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…

First, Because they sometimes bring forth no fruit at all; they are conceiving mischief, but they can make nothing of it, their conceptions end in abortions; they devise and plot, but all is hatching of wind: The Church is so expressed, though in a different case (Isa. 26.17, 18.) Like as a Woman with Child near the time of her delivery is in pain, and cries out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight O Lord; We have been with child, we have been in pain: The Church had conceptions for good, she hoped that the Lord would have done some great thing for her; yet after her conception, and travel, see what she brings forth, We have been in pain, and brought forth wind; that is, nothing at all, it proved a mere tympany; for so he explains it, We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen; that is, we have not obtained that deliverance that we hoped for in the earth, neither have our Enemies (who are called by the Prophet, The Inhabitants of the World) been subdued under our power; they have not fallen. Now as the Church and people of God sometimes are disappointed in their expectations; they conceive, yet bring forth wind, not that Man-child of mercy which was expected: So, much more do wicked men, after all their pleasing conceptions, and pangs of travel, they bring forth vanity; and their vessel is marred upon the wheel.

First, Because they somtimes bring forth no fruit at all; they are conceiving mischeif, but they can make nothing of it, their conceptions end in abortions; they devise and plot, but all is hatching of winde: The Church is so expressed, though in a different case (Isa. 26.17, 18.) Like as a Woman with Childe neer the time of her delivery is in paine, and cryes out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight O Lord; Wee have beene with childe, we have been in paine: The Church had conceptions for good, shee hoped that the Lord would have done some great thing for her; yet after her conception, and travell, see what shee brings forth, We have beene in paine, and brought forth winde; that is, nothing at all, it proved a meer timpany; for so he explaines it, We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen; that is, we have not obtained that deliverance that we hoped for in the earth, neither have our Enemies (who are called by the Prophet, The Inhabitants of the World) been subdued under our power; they have not fallen. Now as the Church and people of God sometimes are disappointed in their expectations; they conceive, yet bring forth winde, not that Man-childe of mercy which was expected: So, much more doe wicked men, after all their pleasing conceptions, and pangs of travell, they bring forth vanity; and their vessell is mar'd upon the wheele.