9<)61 [ontemplJtions. LIB. XI. withy•u, as one that knew, if he were with them, and not the Lord; his prefence A could availe notliing. All the bufine!fe of the famtly fpeeds the better for the I' Maflers benediction; Thofe affaires are likely to fucceea, that take their beginnin<>at God. ' C:harity was well matchedwith his Religion; without which, goodworkes are bc~t hypocrify: nofooner doth he h~are the na.~ ~f the Moabite!fe,but he fecon:ds r the kindne!fe of Ius reapers; and fhll he rtfe_s m hts favours : Ftrft,fhe may gleane in his field ; then fhe may drinke of his vetlels; tbcn fhe !hall take hermeale with his reapers; and part of it, from his owne hand: LafUy, his work-men m~O: let t:tll !heaves for her gathcnng. A fmall thing belpes the needy: an handfull of gleanings, a lap-full of parcbedcorne, ·adrau~htof the fervants bottles, aloofe tlJcafc .vas fuch a favour to Ruth, as fhec. t ough was above all recompence: B ThiS was not fcen 111 theeftate of BotJJG, whtcb yet makes her for the time happy. If we·may refrcfh the foule of the poore with the very offals of our eftate, and not hurrour felvcs, woe be to us if we doe it not. Our barnes fhall:beasfull of curfes as of cornc, if we grudge the fcattered cares of our field to the hands of the needy. How thankful! doth Ruth take thefe fmall favours from Boaz 1 Perhaps, fomc rich Jewel! in Ulfoab woulcl not haue been fo welcome. Even this was a prefaie of !•er better eftate. Thofc which ilia!! receive great bleflings, are ever than _ full for li~tle; and ifpoore foules be fo thankful! to us, for but an !Jandfull, or a fbeafe; h01v fhould we be affected to our God for whole fields full, for full barns, full garners ? c Doubtle!fe, Boa;z.,having taken notice of the good nature, dutifull carriage, and the neare affinity of Ruth, could not but purchafL fome greater beneficence and higher refbacl:s toher: yet now onwards he fits his kindnelfeto her condition' and gives her t at, which to her meanne!fe feemed much, tkour,h he thou1ht it tltt!e Thus cloth the bounty ofour God dealewithus: It is not or want of ove,that h; gives us no greater meafure of grace, but for want ofour fitne!fe and capacity:He bath refervcd greater preferments for us, when it fhall be feafonable for u• to re- ·ceive them. Ruth returncs homewealthy with her Ephah of Barley,and thankfullymajlnifies the liberalityof B eaz,her new benefactor: ?{f.ftmi repayes his beneficence wtth her hiefling; Blijfedbe he ofthe Lord. Ifthe rich ea~ eJ<Change their al~es with the poore D for bleflings, they have no caufe to complarne _of an dl bar~me. Our gifts cannot be worth thctr fatthfull prayers ; therefore tt ts better to gtve than to receive. becaufe he that receives, bath but a worthle!fe almes ; he that gives, receives aJ unvaluable blefling. ' I cannotbut admire the modetly and filence ofthefe twowomen: N•omi had not fo much as talked of her kindred in Bethlcm,nor til now,had fhe told Ruth that fhe had a w~lthy kinfman; neit~er had_Rmh inquired of her husbands great alliance; bnt both fate down meekly wtth thetr own wants, and cared not!to k~owany thing elfe,fave that themfe!vcswere poore. Humility is ever the way to honour. I It is adifcourtefic where we are beholden,to alter our dependancy. Likess men of trade take itilf, ifcuftomers which are in their booke•, goe for their wares to E another !hop. Wif~lydoth'l'{flomiadvifeRuth,nottobe feen in any other field, whiles the harveft lafted. The very takin~of th~ir favours, is a contentmeMt to tb<)fe which have already welldeferved;an it is qu>trell enough that thoir curtefie is not received. How fMJl the God of Heaven take tt, that whiles he givrs 2nd proffers large, we runne to theWorld, that can afford us nothing but vanity and \'CXatlon? Thofc that can Jcaftaa, arc oft times the bell to advife. God old Naomi fits fli 11 at home, and by l1er counfell payos J44th all the love fhe 0\V<s her. The face nf that allion to which !he directs her, is the worn pieceof it; the heartw~s fo·md. Perhaps,tbe a!furance, which long trial had given her ofthe good government,and 6rme
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