Matthew Poole and continuators on Ecclesiastes 11

1 CAst thy bread upon the waters ; for thou shalt find it after many days .

Solomon having discovered diverse vanities, and amongst others the vanity of heaping up Riches, he now teacheth us that it is our Interest as well as Duty, not so much to lay them up, as to lay them out in pious and charitable uses; and having taught us the true and best use of worldly things, for our present comfort and benefit, which is to enjoy them with a chearful and contented Mind, he now directs us to the best improvement of them, for our future and greater advantage; and having acquainted us with our duty towards our Superiours, he now directs us in our carriage towards our Inferiours, and especially to such of them as are poor. The sense of these words is either 1. Cast thy seed (which is here called Bread, as it is also Iob 28. 5. Isa. 28. 28. and elsewhere) beside (for so the Hebrew particle, al, is oft used) the waters, i. e. either by the Rivers side, or in moist and waterish grounds, which usually are very fruitful. Or 2. Cast (freely and liberally bestow) thy bread (i. e. thy Money or Provisions, which are oft signified by the name of bread. By saying thy bread, he cautions us that we give away only that which is our own, and not that which is anothers; as they do who give either what they get from others by fraud or power, or what they owe to others, and are unable to pay, and so exercise Charity to the hindrance of Justice, or of the payment of their just debts,) upon the waters, i. e. upon those poor Creatures, upon whom, by reason of their unthankfulness or inability to make any returns to thee, it may seem to be as utterly lost as the seed which a man casts into the Sea or River. This sense agrees much better, 1. With the words; for he doth not barely mention the waters, (for then the particle, al, might have been translated beside) but the face, i. e. the surface or top, of the waters, in which, and such like cases, al, constantly signifies upon. 2. With the design and scope of the place, which is to persuade men to be liberal and charitable, notwithstanding the discouragements which they meet with in so doing, of which see the next clause, and the next verse.

It shall not be lost, as covetous men, or thine own corrupt heart, may suggest, but it shall certainly be restored unto thee, either by God or by Men, and that with great Honour and Advantage. This is added to prevent an objection, and to quicken us to the duty enjoined.

Not immediately, but in due time, and when you least expect it. So you must be content to wait for it with Patience, as the Husbandman doth for the fruits of the Earth.

Marginal references: Heb. upon [illegible: 1 word] face of the [illegible: 1 word].; Deut. 15. 10. [illegible: 1 word]. 19. 17. Mat. 10. 42.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight ; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth .

A part of thy Estate or Provisions. He alludes to the ancient custom, whereby the Master of the Feast did distribute several parts to each Guest, and withal sent portions to the poor: of which custom see 2 Sam. 6. 19. Neh. 8. 10, 12. Est. 9. 22.

To as many as thou art able; a certain number for an uncertain, as Mic. 5. 5. and oft elsewhere.

Great calamities may come, whereby thou maist be brought to poverty, & so both utterly lose that blessed opportunity of doing good, which now thou hast in thine hands, whereby thou maist gain unspeakable Honour, and Comfort, and Advantage to thy self, and moreover need the Charity of others, which thou maist comfortably expect, either from Men, or at least from the powerful Providence of God, disposing the hearts of men to pity and help thee, if thou hast been kind and merciful to others, as on the contrary they can expect no Mercy from God or Men, who have shewed no Mercy to others. Thus he not only answers but retorts the Argument by which the covetous man excuseth his uncharitableness, because he must lay up against a rainy day.

Marginal references: P[illegible: 1+ letters]. 112. 9. [illegible: 1 word]. 6. 30.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth : and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north; in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be .

Learn, O man, the practice of liberality from the very lifeless Creatures, from the Clouds; which when they are filled with water, do not hoard it up, or keep it to themselves, but plentifully pour it forth for the refreshment both of the fruitful field and of the barren wilderness.

These words contain either 1. An Argument to persuade Men to Charity, because they must shortly fall or die, and then all opportunity of being charitable will be lost, and they must expect certainly and eternally to reap whatsoever they have sown, whether it hath been Mercy or Unmercifulness. Or rather 2. An Answer to a common Objection against it, because we are not certain whether the person who desires our Charity doth really need it, or be worthy of it. To this he answers, As a Tree when it falls, either by the violence of the wind, or being cut down by its owners order, it is not considerable whether it falls Southward or Northward, for there it lies ready for the Masters use; so thy Charity, though it may possibly be misapplied by thee, or abused by the Receiver, yet being conscientiously given by thee, it shall assuredly return to thee, and thou shalt reap the fruit of it.

4 He that observeth the wind, shall not sow, and he that regardeth the clouds, shall not reap .

He who neglects or delays the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires, may possibly lose his Harvest. Whereby he intimates what is easily understood out of the foregoing verses, that Men will never do good here, which is expressed by sowing, Psal. 112. 9. 2 Cor. 9. 6. and consequently not receive good hereafter, which is called reaping, Gal. 6. 7, 8. if they be discouraged and hindred from it by every doubt or difficulty, such as covetous worldlings object to themselves, that others either do not want their Charity, or will abuse it, that they may possibly need it hereafter.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit , nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

Of the Spirit or Soul of Man, how it first comes into the Body of the child in the Womb, whether from God by Creation, or from the Parents by Propagation; nor how it is united with, and so fixed in the Body that it cannot get out of it when it would; nor how and whether it goes out of the Body; all which things are great mysteries. Others translate it, of the wind, whence it cometh, and whither it goeth, as is observed Iob. 3. 8. or how violently it will blow, or how long it will last. But the former Translation seems to agree better with the following clause.

i. e. The whole Body, which is elsewhere signified by the Bones, as Psal. 34. 20. & 35. 10. because they are a principal part, and the very foundation and support of the Body.

How it comes to pass that one and the same small quantity of seed should diversifie itself into skin, and flesh, and sinews, and veins, and bones, and intrals, or how it receiveth nourishment and growth.

What God is doing and will do with thee or others, the Counsels and Methods of Gods Providence in the future time of thy Life, what evil God will send upon the Earth, v. 2. or what weather he will send, of which v. 4. how long or how little a while God will continue thy Life or Estate, and how soon God will call thee to an account. These and many other future events thou canst not foresee, and therefore thy Wisdom and Duty is to cast off all distracting cares, and distrustful fears about them, and chearfully to commit thy self, and all thy affairs, into the Hand of God in well-doing.

Marginal references: Or, of the wind, Joh. 3. 8.; Ps. 139. 14, 15.

6 In the morning sow thy seed , and in the evening with-hold not thine hand : for thou knowest not whether shall prosper , either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good .

Early and late, in all seasons and occasions, do it speedily and continually, be not weary of it.

Do all good works, and especially that of Alms-giving, as sowing is understood, 2 Cor. 9. 6. Gal. 6. 7.

Early and late, in all seasons and occasions, do it speedily and continually, be not weary of it.

From working or giving.

Which shall prosper most, as the next clause explains it; the positive Degree being put for the comparative, or the Superlative, which is not unusual in the Hebrew Text. Which shall best answer thine end, or do most good to others, or which shall tend most to the comfort of thy great and last account: for thy Morning-Alms may possibly be given to an unworthy person, or to one who did not need it, and will abuse it, and thy Evening-Alms may fall upon a person of eminent worth, yea, upon an Angel in humane shape, which is remembred as a motive to Hospitality, Heb. 13. 2. or upon one in extream necessity, who might possibly have perished both in Soul and Body, if thou hadst not comforted and relieved him: Or, one time thou maist give with more sincere Intention, and with more tender compassion than another time, and so one will be more right and more acceptable to God than the other

Equally successful to the receiver, or to the giver.

Marginal references: Heb. shall be right.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun .

It cannot be denied that this present Life (which is called light, Iob 3. 20. & 33. 30. Psal. 56. 13. and which is expressed Synecdochically, by seeing the Sun, Eccl. 6. 5. & 7. 11.) is in itself a great blessing, and very desirable; but it is not perpetual nor satisfactory; which is here implied and expressed in the nex[illegible: 1+ letters] verse.

8 But if a man live many years , and rejoice in them all ; yet let him remember the days of darkness , for they shall be many . All that cometh is vanity.

Which is a priviledge granted but to few persons comparatively.

And suppose he enjoy all the comforts, and escape all the imbitterments of humane Life, all his days: which also is a great rarity.

It is his Duty and Interest seriously to consider.

Of death, or of the state of the dead, which is oft expressed by darkness, as Iob 10. 21. Psal. 88. 12. &c. and here is opposed to the foregoing Light.

i. e. Far more than the days of this short Life, especially if to the time of lying in the Grave be added that greater and utter darkness which is reserved for impenitent sinners, and which is everlasting, Mat. 22. 13. & 25. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 17. Iud. v. 13. And this is added for the caution of mankind, that they may not rejoice excessively in, nor content themselves with the happiness of the present Life, but may seek for somthing more durable, and more satisfactory.

All things which befall any man belonging only to this Life, whether they be comfortable or vexatious, they are but vain and inconsiderable, because they are short and transitory.

9 Rejoice , O young man , in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the way of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes : but know thou , that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment .

This verse is to be understood either 1. As a serious Advice to this purpose, seeing Life is short and transitory, improve it to the best advantage, take comfort in it whilest you may, only do it with moderation, and the fear of God. Or rather 2. As an Ironical concession, such as are usual both in Scripture, as 1 Kin. 18. 27. & 22. 15. Ezek. 28. 3, 4. Mat. 26. 45. and in other Authors. For this agrees much better with the context, and with the Expressions here used. And so the sense is, I foresee what evil use some men will make of what I have now said; Things being thus, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die, as they also reasoned, 1 Cor. 15. 32.

He speaks to young Men particularly, because they have both the greatest ability, and the strongest Inclinations to pursue sensual pleasures, and are most impatient either of Restraint or Admonition.

Indulge thy frolick and jolly humour, and take thy fill of delights.

Whatsoever thine Eye or Heart lusteth after, deny it not to them; as this Phrase is taken, Num. 15. 39. nor is it ever used in a good sense. Compare Iob 31. 7. Psal. 81. 12. Ier. 18. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 16.

But in the midst of thy feastings and jollity it will become thee, if thou art a reasonable Creature, to consider thy reckoning, and whether thou dost not purchase thy Gold too dear.

For all thy [illegible: 1+ letters]ollies and sinful Lusts, which thou sleightest as tricks of youth.

Will force thee to appear before his Judgment-seat, to give a serious account of all thy youthful and exorbitant courses, and to receive that sentence which thy own Conscience will then say thou dost justly deserve. And if thou likest thy sensuality upon these terms, much good may it do thee. I do not envy thee, nor desire to partake of thy delicates.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh ; for childhood and youth are vanity .

i. e. Sensual and disorderly Lusts, which he elegantly and emphatically calls sorrow, with respect to the foregoing words, to intimate, that although such practices do at present gratifie and delight mens Senses and vain Minds, yet they will shortly and certainly bring a man to intollerable and eternal sorrows, which it is thy Wisdom to prevent.

Or, as it is rendred in the margent, and by divers others, anger; a passion to which men are most prone in the heat of youth Whereby he may understand either anger against him for this sharp admonition; or rather against God, who hath laid such severe restraints upon them, and threatens such punishments to them for following their own natural Inclinations. So the sense is, do not quarrel with thy Judge, but submit and make thy Peace with him by declaring War against all thy Sins.

All evil Concupiscences or Lusts, which though now they seem good to thee, will another day appear to be very evil and bitter things.

From thy bodily members. Which he mentions not exclusively, as if he would allow them their spiritual evils, but emphatically, because young men to whom he is here speaking, are most given to fleshly or bodily Lusts.

i. e. Most vain, either 1. In their temper and dispositions. Young men are frothy, and foolish, and inconsiderate, whereby they run into manifold dangers, and therefore they shall do well to hearken to the Counsels of those who by their greater Wisdom and Experience, are more capable Judges of these matters. Or 2. In their condition. The time of Youth is vanishing and transitory, and Old-age and Death will speedily come, against which every man in his wits will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts.

Marginal references: Or, anger.