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 16. Sermon.

1 Afterward Naomie her mother in-law said vnto her, My daughter, shall not I seeke rest for thee, that thou mayest prosper?

2 Nowe also is not Bohaz our kinseman, with whose mayds thou wast? behold he winnoweth barly to night in the floore.

3 Washe thy selfe therefore, and annoynt thee, and put thy rayment vppon thee, and get thee downe to the floore let not the man knowe of thee, vntill he hath left eating and drinking.

4 And when he shall sleep, mark the place where he layeth him downe, and go, and vncouer the place of his feete, amd lay thee downe, and hee shall tell thee what thou shalt do.

THIS chapter doth consist of three especiall partes. In the first the councel is contained, which NAOMIE gaue vnto RVTH, how she should procure BOHAZ

to be her husbande: in the other is sette downe, how RVTH obeyed her mother in-law: and what she obtayned, how she was accepted of BOHAZ and sent a∣way. in the third, how she returning vn∣to her mother in law, shewed to her all thinges orderly which befell vnto her. Many things are contained in this chap∣ter, which pertayn to making of marria∣ges, in which the greatest pointes of our happynes or vnhappines in this life are contayned.

As concerning the councell of NAO∣MIE, first shee did promise RVTH her helpe, that she would prouide for her a good marriage. I seeke rest (sayth shee) for thee, for so shee doth call marriage. She doth adde, that it may be well with thee: the meaning is: I will ioyne thee with a good and a meet husbande, that thou mayest know where thou shalt tar∣rye, and that thou mayest hereafter gett thy liuing without so great labour. She doth not promise her an idle life aboun∣ding with delightes, shee doth not say that she shalbe without all troubles, of

which this worlde is full, to the mitiga∣ting of the whiche the Lorde hath ap∣poynted marryage. GEN. 2. The Lord sayth it is not good for man to bee a∣lone, let vs make him a helpe. God will that it be wel with them, and that they haue rest. Yet many through their own faultes do procure themselues great tro∣bles, as when they do norish suspicious ielousies &c. Also marriage hath trou∣bles belōging to it, especialy wher there be many childrē: yet they haue mo tro∣bles who dispising this institutution of God, doe wallow in whoredomes and addulteries. NAOMIE doth not aduife her that she should liue a sole life. For it was better, that a straunge widdowe should marry with some one of the peo∣ple of God. Heere is an example of gra∣titude propounded to vs in NAOMIE. In the first chapter she doth wish for a hap∣pie marriage for both her daughters in∣law, now that occasion is offred, shee omitteth nothing, that shee might pro∣uide a good husband for her, who had deserued so well of her. There are some

which will be marueilous liberall onely in promises, but they doe nothing in∣deed: oftentimes when they may bene∣fite theyr friendes without troubling themselues, they wil not doe it, but if o∣thers doe it, they will enuy them.

Next let parentes learne, to prouide husbandes for theyr daughters, and wiues for their sonnes, for this care be∣longeth to them. Children ought not in this matter to follow theyr own wic∣ked affections, but to vse the counsell of their parentes. Let not parentes tiranni∣cally constraine theyr children to many against theyr will. NAOMIE doth con∣ferre with RVTH her daughter in-law of marriage. Marriages to which children are vnwillingly driuen, haue seldome happie endes.

The maner is after set downe, howe NAOMIE procured this marriage: shee doth giue her preceptes, she doth teach her, what she shall do, & what she should auoid: first she biddeth her to wash away her sweate & spots least she should smel ill. And those washinges were common

amongst those nations, and of thēselues not vnlawfull. Next she doth bid her to annoint her selfe: the which was also v∣sed amongst the Estern people, as other histories, aswell the Euangelical history doth witnesse. Thirdly she doth bid her to put on her apparell, to witt the best she had. Fourthly to goe into the floore and not suffer her self to be seen, before that BOAZ had eaten and drunken. The labourers seeme to haue better cheare at the latter ende of haruest as at sheep∣shearing. We doe make a feast in the lat∣ter end of haruest and vintage: so we do giue more meate and drink to threshers of corne in the barne and winnowers. She doth commaund her to marke hys bed, or the place where he layeth hym downe, and remouing the couerlit from his feete should lye downe by stealth at his feete, and signifie vnto him what must be done, according to the lawe of raysing vppe children to the brother or kinsman deceased. For he sayd after that there was one of nearer kindred, with whome hee would first conferre about

this matter. The law which doth com∣mand that the brother or kinsman shuld marry the wife of the brother of kinse∣man departed without a child, doth not expresse by what way or meanes it shuld be done, nor driueth any man vnwil∣lingly to marriage. Therefore NAOMII did vse these deuises, that she might win BOAZ the easier: and might obtayne of him, that he should doe, that which the lawe commaunded him to doe of hys owne accord and free will. For cleanli∣nes in women doth please men wel: and husbandes do oftentimes abhorre thei•• wiues for sluttishe apparell. Therefore women doe combe and decke them∣selues. The night also a man being alone with a woman alone, doth make manie marriages. Furthermore beyng well drunke they do many things willingly, which if they had bin sober they would not haue done. LOT committed incest with hys daughters 2. SAM. 11. CAP. DA∣VID by drunkennes sought to ouer∣throw the constancie of VRIAH and to enforce him to lye with his wife. OVI••

sayth. Night loue and wine do nothing moderately, the night is without shame and loue is without feare.

It was meete that RVTH should bee marryed to BOHAZ, but there were o∣ther wayes and meanes, by the whiche shee might haue dealt with him about this mariage, they myght haue brought BOHAZ in minde of the law by some ho∣nest but peraduēture they thought it to be no matter, when they were per∣swaded that it was his duty according to the law, to raise vp seede to the kinsman deceased. But least anye man should a∣buse this example and make marriages in degrees forbidden, or defend baudry, and excuse their faults by other errours and faults of the saints, it is to be known that ther is mention made, of four kinds of examples of holye men in the scrip∣ture.

First certain deeds are described & pro∣posed to vs to folow, as fayth in ABRA∣HAM, patience in IOBE, chastity in IO∣SEPH, &c. the ardent prayers of DAVID & others: all the holy scriptures are ful of

examples of vertue worthy to be had in remēbrance. How many doth the holy ghost propose vnto vs in this litle booke in NAOMIE RVTH and BOHAZ. As gold smithes, paynters and others do set arti∣ficial works, before their schollers which they should follow: so God doth put before vs the examples of Godly men, that hauing them alwayes in our sight, we may immitate them in our life.

Next the deedes of the Saynts are contayned in the holy scriptures which are wicked, as the incest of LOT, the ad∣dultery of DAVID, the disobedience of IONAS, the pride of the apostles, the de∣nial of PETER, the vnbeleeuing of THO∣MAS, & many other. These are not reci∣ted of the holy ghost to the end that we should folow them, but we may see that though they be saynts, to be yet corrup∣ted in their nature: & in that they did ex¦cell in so many rare vertues, that was by the goodnesse of God. These thinges should make vs beware, for if such ex∣cellent men haue fallen, what may be∣fall vs, when we are not to be compared

with them? Next according to the ad∣monition of the Apostle: who so doth thinke he doth stand, let hym beware least he fall. And as they went not for∣ward in wickednesse but repented: so let vs also repent, that God may forgiue vs our sinnes and punishmentes due for sins: also let vs receiue sinners which do repent truely. But true repentance doth acknowledge the heynousnes of sinne, embraceth by fayth the mercy of God proposed in his sonne, and doth after∣wardes abstayne from sinne.

Thirdly the sainctes in the olde testa∣ment did certaine thinges well, whiche at this day were most wicked to follow. They did circumcise their children at the eight day, whiche is not at this day, lawfull: because baptisme is in the place of circumcisiō. They did offer diuers sa∣crifices to God, which at this day haue no place. A brother ought to marry the widdow of another brother, & rayse vp seed to him, which at this day were a sin worthy of death. The same may be said also of other ceremoniall lawes whiche

are taken away by Christ, the same also may be sayd of some part of the iudici∣alles. These therefore are not to bee drawne into example.

Fourthly, there are some singuler deedes, as that ABRAHAM against that generall law: Thou shalt not kill: would haue slayne and offered his sonne ISAAKE: That the Israelites did not restore, the golden and siluer pottes and apparell which they had borrowed of the Egip∣tians: we must not follow these thinges we haue no warrā't to do the same. Th•••• (1. SAM. 5.) IONATHAN and his armor bearer, in an vnfit place set on the power of the Philistines, was done notably & heroycally, not proceeding from pride, or couetousnes, but driuen vnto it by the holy ghost: he looked vnto the pro∣mise and glory of God, and the preser∣uation of his countrey. If any body bee not led by the like spirite, and yet would take in hand the like matter, they may be accompted rashe. I omitte other exam∣ples: by these promises wee may iudge more rightly of the deeds of NAOMIE

and RVTH. Therefore let vs say that this is a peculiar fact, and we must not fol∣low it: Or those women were holy and chast, yet they did offend in the man∣ner: neither are those thinges recited in the scriptures that wee should followe them, but eschew thē. And although the successe was happy, yet it was not attri∣buted to the carefulnes of NAOMIE, but rather to Gods mercy. Saynt PAVLE in the first epistle to the THESSAL. 5. doth bid vs to abstaine from the outward ap∣pearaunce of euil. But she is commaun∣ded to do that, which hath the outward appearaunce of euill. NAOMIE vseth those artes whereby baudes doe entise young women to wickednes, for they do vse baths, sweet oyntments, and fine ap∣parell &c. Peraduenture the successe would haue bene bad inough, if she had not met with a godly man. If she could not haue bene hid, but haue bene spied of others, who would not haue thought but that she came either for whordome or theft? Furthermore who would haue denied but that NAOMIE as much as

lay in her, cast her daughter in-law into the danger of whordome: she which did before please BOAZ might now displease him by this deed: or if hee had bene en∣flamed with wine might haue dealtwith her, and that he might afterwards haue put her away as a harlot. It is to be ad∣ded to this, that by the law she was not due to BOAZ, but to a nearer kinsman: who vnlesse he had giuen ouer his right, she had done him an iniurie. I wil speake nothing of this, that men ought to woe their wiues, and not wiues husbandes. And although BOAZ did afterward prayse it, yet it is not to be supposed that he did allowe of all the circumstances. Therefore no man ought to abuse the example of these poore women, & rea∣son thus, if it were lawful for them, it is lawfull for vs. For the falles of the saints ought to make vs more warie, and not to allure vs to sinne.

There are olde women, who when they hope that by this meanes, they can make marriages betweene young men and virgins, they call them to night ban∣quettes,

talkes, and daunces, and some∣time exhort them, that they should goe to bed together. There are also virgins which doe entise youthes diuers wayes to lye with them, saying that they did it of a good purpose, namely, that they might get a lawfull marriage: but marri∣ages are not to be made by this meanes, we must hold on a right course, parents & kinsfolkes are to be aduised with, be∣fore honest mē must we cōtract marria∣ges. How oftē haue those priuate marria∣ges had a sorrowfull & lamentable end?

And those youthes are to be reproo∣ued, which, that they may get their plea∣sure of some women, doe promise them marriage, and being defiled they driue them away reprochfully as wh••res, and denie that euer they did make mention of marriage. Honest youths wil not mar∣rie them which haue bene defiled by them, yea they suspect that they haue geuen theyr bodies to be abused before of others, or wil doe it hereafter.

But what shal we iudge of them, who being taken, doe geue as a cloke to their

whoredome the fauourable name of mariage, when as they made no mentiō∣of it before? or what shall wee iudge of those baudes men or women, who for gaine doe match those persons together whome they ought not?

Thou shalt also obserue by the way, that she sayth that BOAZ winnowed the floore of barly, that is the barly that was in the floore. The Septuagintes haue Licman that is to winnow, Licmos a fanne or a vanne. It is added in the night. The Chalde interpreter sayth, at the night winde: peraduenture they coulde not winnow it in the day for the heat. We reade also of other holy fathers as A∣BRAHAH, ISAAKE, IACOB and GEDION: so also of the Romaine Senators and Captaynes that they did apply them∣selues to husbandry, not to idlenesse, drunkennesse, or surfeiting. BOAZ had many which he might haue committed this labour vnto, but hee had rather doe it himselfe, partly for that by the exerci∣sing of his body, hee might be the more healthy, partly least he yeelding to idle∣nesse,

should giue place to euill tempta∣tions, partly that he might stirre vpp his seruauntes to worke by his example, for examples auayle much euery way.