Expository Discourses on the Book of Ruth (1848) - Livres de poche

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SERMON II. RUTH. CHAPTER II. In this narrative which may well be denominated beautiful, on account of its artless- ness, simplicity, and tenderness, we have a striking instance of the wise, though in some respects, mysterious distributions of divine providence. In the same family, using the word in a general sense, here is a mighty man of wealth; and a -poor woman and her daughter-in-law, who are obliged to obtain part of their support by the humble employment of gleaning in the field; nearly allied in blood, but widely different in worldly circumstances. So it is, and the remark does not convey the least reflection on either the equity or goodness of providence, that the numerous vicissitudes of life, over which we have no control, will often produce a similar difference in every age; one branch of a family will rise, and another sink in the world. Where there is a suitable dispositionon each side, this difference will give scope for the exercise of the best dispositions of the heart, kindness and benevolence on the part of the one, and gratitude and contentment on the part of the other; a striking instance of which we have now before us. And where each party acts fully in character, providence often brings them nearer together; and there is frequently very little difference between the amount of real happiness which each, enjoy; and perhaps there will still be less in another world. There the pious "rich and poor will eminently meet together, the Lord is the maker of them all." But let us proceed to trace the hand of providence in relation to each of these parties, and see how they conducted themselves and what a blessing providence made them to each other. And to begin with Naomi and her daughter Ruth. You know that it is said they got to Bethlehem just at the beginn...