The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
Ver. 13. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips.] His heart is oft so full of venom that it cannot be hid, but blisters his tongue, and breaks out at his lips to his own ruin, as it befell Story, Campian, Garnet, and other Popish poisonous spiders, who were swept down by the hand of justice, and drew their last thread in the triangle of Tyburn. Detexit facinus fatuus, et non implevit, as Tacitus saith of one that was sent by the senate to despatch Nero, but exposed and betrayed himself.
But the just shall come out of trouble.] They suffer sometimes for their bold and free invectives against the evils of the times, or otherwise for discharging their consciences, but they shall surely be delivered. "There is yet one man," saith Ahab, "Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." 1Ki 22:8 It is very probable that Micaiah was that disguised prophet who brought to Ahab the fearful message of displeasure and death for dismissing Benhadad, for which he was ever since fast in prison, deep in disgrace. But God, "with the temptation, made a way for him to escape." So he did for Peter; Act 12:7-11 Paul; 2Ti 4:6-8 all the apostles. Act 4:13-21 John Baptist, indeed, was, without any law, right, or reason, beheaded in prison, as though God had known nothing at all of him, said George Marsh the martyr. a And the same may be said of sundry other faithful withesses to the truth, but then by death they entered into life eternal. Mors fuit aerumnarum requies, which was Chaucer's motto. Besides that, heaven upon earth they had during their troubles. Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, being a long time prisoner under Charles V, was demanded what upheld him all that while. Respondit, divinas consolationes martyrum se sensisse, he answered - that he had felt the divine comforts of the martyrs. The best comforts are usually reserved for the worst times.
a Acts and Mon., fol. 1423.