Ecclesiastes 3:5

Now this propagation of children which among the ancient saints was a most bounden duty for the purpose of begetting and preserving a people for God, amongst whom the prophecy of Christ's coming must needs have had precedence over everything, now has no longer the same necessity. For from among all nations the way is open for an abundant offspring to receive spiritual regeneration, from whatever quarter they derive their natural birth. So that we may acknowledge that the scripture which says there is "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing," is to be distributed in its clauses to the periods before Christ and since. The former was the time to embrace, the latter to refrain from embracing.

"A moment for embracing and a moment for avoiding an embrace." These ideas cannot possibly become clear to us unless the passage has first been interpreted through the Scripture, so that it has become clear to us in what connection the divinely inspired word consciously uses the word embrace. Great David exhorts us in the words of the psalm, "Circle Zion and embrace her," and even Solomon himself, when he was describing poetically the spiritual marriage of the one in love with Wisdom, mentions a number of ways in which union with virtue becomes ours and adds this: "Honor her, so that she may embrace you." If, then, David tells us to embrace Zion, and Solomon says that those who honor Wisdom are embraced by her, perhaps we have not missed the correct interpretation if we have identified the object which it is timely to embrace. For Mount Zion rises above the upper city of Jerusalem. Thus the one who urges you to embrace her is bidding you to attach yourself to high principles, so that you hasten to reach the very citadel of the virtues, which he indicates allegorically by the name Zion. And the one who makes you live with wisdom announces the good news of the embrace she will give you in the future. Therefore there is a moment for embracing Zion and for being embraced by Wisdom, since the name Zion denotes the pinnacle of conduct and Wisdom in herself means every instance of virtue. If we have learned through these words the right moment for embracing, we have been taught through the same words in what cases separation is more beneficial than union. For he says, "A moment for avoiding an embrace." The one who has become familiar with virtue is a stranger to the state of evil.… So when the loving disposition clings to the good—that is the "right moment"—the result is surely estrangement from its opposite. […]

Those who look only to the literal meaning and support the superficial interpretation of the words perhaps fit the law of Moses to the text before us. In cases where the law enjoins the pelting with stones of persons convicted of a felony, we have learned examples from the scriptural account itself in the case of sabbath breakers, and the one who had stolen sacred things, and other offenses, for which the law imposed a penalty of stoning. For my part, if the Ecclesiast had not claimed that collecting stones was also something timely, about which no law directs and no event in biblical history suggests a comparable precept, I might agree with those who interpret the passage through the law, that the moment for throwing stones is when someone has broken the sabbath or stolen something dedicated. But as it is, the addition of the requirement to collect stones again, which is prescribed by no law, leads us to a different interpretation, so that we may learn what kind of stones it is which after being thrown must again become the property of the thrower.… We certainly ought to consider that thoughts destructive of evil are the very stones accurately aimed by the Ecclesiast, which must be continually cast and collected. [They are] cast to put an end to the one who rises in pride against our life and collected to keep the soul's lap always full of such missiles, ready to be thrown at the enemy, whenever he may plan some fresh assault on us. Where, then, are we to collect stones, with which we shall stone the enemy to death? I have heard the prophecy that said, "holy stones roll about on the ground." These might be the words which come down to us from the divinely inspired writings, which we should collect in our soul's lap, to use at the right moment against those who vex us, and which when they are thrown destroy the enemy and yet do not leave the hand of the thrower. […]

Persons who look only at the letter and the superficial sense also accommodate Ecclesiastes' words to the Law of Moses which bids us to cast stones at law breakers. History has taught us about persons who break the Sabbath and who have stolen sacred objects in addition to other transgressions which the Law has commanded to be punished by stoning. If Ecclesiastes does not provide an opportunity to gather stones of which neither the Law nor any historical record speaks, I would concur with those who interpret the Law as an occasion to cast stones at any violator of the Sabbath or at anyone who removed sacred objects. Another occasion to gather stones which is not legislated offers us another interpretation, that is, it teaches us about this stone after it is cast; the person who threw the stone can possess it again.… We would be correct in understanding wood as any thought inclined to evil, so we must perceive these stones which Ecclesiastes rightly casts at the destructive thoughts of evil. We should always cast them and then gather them. An enemy comes to lay waste our noble life; however, the bosom of our souls must always be prepared to cast [stones] against the foe if we perceive that he is ready to assault us in another manner. Where do we gather stones to hurl against our foe? I have heard the prophet saying "for holy stones are rolled upon the land." We must gather into our soul's bosom these divinely inspired words which come down for use against our foes. Our casting of stones destroys the enemy, a deed closely associated [with the stone itself] because whoever casts the stone of temperance at an unchaste thought which feeds the fire through pleasure is victor and always bears a weapon in his hand. Once righteousness becomes a stone against injustice, it destroys this evil and is kept in our bosom. […]

The text reads "There is a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing," words which will become clear only if we first look at them in the context of scripture and enable us to clearly know how the divinely inspired text is used for obtaining insight. The great David cries out in the Psalter "Walk around Zion, go round about her." Solomon himself made a spiritual connection by yoking our capacity for love to wisdom and utters other words to unite us to virtue, "Honor her in order that she will embrace you." If David bids us to walk around Zion and if Solomon says that wisdom will embrace those who honor her, we will not be mistaken about the meaning [of the text] before us which instructs us about an opportune time. Mount Zion is Jerusalem predominantly situated upon a mountaintop; therefore he who urges you to embrace her bids you to be united to that lofty manner of life in order to attain the peak of virtues as symbolized by Zion. He who wishes wisdom to dwell with you announces her embrace. And so, it is time to walk [perilambanein] around Zion and be embraced [perilambanesthai] by wisdom for the word "Zion" represents an exalted manner of life. However, wisdom in itself signifies every virtue. If we had known the opportune time for embracing as expressed by [Ecclesiastes], separation is perceived as superior to union. Ecclesiastes says "There is a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing." Anyone joined to virtue is hostile to evil.… When we lovingly cling to the beautiful (that is, what is opportune) we alienate ourselves from any previous hostility. If you truly loved temperance, you hate its opposite. If you lovingly contemplate purity, you despise the foul stench of filth. If you cling to the good, you would indeed distant yourself from clinging to evil.