An exposition with practical observations upon the three first chapters of the book of…

¹Why did not I give up the ghost?] The Hebrew is but one word, which costs us five in English, I give up the ghost, the word signifieth, that last act of those who are in the agony of death; In the Greek and Latin that act is expressed by one word,² Luk. 23.46. Where it is said, that Christ gave up the ghost. The word is conceived to note a willing cheerful resignation of our selves in death, a dying without much reluctance or resistance, a being active in death rather then passive, we call it well a giving up the ghost. Some apply it only to the death of the godly, (as Gen. 25.8. of Abraham, &c.) whose lives are not violently snatched from them, but willingly surrendered. When a godly man dyes a violent death, he doth not dye violently: Whereas a wicked man dies violently, when he dies naturally: and though sometimes (being weary of his life, or despairing of relief) he drives out his ghost, yet in a strict sense he never gives up the ghost. It is said to the wicked rich man in the Gospel, (Luk. 12.20.) Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, demanded indeed, but O how unwillingly doth the rich man pay this natural debt, who is so able to pay all civill debts. Yet it must be confessed that we find the word often used promiscuously, applied as well to the death of the wicked as of the godly; To Ismael, (Gen. 25.8.) as well as Abraham, to Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5.10. Yea it is applied to the death of any or all living things, Gen. 7.21. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle; and of beasts, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man.

¹Why did not I give up the ghost?] The Hebrew is but one word, which costs us five in English, I give up the ghost, the word signifieth, that last act of those who are in the agonie of death; In the Greeke and Latine that act is exprest by one word,