Matthew Poole and continuators on Ecclesiastes 4

1 SO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun ; and behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter : and on the side of their oppressors there was power , but they had no comforter .

I considered again more seriously.

Whether by Supreme Magistrates or Judges, of which he spake, Ch. 3. 16. or by any other potent Persons.

None afforded them either pity or succour, either out of a selfish and barbarous disposition, or for fear of exposing themselves thereby to the same injuries.

Both in themselves, and because most men were ready to joyn with the strongest and safest fide. So they were utterly unable to deliver themselves, and, as it follows, none else could or would do it.

Which is repeated as an argument both of the great inhumanity of men towards others in calamity, and of the extream misery of oppressed Persons.

Marginal references: Ch. 5. 8, &c.; Heb. band. [illegible: 1 word] 140. 4.

2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead , more than the living which are yet alive .

I judged them more happy or less miserable. Which he seems to deliver not onely as the judgment of the flesh, or of the sense, or of men in misery, as this is commonly understood, but as his own Judgment. For this is most true and certain, that setting aside the advantage which this life gives him for the concerns of the future life, which Solomon doth not meddle with in the present debate, and considering the uncertainty, and vanity, and manifold vexations of mind, and outward calamities of the present life, a wise Man would not account it worth his while to live, and would choose death rather than life.

Those which are quite dead; who possibly are here opposed to them that in respect of their deplorable and desperate condition are even whilst they live called dead men, Isa. 26. 19. and said to die daily, 1 Cor. 15. 31.

Which languish under their pressures, of whom we can onely say, as we use to speak of dying men, They are alive, and that is all.

Marginal references: Job 3. [illegible: 1+ letters]7, &c. Ch. 6. 3.

3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been , who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Who was never Born. How this is true, see on the foregoing Verse.

i. e. Not felt: for as seeing good is put for enjoying it, Ch. 2. 24. so seeing evil is put for suffering it, as hath been more than once observed.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word], 3. 11, [illegible: 1 word], 21.

4 Again I considered all travel, and every right work , that for this a man is envied of his neighbour . This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

All the worthy designs and compleat works of wise and vertuous men.

Instead of that honour and recompence which he deserves, he meets with nothing but envy and obloquy, and many evil fruits thereof.

Marginal references: Heb. all the rightness of work.; Heb. this is the [illegible: 1 word] of a Man from his Neighbour.

5 The fool foldeth his hands together , and eateth his own flesh .

Is careless and idle, which is the signification of this gesture, Prov. 6. 10. & 19. 24. & 26. 13. Perceiving that diligence is attended with envy, v. 4. he, like a fool, runs into the other extream.

Wasteth his substance and bringeth himself to poverty, whereby his very flesh pineth away for want of Bread, and he is reduced to Skin and Bone, and if he have any Flesh left, he is ready to eat it through extremity of hunger.

Marginal references: Pro. 6. 10. & 24. 33.

6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travel and vexation of spirit .

These are the words, either 1. of the Sluggard making this Apology for his idleness, That his little with ease, is better than great Riches got with much trouble. Or 2. of Solomon, who elsewhere speaks to the same purpose, as Prov. 15. 16, 17. & 17 1. and here proposeth it as a good Antidote against the vanity of immoderate cares and labours for worldly goods, against which he industriously directs his speeches in divers places of this Book, and particularly as a seasonable precaution against the sin of covetousness, of which he speaks in the following passage.

Marginal references: Prov. 15. 16, 17. & 16. 8.

8 There is one alone , and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother : yet is there no end of all his labour , neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he , For whom do I labour , and bereave my soul of good ? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travel .

Either 1. who lives by himself, as grudging that any other should partake of his Provisions. Or rather 2. who hath none but himself to care and labour for, as the next words explain it.

To whom he may leave his vast Estate.

He lives in perpetual restlesness and excessive toils.

i. e. His covetous mind or desire fitly expressed by the Eye, partly because that is the incentive of this, sin, Ios. 7. 21. and partly because he hath no good by his Riches, saving the beholding of them with his Eyes, as it is affirmed, Eccles 5. 11. Comp. 2. 10. 1 Ioh. 2. 16.

Within himself: he considers nothing but how he may get more and more.

Having no Posterity nor Kindred to enjoy it, as was now said. Shall I take all this pains for a Stranger, possibly for an Enemy, who will reap the fruit of all my labours?

Deny my self those comforts and conveniences which God hath allowed unto me?

A dreadful judgment and misery as well as a great sin.

Marginal references: Ps. 39. 6.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour .

Who live together in any kind of Society, and joyn their powers together in any Enterprizes. Which he opposeth to that humour of the covetous Man who desired to live alone, as was now said.

Both have great benefit by such combinations and conjunctions of their counsels and abilities, whereby they do exceedingly support, and encourage, and strengthen one another, and effect many things which neither of them alone could do.

10 For if they fall , the one will lift up his fellow: but wo to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

One of them, the plural being put for the singular, as Ionah 1. 5. Matt. 21. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 15. Or, both of them successively.

In any kind, into any mistakes and errors, or sins, or dangers and distresses.

Hold him up if he be falling, or raise him up if he be fallen.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat , but how can one be warm alone .

They will be soonet warm in a cold Bed, and cold Season.

Not so soon nor so throughly.

12 And if one prevail against him , two shall withstand him; and a [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] no quickly broken .

Against either of them.

If a Man have not onely one, but two or more Friends, he is so much the safer and the happier.

13 Better is a poor and a wise child , than an old and foolish king , who will no more be admonished .

More happy. Now he proceeds to another vanity, even that of Honour, and Power, and of the highest places.

Who is doubly contemptible, both for his Age, and for his Poverty.

Venerable both for his Age and Gravity, and for his Royal Dignity. So that the comparison is made with the greatest disadvantage that may be.

Who hath neither Wisdom to govern himself, nor to receive the counsels or admonitions of wiser men, but is foolish and willful and incorrigible.

Marginal references: Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished.

14 For out of prison he cometh to reign , whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor .

Into which he was cast for his Poverty and Debt.

The poor and wise Child.

Is oft-times advanced by his wisdom to the highest Power and Dignity: which was the case of Ioseph, and Mordecai, and many others.

That old King who was born of the Royal Race, and had possessed his Kingdom for a long time.

Is deprived of his Kingdom, either by the rebellion of his Subjects provoked by his folly, or by the power of some other and wiser Prince.

15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun , with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

The general disposition or humour of common People in all Kingdoms, that they are fickle and unconstant, weary of their old Governours, and desirous of changes.

This is a Periphrasis or Description of living and mortal men, like that, Eccles. 7. 11. that see the Sun.

These words may be joyned, either 1. with those, which walk, or, that they walk under the Sun (i. e. upon the Earth) with the second Child, i. e. follow, and favour, and worship him as the rising Sun, upon whom the eyes and hopes of most People are fixed. Or 2. with the first words, I considered all the living which walk under the Sun, i. e. the temper of all Subjects or People, together with the condition of the second Child. Which may be understood either, 1. in general, of a Kings Child, or Son and Heir, who is called Second, in respect of his Father, whose Successor he is to be. Or 2. that wise and poor Child mentioned, v. 13. who is said to come to Reign, v. 14. and may well be called the Second to the old and foolish King who became poor, v. 15. being deposed from his Kingdom, whom he succeeds, being put in his place either by the humour of the People, or by some higher Power.

i. e. Arise to Reign, as that Phrase signifies, Dan. 8. 22, 23. & 11. 2, 3, 7, 20, 21.

16 There is no end of all the people , even of all that have been before them ; they also that come after shall not rejoyce in him : Surely, this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

The sense is either, 1. The People which have this humour are without end, or innumerable, as this Phrase signifies, Iob 22. 5. Isa. 2. 7. & 9. 6. Or 2. This humour of the common People hath no end, but passeth from one Generation to another, they ever were, and are, and will be unstable and restless, and given to change: Which sense the following words seem to favour.

Either 1. before the two Kings abovementioned, the Father and the Son, or the Predecessor and Successor. All those who stood or desired to stand in their presence, and waited upon them, as this Phrase is used, 2 Sam. 16. 19. 1 Kings 10. 8. Or rather 2. before the present Generation of Subjects who earnestly desired and promoted the change of Government here expressed: for these are evidently opposed to them that come after, which all Interpreters understand of the People, not of the Kings. And so here are three Generations of People noted, the Authors of the present change, and their Parents, and their Children, and all are observed to have the same inclinations in these matters

They shall be as weary of the Successor, though a wise and worthy Prince, as their Parents were of his foolish Predecessor. The reason whereof is partly from that itch of novelty and curiosity which is natural and common to Mankind, and partly from their vain and foolish hopes of advantage from such changes.

Marginal references: Ch. 2. 16.