Remember what your body is, and what it will shortly be, and how loathsome and vile it will be in the grave. And then think how far such a body should be pampered and pleased and at what a price. Do not pay too dear for a feast for worms! Look into the grave, and see what the end of all of all your pleasant foods and drinks is; of all your dainty and costly fare. You may see there the skulls cast up, and the ugly hole of that mouth which devoured so many sweet, delicious morsels but there is none of the pleasure of it now left!
Oh astonishing folly! that men can so easily, so eagerly, so obstinately, waste their estates, and neglect their souls, and displease their God, and in effect even sell their hopes of Heaven for so small and sordid a delight, as the pleasing of such a piece of flesh, which must shortly have so vile an end!
Was it worth so much care, and toil, and cost, and the casting away of your salvation to pamper that body a little while, which must shortly be such a loathsome carcass? Methinks one sight of a skull or a grave, would make you look upon gluttony and luxury as madness.
The case will be altered with you when all your wealth and friends cannot keep your pampered carcass from corruption, nor procure your soul a comfort equal to a drop of water to cool your tongue, tormented in the flames of God's displeasure!
[Richard Baxter]
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Genesis 3:19 … In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Job 21:26 … They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
Psalm 104:29 … Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Ecclesiastes 3:20 … All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.❤
