The Weavers Pocket-Book, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Weavers Materials: Wooll, Silk, Hair, Hemp, Flax, Cotton, &c.
The Meditations.
Sect. 1. THe Weaver's Trade, is of great Antiquity, yet not coveous to the Fall of Adam: That firſt indeed diſcovered Nakedneſs (which makes the Uſefulneſs of this Art) but the Art was not diſcovered as ſoon as Shame made a neceſſity of Clothes. Our firſt Parents firſt Sewed Fig-leaves together, and made themſelves Aprons, Geneſis 3.7. [or ſomething to gird about them] here GOD himſelf was the Weaver, and Adam and Eve were their own Taylors. VVe know not the Dimenſions of the Trees, or Leaves, or Fruits of thoſe fruitfull Places; but (be it what it will) the Protection a Fig-leaf could give muſt neceſſarily be very ordinary, and the Covering very ſcant. The Hebrew therefore ſaith no more than that they made Garments, covering thoſe Parts which Nature teacheth Us to Hide. The Extremities of Cold and Heat, which Sin had now made more Afflictive, and the faſt coming-up of the Thorns and Thiſtles, to which the Earth (for Mans ſake) was quickly Condemned, ſoon diſcovered need of better Clothes than Fig-trees could afford. When Weaving certainly began, is hard to ſay; but if what ſome would have, one of the Daughters of Lamech began it, it muſt be by that time the world had beed 1651 Years in Being. Be that as it will, we know within a thouſand Years after, Bezaleel and Aholiab were skilled in it. We know that in the Tabernacle were Curtains of fine twined Linnen, Blue, Purple and Scarlet (which certainly refer to woollen.) We know alſo there were Curtains of Goats Hair, Exodus 26.7. Of Silk indeed we read nothing, that I remember, till Proverbs 31. It ſhould ſeem by ſome of the Roman Hiſtorians, that it was a rare Commodity 284 Years after our Saviour: Aurelian therefore the Emperour would wear no Clothes, whoſe VVarp and VVoof were both Silk; for (ſaith my Author) a Pound of Silk was then of the ſame Value with a Pound of Gold. It was 555 Years after Chriſt before any great plenty of Silk was diſcovered in Europe. Procopius tells us, we were then beholden to two Monks for it, who brought ſome Silk-worms Eggs from the Indies to Juſtinian the Emperour. The Uſe of the other Materials was much more Ancient. Hemp, Flax and Cotton-wool, are vegetables: VVooll, Silk and Hair are the Product of ſenſitive Creatures. The whole Creation is made up of Things that have a meer Being; ſuch are the Elements, Stars, &c. or ſuch things as have Life and no more added to Being; ſuch are all Vegetables, Plants, &c. or ſuch as to Being and Life have alſo Senſe added, and therefore are called Senſitives; ſuch are all Beaſts, whether thoſe that have four feet or more, ſuch are Sheep, Goats, Worms, Flies and all Infects: or ſuch as have Being, Life and Senſe and Reaſon alſo; ſuch is Man. The Angels are a noble part of the Creation too, and have Being, Life, and Reaſon, but not ſenſe in that manner as Man, who exerciſeth the Faculties of his Soul by bodily Organs which they want. Two of thoſe great Hoſts of GOD contribute, and prove little enough to cover Man's Nakedneſs. The Hoſt of Vegetables afford Hemp, Flax and Cotton; the ſenſitives Wooll, Hair and Flax. Both would hide Mans ſhame. Man hath Eaten of the Tree of forbidden Fruit, and lieth Naked in his Tent. The Devils Mock him in his Lapſed Eſtate: The Senſitives and Vegetables join together to bring him wherewith to cover his ſhame. The poor VVorm ſpins her ſelf to Death; For him the Sheep caſts her Coat; The Goats and Camels ſuffer themſelves to be Clipped; The Tree ſends out Cotton-VVooll; The Plants grow and die. How doth the whole Creation freely ſerve him, who can hardly find an Heart to ſerve his or their Maker?
Sect. 2. Thou haſt (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) made him to have Dominion over the Work of thy Hands, thou hast put all things under his Feet, Pſalms 8.6. That thoſe which meerly have Being, are at his Command, or under his Feet, is plain: He treadeth upon the Earth, he lets in, or keeps out the Air; He turns the Water this or that way, as ſerveth his concern; He lets in, or keeps out the Air. But ſee alſo the Vegetables and Senſitives ſerving him. The Sheep before the ſhearers is dumb. Other Beaſts are patiently ſpoiled of their Hair. The Hemp and Flax are pilled. The Cotton-tree is content to loſe its iſſue every Year that Man might be Clothed. The Ox, the Sheep, and either of their Off-ſpring dyes that He might be Fed: So do the feathered Fowl and Fiſh. At what a Rate to the Conſumption of the Creation doth Man Live? When tempting our Saviour they brought to Him a Queſtion, Is it lawfull to pay Tribute to Caeſar, or is it not? He calls for a Piece of Coin, and querieth whoſe Superſcription and Image it bare: they ſay unto him Caeſar's. Mark our LORDS Application: Render therefore unto Caeſar the things that are Caeſar's, and unto GOD the things that are GODS. Doth the Weavers Diſpute whether he ſhould pay his Homage to GOD yea or no? Let him look upon the Parcel of Hair, Wooll, Silk, Hemp, Flax, Cotton, which being firſt twiſted into Yarn, he by and by faſtneth to his Loom, and ſay whoſe Image and Superſcription is here? his own Heart muſt make him anſwer, GODS. It is not in the Power of all the Sons of Man to make one of theſe things; and out of theſe he gets his Livelihood, and in the uſe of theſe things He and Thouſands of others Live. How reaſonable a thing is it that he ſhould ſerve that great LORD, who makes thus his whole Creation to ſerve him! It is his Wooll, his Hair, his Flax, his Hemp, his Silk, that the Weaver uſeth: VVere there not a GOD in the world there could have been no ſuch things. Surely then he ſhould not Live without a GOD in the World. If there be a GOD that loadeth us with his Benefits, there is a GOD to receive our Homages; with what a thankfull Heart ſhould the Weaver faſten his Materials to his Loom? with what fear ſhould he walk leſt he ſhould provoke GOD to recover at his Hand his VVooll, and his Flax, which he hath given us to Cover our Nakedneſs? Hoſea 2.9.
Sect. 3. The whole Creation (ſaith the Apoſtle Romans 8.22.) groaneth and travelleth in Pain untill now, verſe 20. it was made ſubject to Vanity, not willingly, but by reaſon of him who hath ſubjected the ſame in hope. Becauſe it ſhall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of GOD. P. Martyr ſaith the Creature is ſubjected to a Four-fold Vanity. 1. As for Mans Service it is wearied with a dayly Labour. 2. As it is puniſhed for Mans Error. 3. As it ſuffers together with Man. 4. As it is made ſubject to Mans Lust. GOD hath put it in the three firſt mentioned Subjections, and in them acts Effectively, as to the laſt he acteth but Permiſſively. The Silkworm ſpinneth, and dyeth for us in compaſs of a few weeks ſpace; there's its Vanity: The Plant grows up and dyes and rots for us, to make us Threeds for our Nakedneſs: The Beaſt parts with its own Covering for us; there's a part of their Vanity. They have to none of theſe a Natural Propenſion, but GOD hath ſubjected them in hope; and they are patiently ſubject; The Sheep before the Shearer openeth not its Mouth. But Man hath made it ſubject to a greater Vanity than any of theſe. GOD created theſe Things and ſubjected them to ſerve our Neceſſities; tis Man, ſinfull Man, that hath made them to lacquey his Luſts and Corruptions. The Silkworm never bequeathed the ſpinning of its Life for the Maintenance of Pride, and hindrance of good VVorks. The Sheep never yielded its Wooll to Cover the Nakedneſs of the Earth, but the Nakedneſs of Man. This is one way by which we make even GOD himſelf to ſerve with our Iniquities. This is one thing which makes the Creation groan for the day of Judgement; Romans 8.22. becauſe it ſhall then be delivered from this Bondage of Corruption.
Sect. 4. But yet methinks the difference of the Weavers Materials ſpeaks ſome order, which is GODS will: amongſt Men Wooll is Coarſer than Silk, Hair is a medium betwixt them both; Hemp is Groſſer than Flax, and Cotton again is betwixt them both. Our Saviour, Matthew 11.8. allows a ſoft Rayment, to them that are in Kings Houſes. There are ſome whom GOD himſelf Covers with Silk and fine Linnen and Broidered Work, Ezekiel 16.13. GOD doth no more will a levelling for Clothes, than Orders of perſons or Eſtates. The Silk-worm is GODS Creature as well as the Goat, Sheep, Camel, Badger, &c. and created for Man's uſe. The virtuous Woman may cover her ſelf with Silk and Purple, Proverbs 31.20, 22. Theſe things may be upon our Backs, ſo they be not in our Hearts; and certainly the Heart of Man is too noble a thing to receive what a poor Worm hath Vomited out from her Intrails. Mind not high Things (ſaith the Apoſtle); let others (if they pleaſe) by our Silk, know the Station which GOD hath willed us to take up in the world above them; but let us ſtill remember we are but Duſt and Aſhes, and that our Silks remove us from our Neighbours, but ſome few ſteps as to external Order: They are the ſame Fleſh and Blood with us, and have Souls of the ſame ſpecies equally ordained to an Eternity, and equally capable of a bleſſed Eternity. Silk is lawfull; but it muſt be uſed lawfully. Whether Dorcas ever wore any, or no, I cannot tell; but whoever wear it will be concerned, that others may, like her Executrices, Acts 9.39. be able to ſhew the Coats and Garments which they have made for the Poor. If ſilken Garments eat up our Ability for Charity; The Silk-worm groans for it, and is by it put in Bondage to Corruption. And certainly ſome order is to be obſerved alſo: GOD had never provided us Wooll and Hair as well as Silk; Cotton and Hemp as well as Flax, if he had not intended ſome difference in our Habits according to our Stations. As it is an ugly ſight to ſee Princes go on Foot, and Servants Riding on Horſe-back; ſo 'tis no very comely Spectacle to ſee the Servant ride cheek by jole with his Maſter. Let not Coſtly Garments devour our good works; And GOD hath not forbidden them. It is Noted of Henry the ſecond King of France, that he could never be perſwaded to wear Silk-ſtockens, though then in Uſe in his Nation. Let us not nouriſh High Opinions of our Selves; let them be uſed to ſhew the Difference which the Providence of GOD hath made amongſt Men, as to the place he wills they ſhould take up in the world, and they may be worn innocently. But the Weaver is not concerned here; he may weave it, let others take heed how they uſe it.
Sect. 5. But whence is this Silk I am winding upon my Loom? Let me ſtand still a li…tle and ſee this great Sight. 'Tis the Product of a Noble Creature, than which whether the Creation affords ought more ſtupendious, I cannot ſay. In the Spring it is a little Grain, Egg, or Seed, hardly exceeding the quantity of a ſmall Pinshead, it is enlivened by a ſtrange Generation, in its time; about the ſeaſon that the Mulberrytree beginneth to ſhoot forth, it groweth up by Degrees, being Fed with the Leaves of Mulberries, till having done its work, and ſpun out its Bottom, it Vomiteth it out of its Mouth, and ſoon after (having firſt caſt its Seed) dyes. Men wind off this Silk thus made, and weave it into a Web, and of this are made the moſt Coſtly, and Ornamental Garments; Who hath deſpiſed the day of ſmall things? How great is GOD in the little Things of Nature? Yea in the leaſt greateſt? Methinks this VVorm repreſents to us Chriſtians, our Great LORD and SAƲIOƲR. How little was He in the day wherein he was Born? How did He nothing Himſelf? (To uſe the Apoſtles Expreſſion,) He made Himſelf of no Reputation. How was He enlivened into an Humane Life by a ſtrange Generation? How little a while did He, when He had taken Fleſh, Dwell amongſt us? VVhat was His Meat and Drink while He Lived here, but to Feed on the Mulberry-tree of the Divine Law, firſt planted in Sinai? to do his Father's Will, which when. He had done, He Dyed, leaving us a Righteouſneſs to Cover our Nakedneſs, a Glorious Robe with which we may Appear in the Houſe of the KING of GLORY? But as Man hath ſomething to do, before the Silkworm's Legacy will be uſefull for him; ſo hath the Chriſtian that will be Clothed with this Silk and Broidered Garment. The Silk-worm leaves the Silk upon the Cod; Men may Neglect or Uſe it as they pleaſe: even CHRISTS Righteouſneſs profiteth none without Faith. 'Tis true we have no VVeb to make; no Woof to add to this Warp (as Papists do in their Linſey-woolſey Righteouſneſs); but we muſt put it on, and we muſt walk therein.
Sect. 6. Whence is this Wool, which twiſted into Yarn, I am faſtning into my Loom or Shuttle? was it not the Covering of the Sheep, that loſeth its Coat to make Man a Covering? As this Sheep before its Shearers was dumb, ſo opened not my LORD his Mouth.
1. LORD, what is vain Man proud of? what hath he on his Back but a Coat, that was upon a pitifull Sheeps Back, before it came upon his, or the Product of a Silk-worms Excrements, or the Clippings of a Camel? why are they ſo lifted up for their changeable Suits of Apparel and Ornaments? Are their Clothing of Silver and Gold? It is yet but a Covering of thick Clay. The Sheep when it had it on was Meek and Lowly; How comes Man to be Proud and Haughty? VVhat hath made the Difference between a Fleece of VVooll, and a Piece of gay Stuff, or fine Cloth, but the Art of ſome poor Men?
2. This Sheep before the Shearers opened not its Mouth; it knew not but it was going to the Shambles, it underſtood not that it was going to be ſhorn for the Uſe of Men, yet it opened not its Mouth. Upon this Account CHRIST was alſo compared to a Sheep. He indeed knew, that He was going to be offered as a Sacrifice for us, to lay down his Life for us, that we might have a Righteouſneſs through Him; Yet He (ſaith the Prophet, and twice Repeats it) opened not his Mouth. What patience ſhould it learn us in the time of GODS Sheep-ſhearing; 'Tis true our wooll will make no Garments for Naked Souls, but it will be encouraging to fearfull and faint-hearted Chriſtians. The Sheep is ſhorn that it may bear VVooll againſt the next, and further Years. Oh! Let us Remember that we alſo are Purged that we may bring forth more Fruit.
Sect. 7. But whence hath this VVooll this ſtrength? Nothing more feeble than a ſingle Hair of Wooll in the Fleece. Every Child can pull a lock of wooll in Pieces; How comes it to be ſo ſtrong in Tarn, and much ſtronger when it is woven into Cloth or Stuff? It is nothing but the twifting of the Hairs or Threeds together. O how good a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Ʋnity! Pſalms 134.7. The Dying Father's Children could eaſily break the Arrows given them ſingly, but the Sheaf they could not break, though there were nothing in the Sheaf but the ſingle Arrows: Vis unita forvior. The Weavers Yarn and his Web, both learn him the great Leſſon of Brotherly Love, and cannot but afford him this Meditation, how ſtrong were Chriſtians were they but all United in Love. They are all contending for Truth in their ſeveral different Forms, and little paths of Religion; but why ſhould they not, as the Apoſtle would have them, foreign, Speak the Truth and contend for the Truth and yet in Love? The Church of GOD will never be perfectly terrible like an Army with Banners, till Love be the Colours. The Croſs hath been in her Enſignes a long time, but it hath been in a bloody Field.
Sect. 8. How many differing Acts have been done to this Yarn, before it comes to the State wherein it is, yet more muſt be done bef…re it will be a Covering for Men and Women: It muſt …e faſtned to a Loom and to a Shuttle, the warp and woof muſt be united by the Weavers Induſtry, it muſt then be Died, Preſt, Sealed, &c. before it is fit for a Market; what a work here is! how many Hands are buſied to Repair but one influence of the Fall of Adam, to Cover that Bodily Nakedneſs which that unhappy day Diſcovered? But how much more muſt be done to provide that in the Great Day of the LORD the Son of Adam may not walk Naked. Man is but the Weaver in the Caſe. CHRIST indeed hath provided him Materials, the wooll is from Him, who was as the dumb Sheep before the Shearers. Yea He was as the Weaver to. All was finiſhed in point of Satisfaction when He gave his laſt Groan upon the Croſs; and as to that Man hath nothing to do but to put it on, but yet even that Garment muſt be put on, nor is it ever truly put on, without another alſo of divers Colours. We muſt alſo be Clothed with Humility, put on Charity, Meekneſs, Long-ſuffering, Forgiving and Forbearing one another. CHRIST indeed hath Merited for his Elect the Habits of Grace which Adorn the Saints, but the Acts and Exerciſe of them are ours in his ſtrength.
Sect. 9. I cannot in the Variety of the Weaver's Materials, but read how good a GOD we have who do h not only Conſult and Provide for our Neceſſities, but our eaſe and the accommodation of our Infirmities. If the large Heart of our GOD could have ſatisfied it ſelf, in ſhewing Love to his Creatures by giving them Neceſſaries, it had been enough for Him to have fitted the World with Sheep, and have afforded us a little coarſe Wooll that would have Covered our Nakedneſs, and ſecured us from the Violences of VVeather, and is moſt proper for it: but this would have been harſh to our tender Skins, He therefore affords us Hemp and Flax which better ſuit them for inward Garments. Wooll would have kept us warm, but in Summer too warm; He hath therefore provided us Silk, fine Linnen, &c. And for thoſe whoſe Purſes will not reach ſo far, He hath provided us finer woolls, taught the Spinſter to draw it into finer Threeds, and the Weaver to bring it into a finer web: nay he hath not only provided us for Neceſſity and Delight, but for Ornament alſo: with what a liberal Hand doth his Bounty give to us? Shall we now be Narrow-hearted towards Him? ſhall we enquire onelyonly for the leaſt Degree of Grace (abating onelyonly for hours of Temptations) for a leaſt of good works which may evidence Grace? Look and ſee if GOD thus deals with us; we have Food and Rayment for our Delight as well as for Neceſſity. Nay, let us ſtrive that all active Grace may abound in us, that we be Rich in good VVorks, as all kind of Grace from GOD doth abound to us. If there be a work of Supererogation to be done, ſurely we ſtand obliged to do it: let us never Ask whether we have not done enough for GOD; but ſtill whether there be no more to be done for him. Doth not GOD think it enough to Cloth our Nakedneſs, but He will delight us with our Clothes, He will Adorn us in Clothing? Let not us think it enough to Profeſs, but let us make it our Buſineſs to Adorn our Profeſſion and the Doctrine of CHRIST; let us not onelyonly pleaſe GOD, but labour to come up to that of the Spouſe; of which CHRIST ſaith, Thou hast raviſhed my Heart, my Siſter, my Spouſe, thou hast raviſhed my Heart with one of the Chains about thy Neck.
The Poem.
How naked lies man in his tent,
When all theſe creatures muſt be ſpent
To cover him! The Sheep be Shorn,
And Cotton from the plant be torn;
The hemp, and flax be ſown, and ſpring,
And die, and rot; The Silk worm brings
Her contribution too, and all
Too ſhort to cover Adams fall.
The lamb of God muſt alſo die,
His fleece our covering muſt be.
How doth the whole Creation pay
Their homage to us every day;
Oh! do we pay our homage thus,
To him that made both them and us?
Shall Sheep and worms, and plants be free,
To ſerve their end, and ſhall not we?
While thus they are in boundage to Rom. 8.21.
Our Frailty, Let them not be ſo,
Ʋnto our Luſts; Let them alone
Serving our lawful uſes groan.
Mean while how bounteous is he,
Who ſatisfies neceſſity,
And frailty too! who thus doth pleaſe
Ʋs both for needs and alſo Eaſe!
For Ornament, and Honour, All
But what the Scripture Sin doth call!
Lord let me never narrowed be
In heart for ſuch a God as thee.