The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Annotations 11
ANNOTATIONS.
[a] Verſe 1.] Charity being the Subject of his Diſcourſe in the firſt ſix Verſes of this Chapter (as was obſerved in the Argument) he begins with the proper object of it: thoſe who, as our Saviour ſpeaks (XIV. Luke 14.) are not likely to recompence us again. Thus this firſt Verſe (about which there are various conceits) I think may be moſt naturally expounded. And it is a very ancient Expoſition, as appears by the Words of Gregory Thaumaturgus; which are theſe in Engliſh: It is juſt to communicate unto others, &c. for, though for the preſent it may ſeem to be loſt, (and thrown away, as we ſpeak) like the bread that is caſt upon the water; yet, in proceſs of time thy love to Mankind will appear not to be unprofitable and without fruit. And after the ſame manner Greg. Nazianzen in after-times (Orat. XIX. pag. 298.) ſpeaking of the liberality of his Father to the Poor; ſaith, He proceeded upon this Maxim: That it is much better, for the ſake of thoſe who may be worthy, to give to thoſe who are unworthy, than for fear of beſtowing our Charity upon the unworthy, let worthy people want it. To which that ſeems (ſaith he) to belong, which we read in Solomon [Caſt thy bread upon the water] Which is not thrown away and quite loſt, in the account of him that juſtly eſtimates things; but is ſent thither where all that we do is laid up; and ſhall in due ſeaſon meet us again, though we think not of it.
And, to ſtrengthen this, it is obſerved by ſome, that water, in Scripture ſignifie, great affliction and miſery, XVIII. Pſal. 17. LXVI. 12. And therefore the ſenſe of the Proverb is not, of ſowing in a fertile Ground, by the Rivers; or in a Soil well watered, from whence men naturally expect a fruitful Crop (as ſome expound it) but of ſowing (i. e. giving alms) there, from whence we expect no fruit; no more than if we threw the Seed in a rapid River; in which it is carried away, no body knows whither, and ſeems utterly loſt.
And ſo it may be applied alſo to ungrateful people; as I have touched in the Paraphraſe: and I ſhall not trouble the Reader with other Expoſitions, which may be found in moſt Commentators; only naming this of Maldonate (which agrees well enough with that which I have followed) give to the poor, whoſe miſeries are ſo great that their faces are all wet and beſmeared with tears. And though there be many of them, be not ſparing, if thou art able to receive them; for waters ſignifie ſometime a multitude of people, in the Scripture Language. But that's the ſenſe of the next Verſe; and therefore upon the face of the waters, is as much as upon thoſe, who will be gone preſently, like the Waters of a River; and never bring any thing back to us, to reward us: if they do, is more than could be expected.
As for the Word Bread it ſignifies any benefit, whereby the poor may be ſupported: eſpecially all ſorts of Food (1 Sam. XIV. 24. where it comprehends honey, and every thing that was edible) more particularly, that Food which is made of Corn, III. Gen. 19. and from thence ſignifies Corn it ſelf, of which Bread is made, XXVIII. Iſai. 28. And ſo St. Hierom here expounds it; agreeable to what I ſaid above, of ſowing ſeed in the Water.
[b] V. 2.] And as in the firſt Verſe he hath reſpect to the quality of the perſons, unto whom we are to give; ſo here to the number of them, and the quantity of our Alms: which is expected perhaps by a great multitude. Yet let not that damp it (ſaith he) out of a fancy that it will undo us, to relieve them all: but, if we be able, let us help them; and though more ſtill come when we have extended our Charity according to our utmoſt ability, let us rather go beyond it (as the Apoſtle ſaith the Macedonian Chriſtians did, 2 Cor. VIII. 3.) than let miſerable Creatures periſh. Thus Greg. Nazianzen ſeems to underſtand theſe Words Seven, yea eight. Seven is a complete number; eight added to it denotes ſomethings above that which we account perfection. His Words are theſe, that his Father gave not only, foreign, out of his ſuperfluity: but foreign, out of his neceſſaries: according to the preſcription of Solomon, Give a portion not only to ſeven; but if an eighth came, he was not here ſparing: but much more ready to give, than others are to get. In ſhort, he means give moſt liberally foreign, as Greg. Thaumaturgus here expreſſes it, not ſparingly, but profuſely, I omit other Gloſſes upon the Verſe; and the Criticiſm which ſome make upon the Word portion: which they think alludes, to what was ſent from Feaſts unto the poor, or thoſe that were abſent; of which there is no certainty. I will only note, that here again Solomon contradicts the Vulgar Principle upon which covetous Wretches move; and directs the quite contrary. They think all is loſt, that is given away in Charity: no ſuch matter, ſaith the Preacher (v. 1.) the fruit of it will be found hereafter, beyond what can be imagined. O, ſaith the covetous man again, I know not what will be hereafter: now I have enough, but in the latter end of my life I may want; and therefore it is beſt to ſave whilſt I may. No, ſaith the Preacher, for that very reaſon, give; becauſe thou knoweſt not what may be hereafter; when that may be taken away from thee, which now thou wilt not beſtow upon needy people, &c.
[c] V. 3.] In this Verſe, he illuſtrates both the Duty, and the reaſon of it. The former by the Clouds, which are a fit Emblem of Charity: the ſecond, by the Trees; which can bring forth Fruit no longer than they continue joined to their Root; from which being ſeparated, they bear no more, nor can be fixed to their Root, as the Clouds may be filled with Water, again. So I have interpreted the latter part of this Verſe: which Grotius underſtands as if it meant no more than the foregoing: Do good to men without diſtinction; like him who, when he cuts down a Tree, regards not which way it falls. I omit other Interpretations, and ſhall only mention Maldonate's Gloſs upon this Verſe, which is ingenious enough. He urges us, ſaith he, to do good, while, we live, by two Reaſons. Firſt, From the profit of it, becauſe we ſhall receive more than we give; like the Clouds, which receive from the Earth but a thin Vapour; which they return to it in moſt copious Showres. The ſecond, From the impoſſibility of being in a capacity to do good when we are dead; for then, like a Tree, we muſt continue as we are when Death ſeizes us▪ and never be reſtored to our former condition again. Corranus alone (as far as I can find) expounds the latter part thus, in his Annotations: A Tree in what place ſoever it is planted, there abides, and brings forth Fruit: and ſo ought we to help others by all manner of means: in whatſoever place or time we live. And he takes North and South, for all Parts of the World. If any think fit to apply this, unto the unalterable condition wherein we muſt remain in the other World (like a Tree cut down, which if it fall toward the North, cannot change its poſiture, and turn to the South) they cannot follow a fitter Gloſs upon the Words, than this of Luther's. If the Lord find thee in the South; that is, fruitful and rich in good works, it will be well: but if in the North; that is, barren, of good works, it will be ill with thee. Howſoever thou art found, ſo thou ſhalt be judged; and ſo thou ſhalt likewiſe receive.
[d] V. 4.] And then follows here an Admonition to take the firſt opportunity of doing good; and not to deferr it becauſe now it may ſeem unſeaſonable, and we fanſie it may do better another time. Which the Lord Bacon extends unto all other things, as well as Alms. There is no greater, or more frequent impediment of action (ſaith be, in the Concluſion of the Firſt Chapter of the VIIIth. Book of Advancement of Learning) than an over-curious obſervation of decency; and of that other Ceremony, attending on it, which is too ſcrupulous election of time and opportunity. For Solomon ſaith excellently, He that obſerveth the Wind, &c. We muſt make opportunity, oftner than find it.
And thus that great Prince Xerxes (otherwiſe not very prudent, ſpeaks very diſcreetly in Herodotus (L.VII.) Be not fearful of all things; nor conſider every thing minutely: for if in the conſidertion of buſineſs, thou wilt weigh every thing alike, thou ſhalt never be able to do any thing. And thus Melancthon underſtands this place, As events are not in our power (which he takes to be the meaning of v. 3.) ſo he that will have certain and circumſcribed events (that is, ſuch and ſuch things come to paſs) before he act, will never attempt any thing.
And ſo a great Divine of our own expounds it; If we will ſuſpend our reſolution, till we can bethink our ſelves, of ſomething free from all inconveniencies; in moſt of our deliberations, we ſhall never reſolve upon any thing at all: God having ſo tempered things, that every commodity hath its incommodiouſneſs, every conveniency ſome inconvenience attending it; which many times, all the wit, and induſtry of man is not able to ſever. Biſhop Sanderſon's Sermon upon 1 Corinth. X. 23. p. 245.
Saint Hierom alſo elegantly accommodates theſe Words to negligent Paſtors; who will not preach, but when the people are very deſirous to hear; and there is a fair Gale breathing to favour their deſign. And gives this Advice to us, Do not ſay, this is a fit time, that is unprofitable: for we are ignorant, what is the way, and what is the will of the Spirit, which diſpenſeth all things.
[e] V. 5.] In this Verſe he ſeems to purſue the ſame Metaphor of the Wind, which blows uncertainly; and no body knows whence, nor from what cauſes. And therefore from our ignorance of that, and indeed of all other things, which we are here converſant withal; of our own Soul, for inſtance, (which our Tranſlators underſtand by the Word Ruach, Spirit) and of our own Body or of that vis formatrix, how it goes about its Work, to make this Body of ours in the Womb, which may poſſibly be meant by Spirit, XXXIII. Job 4. CIV. Pſal. 30.) Solomon perſwades us not to preſume to know how God intends to order the courſe of this World, in his over-ruling Providence; and therefore to do our Duty, and leave events to Him.
[f] V. 6.] Imitating the Husbandman (with which Metaphor he began this Diſcourſe, and now concludes it) who not knowing which will proſper, ſows both early Corn and late. So Symmachus underſtands this Verſe, to be an alluſion to thoſe that ſow ſome very forward Seed; which perhaps may hit, when that which is ſown at the ordinary time doth not: Or perhaps both may ſucceed and bring forth Fruit, to their great enriching. Others take morning and evening, only to ſignifie all times.
[g] V. 7.] I have continued this Verſe with the foregoing; and ſuppoſed (what all Interpreters do in the third and fourth Verſes) that the compariſon is imperfect: there being only the foreign (as Hermogenes ſpeaks) the Propoſition of the Sentence, and the foreign(that which anſwers unto it) left to be made by the Reader: Which I have ſupplied from the ſenſe of the whole foregoing Diſcourſe in this Chapter.
Others think a new Diſcourſe here begins for the Concluſion of the whole Book; and that after all he had ſaid of happineſs, he adviſes every one to think of another life, and not expect to find it in this.
Or, as ſome underſtand him, his meaning is, Now you have ſeen, wherein happineſs doth not, and wherein it doth conſiſt; therefore do not either imagine there is none at all here in this World, or that it is greater than really it is: But take a middle courſe, which I have ſhown you, and look upon this life as having pleaſure in it, but not abſolutely perfect; yet ſuch as our condition will permit; begun here, and to be completed in another World.
[h] V. 8.] The beginning of this Verſe I have expounded according to the Hebrew, where the Words run thus, as St. Hierom himſelf tranſlates them, If a man live many years, let him rejoyce in all theſe things, &c. And the latter part of the Verſe, I have ſuppoſed, contains two Motives to moderation in our preſent enjoyments, and to make us think of doing ſome good with them, as the higheſt pleaſure of all. Becauſe they will have an end, when we can no longer enjoy them; and becauſe, while we have them, they run away apace, as all that follows will do; and leave us empty and diſſatisfied, unleſs we have made a good uſe of them: upon which we may reflect, when they are gone, with ſome pleaſure.
[i] V. 9.] To thoſe Motives, he here adds the moſt conſiderable thing of all: which is expounded two ways by Interpreters. Some taking theſe Words as a permiſſion, under ſuch reſtraints as he mentions in the end of the Verſe: others, as ironically and ſarcaſtically (as the Greek Phraſe is ſpoken; by way of mockage, and bitter ſcoff. The two firſt Phraſes (rejoyce, and let thy heart cheer thee) incline to the former way; being commonly uſed in a good ſenſe: the two laſt (walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the ſight of thy eyes) unto the other way, being commonly uſed in a bad. Therefore the ſcope of the place, and the coherence muſt determine it. And as the LXX and St. Hierom go the first way; ſo it agrees best, in my opinion, with what went before; and therefore ſo I have paraphraſed it. And conſidering that they are two different Words in the beginning of the Verſe, which we tranſlate as if they were the ſame (viz. young man, and youth) I have not done amiſs, I think but expreſſed them more ſignificantly, by theſe Words, childiſh youth. And ſo they are distinguiſhed in the last Verſe; where that Word which here we tranſlate youth, we more truly tranſlate childhood: which goes before youth.
[k] V. 10.] Here I have followed the judgment of St. Hierom; who under anger (or grief) comprehends all the perturbations of the mind: and under evil of the fleſh, all the hurtful pleaſures of the Body. And accordingly I have expounded the whole Verſe, with reſpect to the danger Youth is in, by the fiery motions of both ſorts: the former of which incline men to imitate the Wild Beaſts; the other ſink them, into the condition of the dullest Brutes.
The word we here tranſlate youth ſignifies the peep of day, in our Language; the appearing of the morning: and therefore is to be understood of our entrance upon the most pleaſant time of our life. Which, as well as childhood, is but vanity; that is, preſently vaniſhes (as ſome will have it) and will be ſoon gone: or rather, Childhood and Youth, ſignifying all that is done in that Age of our life; the meaning is, it is an Age of great levity, folly and indiſcretion, &c.
And therefore, as Luther obſerves, the great care of mankind ſhould be to ſeaſon Youth with right Opinions and a good ſenſe of things; and then it is not to be denied all pleaſures, of which it is very deſirous; much leſs ſhut up from the very ſight of them, for it abbhors ſolitude. And this is to begin at the wrong end of Education; which muſt be applied firſt to the mind, not to the Body: And when the Mind is well tinctured, the Body will be eaſily governed. That is, neither follow filthy pleaſures; nor be carried away with furious paſſions, &c. The benefit of which will be unſpeakable; for they that live pleaſantly and quietly in Youth, are likely to arrive at and enjoy a comfortable Old Age.
Some begin the XIIth. Chapter at this Verſe, and others begin it with the foregoing: but I have followed our Tranſlation, and the moſt Interpreters.