The book of Ruth expounded in twenty eight sermons, by Levves Lauaterus of Tygurine, and by hym published in Latine, and now translated into Englishe by Ephraim Pagitt, a childe of eleuen yeares of age

The 5. Sermon.

10 And they sayd vnto her, surely we will return with thee vnto the people.

11 But Naomie said, turne againe my daugh∣ters: for what cause will ye go with me, are there any mo sonnes in my wombe, that they may be your husbandes?

12 Turne agayne my daughters, go your way: for I am too old to haue an husbād. If I should say I haue hope, & if I had an husband this night yea if I had borne sonnes:

13 Would ye tarie for them till they were of age? would ye be deferred for them from taking of husbandes? nay my daughters, for it greeueth me much for your sakes, that the hande of the Lord is gone out against me.

WHen NAOMI wenton her iorney towards her country, both her daughters in law ac∣companied her a little waye not only for curtesie, but they purposed to accompanye her into the land of Iu∣dah. But she disswaded them from their purpose, and bid them returne again to their houses, shewing these causes, for shee saith, shee is now farther striken in age then to determine to marry againe

and to haue sonnes who according to the law of Mosis may marry them and rayse vp seede to their brothers. NAOMI had not offended if she had bin married to another though she wer old. For Ma∣trimonie is not onely instituted for the auoyding of filthy lustes, and procreati∣on of Children, but also for the helpe and co••••ort of ech other. For God sayd it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good for man to be alone, let vs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 therefore a help, &c. Manie widowes d••e marry other husbandes that they may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their liuing more easi∣ly. But if she being striken in age should marrie anie young man, she might haue bene accused of wantonnes and light∣nes. An olde widowe ought rather to thinke of another life, than of the de∣lightes of this life and newe marriages, and prepare themselues for heauen, and they may do that better, if they remaine sole, then if they were married.

Old folkes may learne by this exāple to be mindefull of theyr olde age, and forsake theyr nuttes, as it is in the Pro∣uerbes. Next she saith if shee should be

fit for marriage, and determine to marry and haue by and by a sonne by him, yet it were not good for them to tarry vntil they should come to age, and in the meane season neglect the occasions of marrying with others, who would mar∣ry thē. Sometimes maydens doe wayt vntill those whome they will marrie do come to age, which is not without dan∣ger, as also that boyes and wenches are ioyned together by their parentes in some countries. Afterwards when they be old, either they do not agree, or their willes are easily changed. THAMAR the daughter in law of IVDAH did wayt vn∣till SELAH IVDAHS third sonne came to age that he might raise vp seed to hys ii. brothers which departed without sons. GEN. 38. Shee doth adde that she is mo∣ued, and very much greeued for theyr troubles, and that her sorrowe did in∣crease. Or she would say this, it shoulde greeue me more than you, if for my sake you shoulde come into any hard case. Because the hand of the Lorde is gone out against me: that is, I am pressed of

him with pouertie and other troubles, what will ye do with me, sith that I can∣not prouide for your profite. She is not so minded as they, who when they are oppressed with euill, doe wish all men to be oppressed with the same troubles: & do aduise for their own cōmoditie by o∣ther mens troubles. Sometime manie men can prouide for their daughters & children good marriages, but they will not because they shall lacke their seruice and be at great charges. I wil speake no∣thing of them who doe driue their chil∣dren to filthines, that they may in the meane season pamper their paunches.

NAOMI acknowledged that she fell into those daungers not by chance, but she confessed that the hand of the Lord was stretched out against her, for no af∣flictions fall out to the godly, except God decreed to exercise them with the same, the consideration of the whiche doth much auaile, to perswade to beare all thinges patiently. But what shee pre∣uailed by this her speach we will shewe hereafter.

But thou doest aske? wherefore shee did driue backe both her daughters in law, offering their companie so willing∣ly? Was it not profitable, that they shoulde be brought from idolatrie to true Religion: as if it were to be deliue∣red out of burning fire? I aunswere that NAOMIE earnestly desired her two daughters to haue bin conuerted to the worship of the true God, but she would by her disswation trie their faith, perad∣uenture she did sufficiently know theyr mindes. For we may not trust their first motions, especially being yong womē, who will easely chaung their mindes & yeeld some times to light temptations. The wise woman feared least the mat∣ter peraduenture should otherwise fall out in a straunge land, then they imma∣gined, and they then should by and by fall back to Idolatry: how often do wee see men imbracing the Gospell, when they doe not obtayne that which they dreamed of, slide into errors to the great offence of others? For it had bene bet∣ter for those Apostaties, as it is in the 2.

PETER 2. neuer to haue knowne the truth, then when they know it to fall a∣way from that holy commaundement which was giuen to thē &c. Christ him selfe in the 14. chap of LVKE doth com∣maunde them who will follow him, to thinke what remaineth for them by two similitudes. Also in the 9. chapter of LVKE he sayth after the hand is laid to the plowe, we must not looke backe to thinges which are behind vs, and in the 17. chap. hee putteth vs in minde of LOTS wife which was turned into a pil∣ler of salt, they doe not well who will driue others to Christian religion by deuises or vayne policies. For if after∣wardes they vnderstand the matter to be otherwise then they heard, they will prosecute true religion with deadly ha∣tred: we must deale with them with such arguments as are drawn out of the word of God. How much then doe they of∣fend, who doe driue men to the profes∣sion of false religion with promises, de∣ceites, threatninges and tormentes? 23. MATT. Woe saith he be vnto you scribes

and Pharisies, for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession, and when he is made, ye make him two fold more the childe of hel than you be. Because they who were of their sect, were instructed by thē to this, that they shuld be cruell enemies to Christ. There are some at this day who doe study to bring the Iewes to their religion &, cast thē into greater dangers, teaching thē a∣gainst the lawe prescribed to them of God to worship Idols and beleeue in a MESSIAS made of bread, &c. Also no man is to be forced to those things from whence he cannot returne. A young man is not to be driuen vnwillingly to take a wife, nor a Virgine to take a hus∣band, for consent is required in marria∣ges. Much lesse are they to be driuen to liue alwayes sole, with entisementes, or by craft, or by force or threatninges. If NAOMIE should haue had sonnes, yet shee woulde not haue her daughters in law to tarry till they were men, for the danger of the same: but now she wished them good marriages, much lesse shee

would that they should vowe to liue al∣waies widdowes, being in their flower of youth. In the counsell that was hol∣den at Cesaraugusta it is recorded that Virgines were not to be accepted if they hadde vowed to GOD, except it could be prooued that they were 40. yeeres old, &c. Afterwardes they were taken in at 30. yeeres of age, all religion being ouerthrowne, and at last all were taken how young soeuer they were no exception. The Apostle, 1. TIMOTHIE 5. chap. doth commaund widowes not to be taken to the seruice of the poore vntill they be 60. yeeres old, and young widowes to marry and to haue children and be house-keepers &c. At this day snares are laid for children of tender age. For many whiche were more fit for marriage are thrust vnwillingly into Monasteries, and of this are many mon∣sterous wickednesses begotten. It is not onely a sinne in that, that simple young ones are put in the Monasteries, but this whole kinde of life as it is this day in vse, is against the holy Scriptures.

Though men may see and vnderstand this, yet doe they defend their inuenti∣ons obstinately.

But if anie will contend that NAOMI did therefore perswade them to returne into theyr countrie, that they might liue better amongest their acquaintance than amongest straungers, not that shee would trie their mindes. We aunswere that she, if the matter was so, did sinne no lesse than they which perswade thē, which are willing to forsake their coun∣try at this day, where they cannot wor∣ship Christ as they desire, and exhort them that they shoulde not doe so, but beleeue in the heart what they list, it is no matter what they doe beleue, so that they beware of grosse crimes and obey the Magistrates, and waite for better times, &c. For Christ doth require a publicke confession of them that beleue in him. MATT. 10. chap. Wee ought to further the kingdome of heauen & look to winne others: yet wee must doe it wisely and not rashly, and euery man ought especially to apply, to instruct

theyr children and houshold rightly in true Religion.