The Weavers Pocket-Book, Part 1 · Chapter 5
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 woven threeds by the continual motion of his Slea. In the mean time his Feet are moving the Treddles, which raiſing the heavels do part the Warp, and are continually making a new room for the Shuttle. In the mean time a pair of Temples ſpread upon the Web, keep it fixed and extended, advantaging the Weaver in his Work. Some Webs are of that Breadth, that a ſingle Perſon cannot work them, in ſuch Caſes two Weavers are employed each at the Extremities of the Loom, catching and returning the Shuttle which his Partner throws.
The Meditations.
1. OUR Spiritual Weaver is the good Chriſtian, his f…ſtening his Warp to his Beam, is the rooting of his Soul in Faith. To him every diverſified Providence ſupplies the place of a Filling-boy; offering him matter to work with and upon, in making his VVeb of Holineſs. We have ſeen him ſet in his Loom, fixed to his Work, reſolved to have reſpect to all GODS Commandments. Now how quick doth he throw his Shuttle from one hand to another? This is that which the Scripture calls a Running after GOD. Draw me (ſaith the Spouſe) and we will run after thee, Canticles 1. 4. I wi…l run the wayes of thy Commandments (ſaith the Man according to GODS own Heart.) Pſalms 119.32. The VVeaver works Early and Late, from Four in the Morning till Eight at Night. The good Chriſtian alſo preventeth the Morning-Watches, Pſ…l. 119.1…8 and medi…ates of GOD in the Ni…ht-Watches, Pſalms 63.6. he awaketh Early in the Morning, and Early ſeeketh GOD. Pſalms 57.8. and 63.1. and 108 2. Iſaiah 26.9. he is throwing his Shuttle, working the work of GOD all the Day long, Evening and Morning and at Noon be Prays and Crys aloud, Pſalms 55.17.
2. The Shuttle m…veth ſwiftly, and thus alſo ru… the Dayes of the Weavers Life; my Dayes (ſaith Job) are ſwifter than a VVeavers Shuttle: As ſwift as the Shuttle will run. The VVeaver thinks himſelf concerned to be at his Loom betimes, that his Task may be done by Night. Becauſe the Chriſtians Dayes are ſwif…er than a VVeavers Shuttle, he is highly concerned to be up betimes. Remembring his Cre…or in the Dayes of his Youth. Eccleſiaſticus 12.1. and as he hath need in the Morning to be throwing his Shuttle, ſo in the Evening his hand muſt not be ſlack; not only becauſe he will elſe not finiſh his Courſe, but becauſe the ſpiritual work is of that Nature, that as a Piece of Cloth or Stuff not Finiſhed, is fit for no Uſe but will all Ravel out; ſo if a Righteous Man forſake his Righteouſneſs and commit iniquity, his Righteouſneſs ſhall never be remembred, but he ſhall Die in the Iniquity which he hath committed. A Chriſtians work is like rolling a ſtone up an Hill, from which if the hand ceaſeth till it be lodged on the Top, it certainly falls back to the Bottom, and he that hath laboured about it, hath done juſt nothing but onelyonly tired himſelf to no purpoſe, nor ſhall reap any thing but his Labour for his Pains.
3. The whole of our VVeaver is employed in his work. His Head contrives it, his Eyes obſerve the Motions of the Shuttle, and the ſeveral parts of the Loom, that they be Regular, and ſerving his intendment. One hand throws the Shuttle, the other catcheth it, in the mean-time his Feet are not idle, they are at work upon the Treddels moving them. Without theſe Varicus Operations, of the ſeveral Members of his Body, our VVeaver could never diſpatch his work in any deſireable or acceptable Manner; nor hath the Law of the LORD left our ſpiritual VVeaver, one Limb or Member of his Body idle as to his ſpiritual VVork: His Head is employed in meditation, and contrivances for GOD; his Eyes are lifted up unto the LORD, from whom come all his Mercies; his Hands muſt work the VVork of Righteouſneſs: with his Feet he walks with GOD. Every Bodily Member hath its Office to a ſpiritual VVork as well as that which is Natural. GOD made every Member, and not a Member but for himſelf. Every Member in Man's Body hath a Natural Operation for which it is neceſſary. In our Civil Employments we both can and do uſe them ſucceſſively; there's none there uſeleſs amongſt them. And ſh…ll we think that there is any of them of no uſe to our ſpiritual work? Shall I with both my Hands work on my Trade, and have never an hand at work for GOD? how buſie am I at my work, with Hands and Feet, and Head and all my Body? was I ever ſo wholly imployed in the VVork of GOD, though the wages be highly more. The Fruit of this VVork will be but a few Shillings at the End of the VVeek, b…th the VVork of Righteouſneſs, will be Peace and Quietneſs and Aſſurance for ever. To what purpoſe are my Knees, and Hands, and Eyes, and Tongue at VVork in Prayer, if preſently my Hands be working iniquity? In the Web of Righteouſneſs, every Member hath its Office. It is the Fruit of the Souls Sanctification in Body and Mind and Spirit. GOD muſt be ſerved, with all and every Part, and Faculty; with all our Heart, and Soul and Strength.
4. The Shuttle every time it paſſeth from Hand to Hand, leaveth a Threed behind i…, Good or Bad; thus doth every Action of a Chriſtian's Life. All his Actions make but one Web, according to the Goodneſs, or Badneſs of which he muſt have his Reward, every particular Action is a Threed in this VVeb, and ſo hath an influence upon the VVeavers Praiſe or Diſpraiſe, and upon his Wages at laſt. So that as the VVeaver may ſay upon every Caſt of his Shuttle, now my VVork is nearer an End than it was before I threw my Shuttle; ſo a Chriſtian upon every Action may ſay; By this Action I am nearer Heaven or Hell; I have either added a Jewel more to my Crown, or a Coal more to the Fire I muſt endure. The Shuttle paſſeth not up and down for nothing. All our Thoughts, Words, and Actions are of an abiding Nature; Thouſands of them ſlip our Memory, but none of them eſcapes the Book of the Divine Omniſcience. In thy Book ſaith David, Pſalms 139.16. all my Members are written; and again, Thou tellest my Wandrings; put my Tears in thy Bottle, are they not in thy Book? It is as true concerning all our Actions, Are they not in GODS Books? VVe do them, and GOD keeps ſilence ſome time, Pſalms 50.21. but he will let us know that he ſeeth them, and will ſet them in order before our Eyes. Every Action makes a part of our web: we muſt receive our Eternal Reward, according to what we have done in the Fleſh. Man hath an imperfect Eye. A Maſter may over-look many an ill Threed in a Piece of Stuff; But the Eye of GOD is Acute and Perfect, nothing ſlippeth that, He will ſet all in order before our Eyes. The VVeavers Knowledge, that his Shuttle leaves every time he throws it ſomething towards his web, makes him diligent to ſee it be rightly ordered, 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 Ʋnite 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 Cap…ivity to the Law of Sin: The ſpiritual VVeaver hath nothing in this Caſe to do, but by Repentance ag…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 JESƲS 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 ſpiri…ual Habits dwelling in e…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 VVi…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 …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 H…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-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 SAVIOƲR 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 Dominio…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, rendring to all their Dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Cuſtome to whom Cuſtome, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour. The Miniſter of the Goſpel throws his Shuttle to his People. Preaching the Word of GOD in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon with all Faithfulneſs, Diligence, Boldneſs; In Meekneſs instructing thoſe who oppoſe themſelves; Fleeing alſo Youthfull Lusts, being Vigilant, Sober, of good Behaviour, given to Hoſpitality, apt to Teach, not given to Wine, no Striker, not greedy of filthy Lucre, Patient, no Brawler, not Covetous, &c. On the other ſide, Their People return the Shuttle, being Obedient in the LORD to thoſe who have the ſpiritual over-ſight of them; Laying apart all filthineſs, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, and with meekneſs receiving the engraffed Word, which is able to ſave their Souls, being doers of the word, and not hearers only. Oh what rare and beautiful webs of righteouſneſs are made at theſe double Looms, when they thus work according to the divine rule! happy is the people that is in ſuch caſe. Men ſhal certainly ſay this People have the LORD for their GOD.
The Poem.
How ſwiftly doth my Shuttle fly
To th'other hand? and by and by
Returns to th'other hand it firſt did throw;
Stops not at all, nor yet moves ſlow;
But as it moves a threed doth ſtay
To be united by the ſlay
Ʋnto the Web. All our days here
Swifter than Weaver's Shuttles are,
(Saith holy Job) ſouls cannot reſt
Idle at all, but work what's beſt
Or worſt. They cannot move, but ſome
New actions ſtays upon the Loom,
Adding ſtill to their Web, and muſt
At laſt be judged juſt, or unjuſt,
According to them all, when done:
So will the Judge's Sentence run
For life, or death. The whole muſt be
Judged by the All-ſeeing Eye.
What care had I of thoughts need take,
Of Words, of Actions! all theſe make
My Web; as it is true, or not
So will the wages I have got
Be unto me at laſt. Then Watch,
My drowſy ſoul! Let no ſleep catch
Thine Eyes: Let nothing thee betray
To what in the great Judgment-day
Will not abide. My head, my hand,
Mine Eyes, my feet, move at Command
Of my quick ſoul: Each act their part
While I am in my Weavers Art.
The head contrives, the hand doth caſt
The Shuttle, feet do move as faſt.
All is at work, the nimble Eye
Obſerveth how, the Shuttles fly:
Should I not this work Righteouſneſs
With my whole man? is that work leſs
In labour, or in price? Then ſhake
Thy ſelf my ſoul: Let each power take
It's part; Command the Members too
That each of them their part may do:
Think not, GOD will be ſerved by
A pious Tongue, or devout Eye,
Nor by a falſe pretending heart,
He muſt have all, and every part.
Doth a threed break, doth thy ſoul ſin,
Do what it can? Oh look back …hen,
And by Repentance make that good,
Which nothing but thy Saviours Blood
Can expiate; Repentance may
Pardon obtain, bu… no ſcores pay,
My ſoul, ſee that thy Tempels be
Always before thy face, Oh ſee,
Thou workst from Faith; love; holy Fear;
Theſe will thee keep, thou ſhal not Erre;
Thy work will ſtreight, and even be,
Nor ſhalt thou move incertainly.
My ſoul! learn how to work alone
And how with a companion:
Who doth not work of every kind
Himſelf will not approved find.