An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Secondly, God alone must be the fountain of all grace and peace, Because he alone is the person offended. When we sin, it is he that is provoked, it's his honour, and his Law that is despised; and therefore seeing not the creatures, but God himself is chiefly offended, till he be reconciled, we cannot have any true and certain peace. That as it is with a Subject, who hath offended the Prince, it lieth in the Prince his power only to be gracious, and to give a pardon; though all men in the Nation should give it him, yet if not ratified and confirmed by the Prince, whom he hath offended, he looketh upon his condition as helpless: Thus the foul troubled for sin, though all the world give him peace, yet that will not satisfy him; his thoughts are daily, What doth the Lord say? Besides these, as you see in David, though he greatly offended, and injured man, being guilty of blood; yet he crieth out to God, Against thee, thee only have I sinned; and earnestly prayeth, God would not hide his face from him, Psal. 51.

Secondly, God alone must be the fountain of all grace and peace, Because he alone is the person offended. When we sin, it is he that is provoked, it's his honour, and his Law that is despised; and therefore seeing not the creatures, but God himself is chiefly offended, till he be reconciled, we cannot have any true and certain peace. That as it is with a Subject, who hath offended the Prince, it lieth in the Prince his power only to be gracious, and to give a pardon; though all men in the Nation should give it him, yet if not ratified and confirmed by the Prince, whom he hath offended, he looketh upon his condition as helpless: Thus the foul troubled for sin, though all the world give him peace, yet that will not satisfie him; his thoughts are daily, What doth the Lord say? Besides these, as you see in David, though he greatly offended, and injured man, being guilty of bloud; yet he cryeth out to God, Against thee, thee only have I sinned; and earnestly prayeth, God would not hide his face from him, Psal. 51.

Use of Direction, To all contrite broken hearts, who like that woman troubled with the bloody flux, have spent all they had upon Physicians that could do no good. Thou hast thus many years been bowed down, a stranger to all joy and peace, look up to God more, know he alone can give thee true joy. For this reason we see David and others, still making their addresses to God, That he would make the bones that were broken to rejoice, that he would make the parched wilderness to be like a pleasant spring, for otherwise they are undone and miserable, till he looks upon them. Now then, if God be the only cause of thy peace; take heed how thou provokest him; better offend all the world than God. For the world, though it rage and persecute thee, yet cannot deprive thee of this peace; but God hideth his face in a moment, and then thou must needs be troubled. Therefore do not think to get this grace and peace from thy own works and doings, but imitate David, who said, He would hear what the Lord will speak,