2. Here is an amiable example for mothers and daughters in law, how to behave to each other. These are relations in which there are perhaps more differences and contentions, than in any other; and therefore caution is very proper. Naomi had been a kind, friendly mother to her daughters in law, and tender of their comfort and interest; and they showed great respect to her. Let those whom Providence has brought into this relation, guard against jealousy and suspicion, and any unbecoming carriage. Kindness is a winning quality; and if persons are not beloved, it is generally, if not always, their own fault.

3. Ruth is a good pattern to all, and especially to young people, to be firm and resolute in their adherence to God and religion. Be willing to take the Lord for your God, your father, and ruler; and his people for your people. Let them be your friends and companions; associate with them, and continue among them; and bind yourselves to this in the strongest manher. If sinners would persuade you against this, reject their solicitations with abhorrence. If others return to their sinful companions, be not you led away by them. Nay, if good men should Jay any stumbling block in your way, and seem to discourage you, resolve, in divine strength, to break through all difficulties, and continue faithful to God, and in fellowship with his people, even unto death. You cannot be too resolute and steadfast in what is so good. Be willing, like this pious young woman, to run any risk, or go through any hardship in this world, to save your immortal souls.

4. What a melancholy change may be quickly made in the circumstances of those who are most prosperous and happy ! What sorrow had this pious matron endured! the loss of her children, widowhood, poverty, and distress, in a strange country. She little expected this when she left the land of Canaan. Who can tell what circumstances a man shall be in ten years hence, yea, ten days? May we learn not to expect too much from this world; but look for changes in life. Death will part us and our dearest friends. Let us then expect the parting moment, and beg of God to fit us for every change, especially our great change. And in order to this, let us observe,

5. That it becomes us to acknowledge the hand and justice of God in all the calamities of life. Naomi does this with a great deal of devotion; the Lord hath brought me home; the Lord hath testified against me; the Almighty hath afflicted me. Such a sense of the hand of God in every thing that befalls us, will tend to humble us, to prevent our murmuring and complaining against him, and being fretful and peevish with those about us, and also to compose and satisfy our minds under the greatest evils. Let us endeavour, with this good woman, to be humble and patient; to bring our minds to our conditions; and then it will be good for us to have been afflicted.

CHAP. II.

Here we have an account of Ruth's humility and industry; the picty and generosity of Boaz; and Naomi's gratitude, and further advice to her daughter.

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ND Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech ; and his name [was] Boaz; he was the grandson of Nahshon, prince of 2 the tribe of Judah. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after [him,] that is, after any person, in whose sight I shall find grace, or 3 favour. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap or fortune was to light on a part of the field [belonging] unto Boaz, who [was] of the kindred of Elimelech. This seemed a casual thing, as she knew not whose field it was ; but Providence directed her thither, as will appear in the sequel. 4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD [be] with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. According to the piety and simplicity of those times, he addressed them with this courteous and serious 5 salutation, which they devoutly returned. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel [is] this? Seeing a stranger, he inquired who she was, of his steward, who was set over the labourers to see that they did their 6 work, to provide for them, and pay them their wages. And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It [is] the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of 7 the country of Moab : And she said, I pray you, let me glean, and gather after the reapers among the sheaves; he not only informed him who she was, but how diligent she had been; and that she asked it as a favour to glean; though she might have demanded it as a right, according to the law, Lev. xix. 9, 10. so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house, in the hovel or tent, to which 8 they retired in the heat of the day. Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens; treating her with great civility, and desiring her to keep close to the maidens who gathered up corn after his reapers; and assuring her that his young men should not molest her. 9 [Let] thine eyes [be] on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of [that] which the young men 10 have drawn. Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to

the ground, and made a very decent and grateful reply, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge of me, seeing I [am] a stran11 ger, whom thou hast never seen before? And Boaz answered and said unto her, I have heard of thy filial affection, and it hath been fully 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. He then blessed her with much seriousness, and 12 said, The LORD recompense thy work, this high act of faith and virtue, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust ;* may God reward thee like himself, to whose good providence thou hast committed thyself, whose favour and protection thou hast 13 sought. Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens; begging the continuance of his favour, as her greatest comfort under her present affliction, as a stranger, and coming from a country of ill character; and therefore not equal to the meanest of his servants. This hand14 some reply increased his civility and respect for her; And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers; not among them, but near them: and he, observing her modesty and unwillingness to help herself, reached her parched [corn,] corn dried on the fire, which was a common provision among them, and she did eat, and was suf15 ficed, and left. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz tommanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not, as if too bold and as16 suming. And, as an encouragement to her industry, let fall also [some] of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave [them,] 17 that she may glean [them,] and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley, near a bushel. 18 And she took [it] up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed; the remainder of the provisions which Boaz gave her when she 19 sat by the reapers. And her mother in law said unto her,

⚫ An allusion, some say, to the cherubim spreading their wings over the holy place, where the ark was; or rather, to an hen cherishing and protecting her brood under her wings.

+ Bread is put for provisions in general; vinegar was used in those hot countries for sauce, as it was cooling and strengthening.

Where hast thou gleaned today? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee: she thought Ruth could not have got so much without the special favour of some generous person. Ruth then told her who he was, but did not know that he was her relation; and she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The 20 man's name with whom I wrought today [is] Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed [be] he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead, who had shown kindness to her husband and sons, and now to her. And Naomi said unto her, The man [is] near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen, or one that hath right to redeem, (see Lev. xxv. 25.) that is, to redeem the mortgaged land, and raise up the name of the dead by marrying the widow, 21 Deut. xxv. 5. And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest, that is, till the end of wheat harvest, 22 which followed the other. 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, where you will perhaps not be so welcome, and may meet with 23 some ill usage. So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest ; and dwelt with her mother in law, returning home every evening.

REFLECTIONS.

1. HERE is exampt circumstances of life. In this

ERE is a good example for those who are in the lowest

young woman, the poor have an example of industry, humility, and gratitude; she brought her mind to her condition; was content to glean for her support. She was not ashamed to confess her poverty, nor willing to eat the bread of idleness. Let the poor learn hence to be diligent, to work for their living, and not be burdensome to others, or to beg what they might earn by their labour. Poverty and sloth are very ill matched; and yet how often do we see them meet! Many had rather beg, and stoop to the greatest meanness, or the worst villany, than labour with their hands. Ruth is also a good example of gratitude and respect; she was very thankful for the kindness shown her, and desirous also to secure the interest and favour of her benefactor. We see no arrogant airs, no abuse of his kindness: but the greatest modesty and thankfulness. When she had finished her day's work, instead of gadding about, or trifling with the servants of Boaz, she goes straight home, and minds her own proper business. In this respect servants and poor people ought to imitate her example, as they desire the esteem and kindness of others, and would contract good habits for this world and the next.

2. Here is a good example to masters of families, and those in prosperous circumstances of life. The rich and the wealthy may see how they ought to behave, namely, to look well to their affairs, to be obliging to their servants, and kind to strangers, especially to the pious poor. Boaz, though he had a steward or overseer, came himself, and looked well to the ways of his household, had his eye upon every thing. If masters would have their work go on well, they must follow it themselves, and not trust it wholly to servants. Religion, as well as self interest, should make men careful and frugal, and cultivate good economy. Let masters learn from this example to treat their servants in a friendly, obliging manner. Boaz comes into the field, and does not begin chiding and scolding them, much less cursing and swearing at them, (as many do without occasion, or with a very small one, to show their authority and indulge their spleen) but, with the greatest respect and piety, prays for them; and they return the civility in the same pious language. Let masters and mistresses be careful that they do not teach their servants an evil lesson against themselves; and, by treating them with harshness and roughness, inflame their spirits, and make them worse. A friendly word, and a kind look, will generally do a great deal more than ever so much chiding. And let both masters and servants learn, that piety is an ornament to discourse; and that mutual good wishes for each other are very becoming, provided they are not made things of form. Boaz's charity and civility to a stranger, especially to one that gave such substantial proofs of her piety, is worthy of imitation. On our tongue let there be the law of kindness. Let the rich be ready to distribute and willing to communicate, especially to God's poor. Let us have compassion one to another, and love as brethren; be pitiful, be courteous.

3. Let all learn that those who persist in the discharge of their duty, and put themselves under the protection of heaven shall not miss their reward. Ruth's humility and industry are here rewarded; and more so, as we shall find hereafter. All of us, whatever our circumstances are, need the favour and protection of God. Let us therefore come and trust under the shadow of his wings. Let us fly to him, and rely upon him. So shall a full recompense of reward be given to us; for this is a great and glorious work, and a great and gracious promise is annexed to it, namely, that God is not unrighteous, to forget our work of faith and our labour of love; but that in keeping his commandments there is a great reward.