John Trapp on Proverbs 5:14

Verſ. 14. I was almoſt in all evil] Abraham Ben-Hezra reads it in the future tenſe, Brevi ero in omni malo, I ſhall ſhortly bee in all evil: and ſo his repentance here appears to bee poenitentia ſera, Iſcariotica, ſuch as was that of Judas, and of thoſe Popelings, Rev. 18.19. a deſperate repentance, and not toward God, Act. 20.21. not a repentance for ſin, as it is offen ſivum Dei, & averſivum à Deo, an offence againſt God, and a turning away from him. Such a repentance in this man had been,Plut. in Pom (as the Romans ſaid of Pompey) [non-Latin text not transcribed], a fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious Mother, of his ſin I mean, the ſight whereof had ſent him to Chriſt.

In the midſt of the Congregation] i. e. openly and before all men. And this hee brings as an aggravation of his miſery, that there were ſo many eye-witneſſes thereof. No unclean perſon can have any aſſurance that his ſin ſhall alwaies bee kept ſecret, no not in this life. The Lord hath oft brought ſuch (ſometimes by terrour of conſcience, ſometimes by phrenſie) to that paſs, that themſelves have been the blazers and proclaimers of their own ſecret filthineſs. Hilderſh. on John 4. Yea obſeve this (ſaith One) in them that are the cunningeſt in this ſin, that (though no body peradventure can convince them evidently of the fact) yet every body (through the juſt judgement of God) condemns them for it. As the Lord ſeeth their ſecreteſt villanies, even ſo oft-times hee teſtifieth againſt them, according to that which hee threatneth, Mal. 3.5. I will bee a ſwift witneſs againſt the adulterers.