The wicked desireth the net of evil [men]: but the root of the righteous yieldeth [fruit].
Ver. 12. The wicked desireth the net of evil men,] i.e., He so furiously pursueth his lusts, as if he desired destruction; as if he would outdare God himself; as if the guerdon of his gracelessness would not come time enough, but he must needs run to meet it. Thus thrasonical Lamech Gen 4:23 thinks to have the odds of God, seventy to seven. a Thus the princes of the Philistines, while plagued, came up to Mizpeh against Israel 1Sa 7:10-11 - who were there drawing water, i.e., weeping abundantly before the Lord - as it were to fetch their bane. Thus Pope Julius III will have his pork flesh, al despito de Dio; and Doctor Story b will curse Queen Elizabeth in his daily grace before eating, and yet say in open parliament that he saw nothing to be ashamed of, much less to be sorry for, but that he had done no more against the heretics, yea, against the queen herself in the days of her sister Mary. This Story, escaping out of prison, got to Antwerp, and there received commission under Duke d'Alva to search all ships coming thither for English books. But one Parker, an English merchant, trading to Antwerp, laid his fair net to catch this foul bird, causing secret notice to be given to Story, that in his ship were store of heretical books, with other intelligences that might stand him in stead. The canonist, conceiving that all was cock sure, hasted to the ship, where, with looks very big upon the poor mariners, each cabin, chest, and corner above board, were searched, and some things found to draw him further on; so that the hatches must be opened, which seemed to be unwillingly done, and great signs of fear were revealed by their faces. This drew on the doctor to descend into the hold; where now in the trap the mouse might well gnaw, but could not get out; for the hatches went down, and the sails hoisted up, which, with a merry gale, were blown into England, where ere long he was arraigned and condemned of high treason, and accordingly executed at Tyburn, as he had well deserved. c
a Jun. in loc.
b Acts and Mon., 1925.
c Speed's Hist. of Great Britain, fol. 1174.