Gospel-Worship

Seventhly, In the next place there must be thankfulness; therefore it is called the Eucharist, and in one of the Evangelists where it is said, Christ blest the bread, in another it is said, Christ gave thanks; Christ when he instituted this Sacrament, ⟨p. 256⟩he gave thanks; he gave thanks; for what? he gave thanks to God the Father, that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor souls; now shall Jesus Christ give thanks unto God the Father for that that did cost him his life? yea saith Christ I see that here is a way to save souls; and let it cost me my life if it will, yet I bless thee O Father, if souls may come to be saved though it cost me my life. Christ rejoiced in his Spirit in thanking his Father for this; then how should our hearts be enlarged with thankfulness when we come to this that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist, that is a thanksgiving? we are to give God thanks for every mercy, you will not eat your own bread without giving of thanks; but when we come to have this bread, this bread of life, here is matter of thankfulness, here is matter of enlargement of soul; thou that hast the deadest and dullest soul, and straightest Spirit, yet when thou comest hither and understandest what thou doest, here thou canst not but see matter for the enlargement of thy heart, and wish that thou hadst ten thousand thousand times more strength to express the praises of the Lord; here is a thing that must be the subject of the Hallelujahs and doxologies, that Angels and Saints must for ever sound out in the highest heavens; dost thou know what the Lord presents to thee here? it is more then if the Lord should say, I will make ten thousand worlds for the sake of this creature, and give all these worlds to him, thou wouldest think that thou wert bound to bless him then; only when God in the Bread and wine, reaches out to thee the body & blood of his Son, here is more matter of praise, then if ten thousand thousand worlds were given to thee, and therefore God expects that thou shouldest say to thy soul, my soul praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy name; bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; O poor soul, here is the foundation of all mercies; dost thou praise God for justification, for sanctification?

Seventhly, In the next place there must be thankefulnesse; therefore it is called the Eucharist, and in one of the Evangelists where it is said, Christ blest the bread, in another it is said, Christ gave thanks; Christ when he instituted this Sacrament,