47 lines
3.1 KiB
XML
47 lines
3.1 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Ru.i" n="i" next="Ru.ii" prev="Ru" progress="22.31%" title="Introduction">
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<h2 id="Ru.i-p0.1">Ruth</h2>
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<hr/>
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<pb id="Ru.i-Page_252" n="252"/>
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<div class="Center" id="Ru.i-p0.3">
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<p id="Ru.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
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<h3 id="Ru.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
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<h4 id="Ru.i-p1.2">W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E
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R V A T I O N S,</h4>
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<h5 id="Ru.i-p1.3">OF THE BOOK OF</h5>
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<h2 id="Ru.i-p1.4">R U T H.</h2>
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<hr style="width:2in"/>
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</div>
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<p class="indent" id="Ru.i-p2">This short history of the domestic affairs
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of one particular family fitly follows the book of Judges (the
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events related here happening in the days of the judges), and fitly
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goes before the books of Samuel, because in the close it introduces
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David; yet the Jews, in their Bibles, separate it from both, and
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make it one of the five <i>Megilloth,</i> or <i>Volumes,</i> which
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they put together towards the latter end, in this order:
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<i>Solomon's Song, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes,</i> and
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<i>Esther.</i> It is probable that Samuel was the penman of it. It
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relates not miracles nor laws, wars nor victories, nor the
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revolutions of states, but the affliction first and afterwards the
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comfort of Naomi, the conversion first and afterwards the
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preferment of Ruth. Many such events have happened, which perhaps
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we may think as well worthy to be recorded; but these God saw fit
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to transmit the knowledge of to us; and even common historians
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think they have liberty to choose their subject. The design of this
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book is, I. To lead to providence, to show us how conversant it is
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about our private concerns, and to teach us in them all to have an
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eye to it, acknowledging God in all our ways and in all events that
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concern us. See <scripRef id="Ru.i-p2.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.7-1Sam.2.8 Bible:Ps.113.7-Ps.113.9" parsed="|1Sam|2|7|2|8;|Ps|113|7|113|9" passage="1Sa 2:7,8,Ps 113:7-9">1 Sam. ii.
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7, 8; Ps. cxiii. 7-9</scripRef>. II. To lead to Christ, who
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descended from Ruth, and part of whose genealogy concludes the
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book, whence it is fetched into <scripRef id="Ru.i-p2.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.5" parsed="|Matt|1|5|0|0" passage="Mt 1:5">Matt.
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i.</scripRef> In the conversion of Ruth the Moabitess, and the
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bringing of her into the pedigree of the Messiah, we have a type of
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the calling of the Gentiles in due time into the fellowship of
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Christ Jesus our Lord. The afflictions of Naomi and Ruth we have an
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account of, <scripRef id="Ru.i-p2.3" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.1.1-Ruth.1.22" parsed="|Ruth|1|1|1|22" passage="Ru 1:1-22"><i>ch.</i> i.</scripRef>
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Instances of their industry and humility, <scripRef id="Ru.i-p2.4" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.2.1-Ruth.2.23" parsed="|Ruth|2|1|2|23" passage="Ru 2:1-23"><i>ch.</i> ii.</scripRef> The bringing of them into an
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alliance with Boaz, <scripRef id="Ru.i-p2.5" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.3.1-Ruth.3.18" parsed="|Ruth|3|1|3|18" passage="Ru 3:1-18"><i>ch.</i>
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iii.</scripRef> And their happy settlement thereby, <scripRef id="Ru.i-p2.6" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.4.1-Ruth.4.22" parsed="|Ruth|4|1|4|22" passage="Ru 4:1-22"><i>ch.</i> iv.</scripRef> And let us remember
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the scene is laid in Bethlehem, the city where our Redeemer was
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born.</p>
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</div2> |