The Holy Limbeck(1), Commentary 1
THE HOLY LIMBECK: OR, A Semicentury of Spiritual Extractions: Wherein The Spirit is Extracted from the Letter of certain eminent places IN THE Holy Scripture: And a Compendious way diſcovered for the Spiritual-improvement of the literal Senſe, in order to the better underſtanding of the minde and meaning of the Spirit therein.
By Jo: Godolphin, L.L.D.
London, Printed by John Field For Edmund Paxton, and are to be ſold at his Shop in Pauls Chain, over againſt the Caſtle Tavern near the Doctors Commons. 1650.
TO THE READER.
THou mayſt not, Reader, expect any exact Method here, there being no Obligation of art on ſuch Stillatories as theſe thereunto; neither mayſt thou expect a
page missing were opened, and they ſaw that they were naked;] ſtript of the Image of God, of that purity and righteouſneſs wherein they were created, Eccl. 7. ult. naked of the favor of God, naked to the ſubſequent temptations of the envious one, to the ſubtile inſinuations of that fawning Serpent. Conſcience, that before was Vertues Guardian, now becomes Deaths Herald; an imperfect Idea of Gods Image defaced: in ſome, Natures curb through Gods providential care; in others, the Graces magazine by the operation of a higher and ſupernatural light. That nakedneſs which was before the Creators glory, now becomes the Creatures ſhame; once the embleme of Innocence, the character of Truth, now the livery of Pride, the purchaſe of a Lye. Come, buy of Chriſt white raiment, that thou mayeſt be clothed, and that the ſhame of thy nakedneſs do not appear, Rev. 3.18.
And they ſewed them Fig-leaves together, and made themſelves Aprons.] What? could a Fig-leaf hide them from God, whoſe eyes are in every place? Prov. 15.3. A Fig-leaf cover them from him whoſe eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth? 2 Chron. 16.9. or cloud them from his preſence, whoſe very eye-lids try the children of men? Pſal. 11.4. Could they think a Fig-leaf to be a plaiſter of breadth ſufficient to ſalve a Leproſie as epidemical as the world is wide? Could an Apron of Fig-leaves hide a worldful of Impieties? Could a Fig-leaf ſhelter their Rebellion? hide their Unbelief? cover their Ingratitude? ſhadow their Pride? cloke their Ambition? cloud their Contempt of Gods Truth? diſſemble their Faith in crediting the Devil? palliate their Sacriledge? excuſe their abuſe of the Creatures to wanton luſt? or conceal the Temporal and Spiritual murther of themſelves and their poſterity? Such Fig-leaves Aprons are never out of faſhion, are made and worn by their naked Iſſue to this day. The Atheiſt wears the Fig-leaves of Ignorance, and the Ignorant the Livery of an Atheiſt; the Prophane garb themſelves with the Fig-leaves of gallantry and heroick mindes; the Idolater hath whole Groves of Fig-leaves, to ſhadow his worſhipping the Hoſt of Heaven; the Heretick ſows his Fig-leaves in his brain, and hath an Apron for every Hereſie; the blinde Ceremonialiſt ſitting ſtill on brood on his Superſtition to hatch Promotion, would fain ſhrowd his Romiſh Judaiſm under the withered Fig-leaves of wellworn Antiquity, or the more ſubſtantial Aprons of Order and Decency; the Hypocrite, that Janus of Religion, hath his fine-ſpun Apron, broad Fig-leaves of very ſpecious Sanctity, as if Piety pretended, were not Iniquity doubled; the Laodicean hath his Fig-leaf Aprons of a golden Mean, holding it no good policy to engage too far for God, leſt Times of Perſecution prove too hot for his luke-warm Faith; the Moral honeſt man ſtands much on the Fig-leaves of his Legal Righteouſneſs, and thinks becauſe he is not what he might be, he is what he ought to be; the high-way Chriſtian thinks himſelf priviledged by that ſtile to commit the worſt of villanies, under the Fig-leaves of an outward Profeſſion, that if he ſpeak for God he may practice for the Devil; the State-Politician to legitimate the ſpurious oftſpring of his projecting brain, hath the fading Fig-leaves of his Princes favor, and the plauſible Rhetorick of all affable humility, to cloke the ſprouting deſigns of his unlimited Ambition; dazling the judgements of the wiſe by his ambodextrous compliance, attracting by his powerful influence the Stargazing Multitude to admire the Comet of his rare Endowments, whileſt himſelf lies forging in the Vault of his double heart, ſome ſugar'd Poyſon for the ruine of them both; the envious man covers the venom of his heart with the Fig-leaves of equivocating kindeneſs, and under the vizard of much ſweet deportment, will handſomly beguile you to become his inſtrument of your own deſtruction; the Covetous man weaves ſpecious pretences of impartial Juſtice, and therewith makes Fig-leaf Aprons for his ſordid Oppreſſion, calls his Covetouſneſs, Praiſe-worthy providence; his Extortion, Damage-recompence; and his Uſury nothing but Conſideration-money, in token of gratitude; the Proud, for want of other Fig-leaves, will glory in an apiſh-fond-affected humility; the Drunkard thinks himſelf the onelyonly good Companion, and ruſheth into all exceſs of Ryot, under the notion of good-fellowſhip; the Adulterer wallows in the mire of his luſt, and glories in his ſhame, that it more tends to Natures credit then his diſgrace; more an ornament wherewith he is well qualified, then a vice whereby he is heaven-exclude, 1 Cor. 6.9. and acts the beaſt under the Figleaf of a venial ſin. Thus the accurſed progeny of the firſt Adam, are ſtill vainly ſewing Fig-leaves together for their nakedneſs, whileſt the newborn Iſſue of the ſecond, covered with the white Robes of his Righteouſneſs, are clothed with the garments of ſalvation, Iſa. 61.10. and ſhall ſtand before the Throne, and before the Lamb, with palms in their hands, Rev. 7.9. when theſe Fig-leaves ſhall be uſeleſs, ſave to kindle the fuel of chaff and ſtubble to everlaſting burnings, 2 Pet. 3.7. and be the ſad Remembrancer of their Parents Apoſtaſie, when they ſewed Fig-leaves together, and made themſelves Aprons, Gen. 3.7.