TWO Funeral Sermons OF THE Use and Happiness OF HUMANE BODIES Preached on 1 CORINTH vi 13. Now the Body is not for Fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the Body WITH A brief Account of the Life and Death of Mr. G. Lorimer Merchant upon the occasion of whose Death the second Sermon was Preacht By Edward Lawrence M. A. Minister of the Gospel London Printed by J. R. for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside 1690. TO THE READER Reader THou hast many Discourses of the Souls of Men And here I offer thee one Plain and Short Discourse of Mans Body yet also with respect to the Soul It will cost thee but a very little Time to read it and but a very little Money to buy it If it may be of any use to preserve thee from wasting thy Time at the Door of Eternity and from losing thy Soul in a vain Religion and to save thee from a stinging Death and tormenting Eternity I have my end Febr. 17th 1689 90. Thy Servant for Jesus sake Edward Lawrence THE BODY FOR THE LORD 1 COR. 6.13 Now the Body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the Body IT is ordinary for Nations and Cities Families and Persons to be in a special manner inclined to some particular sins The Cretians were branded for a Lying People Tit. 1.12 The Cretians are always Lyars And the Jews also to whom St. James writes seem by his Epistle to be much addicted to the Sins of the Tongue and this is exemplified in the Corinthians which were much given to Fornication and therefore we read that in Corinth there was a Temple erected for this Sin One reason of the prevalency of this Sin amongst them was an Opinion of the Gentiles which prevailed in Corinth that Fornication was no sin but a thing indifferent Hereupon the Apostle in this Chapter pleads against this Sin the argument he uses against it is That this sin is against the right use of the Body of Man Now saith he The Body is not for Fornication c. The words shew us the true and proper use of Mans Body And this is express't 1. Negatively the Body is not for Fornication 2. Affirmatively But for the Lord And this is amplified by another proposition which shews why the Body is and ought to be for the Lord viz. The Lord is for the Body By the Lord is here meant the Lord Jesus Christ as appears by his being mentioned with God the Father ver 14. and hath both raised up the Lord. The words chiefly teach us Two Doctrines I. The Body of Man is for the Lord Jesus Christ II. The Lord Jesus Christ is for the Body of Man I. The Body of Man is for the Lord Jesus Christ Method 1. What is meant by the Body of Man 2. What is it for the Body of Man to be for the Lord. 3. The reasons of the Doctrine 4. Use By the Body of Man is meant that visible and essential part of Man which is distinct from the Soul and Spirit this is that part of Man which was at first form'd out of the dust of the ground Gen. 2.7 and at death returns to the Earth when the Spirit returns to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 This is visible may be seen and felt and therefore Christ demonstrates his Body by this Luke 24.39 Behold my hands and my feet handle and see for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have 3. This is distinct from the Soul as appears verse the last of this Chapter Glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit viz. In your Body and Soul Now this Body is for the Lord which implies Four things 1. The Body with all the Members of it in particular are for the Lord. The Eyes Ears Tongus Hands Feet are for the Lord. They have all work to do for the Lord Christ And it s a great piece of Skill to understand what is the main use we are to make of our Senses and of the Members and Limbs of our Bodies What is the chief work these are to be employed in they are to be used for the Lord they are to work for the Lord Christ 2. The Life Health Strength and Activity of all these is for the Lord Rom. 14.8 Whether we live we live unto the Lord If we have better Health and Strength than others it is that in the use thereof we may do more for the Lord than others 3. All things that are for the use and service of the Body are to be used for the Lord that with them you should serve him What Christ appointed his Disciples to say in a special case concerning the Ass and the Colt Mat. 21.3 The Lord bath need of them is true in ordinary cases The Lord hath need or use for them your Money Cattel Corn Goods and Apparel that with them you should serve him your Meat and Drink Preferments and Estates Houses and Lands are for the good of your Bodies but you must eat and drink to the Lord 1 Cor. 10.31 You must honour the Lord with your substance Prov. 3.9 When you buy or sell or build be able to say I get this Money for the Lord I trade in this Shop for the Lord I build these Houses for the Lord. The Lord Jesus shall have all at his service and for his Glory The Heavens Earth Seas c. must praise the Lord by your Mouths 4. All the time of Bodily Service The time wherein we are in the Body is for the Lord. Ps 148.12 13. Both young Men and Maidens old Men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. A young Boy or Girl hath work to do for the Lord. You should make all your Works and Recreations serviceable to the Lord. There is no time but you may find something to do for God 2. What is it for the Body to be for the Lord Account in seven particulars 1. It is for the Lord chiefly This doth not exclude our Natural much less our Spiritual Self Neither doth it exclude our Families Relations or the Publick the Body is for all these in their places but chiefly for the Lord and for all these things in and to the Lord. The Body is for Food and Raiment for to get Money and Wealth c. in their places but the Body with all these must be for the Lord as the last end You may take all the good God hath put in any Creature for your use and service but you must honour and serve God in the use of it And it s most certain that any Creature is best to you and you have most of the Comfort and sweetness of it when you do honour and serve God with it You will eat and drink with as true gladness of Heart as any Man alive when you eat to the Lord and drink to the Lord and you may get and keep riches with as much diligence
never forsake an Old Servant or a Sick Servant Lastly When sickness and death comes thou canst have no comfort if thou hast not employed thy Body for the Lord. It will be fad parting with the Body and Soul when thou must leave a cursed Body to the Earth and go with a Damned Soul to Hell and more sad will be their meeting at the Resurrection to Condemnation 7. Directions 1. See that the whole Manbe-Sanctified and made holy 1 Thess 5.23 The very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly Heb. 10.22 Our Bodies washed with pure water i. e. by the powerful Operation of the Spirit which cleanseth the heart from sin as Water washeth the Body from Filth When the Soul is made Holy there will be a Holy Tongue Holy Hands c. all will be Holy 2. Present your bodies to the Lord Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that you present your Bodies a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred present is an allusion to the Sacrifices which were set before God at the Altar as ready to be offered to him so we must set not only our Souls but our Bodies before the Lord as his due Say This Tongue and these Eyes and Hands are for the Lord. Pray him to take them and use them for himself 3. In all places you are in with your bodies consider what Work is to be done for the Lord you can be no where but you may find work for the Lord Prov. 27.8 As a Bird that wandreth from his Nest so is a man that wandreth from his place And this I think is the intent of that Scripture Eccles 11.3 In the place where the Tree falleth or hapneth to be there it shall be for the benefit and advantage of them to whom it falls The Context seems to justifie this sense teaching us that every Man ought to labour to be a blessing in his place 4. Whatever you do for your Bodies do it as for the Lord Take care of your bodies Do not wilfully bring Diseases on your bodies Preserve your bodies for the Owners sake When you are feeding and cloathing your Bodies see that you do it for the Lord Do not eat and drink so as to make you unfit for the Lord to put your bodies out of frame for the Lord. 5. All that you do with your bodies do it to the Lord and for the Lord Observe Rom. 14.6 He that regardeth a day regardeth it to the Lord he that eateth eateth to the Lord. When you are employed in your Callings if your Working Buying and Selling were only to get Money and to have great Estates This were not worth the Care and Thoughts Words and Time of a Man but see that you and yours are for the Lord. So when you are chearful be ruled by these Principles in your Laughing Jesting and Mirth Have no Mirth but what you can bless God for and have no Mirth but what you can part with 2 Cor. 7.30 And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not 6. Keep a Guard on your Bodies and on all the parts of them Job made a Covenant with his Eyes Chap. 31.1 Feed not your Lusts with wanton Objects Bridle your Tongues Psal 39.1 Keep your whole Bodies in subjection to the Will of God Lastly Give up thy Body to the Lords disposal Submit to the Lord in bodily Sickness Poverty Imprisonment be ready to suffer any thing for the Lord and so leave thy Body to sleep in Jesus when the Lord calls for it THE LORD FOR THE BODY 1 COR. 6.13 And the Lord for the Body Doct. 2. THE Lord Jesus Christ is for the Body of Man I shall give account of the Doctrine under these Heads I. What are we to understand by the Lord Jesus his being for the Body II. What doth Jesus Christ do for the Body of Man III. Why is Jesus Christ for the Body VSE I. By Jesus Christ his being for the Body we are to understand that the Lord Jesus Christ doth set himself to bless the Body of Man so as to make it unspeakably happy and blessed for ever See Jesus Christ in all his Glory and then look upon that poor Worm and dust of thy Body and know that all the fulness of the Godhead and all the fulness of the Manhood is in Jesus Christ for the good of that poor Body See Col. 2.9 10. In him dwells all the Godhead Bodily and you are compleat in him who is the Head of all Principalities and Powers Observe All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in the Humane Nature of Christ that we may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled in him and both in Body and Soul compleatly happy and blessed in him There are three things implyed in the Lord Jesus his being for the Body 1. That he is a Saviour of the Body of Man The whole Work of Salvation is for the Body 2. That he hath the Infinite Love and Kindness of a Saviour for the Body of Man Tit. 3.4 After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared Observe these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words shew that the goodness it self or as I may say the good Nature in the Lord Jesus inclines him to love Man So that its easie and Natural to him to be kind and loving and to have unspeakable love and kindness for Man for every part of Man both of Body and Soul 3. That all the Attributes of the Godhead are working in the Lord Jesus Christ as a Saviour to fulfil his love and good will to the Body of Man See the Infinite Power Wisdom Justice and Faithfulness of the Godhead in Christ He hath infinite Love and good Will for the Body Infinite Wisdom to contrive the Happiness of the Body Infinite Power to execute the Counsels and good Pleasure of his Wisdom and Love for the Body of Man See Phil. 3.20 21. We look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself These words shew that the Almighty Power of Christ whereby he is able to do what he will is working in him to make the Body of Man glorious II. What doth the Lord Jesus do for the Body of Man Answer in two particulars 1. He blesseth the Body with Temporal things 2. He makes the Body of Man glorious and blessed for ever 1. He blesseth the Body with Temporal things Deut. 30.20 He is thy Life and the Length of thy dayes He gives and prolongs our Lives Prov. 8.18 Riches and Honour are with me 1 He hath made many gracious promises for the Body 1 Tim. 4.8 Having premise of this Life that now is Mat. 6.33 All these things shall be added unto you Deut. 28.3 4 5 6. Blessed shalt thou be in the City
and care as others and you will take as much pleasure in your Houses and Lands and Silver and Gold as any when you look on your estates as the Lords and improve them for him and are ready to forsake them for him 2 That our Bodies are not our own we are not the chief and absolute Lords and Masters of our selves ver 19. of this Chapter Ye are not your own Rom. 14.7 None of us liveth to himself They were ignorant Atheists that said Psal 12.4 Our Lips are our own VVe cannot according to our own VVills and Pleasures dispose of so much as a glance of our Eyes or a word of our Tongues 3. Our Bodies are not for Sin The Body is not for Fornication saith the Text. Thy Body was not made for Whoremongers and Harlots thy Tongue was not made for Oaths Lyes and evil Speaking Thy Eyes are not for wanton looks to be gazing on Spectacles of Uncleanness God did not make the Body to dishonour himself The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.12 We are Debtors we owe our selves but not to the Flesh we owe Sin and the Devil no service we are not to go a step in their Work God-did not so curiously frame that Head and those Limbs of thine for the Devil and Sin Rom. 8.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal Bodies The meanest Finger or Toe in thy Body is too good to be an Instrument of Sin 4. The Body is not for the VVorld so as to be employed for it as its Chief Master or its chief end Mammon was not made for your Master but your Servant The VVorld is for you and not you for the VVorld The body of man was made for a higher business than only or chiefly to gather and heap up the Riches of the World and therefore when the Body is employed about the World we must see we are for God therein this is the true goodness of the World that it 's good to make a Man more useful for God and more serviceable to him For a Man to be busied about Silver and Gold and about Houses and Lands and Goods and Cattels except he can thereby do some service for God it is not worth the Labour of a Man Prov. 14.24 The Crown of a wise Man is his Riches Riches are a Mans Crown and Glory when Men are so wise as to use them for God otherwise they are their snares curse and shame 5. The Body is for the Lord so as to be an Instrument of Obedience to the Lord. It s to be employ'd in the Lords work in that which he sets it about Rom. 6.10 Yield your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Our Bodies are at the Command of God and should be alwayes doing the Will of God Whatever we do we should be able to say We are doing the Lords Work and with our Saviour we are about our Fathers business 6. The Body is for the Lord i. e. for the Honour and Glory of the Lord. So verse the last of this Chapter Glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits Phil. 1.20 That Christ may be glorified in my Body We should give that account of all our actions as David did of his dancing before the Ark 2 Sam. 6.21 It was before the Lord And it should be said of us as Rom. 4.6 He that eateth eateth to the Lord Every Member of our Bodies may be useful in its place to bring Glory to God And we often see how very much God is glorified by one Holy and Sanctified Body Oh what a blessed place London would be if all the Bodies which you see in the Houses Shops and Streets were employed for the Glory of God 7. Our Bodies are for the Lord so as to be at the Lords disposal He may chuse which way he will serve himself of our Bodies He sets us the bounds for the Habitations of our Bodies Acts 17.26 that we may fill our places with the Name and Glory of God He appoints us our Work and Callings Mark 13.24 To every Man his Work A Minister hath his Work a Trades-man his Work a Master his Work a Servant his Work and whatsoever a Mans Calling Work and Way is he should work for God therein and labour to have Communion with God therein 1 Cor. 7.24 Brethren Let every Man wherein he is called therein abide with God He measures out to us our outward Estates and Conditions Some are to be rich for God and others to be poor for God to some he gives Healthful Strong Comely Bodies to others Sick Diseased Lame Blind Bodies and however he disposeth of them they have their Way and Work for the Lord. And we often see to the shame of others how the Blind Lame and Deformed will find Work to do for God and that in many Families a Blind or Lame Child becomes a Member and Spouse of Christ when perhaps their Brothers and Sisters that have their Sight and Limbs and are comely and do greatly dishonour God and make their handsom Bodies instruments of Sin and Firebrands of Hell Two Reasons of the Doctrine I. Because the Body is the Lords II. The Body hath much work to do for the Lord. I. The Body is the Lords He is the chief Lord and Owner of your Bodies as well as of your Souls See verse the last of this Chapter Glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits which are Gods So in the Text The Lord for the Body This seems to be the reason of the Text Or as some turn the Phrase The Lord is the God of the Body God is the Lord of the Body by a five fold right all which shew the Body is for the Lord. 1. He is the Maker of the Body as he made all other things so also did he make the Bodies of Men for himself Therefore saith David Psal 139.14 I will praise thee for I was fearfully and wonderfully made He hath made the Bodies of Men capable of doing him more Service and bringing him more Glory than any other Bodies are capable of He hath given Man a Tongue to call on God and to fill the World with the praises of God 2. Our Bodies are the Lords by purchase He hath bought them with a great price verse the last of this Chapter Ye are bought with a price Observe Your Bodies are bought with a price therefore they are Gods to glorifie him God hath bought and paid for every good word thou canst speak for the use of every Finger or Toe in thy Body He hath bought all these for his Service 1 Pet. 1.17 18. God did not purchase us at so dear a rate to leave us to live the Lives of Slaves to the Devil the World and Sin but that we might live the Lives of the Sons and Heirs of God and of Christ 3. By Union with the Lord Jesus Christ he is the Owner of his whole self and every Member of his is for himself With this reason the Apostle proves that our Bodies are for the
Lord ver 15. Know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ and thence he infers Shall I take the Member of Christ c. VVe should do nothing with our Bodies but what is fit to be done by a part of Jesus Christ Shall I swear or lie with the Tongue that is a part of Christ Shall I make any part of Christ drunk or unclean or worldly no certainly our Bodies being Parts and Members of Christ should be moved at the VVill and Pleasure and for the Honour of our Head in Heaven 4. By Dedication Our Bodies are dedicated to the Honour and Service of God ver 19. What know you not that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is in you and is of God And therefore saith he Ye are not your own ye are for the Lord whose Temples you are These Temples should be kept Holy and Pure and for the Use and Service of God You may easily conceive what a horrid thing it would have been to have seen a Company of People VVhoring and Drunk and Swearing and Fighting in the Temple of God What make the Temple of God a Bawdyhouse No The Temple of God is to be a House of Prayer a place Devoted to the Service of God so it 's a very horrid thing that our Bodies which are the Temples of God should be filled with all manner of Sin Eyes full of Adultery Mouths full of Lies and Oaths and the whole Temple of God filled with all manner of Sin Beloved we know the Glory of God was seen in the Temple his Glory did shine in the Temple and indeed we may see the Glory of God in the very Looks Countenances and Languages and Behaviour of the very Bodies of Holy Men which speak their Bodies to be the Temples of God 5. By Covenant This is one great use of Baptisme and the Lords Supper that we do therein bind our selves our Souls and Bodies to be for the Lord. So that it may be said of us as in Deut. 26.17 18. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God Or As some read it Thou hast made the Lord say this day that he will be a God to thee verse 18. The Lord hath made thee say this day That you will be a peculiar People unto him And every time we stand before God to worship him in the use of any Ordinance We do profess our Bodies to be the Lords and for him II. Reas Because there is much work for the body to do for the Lord. The Commands of God bind the body to Obedience as well as the Soul Jesus Christ lived here in the body and left us an Example of bodily service and sufferings Our profession of Religion must be by the body Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth and with the mouth confession is made to Salvation We must by the use of our bodies confess Christ before Men that he may confess us before his Father in Heaven Matth. 10.32 We must with our bodies worship God in all the Ordinances of Worship We must pray with our bodies as well as our Souls We cannot hear or read the Word but in the use of our bodies The Sacraments are bodily Signs that by them we may with our bodies as well as our Souls Worship God We cannot eat or drink in the Lords Supper without the Body Water in Baptisme is to wash the Body Our Bodies are to be employed in our particular Callings for the Lord. The Graces of Gods Spirit come into the Soul by the Body Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing And all the Graces are exercised by the Body I believed therefore have I spoken The Soul sets the Body on work Ps 45.1 My Heart is inditing a good matter c. and my Tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer Matth. 12 34 35. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things VSES I. Of Dehortation II. Of Exhortation I. For the First Of Debortation In respect 1. Of the Bodies of others 2. Of our own Bodies 1. If the Bodies of Men are for the Lord do not debauch or corrupt any Persons by enticing them to bodily Sins Do not draw them to Whoredom and Drunkenness They have a better Master to serve and better work to do they may be honouring and serving God whilst they are serving thy Lusts Their Bodies may be better employed than by Drinking and Whoring with thee entice no body to any thing but what their bodies were made and purchased for Draw them to nothing but what is fit for a Spouse and Member of Christ to do 2. Do no wrong to the bodies of any Persons by unjust beating them or hurting them How darest thou disable any person for the service of God You Masters be not cruel to your Apprentices their bodies are for the Lord You would not starve or overwork or abuse a dear Horse that cost many Pieces Look on thy Apprentice he is a dear Child do not abuse that body which was bought with the blood of God prize it and cherish it for the Owners sake 3. Do not cheat any of their bodily Wealth by Theft by Over-reaching them in buying or selling by withholding the just Debts which thou owest They and their Estates are for the Lord and the Lord will concern himself to take vengeance on thee 1 Thess 4.6 It may be sad to many to think that they have consum'd that on their Lusts for which many Parents and their Children would be blessing God for And here I may warn Husbands and Wives and Parents that they consume not the bodily Wealth which is for the good of their Yokefellows and Children Oh what a cruel Husband or Wife art thou who hast consum'd that on thy lusts which would have maintained thy Yokefellow And how can Parents endure their Children should cry We might have been better Scholars or might have had better Trades or Portions had it not been for our Fathers and Mothers Lusts II. Dehortation In respect of your own Bodies Do not abuse your own Bodies by Sin This sets all the Members of the Body against the Lord which should be for the Lord Let not your bodies be us'd as Instruments to execute or bring forth the sins of your hearts Remember the Apostle Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal Bodies More particularly keep your Bodies clean from these four sorts of Sins 1. All manner of Whoredom and Uncleanness Mark the Text The Body is not for Fornication but for the Lord see ver 18. How the Apostle pleads against this Sin as being more against the Body than other Sins Flee Fornication saith he The reason follows Every sin that a man doth is without the Body but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body i. e. Although the Body be the Organ or Instrument to execute other sins yet the matter which by
sin is abus'd lies more without the body The Drunkard hurts this body but he abuses Wine and Drink which is without the body but in Whoredom the body is the Instrument of sin and that which is abused by sin But these things are spoken comparatively the words shew what a wrong Whoredom is to a mans body See ver 15. how the Apostle pleads against it as a most loathsom thing to take a part member of Christ and make it a member of an Harlot to joyn any part of Christ to a Harlot This is a sin rots the Name rots the Body by this the flesh and the body are consum'd Prov. 5.11 and brings body and Soul to Hell ver 9 10. of this Chap. Fornicators and Adulterers shall not inherit the Kingdom of God It 's matter of grief and astonishment that this sin should be practiced with such horrid Impudence by a people that profess their bodies to be Members of Christ and in a Land where the Bible is read that tells them Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 And that people will not believe how little a way it is between the defiled Bed and the Fire of Hell 2. Drunkenness to which may be added gluttony These things set the body in a readiness to do any thing for the Devil and Sin but render it unfit for the service of the Lord. A Drunkard in his drink may swear blaspheme and Whore and Murder But can a Man pray when he is drunk hear Sermons or receive Sacraments or have Communion with God in any thing when he is drunk When a Man is drunk he is not fit Company for a Man how then can he at that time be fit for Communion with God Pray therefore that nothing may enter into thy Mouth which may defile thy Soul disease thy Body unfit thee for the service of God or waste the Creatures on thy craving and consuming Lusts 3. Sins of the Eyes A great deal of Sin or Grace is seen in the Looks or Countenances of People There are proud Looks wanton Looks envious Looks and angry Looks but when the Soul and Body is serving the Lord it puts another Face and Countenance on Men. It makes them look with a holy humble chaste loving and chearful countenance Lastly Sins of the Tongue Jam. 3.6 How would it tame our Tongues if we consider'd our Tongues are for the Lord And what a great deal of Honour one wholsome Tongue brings to the Lord and we should not speak a word but it should be some way or other for the Lord. Vse 2. Of Exhortation which refers 1. To others 2. To our selves For the First Is the Body for the Lord Thence infer three Duties to others 1. Put a true value on the very bodies of all Men. Look on them as for the Lord and prize them accordingly 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour all Men Wherever you see the body of a Man Woman or Child be they never so poor or weak or deformed yet consider these bodies were made for the Lord bought for the Lord and may be Members of the Lord and therefore love and esteem the bodies of Men for the Lord's sake 2. Do all the good you can not only to the Souls but to the Bodies of Men This is the great duty of the Sixth Commandment which binds you to your power to endeavour to preserve the Life Health Liberty and Chearfulness of Men Therefore do them good on this reason because their bodies are for the Lord and you may fit them and make them more capable of serving and praising him 3 Lament to see the horrid abuse which most make of their bodies When you see how most use their own bodies can you think they use them for the Lord. What are Men Swearing and Cursing Whoring and Drunk for the Lord are they Lying Cheating and oppressing for the Lord You may see Streets full of Sin Shops full of Sin Houses full of Sin most people eating and drinking talking and working for the Devil the Flesh and the World but very few doing any thing for the Lord. 2. To our selves Frame your Lives according to the belief of this Truth That your bodies are for the Lord. I shall press this with a few Motives and conclude with Directions Mot. 1. Consider the great account you are to give to God for your own Body Rom. 14.12 Every one of us must give an account of himself to God God will question us what we have done with our selves VVhat use we have made of our own Souls and bodies 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive or carry away the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evil Observe VVhen we appear before Christ at the day of Judgment every one shall carry away his weight Sinners shall carry away their Oaths and Lies c. viz. the Wrath due for them Saints shall carry away a weight of Glory I charge you Christians as you will answer it to the Judge before the door when in that flesh and body you must stand before him when he will call you to account for your Lives Health Ease for your Speech Sight Hearing and for the Members and Limbs of your bodies for your Meat Drink Sleep Estates that you then be able to say I have used this body for the Lord remembering that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.17 If any Man defile the Temple of God meaning his own Soul and Body him will God destroy 2. Consider God accepts and will reward all that with your bodies you do for the Lord Not so much as a good word spoken sincerely for God nor a loving look upon a Child of God nor a Cup of cold Water given to a Disciple of Christ shall lose its reward 3. It 's but a little while that your bodies will be fit to do any thing for the Lord. I would have those who have yet Youth and Health and Strength to study the 12. of Ecclesiastes where young Men are required to serve the Lord ver 1. Remember thy Creator and the way the Holy Ghost useth to move them hereunto is this he sets before them an old man with an hoary head dim eyes shaking hands Feeble Limbs with his Teeth rotted away Faltring Speech and bow'd Back such things as these are set out by those Metaphorical Expressions ver 3 4 5 6. and they serve to teach the Young and Healthful that whenever they see an Old Lame Withered Man or Woman sitting in the House or creeping about the Streets They should consider that they should do all the service they can for God now because they will do so little when they are in the condition of such aged Persons 4. Consider if your Bodies are employed for the Lord now it will yield you sweet comfort when you can serve God no longer or at least do him but little service Ps 71.17 18. God will