An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

I do not mean as he hath made our spirits, but as he hath made us spiritual, or as we are his workmanship, (that's the Apostles word) created in Christ Jesus ⟨p. 69⟩unto good works, (Eph. 2.10.) That we are thus wrought, works much upon the heart of God in the day of our affliction. That God hath made us men, that we are his creatures, is a good argument, a fair plea, and moves much; but that he hath made us new men, or new creatures, his Sons by grace, and Temples of his Spirit, that he hath made us holy, believing, righteous, is a far stronger argument, a fuller plea, and moves much more. A soul that can go to God thus, and tell him he is his maker; a soul that can say, (as 'tis said of the Church, Isa. 54.5.) My maker is my husband; He that made me, hath married me to himself; a soul that can say this, may indeed triumph in and over all his tribulations. How sweet is it to have an interest in Christ, and by him a relation to God as our maker in this respect. When the Lord rejects a people to the utmost, he saith he will not be staid, no not by this relation as their maker, from doing it, (Isa. 27.11.) This is a people of no understanding; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour. As if the Prophet had said, If any argument could move the Lord to show mercy, this would do it, to tell him, he hath made such a people, or, he is their maker. But there are none whom the Lord hath made in the third sense, as to a new creation, but he will have mercy on them, and show them favour; his making of them such, is a greater mercy and an higher favour, th•n any they can ask of him; nor are there any of that making, who are of no understanding. So then, he that is made of God spiritually, needs not care for all the unmaking or undoing he can receive from men, nor fear that he shall ever be unmade or unmercy'd by God. All he can lose in this world, doth not, cannot make him miserable, who is made fit for the world to come: He knoweth he hath an estate settled upon him by his Maker, which cannot be taken away. A man thus made, may say to his spoilers, Ye have taken nothing from me but the scraps and sweepings, the parings and chippings of my estate: