The Weavers Pocket-Book, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
The Art.
The Yarn being thus prepared, the Weaver faſtneth the Warp unto his Beam, and divideth it; his filling Boys prepare the Yarn, for the Woof, winding it on quils or pieces of reed, which he afterwards puts into his Shuttle in order to his Work.
The Meditations.
Sect. 1. A Chriſtians Web is his Holy Life, made up of the many threeds of righteous Actions, the Warp of which we have before found to be the Doctrine of Truth. This too muſt be faſtned about the Beam of the Loom. 'Tis 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 Ʋnrighteouſneſs not living up to their Principles; ſo they may retain the Truth in Ʋnbelief, 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 ſ…id with David, Pſalms 119.57. Thou art my Por…ion, O LORD, I have ſaid that I will keep thy words. We ſuppoſe him alſo to have wound his warp …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 Ʋp, 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 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-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 pur…oyning, but ſhewing all good fidelity that they may adorn the Doctrine of GOD our SAVIOƲR in all things. Titus 2.10. Being ſubject with all fear, not onelyonly 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 Spiritu…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 onelyonly 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
Ʋnto 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 Wea…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.