the Lord and will also raise us by his Power As sure as Christ is risen so sure shall all Believers be raised to Life and Glory by the same Power that raised Jesus Christ Rom. 8.11 But if the Spirit of him who raised Christ be in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Then will he indeed shew himself for thy Body when that Body which was at death sown in Corruption shall be raised in Incorruption and which was sown in dishonour shall be raised in Glory Then shall thy Body and Soul which were so loath to part at Death and did part with such sad gaspings and groans meet again in Joy and Glory and be for ever united never to die and part more 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. And all this done in the twinkling of an Eye ver 52. in a moment and all be raised together 2. Thy Body shall be fashioned like the glorious Body of Jesus Christ Phil. 3. last from whence we look for a Saviour who shall change our vile Body Believer look upon that poor dying dust of thy body see it as it will be shortly amongst the Worms of the Earth and then believe that the Lord is so for thy Body as to exercise his Almighty Power in fashioning that Body like the glorious Body of Christ at the Right hand of God 3. Thou must in thy Body come with Christ and attend him coming to Judgment 1 Thess 4.14 Them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him He will bring the Holy Patriarchs and Prophets and Apostles and all the Saints with him Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then c. you that were so despised and scorn'd here shall appear in Glory in the open view of the World 4. They shall be solemnly own'd and acknowledg'd of Christ before his Father and the Holy Angels Matth. 10.32 Luk. 12.8 The Lord Jesus himself will in Effect say This is my dear Spouse and Bride these are they that loved me and served me and suffered for me and were never ashamed of me Yonder Tongues have spoken many good words for me and yonder hands have reached out many a kindness to me Lastly They shall with their Bodies sit with Christ to Judge the World 1 Cor. 6.2 3. The World of Ungodly Men and all the wicked Angels and Devils in Hell must stand before the Saints to be judged by them Indeed Jesus Christ is the Chief and Supream Judge but all his Saints shall sit with him in Glory as his Members with all their Bodies like his glorious Body So that they shall then be like him 1 John 3.2 And they shall prove and applaud the just Judgment of Christ though they see Jesus Christ judging their Parents to Hell yet they shall see his Justice so glorious and excellent and their own Glory will be so great that they will be so far above the trouble for the Damnation of the nearest Relation that they will applaud and exalt the Righteous Judgment of Christ therein I tell you Christians the poorest and meanest Saints of God whom you oft see cloathed in Rags who are accounted the Sink and Jakes of the World shall shortly appear in such Majesty and Glory that the highest and proudest Ungodly Monarchs in the World will be ashamed and tormented to look them in the face Lastly Consider what he doth for their Bodies for ever In three particulars 1. He makes their Bodies to be Immortal and Incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.43 Thy Body must last as long as thy Soul or as the Angels in Heaven or as the Body of Christ Here the most healthful are but a Vapour which appear but a while and then vanish away Jam. 4.14 What 's become of all the bodies of the Men in the Ages before us which were once in the Streets Shops Houses and Congregations as you see the Bodies of Men now What 's become of the bodies of your Parents Grandfathers and Grandmothers they are all vanisht away but the other World is a World without Sickness Death or Graves your very Bodies must live for ever 2. They shall live in the Society of Blessed Angels As the Devils are Haters so the Holy Angels are Lovers of Mankind They love the Bodies of Saints and are undoubtedly Instruments of much good to them here and they shall be in the blessed Company of these Spirits for ever See Zech. 3.7 3. They shall with their glorified bodies live in the Everlasting view and sight of the glorious body of Christ and of the glorified bodies of one another John 17.24 Thou shalt see the Body of Christ as the Body of thy Husband Head and Saviour thou shalt see the body of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Paul and Peter and be able to say This is the Body of Paul Peter and John This is the body of Bradford and Philpot c. Your Bodies shall be cloahted without Silks or Sattins fed without Meat and Drink Rich without Silver and Gold and your Bodies and Souls in nearer Communion with God then they would be here though in the most desirable frame you could hear a Paul in the Pulpit every day Reason Why is the Lord Jesus for the Body 1. God the Father hath given our Bodies as well as our Souls to Christ to be made happy by him John 6.39 It 's the body that was given to Christ to be raised up at the last day and not a Finger or Toe shall be lost if the having of it will make it thy happiness 2. Christ is fitted to be a Saviour of the Body as well as the Soul Heb. 10.5 Jesus Christ hath the Body as well as the soul of man which inclines him so love Mens Bodies and his Mystical Body is to be made of the Bodies of his People as well as their Souls who as the Apostle saith are Members of his Body Flesh and of his Bones Eph. 5.30 3. He carries on the whole Work of Salvation with respect to our Bodies He dyed for our bodies rose again for our Bodies that they might rise with him and he intercedes in Heaven for our Bodies and at the day of Judgment will raise up and glorisie our Bodies for he is the Saviour of the whole Man Body as well as Soul VSE 1. Of Information Of three things 1. This informs us what an unspeakable priviledge it is to be a Child of God to have the Lord of all the World for our Bodies as well as for our Souls We would think our selves happy if the Princes and Nobles and great ones of the World were for us if we had their Love and Favour so that they would improve their Power and Interest for our good but this hath not always been the Lot of Gods People but the Lord is for us Infinite Wisdom and Power and Goodness for us for Believers are a part of Christ a Self of Christ and certainly he
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
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
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
c. He hath settled all things present upon us so far as 't is for our good 1 Cor. 3.22 Things present are yours We have the Word of God for the good of our Bodies in this Life and certainly the poorest Saint who hath a right to the promises of God for things present is better provided for and in less danger of Famine then the greatest carnal person in the World for the Ungodly have Riches for the Body Silver Gold Houses and Lands for the Body but a Godly Man hath the Lord of all the World for the Body 2. His Infinite Care and Providence is exercised to fulfil his promises for the Body Mat. 6.32 Your Heavenly Father knoweth you have need of these things i. e. he knoweth so as to supply our need of these things And for this David tells Psal 37.16 A little that a Righteous Man hath is better than the Riches of many Wicked because saith he The Arms of the Wicked shall be broken but the Lord upholdeth the Righteous The Righteous have the Lord with their little when the Wicked have often much but the Lord is not with them but against them So that this Lord who made the World for the good of Mans body doth exercise his glorious Providence for the bodies of his People 2. The Lord Jesus makes the bodies of his People blessed and glorious for ever and this appears 1. By considering what he doth for their bodies in this Life in order to their Eternal Happiness 2. By considering what he doth for their bodies when dead 3. At the day of Judgment Lastly For ever For the First Observe Three things which the Lord doth in this Life for the Salvation of the bodies of his people 1. He unites their Bodies to himself ver 15. Know you not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ VVhat could he have done more for that poor dust of thine than to make it a blessed part of himself to make it a part of his own Mystical Body so that what is done to the very Bodies of his People is done to himself Mat. 25.35 I was Hungry and Sick and Naked and Imprison'd Lord say they when saw we thee so and so Yes saith he these little ones are a part of me I and they are all one and what you did to them you did to me Oh how should we be affected with the Lords being thus for the body so as to make it a part of himself Come and I will shew you the Bride the Lambs Wife Rev. 21.9 How or where shall we see that sight Why wherever you see a true Believer you see the Body of the true Bride and Spouse of Jesus Christ 2. He puts a Presence and Glory on the very Bodies of his people Eccles 8.1 A Mans Wisdom maketh his Face to shine The Image of God shines in the very face of a Godly Man We read Revel 7.3 That the Servants of God must be sealed in their Foreheads which some think is an allusion to Slaves who have their Foreheads marked with the Names of their Masters to whom they did belong So there may be read in the very Faces and Countenances and Foreheads of Gods people the Name of Christ to whom they belong for although Grace is Internal yet the Fruits thereof appear in the outward Man And so Revel 22 4. The Name of the Lamb shall be on their Foreheads If that be spoken of Heaven it s in some measure true here and it s most certain that an upright holy Saint carries such a presence with him that it daunts oftentimes the Wicked and the very sight of them puts Gods Children in mind of their Father and Saviour 3. He honours them by fitting their bodies for his Service and using them therein And indeed it is a great Honour to serve so great and good a Master which made Paul so often Glory in that Title The Servant of Jesus Christ Now when a Man is Sanctified and made a new Creature his whole Soul and Body are thereby set for God for his Honour and Service We are said Ephes 2.10 to be Created in Christ Jesus to good works to be made fit for good Works It 's said of a Godly Man 2 Tim. 2.21 He shall be a Vessel of Honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work Thus you see that by the Grace and Life of Christ a Man is fit for any service or suffering which Duty leads him to and hereby the Saints of God may live as a Company of Incarnate Angels in the World II. Consider what Christ doth for the Body when Dead 1. Their blessed Corps are continued in their Union with Christ Death breaks no Union made by Grace and therefore they are said to sleep in Jesus 1 Thess 4.4 And are called the dead in Christ ver 16. Where you think of or look into the Church-yards What a great Mystery it is that so great a part of the Bride and Spouse of Christ should lie amongst those ghastly Skuls and rotten Dust and that there should be more of his Members and a greater part of his Body dead in the Earth than are serving him here in the World 2. He owns their dead Bodies for his They are Christs own 1 Cor. 15.23 Afterward they that are Christs at his coming Observe the Bodies of Believers from the hour of Death till the coming of Christ are Christ's all the while when they are Children of their Earthly Parents no more Husbands and Wives no more yet Christ's still 3. He loves them as his own and as united to him He loves their very rotten Corps as part of himself as part of his own Spouse and Members he knows them all in the Earth he can distinguish between the cursed Corps of Unbelievers that lie in the Graves under the Curses of the Law and who are bound over to suffer Everlasting Fire and the blessed bodies of his Saints who lie in their Graves in a right to Heaven and Salvation When our dearest Relations die we cry with Abraham Bury my dead out of my sight Bury my dead Husband or dead Wife or dead Child out of my sight and they are all to us as dead Men out of mind as it s said Psal 31.12 Yet they are always in the sight and view of Jesus Christ and when they have rotted in the Earth or been swallowed up in the Seas or burnt in the Fire many Hundred years yet these blessed bodies are precious and lovely in the Eyes of Christ Jesus Christ is always looking on the dust of Abraham Isaac and Jacob of David Paul and Peter and all the Saints which are dead with great Love and Delight III. Consider what Christ will do for the Bodies of his people at the day of Judgment In five particulars 1. He will raise up their bodies to Glory and herein he is said to be for the body ver 14. Following the Text God hath both raised up