An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

Observe.

Sinful conceptions often prove abortive, and miscarry; they bring forth nothing, or nothing as they would have it, who have conceived them. The birth is sometimes short in degree, and not seldom contrary in kind; they have not what they expect, yea they have what they least expect (Psal. 2.1.) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Why a vain thing? Because they cannot obtain their desire: it is vain to imagine the pulling down of Christs Kingdom, which must stand for ever. Pharaoh designed mischief, Let us work wisely; (here is the language of conceivers) but he brought forth vanity, in all the notions spoken of: vanity, as it was a sinful and wicked act, vanity, as he failed in the thing he did expect; he thought to bring destruction upon Israel, but he could not; he thought to subdue the people of Israel, and make them slaves for ever, but he could not: He brought forth vanity also in the worst sense, the issue was contrary to his expectation, himself and his Army were swallowed in the Red Sea, and Israel was saved. Haman devised mischief against the Jews, but he brought forth vanity; he did not effect what he intended against them, this was vanity; nay it wrought the contrary way, himself was hanged on the Gibbet he had prepared for Mordecai, this was vanity and vexation too;¹ every wicked man brings forth vanity in some one if not in all these notions of it, after all his conceptions of mischief.

Sinfull conceptions often prove abortive, and miscarry; they bring forth nothing, or nothing as they would have it, who have conceived them. The birth is sometimes short in degree, and not seldome contrary in kinde; they have not what they expect, yea they have what they least expect (Psal. 2.1.) Why doe the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? Why a vaine thing? Because they cannot obtaine their desire: it is vaine to imagine the pulling downe of Christs Kingdome, which must stand for ever. Pharaoh designed mischeife, Let us worke wisely; (here is the language of conceivers) but hee brought forth vanity, in all the notions spoken of: vanity, as it was a sinfull and wicked act, vanity, as he fayled in the thing he did expect; he thought to bring destruction upon Israel, but he could not; he thought to subdue the people of Israel, and make them slaves for ever, but he could not: He brought forth vanity also in the worst sense, the issue was contrary to his expectation, himselfe and his Army were swallowed in the Red Sea, and Israel was saved. Haman devised mischeife against the Jewes, but he brought forth vanity; he did not effect what he intended against them, this was vanity; nay it wrought the contrary way, himselfe was hanged on the Gibet he had prepared for Mordecay, this was vanity and vexation too;