Pontius Pilate who was to cloth all the Elect with that garment of Righteousness in which they are to appear before their Father in Heaven Surely we may say yea rather Blessed are they who are imployed not in making Coverings for the Temple that was Destroyed and in three dayes raised up again but for the living Temples of the Most High GOD if indeed as they prepare clothing so they also clothe the Naked I was naked and ye clothed Me Mat. 25.36 Sect. 7. But what is this God filled them with Wisdom of Heart to do all manner of Work of the Weaver How doth the Eternal GOD humble himself to behold not only the Things done in the Heavens but upon the Earth Who is like unto the Lord who dwelleth on High saith the Psalmist upon this very Argument He clotheth the grass of the Field which to Day is and to Morrow is cast into the Oven and all Flesh is grass saith the Prophet this grass he clotheth also How low doth the lofty Eye descend The wheel is turned upon the Cummin and the Fitches are not threshed out with a threshing Instrument but beaten out with a Staff The bread Corn is bruised because he will not be ever threshing it nor break it with the wheel of his Cart nor bruise it with Horsemen This also cometh from the Lord of Hosts Isa 28.28 29. This What This Discretion Verse 26. His GOD doth instruct him to Discretion and teach him The VVeaver would not have known which way to have fastened his VVarp or ordered his VVoof or directed his Shuttle or mixed his Yarns but for a Discretion taught him by the LORD of Hosts Blessed GOD How great art thou in all things And never greater than in the least of things How little do we know thee or consider thee who yet art ever at our fingers ends What a Meditation this is for a VVeaver at his Loom Is it the LORD of Hosts that influenceth my hand even in this Moment to throw this Shuttle and influenceth my Mind with Discretion to order these Threads to move these several Utensils of my Trade so as they serve the end which I design what a GOD do I serve who is present with me while I sit here at my poor contemptible Imployment who humbleth himself to help me to work and influenceth me to work better than my Neighbour have I more Discretion than my Fellow-Labourer in the same Chamber This also cometh from the LORD who is mighty in Counsel and wonderful in Working Sect. 8. I am therefore certainly obliged to be Humble If I can invent a New Stuff which another cannot with all his Industry hit upon if I can better order my Yarns my Colours if I can better order my VVork or throw my Shuttle more Nimbly and bring a Piece quicker off the Loom I have no reason to despise him that cannot be so quick or sagacious as my self for what have I which I have not received from him who is mighty in Counsel To despise the diligent Person or my dull Companion that is not Sottish and willfully Negligent in his work is but to reproach my Maker and he was mine as well as his I derived no more of my Soul than he did from his Mother and they are the nimbler exercises of that not of my terrene Earthlie part which discovers this ingenuitie But I have infinite Reason to be thankfull to that GOD who hath thus given me that Power to get Riches which he that denied to him that works in the same Chamber with me Certainly I stand obliged to do more than others for that God who hath done more for me than for others of my own Trade This common Gift obligeth me to special Duty because it is not common to me with all though it be common to Me with others who never tasted special and distinguishing Grace Sect. 9. Now what should the Weavers do more doubtless Love Honour serve that GOD more but these are Generals Of Old the first-fruits were to be offered unto the LORD To do good and to distribute saith the Apostle forget not for with such Sacrifices GOD is well pleased Distributions fall under the two Notions of feeding the Hungry and clothing the Naked The Latter of these directly referreth to the Weaver's Trade I have heard that a late Learned Lawyer in this Nation during his whole Life would lay aside every tenth Fee for pious and charitable Uses Our Law obligeth the Lawyer to give his pains to Him or Her that will plead in forma pauperis If you can think of nothing else whereby to shew your Gratitude to GOD yet this you cannot over-look because ever in your Eye This is to Honour GOD with your Substance and with your Increase your Increase lyeth in making Clothing for the Naked Let your Friends when you are gone be able as the Friends of Dorcas to bring forth the Clothes which when alive She had made for the Poor Let me tell you that GOD is the best Merchant you can part with a Piece of Stuff to he indeed sometimes takes day to see if his Weavers can trust him but as he payes certainly so he payes to the best Profit He that casts his Bread upon many VVaters shall after many dayes find it And so shall he that throws a Piece of Cloth or Stuff there He shall find it in that day when GOD shall say to them on his right Hand I was Naked and you Clothed me Sect. 10. But if I must be filled with the VVisdom of GOD to work all manner of VVork of the VVeaver if this cometh from the LORD then much more to work any Spiritual VVork If there must be a special influx of Providence beyond what ordinary Souls of VVorkmen have possessed of an understanding and will of the same species with mine upon me to make me a better VVorkman to invent a New Piece of Stuff to judge of its acceptableness to People the next Year better than another of the same Trade with me that hath the same understanding and will that I have VVhat an influence of GOD must it require to perform a spiritual Service that shall be acceptable unto GOD Cannot I mix my Colours as I would and may I Repent or Believe if I will It is not in my Power to make a Piece of Stuff of which I have the Patern which lyes before me and for which I have the Materials and is it in my Power to do an Action truly and spiritually good though I have Paterns before me though I have the same rational Soul that he hath that doth it He that denieth distinguishing spiritual Habits referring to truly Spiritual Acts will be forced to acknowledge a distinguishing Common Gift given to one VVeaver and not to another The one can invent the other cannot the one can judge better whether a Piece of Stuff will next Year take the one can do his work more neatly and acceptably to every Eye Man
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
wrought in Looms yet as the Prophet saith of the Threshers discretion Isaiah 28.29 This also came from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working if weaving as the Philosopher thinks were â—earnt from the Spider yet the Spider hath it from the Lord mighty in counsel He that teacheth the Warriours hands to War and his fingers to fight teacheth the Weaver also to mix his Yarns and to throw his Shuttle Sect. 3. The Weavers Trade then is Canonical An imployment of which God is not ashamed to be called the Father as to which he is pleased to imploy his own Spirit 'T is good to be in a Calling as to which we can say That God hath called us to it Pious Parents may have a little too much Zeal in refusing all but Scripture-Names for their Children the Scripture it self borrows Childrens Names from words significant of Mercy and Duty But those Parents are as much too careless who think they may give their Children the Names of Pagan Idols or otherwise foolish and insignificant There may be particular Imployments lawfull enough which are not Canonized by holy writ all things were not written what should the world then have done with the Books Trades are for necessary Uses and every Imployment of that nature not serving to maintain wickedness or meerly to debauch the World with Wantonness and Luxury are doubtlesse lawfull whether we can derive them from Scripture or no But certainly it is a satisfaction to a pious Tradesman when he can find the Name of his Trade written in that Book of Life This you see the VVeaver may if he cannot derive from Naamah yet he may derive from Bezaleel and Aholiab and they both derived from God Sect. 4. These Weavers were working for the Tabernacle Weaving then doth not only derive from God but may be usefull for God and that in Services which in the first degree are acceptable to him The excellency of a Trade derives from its usefâ—lness the Nobleness of it from the particular use to which it may be serviceable A Trade can serve no higher use than that of the Tabernacle This the Weavers Trade is here serviceable unto Your Bodies saith the Apostle are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 The Temple and Tabernacle differeth not in their end but in their Foundation only and Ornament The Temple was fixed the Tabernacle moving The Tabernacle in a more travelling Habit than the Temple Both Houses for the Lord God of Israel The Temple is made the Figure of Christ Joh. 2. Weaving then may be serviceable unto the Lord Jesus Christ yea it is so serviceable Let not the Eunuch say I am a dry tree let not the Weaver say I am a poor mean Trade He who in his Trade serves the highest Uses may contend with the noblest Tradesman let not the Weaver say then that he is of a mean Trade in Israel of a Family lightly esteemed of Kings Servants have no contemptible Notion The Dignity of a Trade is not beholden to the VVorld's estimate but to its own usefulness He that can work for a Tabernacle works for the highest end Sect. 5. But there is a difference yet betwixt working for the Tabernacle and working in the Tabernacle Bezaleel and Aholiab work for it but Aaron and his Sons only must work in it and No man taketh that honour to himself saith the Apostle but he who is called of God as Aaron was Let every man saith the Apostle abide in the Calling to which God hath called him When I consider the composition of the Tabernacle I find there no work for the Weaver but in the making the fine linnen in converting the Wooll offered of Blue Purple and Scarlet or working the Goats-hair offered into webs making the Hangings for the Court and the Door of the Court and the Clothes of Service the Holy Garments for Aaron the Priest and for his Sons to Minister in yet is not this to be despised he that makes but a Curtain for the Lords Tabernable certainly hath as high an Office as he who is but a Door-keeper in the House of the Lord which David preferred before a dwelling in the Tents of Wickedness Surely it is better to make a Garment for Aaron than a Shrine for Diana The lowest Room in Heaven is Heaven saith a grave Author though it be but behind the Door Vzzah must not touch the Ark though a Levite nor Saul nor Vzzah offer Sacrifices though both great Princes God's Church is like an Army which must march in Rank and File God saith the Apostle is a God of Order and not of Confusion The Weaver shall have his wages working for the Tabernacle though he wears not but only weaves the Holy Garments if he offers not a Bullock yet he offers a Turtle-Dove and young Pigeons he serves the Lord Christ though it be not at the Altar and doth any serve him for nothing Sect. 6. But the House in Shiloh is pull'd down and there is no more going up to Gibeon yea there is not one stone left upon another either in Solomons or Zorobabels or Herods Temple the Curtains are rent in pieces and the Holy Garments are worn out Is then the Weavers Trade antiquated Or is the usefulness of it for the Temple abolished Or need we to devise New Holy Garments for Priests to intitle them to an Imployment for God And must Hangings of Blue Purple and Scarlet again be made necessary No surely Know you not saith the Apostle to the Christian Corinthians that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost Temples in which the Lord dwells even he who dwells not in Temples made with hands If the Weaver cannot yet see himself at work for God's Tabernacles the fault is in his own Eyes or in the lust of his own Heart He that works for the clothing of the Naked is doubtless at work for God's Tabernacle Nay for that fixed Temple which he hath set up amongst the Sons of Men For the poor saith our Lord you have always with you The Weaver that made our Lords Seamless-Coat understood not what he did but had a noble Imployment That Coat was to cover the Person who was the Eternal Son of God but he never made more than that one for such an use Me saith Christ you have not alwayes he who wore that was presently to put on the Garments of Glory but he that Weaves for his Members hath a more standing work for GOD and so seems to be more blessed in his Imployment Our Saviour corrected the devout woman that cried out Luke 11.27 Blessed is the VVomb that bare thee and the Papes which thou hast Sucked by adding verse 28. Yea rather blessed are they that hear the VVord of GOD and keep it Doth any think Blessed was that VVeaver which wore the Seamless-Coat for him who was his Saviour who was an Instrument to cloth him with the Robe in which he was to appear before
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
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 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
of Truths Head White or Black Truth will be Truth and Error a Lie when Men have said what they can nor is any particular Church more Infallible than a Pope My following a Multitude in an Error will no more excuse me than the following of a Multitude to do Evil. I have no Judge under Heaven as to my Practice above my Conscience It is indeed my Duty to Hear the Church Reverently to Examine what it saith Diligently and to believe it as my Conscience tells me it doth or doth not agree with the Holy Scriptures Our Spiritual Weaver then may be assured that there are several Threeds Defective in his Warp And therefore stands highly concerned to be ever and anon casting an Eye upon it Examining the Various Propositions which he hath embraced for Truth and upon which he Buildeth and Directs his Practice But it is very possible that he may not be able to put in better Threeds when he hath done He is a Bruit no Man that can Believe what he Listeth or whatsoever his Neighbour would have him to Believe All a Christians Duty in this Case is 1. To Examine and Prove Propositions to hear on both sides to compare Things Spiritual with Spiritual c. 2. To have the Perswasions to himself in which he hath Faith different from the Church in which he Lives 3. To Beg of GOD to Lead him into all Truth and to Reveal what as yet is not Revealed to him and to Pardon his Mistakes and not to Conceal any Truth Revealed to him in Unrighteousness Which doing he may be assured we have an High-Priest can have Compassion our Infirmities Vpon those that are Ignorant as well as those otherwise out of the way Yet I fear some Errors of Faith are Damnable such as Infer an Impossibility of the Soul that is Possessed of them to do those things which the Scripture makes Necessary to Salvation Faith and Repentance Whether any other or no is more than I know 2. The Weaver finds many a Threed Break in the Striking yet is his Web not spoiled by it But when it Happens he stops looks back and lays up and Re-unites his Threeds and goeth on in his work Thus doing though there be many a Real Breach yet the piece comes off is approved Merchantable and passeth we have before considered all the Thoughts Words and Actions of a Christians Life as our Spiritual Weavers Striking Infinite are the Threeds that break in it The Righteous sinneth seven times in a day who can tell how oft he offendeth He who thinks he can keep the whole Law of GOD in Thought Word and Deed is not more to be blamed for his Error than for his Ignorance If he knew what Holiness that Holy Rule requireth he would never say so It was because the Pharisees did not know that GODS Law which saith Thou shalt not kill forbade as well Rash Anger and ill Words as Bloody Actions That they thought they could fulfill it And if the Popish Doctors did not give a Jejune Interpretation of a Divine Law no way Concordant to Holy Writ they would never tell us of a possibility of works of Supererogation or that any hath Oyl enough in his Lamp for himself and others which was what the wise Virgins in the Parable denied Our Threeds the LORD Pardon them will break and do break every day What help in this Case but to cast our Eyes back upon our Actions to take care ut ultima respondeant primis to bring the Ends together again by Repentance to make up the Breach by an Exercise of Faith on the LORD JESUS to resolve in GODS strength to take more heed for the Future This doing though what is done cannot be undone yet for the Satisfaction of CHRIST it shall be reckoned as undone and our VVeb of Righteousness accounted as perfect and accepted of GOD. The Soul is not made one who never sinned That is impossible and importeth a Contradiction but it is made as one that had never sinned that is its Sins shall never hurt it 3. The Weaver when he hath wrought a Plate so they call so much of the Web made as can at once lie before his Eye he looks it over picks it Brusheth off the loose Knots so I think they call the little parts of Wooll or Yarn picked off how fitly doth this prompt the Spiritual Weaver to his every day work of Self Examination Every days thoughts words Actions make him a plate of Work Some Unevenness there will be in it his Conscience Spiritually Enlightened is the Instrument he must use to Pick his VVork by Something will be found too much in his Affections Passions Words Pretences c. even in his best Actions to be pickt out by a Penitent Heart Disclaimed Abhorred cast from him as a filthy Râ—g Something to be Brusht off as no part of his Spiritual Web yea as a Noisome fly which will make his whole Box of Precious Ointment to stink He never proves a good work-man who is not as good and as Diligent at picking as at throwing of his Shuttle He never makes a good Christian who is not as good at Examining his ways as walking in a seeming Course of Piety and Righteousness Often Reckoning we say makes long Friends Often Reckoning with GOD and our own Conscience will keep GOD and us long Friends and our own Consciences long Friends unto us Oh that every good Christian would Remember at the End of every day My days work is now done but still I have it to pick and then retire into his Closet and use his Conscience to reflect upon his Actions and see if it be so far as his light will guide him according to the Divine Rule How much would this Contribute to the Evenness of a Christians VVeb and help him in the close of his life to say after Hezekiah LORD Remember how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart 4. This whole work must be done till our piece comes quite off the Loom Self-Examination Repentance Watchfulness are not the works of a day or a Month or a Year but of our whole Life No work for Lent or Ember-weeks or Fasting-days only but the work of every day every week The good Christian can never find a time for a Carnival Travellers tell us that in the Popish Countreys particularly at Venice the VVeek before their Mortifying time of Lent is called by that Name a VVeek given up to all Manner of Lust Luxury Gaming Lewdness and Prophaneness as a preface to their Mock-fast that is to follow which make their Lenton-weeks an undue Proportion of time for the Disgorging their Polluted Souls of the Preceeding Crapula These are ill Spiritual VVeavers that spoil more of their work in one week than they can again make good in many The work-man in the LORDS work who needs not be ashamed is quite another thing He is alwayes at work either Weaving or Picking either working or looking
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
THE Weavers POCKET-BOOK OR Weaving Spiritualized In a Discourse wherein Men employed in that Occupation are instructed how to raise Heavenly Meditations from the several parts of their Work To which also are added some few Moral and Spiritual Observations relating both to that and other Trades By J. C. D. D. Promissio Sanctificat omnia et reddit pretiosa in conspectu Dei neque quicquam tam minutum fieri potest in vocatione Divinitas ordinata quin Deo placeat Luther T. 4. in Gen. in c. 46. Job 7.6 My days are swifter than a Weavers Shuttle Isa 38.12 I have cut off like a Weaver my Life Printed in the Year 1695. To his Honoured Friends Bernard Church Esq and John Richars Gentleman Aldermen of the City of Norwich Worthy and much Honoured Friends THE design of the following sheets will be so obvious to every Eye upon the reading of them that many words to expound it to you will be perfectly superflous it will easily be its own interpreter both to you others besides what is needful upon that Subject I shall more fully discourse in my Epistle unto the Reader My business to you is but to give you an account of my Entituling you unto it For which it were enough to say That God hath so blessed you both in that occupation which I make the Theme of the following discourses as that it hath brought you in not only a Livelihood but such an Overplus as hath capacitated you not only to serve your Generation in the Offices relating to and the principal Conduct of that Trade but in other great Employments The one of you hath not only served the City wherein you are in the Offices of Sheriff and Alderman that you both have done but also in the Office of Mayor and that the other too hath not donâ— the same is only from his own Reluctancy and also represented this famous City in the Highest Court of parliament But also because you are great Examples of that Piety Sobriety and Goodness of Temper to which as you will find I have in the following sheets observed this course of Life in mens youth doth much tutour and dispose them and in being or having been the heads and conductors of all that are busied in that Occupation you have Entitutled your selves to all those Discourses which may tend to the Moral or Spiriual Improvements of it You will by the following discourses see you have no reason to reflect with any blushing upon the way in which you were in your youth trained up you have eminently served your Generation before you fall asleep The employment of your Lives hath not been a making Silver-shrines for Diana it hath not been a service to the Luxury Pride and Wantoness of the Generation in which you lived it hath not been an Apocryphal ' Employment it hath been the Employment of a good Dorcas only you made the Stuffe which possibly other pious and devout Souls made up It hath been an Employment that hath had a good end and design upon which in the morning you could warantably go and pray to God for a Blessing and in the evening say Prosper thou the work of our hand upon us Lord Prosper thou our handy-work An Employment which hath kept you at home watching over your Families and which hath brought you in a Livelihood and given you a Station in the world if beneath Envy yet above Pity What hath enabled you to Employ the poor to give portions to six and also to seven you may look back without a regret and rejoyce in the fruit of your Labours seeing many a sober Tradesman that you have bred many a poor person that you have clothed Your days my worthy and honoured Friends are in a great measure past and when you look back upon them you will say they are past Swifter than your Shuttles your week is almost at an end and you who have had many a piece of Stuff at the end of the week brought home to you must in a few weeks or months or years be gathered to your Fathers be no more Your works will follow you and your selves must carry home to the great Lord of Heaven earth the Web which you have Weaved May it please the Lord to bless these Discourses to you both that they may but any way conduce either to augment your comfort in a reflection upon the work which you have already done or help you to throw your Shuttles well as to the remnant which you have yet to do that when you cary all home you may hear that blessed voice Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little I will make thee a ruler over much enter thou into thy masters joy which is and shall be the prayer of him who is Your most faithful and affectionat Friend and Servant in the Work of the Gospel J. C. TO THE READER And more especially To the Masters Wardens and Assistants in the Corporation of Worsted-Weavers relating to the City of Norwich together with all my worthy Friends whether Masters or Journey-men employed in the Art and Mistery of Weaving AT last my worthy Friends I have found both leisure and advantage to testifie both to you and to the World the great value and respect which for more than twenty years that is ever since I understood any thing of you I have had as for very many of your Persons so for that Occupation wherein you dayly are employed so great I will assure you that for these twenty eight years I have hardly been consulted by any Friend about the disposal of a Child whom I have not advised to your Trade and but that in the Education of a Child Nihil invita Minerva the Genius of the Child ought to give a principal Conduct I will assure you next to the immediate service of GOD in his Gospel from which these times deâ—erred me unless I had had enough to have left them to have enabled them to do it freely I had devoted my Sons to your Fellowship nor would any thing have more pleased me as to any Son of mine than to have seen him fancying one of your Looms For I have either taken false Measures which yet I think I have not or no Employment which I have in my Eye hath superiour advantages to you if equal with you to serve all the Nobler Ends of Mans Life Were I so be your Orator I think I have Topicks enough by me to perswade any Person that nothing can commend a Trade to a VVise-man but what is to be found in Yours some of those things you will find enlarged upon in the first of my Observations in the following Sheets My thoughts that it was pity that such a number of Persons employed in so excellent an Employment as you are should want any Advantages to help you from Looms unto Heaven is that which your hath engaged me in this Service a Design which for some
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 fâ—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 wiâ—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 Psâ—l 119 1â—8 and mediâ—ates of GOD in the Niâ—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 mâ—veth swiftly and thus also ruâ— 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 swifâ—er than a VVeavers Shuttle he is highly concerned to be up betimes Remembring his Creâ—â—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 onely 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 shâ—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 bâ—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 iâ— 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
is not thus It was the saying of Hierome at least ordinarily â—scribed to him Omnis dives est vel iniquies vel iniqui haeres Every Rich Man is either an â—nrighteous Man or the heir of some unrighteous Man It was somewhat too harsh to express it by an Universal affirmative But if he had said the Major part are so he had doubtless spoken much truth Now where he that beginneth with a large Stock is iniqui haeâ—es though not himself unrighteous yet the heir of an Estate â—â—t by Unrighteousness he is but malâ— fidei possessor in the Eyes of the just Judge and it is no wonder if he neither keeps nor improvetâ— what he hath It was an old saying De malâ— quaesitâ—â— vix gaudet tertius haeres and agrees with our English saying Ill-gotten goods will not thrive I knew a worthy person in this Nation to whom GOD had given a plentiful family of Children and no plentiful though a competent Estate he would ordinarily sâ—tisfy himself discoursing with his dear and good Yoke-fellow about the circumstances of his Family when he should cease to be That though his Estate was not great yet it had no worm at the Root Job saith of the wicked Man that is Rich Job 27.17 Though he heap up Silver as the dust and prepare Rayment as the clay he may prepare it but the just shall put it on and the innocent shall divide the Silver he Buildeth his House as the Moth and as a booth that the keeper maketh Now he that beginneth with a great Stock that hath biâ— thus got it is no great wonder if it melts away in his Hands though they be diligent Hands he begins with an Estate upon which a Curse iâ— entailed 3. Further yet VVhat if GOD will set a period to and write a Nil Vltra upon an Estate Nations Persons and so Estates too have their periods He that hath said to the Waves hither shall you go and no farther hath also said so to Persons Families Nations Estates c. It is true as to Estates as well as Time and Duration of Life One generation goeth and another cometh It is he who poureth contempt upon Princes and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way and setteth the Poor on high from affliction and maketh him Families like a flock Psalms 107.40 41. Suppose the Man that beginneth with a great Stock be as diligent as he who begins with a little and as well proportioneth his expences to his heap which is not often seen Suppose also no rust in his Silver and that his Stock before he hath it hath not mala Stamina vitae a consumption in its causes But be well-gotten and left unto him yet if his Estate be grown up to its measure and come to its period it is no wonder if it improveth not It is arrived at its measure and come up to its full growth 2. What is obvious in Worldly Trades may possibly be observed as to our Spiritual Trading too Those that begin with the least stock there ordinarily make the best Improvements in Grace Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of GOD before the Jews Matthew 21.13 Oftentimes the last are first and the first last Men coming from the East and West and from the North and South sit down in the Kingdom of GOD Luke 13.29 31. And those near it in an humane Eye come short of it We shall observe two Sorts of Men setting up in the ways of GOD Some whose former Life hath been profane sensual who have been bred up in a great Ignorance of GOD and the things of GOD upon some of these GOD worketh and maketh a change in their Hearts Others who have been bred up in the knowledge of the Scriptures instructed by their Mothers and Grandmothers in the Nurture and admonition oâ— the LORD These latter may be Resembled to Men beginning with great Sâ—ocks Now if you observe it ordinarily the former make the greatest Improvements in the Exercise of Grace I know it is not Universally true as neither are our Observations as to Trade without an Exception but Generally it is so Paul seemeth to be an Excâ—ption from this Rule He began with a greâ—t Stock bred in the knowledge of the Lâ—w Zeâ—lous in the practice of it touching the Riâ—hteousness which is of the Law blameless Philippians 3.6 and yet Improved to a great heighth laboured more abundanâ—ly than aâ—l the rest of the Apostles But two things are observable in his case 1. Those things which were gain to him those he counted loss for CHRIST Philippians 3.7 He found himself rather disadvantaged than advantaged by his legal Righteousness I Suppose because they exposed him to a Temptation of resting in them and trusting to them rather than in the LORD CHRIST and his Righteousness 2. Secondly Though he had a great Stock of Knowledge and Righteousness yet he had much impaired it before his Conversion for he else where telleth us he was a Persecuter a Blasphemer so as he was now to begin again like a Tradesman that begins with a great Stock and cannot thrive but spends it and squanders it away and then comes again to begin the World with nothing and then he thrives Our SAVIOUR hath confirmed this Notion to us in his Parable Luke 7.41 of the two Debtors both which the Creditors forgave frankly to the one five hundred pence to the other fifty Peter judged that he to whom most was forgiven would love most and our SAVIOUR told him he had rightly judged You shall ordinarily observe in the world those Christians whom the LORD hath taken out of a State of sensuality and profaneness more warm for GOD in all Acts of Devotion and Piety than those whose Conversion is more insensible and whose Life hath been more like persons Sanctified from the Womb. 3. Nor doth the Reason of this lye so deep but the Eye of Humane Reason may pierce very far into it for Gratitude being the great principle of Obedience in reason the greater the Love is which the Soul hath experienced and the greater the Sense is which the Soul hath of that Love the higher the obligation in point of Gratitude must rise Now though every forgiven Soul hath much forgiven yet it cannot be denied but some have more forgiven to theâ— than others Sins are not equal either for kinâ— or number Now saith our SAVIOUR they who have much forgiven will Love much Bâ—â— besides the Sense of this forgiveness is ordinarily upon that Soul most to whom most hath beâ—â— forgiven The change upon the Heart is moâ—e evident and the work of Divine Power aâ—â— Goodness in it more evident and ordinarily such persons are made to cry out of the belly of Hell before the LORD hears them they feel more wounds in their Consciences more terrors upon their Spirits which infinitely heighten the rate of forgiving Mercy in such a soul and consequently more strongly oblige them
and gives in a false Verdict No Man can act against it though every one is not bound to act according to every precept or dictate of it The Power of its Regrets and Reflections for Disobedience are such as none can stand under and therefore none is bound to Humour any in running the Hazzard of them 2. The tenderness of GOD to the tender Consciences of his People is also as Obvious an Observation from hence Men of the VVorld can think of nothing for them but Gaols and Bridewells One while they are thinking to Jeer them out of their Consciences by a Ballad another-while to rail them out of them by a Foul Mouth anon to Cudgel them out of them GOD doth not so with them in his Providence If they cannot have a Room in Flanders he will provide for them in England if they cannot have a resting Place in Europe he will provide them one in America making for them a way in the VVilderness and Hewing them out an hiding Place through the Rocks and in a Desart Land and the Nation that will not be a quiet Habitation for them that fear him GOD will Judge If they will have no tender Consciences in their Cities and Ports they shall have no Trade to tell them they shall have no Religion will not trouble them it may be the Decay of their Riches and Trade will Let the Conscience be truly tender fearing to sin against GOD and let the VVorld be as Cruel as Hard-Hearted as Bloody as it will they will find they have a tender Father Never any lost any thing nor shall lose by being afraid to Sin against the LORD that made them that bought them with his Precious Blood A Man indeed may fear too much but there are few very few that Err on that Hand there are Thousands more that fear too little The Simple pass on saith Solomon and are Punished 3. VVhat a Vast Difference their is between the Earthly and the Spiritual Weaver The Multiplication of Tradesmen in the former abates and spoils the Profit of the Trade I would all the LORDS People saith Moses were Prophets durst any Poor Weaver in this Town say I would all the People in this City were Weavers the reason is Obvious The VVorld hath not Gold and Silver enough to give to every one Hence is the scrambling for it and all the VVorlds Game is Catch he who Catch can But GOD hath Grace and Glory enough to give to all that will Trade for Heaven so as none by getting hinders another The VVorld cannot receive all the Clothes and Stuffs that would be made if a tenth part of the Men in it were Weavers but all the Prayers and Praises all the Homages and Exercises of Holiness which the World can bring forth are too little for that GOD to whom they ascend as an Homage Who would not be in Love with that Trade that were not capable of being abated by Multiplication of Tradesmen and yet would most certainly bring in such Profit as Eye hath not Seen nor Ear Heard nor can enter into the Heart of Man to Conceive such are the Things which GOD hath prepared for them that Love and Serve him 4. Again doth false making of VVares and false Dealing with Merchants and Customers ruine the Trading of any Place and what is it that Ruines the Spiritual Trade but the same thing when the Power of Godliness is turned into a Form Religion into a meer Formality and outside Shew and Appearance VVhen Men Glory in Shew and not in Reality when Men are false in their Acts of Devotion and false in their Conversation GOD will deal with them no longer but remove his Name and his Gospel from them to a People that will bring forth better Fruit. 5. I Observe that in Trading every ones study is to get his VVork done Cheaper than another and to Vndersell his Neighbour Have we not too much of this in the Spiritual Trade too doth not the falseness of our Hearts prompt us to come off as Cheap with GOD as we can long Sermons long Prayers are thought Needless VVe would fain put off to GOD that which hath cost us Nothing and which indeed is little VVorth but GOD hath Cursed him that hath a Male in his Flock and bringeth unto him a Female VVe are bound to Love and Serve the LORD our GOD with all our Heart and all our Soul and all our Strength 6. Lastly I Observe that in all Trades when Tradesmen multiply to any great Number the Trade never thrives long without a prudent Regulation and Government all Men having not as I said before either VVit or Honesty enough to be a Law to themselves nor doth the Trade thrive much Unless the Governours be discreetly Chosen 2. Vnless they justly discharge their Trust To this purpose ordinarily such Tradesmen are left to chuse their own Governours as being best acquainted with the Trade and the Persons that have most Skill in it and have best approved their Honesty in the Managery of it In those days saith the Scripture Acts 6.1 when the number of the Disciples were multiplied there arose a Murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their VVidows were neglected in the daily Ministrations In Multitudes Corruptions will multiply This made the Apostles turn them into a Corporation authorizing them to look out seven Men amongst themselves whom they might set over that Affair A Government is necessary in the Church and Originally it chose its own Officers But let a Trade have what Governours it will if either they know not their Office or knowing it waiâ— not upon it or in pretence waiting upon it yet act directly contrary to their Trust winking at False Weights or Measures discouraging the Best Tradesmen encouraging the VVorst and most False the Trade must necessarily be ruined And thus it will be in the Church of GOD that drive the Spiritual Trade If either it hath no Officers and Government or if it hath such as know not their VVork and Duty of their Place or though they know it yet through Laziness or Greediness of filthy Lucre wait not on it Or though in pretence they wait upon it yet in very deed act directly contrary to their Trust smiting those the Fear the LORD in stead of those that Hate him discouraging the best Professors and Practitioners in Godliness in stead of the open Enemies of Truth and Holiness the Spiritual Trade of that Place that hath such a Curse must necessarily abate or at best go on but in Corners FINIS Fly from the wrath to come