A Brief Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes, Commentary on Ecclesiastes · Verses 55
Eccleſ. 10.2, 3.
2 A wiſe mans heart is at his right hand, but a fools heart at his left.
3 Yea alſo when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wiſdom faileth him, and he ſaith to every one that he is a fool.
THeſe words prevent an Objection which might ariſe from the former.
Object. If the wiſdom of the poor, and of the rich are ſubject to ſuch vanities (as have been ſhewed in the end of the former Chapter, and in the beginning of this) then where is the excellency of wiſdom above folly?
Anſw. In two things; firſt, in placing of the heart; the heart of the wiſe is at his right hand; of the fool at his left, v. 2. Secondly, In the failing of a fooles heart in his ordinary courſe and way, and thereby bewraying himſelfe openly to be a fool, verſe 3.
Doctr. 1. There is a great difference between a wiſe man and a fool, in the placing and carrying of their hearts. It is not to be thought there is any obſervable difference in the heart of a wiſe man and of a fool; for then ſome Anatomiſts would have obſerved it. But the heart is put Metonymically for the minde, judgement, and will of a man. And the Right and Left hand are put Metaphorically. The meaning is, Firſt, A wiſe man doth not ayme at ſiniſter ends in his work, Matth. 6.3. He aymeth ſincerely at the glory of God, and the good of himſelfe and others. A fooliſh Phariſee (Chriſt calleth them ſo, Matth. 23.17, 19.] he doth all to be ſeen of men, Matsh. 6.2, 5, 16. 2 Kings 10.16. or for ſome ſelfiſh end or other. Secondly, A wiſe man carryeth his thoughts and workes with ſtrength and dexterity. As the Right hand is counted the ſtronger then the Left: ſo what is wrought with ſtrength is attributed to the Right hand, Pſal. 118.15, 16, & 98, 1. Thirdly, A wiſe man may be ſaid to have his heart at his Right hand, in that he taketh all things in the faireſt and beſt ſenſe from God or man, Pſal. 119.75. Matth. 1.19. On the contrary a fool makes a ſiniſter conſtruction of that which is well meant from God or man, 2 Sam. 10.2, 3, Eccleſ. 8.11. Pſal. 50.21. Rom. 2.4, 5: Fourthly, The Right hand is a place of preheminence and bleſſing, Gen. 48.14, 17, 18, 19. In which reſpect a wiſe man taketh wayes of preferment to higheſt honour before the moſt high, Prov. 15.24, & 10, 20, 21, & 12, 26. Matth. 25.33. And for carrying on their hearts in their courſe of life, there is great difference, between the wiſe and the fool. The fool in his ordinary and daily courſe of life, (which in verſe 3. is called his way) his heart faileth him, and faileth him ſo farre that he expreſſeth and diſcovereth his folly openly to all that obſerve him. Not that Solomon here ſpeaketh of a natural fool, that as he walketh in the Streets, diſcovereth to all that he is a fool by his looks and geſture: Solomon ſeldome or never ſpeaketh of them in all his writings: but he ſpeaketh of a carnal wicked man, deſtitute both of ſpiritual wiſdome, and wiſdome fit for his calling: And the words may according to the Text be tranſlated, yea alſo as he that is a fool walketh in his way, his heart faileth him, and he ſaith to all men he is a fool, Pſal. 36.1. 2 Tim. 3.9. 1 Tim. 5.24, 25,
Reaſon 1. From the deep deceitfulneſſe and weakneſſe of the heart unleſſe the Lord dwell in it, ſtrengthen it, keep it, and guide it; Jer. 17.9. God is the ſtrength of the godly wiſe mans heart, Pſal. 73.26. But in an hypocrite (much more in an open wicked man,) his heart is empty at his beſt: and being empty, Satan will ſoon repoſſeſſe him, and hurry him to open offences and miſcarriages, Matth. 12.44, 45.
Reaſon 2. From the failing of the heart the way will be openly vaine, and fooliſh, and wicked. Text.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us not to neglect wiſdome, though a poor mans wiſdome be deſpiſed, and he forgotten: and an honourable mans wiſdome is corrupted with ſome dead and ſtinking flye, ſome time or other. For though this be true, yet there is great preheminence in a wiſe man above a fool, as both theſe verſes ſhew.
Ʋſe 2. For tryal of a wiſe man and a fooliſh, according to the different placing of a mans heart on his right hand or left. [This to be amplified according to the eſtate of the preſent Auditory.]
Ʋſe 3. To teach us not to truſt in our own hearts, we are then fools, Prov. 28.26. Our hearts are empty naturally; and empty hearts will fail us and proclaime our folly. It is good to have our hearts filled with Chriſt, with his ſpirit, and with his grace, Eph. 3.17. Heb, 13.9.