BOAZ AND RUTH.

DISCOURSE I.

RUTH, Chap. i. Verses 1, 2.

Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land; and a certain man of BethlehemJudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 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.

As it is not my intention to study method so much, as to draw forth the practical part of the history to view, I shall take the passage, in its several clauses, as it lies before us; which, for ought I know, may be the most ancient as well as the most useful method of preaching, because of its plainness and simplicity. And as I have no other object in view but the glory of God in our common salvation, I am no way careful what the critical hearer may think of the abilities of the preacher. Yea, in submitting the discourses to public inspection, I am equally indifferent on that head, as I have not the least hope of their being so much as read by any besides the truly serious, the lovers of Jesus, and him crucified; and I would hope that I am now, at this time, equally insensible to popular applause or censure, if the grand end I have in view be but answered in opening the history. The

First clause of which is, 'Now it came to pass ;'---not by chance, or by any combination of fortuitous events, but by the special hand of an all-ruling and Divine Providence, which is the counterpart of the divine decree, or an exposition of the hidden things of infinite wisdom. Shall there be evil in a

'city and the Lord hath not done it?' The times and the seasons, the earth and the clouds, the winds and the rains, are all under his awful controul; so that plenty or famine, are solely by his appointment. And how should it be otherwise,

seeing the life of a sparrow, the dinner of a raven, and even the very hairs on our heads, are under his direction, care, and government? To profit by what you read, or hear, it is necessary that you should mark well what comes to pass, in the course of Divine Providence; for, says the Psalmist, Psal. cvii. 43. "Whoso is wise will observe these things, even they shall under'stand the loving kindness of the Lord.' Here, the exercise of true wisdom is made to consist in the marking of those things, and undoubtedly that person who treasures up his own experience under the various dispensations of Providence, has, as it were, a body of divinity within himself, and best knows how to live upon the loving kindness of the Lord, even in seasons of the greatest difficulty, and of the deepest distress.

II. In the days when the judges ruled.'---It was observed in the introduction, that the Holy Ghost is silent with respect to which of the judges it was who then governed Israel, which consequently precludes any inquiry; but be he whomsoever he might, during his government there was,

III. A famine in the land.'---For the fertility of its soil, the land of Canaan was said to flow with milk and honey, notwithstanding which it was subject to famine, as both Abraham, and his grandson Jacob experienced; and at this time the famine was so great in this land of plenty, that it reached even Bethlehem, the house of bread itself. But was there not a cause? Doth the Lord afflict willingly, or grieve the children of men without provocation? No; but he may justly turn a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them who dwell therein.* Indeed, through the whole of sacred history, we find that judgment upon Israel was always preceded by their having done evil in the sight of the Holy One; and their deliverance as constantly followed their repentance and making their supplications to him.

What then has Great Britain to fear? Britain, the far greater part of whose inhabitants live as if there were no God, no future judgment, no eternal world, though favoured with higher privileges than are enjoyed by any nation under heaven. Is there not reason to fear, that in the day of visitation, the height of our privileges may make our condemnation the more emphatical, and the judgment of Capernaum be our reward as a people? When the sins of Judah arose to a certain height of aggravation, the God who made the people would shew them no mercy; but laughed at their calamity, and mocked when their fears came upon them. So, in the present case, the presence of even the godly in the land, could not avert the famine, which affected the opulent themselves; for,

IV. À certain man, of Bethlehem-Judah, went to sojourn in the country of Moab.'---A clear and striking proof that here

* Psal. cvil, 31.

is no continuing city or place of abode; and shews the necessity of our seeking a city which hath foundations, the builder and maker of which is God. For if a man is ever so agreeably situated in the midst of plenty, Divine Providence can soon drive him from his rest, and reduce him to the disagreeable necessity of depending upon the bounty of even the wicked themselves, who are, like Moab, for ever shut out from the sanctuary of Jehovah. This should teach us to guard against security, not to be high-minded, but to fear, and trust in the name of the Lord.

How sovereign are the dispensations of Holy Providence! whilst blessed Jacob and his family were in danger of perishing with hunger, corn abounded in the land of accursed Egypt. So, meagre famine spared not even Bethlehem-Judah, whilst the offspring of an incestuous embrace had not only bread enough for themselves, but also wherewithal to supply the wants of others in their necessity. From whence it appears that wicked people may sometimes abound in affluence, while the godly experience the trials of penury, as is indeed apparently the case in numberless instances. This evinceth the truth of Solomon's doctrine, Eccl. ix. 1. 'No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them :' consequently, they err exceedingly who consider their prosperity as an evidence of their interest in special favour; and equally wrong it is, to draw uncomfortable conclusions from circumstances of distress and penury. Cursed Moab had plenty, whilst the chosen race were pining in famine. Jeremiah says, chap. xlviii. 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and hath settled on his lees, and hath not been ' emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity therefore his taste remaineth in him, and his scent is ' not changed.'

The case with Moab was simply this, He remained in an unchanged, unregenerated state; his taste for earthly enjoyments, and sensual gratifications, remained entire in him. Earth was the object of his pursuit: earth was his only God. His scent of sinful pleasures, forbidden lusts of the flesh and of the eye continued still the same. He was never led into captivity, to feel the galling chains of his own iniquity, and to know himself, to be a slave to his own lusts, and a very drudge of Satan. He was never convinced that he was held, and by the righteous law, to fulfil its tenor to the utmost perfection, or bear its penalty in the fullest extent of its rigour; the consequence of which was, he settled upon his lees, enjoyed the fatal rest of carnal security, and went on frowardly in the way of his own choice. Nor did the Almighty think it worth his while to pour him from vessel to vessel, as he doth his own people Israel. Woe be to them that are at ease; but blessed is that man who endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive a crown of life.

This man, though driven by famine from his own land, and from the inheritance of his God, had no intention of making the land of Moab his home, but went merely to sojourn there, till the Lord should visit Israel again with plenty. An Israelite indeed, will find his dwelling in Moab to be as uncomfortable as Lot's was amongst the the people of Sodom. What the philosopher said concerning Athens, will apply in the present case, "It is a pleasant place to pass through, but unsafe to dwell in." Moab might be very well for a temporary sojournment, but would by no means do for a settled habitation.

Let Moab for once symbolize the world, and it will still apply. Here are many blessings to be enjoyed; many excellencies to be viewed; and, so far as we can trace the operations of a God unsullied, every scene is delightful. But where is the saint who would choose the world for his eternal habitation? Where that believer, who would not choose strangling, rather than to be condemned to live for ever in the present state of existence? Yet it is very well to pass through, on our journey to the land of true felicity. The bitterness of time, will make the rest of eternity the more delightful.

V. Him, and his wife, and two sons.'---This shews domestic union in the midst of the greatest distress, and that nothing whatever should separate those whom God hath joined together, either by the ties of nature, or the bonds of sacred marriage. They had lived together, and could not part: rather than part, they resolved to share a like fate at home or abroad. This strongly reproves those husbands and wives who aim at separate interests, or seek different scenes of pleasure; or who indeed can willingly be parted, by any thing short of dissolution: what numbers then must fall under rebuke in this degenerate age! This domestic complacency in Elimelech's family, equally reproves those, worse than brutal parents, who discover a neglect of their offspring, respecting either the present or future life. The very tigress fostereth her young with maternal tenderness; and the helpless hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and exerts the full extent of her feeble powers in their defence. Yet some parents, sunk beneath the brutes, by idleness, intemperance, and extravagance, make war upon the happiness of their own offspring. But let every such parent know, that he who provideth not for his own family, especially those of his own house, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

VI. The name of the man was Elimelech.'---My God is king, a fit name to give consolation in the deepest distress, for he could not even so much as reflect upon it, without being reminded that the Almighty is Governor of the universe, and consequently, that whatsoever takes place under heaven, is either by express ordination, or by special permission; therefore this famine was to be considered, as an evil of the Lord's sending.