{"name":"to-the-right-honourable","title":"TO THE RIGHT honourable, Edward Lord Russell, Earle of Bedford. Grace, and peace, &c","text":"Right Honourable, excellent is the saying of Paul to Titus, *To the pure all things are pure:*[^1] *but to the impure and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure, but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled.* In which wordes he determines three questions. The first, whether things ordained and made by God may become vncleane or no? his answeare is, that they may: & his meaning must be conceiued with a distinction. *By nature,* things ordained of God are not vncleane: for Moses in Genesis saith, that God sawe all things which he had made, & they were very good: yet they may become vnclean either *by law,* or *by the fault* of men. *By law,* as when God forbids vs the things which in themselues are good; without whose commaundement, they are as pure as things not forbidden. Thus for the time of the old Testament God forbad the Iewes the vse of certain creatures; not because they were indeed worse then the rest, but because it was his pleasure vpon speciall cause to restraine them, that hee might put a difference betweene his owne people and the rest of the world, that he might exercise their obedience, and aduertise them of the inward impuritie of minde. Now this *legal impuritie* was abolished at the ascension of Christ. *By the fault of men* things are vncleane when they are abused, and not applied to the ends for which they were ordained. The second question is; to whome things ordained of God are pure? he answeres, *to the pure*: that is, to them whose persons stand iustified & sanctified before God in Christ in whome they beleeue:[^2] who also doe vse Gods blessings in holy manner to his glorie and the good of men. The third question is, who they are to whome all things are vncleane? his answeare is, *to the vncleane*: by whom he vnderstands all such I. whose persons displease God, because they doe not indeede beleeue in Christ: II. who vse not the gifts of God in holy manner, sanctifying them by the word and praier: III. who abuse them to badde endes, as to riot, pride, and oppression of men, &c. Nowe that to such, the vse of all the creatures of God is vncleane, it is manifest: because all their actions are sinnes, in that they are not done of faith: and a mans person must first please God in Christ,[^3] before his action or worke done can please him. Againe they vse the blessings & creatures of God with euill conscience, because so long as they are forth of Christ, they are but vsurpers therof before God. For in the fall of the first Adam we lost the title and interest to all good things: and though God permit the vse of many of them to wicked men; yet is not the former title recouered but in Christ the second Adam, in whom we are aduanced to a better estate then we had by creation.\n\nHence it followes necessarily; that, to omit all other things, Nobilitie though it be a blessing and ordinance of God in it selfe, is but an vncleane thing, if the inioyers thereof be not truly ingrafted into Christ, and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. The blood vnstained before men, is stained blood before God by the fall of Adā, if it be not restored by the blood of Christ the lambe of God. And hence it followes againe, that Nobilitie must not dwell solitarie, but combine her selfe in perpetuall fellowship with heartie loue & syncere obediēce of pure & sound religion; without the which all pleasant pastimes, all sumptuousnes of building, all brauerie in apparell, all glistering in gold, all delicate fare, all delightfull musicke, all reuerence done with cap and knee, all earthly pleasures and delights that heart can wish, are but as a vanishing shadow, or like the mirth that begins in laughing & ends in woe. A happy thing were it, if this consideration might take place in the hearts of all noble men: it would make them honour God that they might be honoured of God with euerlasting honour:[^4] and it would make them kisse the sonne least he be angrie, and they perish in the way.\n\nI speake not this, as though I doubted of your Lordships care in this very point: but mine onely meaning is to put you in minde, that as you haue begun to cleane vnto Christ with full purpose of heart; so you would continue to doe it still, and doe it more: and withall to manifest the same to the whole world, by honouring Christ with your owne honour,[^5] and by resembling him specially in one thing, in that as he grew in stature and yeares,[^6] he also grew in grace and fauour with God and men. And for this very cause (without any consideration of earthly respects) I further present vnto you an Exposition of an other part of the Catechisme, namely the Symbole or Creede of the Apostles: which is indeede the very pith and substance of Christian religion, taught by the Apostles, imbraced by the ancient fathers, sealed by the blood of Martyrs, vsed by[^7] Theodosius the Emperour as a meanes to end the controuersies of his time: and hereupon it hath bin called the[^8] *rule of faith,* the[^9] *kaie of faith.* And furthermore I hope that your Lordship will accept the same in good part; the rather because you vouchsafed when you were in Cambridge to be an hearer thereof when it was taught and deliuered. Thus crauing pardon for my boldnesse, I take my leaue, commending your L. and yours to the protection of the Almightie. Ann. 1595. April 2.\n\n*Your Lordships to command,* William Perkins.\n\n[^1]: Tit. 1.15.\n[^2]: Act. 15.10. 1. Tim. 4.3.\n[^3]: Rom. 14.23.\n[^4]: 1. Sam. 2.22, 26. Psal. 2.12.\n[^5]: Prov. 3.9, 10.\n[^6]: Luk. 2.25.\n[^7]: Socrat. hist. ecc. l. 5. c. 10.\n[^8]: August. de Temp. ser. 119.\n[^9]: Ambr. serm. 38."}