Contemplations. LIB. XI. teares : the one cannot bee driven backe, but repels. one intreaty with anO- A rhcr 5 ltJtreat mee JJot to leave thee; for whither thou go~[J, I J,i/J goe, where thou drve!lejl, I ,.i/1 dwell, thy people. f/;a/1 be my people, thy god my God, JVbere thou diefi, lwi/1 dte, andthtre will I be buried. 'R_,uth fa.w fo muchupo'), ten yearestriall,in Naomr, as was more worth than all Moah; and m companfon whereof~all\~orldly refpects deferved notlung butcontempt: The next degree unto god!mefie is the 101 e of goodneffe : He is in a fairc way to grace, that can value it; If fhe had notb<en aheady a Profe!yte,fhe could not have fer this price uponN•omies vertue. Love cannot be feparated from a deore of fruition; In vaine had &Jth prose!led her affeC!io~ to ~aomi, iffhe could have turned berout to her journey alone; love to the Saints doth not more argue our mtereft in. God, than fociety argues the truth ofour love. , B As fome tight veffcll that holds outagainft Wind and Water, fo did Ruth ag<inft all the powers of a mothers perf.vaoons ; The impoflibility of the corn- . fort ofmarriage in following he~ (which drewback her ofter in law) cannot move her. She hearcs )1er mother, hke a. mode!l: matron (contrary to the fafhion of tl1de rimes) fay, I am too old to havea husband, and yet (hee rhinkes not on the contrary, I am too young to want an Husband : It floould feeme, the Moabires had learned this f~fh10n 'of Ifrael, to expect. the brothers railing of feed to the dcceafcd; Tbew1elow-hoodand a~e-<>f Naomt cuts off that hope; neither could R•th then, dreame ofa Bo•z that mtght advance her; It is no love that cannot make us willing to be miferableforthofe weaffe&: T!Je ho!lowellhe<>.rt can be content to follow one that profpereth: Advcrfity is theonely foroace of C friendfhip: If love will nor abide bOth fire and an\'ile, it is but counterfeir; foin our love to God, we doe but crack, and vaunt in vaine, if we cannot be willing to fuffer for him. But ifany motive might hope to fpeed, that whichwas dmvne from example, was mofi likely;Beltold,tny fifter in lawiJgone hack unto herpeople,an~ to her gods;return thou afterher. This oneart-leffe perfwafion bath prevatledmorewtth the world,than all the places ofreafon : How many millions mifcarry upon this ground;thus did my fore-fathers ; Thus doe the moll:;I am neither the firft,nor the [afi! Doe any of the rulers I Y..'e !l:raight think that, either fafe or par<!onable, for which we can plead a pre<"edent. Tl1is good woman bath more warrant for her refo!ution, than .mothers pra<tice: The mind cannever be fteady, whiles it frauds upon others feet, D and till itbe fer led upon fuch grounds ofaffurance,that it will rather lead tl1an follow; and can fay wit!. JoH>tta, whatfoever becomeofthe world, I and my hou[e11>il/ Jer<te the Lord. . If Naomi had not been a perfon ofeminent note, no knowledge had been raken at Betbleem ofher rcturn.Poverty is everobfcure;and thofc that have little,may go and cotne without noife.lfthe llreets of Bethleem had nor before ufed to fay,There goes Naomi; they had not now asked,u not this '}{aomi? She that had loll all things, out her name, is willing to part witp thatalfo; CaUme not Naomi,hut eaUme Marah. Her humilitycares lirtfe for a glorious name,in a dejecred e!l:ate.Manya one would iJ,c fer faces upon their want,and in the bitterneffe oftheit condition,haveaffected the name of beauty. In all formes of good, there are moretllat care to fceme, E tban to be:N.10mi hates this hypocriflc,and /ince God bath humbled her,cle/ires not to be rcfpeC!cd ofmen. Thofe which aretruely brought downe, make it not dainty tloJt the world fl,ould thjnke them fo ;buta're ready to be the fir!l: prodaimers of thc:irowne \'jlc,,cffe. IV"mi went full out of Bethleem to prevent want; and nmv fhe brings that want · home wirh her, which fhe defired to avoid. Ourb lindneffe oft-timescarries us into the perils we feck to cfchew : God findes it belt many rimes; to croffe rhe likely ~rojc-'ts ofhis dcare!l: children;and' tomultiply thofe aflliC!ions,wl1ich they feared hnalc. Tenycares harcrurnedNaomiinro Marah: What allhranceistbereofthefe earthly
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