Right Honourable, excellent is the saying of Paul to Titus, To the pure all things are pure: 1but to the impure and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled. In which words he determines three questions. The first, whether things ordained and made by God may become unclean or no? his answer is, that they may: & his meaning must be conceived with a distinction. By nature, things ordained of God are not unclean: for Moses in Genesis saith, that God saw all things which he had made, & they were very good: yet they may become unclean either by law, or by the fault of men. By law, as when God forbids us the things which in themselves are good; without whose commandment, they are as pure as things not forbidden. Thus for the time of the old Testament God forbade the Jews the use of certain creatures; not because they were indeed worse then the rest, but because it was his pleasure upon special cause to restrain them, that he might put a difference between his own people and the rest of the world, that he might exercise their obedience, and advertise them of the inward impurity of mind. Now this legal impurity ⟨image 3⟩was abolished at the ascension of Christ. By the fault of men things are unclean when they are abused, and not applied to the ends for which they were ordained. The second question is; to whom things ordained of God are pure? he answers, to the pure: that is, to them whose persons stand justified & sanctified before God in Christ in whom they believe:2 who also do use Gods blessings in holy manner to his glory and the good of men. The third question is, who they are to whom all things are unclean? his answer is, to the unclean: by whom he understands all such I. whose persons displease God, because they do not indeed believe in Christ: II. who use not the gifts of God in holy manner, sanctifying them by the word and prayer: III. who abuse them to bad ends, as to riot, pride, and oppression of men, &c. Now that to such, the use of all the creatures of God is unclean, it is manifest: because all their actions are sins, in that they are not done of faith: and a mans person must first please God in Christ,3 before his action or work done can please him.
RIght Honourable, excellent is the saying of Paul to Titus, To the pure all things are pure: 1but 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 ⟨image 3⟩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.
- 1Tim 1.15.
- 2Act. 15.10. 1. Tim. 4.3.
- 3Rom. 14.23.
