The Fountain of Life Opened

¹Is Christ risen, and hath his Resurrection such a potent and comfortable influence into the Resurrection of the Saints. Then it is the duty and will be the wisdom of the people of God so to Govern, dispose, and employ their bodies as becomes men and women that understand what glory is prepared for them at the Resurrection of the Just. Particularly, First, Be not fondly tender of them, but employ and use them for God here. How many good duties are lost and spoiled by sinful indulgence to our bodies? Alas, we are generally more solicitous to live long, than to live usefully. How many Saints have active vigorous bodies, yet God hath little service from them. If your bodies were animated by some other souls that love God more than you do, and burn with holy Zeal to his service, more work would be done for God by your bodies in a day, than is now done in a month. To have an able healthy body, and not use it for God for fear of hurting it, is as if one should give you a strong and stately Horse, upon condition you must not work, or ride him. Wherein is the mercy of having a body except it be employed for God? Will not its reward at the Resurrection be sufficient for all the pains you now put it to in his service? Secondly, See that you preserve the due honour of your bodies. Possess them in Sanctification and honour, 1 Thes. 4.4. O let not those eyes be now defiled with sin, by which you shall see God. Those ears be in-lets to vanity, which shall hear the Hallelujahs of the blessed. God hath designed honour for your bodies, O make them not either the instruments, or objects of sin. There are sins ⟨p. 557⟩against the body,