396 Chap.3:; An Expofition-upon the Bookof J C) B. Verf i is fwadling clothes my winding-fheet; though I were born,yet why, did not. I dye fo loon as ever Iwas born ? why dyed Inotfrom the womb ? why gave I :not.. up. the gholt when .z carne out of the belly ? Having received the difcourtefie of a birth , death would have been a favour : It had been belt forme, not to have been born,. and next belt to have dyed quickly, or as loon as I was born ; that's the meaning in general of the eleventh and twelfth Verfcs. But_I fhall a little examine and enlighten the particular expreflions. fYAm S71:t12 Why didnot Igive up theghoil ? ] The Hebrew is but one word, ' which colts us five in Englifh , Igive up the ghofl, the word fig, çägçV?By,,. Expirai-ir, nifieth that laft aft ofthofè who are in the agonyofdeath; In the Lenitermor- .Greek and Latin that aCt is expreft by one word, Lrek.23.46, ruau t7,17 ,.e where it is laid , that Chrijl gave up theghoff. The word is con- s7orho .$doto- ccived to note a willing cheerfulref nation of our felves indeath, re aiuo a dying without much reluaance.or refiftance, a being active in anao psritemoritur, death rather then paffive , we call .it well a giving up theghoft.- it0 ut non diu Some apply it only to the death.of the godly, as (Gen: 25.8. of aeurabat.. Abraham, &c.) whofe lives are not violently fnatcht from them, but willingly furrendred. When a. godly man dyes a violent death, he Both not dye violently : Whereas a wicked man dyes violently, when he dyes naturally: and though fometimes (being weary, ofhis life, or defpairingoffelief)he drives out his ghof y-et ima aria fence he never gives up the ghofl. It is laid to the wicked rich man in the Gofpel, (Luk12.2o_) Thoufool, this night. fhall thy Soul be requiredof thee, demanded indeed, but O how un willingly doth the rich man pay this natural debt,who is fo able to pay all civil debts. Yet it mull be confeft that we finde the word often úCed promïfcuoufly , applyed as well to the death. of the wicked as ofthe godly To Ifhmáel (Gen.a5.8.) as, well as Abr a ham; to Ananias and Sapphira, Ac7s 5. i o. Yea it isapplyed to the death of any or all living things Gen. 7. 21. Andallflefh dyed that movedupon the Earth, both offowl,andofcattel, and of heaftr,, andofevery creeping thing that creepeth upon.. the Earthj and every man. Then again , : IfI hadnot fo much favour.to dye as loon asever I.oame from the womb, or todye.in the very birth; yet, Whydid the knees prevent me ?. or the breafts, that IMouldfuck? Here are twoReps aggravating the caufe ofhis curieagainft his day, If Jhad.not,beeit born dead, faith Job,or dyednaturaïly.as fooit.
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