he a Master he may see his Servants thus serving him with such opportunities to give unto them that which is just and equal knowing that they also have a Master which is in Heaven and if he be a Servant his Master gratifies him with the like opportunity of Obedience unto GOD while he obeyeth in all things his Master according to the Flesh not with eye-Eye-service as Men-pleasers but in singleness of Heart fearing GOD doing whatsoever he doth heartily as to the LORD knowing that of the LORD he shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance for he serveth the LORD CHRIST Colossians 3.22 with good-will doing Service as unto the LORD not to Men Ephesians 6.7 Not answering again not purâ—oyning but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of GOD our SAVIOVR in all things Titus 2.10 Being subject with all fear not onely to the Gentle but to the Froward 1 Peter 2.18 The like may be said of all Relations yea every Providence of GOD every Natural and Civil Action of Humane Life supplies the Spiritual Weaver with Pipes to do his work by 4. The Weaver puts the Pipes or Quills which the Boys have fillell with Yarn for him into his Shuttle the hollow of his Shuttle in order to his work My Son saith Solomon if thou wilt receive my Words and hide my Commandments with thee c. Proverbs 2.1 why should not the hollow of the Shuttle put me in mind of the secret places of my Heart where the Spirituâ—l Weaver too must fasten every Pipe that he makes use of to compleat his VVeb of Righteousness It is not for nothing that we have in holy writ the Man according to GODS own Heart so often saying I will meditate on thy VVorks and in thy VVord Psalms 119.78 and 48.23 and 15.148 Psalms 77.12 He that never meditateth about his Duty with respect to every Providence every Relation is never like to do it The Weaver that intends to work puts every Pipe into the hollow of his Shuttle and makes it fast there whoso intendeth the performance of his spiritual work must go and do likewise VVhen the Providence of GOD gives him a New Relation he must be meditating what now is the will of GOD concerning me what is my Duty towards this VVife this Child this Servant and the sense of this Duty must be upon his Heart Meditation is the Soul 's Stand upon its Object The will of GOD in every Circumstance of his Life must not onely be received in his Understanding but hid in his Memory engraven upon his Heart and Affections set continually before his Eyes He will otherwise weave his Spiritual VVeb no better than the Weaver could weave his Cloth or piece of Stuff without a Pipe in his Shuttle Oh how many are there that neglect this they have a Duty to do in every Circumstance of their Lives a Duty toward their Relations a Duty with respect to GODS Providence as it is diversified to them but either they know it not being ignorant of the Scriptures or they remember it not or they love it not the Pipe is not in the Shuttle they can make no work Their Life is indeed a Life of Action they are throwing the Shuttle all the day long People of busie Heads and Hands but their time is spent as Seneca complained either in doing Nothing or in sinning which is a doing what is worse than Nothing or in doing other Things which signifie Nothing either to GOD'S Glory or their Eternal Happiness or in doing Things which though materially Good are formally Evil bonum non bene good Things spoiled in the Doing and all this for want of putting the Pipes in the Shuttle understanding the will of GOD concerning them under these or these Circumstances then hiding it in their Hearts and setting it before them as the Rule of their Lives and Conversations 5. Once more methinks I cannot but observe how the VVisdom of Divine Providence hath made VVork for all the Children of Men that as there was no Beggar in Israel so there need be no Beggars in England How many doth a single VVeaver imploy of all both Sexes and Sizes It must be an adult Man must VVeave but VVomen must Spin for him and Children must fill his Pipes It is the Reproach of England that there are so many Beggars in the Streets thereof when GOD hath furnished it with one little Beast whose Profit if improved would set them all to VVork and afford them Bread in the Sweat of their Face That we are full of Scandalous Beggars is not because the Providence of GOD hath not laid out VVork enough or the Trading of England is so little that it will not set them to it nor because the legislative Power hath not provided sufficient Laws but because they are so ill executed by inferiour Officers and Parents are suffered to bring up their Children in Idleness O England spit out thy Flegm shake off thy Sloth Honour GOD in the Substance and Increase which He hath given Thee It is nothing but Lust and Sloth that fills Thee with such Prodigious VVickedness and Reggary The Poem What this poor Child at my Command Doth reaching Pipes fill to my hand Which I first in my Shuttle hide Then weave my Web and am supplied With new ones by and by untill I my intended Task fulfill That every Providence Divine That every Period of Time Each new Relation Actions all Within my Sphere what-ere doth fall Doth to my Soul still offering me Renewed Opportunity To weave my Web of Righteousness That Men see not my Nakedness LORD give me in my Heart to hide Thy will and make it there to abide Thy will concerning me in all Periods of Life and things that fall Vnto my Shame Each circumstance May make me with thy help t' advance In Holiness Teach me t' improve All Pipes whether of frowns or Love Watching advantages to do The whole of what thou call'st me to And whiles thy Providence O GOD Bringeth me Pipes thy Staff thy Rod All fill them for me Let them be Accepted and wrought out for thee I stay not Lord for Pipes O may My busie Soul make no delay In work Work party-coloured With here a child's their father's threed Here let an Husband's duty run And there a Master's threed well spun All knit together by the band Of Love to thee and thy Command That when my Weaâ—ing time is gone My LORD may say to me Well done Beyond my Task I can do nought Let that but to an end be brought Which cannot be without thy skill Although thy self my Pipes dost fill CHAP. V. The Art The Weaver being thus prepared for his Work setteth himself to it swiftly throwing his Shuttle with one hand which he catcheth with the other not without some motion and imployment of his whole Body The Shuttle leaving a threed at every Cast of it betwixt the divided parts of the Warp which he uniteth to the other
and makes him carefull and wary how he throws it The spiritual Weaver understanding that every Action of his Life will contribute to his VVeb ought to keep a VVatch upon his Heart his Tongue his Hands his whole Man to look before he throws his Shuttle ay and look back upon it too when he hath thrown it For a Christian works more for Eternity than Apelles painted for it 5. A Threed through the weakness of it will break sometimes do the VVeaver what he can The VVeaver lays the Ends together or knits a Knot to Vnite the Threeds again then it passeth provided it be not done too often Iniquities saith David prevail against me Let the spiritual VVeaver do what he can his Threed will sometimes break his Course of Righteousness through Corruption will be interrupted The good which I would I do not Romans 7.19.23 I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into Capâ—ivity to the Law of Sin The spiritual VVeaver hath nothing in this Case to do but by Repentance agâ—in to lay his Ends together to make his former Righteous Actions agree with the latter to knit the Knot of a renewed Covenant with GOD and a new Resolution to keep the LORDS Statutes This being done though the Failures are seen by the Eye of him who seeth all Things yet the VVeb passeth upon the Covenant of Grace for which we may give GOD thanks for our LORD JESVS CHRIST For we have not an High-Priest which cannot forgive Infirmities the Apostle tells us He can have Compassion upon the Ignorant and upon them that are out of the way Hebrews 5.2 6. The VVeaver must have his Temples which lying upon the VVeb keep it fixed and extended he would otherwise never work to any Purpose What the pair of Temples is to the VVeaver those noble Graces Fear and Faith and Love are to the Christian These spiriâ—ual Habits dwelling in eâ—â—â—y Gracious Heart influence all his Actions and keep his VVeb fixed and steady he walks in the Fear of the LORD all the day long he lives in the prospect of a Promise yea of many Promises made to them who hold out to the End he acteth not out of Constraint but VViâ—lingly from a Principle of Love The Hypocrite wanting these Habits of Grace works with no fixedness but at great Uncertainties these Habits keep the VVeb of Righteousness extended and the spiritual Soul fixed his Heart is fixed trusting in the LORD saith the Psalmist Do this and Live for I fear GOD saith Joseph and again in the Case of his Mistriss How shall I do this great Evil and Sin against GOD The Sameness and Immutability of GOD in His Nature and VVill who is the Object of the Souls Faith and Fear makes him the same in all times it keeps his Soul fixed and to the same extent and dimensions of spiritual Duty his Eye is alwayes upon him that is Invisible Oh what lamentable work doth the Hypocrite make in his spiritual Loom for want of these spiritual Temples at what incertainties doth he throw his Shuttle he is fixed and steady in nothing one thing to day another thing to morrow his Sails are set according to the wind of his interest which according to the Varieties of this VVorld one while blows from the North another while in the quite opposite Quarter VVhereas the sincere good spiritual Workman keeping his Temples before him works Evenly Steadily Fixedly he sets GOD before his Eyes alwayes as his Fear thence it is that his Feet do not slide he is alwayes Eyeing the Promise so is ever labouring to fulfill the Condition and dayly fearing and taking heed lest having a Promise of â—ntering into rest he should fail through Unbelief These Temples move every day with him and in him he carries them along with his work till his Web of Righteousness be wholly done 7. Lastly I observe there are some Pieces of Stuff and Cloth which a single Person cannot work alone two sit at the Loom the one receiveth the Shuttle which the other throws and returns it to the Hand from which it came The Spiritual Weaver hath Some such Webs too he hath Relative as well as Personal Duties The Husband throws his Shuttle to his VVife walking before Her as a Man of VVisdom and Knowledge Loving Her and Honouring Her as the VVeaker Vessel She returneth it back to him again Obeying Her own Husband submitting Herself to him he must Love his Wife as CHRIST Loves his Church and she takes care to Reverence Hâ—r Husband Both are at work together as meet helps one to another in the things of GOD and in the things of the VVorld and this is acceptable in the sight of GDD What Rare Hangings for an House do such a Pair of Weavers make How much more Excellent than those of Guilded Leather and Tapestry The Father throws the Spiritual Shuttle to the Child bringing him up in the Nurture and Admonition of the LORD teaching him the way in his or her Youth which he shall not forget when he is Old The Children return it to the Father or Mother Obeying them as it is Right in the LORD Honouring them not Meerly from a Natural Right but because it is the first Commandment of GOD with a Promise annexed to it The Master throws his Shuttle to his Servant Commanding him and all within his gates to Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath-day whetting the Law of the LORD upon them when they Lie down and when they Rise up when they go out and when they come in giving unto his Servants that which is just and equal The Servant again returns it to his Master being Obedient to him that is his Master according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of Heart as unto CHRIST not with eye-Eye-service as a Man-pleaser but as a Servant of CHRIST doing the will of GOD from the Heart with good will doing service as to the LORD and not unto Men knowing that whatsoever good thing any Man doth the same he shall receive from the LORD whether he be Bond or Free Ephesians 6.5 6 7. not answering again not purloining but shewing all good Fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of GOD our SAVIOVR in all things Titus 2.9.10 So in Political and Ecclesiastical Relations the pious Magistrate throws the Shuttle to his Subjects ruling them in the fear of the LORD commanding the Ministers of the Gospel in his Dominioâ—s to fulfill their office commanding all his Subjects to keep the Law of the LORD forbidding all deceitfull Weights and Ballances not regarding faces in Judgement not oppressing the Poor and Fatherless but regarding the Cryes of them and of the Widows The Subject again returns the Shuttle to the Magistrate being subject to the higher Powers knowing there is no Power but is ordained of GOD being subject not only for Wrath but for Conscience Sake for this cause paying Tribute also because they are GODS Ministers
them to me 1. In the first place I observe the Circumstances of that Occupation Equally fitted to the Personal advantages of those which are Employed in it and the Political good of the place where it is exercised with any other If not much exceeding most Employments VVhich I shall make out in several particulars 1. It s End and effect is the Supply of one of the great wants of Humane Life Food and Rayment are our two great Bodily Needs The Apostle adviseth that if we have them we should be content The Weaver supplies the Latter VVhat sad Employments have many Persons in the World the End of which is nothing else but Luxuary and the Satisfaction of Lusts Their Trades are but a Factorage for the Devil a meer Provision for the sinful flesh for the fulfilling the Lusts thereof Blessed GOD If mens Consciences where not feared with an hot iron upon what an uneasy pillow would they lye down at Night when their Consciences should tell them now I have been doing nothing this day but serving mens lusts and helping them on to their Eternal Râ—ine and Destruction How many are thus employed The Weaver as to this may sleep secure and work securely in the day-time being assured that he may comfortably abide in the Calling to which GOD hath called him He may confidently beg GOD'S Blessing upon his Employment and say Prosper thou the work of our Hands upon us O LORD Prosper thou our Handy work He whose Employment lieth in a meer Service of Pride Luxulry and Wantonness cannot do so 2. A Second advantage of this Trade is The little time that it giveth either Servant or Master but Servants especially for idleness Idleness especially in Youth is the source and fountain of almost all the Debauchery polluteth the world and all the Baggary with which we abound Solomon tells us Ecclesiasticus 10.18 By much Slothfulness the Building decayeth and through idleness of the Hands the Building drops through This saith Ezekial 16.49 was the iniquity of Sâ—dom Pride fulness of Bread and abundance of idleness was in her Daughters The Soul of Man iâ— an active busy thing and must be set on work if it be not kept in a constant good Employment it will most certainly employ it self ill and undoubtedly the Debauchery of most places owes it self to the great Leisure that Servants have in Shops c. The Weaver can find no time to be Idle in a blessed Employment which keeps the Soul out of the Temptations to which Idleness exposeth it Idle Persons 1 Timothy 5.13 are not Idle only but Tatlers and Busie-Bodies wandring from House to House and speaking things which they ought not Yea and doing things too which they ought not It is the idle Person that proves the Gamester the Drunkard c. It is true there may be an Excess in Labour when it is to that degree that it wasteth the Body destroyeth the Health allows not due time for Devotion nor the reasonable Repairs of the Body by Food or Sleep or moderate Recreation but these things excepted the lesser time for Idleness any Trade allows the better it is This I am sure this Trade doth I and many times Ashamed of my own Bed when I see the Candles in the poor Weavers Chambers or hear the Noises of their Looms 3. Thirdly It is the Advantage of this above many other Trades that a Man may be dealing in it with a little Stock and from it get a little Livelihood It is the Disadvantage of many other Employments that nothing can be done in them without several Hundreds of Pounds going 't is otherwise in this My self have known many who came to considerable Estates who have told me they begun with ten Pound they passed but with a Staff over Jordan and at their coming Back had Great Droves 4. Fourthly If GOD blasts the Weaver in his Course of Trade yet provided he hath his Health and Limbs his Trade affords him a Livelihood Many Trades do not this they are more open c. and if the Tradesman fails he is forced to fly 5. If GOD blesseth the Weaver in his Trade he is fitted by it also in a great measure for the more Noble Employment of a Merchant He hath learned to know the true making and the prices of most Stuffs how they may be afforded c. 6. It gives a great advantage for some exercises of Religion to be interwoven with seculare Employments It is the great unhappiness of some Employments that they so wholly take up the Head and Heart of such as are Ingaged in them that they hardly allow any intervals for any Spiritual Employment The Weaver is not so But his Trade is very consistent with 1. Heavenly Ejaculations He may have manum in textrino oculos in coelo his Employment will not hinder his devout Soul from many a look toward Heaven he may VVeave and pray 2. Spiritual Meditations If not so continued and fixed as if wholly at leisure yet frequent and serious My sense of this hath given me the occasion of helping him in the former part of this Discourse 3. Spiritual discourse Ordinarily three or four are working here together in the same Chamber If but one of them will be the Preacher the others are tyed to be the hearers and indeed I have often thought how truly I cannot tell that this Trade this way hath very much contributed to the Religion of this Town GOD having a great number of that Occupation among us of whom we have Reason to hope very well as to their Eternal State 7. It is a Trade of great ingenuity No mechanick Trade if this may be called so giving such an advantage to Ingenious Persons to Improve their fancy by the invention of new Patterns or mixing Yarn and Colours too for a new Pattern laid before them 8. Lastly It is a Trade infinitely useful as to the Poor Females both VVomen and Children are imployed in preparing their Yarn Children from their Infancy almost in winding their Pipes Men in Weaving at the Loom In short I cannot tell whether there be any one other Employment that affords so many personal advantageâ— to the Trades-man or political advantages to the State under whose Government they are employed Solomon saith the King is served 〈◊〉 the Field I am sure the King of England is eminently served by the Weaver and this is obvious to any one who doth but consider what an innumerable company of Spinsters Woolcombers Filling-boys Shearmen Dyers Pressers c. depend upon them Besides the Merchant by them is served with infinite variety of Stuffs to be transported into all the hotter parts of the world besides the great quantities used in our Land and the Kings adjacent Dominions 1. This Observation may be of a double use to the Weaver 1. To Restrain his Discontent for the Course of Life in which the Providence of GOD the Prudence of his Parents or Governours and his own Choice in his
Task which if he doth he shall be paid for it So cannot the Spiritual VVeaver nay when he hath done all he can he must say he is an unprofitable Servant a Servant so as what he hath done is but his Duty an unprofitable Servant so as what he hath done comes short of his Duty So that indeed our Spiritual VVeaver strictly hath not according to his VVork not according to the Failures and Imperfections of it but according to the Kind of it and Degrees of Goodness in it The Spiritual VVeavers Reward is by no means a Quid pro quo a proportionable Reward unto hiâ— work but it is a Reward of Grace according to the Nature and Degree of his Sincerity in hâ— VVork 5. When the Weavers piece cometh off the Loom according to the Nature of the piece it iâ— either by the Master onely made up and pressed and sealed or else as some pieces require it is Dyed Fulled Tentered Raised Pressed Glozed and so Exposed to the Merchant Much of this is onely to Deceive or please the Buyers Eye Nothing of this is to be done to the Spiritual VVeb that goes to an Eye which as it cannot be Deceived so it will not be Pleased with any Glozings Onely Dyed it must be made up and â—ffered unto GOD it must be Sealed it must be The only Dye that can give an acceptable tincture to the work of Righteousness is in the Fountain set open to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Hierusalem for sin and for Vncleanness Revelation 7.14 Those that came out of great Tribulation washed their Robes and made them White in the Blood of the LAMB If we sin saith the Apostle and who lives who works and sinneth not We have an Advocate with the Father even JESVS CHRIST the Righteous â—r John 2.1 It is CHRIST that with his Blood and Perfect Satisfaction must dye all our works It is he who must make them up Perfect through this Righteousness 'T is he that must set his Seal of acceptation upon them who must offer them â—p unto his Father This is what Saint John saw Revelation 8.3 when he saw another Angel standing before the Altar having a Golder Censer And there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar verse 4. which was before the Throne And the Smoak of the Incense which came with the Prayers of the Saints ascended up before GOD out of the Angels Hand Thus now hath our Spiritual Weaver finished his work run the Race which GOD set him to run finished his Course and Enters the Paradise of GOD. 6. But I observe that every Poor VVeaveâ— cannot stay for his Wages until the End of the Year but hath it from week to week Possibly they cannot stay so long but must have it from day to day The good Master Indulgeth him considering his Necessities and the Nâ—eds of his Family he giveth him not all but some he giveth him So doth our great LORD and Master Godliness hath Promise both of this Life and also of that which is to come Our LORD knoweth that we are Necessitous Creatures and cannot do him Service while we are in the Body without Food and Rayment Godliness hath therefore many Promises annexed to it which are fulfilled in this Life if not to all in the extent of some Promises yet to all so far as shall be Food Convenient and so enough for them to Support Uphold and Maintain them while in this world they are at their LORDS work Yet not this in Equal Portions But as many Masters that have Various work-men not indued all with alike Discretion sometimes trust one who is the discreetest of them with the portions belonging to three or four 't is all in trust that they should distribute to Six and also to Seven So doth our great LORD and Master in his distributions of the good things of this Life which are capable to be ill as well as well used GOD gives to some Abundance to others enough to others too little He that hath abundance hath with it a charge to be Rich in good works to do good to distribute GOD hath provided for all some have it in their own Hands others have it in their Friends Hands GOD puts for the Poor into the Hand of the Rich and with a charge to them to do good and to distribute it according to his order and under and by the Rules he hath set down in his Word Their great VVages is to be Paid at the End of their Days indeed at the End of the World But they shall in the mean time have Something to support and Uphold them while they are in the Flesh doing and Suffering the will of GOD concerning them The Poem LORD how we labour for a piece of Bread Which when we have It perisheth No sooner are we Fed Our Stomacks crave We work and by and by our gettings Spend What we before Were that we are Our Labour 's without End And we still poor Still but our Body 's fed Our better Self Will starved be It cannot be maintained with worldly Pelf T' Eternity Is there no better Trade might not I work For better pay If I serv'd GOD My Soul let it not irk Thee for to pray To Read to Hear to spend time every day To make that sure Which when all these poor things shall melt away Shall still endure Work how I will while I am in the Flesh My pay will be Or Good or Bad of Either more or less Eternally Why doest thou say no Mortal Man can Live Meerly on Prayer Did ever GOD unto his Servant give Nothing but Air Cans't trust him for a Crown and canst nâ—t trust Him for thy Bread Hath he not said unto thy part of dust It shall be Fed Did ever any him for nothing serve For nothing here If thou doest not abound thou shalt not starve Thou needst not fear But do not think that thou doest from thy Maker Earn the least Good All 's free Gift or because thou art Partaker Of â—hy LORDS Blood His Hand must Seal his Blood must Dye the Piece If he but write ACCEPTED it shall pass for Righteousness That makes it right Out of that Angel's hand my GOD let all My Prayers come To thee and whatsoever good I shall Work in my Loom The Art of Weaving Spiritualized Part. II. CHAP. I. Of the Excellency of the Trade Observations HItherto I have only helped our Weaver with some hints for Spiritual Meditations and Discourse from the several parts of his Work Let me now give him some few Observations I hâ—ve made upon eight and twenty Years Converse with many of this Occupation My Observations will some of them be more General relating to other Trades as well as that Some more Special relating to that Employment I shall not be curious in distinguishing them each from other but take them as my thoughts suggest
years I have had in my Thought even ever since I saw Mr. Flavel's Navigation and Husbandry Spiritualized But many of you know that from my Youth upward my Hand hath been full of Employments and my latter years more full than my former More than forty years of my Life were spent without much care what to Eat or Drink since that time those Cares have also been upon me and made my work something more than to consider what Subject next to Preach upon and how to handle it These few Sheets by reason of this were taken in hand again and again and as often laid aside at last a very few days have finished the greater part of them and for some of that leisure you may thank some Informers too It is a noble design to instruct People how to Spiritualize every Object and a nobler Practice for any to do it Our Blessed LORD made it his business to take all Advantages to commend to his Disciples and Hearers spiritual Meditations on earthly Objects The sight of Bread John 6. brings forth that excellent Sermon about the Bread of Life His asking of Water of the Woman of Samaria gave him an occasion to discourse of the living water which whoso drinks shall thirst no more And it is more than probable that his sight of a Shepherd with his flock of Sheep and of a Vine gave occasion to those excellent Sermons John 10. John 15. It is the great Disadvantage of most Worldly Employments that they have a natural tendency to divert the Soul from GOD upon which account I remember it was that holy Mr. Palmer preferred the Work of the Ministry to all the Employments of the World as leading the Soul directly to the Meditations of GOD and whose Work ly in a Communion with him whereas all other Employments bent the Soul another way I know no better way to remedy this Disadvantage from the nature of your Work than by shewing you how you may make it an Advantage to you This is the very business of these few Sheets Brethren give me leave to tell you all That my Hearts desire and Prayer to GOD for you is that you may be saved Though I have a just regret and compassion for any Soul that I see like to perish Eternally yet methinks I have a juster and sadder regret for any industrious Souls I would not have one of them perish eternally whom I see so industrious to take pains that they and their Families might live a few years comfortably in this Life There is a Generation of Men that are too lazy to go to Heaven or to live here but upon the Alms and Spoils of others It had been good for them they had never been Born and it had been also good for the World they never had been Born for their Lives in it are of no further use than to defile and to devour and to distrub it If such Men perish let them perish we having given them a due Warning But methinks it pities my Soul to think that a Weaver should eternally perish A Weaver whom I see before four of the Clock in the Morning and after 8 9 10 at night hard at Work that one so patient of Labour for the Bread that perisheth so patient of Self-denial in the Sports and Pleasures which others spend their Life in and all for a few Shillings at the end of the Week I say that such a one after the long Toyl of his Laborius Life should at last lie down in Hell this goes very near me And I cannot but say sometimes Surely we who are the Lords Ministers do not instruct these Men enough we do not press the thoughts of Eternity upon them as we ought to do These are a People that are not too lazy to be saved they are Men that can work night and day in their earthly Masters work for a Livelihood for their Bodies Surely if we could perswade them they had Souls and those immortal Souls that they are Beings ordained to an Eternity That Eternal Happiness is not to be got by a Loom but by Believing Reading Hearing Prayer Self-denial taking up Christs Cross Mortification of beloved Lusts they might be perswaded to spend some time every day in Reading Praying some time in Hearing to spend some time in searching and trying their wayes that they may turn unto the LORD I know that when we have done and said what we can Old Adam as he said will be found too hard for Young or Old Melancthon The way of Man is not in himself neither is it in Man to direct his steps But shew me that person who hath done what in him lies towards his own Salvation to whom GOD hath denied his free but effectual Grace My good Friends You know I cannot from the Pulpit as formerly speak unto you if I could neither were this a fit Theme to discourse there neither would the sound of my words in your Ears abide with you so as a printed Book may I have on purpose contracted my Discourse into a few sheets that it may be a burthen not too heavy for an ordinary Purse I propose to my self nothing of gain in it If I may but gain one Soul it is enough if not I have but my Labour for my Pains as we say in our English Proverb I would willingly help on your Salvation and shew my Love and Kindness to an industrious People I have nothing else but my poor Prayers by which I can shew my self Your faithful Friend and Servant in the work of the Gospel J. C. The Art of Weaving Spiritualized CHAP. I. Exod. xxxv 35. Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of Work of the Ingraver and of the Weaver c. The Meditations Sect. 1 THE Work here in Hand was the making a Tabernacle a moving House for the Lord God of Israel The VVorkmen are nominated by God himself v. 30. The Lord hath called by Name Bezaleel the Son of Uri the Son of Hur and verse 34. Aholiab the Son of Ahisamach It is reasonable the Master of the House should appoint his own Workmen These he filled with his Spirit in Wisdom Vnderstanding Knowledge and in all manner of Workmanship God never sends any to his VVork but he first furnisheth them with Tools fit to do it Those who are busied at works for which they are not spirited and inabled whoever sends them are not sent by God As he fitted these workmen with wisdom of Heart to work all work so particularly it is said And of the Weaver Sect. 2. The Art of VVeaving then hath a Divine Original Naamah the Sister of Tubal-cain mentioned Gen. 4.22 might be the first Spinstress or Weaveress as Genebrard thinks the Scripture tells us her Brother was the first workman in Brass and Iron if She first learned others yet 't is certain God first taught her If Closterus first made Spindles his God first taught him that Discretion and if Naamah first
not enough to have Truth in our Bible and Books and a Notion of it in our Heads it must be fastned to our Souls which is alwayes done by Faith we must be Rooted and Grounded in Faith as well as in Love Propositions of Truth are many times but Probationers to the Soul and never admitted into its Fellowship A Man may know that Proposition of Truth from which yet he withholds his Assent is Men may detain the Truth in Vnrighteousness not living up to their Principles so they may retain the Truth in Vnbelief not fixedly and steadily agreeing to those Notions of Truth they have heard and learned Knowing is one thing agreeing to the Truth of what we know is another yea agreement is one thing and a steady fixed agreeing to it is another So that a Christian will strive earnestly and contend for it as another thing The Faith of many Christians is described by an Heathen Tully I mean Tusc quest lib. 1. Nescio quomoda dum lego assentior cum posui librum et mecum ipse de immortalitate animorum coepi cogitare assensio omnis illa elabitur When they read the holy Scriptures when they hear the Messengers of GOD interpreting them comparing Scripture with Scripture and from strength of Reason confirming Propositions in them they cannot but agree the things to be truth but as soon as the Books is out of their hand and the sound of the Preachers word is out of their Ears they begin to doubt whether any thing be Truth which they have read or heard and indeed no better is the Assent of any who by the mighty working of the Spirit of GOD have not Faith wrought in them hence it is that their Faith is neither Fruitfull by Love and Good Works nor steady in it self There is no need at all that to secure Holiness of Life Men should bring it into the description of Faith and so make an innovation in Divinity which alwayes according to the Scripture distinguished Faith and Love for Holiness which is Love in the Fruit is a necessary consequent of true Faith either respecting the Proposition of the Word or the Person of the Mediator Can he be thought indeed to believe that Arsenick is Poyson who yet freely takes it into his Belly Or can any be judged to trust in a Friend for a kindness who hath promised it but upon the condition of some performance which he refuseth to do It is I say from this that the Propositions of truth are not fastned in the Soul that Men walk not according to the light of them Ephesians 4.14 and that they are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Every breath of wind would disturb the Weaver and every idle hand would trouble him if his warp were not fastned to his Loom Every wind of Doctrine and every Ignorant idle Seducer disturbeth that Souls Profession of Truth who hath not the Proposition thereof by Faith fastned unto his Soul 2. The Weaver divideth his warp that it may serve several intendments The deliberate Christian divideth the Propositions of Truth of which his Soul is possessed Some refer to speculation Some more immediately to Practice Some inform him what GOD is what CHRIST is what He hath done and suffered what the holy SPIRIT is what Heaven and Hell are c. others more immediately refer to Practice informing the Soul what it ought to be both towards GOD and towards Men. These Precepts concern him as a Magistrate This concerneth him as a Minister These things concern him as a Father these as a Child These Propositions contain the Will of GOD concerning Him as an Husband These concern the Woman as a VVife These concern him as a Master The other as a Subject or as a Servant And this is necessary that he may be Holy in all manner of Conversation For Holiness is a lovely spotless Fruit that grows up from the revealed will of GOD concerning us as the Root and as this Root sends forth many Branches so the Fruit of Holiness must be seen in every Bough in every Relation and Circumstance of his Life 3. The filling-boys prepare the Yarn for the Weaver by winding it upon several Reeds and Quills which being filled he teacheth to the VVeaver sitting in his Loom and ready to go to work VVe suppose our spiritual Weaver fixed in his Loom ready to say with David My Heart is fixed O GOD my Heart is fixed resolved to walk with GOD in all the Duties of Holiness having sâ—id with David Psalms 119.57 Thou art my Porâ—ion O LORD I have said that I will keep thy words We suppose him also to have wound his warp â—bout his Loom to be not only possessed of a due Notion of Divine Truths but to have his Heart rooted and grounded in them giving a fixed and steady Assent unto them and now every Relation every Neighbour every New Providence every Action of his Life becomes as a filling-boy to him affording him matter to work upon reaching him a Quill or Reed to work with The Subject gives the Magistrate an opportunity to work the work of GOD by Executing Justice and Judgement without respect of Persons knowing that he judgeth not for himself but for the LORD c. The Magistrate doth the same for the Subject giving him an opportunity to fulfill the will of GOD by Honouring the King and being subject to the higher Powers because ordained of GOD. The VVife gives the Husband advantage for his spiritual web of Righteousness by loving Her as CHRIST loved his Church 1 Peter 3.7 by walking before Her as a Man of VVisdom and Knowledge Ephesians 5.25 Colosians 3.19 1 Peter 3.1 And the Husband requires his VVife by giving her the like advantage to shew her self obedient to the Commands of her Father which is in Heaven by reverencing her Husband endeavouring to win him by her Conversation by loving him and being subject unto him as her own Husband Titus 2.4 5. 1 Peter 3.1 Ephesians 5.22 23. c. Is he that sitteth in this spiritual Loom a Father how easily may he see every Child he hath about him with one of these Pipes or Quills in his hand offering him for his work of Righteousness an opportunity to be obedient unto GOD in bringing him or her up in the Nurture and Admonition of the LORD and not provoking it to wrath Ephesians 6.4 in minding it of its Covenant in Baptism made with GOD in teaching it or them the Statutes of the LORD diligently when he sitteth in the House when he walketh by the Way when he lyeth Down and when he riseth Vp according to the Law of the LORD Deutronomy 6.7 Is he a Child he may see his Parents mutually serving him in his spiritual work giving him advantage to please GOD by Obeying his Parents in the LORD for this is right Ephesians 6.1 Is