The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 50
Upon the worthleſneſs of a ſpiders web.
50. Med.
WHen I conſidered further the great diligence, and the unwearied pains of the ſpider, yea, the fineneſs of the thread, and the curioſity of the work, and how ſhe drew it out of her own bowels, and yet notwithſtanding how uſeleſs and unprofitable it was, if a man ſhould make a garment of it, it would neither wear well, nor keep warm or dry, neither can it ſhelter from winde or ſtorm; if he make armour of it, it cannot defend him; if we lean upon it, it cannot ſupport us; if we fall upon it, it cannot bear us up, neither can it ſtand before the beſome, but it is ſoon rent and ſpoiled, and ofttimes the work and the workman, the weaver and the web, are caſt both together into the fire; I thought it reſembled the world, and the things of the world; for of this it is the devil makes his net to catch ſouls, which are the flys he hunts after, which in it ſelf conſidered is vain and tranſitory, too poor a refuge to truſt to, either for temporal deliverance, or eternal happineſs; yet many like the ſpider ſpend themſelves to weave their web, and even draw it out of their own bowels, yea, their very hearts goes along with it, and if they meet with a proſperous ſucceſs, they like the rich man, Luk. 12.16. &c. ſing a requiem to their ſouls, and promiſe themſelves a great deal of happineſs; when alas, Gods beſome of deſtruction ſudenly comes, and ſweeps away both the work and the workman in a moment, and caſts both into the fire, yet many ſpider-like put their truſt in theſe webs of their own making, and think they may eat, drink, and be merry, &c. right Epicures, that make their gut their God, and eat that on earth they muſt digeſt in hell: their glaſs is run, when they think it is but new turned; then ſhall they finde, though too late, that their money will do nothing, and death will not be hired, but righteouſneſs alone will deliver from death. Solomon tells us Pro. 18.11. the rich mans wealth is his ſtrong-hold, and high walls in his own conceit, but wealth is never true to thoſe that truſt it, and cannot help in the evil day, Zeph. 1.18. but if ſin lie at the foundation, though the walls be made never ſo high, they will tumble down, Jer. 17.5. curſed is man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arm, and whoſe heart departeth from the living God; and truly, of ſuch refuges we may ſay as Job of the ſpiders web, Job. 8.13, 14, 15. if a man lean upon his houſe, it ſhall not ſtand, though he hold it faſt it ſhall not endure: moſt men like to a drowning man, lay hold upon ſomething to ſtay them, and to bear up their heads above water, but if it be not upon the Lord Jehovah, it will do them no good, but prove like to Egiptian reeds, not only break, but run into their hands; ſhould we truſt in Princes, or Parliaments, in armies, or Gariſons, in men or money, in food or phyſick, in friends or relations, or in any other earthly enjoyment, we ſhall finde diſappointments, for theſe are not God, but webs of our own weaving, nets of our own making, which may help to ſink us, but never to ſave us: yet many men (as God complains) Eſay. 59.5, 6. they hatch cockatrice eggs, and weave ſpiders webs, but their web ſhall not become a garment, neither ſhall they cover themſelves with their work, it is too thin to ſhelter them from a ſhower of divine juſtice, and too ſhort to cover their nakedneſs, Pſal. 33.16, 17. there is no king delivered by the multitude of an hoſt, a mighty man is not delivered by much ſtrength, a horſe is a vain thing for ſafety, neither ſhall he deliver any by his great ſtrength: what then is the reſult of all, but this, Jer. 3.23. truly in vain is ſalvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains, truly in the Lord our God is the ſalvation of Iſrael, Pſal. 121.2. my help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth: and as for temporals, ſo for ſpirituals: he that truſts for ſalvation from any thing but God, will ere long finde his miſtake, and yet how many build their hopes upon a ſandy foundation, and truſt to a broken ſtaff, ſome to Church-priviledges, becauſe they are baptized, and go to Church, they think they muſt needs go to heaven, and that God wrongs them if he do not ſave them: they are like the Jews that though they did ſteal, murther, and commit adultery, and ſwear falſly, and burn incenſe to Baal, and ſerved other Gods, yet they cryed out the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, Jer. 7.4, 6, 7. when they forgot the Lord of the temple, and diſobeyed him, yet they thought themſelves ſecure; but what was Simon Magus the better for his baptismal water, when he was ſtill in the gall of bitterneſs, and bonds of iniquity? Is the making of the covenant worth any thing, if it be not kept? it doth but encreaſe the guilt, and add to their damnation: ſome truſt for ſalvation to a good nature, a good diſpoſition, a good meaning, meer civility, common honeſty, and think it is ſufficient, I am neither whore, nor thief (ſaith one) and what then, muſt thou needs be ſaved? do all go to heaven that avoid theſe ſins? this is good news for many heathens; others truſt to humane learning, external gifts and parts: but the greateſt enemies that ever Chriſt had in the world, were men of great learning, and profound natural parts, the Philoſophers of old, Scribes and Phariſees, yea, the Jeſuits at this day, others truſt to a bare profeſſion of religion, with the fooliſh virgins, but all this is but to a ſpiders web; oh my ſoul, reſt not upon theſe rotten props, or deceitful webs, for temporal ſafety or eternal ſalvation, for they will deceive thee; they are not the Lord Jehovah who is thy only refuge: lay thy foundation upon that rock, that is higher then thee, ſo neither winde nor weather, ſtorms nor tempeſts can moleſt thee: all other foundations are ſandy, and will down, they are Egiptian reeds, and will break in thy hand if thou lean upon them: truſt Gods power and providence, and his other attributes, for thy temporal preſervation, and roul thy ſelf upon the merits and righteouſneſs of Chriſt for thy eternal welfare, then wilt thou be happy here, and hereafter: oh my God, pardon my ſin and folly in expecting ſalvation from the hills, and from the mountains, in truſting to this and that arm of fleſh for temporal ſalvation, and leaning upon this and that ſpiders web for eternal ſalvation: Lord aſſiſt me for the time to come, to commit both ſoul and body to thy ſelf, who only canſt provide for me.