by Graydyl

Created on: May 22, 2008   Last Updated: May 23, 2008

Edward Taylor's poem "Huswifery" draws a parallel between him (and humans) and a spinning wheel which goes through the process of creating cloth. Throughout the poem, Taylor directly appeals to God to take control of his life and work through him. In a way, God is the master weaver, weaving linen of His grace to clothe Taylor. God exercises total control over everybody's lives, and shapes their destinies. It can thus be inferred from the poem and its implications that one cannot achieve religious grace through one's own effort, as God is the supreme ruler and shaper of one's destiny.

The Calvinist doctrine of predestination further supports the claim that one cannot achieve religious grace through one's own effort. The doctrine states that it is predetermined by God if a person is going to heaven or hell, and the Puritans practiced this as well. Taylor, through the poem, illustrates in many ways his belief in predestination. He uses the process of making clothes to depict how God weaves out everybody's lives and, in Taylor's case, how He spins grace and love into the cloth, ultimately creating "holy robes of glory" for him, promising him a life protected from evil and a future with Him.

Taylor's yearning for God's grace and love is also shown through his pleas in the poem"Make me, O Lord, Thy spinning wheel complete". He begs the Lord to use him for His work, and to make him in His image. A religious Puritan, Taylor also follows the Lord's commandments and devotes his life to pleasing God and living to do His works. He believes himself to be one of the "elect", those chosen by God for an eternal life in heaven. Thus is his desire to live under God's grace and protection, for everything he is is formed and molded in God's image.

"Huswifery" follows a logical path that easily represents Taylor's idea of God's forming of everyone's life. He illustrates how only God can form and weave one; one is not able to take over the position of a master weaver and create a life for oneself, or achieve the grace of God by mere effort. It is only God who has the power to grant one His grace and love, and Taylor glorifies Him for this. Taylor openly shows his willingness to be servant to God, and also feels like that under God's grace, he is able to be "display[ed] before [Him] / [Because he is] clothed in holy robes of glory."

In conclusion, the poem "Huswifery" exemplifies Taylor's feeling about God being the supreme creator and spinner of our destinies. It can be deduced from the poem and the doctrine of predestination that one cannot achieve religious grace through one's actions; this power lies solely with God, who spins out the life and destiny of one, and clothes others with his grace and love.

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