Huswifery
The sermon 'Huswifery' by Edward Taylor encourages listeners to surrender to God's guidance, allowing Him to shape and refine their lives, ultimately displaying their faith through holy living.
Edward Taylor's sermon emphasizes the imagery of God as a divine craftsman, weaving and spinning the threads of our lives with intricate care and purpose. He prays for God to use His Word as the spindle, His Spirit as the thread, and His ordinances as the tools to shape and color our souls into beautiful tapestries of heavenly design. Taylor calls for every aspect of our being - mind, will, emotions, judgment, conscience, memory, words, and actions - to be clothed in the glory of God, reflecting His divine craftsmanship in our lives.
Text
Make me, O Lord, thy Spinning Wheele compleat;
Thy Holy Worde my Distaff make for mee.
Make mine Affections thy Swift Flyers neate,
And make my Soule thy holy Spoole to bee.
My Conversation make to be thy Reele,
And reele the yarn thereon spun of thy Wheele.
Make me thy Loome then, knit therein this Twine:
And make thy Holy Spirit, Lord, winde quills:
Then weave the Web thyselfe. The yarn is fine.
Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills.
Then dy the same in Heavenly Colours Choice,
All pinkt with Varnish't Flowers of Paradise.
Then cloath therewith mine Understanding, Will,
Affections, Judgment, Conscience, Memory;
My Words and Actions, that their shine may fill
My wayes with glory and thee glorify.
Then mine apparell shall display before yee
That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory.
Sermon Outline
- The Lord as the Spinning Wheel
- The Lord as the Loom
- The Clothing of the Inner Man
- Understanding, Will, and Affections
- Judgment, Conscience, and Memory
- Words and Actions
Key Quotes
“Make me thy Loome then, knit therein this Twine: And make thy Holy Spirit, Lord, winde quills: Then weave the Web thyselfe.” — Edward Taylor
“Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills.” — Edward Taylor
“Then cloath therewith mine Understanding, Will, Affections, Judgment, Conscience, Memory;” — Edward Taylor
Application Points
- Surrender to God's guidance, allowing Him to shape and refine your life.
- Cultivate your affections by making them swift flyers, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you.
- Display your faith by cloathing yourself in holy robes, allowing your words and actions to glorify God.