To
give a madman a weapon, what else is it but to murder? To bring shot to an
ordinance which may do much mischief to himself and others, is to be
accessory to that mischief. So to give "honour to a fool." He hath given
power to them and put them in a capacity to do evil, and set them on work
again to perfect their designs against good men. Ver. 9. As a drunken man,
with a thorn in his hand, can make no use of it, but to hurt himself and
others, so wicked men's good speeches and fair professions commonly tend
to some mischief. These but cover their evil designs and yet the covering
is shorter than that it can hide them. Ver. 10. Wicked rulers (look the
margin(401)) grieve and molest the subjects: and the means to effect this
is, to employ the fool and transgressor, to give offices and countenance
to evil men, which may be instruments of their lust, so Abimelech, Judges
ix. 4, so Jezebel, 1 Kings xxi. 10, so in Neh. vi. 12. Ver. 11. The dog,
feeling his stomach surcharged, goes to the grass,--as our malignants to
profess repentance,--and casts up that which troubles him, by a feigned
confession. But because there is no change in his nature, he is inwardly
stirred by his old principles to lick up that vomit, to commit and
practise what he professed repentance for, yea, and to profess the same he
pretended sorrow for. When power is confirmed in their hand they will
return to their folly. Ver. 17. What else is our interposing ourselves in
the king's quarrel concerning England, though we have interest in it to
endeavour it in a peaceable way, if he were fit for it, yet in comparison
of our kingdom and religion's safety, which may be ruined by war, it is no
such matter as belongeth to us. And so it falls out, we are like a man
taking a dog by the ears to hold him, we have raised up many enemies, and
provoked them to bite us. We cannot hold them long from destroying him,
and we provoke them more by holding them, in espousing his quarrel, as
Jehoshaphat joining with Ahab. We had done well to interpose ourselves
between the king and them to make peace, but to side with one party was
not well done. Verses 18, 19. Furious and bloody men take all
opportunities to hurt others, especially good men, and so deceive those
employed. But they do it under a pretence. As a scorner reproacheth under
a pretence of sport, so they, under other pretences, of wrongs done, of
the country's defence, &c. Verses 20, 24, show the way to prevent trouble