The word translated Beloved fruit, 1it is Desirable, the Desires of their womb; Children are the desires of the womb, that is,2 women are very strong in their desires after them, Give me children or else I die (saith Rachel:) Indeed Harlots are not, they care only for their lust, and would have no fruit of their womb: It's an excellent Emblem for the expression of the vanity of many Preachers that care for nothing but to satisfy their lusts,3 and show their wit and parts, but care not for any fruit at all, care not for beget-any children to God; like Harlots they desire not the fruit of the womb, but Wives that are faithful to their Husbands, they do desire it. And the same word that is here for desires, 4and translated beloved, it is likewise in other Scriptures translated beloved, that in Dan. 9. 23. Oh man, greatly beloved▪ Oh man of desires. And so in Dan. 10. where the Angel saith, great beloved, it is a man of desire. And so in Prov. 31. 2. What, my son! and what, the son of my womb! and what, the son of my vows! You may see how Solomons Mother speaks with a great deal of affection, Oh my Son! the Son of my Womb, and the Son of my Desires. But indeed the word signifies properly, the Son of my Vows, Oh! I made Vows to God, if God would give thee me, and since I have given thee up to God, and by Vows dedicated thee to God, what, the Son of my Vows! Women therefore they should look upon their children as the children of their Vows, and show forth their love unto them in ⟨p. 289⟩the right way that God would have them. It is a strange place that we have in Titus, 5where aged women are commanded to teach the young women to love their husbands; and to love their children; it is a strange thing that a mother must be taught to love her children; thy child is the beloved fruit of thy womb, but yet thou must be taught by God, taught by his People, taught by his Word to love thy children, to love them in a right and holy way; take heed of loving them so as to provoke God to take them from you,6 take heed that they be not slain for your sakes; many Mothers have slain the fruit of their womb by loving them too much.
The word translated Beloved fruit, 1it is Desirable, the Desires of their womb; Children are the desires of the womb, that is,2 women are very strong in their desires after them, Give me children or else I die (saith Rachel:) Indeed Harlots are not, they care only for their lust, and would have no fruit of their womb: It's an excellent Emblem for the expression of the vanity of many Preachers that care for nothing but to satisfie their lusts,3 and shew their wit and parts, but care not for any fruit at all, care not for beget-any children to God; like Harlots they desire not the fruit of the womb, but Wives that are faithful to their Husbands, they do desire it. And the same word that is here for desires, 4and translated beloved, it is likewise in other Scriptures translated beloved, that in Dan. 9. 23. Oh man, greatly beloved▪ Oh man of desires. And so in Dan. 10. where the Angel saith, great beloved, it is a man of desire. And so in Prov. 31. 2. What, my son! and what, the son of my womb! and what, the son of my vows! You may see how Solomons Mother speaks with a great deal of affection, Oh my Son! the Son of my Womb, and the Son of my Desires. But indeed the word signifies properly, the Son of my Vows, Oh! I made Vows to God, if God would give thee me, and since I have given thee up to God, and by Vows dedicated thee to God, what, the Son of my Vows! Women therefore they should look upon their children as the children of their Vows, and shew forth their love unto them in ⟨p. 289⟩the right way that God would have them. It is a strange place that we have in Titus, 5where aged women are commanded to teach the young women to love their hu•bands; and to love their children; it is a strange thing that a mother must be taught to love her children; thy child is the beloved fruit of thy womb, but yet thou must be taught by God, taught by his People, taught by his Word to love thy children, to love them in a right and holy way; take heed of loving them so as to provoke God to take them from you,
- 1Expos. [Greek or Hebrew]Expos. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- 2Honest women very desirous of children Harlots not so.
- 3Which are an Allegory of a true Preacher & a false.
- 4The use of the word translated beloved.
- 5Tit. 2. 4. illustrated.
- 6Mothers fond Love s•aies their children.
