharpest and strongest Justice, and then the Question will not be, What can the Righteous do? but, Where can such a Righteous man be found?   

What can the Righteous?  
The Righteous indefinitely, equivalent to the Righteous universally; not only the Righteous as a single Arrow, but in the whole Sheafe; not only the Righteous in their personal, but in their diffusive capacity. Were they all collected into one Body, were all the Righteous (living in the same Age wherein the Foundations are destroyed) summed up and modelled into one Corporation, all their joint Endeavours would prove ineffectual to the re-establishing of the fallen Foundations, as not being man's work, but only Gods work to perform.   

What Can the Righteous?  
Know here, that the Can of the Righteous is a limited Can, confined to the Rule of God's Word, they can do nothing but what they can lawfully do, 2 Cor. 13. 8. For we can do nothing against the Truth, but for the Truth: Illud possumus, quod jure possumu●. Wicked men can do any thing; their Conscience, which is so wide that it is none at all, will bear them out to act any thing how unlawful soever, to Stab, Poison, Massacre, by any means, at any time, in any place, whosoever standeth betwixt them and the effecting their Desires. Not so the Righteous; they have a Rule whereby to walk, which they will not, they must not, they dare not cross. If therefore a Righteous man were assured, that by the breach of one of God's Commandments he might restore decayed Religion, and re-settle it statu quo prius, his hands, head, and heart are tied up, he can do nothing, because their damnation is just who say, Rom. 3. 8. Let us do evil that good may come thereof.   

Do.  
It is not said, What can they think? It is a great Blessing which God hath allowed injured people, that though otherwise oppressed and straitened, they may freely enlarge themselves in their Thoughts. Surely, if Tyrants might have their will, as the Persian King made a Law, Dan. 6. 7. That none should ask a Petition of any God, or man, save of Darius, for thirty days; so they would enact, That none should think a good thought of any but of themselves; and every Cogitation against their Proceedings should be Actionable and Punishable.  
But blessed be God, thoughts are free in the Courts and Consistories of Man, be they never so bad; no Informer can accuse them, no Person can indite them, no jury can be empanelled upon them, no judge can condemn them, no Sheriff can execute them. God hath made Rehoboth, he hath given room, he hath allowed this liberty to his Servants, to spread forth their thoughts (as Hezekiah did Sennacheribs Letter, 2 King. 19 14.) before the Lord the only searcher of hearts. Think they may; But what can the Righteous do?   

Do.  
It is not said, What can the Righteous say? surely they could say something if it might be heard, Acts 19 39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, In a lawful Assembly, four things concurring to the making thereof.  
1. A free place where's no fear of a forcible surprise.  
2. A competent and convenient time to ●it and furnish themselves to make their just defence; for God's ordianry Servants dare not (for fear of tempting him) rely upon the extraordinary promise (proper to the times of the Primitive persecution) Matt. 10. 19 It shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak: No, now adays, God's best Saints pretend not so much Spirit, but that they must help themselves by premeditation.  
3. An unpartial Judge, not one An●nias- like, Acts 23. 2. which will command Innocence when beginning to plead, to be smitten on the mouth. Truth hath often sought Corners, not as suspecting her Cause, but as fearing such Judges.  
4. A silent, docible and unbiased Auditory; not such as come hither with full intent to carry away the same judgement (how erroneous soever) that they brought hither, misreporting whatso●●er makes against them.  
If the Righteous in an assembly thu▪ constituted, may be heard for themselves, they could plead something for their dear Clients the destroyed Foundations. Otherwise alas, what will it boot the Lark to plead for its life in the claws of a Kite; what will it benefit a Lamb to traverse his innocence in the paws of a Lion, where the foresaid necessary requisites to freedom cannot be obtained? But all they can say (and give loser's leave to speak) though it might conduce much to the easing of their own, and perchance the convincing of their enemy's hearts (if not over-hardned,) yet it contributes nothing to the undestroying of the Foundations, in which case, What can the Righteous do?   

Do.  
It is not said, What can the Righteous suffer? This is the honour of Christians, that when they cannot find Hands lawfully to Act, they will find Shoulders patiently to Bear. The ancient Lutherans before Luther, were called Paterenians, a word that will hardly be reconciled to good Lative, as being barbarous in the Grammar and Extraction thereof. Yet ● believe I may make it Latin sooner than make it English; justify the Etymology of the word, sooner than persuade the the practice thereof, to make it free Denizen of our Nation. They were such people whose backs were Anvils for their Enemy's Hammer to smite upon. We must not suffer the honour of passive Obedience herein to be dead and buried, at least wise we must be mourners at the Funeral thereof. The Righteous can, will, and shall suffer much; but alas if the Foundations be destroyed, What can the Righteous do?  
But now we are met with a Giant Objection, which with Goliath must be removed, or else it will obstruct our present proceedings.  
Is it possible that the Foundations of Religion should be destroyed? Can God be in so long a sleep, yea, so long a Lethargy, as patiently to permit the Ruins ●hereof? If he looks on, and yet doth ●ot see these Foundations when destroyed; where then is his Omnisciency? ●f he seeth it, and cannot help it▪ where then is his Omnipotency? If he seeth it, can help it, and will not, where then is his Goodness and Mercy? Martha said to jesus, Joh. 11. 21. Lord, if thou hadst been ●ere, my Brother had not died. But many will say, Were God effectually present in the World with his aforesaid Attributes, surely the Foundations had not died, had not been destroyed.  
We answer Negatively▪ that it is impossible that the Foundations of Religion should ever be totally and finally destroyed, either in relation to the Church in general, or in reference to every true and lively Member thereof.  
For the first, we have an express promise of Christ, Math. 16. 18. The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Fundamenta tamen stant inconcussa Sionis. And as for every particular Christian, the second of Timothy, 2. 19 Nevertheless, the Foundation of God standeth sure, ●aving this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his.  
However, though for the Reason's aforementioned in the Objections, (the inconsisten●ie thereof with the Attributes of G●ds Omnipotency, omnisciency, and Goodness) the Foundations can never totally and finally, yet may they partially be destroyed, quo●d gradum, in a fourfold degree, as followeth.  
First, in the desires and utmost endeavours of wicked men, 

They bring their  
1. Hoc velle,  
2. Hoc agere,  
3. Totum posse.    
If they destroy not the Foundations, it is no thanks to them▪ seeing all the World will bear them witness they have done their best, (that is, their worst) what their might and malice could perform.  
Secondly, in their own vainglorious imaginations: They may not only vainly boast, but also verily believe, that they have destroyed the Foundations. appliable to this purpose, is that high Rant of the Roman Emperor, Luke 2. 1. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. All the world ● Whereas he had, though much, not all in Europe, little in Asia, less in Africa, none in America; which was so far from being conquered, it was not so much as known to the Romans. But Hyperbole is not a Figure, but the ordinary language of Pride: because indeed Augustus had very much, he proclaimeth himself to have all the world.  
Thus no doubt Herod, Math. 2. was confident he had killed all the Infants in and about B●thleem, and so had sped and dispatched the jewish King amongst the rest, when he safely had escaped his fury.  
Thus the persecuting Emperors conceited themselves to have destroyed all the Bibles in the world, whereof so many were surrendered up unto them by the hands of the Traditores (in plain English Traitors) deputed by the Church to preserve and keep that Treasure; and yet▪ blessed be God, a Remnant was left, from which the Christians at this day have plentifully recruited themselves. Thus Tyrants please themselves, in reporting that they have destroyed all the Foundations of Religion, when haply unhappily they have partly ruinated some of them.  
In such a case, no wonder if Fame (the Parasite-Generall of Greatness) trumpets forth the Triumphs of Tyrants in the largest dimensions. Absalon is said to have killed all the King's sons, 2 Sam. 13. 30. when indeed only Amnon was slain. Thus Flattery will make the most of Fury's achievements, and by a Synecdoche of the whole for a part, all the Foundations shall be reported to be destroyed.  
Thirdly, the Foundations may be destroyed as to all outward visible illustrious apparition. The Church in Persecution is like unto a Ship in a Tempest; down go all their Masts, yea, sometimes for the more speed, they are forced to cut them down: not a piece of Canvas to play with the Winds, no Sails to be seen; they lie close knotted to the very Keel, that the Tempest may have the less power upon them: though when the Storm is over, they can hoist up their Sails as high, and spread their Canvas as broad as ever before. So the Church in time of Persecution feared, but especially felt, loseth all gayness and gallantry which may attract and allure the eyes of beholders, and contenteth itself with its own secrecy. In a word, on the Work-d●yes of Affliction she weareth her worst Clothes, whilst her best are laid up in her Wardrobe, in sure and certain hope that God will give her a holy and happy Day, when with joy she shall wear her best Garments.  
Lastly, they may be destroyed in the jealous apprehensions of the best Saints and servants of God, especially in their Melancholy Fits: I will instance in no Puny, but in a Star of the first magnitude and greatest eminency, even Elijah himself complaining, 1 Kings 19 10. And I, even I only am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.  
Where had Elijah lived? Did his intelligence or intellectuals deceive him, to be thus mistaken? His intelligence! So conversant with God's servants, as to know none of them, but merely to conceive, that the whole species of God's people was conserved only in his individual self? Surely, the fault was rather in his intellectuals, and that only for the present his passion at this time imposed on his judgement, and betrayed him to mistake. The clearest apprehension may lose its way, in the midst of excessive Joy, Love, Grief, Fear, both the last meeting in Elijah. Still God had seven thousand hearts belonging to him, whose knees never bowed unto Baal: probably some of them might be known to Elijah, but for the present forgotten by him.  
Whence we observe, first, ●hat no under-Officer (such as Elijah was) in the Army of the Church Militant, knoweth the List of all the Names of those, who at the same Time, and in the same Place, serve therein, but only God the General, and Christ the lieutenant-general of the Army.  
Secondly, as concealed Lands belonged anciently to the King, so many a close, secret, and unsuspected Christian (especially in times of Persecution) belongs only to the God of Heaven.  
But some will say, Why doth God suffer the Foundations to come so near to be destroyed? Is it not at the best some diminution and abatement of his Goodness? Why will he not prevent this gradual destruction of the Foundations, which so much grieveth the godly, and giveth occasion to t●e wicked to triumph? I answer, this is done for several Reason's concealed in the Breast and Bosom of Divine Providence, and for some Reasons known and communicated to men; three whereof in humility and modesty are here presented unto us.  
First, to give occasion to Christians to exercise their Winter●Graces; I count some Summer-Graces in their hearts, namely such, the principal use whereof is in the time of their Prosperity, as Humility, Moderation, etc. others are Winter-Graces, as Patience, Contentment, etc. I confess, that Thankfulness is seasonable Summer and Winter, Ephes. 5. 20 Giving of thanks always for all things: like Holly and Ivy, green all the year long, it is constantly in the prime thereof. However, that the aforesaid Winter Graces, and especially Patience may have her perfect work, James 1. 4. no whit abortive in the time, or defective in the members thereof, God in his wisdom will permit that the Foundations may be gradually destroyed.  
Secondly, God permitteth the enemies of Religion to achieve such a destruction, that plumped up with their own success, they may at the last be the fuller Sacrifice to his Justice. For as he feedeth himself daily on the punishment of lean and common Offenders, so his Justice sometimes taketh state to feast itself as King Solomon, 1 Kings 4. 23. on faited Fowl, on men larded with thriving and batling in their own villainies, Psal. 119. 70. Their heart is as fat as grease. Abel offered to God, Gen. 4. 4. of the fat of his Flock. God in like manner sometimes is delighted to offer to himself the fattest Malefactors, fed in the Stall of succeeding wickedness.  
Thirdly, God permitteth the Foundations to be destroyed, because he knows he can un-destroy them; I mean rebuild them in what minute and moment he pleaseth himself. It is no Policy for men to suffer growing evils to increase, because suddenly they may start past help and hope. Thus it is not good to dally with danger, and delay with Diseases; Venienti occurrite morbo; it is no wisdom for men to suffer a House to run long to ruin, lest it prove past repair. But nullum tempus occurrit Deo, all times are equally easy for God to recover his Right, and sometimes are more for his Honour, namely, when he interposeth his Power to his greater Honour and Glory, in that seasonable minute and moment, when men say it is past hope, and give up all for desperate, yea, for lost and destroyed.  
Come we now to that Point which we conceive both pertinent to the Text, and profitable for our Times, namely, to give advice how people should behave themselves, if God should for their sins condemn them to live in a Time and Place wherein the Foundations of Religion (so far as they are destroyable) should be destroyed.  
Be it here premised, that nothing herein is spoken out of reflection to the present Times, to fill the heads or hearts of people with Jealousies of any Design as if intended at the present to blow up the Foundations of Religion. And yet give me leave to say, that some months since had we gone on the same pace we began, a f●w steps farther would have brought all to a sad Condition; so that the Lawyers might even have dr●wne up the Will of expiring Divinity, and the Divines performed the Funerals of dying Law in this Nation. But blessed be God, that since that time Con●usion is confounded, and some hopes given of a better Condition. In a word, if Religion be no whit the nearer to the making, in all probability it is something the farther from the undoing thereof.  
However, grant Religion were in never so peaceable and prosperous an estate, yet the sad Subject we now in●ist on, could not be unseasonable. All Spiritual Me●t is not to be bought up, and brought in, for our present spending and feeding thereon, but (as good Husbands) we are to powder up some for the time to come. And seeing none of us know what is to come, and all of us deserv● the worst that may be, it will not be amiss to arm ourselves with Counsels and Cautions, in case God should give us to live in an Age wherein the Foundations are destroyed.  
First, Enter a Silent Protestation in the Court of Heaven, of thine own Integrity, as to this particular, That thou hast not willingly consented to the destroying of the Foundations of Religion.   

I say, Silent.  
IT is David's counsel, Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your heart upon your Bed, and be still. There may be danger in making a loud Protestation; it may be interpreted, to be the Trumpet to Sedition.  
Secondly, it may be quarrelled at, as tasting of the Leven of the Pharisees, which is Hypocrisy, for men to make a public confession of what may seem to tend to the sinful praising (though indeed it be but the needful purging) of themselves.   

A Silent Protestation.  
Nothing more difficult, then in dangerous Times for Innocence itself to draw up a Protestation with all due Caution, so as to give her Adversaries no advantage against her. If it be laid too low, the Protestor destroys his own innocence, and may be accessary to the robbing himselve of his due, and so may die Felo de se▪ of his own integrity. If it be drawn up too high, with swelling expressions, the Protestor may expose himself to just Censure, as a Libeler against that Authority before which he entereth his Protestation. We cannot therefore be too wary and too cautious▪ in the making thereof▪ to observe the Golden Mean betwixt both extremes. For the better effecting whereof, we will weigh every word in the Counsel propounded.   

In the Court of Heaven.  
And that for a double Reason: First, because it is a standing Court, no danger that it will ever be put down: secondly, because it is a just Court, no suspicion that any Corruption can ever prevail therein.   

Of thine own Integrity.  
He that hateth Suretyship is sure, saith Solomon, Prov. 11. 15. Break not thyself, by undertaking more than what thou art able to perform. Man may have not only a charitable opinion (due from us to all, of whom the contrary doth not appear) but also a confident presumption of the goodness of such with whom they have had a long and intimate familiarity. Yet all this amounts not to that certainty, to embolden one to undertake a Protestation in their behalf, which he ought to confine to himself, of whom alone, and that scarcely too, (by reason of the deceitfulness of man's heart above measure) he can have any competent assurance, Thine own Integrity.   

As to this particular.  
Confess thyself in other things a notorious sinner, guilty of sins of Omission, Commission, Ignorance, Knowledge, Presumption, Despair, against God, thy Neighbours, thyself, in thought, in word, in deed. We read of the Daughters of Zelophe●ad, that they pleaded before Moses, and gave this Character of their dead Father, Numbers 27. 3. Our Father died in the Wilderness, and he was not amongst the assembly of them that were assembled against the Lord, in the company of Korah, but died in his sin. Meaning, that he was none of those Mutineer, not eminently notorious for Rebellion; only being a sinful man, as all are, he was mortal with the rest of his kind.  
What a comfort will it be, if one can truly avouch it in his Conscience to the searcher of hearts; Lord, I acknowledge myself a grievous sinner, yet I appeal to thee, that I have not been active in the destroying of the Foundations of Religion, but opposed it as much as I might; and when I could do no more, was a Mourner in Zion for the same?   

That thou hast not willingly consented.  
Where know to thy comfort, that God keeps a Register in Heaven of all such who do, or do not consent to any wicked action: And if we may prosecute the Metaphor after the manner of men, we may say, On the one side of the Book are set down the Names of such who concurred and consented to Wickedness. On the other side such are recorded, who were on the Negative, and by their suffrages did descent from the same.  
Thus we find it written, to the eternal commendation of joseph of Arimathea, Luke 23. 51. He did not consent to the counsel and deed of them who betrayed our Saviour.   

Not willingly.  
Be it here observed, that men's Bodie● may be forced to countenance that with their corporal presence, which their Souls doth both reluctate at, and remonstrate against. One eminent instance whereof we have, jerem. 43. 5. For in the foregoing Chapter, johanan the son of Kareah came to jeremiah, pretending desire of advice from him, and promising to conform himself to his Counsel in that great Question of importance, Whether he with the Remnant of Israel should go down into Egypt? jeremiah dissuades them from that Journey, as contrary to the will of God, and threateneth them, in case they undertook the same.  
However, we read in the next Chapter, verse 4. That this johanan, the son of Kareah, and all the Captains of the Forces, were not content to carry down the Remainder of the Captivity into Egypt, but also they took jeremiah the Prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah, along with them, for the more credit of the matter, to wear them for a countenance of their wicked Design. Captains of the Forces indeed they were; and here they showed a Cast of their Office, violently to force two aged per●ons, contrary to their own intentions and resolutions.   

Egregiam verò laudem & spolia amplae refertis.  
Go Cowardly Tyrants, erect Trophies to your own Victories, make Triumphs of your own Valour: A great matter of Manhood, a Noble Conquest, to compel poor Ierem●ah the Prophet, and painful Baruch his Scribe (each of them by proportionable computation, above sixty years of age) to return into Egypt, whilst their Minds, with a contrary motion to their Bodies, went back to (or rather never removed from) the Land of Israel. An eminent Instance, that men's Bodies may sometimes be forced to do that which their Souls do detest.  
Secondly, we except such (from willing consenting) as have been fraudulently circumvented instrumentally to concur to the destroying of Foundations, clean contrary to their own desires and intents, as erroneously conceiving they supported the Foundations, when really they destroyed them. This commonly cometh to pass, by having men's persons in admiration, Judas 16. So that possessed with the opinion of their Piety, they deliver up their Judgements as their Act and Deed, signed and sealed ●o them, to believe and practice, without denial, doubt, or delay, whatsoever the others shall prescribe. Yet, upon the confession of the faults of such seduced people, God will forgive them, taking off the Load from them, and laying it upon their seducers, pitying those innocents' who charitably counted others better than they were, and punishing such hypocrites who really were worse than they seemed.  
We read, Deut. 21. 1. If a man be found slain in the Land, lying in the field, and it be not known who slew him; the Elders of the next City what should they do? (It is not said, they should all meet together, and lay their hands on the dead Corpse, and it should bleed when the Murderer approached unto it. This sometimes happeneth, but is not (especially alone) to be relied on; scarce a Presumption, no Demonstration.) But after the offering of a solemn Sacrifice, these words were to be pronounced by them: Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge, and the blood shall be forgiven them. In like manner we are confident, that God in his goodness will remit their guilt (on their prayers, and pleading the Merits of Christ sacrificed) which merely have been drawn in instrumentally to destroy the Foundations, and have not willingly, wittily, or wilfully had a hand in the kill thereof.  
Secondly, Keep up the destroyed Foundations in thine own House.  
It was a worthy Resolution of joshuahs', Josh. 24. 15. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  
Some will say, What is meant here by House?  
I answer; the fourth Commandment, Exod. 20. 10. will expound it: Thou and thy S●nne, and thy Daughter, thy Manservant, and thy Maidservant (Cattell being irrational, belong not hereunto) and the stranger that is within thy gates. Stranger? He that partakes under the Roof of thy Protection, must submit to the Rule of thy Devotion.  
It may be objected, Why no mention of the Wife herein?  
It is answered, The Wife is part of the Husband, comprised in him, as a parcel of Thou. Gen. 1. 27. So God created Man in his own Image, in the Image of God created he Him, male and female created he Them. Why Him and Them? Why is the Number altered? It is a sad Family, wherein this Doubt is not daily cleared. Man and Wife (though plural in persons) are in affection one flesh; and being but one, good reason why the Result of them both should be styled Him, and not Her, denominated from the more Noble Gender.  
But to return to joshua and his worthy Resolution, I and my House will serve the Lord; namely, Himself, his Wife, his Children, his Servants: Surely, he had all these his Relations, and all these his Relations had real Piety in them, at leastwise they seemingly pretended it, and joshua charitably believed it: yet I confess we meet not in Scripture with any of their Names; whereas we hear often of judas in the Gospel, and daily of Pontius Pilate in the Creed. How far better is it to have our Names written, Philippians 4. 3. in the Book of Life, then to be but barely recorded in the outward letter of the Scripture!  
Thirdly, If thou canst not keep it up in thine own House, keep it up in thine own Chamber.  
It is said, Nehemiah 3. 30. wherein several persons re-edified the walls of jerusalem, after him repaired Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, over-against his Chamber. It is probable, that this Meshullam was no Housekeeper, but only a Lodger; yet repairing his part, facilitated the whole. Let every own endeavour at leastwise to keep up the Foundations in his own Chamber, betwixt himself and other self.  
Fourthly, If thou canst not keep it up in thine own Chamber, keep it up in thine own Conscience.  
The Prophet's Counsel must be practised, Micah 7. 5. Trust ye not in a Friend, put ye not confidence in a Guide, keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy Bosom.  
Fifthly, Remember the days of Gods Right Hand, and feed upon the comfortable memory of what is past.  
He that hath not hot Meat to feed upon, may make cold Meat, well hea●, wholesome nourishment▪ If the present Times afford us not contentment, let us with comfort ruminate on those days of Gods Right H●nd; namely, wherein he hath vigorously and effectually discovered himself for his own Honour and his people's Comfort. Psal. 77. 1. I will remember the years of the Right Hand of the most High: David being then in an Agony, and ready to despair.  
Sixthly, Pray heartily and trust faithfully in the Power and Providence of the God of Heaven.  
Here it will not be amiss to insert a memorable Story, appliable to our occasion.  
There were at the same time two Princes in Germany, neighbouring in their Dominions, and of the same Name, though much different in their Power and Puissance; namely, Frederick, Duke of Saxony, of the greatest Command of any next the Emperor. Frederick, Bishop of Magdenburgh (inferior to few Prelates in Germany) but utterly unable, without his apparent ruin, to contest with the foresaid Duke.  
Now, as Luther in his Comment on the 228 Psalm, briefly summeth up the matter to this effect:  
The Duke pretended a Ti●le to some Towns in the Bishop's possession, denounced War against him next Spring, in ●●se Restitution was not made before that time. Withal he sent a secret Agent to mark the Bishop's motions, and what preparations he made for his defence.  
The Agent cunningly wrought himselve into the Bishop's acquaintance, and wondering to see him make no Warlike Provision against the time appointed, presumed at last to inquire of him the reason of so great neglect.  
The Bishop returned this Answer, That he never intended any Martial resistance, counting it madness to fight against him, where's no human probability to conquer; Mustering of men in this case, was but casting away so many into the Gaghs of Death. This he was resolved on, to Pray, to Preach, to visit the Churches in his Diocese, leaving the event of all to God, to defend the innocence in his Cause.  
Politicians, I know, will censure his Design as silly and weak, which others will behold under a better notion of honest and pious: sure I am, it is most appliable to our purpose. When the godly sadly behold the Foundations of Religion destroyed, (so far forth as they are destroyable) they make no provision of themselves to set them up again, as sufficiently assured it is passed their power, above their strength, it will cost more, so that they must let it alone for ever. Only this they do, they will faithfully, and fervently, and constantly pray to God, (whose Glory is concerned in the C●use as much, and more than their Good) in his own due time to work out his own Honour, and settle the Foundations on their true Basis again.  
Lastly, Reflect with Comfort upon the words that follow my ●ext, wherein there is crowded as much Consolation, as the scantling of so few words can receive, Verse 4. The Lord is in his holy Temple.   

The Lord.  
Notwithstanding all these Distempers and Disasters, God is not un-Lorded: He is not degraded from his Dignity, but remaineth still in full Possession, and Power, what he was before.   

The Lord is.  
Say not, he was, which all must confess; or will be, which the godly do hope: but the Lord IS in actual being. But, where is He, say some? Surely, in some mean and obscure place, where he maintaineth no Majesty or Magnificence. O no; He is in his Temple, the eminent place of his Residence. But this his Temple is profaned and unhallowed, leveled in the Dignity thereof to ordinary places. Indeed, if some men might have their will, it should be so: but He is in his holy Temple. In a word, God is not un-Lorded, this Lord is not un-Templed, this his Temple is not unhallowed; and notwithstanding all wicked men's endeavours to destroy the Foundations, the Lord is in his holy Temple.  
FINIS.    

THE GRAND ASSIZES.  
A Sermon preached at Saint mary's in Cambridge.  REVEL. 20. 12. And the Books were opened. 
THere is not in all the Scripture a more lively representation of the last Judgement, then in this and the parallel Chapter of the Prophecy of Daniel▪ Four grand Observables present themselves therein.  
First, Verse 11. I saw a great white Throne: Throne, there is Majesty; Great, there is Magnificence; White, there is Integrity; no spot of Injustice, no spark of Partiality shall stain the Purity of that Day's Proceedings. God grant, that this Throne, White in itself, and White in relation to him that sitteth thereon, may prove White to us, that our innocence thereat in Christ may be cleared, and our souls with joy comforted and completed. Otherwise, though the Throne be White, the Day will prove to guilty Offenders, as it is described, joel 2. 2. A Day of Darkness, and of Gloominess, a D●y of Clouds, and of thick Darkness.  
Secondly, The Earth and the Heaven fled away from his face that sat on the Throne: Wherein had the harmless Heaven and innocent Earth offended, that should cause the flight? What if the Heathen had superstitiously worshipped the Host of Heaven? the Heavens purely passive therein had never consented thereunto. What if the Earth had brought forth Thorns and Thistles? she did it not willingly, but cursed and commanded by God, Gen. 3. 18. so to do. Alas, both Heaven and Earth were conscious to themselves of comparative impurity, and fled like Dross from his Face who is a consuming fire. See here how poorly the wicked are helped, when they Petition the Mountains to fall upon them and cover them. Fall upon them; that is Improbable. Cover them; that is Impossible. Ill are the Mountains able to protect them, when the whole Earth cannot defend itself; cannot make good it's own Station, but flieth away.  
Thirdly, john saw the Dea●, Small and Great stand before God. Here the extremes, Small and Great, are expressed, whilst those of middle seized condition betwixt them are employed. men's Nets commonly are so cast▪ the great Fishes break through the Threads, and little Fishes creep through the holes; whilst God's Drag-net is so large, so strong, so advantageously cast, neither Great nor Small can escape it. I saw the Dead, Small an● Great.  
But why is there here no mention of the Living? our Creed, according the Analogy of Faith, teaching us that God shall judge the Quick and the Dead.  
I Answer, S. john only took notice of them who were most numerous, and that which was most miraculous. Most numerous, the living at the last day being inconsiderable in number to the dead, as being only the product of one Generation. Most Miraculous. It is usual and ordinary to see the living arraigned every Assizes and Sessions; but for the Dead to appear before the Judges, is most strange, and therefore only noted by the Apostle.  
The Fourth Observable in the words of my Text; And the Books were opened.  
We read of King William, called the Conqueror, that he caused a Survey-Booke to be made of all the Demesne Lands in England, which he no l●sse proudly and profanely then falsely termed D●omesday-Booke; yet was not the same unpartially performed, some Lands being rated above, and others beneath the true value thereof. Behold here the true Doomsday Books, done without fear or favour, wherein all men's actions were unpartially recorded; And the Books were opened.  
The words are a Metaphor borrowed, say some, from Mercatorie transactions betwixt Buyer and Seller, where the Debts are Booked: taken, say others, from judicial Proceedings, where the Indictments of Malefactors are written and read before the judge; and this bears best proportion with the Context.  
Take notice herein of the low condescension of the high God of Heaven, speaking after the manner of men. Should God speak of himself as he is, his expressions would be as incomprehensible as his Essence. What then is to be done in this case, to make man capable of God's discourse? Either man must be mounted up to Heaven, a perfection in this Life unattainable, or God of his goodness may be pleased to stoop unto Earth, which by him is graciously performed. Let us not therefore think the lower of his Greatness, but the higher of his Goodness. Let no Preachers count it a diminution to their Learning, a degrading to their Language, to humble themselves to the Capacities of their Auditories, having so good a Precedent; God the Father, as I may say, incarnating himself in his humane expressions: And let people listen the more attentively to God's language herein. When the jews heard, Acts 22. 2. that S. Paul spoke in the Hebrew (that is, in their own) Tongue unto them, they kept the more silence: Seeing God descends to our Dialect, let us attend with the more earnestness to what is spoken; And the Books were opened.  
All Metaphors in Scriptures must tenderly be touched, lest (as the wring of the Nose bringeth forth blood) they ●e tortured to speak beyond and against their true intention. But Metaphors from God's mouth, speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, must be handled with much moderation, lest in the prosecution thereof we come into the suburbs of Blasphemy. Where Discretion adviseth us to be cautious in others, Devotion command's us to be timorous in following such Metaphors. However, we may safely tread in the steps of the Scripture, and use such phrases as we find● therein.  
In the words we may observe five Doctrines; all which, like the Links in a Chain, depend one upon another.  
First, God writes down and records 〈◊〉 actions of me● on Earth.  
Secondly, Actions thus written are not trusted in loose Papers, but bound up.  
Thirdly, Actions thus bo●nd up, 〈◊〉 not only to one, but make many Books.  
Fourthly, Books thus made are not presently opened, but for a time kept secret and concealed.  
Fifthly, Books thus concealed shall not be concealed for ever, but in due time shall be opened.  
I intent not a particular prosecution of all these parts; only I will make a Decoction of them all, so to make them more Cordial into one Staple Doctrine, when first we have explained something necessary thereunto.  
God his writing down of the actions of Earth, proce●deth not from his want of Memory, as if he intended to make use of his Notes for the benefit thereof. There be two expressions like in sound, yet so different in sense, that applied to God, the one importeth Blasphemy, the other sound Divinity, namely, Ancient, and Old. God is termed in Daniel, The Ancient of Days, expressing his everlasting continuance from all Eternity: But Old he cannot be termed, as appropriated ●o Creatures, (they wax old, as doth a Garment) and carrying in it more than an 〈◊〉 of impairing and decay. God hath all the perfections of Age, Knowledge, Gravity, Wisdom, without the infirmities thereof, Weakness, Frowardness, Forgetfulness.  
Wherefore he reciteth down men's Actions, not out of any necessity to help himself to remember them, but partly out of State, (as joseph made use of an Interpreter, though understanding his Brother's language) partly, that the producing the ●ame in Evidence at the Last Day, may silence and confound the more impudent Malefactor.  
These Actions thus written, amount to many Books, and we find seven several Books mentioned in the Scripture.  
First, the Book of Life, whereof frequent mention in God's Word, Phil. 4. 3. Whose Names are in the Book of Life. This containeth a Register of such particular persons, in whose salvation God from all Eternity determined to have his mercy glorified, and for whom Christ merited Faith, Repentance, and Perseverance, that they should repent, believe, and be finally saved.  
Secondly, the Book of Nature. This mentioned by David, Psa●. 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy Book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.  
Thirdly, the Book of Scripture, and here behold it; and happy were it for us, could we but as zealously practise it in our hearts, as we can easily hold it in our hands.  
Fourthly, the Book of Providence, wherein all particulars are registered, even such which Atheists may count trivial and inconsiderable, Math. 10. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered: And where is their number summed up? Even in the Book of God's Providence.  
Fifthly, the Book of Conscience. This Book is Gods, as the tr●e Owner and Proprietary thereof; yet so, as he dareth it to man in this Life, to make use thereof.  
Sixthly, the Book of men's Actions. Hence that frequent expression in Scripture, Psalm 51. 9 And blot out all mine iniquities: intimating, that all our ill deeds are fairly written, till God in Christ doth cross or delete them. And if our ill deeds be registered, surely our good deeds be recorded; God not being like those envious and ill-natured persons; who only take notice of what is bad, pass by and neglect what is good in another.  
Seventhly, the ●ooke of men's Afflictions. Some account this only a distinct Tome, or Volume, of the former Book; others, an entire Book of itself, Psal. 56. 8. Thou 〈◊〉 my s●ittings, put my tears into thy Bottle; are no● all these things written in thy Book? And if the white tears of God's servants be bottled up, surely the red tears are not cast away; but their innocent blood causelessly shed, shall (though slowly) yet surely and severely be punished on the causers thereof.  
These Books are for a time concealed, and not opened till the Day of judgement. First, because some of them are not finished and completed till that time; Finis is not as yet affixed unto them: and it is absurd, that a Book should be published before it is perfected. The generations of mankind continuing till th● Day of judgement, such Volumes as concern the Quick at that Day, are not ended till that Day. Secondly, God conceals them for a while, until the Day of judgement, that then his own Honour may be the more advanced, and his enemies the more confounded at the unexpected opening of these Books.  
The main Doctri●e is this: All men must at the Last Day be tried, so as to be saved or condemned by the Books. Th● truth hereof will appear, by an induction of all mankind, which fall under a general Division of Pagans and Christians.  
Be it here premised, That all Mortality shall be tried by one of these two Statutes, either the Statute of Infidelity, or the Statute of unconscionableness. The former we have set down, Mark 16. 16. He that believeth, and is baptised, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. By this Statute shall no Heathen man be tried, because God is not so austere, (however others may accuse him) to reap where he did never some. Invincible Ignorance shall so far excuse them, that it shall never be charged on their Account, that they never believed, who never had the means conducing thereunto.  
The second Statute, is the Statute of unconscionableness, expressed Romans 2. 14, 15. For when the Gentiles, who have not the Law▪ do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves. Which show the works of the Law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. Now b● this Statute shall all Heathen be tried, that they have been wanting to that light of Nature bestowed upon them.  
In proof whereof, we divide the Heathen into Heathen Heathen, and Civilised Heathen. By the former we understand those pure-impure Pagans, who are merely wild, without any Art or Learning, to cultivate or instruct them. The Southern point of Africa is known to Mariners passing thereby, by the Name of the Cape of Good Hope, which in relation to the Natives inhabiting thereabouts, may more truly be termed the Cape of sad Despair; for they are but one Degree, or Remove, from brute▪ beasts. Yet even these have more Light than they have Heat, and their Natural Understanding dictates unto them many clear and strait Rules, from which their dark and crooked practice doth swerve and decline. For although the Moral Law may be said to be written in them, (to use the phrase of a Critic) literis fugi●ntibus, in dull and dim Characters; partly, because in a great measure obliterated at the first by Original Corruption, at the Fall of Adam; partly, because defaced since, and fretted out with the Rust and Canker▪ of Barbarism, (contracted by l●ng Custom in several degenerating G●nerations:) Ye● still so much of the Moral Law remains legible in their hearts, as may convince their practice to be contrary thereunto. In a word, though they come farr● short of other refined Heathen in knowledge, yet their knowledge (as little as it is) goeth far beyond their performances: so that justly they may be condemned, when the Books are opened, on the Statute of unconscionableness.  
Civilised Pagans succeed; such, who by Art and Education (as anciently the Grecians and Romans, and at this day the Persians and Chinois) have scoured over the dim inscription of the Moral Law, that it appeareth plain unto them. Such were Socrates the Pagan Martyr, (put to death for asserting one God) Diogenes the Heathen Hermit; Plato, their Moses, who saw the back parts of God in the Doctrine of his Ideas; Regulus, their Abraham, so famous for his Faith (though but a Moral one) kept with the Carthaginians; Titus Vespasian, their josiah, who wept at the consideration of the sins of the jews, and God's severity at the sacking of the Temple in jerusalem. Verily I say unto you, I have not found so much civil performance, no, not amongst many professing themselves to be Christians: Such wise Sovereigns, such loyal Subjects; such valiant Generals, such worthy Soldiers; such loving Husbands, such dutiful Wives; such provident Parents', such obedient Children; such equal Masters, such faithful Servants; such constant Friends, such courteous Neighbours; that they discharged all Moral Relations, to the admiration, yea, envy of all Beholders.  
Yet even the best of these, in the strictness of God's Justice, may be condemned when the Books are opened. For, grant that in some particular actions they may be said morally to supererogate, even overdoing in goodness what was required at their hands, yet in other things they were defective, and fell short of the just measure of God's Commands, according to the Moral Light manifested unto them. That servant doth not his Master's will, who being commanded to shut all the doors in the house, doth latch, bolt, lock, bar, and barricado up one or two of them, leaving the rest standing open. So, though some of these Heathens may seem in some particular acts to surpass themselves, and to be better than the Law enjoineth them, yet in other things they were deficient, and justly condemnable for the same, seeing Gods final Sentence shall be passed, not according to some eminent performance of persons, but according to the constant drift, scope, purpose, and tenor of their conversations.  
Besides, some grand Vices (though not so visible to humane eyes) infected the transcendiaries of their highest achievements.  
First, Vainglory, and Popular Applause, the Pole-St●rres by which they steered all their actions. Had Pride been the Weapon whereat a Duel had been fought betwixt Alexander and Diogenes, probably the Conqueror of the World had been worsted by a poor Philosopher.  
Secondly, Hypocrisy set a Tincture and Dye on all their Actions. Who hath more golden Sentences than Seneca against the Contempt of Gold? Yet (if Tacitus and other of his Contemporaries may be credited) none more Rich, none more Covetous than he; as if out of Design he had persuaded others to cast away their Money, that he himself might come and gather it up again.  
Thus these Heathens, for aught we can find in Scripture, are left in a damnable, but far be it from me to say, in a damned condition. When men of my Profession were formerly admitted into the Commission of the Peace, it was fashionable for them to go off the Bench at the Assizes, after the jury had Cast, and before the Judge did pronounce the Sentence of Condemnation on Malefactors: To show, that we of the Clergy ought to be Men of Mercy, taking no delight in the sad, though necessary part of Punitive Justice.  
Give me leave so far to remember this ancient Custom, that I may make an improvement thereof for the present occasion. We find these Heathen men Cast by the Verdict of the Scriptures, let my Sermon therefore depart in silence, and proceed no further in this Point, as to any determining of their final condition.  
When Haman, Esther 7. 8. fell into the displeasure of King Ahasuerus, it is said, they covered his face, as of a man that lost himself at Court, and no pleasing spectacle for others to behold; it being a ghastly sight to look on a (though living man, yet) dying, y●a, dead favourite. Let us cover the faces of these Heathen men, as from any further discoursing of their condition, whose sad Case may thus briefly be drawn up, They are left under the Wrath of God, and weight of their sin, and without any ordinary ●ay to a Saviour.  
I say, ordinary. I confess it is a Gospel-Truth, That in the Name of Iesu● only Salvation is to be expected; and it is a Maxim no less sound than generally received, Extra Ecclesiast nulla salus, Out of God's Church no hope to be saved; if both be confined to common Dispensations, and the regular known way of Gods manifesting of himself. But how far forth it might please God to reveals Christ to such Heathens on their Deathbeds, by peculiar favour, out of the Road of hi● common kindness, and how far fo●th God, as an Universal Creator, may be pleased to indulge unto some ●minent Heathen persons, is curious for man to inquire, and imp●ssible to determine. Leave we the● therefore to stand, or fall, to their own Master; only adding this, That it will be far better at the Last Day of judgement for these Christian Pagans, as I may term them, then for many Pagan Christians amongst us nowadays, who are worse under the Sunshine of Grace in the Gospel, than they by the dim Candle-light of Nature.  
Come we now to Christians; where the difficulty is the less to prove, that they all shall be arraigned, and may justly be condemned, when the Books are opened: which will plainly appear on the serious perusal of the following particulars.  
First, That to all persons living within the Pale of the Church, Christ hath really and cordially, sine fuco & dol●, without any fraud or deceit, been tendered unto them, under the Conditions of Faith and Repentance, That whosoever believeth o● him should have everlasting life: And this will appear when the Books shall be opened.  
Secondly, that even the worst of men living under the Light of the Gospel have at one time or another their heads filled with good notions, and their hearts with good motions; Grace illuminating, wooing, and courting them, as I may say, to lay hold on God in his Promises: on the truth whereof, their own Consciences will be deposed; and so this will appear when the Books are opened.  
Thirdly, that God standeth ready, on man's good improvement of the aforesaid illuminating Grace, (though not for the merit of man's performances, but for his own mere mercy and promise sake) to Crown their Endeavours▪ with the addition and accession of farther degrees of Grace, even such as infallibly accompany salvation. For I shall never be of their Opinions, who parallel Gods proceedings with those of Adonib●zek, Judg. 1. 7. who put seventy Kings under his Table, there to gather up Crumbs, which probably did very plentifully fall down unto them; whereas he beforehand had taken order that their Thumbs were cut off: Their Thumbs I say, which alone of all the fingers are of the Quorum, to the gathering or grasping of any thing; and whose effectual correspondency with the rest of the Hand, is absolutely necessary to the taking up of any small thing, especially if ●ying in plano, on a Floor, or ●●at place. I say, I must descent from those who make God such a Tyrant, as sportingly and spitefully to proffer Grace to wicked men, when by a previous act, without any ●ault or refusal of theirs, he hath rendered ●hem incapable of the acceptance of that which he offereth unto them. No surely, God doth no way beforehand maim or ●isable them from enjoying the benefit of ●race tendered unto them; but on the o●her side, is prepared to increase their ●●ore, and add to them, which use the utmost of their power to increase those Ta●nts which they have already received. ●nd this will appear to be true, when the ●ookes shall be opened.  
Fourthly, No man hath made that improvement of Grace offered which he ought, and might. Many a time he hath stayed at home, when he should have been at Church: Many times he hath been at Church ei●her sleeping, or not attending there: ●any a time he hath attended, yet afterwards forgotten what he heard: many times he hath remembered it, and it hath been his Remembrancer, yet he hath quenched the heat in his Heart, and Light in his Understanding. And all this will appear true, when the Books shall be opened.  
Fi●thl●, Upon our not improving Gods Gr●ce ●ffered us in his Word, God qui non des●rit, nisi deseratur, who leaves none unless he be first left by them, is not bound to add more Grace: yea, he may justly withdraw what he hath given; and which is more, may judicially harden those from whom his Grace is withdrawn, for making no better use thereof when tendered un●o them. And all this shall appear, when ●he ●ookes shall be opened.  
In a word, the transactions of that Day will be a perfect Comment on those words of the Prophet Hosea 13. 9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help. All such who are condemned, shall cast the blame thereof on themselves; whilst those whom God shall be pleased to save, will in their Consciences confess they might most justly be damned, when the Books shall be opened. And seeing a Saviour hath by his Death purchased for them Repentance, Faith, and Perseverance to the end, (because he would not trust the perverse-freedome of their will with the acceptance or refusal of Grace) they shall for ever sing Hallelujahs to the praise of the undeserved mercy and goodness of God in their salvation.  
But some will say, How shall God proceed against Infants at the Last Day of judgement, when the Books shall be opened; namely, such Infants of Christian Parents, who die in so happy a juncture of Time, as the interval betwixt their baptising, and before it is possible for them to commit actual sin? For will some say, The Books, when opened, are effectually not opened in relation to them; all the Books will be but Blanks and White Paper, as containing no Charge against them. For firs●, for Original sin some hold, that that in Baptism is washed away; and all the world will be their Compurgators, that such Infants neither have nor can commit actual transgression: and therefore how can God with Justice proceed to the condemnation of such Innocents'? This Argument hath prevailed so far with some Learned and Religious Divines, as to make them charitably judgemented of the final estate of all such Infants.  
Give me leave to stand Neuter in this Point: only this I will add, If God in the Last Day should be pleased to condemn some of such Infants, he will render such a Reason thereof, Rom. 2. 5. in that Day of the revelation of the just judgement of God, as shall appear satisfactory to Angels, Men, and Devils, to the admiration of the good, and confusion of the bad, who shall be present thereat.  
And here give me leave to discover dangerous Error, lurking in the breasts of most men▪ We are generally jealous, that God at the Last Day will not come off with that Credit which we could wish and desire: We suspect, that his Name will haerere ad metas, that his justice will not appear so clear as we both desire and expect, if he should condemn such and such persons whom we in our narrow apprehensions conceive uncondemnable, according to the proportion of Justice, as we do measure it. But know, that this suspicion hath a double mischief therein.  
First, The owners thereof are jealous over God with an ungodly jealousy, fearing where no fear is; and it proceedeth from a Principle of Atheism, seeing it springeth from the same Root, to deny a God, and doubt, that God will appear just in manifesting his own Proceedings.  
Secondly, This takes off men's thoughts, to take care for themselves, what they shall plead in their own behalf, and how they shall manage their own Defence at the Last Day, and maketh them employed where they ought not, troubling themselves about that wherein they are not concerned. If it be a heinous offence, and punishable by the Laws of man, 1 Pet. 4. 15. to be a busybody in other men's matters, how great is the offence, to be busy in the Mysteries of the God of Heaven? Let us leave it to him to act his own part; Look every man on his own things, Phil. 2. 4. God grant, we may but come off so well at the Bar, as God doth at the Bench, and appear righteous by God in Christ, whilst God will appear so of himself in himself.  
And here let me advise men to be modest with sobriety, and not to be over-prying into the Mysteries of God's Proceedings.  
The Chronicler of the City of London (Stow in his Survey of London, pag. 137.) telleth us a remarkable Story of one Sir john Champneyes, Alderman and Major of London, who built a fair House, with an high Brick ●ower, in Tower-street Ward, the first that ever was built in any private man's house, to overlook his Neighbours in the City. For before his time, there were no Towers in that City, but such as belonged as Steeples to Churches & Covents, or else pertained to the King's Palace. But his ambition herein, saith our Author, was publicly punished, falling blind some years before his death: so that he who would see more than all, saw less than any of his Neighbours.  
Take heed of Towering Thoughts and Aspiring Inquiries, to mount up, if p●ssible, into God's Mind, there to seek and search the Causes of his secret Will and Pleasure: Such Curiosity is commonly severely punished, it being just with God to deprive them of that Light they have, who affect Knowledge above the bounds of Sobriety: Such professing themselves to be wise, often become fools, and forfeit the Eyes of their Souls, for their immoderate prying into forbidden Mysteries.  

Use 1.  
Are all then to appear before God, when the Books are opened? This serveth in the first place to confute such who conceive God will hold Malefactors guiltless, because he doth not presently inflict his Judgements upon them, Ecclesiastes 8. 11. Because Sentence against an evil work i● not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is ●ully set in them to d●e evil. These men proceed upon a dangerous mistake, namely, they conceive the Books to be canceled, which are only con●ealed: and because God forbears, they mistake him, to have forgot to do Justice.  
There was lately a judge in England, whom I need not be ashamed to name, as the honour of his Robe and Profession, viz. ●ustice Dodderidge, whom they commonly called the sleeping judge. Indeed, he had an affected drowsy posture on the Bench, insomuch, that many persons unacquainted with his Custom therein, having Causes of Concernment to be tried before him, have even given all for lost, as expecting no Justice from a Dormant judge: when he all the while did only retire himself within himself, the more seriously to consult with his own Soul about the validity of what was alleged and proved unto him; as appeared afterwards by those Oracles of Law which he pronounced.  
Wicked men, in like manner, erroneously conceive God to be a sleeping God, chiefly on this account, because of the long impunity of notorious offenders. David himself may seem in some sort guilty of the same vulgar error, Psal. 44. 23. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. But God in due time will sound confute men's mistake herein, and appear what he is, a slow, but sure Revenger of Malefactors, in the Day when the Books shall be opened.   

Use 2.  
Are we all to be tried in the Day when the Books shall be opened? Let us then labour to get these Books cleared (so much as relateth to our particular Accounts) and crossed by the Blood of jesus Christ, before that Day doth approach; and let us not despise the committing of small sins, knowing that many of them quickly swell our Accounts. It is a true Maxim, Qui negligit minima nunquam ditescet, He that neglects small things, shall never make a Rich man▪ Who would think, that a Penny a day should within the compass of a year amount to more than thirty shillings? It is incredible, how insensibly many small sins greaten and inflame our Reckonings, and therefore let us beware thereof.  
The Italians have a Proverb, It is good to go to Bed without supping, and to rise in the Morning without owing. If Physicians will approve the former part for healthful, good Husbands will justify the latter part for thrifty. But especially it is good Divinity, in relation to our spiritual Accounts; Happy he who this Night, by the effectual pleading of Christ's Merits, gaineth of God, before the closing of his eyes, the clearing of his sins, that so to Morrow Morning he may arise dis-engaged and un-indebted for his former Offences.  
Lastly, let this teach us to be wary what we do on Earth, as knowing and believing, that a Memorial is kept in Heaven, of whatsoever we act here below.  
There is still a Project propounded on the Royal Exchange in London, wherein one offers (if meeting with proportionable encouragement for his pains) so ingenuously to contrive the matter, that every Letter written, shall with the same pains of the Writer instantly render a double impression, besides the Original; each of which Inscript (for Transcript I cannot properly term it) shall be as fair and full, as lively and legible as the Original. Whether this will ever be really effected, or whether it will prove an Abortive, as most Designs of this nature, Time will tell. Sure I am, if performed, it will be very beneficial for Merchants, who generally keep Duplica●tes of their Letters to their Correspondents.  
What here is propounded, is already performed, in relation to our actions, in God's presence. Whatsoever we do, good or bad, at the acting thereof reflects (beside the Principle) a double representation of the same.  
One, in the Book of our Conscience. The woman of Samaria s●id to her fellow-citizens, John 4. 29. Come see the man that told me all things that ever I did. Herein Hyperbolical was her expression: Christ told her not all, but many things, and one thing too much for her, (without her serious repentance) namely, her unlawful conversing with him who was not her Husband.  
But this is most true of our Conscience; it will really represent unto us whatsoever we have done, either accusing or excusing us therein. And as Sores and Wounds do throb and ache the more in infirm persons, the nearer it draweth to Night; so the older men grow, and the nearer they approach unto their Death, the more frequent, constant, and acute will be the prickings and the pinch of their Consciences.  
The second Copy of all our Actions is kept in Heaven, recorded in God's Book. Let all therefore, but especially men in places of Legal Proceedings, (whether judicial or Ministerial officers therein) be minded of integrity in their carriage from my Text, and the occasion thereof, THE GRAND ASSIZES. Let Diligent Attorneyes so faithfully Solicit, let Painful Solicitours so honestly Agitate, let Trusty Sheriffs so truly Impannell, let honest jurie-men so conscionably give their Verdict, let faithful Witnesses so sincerely Depose, let the Honourable and Learned judges so unpartially pass their Sentence, as knowing they must give an Account thereof to GOD in the Day when the Books are opened.  
AMEN.  
FINIS.    

A Comment ON RUTH: BY T. F. B. D.  
LONDON, Printed for G. and H. Eversden, and are to be sold at the Sign of the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard. 1654.   

TO The Right Worshipful, the Lady ANNE ARCHER, in the County of WARWICK.  
THE Apostle to the Philippians, chap. 4. v. 15. giveth them this high commendation, None communicated with me concerning giving and receiving, but ye only▪ Should I apply the same in relation of myself to your Ladyship, I should be injurious to the Bounty of many my Worthy Benefactors. However (not exclusively of others, but) eminently I must acknowledge you a Grand Encourager of my Studies. In public testimony whereof, I present these my Endeavours to your Ladyship's Patronage.  
Indeed they were Preached in an eminent Place, when I first entered into the Ministry, above twenty years since, and therefore you will pardon the many Faults that may be found therein. Nor were they intended for public view, till understanding the Resolution of some of my Auditors to Print them (to their Profit, but my Prejudice) by their imperfect Notes, I adventured on this seasonable prevention.  
The Lord make his Graces flow plentifully from the Head of your Family, your Religious Husband, to the lowest Skirts thereof, the last and least of your Relations,  
Your Ladyships in all Christian Offices, THOMAS FULLER.   

A Comment ON Ruth.  


CHAP. 1. Vers. 1.  
Now it came to pass in the days when the judges Ruled, that there was a Famine in the Land,  
BEfore we enter into these words, something must be premised, concerning the Name, Matter, End, Author of this Book. It hath the name from Ruth, the most remarkable person in it, to whom God vouchsafed his Grace, not only to write her name in the Book of Life in Heaven, but also to prefix her name before a Book of Life in Earth. The Matter may be divided into these two Parts: The first Chapter showeth, Th●t many are the troubles of the righteous; and the three last do show, That 〈…〉 them out of all. One of the Ends is to show the Pedigree of our Saviour▪ otherwise Genea●ogers had been 〈◊〉 a loss, for four or five Descents in the deducing thereof: Another End is, unde● the conversion of Ruth the Moabitesse, to typify the calling of the Gentiles, that a● he took of the blood of a Gentile into hi● body, so he should shed the blood out o● his body for the Gentiles, that there might be ●ne Shepherd, and one Sheepfold The Author's name (probably Samuel) i● concealed, neither is it needful it should be known: for even as a man that hath ● piece of Gold that he knows to be weight and sees it ●●amped with the Kings Imag● careth not to know the name of that ma● wh● minted or coined it: So we, seeing this Book to have the superscription of Caesar, the stamp of the Holy spirit, nee● not to be curious to know who was th● Penman thereof. And now to the words.  

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges Ruled, that there was a Famine i● the Land.  
Observe in the words; What? a Famine: Where? in the Land: When? In the time that the judges judged; the time being set down for the better certainty of the History.  
Quest. Is this the Land whereof it is ●aid, Gen. 49. 20. Asher his bread shall be fat, and afford dainties for a King; which is called, Deut. 8. 7. A good Land of Wheat and Barley, Vineyards and Figtrees, Oil, Olive and Hony, which is commended, Ezek. 20. 6. ●o be a Land flowing with Milk and Honey, the glory of all Lands. How cometh it to pass, that thy Rivers of Oil are now dammed up? thy streams of Wine drained dry? that there is no bread found in Bethlem, the house of bread?  
Answ Israel hath sinned, a fruitful Land maketh he barren, for the sin of the people that dwell therein. The people's hard hearts were rebellious to God, and the hard earth proved unprofitable to them: their flinty eyes would afford no tears to bemoan their sins, and the churlish Heavens would afford no moisture to water their earth: Man proved unfaithful to God his Maker, the Earth proved unfruitful to Man her Manurer.  
Obser. Famine is ●a heavy punishment, wherewith God ●fflicteth his people ●or their sins: that it is an heavy punishment appeareth, because David, 2 S●●. 24. 14. chose the Pestilence before it; for even as Zebah and Zalmunna, judg. 8. 21▪ chose rather to fall by the hand of Gideo●, then by the hand of jether his Son, because the Child's want of strength would cause their abundance of pain: so better it is to be speedily dispatched by a violent disease, then to have one's life in ● Famin● prolonged by a lingering torture. That it is inflicted for their sins, is showed, Leu. 26. 19 Deut. 28. 23. 1 King. 8. 37. and these sins most especially procure Famin●. 1. Idolatry, 1 King. 17. 1. 2 King 4. 36. 2ly. Abuse of plenty, the prodigal Child, Luk. 15. from the keeping of Harlots, was brought to the keeping of Hogs. It is just with God to make men want that to supply their necessity, which they have mispended in their nicety. 3ly. Shedding of Innocent blood, 2 Sam. 21. 1. 4ly. Oppression of the poor, Amos 4. 16. And no wonder if men, to grind the faces of poor people make money, to which God gave no natural fruit, to bring forth a monstrous increase, if God cause the earth which naturally should be fruitful, to become barren and afford no profit.   

Use 1.  
It may serve to confut ● such, that when God doth scourge them with Famine▪ (as blind Balaam fell a beating of his dumb beast▪ when he himself was in fault) they vent their spite in cursing and railing on the poor Creatures, whereas indeed were the matter well weighed▪ they might say of all Creatures as I●dah did of Thamar his daughter-in-law, they are more righteous than ●e: for locusts, mildew, blasting, immoderate drought, and moisture, are the means by which man's sin is the cause, for which Famine is inflicted. And yet in prosperity, we are commonly like Hogs feeding on the mast, not minding his hand that shaketh it down; in adversity, like Dogs biting the stone, not marking the hand that threw it.   

Use. 2.  
If any desire to prevent or remove a Famine, let us prevent and remove the causes thereof. First let us practise that precept, 1 I●h. 5. 21. Babes keep yourselves from Idols. 2ly. Let us be heartily thankful to God for our plenty, who by the seasonable weeping o● the Heavens, hath ●aused the plentiful laughter of the Earth, and hath sent the former Rain to perform the part of a Midwife, to Deliver the infant Corn out of the womb of the parched Earth; and the latter Rai●e to do the duty of a Nurse▪ to swell and battle the Grain. Let us not seethe the Kid in the Mother's Milk▪ let not our want on Palates spoil wholesome Meat, before it cometh to the just Maturity; neither let us cast away any good food, but after our Saviour's example, Let us cause the Fragments to be basketted up that nothing may be lost. 3ly. Let us pray with David, Psal. 51. 14. Deliver us from blood guiltiness O Lord: and let us seek that the hoary hairs may not go down to the Grave in peace of such as have shed Innocent blood, 〈◊〉 lea●t the personal offence of a private Man remaining unpunished, become the national sin of a Kingdoms) bu● upon the Kin●▪ and upon his Seed▪ and upon his House, and upon his Throne shall be Peace forever from the Lord.  
Lastly, Let us be pitiful, and liberal to relieve the distresses of the poor; for why should our dead Tables groan under the weight of needless feast upon them▪ whilst Gods living Temples gro●n under the want of necessary food within them▪ The Athenian women had a custom to make a Picture of Famine every year, and to drive it out of their City with these words: Out Famine, in Food: out Penury, in Pl●nty: but let us say in word, and second it in deed; Out Sin, in Sanctity: Out Propha●esse, in ●íety: and then we shall see, that as long as our King Reigneth, there shall be no Famine in our Land.  
But however God shall dispose of us for outward blessings, I pray God keep us from that ●●●le Fami●●, mentioned ●●os 8. 12. that w● living under the Northern Heavens should wander to the East, ●nd run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and should not find it; but may the light of the Gospel remain with us on Earth, as long as the faithful witness endureth in Heaven.   

And a certain man of Bethlehem-Judah went to sojourn in the Country of Moab,  
THese words contain a Journey or Removal, wherein observe; Who went; a certain Man: Whence? from Bethlehem-Iudah: Whether? to sojourns in Moab. We shall have a fitter occasion to speak of the party removing hereafter. I begin with the place from whence he went, Bethlehem-Iudah.  
This w●● the place, nigh to which ●●chel as she was travelling fell into Travail▪ and ended her journey to Heaven, in the▪ midst of her journey on Earth: there was▪ another of the same name in Z●bulo●, 〈◊〉 19 15. and therefore Iu●●h is added for▪ difference and distinction.   

Observ.  
The Holy spirit descends to our capacity, and in Scripture doth multiply words to make th● matter the plainer: let thi● teach the Sons of Levi, when they deliver one doubtful and ambiguous Doctrine, which may admit of several constructions, so that there is danger 〈◊〉 that people may mistake their meaning, to de●ur a while on such a point, and not to be niggardly of their words, till they hav● blotted all doubt and difficulty out of it. Herein they shall follow God for their pattern, who lest Bedlam i● my T●●●▪ should be confounded with Bethlehem in Zab●lon, addeth for distinction BethlehemI●dah.   

Went too Sojourn in Moab.  
The Prodigal Child complained, Lu●. 15. How many hired Servants of my Father have bread enough, and I die for hunger: So here we see that the uncircumcised Moabites, Gods slaves and vassals, had store of plenty, whilst Israel, God's Children (but his prodigal Children, which by their sins had displeased their heavenly Father) were pinched with penury.   

Observ.  
Hence we gather, God oftentimes denies outward blessings to his Children, when as he vouchsafeth them to the wicked: the wicked man's eyes start out with fatness; David's bones scarce cleave to his flesh: Ahab hath an Ivory House, th● Godly wander in Dens and Caves of the Earth; the Rich Glutton fareth deliciously every day, whilst the Godly, Psal. 107▪ ●ere hungry and thirsty, their s●ul fainted in them: H● was clothed in purple and fine linen, whilst the Godly wander up and down in sheep skins; and well may they wear their skins without them, that carry their innocency within them; and the reason thereof is, Because judgement begins at the house of the Lord, whilst the wicked have their portion in this world.   

Use.  
Let us not judge according to outward appearance, but judge righteous judgement, lest otherwise we condemn the Generation of God's Children, if we account outward blessings the signs of God's favour, or calamities, the arguments of his displeasure: neither let the afflicted Christian faint under Gods heavy hand, but let him know to his comfort, God therefore is angry in this world, that he may not be angry in the world to come, and mercifully inflicteth temporal punishment, that he may not justly confound with eternal torment.  
But here ariseth a question, Whether Elimelech did well to go from Bethlehem-Judah, into the Land of Moab? for the better satisfaction whereof, we will suppose a plain and honest Neighbour thus dissuading him from his departure.   

Dissuasion.  
Give me leave Neighbour Elimelech to say unto thee, as the Angel did to Hagar, whence comest thou? and whether goest thou? wilt thou leave that place wher● God's worship is truly professed, and go● into an Idolatrous Country? Woe is the● that must dwell in Moab, and be an inhabitant amongst the w●rshippers of Melchom: Indeed our Father Abraham came out of Vr of the Chaldees, an idolatrous Country, to come into the Land of C●n●an; but why shouldst thou go out of the Land of Canaan into an idolatrous Country▪ where thou shalt have neither Priest nor Prophet, nor Passeover. Yea, what most is to be feared, your frequent conversing with the People of the Country, will at length bring you into a love and liking of their Superstitions, and so draw God's anger against you; wherefore reverse your intent of removing, least while thou seek'st to store thy Body, thou starve●t thy Soul; rather venture the breaking of the Casket, than the losing of the jewel, and go not from Bethlehem-Iudah, unto the Land of Moab.   

Answer.  
To this Elimelech might answer; your dissuasion doth somewhat move me, but not remove my resolution; I do not forsake my Country, but am forced from it; God hath withheld the Wine and the Winepress, and if I stay, I am likely to starve; I conceive it therefore to be my bounden duty to provide the best means for my Family, and following the examples of Isaac's going into Gerah, and Jacob's going down into Egypt in the time of Famine; I intent to remove to Moab. And though I shall be divided from the visible Congregation of Israel, yet shall I with my Family still remain the lively Members of God's true Church. For first I intent to carry with me the ●ive books of Moses (they will be no great burden, being comprised in so small a Volume) and according to my poor ability, out of them will I instruct my Family, whilst my dear wife Naomi, and dutiful children▪ Maclon and Chilion, will be diligent to hear and practise what I propound unto them: I confess we shall have no outward sacrifices, (because I am not of the Tribe of Levi) yet may we offer unto God prayers and praises, which God no doubt will as graciously accept, as of a Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs: thus hope I to have a little Church in mine own House; and I know, where two or three are met together in th● name of God, there he will be in the midst of them. Whereas you object, I should be in danger of being defiled with their Idolatry, I will be by God's grace so much the more wary, watchful and vigilant over my ways; we see the flesh of fishes remaineth fresh, though they always swim in the brackish waters, and I hope that the same God who preserved righteous Lot in the wicked City of Sodom, who protected faithful joseph in the vicious Court of Pharaoh, will also keep me unspotted in the midst of Moab, whether I intent speedily to go, not to live, but to lodge; not to dwell, but to sojourn; not to make it my habitation for ever, but my harbour for a season, till God shall visit his people with plenty, when I purpose to return with the speediest conveniency.  
Thus we see Elimelech putting the dangers of his removal in one scale, the benefits thereof in another; the beam of his judgement is ju●●ly weighed down to go from Bethlehem-Iudah, into the Land of Moab.   

Observ.  
It is lawful for Men to leave their Native Soil, and to travel into a foreign Country, as for Merchants, provided always, that while they seek to make gainful Adventures for their Estates, they make not sheepwrack of a good Conscience.  
2ly. For Ambassadors, that are sent to see the Practices and Negoci●tions in foreign Courts.  
3ly. For private persons, that travel with an intent to accomplish themselves with a better sufficiency to serve their King and Country; but unlawful it is for such to travel, which Dinah like, go only to see the Customs of several Countries, and make themselves the L●ckie● to their own humorous curiosity: henc● cometh it to p●sse, when they return, it is justly questionable, whether their Clothes be disguised with more foolish fashions, or bodies disabled with more loathsome Diseases, or souls defiled with more notorious vices; having learned Jealousy from the Italian, Pride from the Spaniard, Lasciviousness from the ●rench, Drunkenness from the D●tch; and yet what need they go so far to learn so bad a lesson, when (God knows) w● have too many Schools, where it is taught here at home.  
Now if any do demand of me my opinion concerning our Brethren, which of late left this Kingdom to advance a Plantation in New England; surely I thin●, as St. Paul said concerning Virgins, He had received no commandment from the Lord: so I cannot find any just warrant to encourage men to undertake this removal; but think rather the counsel best that King joash prescribed to Amaziah, tarry at home: yet as for those that are already gone, far be it from us to conceive them to be such, to whom we may not say, God speed, as it is in 2 joh. vers. 10. but let us pity them, and pray for them, for sure they have no need of our mocks, which I am afraid have too much of their own miseries: I conclude therefore of the two England's, what our Saviour saith of the two wines, Luk. 5. 39 No man having tasted of the old, presently desireth the new; for he saith the old is better.  
He, and his wife, and his two sons.    

Vers. 2.  
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the name of his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-Judah, and they came into the Country of Moab, and continued there.  
THese words contain; first, The principal party that undertook the journey. 2ly. His company, described by their relations; his Wife, and Children, and by their names, Naomi, Mahlon, and Chilion. 3ly. The success of his journey; When he came into the Land of Moab, he continued there.  
Now whereas Elimelech took his Wife and Children along with him: from his practice we gather this Observation.  

Observ.  
It is the part of a kind Husband, and of a careful Father, not only to provide for himself, but also for his whole Family. Gen. 2. 24. A man shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh, Ephe. 5. 25. Husband's love your wives— for no man as yet hated his own flesh, 1 Tim. 5. 8. If any one provideth not for his own Family, he denyeth the faith, and is worse than an Infidel: this made Abraham to take with him at his removal, his meek Sarah; Isaac, his wife Rebecca; jacob, his fair Rachel, and fruitful Leah; and joseph, Mat. 2. took with him Marry, his espoused wife, and our Saviour, his supposed Son. And when Pharaoh, Exod. 10. 9 offered Moses with all the men of Israel to go out of Egypt, but on condition, they should leave their Wives and Children behind them; Moses refused the proffer: he would either have them all go out, or else he would not go out at all.   

Use.  
It confuteth such cruel Husbands and careless parents, who if so be with jobs Messengers, they only can escape alone, they care not though they leave their wives & children to shift for themselves; like the Ostrich, Job. 39 14. who leaveth her Eggs in the sand, and so forsakes them. Surely the two Kine which drew the Ark of God out of the Land of the Philistines to Bethshemesh, 1 Sam. 6. 12. shall rise up at the day of judement and condemn such cruel Parents: for it is said of them, That as they went along the high way, they did pitifully low by that querulous ditty, as nature afforded them utterance, with witnessing and expressing their affection to their Calves shut up at home: O that there should be such humanity (as I may term it) in Beasts, and such beastliness in many men. Remember this you that fit drinking and bezzling wine abroad, whilst your Family are glad of water at home, and think thus with yourselves, To what end is this needless waist, might it not have been sold for many a penny, and have been bestowed on my poor Wife and Children.   

Observ.  
Secondly, Whereas we find Naomi and her Sons going with Elimelech, we gather; It is the duty of a dear Wife, and of dutiful Children, to go along with their Husband and Parents, when on just cause they remove into a foreign Country. It was an unmanly and cowardly speech of Barak to Deborab, Judg. 4. 8. If thou wilt go with me, then will I go; but if thou wilt not go with me, then will I not go: but it would be a gracious resolution of a grave Matron and her Children; Husband, if you be pleased to depart, I will be ready to accompany you; Father, if you be minded to remove, I will attend upon you: but if you be disposed to sta●, I will not stir from the p●ace where you abide: otherwise if ●he wife refus●th to go along with her Husband, what Abraham Gen. 24. 8. said to the Servan● in another case, is true in this respect; but i● the Woman will not be willing to follow thee, than thou shalt be clear from thine Oath; if the wife be so peevish and perverse, th●t she will not go along with her Husband, who propoundeth lawful means unto her to relieve her wants; then is he acquitted from the Oath he made her in Marriage, when he plighted his troth unto her, in sickness and in health, to maintain her.   

Question.  
But methinks I hear the Widows and Orphans crying unto me, as the Soldiers to john Bapti●●, But what shall we do? Luk. 3. It is true, saith the Widow, that kind Husbands a●e to provide for their Wives, but alas we have no Elimelech's to carry us into a foreign Country in the time of Famine; indeed saith the Orphan, it is the Father's duty to provide for his Children; but my Parents are dead long ago, I have not as Samuel had, a Mother Hannah every year to bring me a new Coat; what shall we do in this our distress.   

Answer.  
Answer, Use the best means you can, and for the rest, rely on God's providence, who is said, Psal. 10. 20. To help the fatherless and poor to their Right, Psal. 68 5. To be a father to the fatherless, and to defend the cause of the Widow, even God in his holy habitation: who will deal with thee as he did with David, When my Mother and Father forsook me, the Lord cared for me.  
So much for Elimelech's company described by their relations: we should come now to speak of their names, where we might take occasion to speak of the Antiquity, and use of Names, but that hereafter we shall have better conveniency to treat thereof, in those words, Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah: We come therefore to the success of Elimelech's journey;   

And they came into the Country of Moab, and they continued there.  
The meaning is, That the Moabites afforded them harbour without any molestation.   

Observ.  
From whence the Observation is this; We ought to be Hospital and courteous to receive strangers. First, Because God in several places of Scripture enjoineth it, Exod. 23. 9 Levit. 19 33. 2ly. Because God apprehendeth all courtesy done to a stranger as bestowed on himself; He that receiveth you, receiveth me, etc. I was a stranger and ye harboured me, Mat. 25. And then if we entertain strangers, it may be said of us not only as it is of Lot and Abraham, Heb. 13. 2. That we entertained Angels, b●t that we entertained God himself unawares. 3ly. Because it spiritually considered, we ourselves are strangers with the Patriarches, Heb. 11. We have here no abiding City, but seek one from above, whose builder and maker is God. I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims, 1 Pet. 2. 11. Lastly, Because of the uncertainty of our own estates, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth, it may be we that now relieve strangers, hereafter ourselves being stranger's may be relieved by others.   

Use.  
Let us not therefore abuse strangers and make a prey of them, making an advantage of their unskilfulness in the language, and being unacquainted with the fashions of the Land; like Laban that deceived his Nephew jacob in placing Leah for Rachel, and to cloak his cheating, pleaded it was the custom of the Country: wherefore rather let us be courteous unto them, lest the Barbarians condemn us, who so courteously entreated S. Paul, with his shipwrackt companions, and the Moabites in my Text, who suffered Elimelech when he came into the Land, to continue there.    

Vers. 3. 4. 5.  
And Elimelech Naomies' Husband died, and she was left, and her two Sons, etc.  
IN these words we have two Marriages ushered, and followed by Funerals: I will begin there, where one day all must make an end, at Death;  

And Elimelech Naomies' Husband died.  
I have seldom seen a Tree thrive that hath been transplanted when it was old, the same may be seen in Elimelech, his aged body brooks not the foreign Air; though he could avoid the Arrows of Famine in Israel, yet he could not shun the Darts of Death in Moab: he that lived in a place of Penury, must die in a Land of Plenty: Let none condemn Elimelech's removal as unlawful, because of his sudden death, for those actions are not u● godly which are unsuccessful, nor those pious which are prosperous, seeing the lawfulness of an action is not to be gathered from the joyfulness of the event, but from the justness of the cause, for which it is undertaken.   

Observ. 1.  
Hence we observe, that God can easily frustrate our fairest hopes, and defeat our most probable projects, in m●king those places most dangerous, which we account most safe and secure, causing death to meet us there, where we think furthest to fly from it.   

Observ. 2.  
2. We see that no outward plenty can privilege us from death; the sand of our li●e runneth as fast, though the Hourglass be set in the sunshine of prosperity, as in the gloomy shade of affliction.   

And she was left and her two Sons.  
Here we see how mercifully God dealt with Naomi, in that he quenched not all the sparks of her comfort at once; but though he took away the stock, he left her the stems; though he deprived her as it were of the ●se of her own legs, by taking away her Husband, yet he left her a staff in each of her hands, her two Sons to support her. Indeed afterwards he took them away, but first he provided her a gracious Daughter-in-law: whence we learn, God poureth not all his afflictions at once, but ever leaveth a little comfort, otherwise we should not only be pressed down, but crushed to powder under the weight of his heavy hand.   

And they took them wives of the women of Moab, etc.  
Here we see the fashion of the world, mankind had long ago decayed, if those breaches which are daily made by Death, were not daily made up by Marriage. But here ariseth a question, Whether these matches were lawful? for answer whereof, we will suppose Naomi dissuading her Sons on this manner.   

Dissuasion.  
What, my Sons? and what, persons of my womb? and what, the Sons of my desire? give not your strength to strange women, and your ways to that that destroyed men. It is not for you O Mahlon and Chilion, it is not for you to marry Moabites; nor for the Sons of an Isra●lite t● marry the Daughters of the uncircumcised. Remember my Sons what God saith by the mouth of Moses, Deut. 7. 3. Thou shalt not make Marriages with them, thy Daughter shalt thou not give to his Son, nor take his daughter to thy Son, for they will turn away thy Son from following me, to serve strange Gods, so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against thee to destroy thee suddenly. Take he●d therefore least long looking on these women, you at length be made blind, lest they suck out your souls with kisses, and Snake-like, sting you with embraces: kerb your affections until you come into Canaan where you shall find variety of wives, who as they come not short of these for the beauties of their bodies, so they far go beyond them for the sanctity of their souls.   

Answer.  
To this dissuasion, thus might her Childerens answer: We thank you dear Mother for your carefulness over our good; but we must entreat you not to interpret it undutifulness, if upon good reason we descent from your judgement herein. In the place by you cited, Marriages are forbidden with such strange women as are of a stubborn obstinate and refractory nature, such as are likely to seduce their Husbands; whereas you see the mild, towardly, and tractable disposition of these women we mean to make our wives; we hope to plant these wild branches in God's Vineyard, to bring these straggling sheep to his fold, to make them Proselytes to our Religion: Besides, this Marriage will be advantageous for us, thereby we shall endear ourselves into the Moabites affections, they will use us the more courteously, when we have married one of their own kindred.  
●ut methinks my tongue refuseth to be any longer the advocate of an unlawful deed, and my mouth denyeth to be the Orator of an unjust action: when I have said what I can for the defence of their Marriage, I shall but make a plaster too narrow for the sore, the breach is so broad I cannot stop it, though I may damn it up with untempered mortar. Nothing can be brought for the defence of these matches, something may be said for the excuse of them, but that fetched not from piety, but from poliey; not certain, but conjectural; yet here may we see th● power and providence of God, who made so good use of these men's defaults, as hereby to bring Ruth, first to be a retainer to the family of Faith, and afterwards a joyful Mother in Israel. This is that good Chemic that can distil good out of evil, light out of darkness, order out of confusion, and make the crooked actions of men tend to his own glory in a strait line, and his children's good.  
I speak not this to defend any man's folly in doing of evil, but to admire God's wisdom, who can bring good out of evil: and surely he that will turn evil to good, will turn good to the best.   

And they dwelled there about ten years.  
Here we have the term of Naomi's living in Moab, and the Families lasting in Israel, ten years: we read of a Famine for three years, 2 Sam. 21. of three years and a half, 1 King. 17. of seven years, Gen. 42. as also 2 King. 8. but this ten years' Famine longer than any; seven years which jacob served for Rachel, seemed to him but a short time; but surely those ten years seemed to the afflicted Israelites, and to the banished Naomi, as so many millions of years.   

Observ.  
God doth not presently remove his rod from the back of his Children, but sometimes scourgeth them with long-lasting afflictions: the reason is, because we go on and persist so long in our sins; and yet herein even mercy exalteth herself against judgement: for if God should suffer the fire of his fury to burn, so long as the fuel of our sins do last, Lord, who were able to abide? were the days of our suffering, apportioned to the days of our living, no flesh would be saved, but for the Elect sake, those days are shortened.   

Use.  
Bear with patience light afflictions; when God afflicteth his Children with long lasting punishments; mutter not for a burning F●aver of a fortnight, what is this to the woman that had a running Issue for twelve years; murmur not for a twelve months quartain Ague, ' is nothing to the woman that was bowed for eightteen years; nor seven years' Consumption, to the man that lay thirty eight years lame at the Pool of Bethezda.   

And Mahlon and Chilion died also b●th of them.  
It was but even now that old Elimelech was gone to bed; see, his Sons would not sit long up after the Father; only here is the difference, He like ripe fruit fell down of his own accord; they like green Apples, were cudgeled off the Tree.   

Observ.  
Even young men in the prime of their age, are subject to death; the Sons of jacob when they came to the Table of joseph sat down, the eldest according to his age, and the youngest according to his youth; but Death observes not this method, she takes not Men in seniority, but sometimes sends them first to the burial that came last from the birth, and those that came last from the womb, first to their winding sheet. There were as many Lambs and Kids sacrificed in the old Testament, as Goats and old Sheep; but surely more there be that die in infancy and in youth, then of those that attain to old age.   

Use.  
Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth: you whose joints are knit with sturdy sine ws, whose veins are full of blood, whose arteries are flushed with spirits, whose bones are fraught with Marrow; Obediah-like, serve God from your youth, put not the day of death far from you; think not your strength to be armour of proof against the darts of Death, when you see the Corslet of Mahlon and Chilion shot through in the left; so Mahlon and Chilion died both of them.   

And the woman was left of her two Sons and of her Husband.  
Before we had the particular losses of N●omi, now we have them all reckoned up in the total sum; a Threefold Cable, saith Solomon, is not easily broken, and yet we see in Naomies' threefold cable of comfort twisted of her husband and her two sons, broken by Death: of the two Sex, the woman is the weaker; of women, old women are most feeble; of old women, widows most woeful; of widows, those that are poor, their plight most pitiful; of poor widows, those that want Children, their case most doleful; of widows that want Children, those that once had them and after lost them, their estate most desolate; of widows that have had Children, those that are strangers in a foreign Country, their condition most comfortless: yet all these met together in Naomi as in the centre of sorrow, to make the measure of her misery pressed down shaken together, running over. I conclude therefore, many Men have had affliction, none like job; many women have had tribulation, none like Naomi.    

Vers. 6.  
Then she arose with her Daughters in law, that she might return from the Country of Moab: for she had heard in the Country of Moab, how that the Lord had visited his people, in giving them bread.  
THese words contain two general parts.  
1. God's visiting his people with Plenty.  
2. Naomies' visiting of her people with her person.  
I begin with the first in the Order of the words, Then she arose with her Daughters in law, etc.  

Observ.  
We must tarry no longer in an Idolatrous Land, when God offereth us an occasion to return into our own Country: for so long as we tarry in an Idolatrous Land on a just cause, so long we are in our vocation & in God's protection: but when God openeth us a Gap to return, and we will not through it, we are neither in our calling, nor Gods keeping, but must stand on our own adventures; and who knows not how slenderly we shall be kept, when we are left to our own custody: let not therefore joseph with his Wife and Son, tarry any longer in the Land of Egypt, when he is dead that sought the life of the Child.  
Examples we have o● those, which in the days of Queen Mary, fled beyond the Seas; though they were not in a Paganish, only in a foreign Country, Mr. Scorey, Cocks, Whitehead, Grindall, Horn, Sandys, Elmore, Gest, jewel; if fear lent them feet to run when they went away, joy gave them wings to fly when they came home again: let none therefore pretend in needless excuses to linger in the Land of Egypt, when they may return into the hony-flowing Land of Canaan.   

For she had heard in the Country of Moab.  
I suppose when any Messenger arrived in M●ab, out of the Land of Canaan, Naomie did presently repair unto him, and load him with questions concerning the estate of her Country: How do the jews my Countrymen? How fareth it with the Bethlehemites my Neighbour's? with Boaz my Kinsman? What is the rate of Corn? What the price of Oil? What the value of Wine? if there be no performance for the present, what promise is there for the future? though things be bad now, what hope is there, but they will be better hereafter: Alas he answers little; and from his silence and sorrowful looks, Naomi gathers a denial; but as Elijah sending his servant towards the Sea, to see what signs there were of Rain, 
1 King. 18. 43.  for six several times together he returned this answer, There is nothing: but at the seventh time, he brought him the tidings of a Cloud rising out of the Sea; so though for nine years Naomi had no news but of want and scarcity; yet the tenth year there came a man (probably he was a good man that brought these good tidings) who brought her word that the valleys began to laugh and sing with plenty; and so though the hope that was deferred was the fainting of the heart, yet when it came, it was the Tree of life. Perchance because the covetous Jews had made nine parts great for their own profit, and the tenth small to cozen God of his portion: God quite contrary, gave them nine years of scarcity and want, and at length made the tenth of store and plenty.   

Observ.  
The fame of remarkable Accidents will fly into foreign Countries; for if it be bad news, the wicked will be sure to tell it in the Gates of Gath, and publish it in the streets of Askelon: if it be good, the godly will proclaim it in the Courts of Zion, and disperse it within the walls of jerusalem; whether good or bad (if it be of moment and importance) it will not be covered nor concealed.  
Question, Is it lawful for us to listen, harken, and inquire after matters of foreign Countries?  
Answer, Though I would not have men to be like the Athenians, to hear or tell some new thing; yet it is both lawful and laudable for them to inquire after foreign affairs, whereby they express the desire that they have of the welfare of their distant Brethren, the Members of the same mystical body: Example, Nehe. 1. 2. And yet would I have men (though they lend their ears) not to bestow their belief on every groundless report which is blazed abroad.  
1. Because Fame is often untrue, ●●lating 2 Sam. 13. That all the King's Sons are killed, when only Amnon is slain,  
2. Because many there be which with the Soldiers, Mat. 28. do nothing but invent and disperse lies to gull over-credulous people: And as many a benighted Traveller hath wandered out of his way, whilst he followed for his lantern the Meteor of foolish fire; so many a man hath been deceived by embracing of lying relations, instead of true news. Yet in case that Cushai and Ahimaaz confirm the same thing, that variety of Messengers from divers places of sundry sides and several factions, all agree in material and substantial points; we ought not to be like unbelieving Thomas, to trust no more than our eyes have seen, but may rely on the truth of such relations, and ought accordingly to be affected with sorrow if the news be bad, or joy, if the tidings tend to the Churches good and God's glory.   

That God had visited his People.  
This was the privilege of the people of the Jews, that they were styled God's people, but now Ammi is made Lo-Ammi, and Ruchama, Lo-ruchama; and we the Gentiles are placed in their room, let us therefore remember the words of St. Paul; Rom. 11. 21. Be not high minded, but fear, for if God spared not the natural branches of the Olive, fear that he will not spar● thee also.  
O that he would be pleased to cast his eye of pity upon the poor Jews, which for 1500. years and upwards have wandered without Law, without Lord, without Land, and as once they were, so once again to make them his people.   

In giving them bread.  
By Bread, is meant all sustenance necessary for the maintaining of our lives, whereof bread is the chiefest. As the Temple of Dagon principally leaned on two Pillars, and fell to the ground when Samson took them away, so the buildings of our bodies chiefly relies on bread and water for outward sustenance, which being taken away, cannot but presently decay: let others therefore wish those dishes which curiosity hath invented, rather to increase then satisfy hunger, which are more delightsome to the eye, then pleasing to the palate; yet more pleasing to the palate, then wholesome to the stomach; let us pray, Give us this day our daily bread.  
Bread is a dish in every Course, without this can be no Feast, with this can be no Famine.   

Observ.  
God's punishments though they last sometimes long, yet always they end at last: and yet sometimes for the manifestation of his power, and trial of his children's patience, he suffers them to be brought into great extremities: Abra●ams hand shall be heaved up to slay Isacc, before the Angel shall catch hold of it: Lazarus shall be three days dead before Christ will raise him; the Ship ready to ●inke, before our Saviour will awake; Peter must be drenched in the water, before our Saviour will keep him from drowning; S. Paul must be in the Lion's mouth, before he shall be delivered out of it; the Famine must last ten year, before God will give them Bread.  
An example hereof, we have in our Neighbouring Churches of Germany, which long have been afflicted under the Tyranny of their Oppressors; and now at length, a Sun is risen out of the North; and after a long Night, ●he Morning beginneth the Day: And thou Swethland shalt not be counted the meanest amongst the Kingdoms of Europ●; for out of thee did a Prince arise, who hath delivered the distressed Protestants; who at his first Landing, seemed to his Enemies an Obect fitter of their scorn then opposition; They thought our youthful David too unequal a Match to cope with their General, who had bean a Man of War from his Youth. But as Verity consisteth not in the plurality of Voy●●s, so Victory standeth not in the multitude of Soldiers; but God so ordered it, that he that had the best Cause, had the best success. I dare boldly say, that all the Protestant Princes and States of Germany will be ready truly to say of him what Tertullus spoke ●latteringly of Felix, Act. 24. 2 Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are ●one unto this Nation by thy providence, we always▪ accept it, and in all places, most noble Prince, with all thankfulness. But let us turn our praises of him into prayers for him, That he who hath conquered his Foes, may subdue himself▪ not to be puffed up with his good success. So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; but let all them that love thee, be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might: And as ever I have earnestly desired, so now do I steadfastly hope to see the Day, when our Naomi (our worthy Naomi, more fruitful in Miseries then in Children, and in Virtue; then in both) shall arise, to return out of the Land of Holland, with her Prince and Progeny, when she shall hear, that in the Land of Holland God hath visited the Palatinate, and given them rest.    

Vers. 7, 8.  
And she went out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her, and they went on the way, to return into the Land of Judah.  
And Naomi said to her daughters in law, Go, return each of you to her mother.  
THese words contain the continuation of Naomies' return; wherein we may observe,  
Fi●st, the company that went with her, her two daughters in law.  
Secondly, the discourse she had with this company, consisting of a Precept in the Text, Go, return each of you to her mother: and of a prayer, in the words following.  
Now, whereas her daughters in law did not take their farewell of Naomi at the threshold of their house, but went part of the way with her, we gather,  

Observation.  
That all offices of kindnesses and courtesies ought to be betwixt the mother in law and the daughter in law, I mean her son's Wife. And yet look into the world, and ye shall commonly find enmity betwixt them, as saith Terence in Hessera; Neque declinatam mulierem reperias ab aliarum ingenio; ità adeò uno omn●s animo socrus oderunt nurus: And their fall out chiefly proceed from these two causes:  
First, they contend which should have the greatest right & interest in the Man, who is Son to the one, Husband to the other. judah and Israel contested (2 Sam. 19 43.) which should have most part in King David; the former claiming it, because he was bone of their bone; the latter pleaded they had eleven parts in him, to judah's single share. Thus mother in laws and daughter in laws use to fall out; the mother, because her son is flesh of her flesh, and bone of her bone, pleads it is right, that he should side and second with her; the daughter in law, because he is her Husband, and therefore one flesh challengeth that he should rather take her part: so betwixt them they fill the Family with all discord.  
Secondly, they fall out about the managing of the matters in the Household, after whose mind they should be ordered: but as S. james said in another case, Beloved, these things ought not to be so; both these brawls may be easily ended. The first may be taken up by the wisdom and discretion of the son in law, who ought so indifferently to poise his affections betwixt them both, with such dutifulness and respect to the one, such love and kindness to the other, that neither may have just cause to complain. And the second controversy may thus be decided: If the mother hath the state still in her hands, good reason it is she should rule the Affairs, and that the daughter in law should wait till her mother in laws natural death hath paved the succession to the governing of the Family: but if the old woman hath resigned her estate, and confined herself to an yearly pension, then ought she not to intermeddle with those matters, from which she had willingly sequestered herself. Were this observed, there would not so many daughters in law rejoice, when the day of mourning for their mother in law is come; some whereof say as the wicked said of David, O, when will she die, and her name perish?  
Now to come to the discourse she had with them:   

Go, return etc.  
Where ariseth a question, Whether Naomi did well, in perswadiug her daughters to go back unto Moab? For the satisfaction whereof, I will set down, first, what may be said against; secondly, what may be brought for her defence.   

Accusation.  
Why Naomi, Why didst thou quench the zeal of thy daughters, which proffered themselves so willingly to go with thee? Oh, rain them not backward with dissuasions, but rather spur them forward with exhortations; and strive to bring them out of an Idolatrous Land, to a place where God's Worship is purely professed: Say unto them, Harken O daughters, and consider, incline your ears, forget also your Country, and your own Mother's house; so shall the Lord your God have pleasure in you: true it is▪ ye have a Mother in Moab, but what of that; care not for your Mother, but care for your Maker: care not for her that Conceived you, but care for him that Created you: tarry not with them, no not so much as to express your last love in performing their Funerals; rather let the dead bury their dead: those that are dead spiritually, let them bury such as die naturally, and come go ye along with me to the Land of Canaan: Thus Naomi oughtest thou to have said, and then hadst performed the part, done the duty of a Mother; if whilst thou hadst traveled with them on the way, thou hadst traveled with them till God had been form in them; then shouldst thou shine as a double Sun in heaven for saving of two souls, whereas now thou art in a manner accessary to their ghostly murder in sending them back to an idolatrous Country.   

Defence.  
To this accusation Naomi might justly answer; It is my hearts desire and prayer go God, that I may be an instrument of my Daughters in laws conversion; but the wisdom of the Serpent, as well as the innocency of the Dove is to be used in all our actions, lest we draw needless danger upon ourselves. True it is, my Daughters in law proffer to go with me, but here is the question; whether this is done out of courtesy and compliment, or out of singleness and sincerity. Now should they through my persuasions, go into the Land of Canaan, and there live in want and penury, they will be ready to rail on me another day. We may thank Naomi for all this, we had plentiful provisions in our own Country, but she must have us hither; she by her restless importunity must wring a constrained consent from us to come into Canaan; all these miseries are befallen upon us through her default. Yea, I am afraid, that finding want, that they again will return into their own Country to my shame, the scandal of our Religion, and the deeper punishment of their own souls. Wherefore without their minds would I do nothing, that their going might not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. To which end I will put them to the touchstone, to see whether their forwardness be faithful or feigned, sound or seeming, cordial or counterfeit; I will weigh them both in the balance, hoping that neither shall be found too light.  
Upon these Grounds learned men have acquitted Naomi from any fault in managing this matter, she doing it only with an intent to try them.  
Whence we may observe, That Pagans that proffer themselves to become Converts, are not without proof presently to be received into the Church.  
And here we may take occasion to digress a little, to show how Christians ought to behave themselves in the converting of Infidels.  
First, They must strive in their mutual conversing with them, to season them with a good opinion of their honesty and upright dealing, otherwise their Doctrine will never be embraced, whose manners are justly misliked.  
Secondly, Having possessed them with th●s good esteem, they ought as occasion is offered, to instruct them in the Rudiments of Christian Religion; and to begin with such as are plain and evident by the light of nature, and so in due time to proceed to matters of greater difficulty.  
Lastly, They are to pray to God to give his increase to their planting and watering: for, as Athanasius saith, ●t is a divine work to persuade men's souls to believe.  
But as for the using of tortures and of torments thereby to force them, we have no such custom, nor as yet the Churches of God: for though none come to Christ but such as his Father draws by the violence of his effectual grace; yet ought not men to drive or drag any to the pro●ession of the Faith: yet notwithstanding, if after long patience and forbearing with them, and long instructing them in the points of Religion; if still these Pagans continue refractory and obstinate, then surely the civil Magistrate who hath the lawful dominion over them, may severely, though not cruelly, with josiah, compel them to come to Church, and to perform the outward formalities of God's worship.  
Go then ye bloody Jesuits, boast of those many millions of americans whom you have converted, who were not converted by the sword of the mouth, gained by hearing the Gospel, but compelled by the mouth of the sword, forced by feeling your cruelty, witness those 70000 which without any catechising in the points of Religion, were at once driven to the Font like so many Horses to a watering Trough. Indeed I find my Saviour, Iohn ●. driving the Merchants out of the Temple with a whip of cords, but never before did 〈…〉 of any which against their wills drove or instructed Pagans to the ●ont to be baptised.   

Each to her Mother's house.  
Here we see Widows if poor, are to be maintained by their Parents if they be able. These widows, 1 Tim. 5. 16. were not to be burdensome to the Church, but ●o be relieved by their own Country, let Parents therefore take heed how they bestow their Daughters in Marriage: for if they match them to Unthrifts and Prodigals, will it not be bitterness in the end? the burden will fall heavy on their backs, when their poor Daughters with their Children must be sent again to their Fathers to maintain them.   

House.  
Widows are to contain themselves within the house, not like the Harlot, Prov. 7. 12. always in the streets; but like meek Sarah in the Tent: whereby they shall sooner gain the love and esteem of others; for let base and beggarly fellows buy that rascal ware which is hung out at the doors and windows of Shops and Stalls, whilst men of quality and fashion will go into the Shop to cheapen the worth of those merchandise as are therein kept secret and concealed. And so surely all discreet and grave men will have the highest esteem, and bear the best affection to such Women which do not gad abroad to be seen, but with Ruth and Orpah being Widows, keep themselves in their Mother's house.    

Vers. 8, 9 ●  
The Lord show favou● unto you, as ye have done with the dead, and with me.  
The Lord grant you, that you may find rest, either of you in the house of her Husband.  
NAomi being ready to take her leave of her daughters, fain she would leave them something, for which they might be the better after her departure▪ But Gold and Silver she had none, yet such as she had she freely gave unto them (hearty prayers.) Whence we learn, It is the best expression of a grateful mind, to pray to God for the welfare of those, at whose hands we have received greater courtesies than we can requite.  

As ye have done.  
Hence we learn, God in the rewarding of the good deeds of his servants, dealeth with them accordingly as they have done with others. Yet far be it from us to suppose, that in our stained and imperfect works there is any meritorious virtue, which deserveth, that God should proportion a Reward unto them: but this freely proceedeth from God's favour; who to encourage us in well-doing, will not suffer a Cup of cold water to pass without its reward. Do we desire then to have dutiful Children, and faithful Servants hereafter? let us be dutiful to our Parents', faithful to our Masters. On the other side, hath God afflicted us with Zibahs to our Servants, and with Absalon's to our Sons? let us reflect our eyes on that which is past, and call ourselves to account, whether we formerly have not been unfaithful to our Masters, undutiful to our Parents: no doubt, we may then take up the Confession of Adoni-bezek, As I have dealt with others, so the Lord hath done to me.   

With the dead.  
Question.  
Here ariseth a Question; How can one show favour to the dead, who being past sense, are not capable of kindness or cruelty?   

Answer.  
The Papists (who leave the souls of most men departing from hence, like Absalon's body, hanging betwixt Heaven and Hell) expound it, that these Women did fast and pray for ●he souls of their deceased Husbands, that they might be delivered from torments, and in due time brought to happiness in Heaven. For the confutation of which erroneous exposition, I need say no more, then that the Scripture makes no mention of any such middle place, wherein the souls of the godly should be detained before they go into Heaven; and in matters of Faith, every Christian may safely say, Except I see in the Bible the print thereof, or can feel it deduced out of it by undeniable consequence, I will not believe it.  
It is strange to see what impertinent places are produced by Bellarmine, to prove praying for the dead; as james 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed; the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Then he endeavoureth to prove, that the dead prey for the living, from the Parable of Dives, Luke 16. 27. I pray thee therefore Father etc. where Dives was charitably solicitous for the good of his surviving Brethren: But let the first place in S. james be perused by impartial Judgements, and it obligeth mutually the dead Saints to confess to us, as well as we to them; which being impossible, directeth us to confine the words only to reciprocal confessing and praying to and for the living.  
Some will say, Bellarmine having sufficiently proved Purgatory before, (which necessarily inferreth prayers for the dead) he might be the briefer in that subject. It is confessed, many arguments are alleged by him to that intent, though to small purpose; as Psalm 66. 22. We went through fire and through water, but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. We answer; first, the living there speak de praeterito, we went; not the futuro, we shall go. Secondly, it was literally meant of the Children of Israel; they went through the fire, when envassalled to work in the Egyptian Brick-kills; and through water, when miraculously they passed through the Red Sea. Again, they went through fire, when preserved from the stinging of the fiery, they beheld the Brazen Serpent. Thirdly, if from fire in this Text any can kindle a Purgatory, others will quench it from the word water, seeing no Papists ever fancied a watered Purgatory.  
They urge the place, Matth. 5. 26. Thou shalt by no means come out from thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing; importing, say they, a possibility on satisfaction to be freed thence, that is, from hell fire.  
Answer: Until there, is not taken terminatively, but extensively; equivalent to never, or not at all; paralleled to that place, Psalm 57 1. In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. What, would David depart from God, after his deliverance? Would he use him as Travellers a Bush? come under it in a storm, and leave it in fair weather? No surely, David would trust in God until that time, and at that time, and in that time, and after that time, and at all times. Parallel also to that place of Matthew 1. 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn Son: it being the constant Tradition of Antiquity, according to the Proportion of Faith, and embraced by the Papists themselves, that Christ's Mother lived and died a spotless Virgin.  
Much stress he layeth on that passage of the Apostle, 2 Corinth. 3. 15. He himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. This place, saith Bellarmine, is locus utilissimus & difficillimus, most profitable and most hard.  
We answer, first, in general; seeing by the Iesuits confession it is so hard a place, it is utterly improbable, that Purgatory (being of so high concernment to every soul as Papists would persuade us) can be therein intended: For all matters necessary for men to know and believe, wherein the safety of every single soul is interessed, (such as Purgatory is pretended to be) is by the confession of all Divines expressed in plain and pregnant Texts of Scripture; for want whereof, Bellarmine is fain to shroud and shelter himself under the most obscure places, alleging a Text most dark and difficult, by his own confession.  
Secondly, that fire there meant by Saint Paul, is affliction in this life. As for such Fathers who expounded it de igne conflagrationis, of that fire which should burn up all things at the end of the world; it makes nothing for the patronising of Purgatory, in the Popish notion thereof.  
Come we now to find an Office, and make an enquiry, how many things a dying godly man leaves behind him in this world: His Soul is sent before him; and Revel. 14. 13. From henceforth blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. He leaveth behind him,  
First, his Body; to which we must be kind, by Burial and lamentation.  
Secondly, his Estate; to which we must be kind, by careful and faithful Administration.  
Thirdly, his Children, Friends, or Kindred; to whom we must be kind, by Love and Affection.  
Fourthly, his Faults and Failings; to which we must be kind, by Silence and Suppression.  
Fifthly, his Memory and Virtues; to which we must be kind, by Congratulation, commemoration, and Imitation.  
Of these in order: For although these words, Ye have been kind to the dead, are capable of this ●ound sense, You have been kind to your Husbands, who now are dead, whilst they were living▪ yet because more seemeth imported therein, we will prosecute the aforesaid Particulars.  
I say, first, his Body; to which there is due Burial and Lamentation: Burial, and that according to the quality and condition wherein he lived. We read of King Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32. 33. They buried him in the chiefest (in the Hebrew, in the highest) Sepulchers of the sons of David. It must be allowed, that the Sepulchre of David his Father, was higher than his; and next David, Hezekia●s. O that height might be but measured by true holiness! There was an Officer amongst the greeks, whose place it was to measure Monuments according to the Standard of the men's merits therein interred: Such Officers if used in England, would pair off great parcels from some Tombs, more proportioned to the party's Wealth than Virtues. But nothing could be abated of Hezeki●h his Monument, all the Dimensions whereof were due to his Devotion.  
And Lamentation▪ Surely, of all the godly that ever departed this Life, God's servants had the least cause to bewail the death of S. Steven: For first, whereas there is a threefold degree of certainty of salvation; first, that of Hope, which as the least and lowest, scarce deserveth to be styled Certainty; secondly, that of Evidence, whereby the person clearly in his soul apprehendeth God's favour; thirdly, that of Vision, peculiar to this Steven alone, antedating his happiness with his bodily eyes, being in Heaven before he was in Heaven: so that as many gates in his wounded body stood open to let out his soul, he beheld alive the Heavens opened to receive it.  
And yet we read, Acts. 8. 2. And devout men carried Steven to his Burial, and made great jamentation over him. Observe; it was not said, they made great jamentation for him, but over him; they knew him in a happy condition: It was themselves they bemoaned in his death, the sight of his Corpse sharpening their sorrow, that the Infant-Church had lost one of her best swadlin●g-clothes.  
Secondly, his Estate; to which we must be kind, by careful and faithful Administration. Heb. 9 17. For a Testament is of force after men are dead. Gal. 3. 15. Though it be but a man's Covenant, or Testament, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto. NO MAN? He must either be less than man in knowledge, a mere Beast; or more than man in malice, a mere Devil. By Testament I understand not only the very words thereof, but also what appeareth to be the Testator his Will to the Conscience of the Executor. How many in this kind are cruel to the dead? So that some of the Legacies bequeathed by them, have had a Thumb or a Toe, yea, some an Arm or a Leg cut off from them. Many Legacies which came sound forth from the Testator, before they could get through the Executors have been more lame, and maimed, than the Cripples in the Hospital, to whom they have been bequeathed.  
Thirdly, his Children, or (because Mahlon and Chilion had none of them) his Kindred or Friends; to whom the living must be kind, with Love and Affection. Remember the Character of the good Wife, Proverbs 31. 12. She will do her Husband good, and not evil, all the days of her life. We have many Wives only negatively good, pleasing and praising themselves in this, that they do their Husbands no hurt. This will not do the deed, they must be positively profitable. Nor is it said, all the days of his life, but all the days of her life. What if he dieth, her obligation to him is not cassated or nulled, (as many Wives generally conceive) but still continueth all the days of her life. True it is, she is set free so far, as she may marry again in a competent time, without the least shadow of sin; yet so, as still obliged to do good all her life time to the Friends, to the Children (if any) of her dead Husband; and he, if surviving her, reciprocally engaged to do the like.  
Fourthly, the best men leave Faults and Failings behind them; to these the living must be kind, by Silence and Suppression.  
First, of those of whom thou canst say no good, say nothing.  
Secondly, of those of whom thou canst say some good, say no bad.  
David is a most excellent instance hereof, 2 Sam. 1. 24. Who could more, or more justly have inveighed against Saul then David? O ye Daughters of Israel, rejoice for the death of so great a Tyrant, who killed Ahimelech the High Priest, and fourscore more of God's Priests, whose souls were as clear from Treason as the white Linen Ephod they wore were from spots: Twice I had him at my mercy, once in the Cave, once when asleep; yet he (notwithstanding all his fair promises to the contrary) was the more cruel to me for my kindness to him. No such matter; David conceals what was bad, remembreth what was good in 〈◊〉, at leastwise what would make his memory acceptable with the weaker Sex; namely, his making of Gallantry fashionable amongst them: Ye Daughters of Israel weep over Saul, who clothed you in Scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of Gold upon your apparel.  
Fifthly, Memory of his Virtues: To which three things are due, to make thee kind thereunto.  
First, Congratulation. I will touch this string but tenderly; not so much because fearing mine own fingers, (as if the Lesson should be false I play thereon) but expecting other men's ears as ill-disposed with prejudice. It is no Popery, nor Superstition, to praise God for the happy condition of his servants departed; the ancient Patriarches, the inspired Prophets, the holy Apostles, the patient Martyrs, the Religious Confessors. When the Tribe of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasses, erected the Altar ED at the passage over jordan, it startled all the rest of the Tribes, as if under it they had hatched some superstitious design; whereas indeed, the Altar was not intended for Sacrifice, but was merely an Altar of Memorial, to evidence to posterity, that these two Tribes and an half (though divided from the rest by the River of jordan) were conjoined with them in the worship of the same God. In like manner, when some Ministers thank God for the departure of his servants, some people are so weak, and some so wilful, to condemn such for passages of Popery, as if superstitious prayers were made for their departure: whereas, indeed, such Congratulation, on the contrary, speaks our confidence on their present bliss and happiness, and continueth the Church Militant with the Church▪ Triumphant, as the completing one entire Catholic Church of jesus Christ.  
Secondly, Commemoration is due to the Memories of the deceased. Hence the ancient custom of Funeral Orations continued in our modern practice, both to the honour of the dead, and profit of the living.  
Thirdly, Imitation of their Virtues. It hath been a great Question amongst such who desire to express themselves thankful to their dead Ancestors, of what Metal, or Matter to make their Monuments so as they may be most lasting and permanent. Wise men have generally decried Silver and Brass; not so much, because too costly, (such may be the worth and wealth of the Executors and party deceased) but too tempting to Sacrilege to demolish them. Brass is generally subject to the same mischief, and Marble Touch and Alabaster, are generally used for that purpose; but the Monument less subject to Casualty, is, to imitate the Virtues of our dead Friends: in other Tombs the dead are preserved; in these, they may be said to remain alive.  
When we see a Child very like to the Father and Mother thereof, we use to say, Thy Father will never be dead as long as thou livest. Thus it is the best remembrance of our dead Progenitors, to follow their Virtues. S. Paul cannot look upon Timothy, but presently calls to mind his Mother Eunice, and his Grandmother Loi●, though the latter no doubt long since departed.   

The Lord grant, that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her Husband.  
Here we may observe, first, that it is the part of pious Parents to pray to God for the good success of their Children, especially in the matter of their Marriage: example in Abraham, Gen. 24. 7. Secondly, hence we may gather, that the Life of married persons meeting together in the fear of God, is Rest.   

Objection.  
How then cometh it to pass, that many men and women may take up the words of Rebecca, Seeing it is so, why am I thus? Gen. 25. If the married Life be. Rest, how cometh it to prove my Purgatory, my Hell, my cause of restless I orment? Men and women were joined in Marriage, Gen. 2. to the end to be a mutual help one to the other, but many prove such helpers as the King of Ashur did to Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. of whom it is said, he distressed him, but helped him not.   

Answer.  
Who can hinder it, if men of their Girdles and Garters make Halters to hang themselves? If those things which should be for their strength and ornament, be through their own default turned to their utter undoing; the estate of Marriage is not herein to be blamed, but the folly of such who out of some sinister ●nds undertake it. Happily some choose their Wives like as our Grandmother Eve did the Apple, because they are pleasant to the eyes to be looked upon: others out of a love of their Wealth, saying of their Wives what the Sichemites did of the sons of jacob, Shall not all their Herds and Gattells be ours? Whereas i● Grace and Piety were principally respected in their Choice, (other outward accommodations in their due distance not neglected) they would find the truth of our observation, that a married Life is Rest▪ For though some petty Brawls may happen amongst the most sanctified Couple, which may move their anger, yet shall it not remove their love, if one with Christian discretion beareth with the infirmities of the other. joab made this compact with his Brother Abishai, 2 Sam. 10. 11. If the Aramite be stronger than I, thou shalt help me; but if the Ammonites be too strong for thee, I will come and succour thee. Thus ought Man and Wife to make a Bargain with their best Council to, and prayers for each other, to ●ssist themselves mutually against their sundry weaknesses and infirmities, which otherwise would turn their Rest of their Life into unquietness.    

Vers. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  
And when she kissed them, they lift up their voices, and wept.  
And they said unto her, Surely, we will return with thee, unto thy people.  
But Naomi said, Turn again my daughters: for what cause will you go with me? Are there any more sons in my Womb, that they may be your Husbands?  
Turn again my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have an Husband: If I should say, I 〈◊〉 h●pe; and if I had an Husband this night; yea, if I had borne sons:  
Wo●ld you tarry for them while they were of age? Would you be deferred for them from taking of Husbands? Nay my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes, that the hand▪ of the Lord is gone out against me.  

And when she kissed them.  
KIsses was the ordinary salutation of the jews at the meeting of acquaintance, men with men, women with women, men with women; provided, that then they were of near kindred, to avoid all suspicion of unchastity.   

And they lift up their voices, and mept.  
The observation here, may be the same which the jews collected, john 11. which when they saw our Saviour weep for Lazarus, they said, Behold how he loved him. So these tears in this place were the expression of their affection. Sorrow like the River of jordan, 1 Chron. 12. in the first month did overflow the banks, and streamed water down their che●k●s.   

But Naomi said, Turn again my daughters, etc.  
In these words, she dissuadeth her daughters in law from returning with her; the strength of her Reason, contained in three Verses, may thus be set down, as if she had said: Happily daughters you have heard, that it is the custom in the Land of Canaan, for Childless Widows to marry their deceased Husbands Brothers; But if your return be grounded hereon, know, that you build your hopes on a false foundation, it being impossible for me, by the course of Nature, to have any more sons. Who will look, that Water should ●low from a dry Fountain, Grapes grow on a withered Vine, Fruit flourish on a dead Figtree? Though Sarah at 90 was made a Mother, though Aar●n's Rod did bud and blossom when it was dry; I myself should be a Miracle, if I should expect such a Miracle: and therefore know, that there are no more sons in my Womb.   

Doctrine.  
Now whereas N●omi dealeth thus plainly with her daughters, not feeding them with false hopes, it teacheth us this: We ought not to gull our friends with the promises of those things that neither will nor can come to pass. Otherwise we shall both wrong our friends, who the higher they are mounted upon the Hill of seeming hopes, at length the deeper they will be cast into the Dale of real despair; and also we shall wrong ourselves; when Time, the Mother of Truth, shall unmask us, we shall prove ourselves to be no better than Liars and Cheaters.   

Use.  
Let us labour to be Nathanaels', true Israelites, in whom there is no guile; and as john Baptist, when as the pharisees asked him, whether he was the Christ, or no? john 1. 20. he confessed, and denied not, and said plainly, I am not the Christ: So if we neither mean to do, nor know, that such things cannot be done which our friends request of us; let us confess, deny not, and say plainly, that their suits cannot, shall not be granted; and by such downright dealing, we shall at last get more favour from them, than they who flatter them with their tongue. Let not the Physician, when he reads in the Urinal those dismal symptoms, which are the Ushers of Death, still promise Life and Health unto his Patient; but plainly tell him, that there is Mors in ol●a; that so he may fly unto the Physician of the Soul, for a better Life, when this shall fade. Let not the Lawyer, when he knows the Case is desperate, feed his Client with false hopes to recover it, that so from ●im he may be fed with Money; but rather let him advise him to agree with his adversary while he is in the way; that though he cannot get the Conquest, yet he may have the easier Composition.   

For I am too old to have a Husband.  
Here ariseth a Question.   

Question.  
Is there any Age so old, wherein a man or woman may not marry?   

Answer.  
Naomies' meaning was not simply and absolutely, that she was too old to marry, but she was too old to have a Husband, and by a Husband to have Children, and that those Children should grow up, and make fit Husbands for Orpah and Ruth. Yet by the way, I would advise such who are stricken in years, especially if impotency be added unto Age, and that it may stand with their conveniency, to refrain from all thoughts of a second Marriage, and to expect that happy day, when Death shall solemnize the Nuptial betwixt their Soul and their Saviour. For when Barzillai hath counted 80 years, he hath even had enough of the pleasure and vanity of the world; let him retire himself to a private life, and not envy his son Cimcham to succeed to those delights, of which his Age hath made his Father uncapable. Yet if any ancient persons, for their mutual comfort and society, (which is not the least end for which Marriage was ordained) are disposed to match themselves herein, they are blameless; especially, if they have a care to observe a correspondency of Age with those to whom they link themselves. Otherwise, as our Saviour noteth, when the old Cloth was joined to the new, it made no good medley, but the Rent was made the worse: So when the Spring of Youth is wedded to the Winter of Age, no true comfort can arise from such unequal Yokes, but much jealousy and suspicion are caused from the fame.   

Would ye tarry for them?  
That is, you would not tarry for them; or if you should tarry for them, you should wrong yourselves, and do unadvisedly; because in the mean time refraining from the using of God's Ordinance, you expose yourselves to the Devil, to tempt you to incontinency. Therefore S. Paul's council is good which he prescribes in 1 Tim. 5. 14. I will therefore that the younger Women, etc.   

While they were of age.  
Note from hence, that Children are not to be married in their Nonage, before they are arrived at years of discretion: Than●ar Gen. 38. is to wait till Selah be grown up. Those Parents are therefore to be blamed, who out of by-respects, match their Children in their infancy. Whence it cometh to pass, that as their age doth increase, their mind doth alter: so what formerly they did like, afterwards they do loath, such Marriages proving commonly most insuccessfull.   

N●y, my Daughters: for it grieveth me much for your sakes.  
As if she had said▪ It grieveth me much that you are already plunged into poverty; but it would add more to my sorrow, if you should increase your calamities by returning home with me; for mine own part, my misery troubleth me not so much, because the Sun of my life is ready to set, and it mattereth not though the Ship be scanted of Victuals, when it is hard by the Harbour; all my care is for you who are young women, and stand upon your own preferment; it grieveth me much for your sakes.   

Doctrine.  
See here, Such is the ingenuous nature of God's Children, that they sorrow more for others that are enwrapped with them in a common calamity, then for themselves. Example in Elias, 1 King. 17. 20. Put then it goeth nearest to their heart, when others are not only afflicted with them, but also for them, when they themselves are the principal Malefactors for whose defaults others are punished, as in David, 2 Sam. 24. 17.   

Uses.  
It may confute the devilish nature of such, who being in Trouble, care not though they pawn their dearest friends in their stead, so be it they themselves may escape. And it may also serve to comfort those that are in distress, when God only layeth his punishments on them alone, and doth not involve others together with them. Art thou afflicted with poverty? Comfort thyself, that though thou be'st poor, yet thou hast undone none by Suretyship for thee. Art thou in sickness? Be glad that thy Disease is not infectious, and that thou hast not derived the contagion to others. Doth God punish thee for thy sin with a personal punishment? Be glad that thou bearest the weight of thine own offence, and that thou art not the jonah, for whose private sin a whole Ship of Passengers is endangered to be cast away; for than their case would grieve thee more than thine own calamity.   

That the hand of the Lord.  
Naomi here taketh especial notice, that her Losses proceedeth from no other by-causes, but from the hand of God. As David therefore asked the Widow of Tekoah, 2 Sam. 14. Is not the ●and of Joab with thee in all this? So when any affliction befalleth us, let us presently have recourse unto God, and say, Is not the hand of the Lord the principal cause hereof? And not with the Priests of the Philistims say, It was a chance that happened us.   

Is gone out against me.  
Observ.  
Hence we may observe, every Saint of God, in a common calamity, is to think, that God aimed at his punishment, and intended his reformation in particular. The hand of the Lord was gone out also against Orpah and Ruth, in taking away their Husbands; yet Naomi appropriateth the stroke to herself, Is gone out against me.  
How contrary is this to the practice of the world? Men in a public and a general affliction, each shifteth it off from themselves, and no one man will be brought to confess that his sins are punished, or his amendment intended in particular, if the Scourge be universal. As the Philistims, 1 Sam. 5. posted the Ark of God from Ashdod to Ekron, from one place to another, and none would receive it: So, in a common Calamity, none will acknowledge, that he himself is especicially interested in it, but plead, What is that to us? Let others look unto it. O, saith the people, God hath justly sent this Plague for the corruption of the Magistrates; It is justly inflicted, saith the Magistrate, for the disobedience of the people: Herein, saith the poor man, God hath met with the oppression and extortion of the Rich; Herein, saith the rich man, God hath paid home the muttering & the repining of the Poor: Now, saith the prodigal, God punisheth the covetousness of Old men; Now, saith the old m●n, he scourgeth the prodigality of such as be Young. far otherwise Naomi, who though the Arrows of God did glance and rebound, to the wounding of Orpah and Ruth, yet she thought she herself was the Mark at whom God did level his Shafts; The hand of the Lord is gone ●ut against me.    

Vers. 14.  
And Orpah kissed her mother in law, but Ruth clavae unto her.  
THese words contain two general parts:  
First, A blazing Meteor falling down out of the Air; And Orpah, etc.  
Secondly, A fixed Star fairly shining in the Heaven; But Ruth, etc.  

And Orpah kissed her mother.  
Is this she which even now was so promising in her words, and so passionate in her weeping? See how soon a forward Professor may turn to a fearful Apostate: Though she standeth or falleth to her own Master, yet as the Psalmist saith, I am horribly afraid for those that forsake thy Law; so have we just cause to suspect the fearful final estate of Orpah.   

Kissed her mother.  
That is, gave her this last salutation of her departure. Here we see, that those who want grace and true sanctity, may notwithstanding have manners and good civility. Now had Orpah changed the corporal Kiss she gave to her mother, into a spiritual Kiss to her Saviour, Psal. 2. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, her case had been as happy as now it may seem to be hopeless. But leaving her, we come to ourselves, and gather this Doctrine.   

Doctrine.  
Those who at the first were forward in Religion, may afterward altogether fall away, 1 Tim. 1. 20. Heb. 6. 4. Matth. 13. 20. It may therefore serve to abate the proud carriage of such, who as if it were not enough to be sure, will also be presumptuous of their salvation, and thereby take leave and liberty to themselves to live more licentiously.   

Objection.  
But as once one of the Children of the Prophets cried out to Elisha, Woman of God, there is Death in the Pot; so may the weak Christian complain against this Doctrine: O it is a deadly and dangerous one, containing much matter of despair, too bitter for the palate of a poor Christian to taste, or his stomach to digest, it quencheth all the sparks of my comfort, and hacketh asunder all the sinews of my hope; I fear, lest Orpah-like, I also should fall away: what shall I do, that I may be saved?   

Answer.  
Let not the smoking Flax be dismayed, which in time may be a blazing flame; nor the bruised Reed be discouraged, which may prove a Brazen Pillar in the Temple of God: That therefore thou mayest finally persevere, observe these four Rules.   

1 Rule.  
First, utterly renounce all sufficiency in thyself. Who but a mad man will now adays warrant the Paper-Shields of his own strength, that knows that Adam's complete Armour of Original Integrity, was shot thorough in Paradise.   

2 Rule.  
Secondly, place all thy confidence on the undeserved mercy of God: Perseverance cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor as yet from the South; but God suffereth one to fall, and holdeth up another. The Temple of Solomon had two Pillars; one called jachin, sounding in Hebrew, The Lord will establish; the other Booz, signified, In him is strength: So every Christian (the Temple of the Holy-Ghost) is principally holden up by these two Pillars, God's Power, and Will, to support him. Wherefore in every distress let us cry out to God, as the Disciples did to our Saviour, in the midst of a Tempest, Help Master, or else we perish.   

3 Rule.  
Thirdly, use all those means which God hath chalked out for the increase of grace in thee; as Prayer, Meditation, reverend receiving the Sacraments, accompanying with God's children, Reading, Hearing the Word, & ●.   

4 Rule.  
Fourthly, always preserve in thyself an awful fear, lest thou shouldst fall away from God: Fear to fall, and Assurance to stand, are two Sisters; and though Cain said, he was not his Brother's keeper, sure I am, that this Fear doth watch and guard her Sister Assurance: Tantus est gradus certitudinis, quantus sollicitudinis: They that have much of this Fear, have much certainty; they that have little, little certainty; they that have none, have none at all. It is said in Building, that those Chimneys which shake most, and give way to the wind, will stand the longest: The Moral in Divinity is true; Those Christians that shiver for fear by sins to fall away, may be observed most courageous to persist in Piety.   

Comfort.  
To those that diligently practise these Rules, I will add this Comfort: Encourage thyself, that God will keep thee from Apostasy unto the end, because already hitherto he hath preserved thee: For Gods former favours are pawns and pledges of his future love. David's killing of a Lion and a Bear, were the Earnests of his Victory over Goliath. Thus S. Paul reasoneth, 2 Cor. 1. 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. When Rachel bore her first son, Gen. 30. she called him joseph, and said, The Lord shall add to me another son. So, when God hath already blessed us and supported us for the time past, let us say with Rachel, joseph, the Lord will add: he will not stay, or stint, or stop here; but as he hath kept me from my mother's womb, and ever since I was borne, so I trust he will not forsake me when I am aged, and full of grey hairs.  
But to return to her which returned again to Moab: We read in 2 Sam. 20. that the people which passed by the Corp● of murdered Amasa, being moved with such a hideous and uncouth a spectacle, they stood still: But when we read this Book of Ruth, and come to Orpahs' Aposta●ie, there let us a while pause and demur, to read in her fall a Lecture of our own infirmity. For if we stand, it is not because we have more might in ourselves, but because God hath more mercy on us. Let us therefore work out our salvation with fear and trembling: ever trembling, lest we should be cast to Hell; ever triumphing, that we shall come to Heaven: ever fearful, lest we should fall; ever certain, that we shall stand: ever careful, lest we should be damned; ever cheerful, that we shall be saved. Concerning ruth's perseverance, we intent to treat hereafter.    

Vers. 15.  
And Naomi said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return thou after thy sister in law.  
IN these words, Naomi seeks to persuade Ruth to return; alleging the example of Orpah, whom she saith was gone ba●k to her people and to her gods.  

Observation.  
Where first we find, that all the Heathen, and the Moabites amongst the rest, did not acknowledge one true God, but were the worshippers of many gods; for they made every Attribute of God to be a dis●inct Deity. Thus in stead of that Attribute, the Wisdom of God, they feigned Apollo the god of Wisdom; in stead of the Power of God, they made Mars the god of Power; in stead of that admirable Beauty of God, they had Venus the goddess of Beauty. ●ut no one attribute was so much abused as God's Providence: For the Heathen supposing that the whole World, and all the Creatures therein, was too great a Diocese to be daily visited by one and the same Deity; they therefore assigned sundry gods to several creatures. Thus God's Providence, in ruling the raging of the Seas, was counted Neptune; in stilling the roaring Winds, AEolus; in commanding the Powers of Hell, Pluto: yea, Sheep had their Pan, and Gardens their Pomona: the Heathens then being as fruitful in feigning of gods, as the Papists since in making of Saints.   

Doctrine.  
Now, because Naomi used the example of Orpah as a Motive, to work upon Ruth to return, we gather from thence; Examples of others set before our eyes, are very potent and prevalent arguments to make us follow and imitate them: Whether they be good examples; so the forwardness of the Corinthians to relieve the jews, provoked many: or whether they be bad; so the dissembling of Peter at Anti●ch 〈◊〉 Barnaba●, and others, into the same fault. But those examples, of all others, are most forcible with us, which are set by such who are near to us by kindred, or gracious with us in friendship, of great over us in power.   

Use 1.  
Let men in eminent places, as Magistrates, Ministers, Fathers, Masters, and the like, (seeing that others love to dance after their Pipe, to sing after their Tune, to tread after their Tract) endeavour to propound themselves patterns of Piety and Religion to those that be under them.   

Use 2.  
When we see any good example propounded unto us, let us strive with all possible speed to imitate it. What a deal of stir is there in the World for Civil Precedency, and Priority? Every one desires to march in the Forefront, and thinks it a shame to come lagging in the Rearward. Oh, that there were such an holy Ambition and heavenly Emulation in our hearts, that as Peter and john ran a Race, which should come first to the Grave of our Saviour; so men would contend, who should first attain to true Mortification. And when we see a good example set before us, let us imitate it, though it be in one who in outward respects is far our inferior. Shall not the Master be ashamed to see that his Man, whose place on Earth is to come behind him, in Piety towards Heaven to go before him? Shall not the Husband blush to see his Wife, which is the weaker Vessel in Nature, to be the stronger Vessel in Grace? Shall not the elder Brother die his cheeks with the Colour of Virtue, to see his younger Brother, who was last borne, first reborn by Faith and the Holy-Ghost? Yet let him not therefore envy his Brother, as ●ain did Abel; let him not be angry with his Brother, because he is better than himself; but let him be angry with himself, because he is worse than his Brother; let him turn all his malice into imitation; all his fretting at him, into following of him: Say unto him as Gehazi did of Naaman, As the Lord liveth I will run after him: And though thou canst not overrun him, nor as yet overtake him, yet give not over to run with him; follow him, though not as Az●hel did Ab●er, hard at the heels; yet as Peter did our Saviour, afar off: that though the more slowly, yet as surely thou mayest come to Heaven: and though thou wert short of him whilst he lived, in the Race, yet thou shalt be even with him when thou art dead, at the Mark.   

Use 3.  
When any bad Example is presented unto us, let us decline and detest it, though the men be never so many, or so dear unto us. Imitate Michaiah, 1 Kings 22. to whom when the messengers sent to fetch him, said, Behold now the words of the Prophets declare good to the King with one mouth: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like to one of them; Michaiah answered, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak. If they be never so dear unto us, we must not follow their ●ad practice. So must the son please him that begat him, that he do not displease him that crea●ed him; so must the Wi●e follow him that married her, that she doth not offend him that made her. Wherefore as Samson, though bound with new Co●ds, ●●apt them asunder as Tow when it feeleth the fire; so rather than we should be led by the lewd examples of those which be near and dear unto us, let us break in pieces all Ties, Engagements, Relations whatsoever.   

Question.  
Yea but one may say, What if I find in the Scripture an action recorded, whose doer is known to have been a godly and gracious man; may I not, without any further doubt, or scruple, follow the same?   

Answer.  
For the better satisfying hereof, I will rank the actions of godly men, registered in the Scriptures, into nine several ranks, and will show how far forth we may safely proceed in the imitation of them.  
1. We fide some actions set down which are extraordinary, the doers whereof had peculiar strength and dispensation from God to do them. Thus Samson slew himself and the Philistims in the Temple of Dagon; Elias caused fire to descend on the two Captains, and their fifties; Elisha cursed the Children of Be●hel. Now these are recorded rather for our instruction, than imitation: For when the sons of Thunder would have been the sons of Lightning, and have had sire from Heaven to burn the Samaritans, which refused to receive our Saviour, after the example of Elias Christ checked their ill-tempered Zeal, and told them, You know not of what spirit you are of.  
2. Some examples are set down which are founded in the Ceremonial Law, as the eating of the Paschall Lamb, the Circumcising of their Children the eight day: Now the date of these did expire at the death of Christ; the substance being come, the shadows are fled, and therefore they may in no wise still be observed.  
3. Such examples as are founded in the Judicial Law, which was only calculated ●or the elevation of the Jewish Commonwealth, as to put Men to death for Adultery. Now these examples tie us no farther to imitate them, than they agree with the Moral Law, or with those Statutes by which every particular Country is Governed.  
4. Some there be founded in no Law at all, ●ut only in an ancient custom by God tolerated and connived at, as Polygamy in the Patriarches, Divorces in the jews upon every ●light occasion; from these also we must in these days abstain, as which were never liked or allowed by God, though permitted in some Persons, and Ages, for some special reasons.  
5. Doubtful examples which may so be termed, because it is difficult to decide whether the Actors of them therein did offend or no; so that should a Jury of learned Writers be empanelled to pass their verdict upon them, they would be puzzled whether to condemn or acquit them, and at length be forced to find it an Ig●oramus, as whether David did well to dissemble himself frantic, thereby to escape the cruelty of Achish King of Gath. Now our most advised way herein, is altogether to abstain from the imitation of them, because there is a deal of difficulty and danger▪ and our judgements may easily be deceived.  
6. Mixed examples, which contain in them a double action, the one good, the other bad, both so closely couched together, that it is a very hard thing to sever them: thus in the unjust Steward, there was his wisdom to provide for himself, and his wickedness to purloin from his Master: the first God did commend, we may imitate; the latter he could not but loath, we may not but shun. In the Israelitish Midwives, Exod. 1. there was fides mentis & fallacia mentientis: the faith of their love, and the falseness of their lying: the first God rewarded, and we may follow; the latter he could not but dislike, and we must detest. Behold here is wisdom, and let the Man that hath understanding discreetly divide betwixt the Dross and the Gold, the Chaff and the Wheat in these mixed examples, that so they may practise the one, eschew and avoid the other.  
7. Those which be absolutely bad, that no charitable Comment can be fastened upon them, as the drunkenness of Noah, the incest of Lot, the lying of Abraham, the swearing of joseph, the adultery of David, the denial of Peter: Now God forbid we should imitate these; far be it from us with King Ahaz, to take a pattern from the Idolatrous Altar of Damascus: the Holy Spirit hath not set these sins down with an intent they should be followed; but first to show the frailty of his dearest Saints, when he leaves them to themselves; as also to comfort us when we fall into grievous sins, when we see that as heinous offences of God's servants stand upon record in the Scripture.  
8. Actions which are only good as they are qualified with such a circumstance, as David's eating of the Shewbread, provided for the Priest's, in a case of absolute necessity. These we may follow, but then we must have a special eye and care that the same qualifying circumstance be in us, for otherwise the deed will be impious and damnable.  
9 Examples absolutely good, as the faithfulness of Abr●ham, the peaceableness of Isaac, the painfulness of jacob, the chastity of joseph, the patience of Moses, the valour of joshuah, the sincerity of D●vid, these it is lawful and laudable with our best endeavours to imitate: follow not the Adultery of David, but follow the chastity of joseph; follow not the dissembling of Peter, but follow the sincerity of Nathaniel; follow not the testiness of jonah, but follow the meekness Moses; follow not the apostasy of Orpah, but follow the perseverance of Ruth, which cmes in the next Text to be Treated of.    

Vers. 16, 17.  
And Ruth answered, Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to depart from thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou dwellest, I will dwell: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.  
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.  
HEre we have the resolution of Ruth portrayed in lively Colours: so that if we consider her Sex, a Woman; her Nation, a Moabite; one may boldly pronounce of her what our Saviour did of the Centurion; Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.  

Entreat me not to leave thee.  
Some read it, Be not thou against me, as it is in the Margin of the New Translation. Where we see, that those are to be accounted our Adversaries, and against us, who dissuade us from our Voyage to Canaan, from going to God's true Religion. They may be our Fathers, they cannot be our Friends; though they promise us all outward profits and pleasures, yet in very deed they are not with us, but against us, and so must be accounted of.   

Where thou lodgest, I will lodge.  
A good Companion, saith the Latin● Proverb, is pro viatico, I may add also, pro diversorio: Ruth▪ so be it she may enjoy Naomies' gracious company, will be content with any Lodging, though happily it may be no better than Ia●ob had, Gen. 28. And yet we see how some have been discouraged even from the company of our Saviour, for fear of hard lodging▪ witness the Scribe, to whom when our Saviour said, The Foxes have their holes, and the Fowls of the air have nests, bu● the son of man hath not where to lay his head: This cold comfort presently quenched his forward zeal, and he never appeared afterward; whereas he ought to have said to our Saviour as Ruth to Naomi, Where thou lodgest will I lodge.   

Thy people shall be my people.  
Haman being offended with Mordecai, as if it had been but lean and weak revenge to spit his spite upon one person, hated all the jews for Mordecai's sake; the mad Bear stung with one Bee, would needs throw down the whole Hive. But clean contrary, Niomi had so graciously demeaned herself, that Ruth for her sake is fallen in love with all the jews. Farewell Melchom, farewell Chemosh, farewell Moab; welcome Israel▪ welcome Canaan, welcome Bethlehem: all of a sudden she will tur●e Convert, she will turn Proselyte.   

Observation.  
The godly carriage of one particular person may beget a love of that Country and People whereof he is, even in a stranger and foreigner. Do we then desire to gain credit to our Country, praise to our People, honour to our Nation, repute to our Religion? Let us dep●rt and behave ourselves graciously, if we live ●mongst strangers. On the other side, the base and debauched manners of some one man is able to make his Country stink in the nostrils of those foreigners amongst whom he lives: Ex uno discite omnes; in one faithless Sinon one may read the Treachery of all the Grecians.   

Thy God shall be my God.  
jehosaphat when he joined with Ahab, 1 Kings 22. said unto him, My people is as thy people, and my horses are as thy horses; that is, he would comply with him in a Politic League: but Ruth goes further to an unity in Religion, Thy God shall be my God. Yea, but one may say, How came Ruth to know who was the God of Naomi? I answer: As God said of Abraham, I know that Abraham will instruct his children; so may one confidently say of Naomi: I know that Naomi had catechised and instructed her daughter in law, and often taught her, that the God of the Israelites was the only true God, who made Heaven and Earth, and that all others were but Idols, the works of men's hands▪ Yet as the Samaritans believed our Saviour first upon the relation of the woman that came from the Well, john 4. 42. but afterwards said unto her, Now we believe, not because of thy saying; for we have heard him ourselves, and know th●t this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. So happily Ruth was induced first to the liking of the God of Israel, upo● the credit of Naomies' words; but afterwards her love of him proceeded from a more certain ground, the motions of God's holy Spirit in her heart.   

Where thou diest will I die.  
Here Ruth supposeth two things: first▪ that she and her mother in law should both die; It is appointed for all once to die: secondly, that Naomi, as the eldest, should die first; for according to the ordinary custom of Nature, it is most probable and likely, that those that are most stricken in years should first depart this Life: Yet I know not whether the Rule or the Exceptions be more general, and therefore let both young and old prepare for death; the first may die soon, but the second cannot live long.   

And there will I be buried.  
Where she supposeth two things more: First, that those that survived her, would do her the favour to bury her; which is a common courtesy, not to be denied to any: It was an Epitaph written upon the Grave of a Beggar, Nudus 〈◊〉 vivus, 〈◊〉 ecce tegor. Secondly, she supposeth that they would bury her, according to her instructions, near to her mother Naomi.   

Observation.  
As it is good to enjoy the company of the godly while they are living, so it is not amiss, if it will stand with conveniency, to be buried with them after death. The old Prophet's bones escaped a burning, by being buried with the other Prophets; and the man who was tumbled into the Grave of E●isha, was revived by the virtue of his bones. And we read in the Acts and Monuments, that the body of Peter Martyr's Wi●e was buried in a Dunghill; but afterward being taken up in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, it was honourably buried in Oxford, in the Grave of one Frideswick, a Popish shee-Saint; to this end▪ that if Popery, which God forbid, should overspread our Kingdom again, and if the Papists should go about to un●ombe Peter Martyr's Wives bone●, they should be puzzled to distinguish betwi●● this woman's body and the Relics of their Saint. So, good it is sometimes to be buried with those who some do account pious, though perchance in very deed they be not so.   

The Lord do so to me, and more also.  
To ascertain Naomi of the seriousness of her intentions herein, Ruth backs what formerly she had said with an Oath, lined with an execration.   

Observation.  
Whence we may gather, it is lawful for us to swear upon a just cause: but then these three Rules must be warily observed.  
First, that we know that the thing whereto we swear be true, if the Oath be assertory; and if it be promissory, that we be sure that it is in our intent, and in our power, God blessing us, to perform that which we promise.  
Secondly, that the occasion whereupon we use it, be of moment and consequence, not trifling and trivial.  
Thirdly, that we swear by God alone, and not by any Creature. Swear then neither by the Heaven, nor by the Earth, nor by Ierusal●m, nor by the Temple, nor by the Gold of the Temple, nor by the Altar, nor by the Sacrifice on the Altar, but by God alone; for he only is able to reward thee, if that thou affirmest be true; he only is able to punish thee, if that thou avouchest be false. Yet this doth no ways favour the practice of many now adays, who make Oaths their language. Our Saviour said to the I●mes; Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of them go you about to stone me? So may the Lord say to many riotous Gallants now adays; Many good deeds have I done to thee, I created thee of nothing, I sent my Son to die for thee, by my providence I continually protect and preserve thee; for which of these deeds dost thou g●e about by Oaths to blaspheme me?  
Now whereas Ruth doth not say, God damn me, God confound me, I would I might never stir; but shrowds the execration under general terms, God ●oe so to me, and more also: we learn, it is not good to particularise in any kind of punishment when we swear, but only to express the Curse in general terms, leaving it to the discretion of God Almighty, to choose that Arrow out of his Quiver which he shall think most ●it to 'sfoot at us.   

If aught but death.  
See here the large extent of a Saints love, it lasts till death; and no wonder; for it is not founded upon Honour, Beauty, or Wealth, or any other sinister respect in the party beloved, which is subject to Age, or Mutability, but only on the Grace and Piety in him; which foundation because it always lasteth, that Love which is built upon it, is also perpetual.   

Part thee and me.  
Death is that which parteth one friend from another: Then the dear Father must part with his dutiful Child, than the dutiful Child must forgo his dear Father; then the kind Husband must leave his constant Wife, than the constant Wife must lose her kind Husband; then the careful Master must be sundered from his industrious Servant, than the industrious Servant must be severed from his careful Master. Yet this may be some comfort to those whose friends Death hath taken away, that as our Saviour said to the Disciples, Yet a little while and you shall not see me, and yet a little while and you shall see me again: so yet a little while, and we shall not see our friends; and yet a little while, and we shall see them again in the Kingdom of Heaven; for, non mittuntur, sed praemittuntur, we do not forgo them, but they go before us.  
To conclude: we see many women so strangely disguised with fantastic fashions, as if they desired to verify the nickname of the Philosopher, and to prove themselves in very deed to be very Monsters; yea, many of them so affect Manlike Clothes and shorn Hair, it is hard to discover the Sex of a Woman through the Attire of a Man. But we see in my Text, worthy Ruth taking upon her, not the Clothes, but the Courage; not the Hair, but the Heart; not the Attire, but the Resolution of a Man, yea, and more than of a Man, wi●n●sse her worthy speech, Entreat me not to depart etc.    

Vers. 18.  
And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, sh● left off speaking unto her.  
ORpah and Ruth may be compared to two strong Forts, Naomi to one that besieged them, who made three●sore Assaults upon them: The first, in the eighth Verse; which Assault both of them resisted with equal constancy: The second, in the eleventh Verse; to which Orpah basely yieldeth, and accepteth terms of Composition: The last, in the fifteenth Verse; which Ruth most valiantly defeated, and stood upon terms of Defiance to the mention of any return. Now as soldiers when they have long besieged a City with the loss of Time, Money, and Men, being hopeless to take it, they even sound a Retreat, and retire home, without accomplishing their desire: so Naomi perceiving that all her arguments which she used to conquer Ruth, like Water in the Smith's ●orge cast on Coals, did more intend the heat of her constancy, gives over in my Text, And when she saw etc.  
Which words do probably persuade what formerly we affirmed, namely, that Naomi dissuaded her daughter, only to search and sound her sincerity, not with any true desire she should go back to Moab. For even as it is plain, that the Replyer in his Disputation aimeth not at the suppressing, but at the advancing of a Truth, who surceaseth and cavils no longer, when he sees the neck of his argument broken with a sufficient answer; so it appeareth that Naomi, what she had said formerly, spoke it only to try her daughter, because having now had sufficient experience of her constancy, she so willingly desisted. God wrestled with jacob, with a desire to be conquered; so Naomi no doubt opposed Ruth, hoping and wishing that she herself might be ●o●led.  

And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded.  
The Hebrew reads it, that she strengthened herself; that being their phrase to express an Oath.   

Observation.  
Where we observe, Oaths taken upon just occasion, are excellent Ti●s and Bands to strengthen men in the performance of those things to which they swear. The greater pity it is then, that a thing in itself so sovereign, should be so daily and dangerously abused. Witness Herod, who by reason of a rash Oath, cast himself into a worse Prison then that wherein he had put the Baptist, m●king that (which being well used might have confirmed in Piety) to be a means to enforce him to Murder.   

Use.  
Let this ●each us, when we find ourselves to lag and ●aulter in Christianity, to call to mind thate solemn Vow, Promise, and Profession, which our Godfathers in our Name made for us at our Baptism, To forsake the Devil and all his works, the vain pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and to fight valiantly under Christ's Standard. Let us remember from whence we are fallen, and do our first work. We need not make a new Vow, but only renew the old, and so settle and establish ourselves in the practice of Piety, as Ruth in my Text by an Oath strengthened herself.   

She left off speaking unto her.  
She saw she had now enough expressed and declared her integrity, and therefore she would not put her to the trouble of any farther trial.   

Observation.  
Hence the Doctrine is this: After proof and trial made of their fidelity, we are to trust our Brethren, without any farther suspicion. Not to try before we trust, is want of wisdom; not to trust after we have tried, is want of charity. The Goldsmith must purify the dross and oar from the Gold, but he must be wary lest he makes waste of good Metal, if overcurious in too often refining. We may search and sound the sincerity of our Brethren, but after good experience made of their uprightness, we must take heed lest by continual sifting and proving them, we offend a weak Christian. Christ tried the woman of Syrophaenicia first with silence, then with two sharp answers; at last finding her to be sound, he dismissed her with granting her request, and commending of her faith. When he had said to Peter the third time, Lovest thou me? he rested satisfied with Peter's answer, and troubled him with no more questions.   

Use.  
It may confute the jealous and suspicious minds of such who still think that their Brethren are rotten at the heart, hypocritical, dissemblers, though they have made never so manifest proof of their uprightness. Thomas would not take his Master's Resurrection on the Credit of his fellow-Apostles relation; his faith would not follow, except his own sense was the Usher to lead it the way: so these men are altogether incredulous, and very Infidels in the point of their brethren's sincerity, though it be never so surely warranted unto them on the words of those whom they ought to believe. Hence oftentimes it comes to pass, that they scandalise and offend many weak Christians, whose Graces are true, though weak; Faith unfeigned, though feeble: Yea, it maketh weak Saints to be jealous of themselves, to see others so jealous of them. But we must be wonderful careful how we give offence to any of God's little ones. When Esau, Gen. 33. 13. would have persuaded jacob to drive on faster, jacob excused himself, saying, That the Children were tender, and the Ewes big with young, and if they should be over-driven one day, they would die. Thus if any would persuade us to sift and winnow, and try the integrity of our Brethren, after long experience of them, we may answer, This is dangerous to be done, because smoking Flax and bruised Reeds, tender Professors, may utterly be discouraged and dis-heartened by our restless pressing and disquieting of them. Wherefore Naomi having now seen the Reality of ruth's Resolutions, left off from any further molesting of her.    

Vers. 19, 20, 21, 22.  
So they went both until they came to Bethlehem, and when they came to Bethlehem, all the City was moved at them, and they said, Is not this Naomi?  
And she said, Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah, for the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me.  
I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to return empty; why call you me Naomi, sithence t●e Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?  
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitesse; her Daughter in law with her, when she came out of the Country of Moab; and th●y came to Bethlehem in the beginning of Barley Harvest.  
THe holy Spirit mentioneth not what discourse ●hey exchanged by the way; yet no doubt they were neither silent, nor bu●ied in unprofitable talk.  

And all the City was moved, etc.  
See here, Naomi was formerly a woman of good quality and fashion, of good rank and repute; otherwise her return in poverty had not been so generally taken notice of. Shrubs may be grubbed to the ground, and none miss them, but every one marks the felling of a Cedar. Grovelling Cottages may be evened to the Earth, and none observe them; but every Traveller takes notice of the ●all of a Steeple. Let this comfort those to whom God hath given small Possessions. Should he visit them with povetie, and ●ake from them that little they have, yet their grief and shame would be the less: they should not have so many fingers pointed at them, so many eyes staring on them, so many words spoken of them; they might lurk in obscurity; it must be a Naomi, a person of eminency and estate, whose poverty must move a whole City.   

And they said, Is not this Naomi?  
Remarkable it is, that so many people should jump in the same expression; but as Abraham laughed, and Sarah laughed, both used the same outward gesture, yet arising from different causes; his laughter from joy, her's from distrust: so all these people might meet in the same form of words, yet far descent in their minds wherewith they spoke them. Some might speak out of admiration, strange, wonderful is this she who once was so wealthy? how quickly is a River of Riches drained dry? she that formerly was so fair, 〈◊〉 one can scarce read the ruins of beauty in her face: Is not this Naomi? Some out of exprobration; See, see, this is she that could not be content to tarry at home to take part of the Famine with the rest of her fellows, but needs with her Husband and Sons, ●ust be gadding to Moab: see what goo● she hath got by removing, by changing her Country, she hath changed her Condition: Is not this Naomi? Some might speak it out of Commiseration: Alas, alas, Is not this that gracious woman, that godly Saint, which formerly by her Charity relieved many in distress? how soon is a full clod turned into parched earth? one that supplied others, into one that needeth to be supplied by others: Is not this Naomi?   

And she said, call me not Naomi, but call me Marah.  
Naomi, signifieth Beautiful; Marah, Bitter, Exod. 15. 23. where we see, that the Godly in poverty are unwilling to have Names and Titles, disagreeing and disproportioned to their present estates, which may confute the folly of many, which being in distress, and living little better than upon the alms of others, will still stand upon their points, bear themselves bravely on their▪ birth, not lose an inch of their place, not abate an ace of their gentry; far otherwise was Naomi affected, being poor, she would not be overnamed, or Title-heavie: Call me not Naomi, but call me Marah.   

Observ.  
Here also we may see, that it was a custom of great Antiquity in the World, that Men and Women should have several names whereby they were called, and that for these three Reasons.  
1. That they might be differenced and distinguished from others.  
2. That they might be stirred up to verify the meanings and significations of their names: wherefore let every Obadiah strive to be a servant of God, each Nathaniel to be a gift of God, Onesimus to be profitable, every Roger quiet and peaceable, Robert famous for counsel, and William a help and defence to many; not like Absalon, who was not a Father of Peace, as his name doth import, but a son of Sedition; and Diotrephes, not nursed by God, as his name sounds, but puffed up by the Devil, as it is 3 john 9  
3. That they might be incited to imitate the virtues of those worthy persons, who formerly have been bearers and owners of their names. Let all abraham's be faithful, Isaac's quiet, Jacob's painful, Joseph's chaste, every Lewis pious, Edward confessor of the true faith, William conqueror over his own corruptions. Let them also carefully avoid those sins for which the bearers of the Names stand branded to posterity. Let every jonah beware of frowardness, Thomas of distrustfulness, Martha of worldliness, Marry of wantonness. If there be two of our names, one exceedingly good, the other notoriously evil, let us decline the vices of the one, and practise the virtues of the other. Let every judas not follow judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Saviour, but judas the brother of james, the writer of the general Epistle; each Demetrius, not follow him in the acts who made silver shrines for Diana, but Demetrius 3 john, who had a good report of all men. Every Ignatius not imitate Ignatius Loiola the lame Father of blind obedience, but Ignatius the worty Martyr in the Primitve Church. And if it should chance through the indiscretion of Parents and Godfathers, that a bad name should be imposed on any; oh let not folly be with them, because Nabal is their name; but in such a case, let them strive to falsify, disprove, and confute their names; otherwise if they be good, they must answer them.  
In the days of Q. Elizabeth, there was a Royal Ship called the Revenge, which having maintained a long fight against a Fleet of Spaniards, (wherein eight hundred great Shot were discharged against her) was at last fain to yield: but no sooner were her men gone out of her, and two hundred fresh Spaniards come into her, but she suddenly sunk them and herself; and so the Revenge was revenged. Shall liveless pieces of Wood answer the Names which men impose upon them, and shall not reasonable souls do the same? But of all Names, I pray God that never just occasion be given, that we be Christened Icca●od, but that the glory may remain in our Israel so long as the faithful Witness endureth in Heaven. And so much of those words, Call me not Naomi, but etc.   

For the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me.  
Afflictions relish sour and bitter even to the palates of the best Saints.   

Observation.  
Now bitter things are observed in Physic to have a double operation: first, to strengthen and corroborate the Liver; and secondly, to cleanse and wipe away Choler, which cloggeth the stomach: both these effects afflictions by their bitterness produce; they strengthen the inward Vitals of a Christian, his Faith and Patience, and cleanse God's Saints from those superfluous excrements which the surfeit of Prosperity hath caused in them. It may therefore serve to comfort such as groan under God's afflicting hand, Hebrews 12. 11. The Book which S. john eat, Rev. 10. 10. was sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly: clean contrary, afflictions are bitter in the mouth, but sweet in the belly; God by sanctifying them, extracting Honey out of Gall, and Sugar out of Wormwood. And let it teach us also, not t● wonder if the Children of God winch and shrug, and make sour faces, when afflicted: Wonder not at David, if he cryeth out in the anguish of his heart; at job, if he complaineth in the bitterness of his soul; at jeremiah, if he lamenteth in the extremity of his grief: For even then they are swallowing of a Potion, which is bitter unto flesh and blood.   

I went out full, and the Lord hath caused me to return empty.  
Here may we see the uncertainty of all outward wealth.   

Observation.  
How quickly may a Crassus, or Crosu● be turned into a Codrus; the richest, into the poorest of men! Whom the Sunrising seeth in wealth, him the Sunne-setting may see in want. Set not up then your horns so high, neither speak presumptuous words, ye wealthy men; for God, it it pleaseth him, can in a moment dispossess you of all your Riches. And let us all not lay up Treasures here on Earth, where Rust and Moths do corrupt, and Thiefs break through and steal; but lay up your Treasure in Heaven, where Rust and Moth do not corrupt, and Thiefs do not break through and steal.   

Why call you me Naomi, sithence the Lord etc.  
The mention of their former Wealth is grievous to the godly, when they are in present Poverty.   

Observation.  
When the Children of Israel are Captives in Babylon, it cuts them to the heart to be twitted with the Songs of Zion. And it may teach this point of wisdom to such as repair to give comfort to men in affliction, not to mention that tedious and ingrateful subject, what happiness that party formerly enjoyed. Summe not up to job in distress, the number of his Camels, tell not his Sheep, reckon not his Oxen, read not unto him an Inventory of those Goods whereof he before was possessed, for this will but add to his vexation; rather descend, to apply solid and substantial comfort unto him.   

since the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me●  
Every affliction is a witness that God is angry with us for our sins.   

Observation.  
Who then is able to hold out Suit ●ith God in the Court of Heaven? For God himself is both Judge and Witness, and also the executor and inflicter of punishments. It is therefore impossible for sinful man to plead with him; and it is our most advised course, as soon as may be, to come to terms of composition with him, and to make means unto him through the mediation of our Saviour. Now that all afflictions are immediately inflicted by God, we have showed formerly.   

And they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of Early Harvest.  
The jews had two distinct Harvests of Wheat and Barley, and Barley was the first, 2 Sam. 21. 9 So here we see the providence of God, in ordering and disposing the Journey of Naomi, to end it in the most convenient time. Had she come before Harvest, she would have been straitened for means to maintain herself; if after Harvest, Ruth had lost all those occasions which paved the way to her future advancement. God therefore, who ordered her going, concludes her Journey in the beginning of Harvest.  
And thus have we gone over this Chapter. Now as Samuel in the first Book, chap. 7. vers. 12. erected an Altar, and called it Eben-ezer, for, said he, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us: so here may I raise an Altar of Gratitude unto God, with the same inscription, Eben-ezer, Hitherto the Lord of his goodness hath assisted us.     


CHAP. II. Vers. 1. 2.  
And Naomi had a kinsman of her Husbands, a mighty man of wealth, of the Family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.  
And Ruth the Moabitesse said unto Naomi, I pray thee let me go into the field, and gather ears of Corn after him, in whose sight I find favour: and she said unto her, go my Daughter.  
THis first Verse presents us with two remarkable things.  
1. Poor Naomi was allied to powerful Boaz.  
2. Boaz was both a powerful man, and a Godly man.  
Of the first. Poor people may be allied and of great kindred to those that are wealthy; and those that be wealthy, to suuh as are poor. joseph, though Governor of Egypt▪ had poor jacob to his Father, and plain shepherds to his brethren. esther, though Queen to Ahashuerus▪ hath poor Mordecai for her Uncle.  

Use 1.  
Let this confute such as having gotten a little more thick clay than the rest of their Family, the getting of new wealth and honour makes them to lose their old eyes, so that they cannot see and discern their poor kindred afterwards. When joseph was Governor of Egypt, it is said, that he knew his brethren, but his brethren knew not him; b●t now adays it happeneth clean contrary. If one of a Family be advanced to great honour, it is likely that his kindred will know him, but he oftentimes comes to forget them. Few there be of the noble nature of the Lord Cromwell, who sitting at Dinner with the Lords of the Council, and chancing to see a poor man afar off which used to sweep the Cells and the Cloisters, called for the man, and told the Lords; This man's Father hath given me many a good meal, and he shall not lack so long as I live. [Fox Page 1188.]   

Use 2.  
Let it teach those who are the top of their kindred, the best of their House, to be thankful to God's gracious goodness who hath raised them to such a height. He hath not dealt thus with every one, neither are all of their kindred so well provided for outward maintenance. And also let them learn to be bountiful and beneficial to their kindred in distress. Mordecai said to Esther, Esth. 4. 14. Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time? namely to deliver her Countrymen the Jews from that imminent danger.  
So who knoweth whether God hath raised thee up, who art the best of thy kindred, to this very intent, that thou ●ightest be the Treasure and the Storehouse to supply the want of others which are allied unto thee? But if one should chance to be of so wealthy a stock, as that none of his alliance stood in need of his charity; let such a one cast his eye upon such as are of kindred unto him by his second birth, and so he shall find enough Widows, Orphans, and poor Christians, to receive his liberality.  
Notwithstanding, let poor people be wary and discreet, that through their idleness they be not a burden to wealthy men of their alliance. When a Husbandman claimed kindred in Grouted Bishop of Lincoln, and would fain on the instant turn a Gentleman, and to this end requested his Lordship to bestow an Office upon him: the Bishop told him, that if his Plough were broken, he would mend it; if he wanted a ●lough, he would make him a new one; telling him withal, that he should by no means leave that Calling and Vocation wherein God had set him. So ought all poor people industriously to take pains for themselves, and not to give themselves over to ease, relying and depending for their maintenance on their reference and relation to a rich kinsman.  
Come we now to the second Observation, That the same man may be godly, and also mighty in wealth like Boaz. Behold your Calling; not many wise, yet some wise, as Solomon, and Sergius Deputy of Cyprus; not many rich, yet some rich, as Abraham, job; not many noble, yet some noble, as Theophilus. For it is not the having of wealth, but the having confidence in wealth; not the possessing it, but the relying on it, which makes rich men incapable of the Kingdom of Heaven: otherwise Wealth well used is a great blessing, enabling the owner to do God more glory, the Church and Commonwealth more good.   

Use.  
Let all Wealthy men strive to add inward grace unto their outward greatness. Oh 'tis excellent when joash and jehoiada meet together; when Prince and Priest, Power and Piety are united in the same person; that so Greatness may be seasoned and sanctified by Grace, and Grace credited and countenanced by Greatness; that so Kings may be Nursing-fathers', and Queen's Nursing-mothers' to God's Church. Contrary to which, how many be there, ●hat think themselves privileged from being good, because they are great? Confining Piety to Hospitals; for their own parts they disdain so base a Companion. Hence as Hills, the higher, the barrenner; so men commonly, the wealthier, the worse; the more Honour, the less Holiness. And as Rivers, when content with a small Channel, run sweet and clear; when swelling to a Navigable Channel, by the confluence of several Tributary Rivulets, gather mud and mire, and grow salt and brackish, and violently bear down all before them▪ so many men, who in mean Estates have been Pious and Religious, being advanced in Honour, and enlarged in Wealth, have grown both empious and profane towards God, cruel and tyrannical over their Brethren.   

And Ruth the Moabitesse said unto Naomi, I pray thee let me go into the field, and gather ears of Corn etc.  
Herein two excellent Grace● appear● in Ruth.  
First, Obedience; she would not go to glean, without the leave of her Mother in law. Verily I say unto you, I have not found so much duty, no, not in natural Daughters to their own Mothers. How many of them nowadays, in matters of more moment, will betrothe and contract themselves, not only without the knowledge and consent, but even against the express Commands of their Parents?  
Secondly, see her Industry, that she would condescend to glean. Though I think not, with the jewish Rabbins, that Ruth was the Daughter to Eglon, King of Moab; yet no doubt she was descended of good Parentage, and now see, fain to glean. Whence we may gather, that those that formerly have had good birth, and breeding, may afterward be forced to make hard shifts to maintain themselves. Musculus was forced to work with a Weaver, and afterwards was fain to delve in the Ditch, about the City of Strasburgh; as Pantalion in his Life. Let this teach even those whose veins are washed with generous blood, and arteries quickened with Noble spirits, in their prosperity to furnish, qualify, and accommodate themselves with such Gentile Arts, and liberal Mysteries, as will be neither blemish nor burden to their birth, that so if hereafter God shall cast them into poverty, these Arts may stand them in some stead, towards their maintenance and relief.   

And Naomi said, Go my Daughter.  
See here how meekly and mildly she answers her▪ The discourse of God's Children, in their ordinary talk, ought ●o be kind and courteous: So betwixt Abraham and Isaac, Gen. 22. 7. betwixt Elkanah and Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 23. Indeed it is lawful and necessary for jacob to chide Rachel speaking unadvisedly, Gen. 30. 2. for job to say to his Wife, Thou speakest like a foolish Wife. But otherwise, when no just occasion of anger is given, their words ought to be meek and kind like Naomies, Go my Daughter.    

Vers. 3, 4.  
And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the Reapers, and it happened that she met with the portion of the field▪ of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.  
And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the Reapers, The Lord be with you; and they answered him, The Lord bless thee.  
FOrmerly we have seen the dutifulness of Ruth, which would not leave her Mother until she had leave from her Mother: Proceed we now to her industry, and God's providence over her. As the Star, Math. 2. guided the Wisemen to I●dea, to Bedlam, to the Inn, to the Stable, to the Manger: so the rays and ●eames of God's Providence conducted ●uth, that of all Grounds within the compass and confines, within the bounds and borders of Bethlehem, she lighted on the field of Boaz.  

And it happened.  
Objection.  
How comes the holy Spirit to use this word; a profane term, which deserves to be banished out of the mouths of all Christians? Are not all things ordered by God's immediate Providence, without which a Sparrow lighteth not o● the ground? Is not that sentence most true, God stretcheth from end to end strongly, and disposeth all things sweetly? Strongly, Lord, for thee; sweetly, Lord, for me: so S. Bernard. Or was the Providence of God solely confined to his people of Israel, that so Ruth being a stranger of Moab, must be left to the adventure of hazard? How comes the holy Spirit to use this word, Hap?   

Answer.  
Things are said to happen, not in respect of God, but in respect of us; because oftentimes they come to pass, not only without our purpose and forecast, but even against our intentions and determinations. It is lawful therefore in a sober sense to use these expressions, It chanced, or, It fortuned, Luke 10. 30. Nor can any just exception be taken against those words in the Collect, Through all Changes and Chances of this mortal life: Provided always, that in our forms of speech we dream not of any Heathen Chance. It is observed, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used in all the Works of Homer; but sure S. Austin in the first of his Retract. complaineth, that he had too often used the word Fortuna; and therefore in the Pagans sense thereof, we ought to abstain from it.   

Observation.  
Now whereas Ruth by chance lighteth on Boaz his field, we may observe; Admirable is the providence of God, in the ordering of contingent events, to his glory and his children's good. The Scripture swarmeth with Precedents in this behalf, which at this time I surcease to recite, and conclude with the Psalmist; O Lord, how wonderful are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all, the Earth is full of thy Riches. To which I may add; Oh that men would therefore praise the Name of the Lord, and show forth the wonderful works that he doth for the children of men!   

And behold Boaz came unto his Reapers.  
He had a man over them, yet himself came to oversee them.   

Observation.  
Where note; it is the part of a thriving Husband, not to trust the car● of his affairs to his servants, but to oversee them himself. The Master's eye maketh a fat Horse: and one ask, what was the b●st compost to Manure Land, it was answered the dust of the Master's feet; meaning his presence to behold his own business. Hushai would not council Absalon to let Achitophel go with his Army, but advised him; Thou shalt go to battle in thine own person. However he herein had a secret intent, yet thus far the proportion holds: Things thrive best, not when they are committed to Surrogates, Deputies, Delegates, and Substitutes: but when men themselves oversee them. Let Masters therefore of Families, carefully attend on their own business; and let the Daughters of S●rah, whom the meekness of their Sex hath privileged from following without doors affairs, imitate the wise woman, Proverbs 37. 15. 27. She rises while as yet it is night, and giveth her meat to her Household, and their portions to her Maids: She looks well to all the ways of her Household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. And such servants which have careless Masters, let them look better to their Master's estate, than their Masters do to their own: let them be neither idle nor unfaithful in their place, knowing, that though their earthly Master be negligent to eye them, yet they have a Master in heaven who both beholds and will punish, or reward them according to their deserts. And as for the Sons of the Prophets, let them feed the Flock over which they are placed, and not think to shuffle and shift off their care to their Curates and Readers in their own unnecessary absence; and yet how many ar● there, that Preach as seldom as Apollo laughs, once in the year: Indeed Eliah fasted forty days and forty nights in the strength of one meal; but surely these think that their people can hold out fas●ing a twelvemonth. Well, let them practise Boaz example, as they have Curates, so had he one to care for his affairs, and yet behold in person, he comes forth unto his Reapers.   

And said unto them, The Lord be with you.  
Observe, Courteous and loving salutations beseem Christians: indeed our Saviour Mat. 10. forbade his Disciples to salute any in the way, but his meaning was, that they should not lag or delay, whereby to be hindered from the service wherein they were employed; and S. john in his second Epistle, saith, That to some we must not say God speed, lest we be made partakers of their evil deeds; but that is meant of notorious sinners, which have discovered their impious intents. It is commonly said, that the Small Pox is not infectious until it be broken out, so that before the time one may safely converse, eat, drink, lie with them; but after the Pox is broken out, it is very dangerous: So we may safely salute, and exchange discourse with the most wicked sinners, whiles yet they smother and conceal their bad designs; but when once they declare and express them, than it is dangerous to have any further familiarity with them; for such Marsions, the first born of the Devil, and the eldest Son of Satan, are salutations good enough.   

Use.  
Those are justly to be reproved, which lately have changed all hea●y expressions of love into verbal Compliments, which Elymologie is not to be deduced a completione mentis, but a completè mentiri. And yet I cannot say, that these men lie in their throat, for I persuade myself, their words never came so near their heart, but merely they lie in their mouths, where all their promises 
Both birth and burial in a breath they have;  
That mouth which is their womb, it is their grave.   
Yea, those words which S. Paul to the Corinthians, thought to be the most affectionate expression of love, is now made the word of course, commonly bandied betwixt superficial friends at the first encounter, YOUR SERVANT; worse than these are the ambitious Saluters, like Absalon, 2 Sam. 15. 4. who at the same time, by taking his Father's Subjects by their hands, stole away their hearts; and the lower his body did couch, the higher his mind did aspire. Worst of all is the treacherous salutation of judas and joab, who at one instant pretend lip-love, and intent heart hatred; who both kiss and kill, embrace another with their hands, and imbrue their hands in his blood whom they embrace.   

And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.  
When one offers us a curtchie, especially being our superior, it is fitting we should requi●e him. It is a noble conquest for to be overcome with wrongs; but it is a sign of a degenerous nature, to be out-vied with courtesies; and therefore if one begin a kindness to us, let us (if it lie in our power) pledge him in the sam● nature.    

Vers. 5, 6, 7.  
And Boaz said unto the serv●nt which was appointed over the Reapers, Whose is this Maid?  
And the servant which was appointed over the Reapers, answered and said; This is the Moabitish Maid, which came with Naomi from the Country of Moab,  
Which came and said, Let me gather I pray among the sheaves after the Reapers; and so she came and stayed here from morning until now; only she tarried a little in the house.  

And Boaz said unto the servant which was appointed over the Reapers▪  
HEre we learn, that it is a part of good Husbandry in a numerous Family, to have one servant as Steward, to oversee the rest. Thus Abraham had his Eliezer of D●mascus, Potiphar his joseph, joseph his man which put the Cup into Benjamin's Sack; Ahab his Obadiah, Hezekiah his Eli●kim, the son of Hilkiah.   

Observation.  
Let Masters therefore, in choosing these Stewards to be set above the rest, take such as are qualified like Iethroes description of inferior Judges, Exod. 18. men of courage, fearing God, dealing truly, hating covetousness. And however they privilege them to be above the rest of their servants, yet let them make them to know their duty and their distance to their Masters, lest that come to pass which Solomon foretelleth, Prov. 29. He that bringeth up his servant delicately in his youth, will make him like his son at the last. Let Stewards not be like that unjust one in the Gospel, who made his Master's Debtors write down fifty measures of Wheat, and fourscore measures of Oil, when both severally should have been an hundred; but let them carefully discharge their Conscience, in that Office wherein they are placed: whilst inferior servants, that are under their command, must neither grieve nor grudge to obey them, nor envy at their honour: But let this comfort those underlings, that if they be wronged by these Stewards, their Appeal lies open from them to their Master, who if good, will no doubt redress their grievances.  
Now if Stewards be necessary in ordering of Families, surely men in autho●itie are more necessary, in governing the Church, and managing the Commonwealth. If a little Cockboat cannot be brought up a Tributary Rivulet, without one to guide it; how shall a Caravan, a Galleon, or Argosy, sailing in the vast Ocean, be brought into a Harbour, without a Pilot to conduct it? Let us therefore with all willingness and humility submit ourselves to our Superiors, that so under them we may live a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.   

Whose is this Maid?  
Boaz would know what those persons were that gleaned upon his Land; and good reason: for we ought not to pros●tute our liberality to all, though unknown; but first we must examine who, and whence they be; otherwise, that which is given to worthless persons, is not given, but thrown away. I speak not this to blunt the Charity of any, who have often bestowed their benevolence upon Beggars unknown and unseen before; but if easily and with conveniency (as Boaz could) they may attain to know the qualities and conditions of such persons, before they dispose their liberality unto them.   

And the servant which was appointed.  
He herein performed the part of a careful servant, namely, fully to inform his Master. Servants ought so to instruct themselves, as thereby to be able to give an account to their Lords, when they shall be called thereunto, and give them plenary satisfaction and contentment in any thing belonging to their Office, wherein they shall be questioned. Now, whereas he doth not derogate or detract from Ruth, though a stranger, but sets her forth with her due commendation; we gather, Servants when asked, aught to give the pure character of poor people to their Masters, and no way to wrong or traduce them.   

Which came and said, Let me gather I pray.  
See here ruth's honesty; she would not presume to glean before she had leave. Clean contrary is the practice of poor people nowadays, which oft times take away things not only without the knowledge, but even against the will of the owners. The Boy of the Priest, I Sam. 2. 16. when the Sacrifice was in offering, used to come with a flesh-hooke of three teeth, and used to cast it into the fat of the Sacrifice, making that his Fee, which so he fetched out; if any gain-sayed him, he answered, Thou shalt give it me now; or if thou wilt not, I will take it by force. Thus poor people nowadays, they cast their hook, their violent hands (gleaning the lean will not content them) into the fat, the best and principal of rich men's Estates, and breaking all Laws of God and the King, they by main force draw it unto themselves. Not so Ruth; she would not glean without leave.   

And stayed here from morning until now.  
See here her constancy in Industry: Many are very diligent at the first setting forth, for a fit and a gird, for a snatch and away; but nothing violent, is long permanent: They are soon tired, quickly weary, and then turn from labour to laziness. But Ruth continued in her labour from the morning till now; till Night, till the end of the Harvest. O that we would imitate the constancy of Ruth, in the working out of our salvation with fear and trembling! Not only to be industrious in the Morning, when we first enter into Christianity, but to hold out and to persevere even to the end of our lives.   

Only she ●arried a little in the house.  
No doubt some indispensable business detained her there; and probable it is, that a principal one was, to say her Matins, to do her Devotions, commend herself with fervent prayer unto the Lord, to bless her and her endeavours the day following. A whet is no let, saith the Proverb; Mowers lose not any time, which they spend in whetting or grinding of their Sythes: our prayer to God in the Morning, before we enter on any business, doth not hinder us in our day's work, but rather whets it, sharpens it, sets an edge on our dull souls, and makes our minds to undertake our labours with the greater alacrity.  
And here may I take just occasion to speak concerning Gleaning. Consider first the antiquity thereof, as being commanded by God, Levit. 19 9 and 23. 22. Secondly, consider the equity thereof; it doth the Rich no whit of harm, it doth the Poor a great deal of good. One may say of it as Lot of Zoar; Is it not a little one, and my soul shall live? Is it not a petty, a small, exile courtesy, and the hearts of poor people shall be comforted thereby? Reliquiae Danaum, atque immitis Achilles; the Remnant which hath escaped the edge of the Sythes, and avoided the hands of the Reapers. Had our Reapers the Eyes of Eagles, and the Claws of Harpeyes, they could not see and I snatch each scattered Ear which may well be allowed for the Relief of the Poor. When our Saviour said to the woman of Syrophaenicia, It is not good to take the children's Bread, and cast it to the Dogs: She answered, Ye●, Lord, but the Dogs eat of the children's Crumbs that 〈◊〉 from their Table. So, if any Miser's 〈◊〉, It is not meet that my Bread should 〈…〉 unto poor people, to glean Corn upon my Lands; yea, but let them know, that poor people (which are no Dogs, but setting a little thick Clay aside, as good as themselves) may eat the falling Crumbs, the scattered Ears, which they gather on the ground.   

Use.  
It may confute the Covetousness of many, which repine that the Poor should have any benefit by them; and are so far from suffering the Poor to glean, that even they themselves glean from the Poor, and speak much like to churlish Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. 11. Shall I take my Wheat, my Rye, and my Barley, which I have prepared for my Family, and give it to the Poor, which I know not whence they be? Yea, some have so hard hearts, that they would leave their Grain to be destroyed by Beasts and Vermin, rather than that the Poor should receive any benefit thereby. Cruel people, which prefer their Hogs before Christ's Sheep, Mice before Men, Crow●s before Christians.  
But withal, Poor people must learn this Lesson, to know the meaning of these two Pronouns, Mine and Thine; what belongs to their rich Masters, and what pertains to themselves. The Sheep which had little spots, those were Jacob's Fee; so the little spots, the loose straggling and scattered Ears, those are the Poors: but as for the great ones, the handfuls, the arme-fulls, the Sheaves, the Shocks, the Cocks, these are none of theirs, but the ●ich Owners; and therefore let the Poor take heed how they put forth thei● hand● to their neighbour's goods.   

Motive.  
One forcible Motive to persuade the Rich to suffer the Poor to glean, may be this: Even the greatest, in respect of God, is but a gleaner. God, he is the Master of the Harvest; all Gifts and Graces they are his, in an infinite measure; and every godly man, more or less, gleans from him. Abraha● gleaned a great glean of Faith; Moses, of Meekness; Iosh●ah, of Valour; Samson, of Strength; Solomon, of Wealth and Wisdom; S. Paul of Knowledge, and the like. Now, if we would be glad at our hearts, that the Lord would give us free leave and liberty, ●or to glean Graces out of his Harvest, let us not grudge and repine, that poor people glean a little gain from our plenty. To conclude, when God hath multiplied our five Loaves, that is, when of our little Seed he hath given us a great deal of increase, let poor people, like Ruth in the Text, be the twelve Baskets which may take up the fragments of glean which are left.    

Vers. 8, 9, 10.  
Then said Boaz unto Ru●h, Hearest thou, my Daughter, go to no ●ther field ●o gather; neither go from hence, but abide here by my Maidens.  
Let thy eyes be on the field which they do reap, and go after the Maidens. Have I not charged the servants, that they touch thee not? Moreover, when thou art thirsty, go unto the vessels, & drink of that which the servants have drawn.  
Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him; Why have I found favour in thy eyes, that thou shouldst know me, since I am a stranger?  
MOthers and Nurses are very careful, tenderly to handle Infants, when they are but newly borne. So Ruth; Christ was newly form in her, a young Convert, a fresh Proselyte: and therefore Boaz useth her with all kindness, both in works and words; Hearest thou, my Daughter?  

Observation.  
Aged persons may term younger people their Sons and Daughters, 1 Sam. 3. 6. And if they were persons in Authority, though they were well-nigh equal in age, they used the same expression. Thus joseph to his Brother Benjamin, Gen. 43. 29. God be merciful to thee, my Son. Let young people therefore reverently observe their duty and distance to their Seniors in Age, and Superiors in Authority: Yet I am afraid, men keep not the method of Jacob's Children, the eldest sitting down according to his Age, and the youngest according to his Youth; but fulfil the Complaint of the Prophet, The young presume against the aged, and the base against the honourable. Let aged persons strive to deserve their respect, by demeaning themselves gravely, and striving to add gracious hearts to grey hairs: otherwise, if they discover any lightness, looseness, wantonness in their carriage, young men will hereupon take occasion, not only to slight and neglect, but also to contemn and despise their paternal distance, and Fatherlike authority. Now as for young Ministers, they have not this advantage, to speak unto young people in the phrase of Boaz, Hearest thou, my Daughter? but must practise S. Paul's Precept, 1 Tim. 5. 1. Rebuke not an Elder, but exhort him as a Father, and the younger men as Brethren; the elder women as Mothers, the younger as Sisters, in all pureness.   

But abide here by my Maidens.  
Observation.  
Hence we g●ther, 'tis most decent for women to associate & accompany themselves with those of their own Sex: Miriam, Exod. 15. 20. with a feminine Choir, with Timbrels and D●nces, answered the men; and the Disciples wondered, john 4. 27 th●t Ch●ist talked with a woman: showing hereby, th●t it w●s not his ordinary course to converse alone with one of another Sex: For herein the Apostles Precept deserves to take place, namely, to avoid from all appearance of evil.   

Have I not commanded the servants, that they should not touch thee?  
Boaz had just cause to fear lest some of his servants might wrong her; to prevent which, he gave them strict charge to the contrary.   

Observation.  
Here we see, that servile natures are most prone and proclive to wrong poor strangers. Indeed, generous spirits disdain to make those the subjects of their cruelty, which rather should be the objects of their pity: but it complyes with a servile disposition, to tyrannize and domineer over such poor people as cannot resist them. Like petty Brooks penned within a narrow Channel, on every dash of Rain they are ready to overflow, and wax angry at the apprehension of the smallest distaste. The Locusts, Revel. 9 10. had tails like Scorpions, and stings in their tails, which by some is expounded, that of those people which are meant by the Scorpions, the poorest were the proudest; the meanest, the most mischiveous; the basest, the bloodiest. And surely he that readeth the story of our English Martyrs, shall find, that one Alexander a jailor, and one drunken Warwick, an Executioner, were most basely and barbarously cruel to God's poor Saints.  
Secondly, From these words observe; That it is the part of a good Master not only to do no harm himself, but also to take order that his Servants do none, Gen. 12 20. & 26. 11. When Elisha would take nothing of Naaman, 2 Kings 5. 20. Gehazi said; As the Lord liveth, I will run after him and take something of him. Thus may base Servants (if not prevented with a command to the contrary) wrong their most right and upright Masters, by taking Gifts and Bribes privately. The water (though it ariseth out o● a most pure Fountain) which runneth through Minerals of Lead, Copper, Brimstone, or the like, hath with it a strange taste and relish in the mouth. So Justice, which should run down like a stream, though it ariseth out of a pure Fountain, out of the breast of a sincere and incorrupted Judge; yet if formerly it hath passed through the Mines of Gold and Silver, I mean, through bad Servants, who have taken Bribes to prepossess the Judge their Master with the prejudice of false informations, Justice hereby may be strangely perverted and corrupted. Many Masters themselves have been honest and upright, yet much wrong hath been done under them by their wicked Servants. It is said of Queen Mary, that for her own part, She did not so much as bark; but she h●d them under her, which did more than bi●e; such were Gardner, Bonner, Story, Woodrooffe, Tyrrell: Now she should have tied up these Bandogs, and chained and fettered up these Bloodhounds from doing any mischief. Camden in his Elizabetha, in the year 1595. writeth thus of the then Lord Chancellor of England; Ob sordes & corruptelas famulorum in beneficiis Ecclesiasticis nundinandis ipse vir integer ab Ecclesiasticis haud bene audivit. He ought to have imitated the example of Boaz, not only to have done no harm himself, but also to have enjoined the same to his servants: Have I not commanded my servants, that they should not touch thee?  
Thirdly, in these words Boaz doth intimate, That if he gave a charge to the contrary, none of his servants durst presume once to molest her.   

Observation.  
Where we see, Masters commands aught to sound Laws in the ears of their servants, if they be lawful. Indeed, if Absalon (2 Sam. 13. 28.) saith to his servants, Kill Amnon, fear not, for have I not commanded you? This command did not oblige, because the thing enjoined was altogether ungodly. Otherwise, men must imitate the obedience of the Centurion's servants; who said to the one. Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to his servant, D●e this, and he doth it.   

Coral.  
Now, if we ought to be thus dutiful to our Earthly Masters; surely, if the Lord of Heaven enjoineth us any thing, we ought to do it without any doubt, or delay. Were there no Hell to punish, no Heaven to reward, no Promises pronounced to the godly, no threatenings denounced to the wicked; yet this is a sufficient reason to make us do a thing, because God hath enjoined it; this a convincing argument to make us refrain fr●m it, because he hath forbidden it.   

Then she fell on her face, and bowed.  
Question.  
Was not this too much honour to give to any mortal Creature? And doth it not come within the compass of the breach of the second Commandment, Thou shalt not bow down and worship them? Especially seeing godly Mordecai refused to bend his knee to H●m●n.   

Answer.  
Civil honour may and must be given to all in Authority, according to the usual gestures of the Country: Now such bowing was the custom of the Eastern people, Gen. 33. 3. As for Mordecai's instance, it makes not against this; he being therein either immediately warranted by God, or else he refused to bow to Haman as being an Amalakite, betwixt which c●●sed Brood and the Israelites, the Lord commanded an eternal enmity.   

Coral.  
Now, if Ruth demeaned herself with such reverend gesture to Boaz, how reverend ought our gesture to be, when we approach into the presence of God. Indeed, God is a Spirit, and he will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth; yet so, that he will have the outward decent posture of the body to accompany the inward sincerity of the ●ou●e.   

And said, Why have I found favour.  
As if she had said: When I reflect my eyes upon myself, I cannot read in myself the smallest worth, to deserve so great a favour from thy hands; and therefore I must acknowledge myself exceedingly beholden to you. But principally I lift up my eyes to the providence of the Lord of Heaven; men's hearts are in his hand as the Rivers of Water; he turneth them whither he pleaseth: He it is that hath mollified thy heart, to show this undeserved kindness unto me. Here we see ruth's humility. Many nowadays would have made a contrary construction of Boaz his Charity, and reasoned thus: Surely he seeth in me some extraordinary worth, whereof as yet I have not taken notice in myself; and therefore hereafter I will maintain a better opinion of my own deserts. But Ruth confesseth her own unworthiness: And from her example, let us learn to be humbly and heartily thankful to those which bestow any courtesy or kindness upon us.   

Since I am a stranger.  
She amplifies his favour, from the indignity of her own person, being a stranger.   

Coral.  
Oh then, if Ruth interpreted it such a kindness, that Boaz took notice of her, being a stranger; how great is the love of God to us, who loved us in Christ when we were strangers and aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel? As the neverfailing foundation of the Earth is firmly fastened for ever fleeting, yet settled on no other substance than its own ballasted weight; so God's love was founded on neither cause nor condition in the Creature, but issued only out of his own free favour. So that in this respect, we may all say unto God what Ruth doth unto Boaz in the Text; Why have we ●ound favour in thine e●es, that thou should●st take knowledge of us, seeing we were but strangers?    

Vers. 11, 12.  
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy Mother in law since the death of thine Husband; and how thou hast left thy Father and thy Mother, and the Land of thy Nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.  
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.  

It hath been fully showed me all.  
MOre than probable it is, that Boaz had received his intelligence immediately from N●omi.   

Observation.  
However, here we may see, the virtues of worthy persons will never want Trumpets to sound them to the world. The jews were the Centurion's Trumpet to our Saviour, Luke 7. 5. And the Widows Dorcas her Trumpet to S. Peter, Acts 9 39 Let this encourage men in their virtuous proceedings, knowing that their worthy deeds shall not be buried in obscurity, but shall find tongues in their lively colours to express them. Absalon having no Children, and desirous to perpetuate his Name, erected a Pillar in the King's Dale; and the same is called Absolon's Pillar unto this day. But the most compendious way for men to consecrate their Memories to Eternity, is to erect a Pillar of virtuous Deeds; which shall ever remain, even when the most lasting Monuments in the World shall be consumed, as not able to satisfy the Boulimee of all-consuming Time. And to put the worst, grant the envious men with a Cloud of Calumnies should eclipse the beams of virtuous Memories from shining in the World, yet this may be their comfort, that God that sees in secret, will reward them openly. Moreover, it is the duty of such who have received Courtesies from others, to profess and express the same as occasion shall serve; that so their Benefactors may publicly receive their deserved commendation. Thus surely Naomi had done by Ruth; from whose mouth no doubt, though not immediately, her virtues were sounded in the ears of Boaz. It hath been fully showed me all.  
Here now followeth a summary, reckoning up of the worthy Deeds of Ruth; which, because they have been fully discoursed of in the former Chapter, it would be needless again to insist upon them: Proceed we therefore to Boaz his Prayer.   

The Lord recompense thee.  
As if he had said: Indeed, Ruth, that courte●ie which I afforded thee, to glean upon my Land without any disturbance, comes far short both of thy deserts, and my desires. All that I wish is this, That what I am unable to requite, the Lord himself would recompense: May he give thee a full reward of Grace's internal, external, eternal; here, hereafter; on Earth, in Heaven; while thou livest, when thou diest, in Grace, in Glory, a full reward.  
Where first we may learn, that when we are unable to requite people's deserts of ourselves, we must make up o●r w●●t of works with good Wishes to God 〈◊〉 them. Indeed, we must not do like those in the second of S. james, verse 16. who only said to the Poor, Depart in peace, warm your sel●es, and fill your bellies, and yet bestowed nothing upon them: We must not both begin and conclude with good Wishes, and do nothing else; but we must observe Boaz his method: first, to begin to do good to those that being virtuous, are in distress; and then, where we fall short in requiting them, to make the rest up, with hearty Wishes to God for them.   

Observation.  
But the main Observation is this; There is a recompense of a full reward upon the good works of his servants, Gen. 15. 1. Moreover, by them is thy servant taught; and in keeping them, there is great reward, Psal. 19 11. Verily▪ there is a Reward for the Righteous; doubtless, there is a God that judgeth the Earth; Godliness hath the promises of this Life, and of the Life to come.   

Use 1.  
It may serve to confute such false Spies as raise wrong Reports of the Land of Can●an, of the Christian Profession, saying with the wicked, Mal. 3. 14. It is in vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandments, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? Slanderous Tongues! which one day shall be justly fined in the Star-chamber of Heaven, Ob scandala magnatum, for slandering of God's noble servants, and their Profession, for indeed, the Christian Life is most comfortable; for we may both take a liberal Portion, and have a sanctified use of God's Creatures: besides, within we have peace of Conscience, and joy in the Holy-Ghost in some measure; one Dram whereof is able to sugar the most wormwood affliction.   

Use 2.  
When we begin to feel ourselves to lag in Christianity, let us spur on our affections with the meditation of that full reward which we shall in due time receive; with our Saviour, let us look to the joys which are set before us; and with Moses, let us have an eye to the recompense of Reward: Yet so, that though we look at this Reward, yet also we must look through it, and beyond it. This meditation of the Reward, is a good place for our souls to bait at, but a bad place for our souls to lodge in: we must mount our minds higher, namely, to aim at the glory of God; at which all our actions must be directed, though there were no Reward propounded unto them. Yet since it is God's goodness, to propound unto us a Reward, over and besides his own Glory; this aught so much the more to incite us to diligence in our Christian calling: For if Othniel, judges 1. behaved himself so valiantly against the enemies of Israel, in hope to obtain Achsah, Calebs' Daughter, to Wife; how valiantly ought we to demean ourselves against our spiritual enemies, knowing that we shall one day be married unto our Saviour in eternal happiness? And this is a full Reward.   

Objection.  
But some may say, These terms of Recompense and Reward may seem to favour the Popish Tenent, That our good works merit at God's hand.   

Answer.  
Reward and Recompense unto our good works are not due unto us for any worth of our own, but merely from God's free favour and gracious promise. For, to make a thing truly meritorious of a Reward, it is required, first, that the thing meriting be our own, and not another's; now our best works are none of ours, but God's Spirit in us: secondly, it is requisite that we be not bound of duty to do it; now we are bound to do all the good deeds which we do, and still remain but unprofitable servants: thirdly, there must be a proportion between the thing meriting, and the Reward merited; now there is no proportion between our stained and imperfect works, (for such are our best) and that infinite weight of glory where with God will reward us. It remains therefore, that no Reward is given us for our own inherent worth, but merely for God's free favour, who crownes his own works in us.   

Under whose wings thou art come to trust.  
A Metaphor; it is borrowed from an Hen, which with her clocking summons together her straggling Chickens, and then out-stretcheth the fan of her wings to cover them. Familiarly it is used in Scripture, and amongst other places, by our Saviour, Math. 23. How oft would I have gathered thee together, as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, and ye would not? And just it was with God, because the foolish Chickens of the jews would not come to Christ, the Hen, calling them, to suffer them to be devoured by the Eagle, the Imperial Army of the Romans.   

Observation.  
God's love and care over his Children, is as great as an Hen's over her Chickens. Now the Hen's wings do the Chickens a double good.  
First, they keep them from the Kite; so God's providence protecteth his servants from that Kite, the Devil: For as the Kite useth to fetch many Circuits, and Circles, and long hovers and flutters round about, and at length spying her advantage, pops down on the poor Chicken for a prey; so the Devil, who as it is job 1. 7. compasseth the Earth to and fro, and walketh through it, and at length spying an opportunity, pitcheth and settleth himself upon some poor Soul, to devour it, if the wings of God's providence (as the City of Refuge) do not rescue him from his clutches.  
Secondly, the Hen with her Chickens broods her Chickens, and makes them thereby to thrive and grow. In Summer her wings are a Canopy, to keep her Chickens from the heat of the scorching Sun; and in Winter they are a Mantle, to defend them from the injury of the pinching cold: So God's providence and protection makes his Children to sprout, thrive, and prosper under it: in Prosperity, God's providence keepeth them from the heat of Pride; in Adversity, it preserveth them from being benumbed with frozen Despair.   

Use.  
Let us all then strive to run, to hide ourselves under the wings of the God of Heaven. Hark how the Hen clocks in the Psalms, Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee, and thou shalt praise me: How she clocks in the Canticles, Return O Shulamite, return, return, that we may behold thee: How she clocketh, Math. 7. 7. Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you: How she clocks, Math. 11. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. Let not us now be like sullen Chickens, which sit moping under a rotten Hedge, or proating under an old Wood-pile, when the Hen calleth them. Let not us trust to the broken Wall of our own Strength, or think to lurk under the tottering Hedge of our own Wealth, or wind-shaken Reeds of our unconstant Friends; but fly to God, that he may stretch his wings over us, as the Cherubin's did over the Mercy-seat. And as always in Daytime, so especially at Night, when we go to Bed, (for Chickens when going to Roost, always run to the Hen) let us commend ourselves with prayer to his Providence, that he would be pleased to preserve us from the dangers of the Night ensuing; trusting with Ruth in the Text, under the wings of the Lord God of Israel.    

Vers. 13, 14.  
Then she said, Let me find favour in the sight of my Lord; for thou hast comforted me, and spoken comfortably unto thy Maid, though I be not like to one of thy Maids.  
And Boaz said unto her, At the meal time come thou hither, and eat of the Bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the Reapers, and he reached her parched Corn; and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left thereof.  
BOaz had formerly called Ruth Daughter; now Ruth styleth him, Lord. When great ones carry themselves familiarly to meaner persons, meaner persons must demean themselves respectively to great ones. Indeed, with base and sordid nature's familiarity breeds contempt; but ingenuous natures will more awfully observe their distance towards their Superiors, of whom they are most courteously entreated. And if great Personages should cast up their accounts, they should find● themselves not losers, but gainers of honour, by their kind usage of their Inferiors. Those Stars seem to us the greatest, and shine the brightest, which are set the lowest. Great men, which sometimes stoop, and stoop low in their humble carriage to others, commonly get the greatest lustre of credit and esteem in the hearts of those that be virtuous.  

And spoken comfortably unto thy Maid.  
In Hebrew, hast spoken unto the heart. A comfortable speech, is a word spoken to the heart.   

Meditation.  
Oh that Ministers had this faculty of Boaz his speech; not to tickle the cares, teach the heads, or please the brains of the people, but that their Sermons might s●●ke and sink to the root of their hearts. But though this may be endeavoured by them, it cannot be performed of them, without God's special assistance. We may leave our words at the outward porch of men's ears, but his Spirit must conduct and lodge them in the Closet of their hearts.   

Though I be not like to one of thy Maids.  
Meaning, because she was a Moabitesse, a Stranger and Alien, they Natives of the Commonwealth of Israel; in this respect, she was far their inferior.   

Observation.  
The godly ever conceive very humbly and meanly of themselves; Moses, Exod. 4. 10. Gedeon, Judg. 6. 15. Abigail, 1 Sam. 25. 41. Esay 6. 5. Jerem. 1. 6. john Baptist, Math. 3. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 15. And the reason hereof is, because they are most privy to and sensible of their own infirmities; their Corruptions, which cleave unto them, are ever before their eyes. These black feet abate their thoughts, when puffed up with Pride for their painted Train of other Graces. On the other side, the wicked set ever the greatest price on their own worth; they behold their own supposed Virtues through magnifying Glasses, and think with Haman, that none deserves better to be honoured by the King, but themselves.   

Use.  
Let us endeavour to obtain humility with Ruth; a virtue of most worth, and yet which costeth least to keep: Yet notwithstanding, it is both lawful and needful for us to know our own worth, and to take an exact survey of those Graces which God hath bestowed upon us. First, that we may know thereby the better to proportion our thanks to God: Secondly, that we may know how much good the Church and Commonwealth expecteth to be performed by us. And lastly, that if any should basely insult and domineer over us, we may in humility stand upon the lawful justification of ourselves, and our own sufficiency, as S. Paul did against the false Apostles at Corinth; always provided, that we give God the glory, and profess ourselves to be but unprofitable servants.   

And Boaz said unto her, At the meal time come thou hither, and eat of the Bread.  
Two things herein are commendable in Boaz, and to be imitated by Masters of Families.  
First, That he had provided wholesome and competent food for his own servants; so ought all householders' to do. And herein let them propound God for their Precedent, for he maintaineth the greatest Family; all creatures are his servants, and he giveth them meat in due season, he openeth his hand, and filleth with his blessing every living thing.  
Secondly, As Boaz provided Meat for his servants, so he allowed them certain set convenient Times wherein they might quietly eat their Meat. But as the people of the jews pressed so fast upon our Saviour, (Mark. 3. 20.) that he had not so much leisure as to eat Bread, and take necessary sustenance: so, such is the gripple nature of many covetous Masters, that they will so task and tie their servants to their work, as not to afford them seasonable Respite to feed themselves.   

And dip thy morsel in the vinegar.  
Observation.  
The Fare of God's servants in ancient time, though wholesome, was very homely: Here they had only Bread and Vinegar, and parched Corne. For a thousand five hundred and sixty years the World fed upon Herbs, & the Scripture maketh mention since of mean and sparing Fare of many godly men. It may therefore confute the Gluttony and Epicurism of our Age, consisting both in the superfluous number of Dishes, and in the unlawful nature of them. We rifle the Air for dainty Fowl, we ransack the Sea for delicious Fish, we rob the Earth for delicate Flesh, to suspend the doubtful Appetite betwixt variety of Dainties. As for the nature of them, many are mere needless Whetstones of Hunger, which in stead of satisfying do increase it. And as in the Spanish Inquisition such is their exquisite Cruelty, that having brought one to the door of Death by their Tortures, they then revive him by Cordials; and then again re-killing him with their Torments, fetch him again with comfortable things; thus often re-iterating their Cruelty: So, men having killed their Appetite with good Cheer, seek with Dishes made for the nonce to enliven it again, to the superfluous wasting of God's good creatures, and much endamaging the health of their own bodies. But leaving them, let us be content with that competent Food which God hath allotted us, knowing, that better is a Dinner of Herbs with peace, than a stalled Ox with strife; and God, if it presseth him, can so bless daniel's Pulse unto us, that by mean Fare we shall be made more strong and healthful, than those who surfeit on excess of Dainties.   

And she did eat and was sufficed.  
It is a great blessing of God, when he gives such strength and virtue to his creatures, as to sati●●●● our hunger; and the contrary, is a great punishment: For as, (1 Kings 1. 1.) when they heaped abundance of Clothes on aged King David, yet his decayed body felt no warmth at all; so God so curseth the Meat to some, that though they cram down never so much into their bellies, yet still their hungry increaseth with their Meat, and they find, that Nature is not truly contented and satisfied therewith.   

And left thereof.  
Hence we learn, the overplus which remaineth after we have ●ed ourselves, must neither be scornfully cast away, nor carelessly left alone, but it must be thriftily kept: Imitating herein the example of ou● Saviour; who, though he could make five Loaves swell to sufficient food for five thousand men, yet gave he command, that the fragments should be carefully basketted up.    

Vers. 15, 16, 17.  
And when she arose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, Let her gather among the sheaves, and do not rebuke her;  
Also let fall some of the sheaves for her, and let it lie, that she may gather it up, and rebuke her not.  
So she gleaned in the field until Evening, and she threshed that she had gathered, and it was about an Ephah of Barley.  
BEfore I enter into these words, behold an Objection stands at the door of them, which must first be removed.  

Objection.  
One may say to Ruth, as our Saviour to the young man in the Gospel, One thing is wanting. Here is no mention of any Grace she said to God either before or after Meat.   

Answer.  
Charity will not suffer me to condemn Ruth of forgetfulness herein: She who formerly had been so thankful to Boaz, the Conduit-Pipe, how can she be thought to be ungrateful to God, the Fountain of all favours? Rather I think it is omitted of the holy Spirit to be written down; who, had he registered each particular action of God's Saints, (as it is john 21. 25.) the world would not have been able to contain the Books which should be written.  
Let none therefore take occasion to omit this duty, because here not specified; rather let them be exhorted to perform it, because in other places it is both commanded by Precept, and commended by Practice, Deut. 8. 10. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Yea, in the 27. of the Acts, the Mariners and Soldiers, (people ordinarily not very Religious) though they had fasted fourteen days together, yet none of them were so unmannerly, or rather so profane, as to snatch any Meat, before S. Paul had given Thanks. Let us not therefore be like Esau, who in stead of giving a Blessing to God for his Pottage, sold his Blessing to his Brother for his Pottage: but though our haste or hunger be never so great, let us dispense with so much time, as therein to crave a Blessing from God, wherein his creatures are sanctified; as no doubt Ruth did, though not recorded.   

And when she arose to glean.  
The end of feeding, is to fall to our Calling. Let us not therefore with Israel, sit down to eat and to drink, and so rise up again to play; but let us eat to live, not live to eat. 'Tis not matter, we need not make the Clay-Cottage of our Body much larger than it is, by immoderate feasting; it is enough, if we maintain it so with competent food, that God our Landlord may not have just cause to sue us for want of Reparations.   

Boaz commanded his servants, saying, Let her gather among the sheaves, and do not rebuke her.  
Observation.  
It is lawful for us, according to our pleasure, to extend our favours more to one then to another. Ruth alone, not all the gleaners, was privileged to gather among the sheaves uncontrolled. Give leave to jacob to bequeath a double Portion to joseph, his best beloved son; for joseph to make the Mess of Benjamin five times greater than any other of his Brethren; for Elkanah to leave a worthier Portion to Hannah then to Peninnah: the reason is, because there can be no wrong done in those things which are free favours. I am not less just to him, to whom I give less; but I am more merciful to him, to whom I give more. Yet in the dealing and distributing of Liberality, let those of the Family of Faith be especially respected; and of these, those chiefly which, as the Apostle saith, are worthy of a double honour.   

Corollary.  
Shall it not therefore be lawful for the Lord of Heaven to bestow Wealth, Honour, Wisdom, effectual Grace, Blessings outward and inward on one, and deny them to another? You therefore, whom God hath suffered to glean among the Sheaves, and hath scattered whole handfuls for you to gather; you that abound and flow with his favours, be heartily thankful unto him; he hath not dealt so with every one, neither have all such a large measure of his Blessings. And ye common gleaners, who are fain to follow far after, and glad to take up the scattered ears, who have a smaller proportion of his favour, be neither angry with God, nor grieved at yourselves, nor envious at your Brethren; but be content with your condition: it is the Lord, and let him do what is good in his eyes; shall not he have absolute power to do with his own what he thinketh good, when Boaz can command, that Ruth, and no other, may glean among the sheaves without rebuke?  
Had the servants of Boaz, without express warrant and command from their Master, scattered handfuls for her to glean, their action had not been Charity, but flat Theft and Robbery; for they were to improve their Master's goods to his greatest profit. On the other side, it had been a great fault▪ to withhold and withdraw any thing from her, which their Master commanded them to give. Yet, as the unjust Steward in Luke made his Master's Debts to be less than they were; so many servants nowadays make their Master's gifts to be less than they are, giving less than he hath granted, and disposing less than he hath directed. Men commonly pay Toll for passing through great Gates, or over common Bridges; so when the Liberality of Masters goeth through the Gate of their servants hands, and Bridges of their finger's, it is constrained to pay Tribute and Custom to their servants, before it cometh to those Poor to whom it was intended. Thus many men make the augmentation of their own Estates, from the diminution of their Master's Bounty.   

Question.  
But some may say, Why did not Boaz bestow a quantity of Corn upon Ruth▪ and so send her home unto her Mother?   

Answer.  
He might have done so, but he chose rather to keep her still a working. Where we learn, that is the best Charity which so relieves people's wants, as that they are still continued in their Calling. For as he who teacheth one to swim, though happily he will take him by the Chin, yet he expecteth that the learner shall nimbly ply the Oars of his hands and ●eet, and strive and struggle with all his strength to keep himself above water: so those who are beneficial to poor people, may justly require of them, that they use both their hands to work and feet to go in their Calling, and themselves take all due labour, that they may not sink in the Gulf of Penury. Relieve an Husbandman, yet so, as that he may still continue in his Husbandry; a Tradesman, yet so, as he may still go on in his Trade; a poor Scholar, yet so, as he may still proceed in his Studies. Hereby the Commonwealth shall be a gainer, Drones bring no Honey to the Hive, but the painful hand of each private man contributes some profit to the public good. Hereby the able poor, the more diligent they be, the more bountiful men will be to them; while their bodies are freed from many diseases, their souls from many sins, whereof Idleness is the Mother. Laziness makes a breach in our Soul, where the Devil doth assault us with greatest advantage; and when we are most idle in our Vocations, than he is most busy in his Temptations. A reverend Minister was wont to say, that the Devil never tempted him more than on Mondays, when (because his former Weeks Task was newly done, and that for the Week to come six days distant) he took most liberty to refresh himself.  
Since therefore so much good cometh from Industry▪ I could wish there were a public Vineyard, into which all they should be sent; who stand lazing in the Marketplace till the eleventh hour of the day. Would all poor and impotent were well placed in an Hospital, all poor and able well disposed in a Workhouse; and the common Stocks of Towns so laid out▪ as they thereby might be employed.   

So she gleaned in the field until evening.  
The Night is only that which must end our labours: only the Evening must beg us a Play, to depart out of the School of our Vocation, with promise next Morning to return again; Man goeth out to his labour until Evening. Let such then be blamed, who in their working make their Night to come before the Noon, each day of their labour being shorter than that of S. Lucy; and after a spurt in their Calling for some few hours, they relapse again to laziness.   

And she threshed what she had gathered.  
The Materials of the Temple were so hewed and carved, both Stone and Wood, before that they were brought unto Jerusalem, that there was not so much as th● noise of an Hammer heard in the Temple. So Ruth fits all things in a readiness, before the goes home: What formerly she gleaned, now she threshed; that so no noise might be made at home, to disturb her aged Mother. Here we see Gods servants, though well descended, disdain not any homely, if honest, work for their own living: Sarah kneaded Cakes, Re●eccab drew Water, Rachel fed Sheep, Thamar baked Cakes. Suetonius reporteth of Augustus Caesar, that he made his Daughters to learn to spin; and Pantaleon relates the same of Charles the Great. Yet nowadays, (such is the pride of the World) people of far meaner quality scorn so base employments.   

And it was about an Ephah of Barley.  
An Ephah contained ten Omers, Exod. 16. 36. An Omer of Mannah was the proportion allowed for a man's one day meat. Thus Ruth had gleaned upon the quantity of a Bushel; such was her Industry, in diligent bestirring h●r self; Boaz his Bounty, in scattering for her to gather; and above all, God his Blessing, who gave so good success unto her. Ruth having now done gleaning, did not stay behind in the field, as many nowadays begin their work when others end; if that may be termed work, to filch and steal; as if the dark Night would be a Veil to cover their deeds of Darkness: but home she hasteneth to her Mother, as followeth.    

Vers. 18, 19  
And she took it up, and went into the City, and her Mother in law saw what she had gathered: also she took forth, and gave to her that which sh● had reserved, when she was sufficed.  
Then her Mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that knew thee: And she showed her Mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day, is Boaz.  

And she took it up.  
SEe here, the shoulders of God's Saints are wont to the bearing of Burdens: Little Isaac carried the Faggot, wherewith himself was to be sacrificed; our Saviour his own Cross, till his faintness craved Simon of Cyrene to be his successor. Yet let not Gods Saints be dis-heartened: if their Father hath a Bottle wherein he puts the tears which they spend; sure he hath a Balance, wherein he weighs the Burdens which they bear; he keeps a Note, to what weight their Burdens amount, and (no doubt) will accordingly comfort them.  
Those are to be confuted, who with the Scribes, Math. 23. 4. bind heavin burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on the backs of others, but for their own part they will not so much as touch them with one of their fingers: Yea, some are so proud, that they will not carry their own Provender, things for their own sustenance; had they been under ruth's Ephah of Barley, with David in Saul's Armour, they could not have gone under the weight of it, because never used unto it.   

And her Mother in law saw what she had gathered.  
Namely, Ruth showed it unto her, and then Naomi saw it. Children are to present to their Parents view all which they get by their own labour; otherwise do many Children nowadays: As Ananias and Saphira brought part of the Money, and deposed it at the Apostles feet, but reserved the rest for themselves; so they can be content to show to their Parents some parcel of their gains, whilst they keep the remnant secretly to themselves.   

Also she took forth, and gave to her.  
Learn we from hence; Children, if able, are to cherish and feed their Parents, if poor and aged. Have our Parents performed the parts of Pelicans to us, let us do the duty of Storks to them: Would all Children would pay as well for the particoloured Coats which their Parents do give them, as joseph did for his, who maintained his Father and his Brethren in the Famine in Egypt▪ Think on thy Mother's sickness, when thou wast conceived; sorrow, when thou wast borne; trouble, when thou wast nursed: She was cold▪ whilst thou wast warm; went, whilst thou layd'st still; waked, whilst thou slept'st; fasted, whilst thou fed'st: These are easier to be conceived then expressed, easier deserved then requited. Say not therefore to thy Father according to the Doctrine of the pharisees, Corban, it is a gift, if thou profitest by me; but confess that it is a true Debt, and thy bou●den duty, if thou be'st able, to relieve them: so did Ruth to Naomi, who was but her Mother in law.   

Which she had reserved when she was sufficed.  
Observation.  
We must not spend all at once, but providently reserve some for afterwards; we must not speak all at once, without jesuitical reservation of some things still in our hearts; not spend all at once, without thrifty reservation of something still in our hands. Indeed our Saviour saith, Care not for to morrow, for to morrow shall care for itself: but that is not meant of the care of providence, which is lawful and necessary; but of the care of diffidence, which is wicked and ungodly. Those are to be blamed, which as Abishai said to David concerning Saul, I will strike him but once, and I will strike him no more. So many men, with one act of Prodigality, give the bane and mortal wound to their Estates, with one excessive Feast, one costly Suit of Clothes, one wasteful Night of Gaming, they smite their Estates under the fifth Rib, which always is mortal in Scripture, so that it never reviveth again. But let us spare where we may, that so we may spend where we should: in the seven years of Plenty let us provide for the seven years of Famine; and to make good construction of our Estates, let us as well observe the Future as the Present Tense.   

Then her Mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day?  
These words were not uttered out of Jealousy, as if Naomi suspected that Ruth had dishonestly come by her Corn; (for Charity is not suspicious, but ever fastens the most favourable Comments upon the actions of those whom it affects) but she did it out of a desire to know who had been so bountiful unto her. Yet hence may we learn, that Parents', after the example of Naomi, may and aught to examine their Children, how and where they spend their time: For hereby they shall prevent a deal of mischief, whilst their Children will be more watchful what Company they keep, as expecting with fear at Night to be examined. Neither can such Fathers be excused, who never say to their Children, as David to Adoniah, Why dost thou so? But suffer them to rove and range at their own pleasure. Am I, say they, my son's keeper? He is old enough, let him look after himselve.  
Now, as for those joashes, whose Iehoiadas are dead, those young men whose Friends and Fathers are deceased, who now must have Reason for their Ruler, or rather Grace for their Guide and Governor; Let such know, that indeed they have none to ask them as the Angel did Hagar, Whence comest thou, and whither goest thou? None to examine them, as Eliab did David, Wherefore art thou come down hither? None to question them, as Naomi did Ruth, Where wroughtest thou to day? But now, as S. Paul said of the Gentiles, that having no Law, they were a Law unto themselves: so must such young persons endeavour, that having no Examiner's, they may be Examiner's to themselves, and at Night, accordingly as they have spent their time, either to condemn or acquit their own actions.   

Blessed be he that knew thee.  
1 Kings 22. The man shot an Arrow at unawares, yet God directed it to the Chink of the Armour of guilty Ahab: ●ut Naomi doth here dart and ejaculate out a prayer, and that at Rovers, aiming at no one particular Mark; Blessed be he that knew thee: Yet, no doubt, was it not in vain; but God made it light on the head of bountiful Boaz, who deserved it.  
Learn we from hence, upon the sight of a good deed, to bless the doer thereof, though by Name unknown unto us: And let us take heed that we do not recant and recall our prayers, after that we come to the knowledge of his Name; as some do, who when they see a laudable Work, willingly commend the doer of it; but after they come to know the Author's Name, (especially if they be prepossessed with a private spleen against him) they fall then to derogate and detract from the Action, quarrelling with it as done out of ostentation, or some other sinister end▪   

And she showed her Mother in law with whom she had wrought.  
Children when demanded, are truly to tell their Parents where they have been; rather let them hazard the wrath of their earthly Father, by telling the Truth, then adventure the displeasure of their heavenly Father, by feigning a Lye. Yet as David, when Achish asked him, where he had been? (1 Sam. 27. 10.) told him, that he had been against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites; when indeed he had been the clean contrary way, invading the Geshurites, and ●ezrites, and the Amalekites: So many Children flap their Parents in the mouth with a Lie, that they have been in their Study, in their Calling, in good Company, or in lawful Recreations, when the truth is, they have been in some Drinking-School, Tavern, or Alehouse, misspending of their precious time. And many serve their Masters as Gehezi did the Prophet; who being demanded, answered, Thy servant went no whither, when he had been taking a Bribe of Naaman.   

The man's Name with whom I wrought to day, is Boaz.  
We ought to know the Names of such who are our Benefactors. Those are counted to be but basely borne, who cannot tell the Names of their Parents; and surely, those are but of a base nature, who do not know the Names of their Patrons and benefactors. Too blame therefore was that lame man cured by our Saviour, (john 5. 13.) of whom it is said, And he that was healed knew not the Name of him that said unto him, Take up thy Bed▪ and walk. Yet let not this discourage the charity of any Benefactors, because those that receive their courtesies, oftentimes do not remember their N●mes; let this comfort them, though they are forgotten by the living, they are remembered in the Book of Life. The Athenians out of Superstition erected an Altar with this inscription, Unto the unknown God: but we out of true Devotion, must erect an Altar of Gratitude to the memory, not of our once unknown, but now forgotten Benefactors, whose Names we have not been so careful to preserve, as Ruth was the Name of Boaz; And the man's Name was Boaz.    

Vers. 20.  
And Naomi said unto her Daughter in law, Blessed be he of th● Lord, for he ceaseth not to do good to the living, and to the dead. Again Naomi said unto her, the man is near unto us, and of our affinity.  
THese words consist of three Parts. 1. Naomies' praying for Boaz. 2. Her praising of Boaz. 3. Her reference and relation unto Boaz. Of the first:  

Blessed be he of the Lord.  
The Lord is the Fountain from whom all blessedness flows. Indeed jacob blessed his Sons, Moses the twelve Tribes, the Priests in the Law the people; but these were but the instruments, God the principal; these the pipe, God the fountain; these the Ministers to pronounce it, God the Author who bestowed it.   

For he ceaseth not.  
Observation.  
Naomi never before made any mention of Boaz, nor of his good deeds; but now being informed of his bounty to Ruth, it puts her in mind of his former courtesies. Learn from hence, new favours cause a fresh remembrance of former courtesies. Wherefore if men begin to be forgetful of those favours which formerly we have bestowed upon them, let us flourish and varnish over our old courtesies with fresh colours of new kindnesses, so shall we recall our past favours to their memories.   

Use.  
When we call to mind Gods staying of his kill Angel▪ Anno 1625. let that mercy make us to be mindful of a former; his safe bringing back of our (then Prince) now) King from Spain; when the pledge of our ensuing happiness was pawned in a foreign Country: let this blessing put us in mind of 〈◊〉 former. The peaceable coming in of our Gracious Sovereign of happy Memory, when the bounds of two Kingdoms were made the middle of a Monarchy: Stay not here, let thy thankfulness travel further; call to mind the miraculous providence of God in defending this Land from Invasion in 88 On still; be thankful for God's goodness in bringing Queen Elizabeth to the Crown, when our Kingdom was like the Woman in the Gospel, troubled with an issue of blood (which glorious Martyrs shed) but staunched at her arriving at the Sceptre: we might be infinite in prosecution of this point; let present favours of God renew the memories of old ones, as the present bounty of Boaz to Ruth made Naomi remember his former courtesies: For he ceaseth not to do good to the living and the dead.   

He ceaseth not.  
Our deeds of Piety ought to be continued without interruption or ceasing; some men there be, whose charitable deeds are as rare as an Eclipse, or a Blazing-Starre; these men deserve to be pardoned for their pious deeds, they are so seldom guilty of them: With Nabal, they prove themselves by excessive prodigality at one Feast; but he deserves the commendation of a good housekeeper, who keeps a constant Table, who with Boaz ceaseth not to do good.   

To the dead.  
The meaning is, to those who now are dead, but once were living; or to their Friends and Kindred. Whence we learn, Mercy done to the Kindred of the dead, is done to the dead themselves. Art thou then a Widower, who desirest to do mercy to thy dead Wife; or a Widow, to thy dead Husband; or a Child, to thy deceased Parent? I will tell thee how thou mayest express thyself courteous: Hath thy Wife, thy Husband, or thy Parent any Brother, or Kinsman, or Friends surviving, be courteous to them; and in so doing, thy favours shall redound to the dead: Though old Barzillai be uncapable of thy favours, let young Kimham taste of thy kindness: Though the dead cannot, need not have thy mercy, yet may they receive thy kindness by a Proxy, by their Friends that still are living.  
Mercy then to the dead, makes nothing for the Popish Purgatory; and yet no wonder if the Papists fight for it. 'Tis said of Sicily and Egypt, that they were anciently the Barns and Granaries of the City of Rome: but nowadays Purgatory is the Barn of the Romish Court, yea, the Kitchen, Hall, Parlour, Larder, Cellar, Chamber, every Room of Rome. David said, 2 Sam. 1. 24. Ye Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, which clothed you in Scarlet with pleasure, and hanged ornaments of Gold upon your apparel: But should Purgatory once be removed, weep Pope, Cardinals, Abbots, Bishops, Friars; for that is gone which maintained your excessive pride. When Adonijah sued for Abishag the Shunamite, Solomon said to his Mother, Ask for him the Kingdom also. But if once the Protestants could wring from the Papists their Purgatory, nay, then would they say, Ask the Triple Crown, Crosskeys, S. Angelo, Peter's Patrimony, and All: in a word, were Purgatory taken away, the Pope himself would be in Purgatory, as not knowing which way to maintain his expensiveness.   

The man is near unto us, and of our affinity.  
Naomi never before made any mention of Boaz; some, had they had so rich a Kinsman, all their discourse should have been a Survey and Inventory of their Kinsman's goods, they would have made an occa●ion at every turn to be talking of them. Well, though Naomi did not commonly brag of her Kinsman, yet when occasion is offered, she is bold to challenge her interest in him.   

Observation.  
Poor folks may with modesty claim their Kindred in their rich alliance: Let not therefore great Personages scorn and contemn their poor Kindred. Cambden reports of the Citizens of Cork, that all of them in some degrees are of kindred one to the other: but I think, that all wealthy men will hook in the Cousin, and draw in some alliance one to other; but as they will challenge Kindred (where there is none) in rich folks, so they will deny Kindred where it is, in poor; yet is there no just reason they should do so: All mankind knit together in the same Father in the Creation, and at the Deluge; I know not who lay higher in Adam's Loins, or who took the Wall in Eves Belly. I speak not this to pave the way to an anabaptistical parity, but only to humble and abate the conceits of proud men, who look so scornful and contemptuous over their poor Kindred.   

Use.  
Let such as are allied to rich Kindred, be heartily thankful to God for them; yet so, as they under God depend principally on their own labour, and not on their reference to their Friends; and let them not too earnestly expect help from their Kindred, for fear they miscarry. A Scholar being maintained in the University by his Uncle, who gave a Basilisk for his Arms, and expected that he should make him his Heir, wrote these Verses over his Chimney; 
Faller is aspectu Basiliseum occidere, Plini,  
Nam vitae nostrae spem Basiliscus alit.   
Soon after it happened that his Uncle died, and gave him nothing at all; whereupon the Scholar wrote these Verses under the former. 
Certè aluit, sed spe vanâ; spes vana venenum;  
Ignoscas Plini, verus es historicus.   
So soon may men's expectations be frustrated, who depend on rich Kindred: Yea, I have seen the twine-thred of a Cordial Friend hold, when the Cable-Rope of a rich Kinsman hath broken.  
Let those therefore be thankful to God, to whom God hath given means to be maintained of themselves, without dependence on their Kindred: better it is to be the weakest of Substances, to subsist of themselves, then to be the bravest Accidents, to be maintained by another.    

Vers. 21.  
And Ruth the Moabitesse said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my Harvest.  

He said unto me also.  
RVth perceiving that Naomi kindly resented Boaz his favour, and that the discourse of his kindness was acceptable unto her, proceeds in her relation.   

Doctrine.  
People love to enlarge such discourses, which they see to be welcome to their audience.  
What maketh Tale-bearers so many, and their Tales so long, but that such persons are sensible, that others are pleasingly affected with their talk? Otherwise, a frowning look, Prov. 25. 23. will soon put such to silence. When Herod saw, Acts 13. 3. that the kill of james pleased the jews, he proceeded farther, to take Peter also. Detractors perceiving that kill of their Neighbours Credits is acceptable to others, are encouraged thereby to imbrue their Tongues in the murdering of more Reputations.  
Secondly, Whereas Ruth candidly confesseth what favour she found from Boaz, we learn, we ought not sullenly to conceal the bounty of our Benefactors, but express it to their honour, as occasion is offered. The Giver of Alms may not, but the Receiver of them may blow a Trumpet.  
This confuteth the ingratitude of many in our Age; clamorous to beg, but tongue-tied to confess what is bestowed upon them. What the sin against the Holy-Ghost is in Divinity, that Ingratitude is in Morality; an Offence unpardonable. Pity it is, but that Moon should ever be in an Eclipse, that will not confess the beams thereof to be borrowed from the Sun. He that hath a Hand to take, and no Tongue to thank, deserves neither Hand nor Tongue, but to be lame and dumb hereafter.  
Observe by the way, that Ruth expresseth what tends to the praise of Boaz, but conceals what Boaz said in the praise of herself. He had commended her, Verse 11. for a dutiful Daughter in law, and for leaving an Idolatrous Land. But Ruth is so far from commending herself in a direct Line, that she will not do it by reflection, and at the second hand, by reporting the commendations which others gave her.   

Doctrine.  
Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth.  
How large are the Penmen of the Scripture, in relating their own faults: How concise (if at all) in penning their own praises.  
It is generally conceived, that the Gospel of S. Mark was indicted by the Apostle Peter; and that from his mouth it was written by the hand of john Mark, whose Name now it beareth; if so,  
Then we may observe, that Peter's denying of his Master, with all the circumstances thereof, his Cursing and Swearing, is more largely related in the Gospel of S. Mark, then in any other: But as for his Repentance, it is set down more shortly there, then in other Gospels:  
Matthew 26. 75. And he went out and wept bitterly.  
Luke 22. 62. And Peter went out and wept bitterly.  
But Mark 14. 72. it is only said, When he thought thereon, he wept.  
So short are God's servants in giving an account of their own Commendations, which they leave to be related by the mouths of others.   

Thou shalt keep fast by my young men.  
Objection.  
Here either ruth's memory failed her, or else she wilfully committed a foul mistake. For Boaz never bade her to keep fast by his young men, but Verse 8. Abide here fast by my Maidens. It seems she had a better mind to Male-companie, who had altered the Geneder, in the relating of his words.   

Answer.  
Condemn not the Generation of the Righteous, especially on doubtful evidence. Boaz gave a Command, Verse 15. to his young men to permit her to glean: she mentioneth them therefore in whom the authority did reside, who had a Commission from their Master, to countenance and encourage her in her extraordinary gleaning, which Privilege her Maidens could not bestow upon her.    

Vers. 22.  
And Naomi said unto Ruth her Daughter in law, It is good, my Daughter, that thou go out with his Maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.  

And Naomi said unto Ruth, her Daughter in law.  
Doctrine.  
IT is the bounden duty of Parents, to give the best counsel they can to their Children: As Naomi here prescribes wholesome advice unto her Daughter in law.   

It is good.  
That is, it is better: it is usual both in the Old and New Testament, to put the Positive for the Comparative in this kind. Luke 10. 42. Mary hath chosen that good part, that is, the better part. It is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body, Math. 5. 29. Profitable, that is, more profitable: and as it is expounded, Math. 18. 8. Better. It is good for a man not to touch a woman▪ 1 Cor. 7. 1. that is, it is better; it is more convenient, and freer from trouble, in time of persecution. It is good for thee, that thou go out with his Maidens, that is, it is better.   

Doctrine.  
Maids are the fittest company for Maids; amongst whom, a chaste Widow, such as Ruth was, may well be recounted: Modesty is the Lifeguard of Chastity.   

That they meet thee not in any other field.  
Here she rendereth a Reason of her Council, because Ruth thereby should escape suspicion, or appearance of evil.   

Objection.  
What hurt or harm had it been, if they had met her in another field? She might have been met there, and yet have departed thence as pure and spotless as she came thither.   

Answer.  
It is granted. Yet being a single woman, slanderous Tongues and credulous Ears meeting together, had some colour to raise an ill Report on her Reputation. Besides, being a Moabite, she ought to be more cautious of her Credit; lest, as she was a stranger, she might be taken for a strange woman, in Solomon his sense. And therefore Nimia cautela non nocet; in some ears it is not enough to be honest, but also to have testes honestatis; many a Credit having suffered, not for want of clearness, but clearing of itself, surprised on such disadvantages.    

Vers. 23.  
So she kept sast by the Maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end of Barley Harvest and of Wheat Harvest, and dwelled with her Mother in law.  

So she kept fast by the Maidens of Boaz.  
HEre was good Counsel well given, because thankfully accepted, and carefully practised.   

Doctrine.  
It is the duty of Children to follow the advice of their Parents.  
We meet with two Examples in wicked persons, which in this respect may condemn many undutiful Children of our days. The one Ishmael; who, though he be charactered to be a wild man, Gen. 16. 12. His hand against every man, and every man's hand against him: yet it seems his hand was never against his Mother Hagar, whom he obeyed in matters of most moment; in his Marriage, Gen. 21. his Mother took him a Wife out of the Land of Egypt.  
The second is Herodias, of whom no good at all is recorded, save this alone, That she would not beg a Boon of her Father Herod, until first she went in to her Mother Herodias, to know what she should ask. How many nowadays make Deeds of Gift of themselves, without the knowledge and consent of their Parents?   

Unto the end of Barley Harvest.  
Commendable is the constancy and the continuance of Ruth in labour. Many there are who at the first have a ravenous appetite to work, but quickly they surfeit thereof. Ruth gleans one day, so as she may glean another; it is the constant pace that goeth farthest, and freest from being tired: Math. 24. 13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.   

And dwelled with her Mother in law.  
It was Christ's counsel unto his Disciples, Math. 10. 11. to abide in the place wherein they did enter, and not to go from house to house. Such the settledness of Ruth; where she first fastened, there she fixed: She dwelled with her Mother. Naomi affords Ruth Houseroom, Ruth gains Naomi Food; Naomi provides a Mansion, Ruth purveyes for Meat; and so mutually serve to supply the wants of each other.  
If Envy, and Covetousness, and Idlenesses were not the hindrances, how might one Christian reciprocally be a help unto another? All have something, none have all things; yet all might have all things in a comfortable and competent proportion, if seriously suiting themselves as Ruth and Naomi did, that what is defective in one, might be supplied in the other.  
FINIS.