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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42724	The trvth of the Christian religion proved by the principles, and rules, taught and received in the light of understanding, in an exposition of the articles of faith, commonly called the Apostles Creed : whereby it is made plain to every one endued with reason, what the stedfastnesse of the truth and mercy of God toward mankind is, concerning the attainment of everlasting happinesse, and what is the glory and excellency of the Christian religion, all herethenish idolatry all Turkish, Jewish, athean, and hereticall infidelity.	Gill, Alexander, 1597-1642.	1651 (1651)	Wing G700; ESTC R39574	492,751	458

according to the question of Pilate Art thou the King of the Iewes For for this cause was he borne that He might beare witnesse to the trueth He therefore being both lawfull and naturall King of the Iewes according to His descent from David and that by an unquestionable right of descent as the succession of that Kingdome had stood from David to Iehojakim above 400. yeeres and after the captivity from Zorobabel to Ianna Hircanus almost 300. yeeres and that by the covenant of God Himselfe to David which was to be established in Christ for ever it must follow of necessity that Ioseph had no children by Mary his wife as Helvidius barked For so the right of that title to the Kingdome of David should have been to that heire who had the right by naturall descent from both parents rather then to him which had right onely by His mother and adopted father Neither had this which I plead been good onely for Iosephs sonnes but also for his daughters if he had had any by Mary his wife as it appeares in the case of the daughters of Zelophehad Numb 26.7 8. Wherefore seeing it cannot be supposed but that the holy Virgin blessed above other women and freely beloved should not have bin denied the blessing of children if she had desired any after her Son IESVS it will follow of necessity that for the eternity of Davids kingdome to which our Lord had the only right not by intrusion or dissannulling of a better title I meane in civill right He was that stone cut out without hands that shall fill the whole earth and that the blessed body of his mother according to that vision of Ezechiel 44. was that East-gate or ordinary way of entrance into mankind in which the Prince did sit to grow before the Lord as he that eares bread even untill the time of His birth when He should goe out thence perfect man And because the Lord God of Israel had entred in by that gate Therefore shoulod it be shut that no man might enter in by it but that the holy Virgin should continue a virgin as in the conception and birth so for ever after a virgin For neither had the outward Sanctuary of the Tabernacle nor of the Temples afterward any such secluded gate but that both Priests and People did go in and out thereat to doe their dayly service So then that mysticall Temple of Ezechiel must needs intend the Temple of the Virgins body by which God Himselfe entred into our Tabernacle and came forth God-Man blessed for ever Amen ARTICLE IIII. ❧ 1. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was 2. Crucified 3. Dead and 4. Buried CHAP. XXVII WHat the infinity of that glory was of which the Sonne of God did empty Himselfe when He clouded it under the forme of a servant all the Angels in heaven cannot comprehend Yet such was the infinite love of God to man as that for our sakes a Hee was pleased to be borne man that b by His partaking of our sufferings He might become a faithfull high Priest for us unto God that we might be made partakers of His glory For a friend loveth at all times and a Brother is borne for adversity Prouerbes 17.17 His friends we are if we doe whatsoever Hee hath commanded us Iohn 15.14 neither is He ashamed to call us brethren when Hee saith Psal 22.22 I will declare thy Name to my Brethren In the midst of the Church will I praise thee Hebr. 2.12 Now what these sufferings were it is in part manifest by the Prophets and by the Evangelists Such was His poverty as that He was borne in a stable among the beasts A manger was His Cradle In His infancy He was persecuted by that cruell King that sought His life and compelled Him to seeke His safety by banishment in a forreigne land The poore Trade of a Carpenter was His meanes of maintenance that had made all the world Subject He was to our infirmities of Hunger Thirst Heat and Cold Wearinesse and Griefe both of mind and Body neither had Hee lesse afflictions though He were free from sicknesse But when the time came that He should shew Himselfe to bee that Redeemer that was to come then was He most busily tempted by the devill rail'd on and reviled by His ministers that praised themselves therefore Say we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a devill then was he loaden with injury and scorne His life was sought by treason and at last betrayed by His owne Schollar But how great was the anguish of His mind how great was His affrighting at the sight of that death whereby He must fight against the fierce wrath of God inflamed against Him that had set Himselfe the surety to pay for the sinnes of the whole world Arise ô Sword against my Shepherd against the man that is my fellow friend saith the Lord of hostes I will smites the Shepherd and the sheepe shall be scattered Zach. 13.7 What was that anguish of His mind that forc't Him thrice to pray with strong crying and teares and to sweate like drops of blood running downe to the earth That that bitter Cup might passe away verely the sorrowes of hell compassed Him about and the snares of death were before Him Psal 18.5 Yea so were the sorrows of His heart enlarged as a man that sought for comfort and could finde none He prayes and comes to His Disciples to seeke some ease by their mutuall speech but they are fast asleepe and there finds He none Thus while the God-head doth rest toward Him Psal 22.1 And according to the law of Iustice leaves him in His pure humanity to beare the burden of our sinne alone while all the waves and stormes of Gods wrath passe over Him while the dogs of hell with their severall temptations compasse him about while the horrible curse of the Law euer sounds in His eare Cursed is every one that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them Deut. 27.26 which curse Hee that had become our surety Psal 40.7 Hebr. 7.22 must beare for every one What marvell was it if He prayed that His soule thus left alone might be delivered from the power of the dogge that He might be saved from the Lions mouth being thus beset with the hornes of the Vnicornes Read Psal 22. and 69. But yet remembring that for our cause He came into this houre that Hee might fulfill the will of His Father Hebr. 10.5 and that by that one offering of Himselfe He should bring many sonnes unto Glory therefore as the valiant Captaine of their salvation did Hee willingly and couragiously offer Himselfe to the hands of them that sought His life having first commanded a safe conduct for His Disciples Iohn 18. from 3. to 10. Then what scorne and reproaches and speaking against of sinners He endured before the high Priests the holy Prophets and Evangelists have recorded I gave my Backe to the smiters and my Cheeke to them

THE TRVTH OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION PROVED By the Principles and Rules taught and received in the Light of Understanding In an exposition of the Articles of Faith commonly called the Apostles Creed Whereby it is made plain to every one endued with Reason what the stedfastnesse of the Truth and Mercy of God toward Mankind is concerning the attainment of everlasting happinesse And what is the glory and excellency of the Christian Religion over all heathenish Idolatry all Turkish Jewish Athean and hereticall Infidelity Written by a learned Author lately deceased PSAL. 116. VERS 10. I have beleeved therefore have I spoken LONDON Printed for for Joshua Kirton and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings-Armes 1651. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL the Master VVardens and Assistants of the Honourable Companie of MERCERS in London my worthy friends and Patrons c. IT is now six and twentie yeares since by the great love and favour of the Company I had the government of that ancient and religious foundation of Pauls Schole committed to my trust and care In all which time untill Nature gave place unto extreme age and infirmitie if my abilitie assisted with industrie hath advanced those that were commended to my institution in manners and learning I desire that they may render and attribute the sole thankes unto you For by your courtesie and discreet liberalitie I was cherished and furthered not onely to doe you service in my selfe but likewise to give such education to my sonnes as hath made them fit in their qualities to performe the like dutie Now so it is worthie Gentlemen that Nature being not onely declined in me but almost quite worne out by reason of a sedentarie life much studie and continuall paynes I thought it fit before I goe hence in gratefull acknowledgment of the many and great obligations which your goodnesse hath from time to time fastned upon me ever since my entrance into your service to dedicate the best of my labours to your acceptance This is it which if it have the blessing to doe as doubtlesse it will in some measure any benefit to the Church and country wherein I live I shall likewise intreate them to conferre the thanks upon you by whom I was enabled to perfect a worke of so high and necessary an argument I shall not live to receive your thanks my selfe and therefore I beseech you to accept of them as the legacie of a dying man and with them the dedication of this worke Which as it was begun and finished under your roofe so I know none more fit to patronize the worke than your-selves who have been the Patrons of the author Thus in all humility I take leave committing you to God my surviving sonnes to the continuance of your love and care and this other chyld of my old age to your fostering a more living witnesse of your favours towards me and my thankefulnesse towards you Your much obliged Servant ALEX. GIL THE PREFACE to the Reader WHen in the yeere 1601 I gave out a little treatise concerning the Trinitie of persons in the Vnitie of the Deity for such reasons as appeare therein I made a conditionall promise of a further assertion of every Article of our Christian faith This promise of mine hath oftentimes since that beene exacted both by friends and strangers That treatise tryed the common fortune of all bookes some slighted it because it brought nothing but that which was common others condemned it as thinking it unfit that matiers of faith should be perswaded by reason They of the first sort were not onely mine acquaintance who might commend my Booke for affection to me but some strangers who for their liking of the booke became afterwards my friends And these encouraged me to the performance of my promise The second sort did not a little comfort me because I had in no sort troubled the peace of the Church The third sort have held me disheartned untill now for although I there shewed that even in matiers where faith is most required both our Lord and his Apostles perswaded by common reasons as also the Prophets before-time had done yet though I knew no reason of their dislike I did forbeare because I would not offend of ignorance But seeing the everlasting saving or losse o● the soule is a thing which of all other concernes a man most to thinke of and that all sorts and sects of men which farre exceed us Christians in multitude See Brerewoods enquirie of Religion Chap. 14. have hope of immortall life aswell as wee it concernes us not a little to see wherein our advantage is and what assurance wee have more than they Now to let passe the false Religion of the Paynim idolaters in Lapland in Africa in the East and West Indies and that great continent of the South what is our preheminence over the Iewes Turkes and Heretickes of the former times of them that are and still will be untill the time that all things shall be restored The Iewes hold firmly as we the authoritie of the Old Testament and denie the New The Turkes also though they speake honourably of Christ as of more than a Prophet yet of the holy Scriptures which wee receive they make little reckoning and although they reade the Psalter Azoa 7. yet they set up their Alcoran as their Idole which they worship Doe not the fathers Tertullian contra Marcionem and Augustine de Haeres Cap. See also the epistle of Orig. cited by Iohn Picus Miran pag. 206. witnesse how the authoritie of Scriptures was abased by the Heretickes some they rejected the rest they corrupted by false interpretations by adding and taking away what was for their purpose It seemes therefore that the authorities on all sides respectively being of like regard the maine advantage which we have is in reason as it shall hereafter appeare in every Article of our Faith And therefore they that denie us the use of reason in a matier of so great importance as our Religion is bereaue us of our chiefe advantage and as much as in them is turne us out of the fold of Christ to chuse at large what Religion we like best But if man were created in the image of God that hee might know and serve him as he ought and if common reason rightly guided be that image of God in us yet remaining as it is plaine because that image and wisdome of the Father is that light which lightens every man that comes into the world Iohn 1. I see no cause why reason that especiall and principall gift of God to mankinde should not be serviceable to the principall and especiall end for which man himselfe is created that is his drawing neere unto God by faith in him for the excellencie of every thing is in the excellencie of the End for which it is And that common sence and reason have their especiall use in things pertaining unto God it is most manifest For

Mary Mat. 28.9 3. To Simon Peter Luke 24.34 1. Cor. 15.5 4. To Cleopas and his friend Luke 24.15.35 5. To all the Apostles except Thomas Iohn 20.24 to which if you put that time when He ascended on the 40. day from mount Olivet the five appearances remaining for I speake not of those extraordinary manifestations of Himselfe after His ascension to Steven Actes 7.56 and to Paul Actes 9.17 and 1. Cor. 15.8 will bee most likely to have beene on those five Sundayes as wee call them which were betweene as it may well be gathered from Iohn 20.26 because the Lord would fully finish the ceremoniall use of the Iewish Sabbath and sanctifie the day of His resurrection for the remembrance of those benefits which wee receive thereby This use the Primitive Church made of it Iust. Mart. Apol. ad Anton. and further against our Traskits because they would prevent their errours who under the profession of Christianity did still retaine their Iudaisme whose folly to avoid in stead of the Iewish Sabbath they celebrated the day of Christs resurrection Ign ep ad Mag These times of shewing himselfe were 1. To the Disciples and Thomas with them Iohn 20.26 2. At the Sea of Tiberias Iohn 21.1.3 3. On a mountaine of Galilee appointed to them Mat. 28.16 4. To above 500. brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 5. To Iames. ver 7. And for the times of His absence from them because it is said in the text to the Ephesians cited above That He did therefore descend into the lower parts of the earth and ascend farre above all heavens that He might fill or fulfill all things which were written of Him not onely those which were necessary for our saluation as His Suffering Resurrection Ascension c. but also whatsoever belonged unto man to doe in that state betweene His resurrection and ascension as you may in part understand by that which hath been said Chapter 28. N. I thinke that in those 33. dayes He in His manly being did view this earth and the fulnesse thereof and especially visit and blesse those places where He did purpose that His Church and trueth should most of all flourish and continue Sect. 2. Thus much for the questions by the way Now turne to that which is the maine To every degree of the abasement of our Redeemer there is a degree of exaltation and glory opposed So this of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven is set against that of His descent into hell and that by the authority of Saint Paul He that descended is even the same that ascended And although it may very well be thought that after His Passion finished on the Crosse by His death His going to hell was the beginning of His victory to take to Himselfe that power whereby He as the Sonne of man is to reigne over all the powers of death and hell Yet because His body during those three dayes is by most supposed to have been held under the power of death and that all the parts of His victory are to belong unto Him as Hee is Lord both of the quicke and dead that is in His intire humanity soule and body together therefore that descent is rather held by many as the lowest estate of His humiliation as you might read a little before Chap. 28. § 2. N. 3. But that our Lord after that He had by many and infallible signes and arguments by the space of fourty dayes given abundant proofe of His resurrection did ascend into heaven these reasons doe make it manifest 1. Vnto every body is a place due according to the qualities and properties of that body as in all natures here below it appeares that the place is both conseruative and also generative of those things which are peculiar thereto as the lower parts of the earth of the mineralls the surface of the vegetables the water of fishes c. And againe it is manifest that all things under the Moone are subject to corruption and change no beauty strength or excellency is such as is not fading no pleasure such but that in the very using it growes loath some no bravery so costly but in three dayes wearing it waxes stale so that by the voice and consent of all men the Angels and blessed soules and all such beings as are free from corruption and in the state of glory are sent into heaven But it is manifest that our Lord by His resurrection and conquest of death purchased first to Himselfe and then to us a state of glory and immortality Romanes 6.9 Ephes 2.6 Therefore also that Hee ascended into heaven 2. The blessednesse of the creature is onely in this That it may behold the glory of God in whom alone is the excellency of all perfection And this glory is seene onely in the face of Iesus Christ the Mediator as was shewed Chapter 24. § 10. N. 5. unto which blessednesse onely the pure and blessed inhabitants of heaven as the holy Angels and soules of men are dignified And from hence it must follow that our Lord is ascended into heaven the place of Angels and happy soules For no man dwelling in his ruinous house of clay is able to behold that glory Exod. 30.20 3. Hell is the place of torments the earth of troubles changes and calamities therefore heaven is the place of happinesse or else no happinesse at all is to be found But that is impossible For so all things should be created to wretchednesse and misery onely which cannot stand with the loue of God to His creature and His infinite goodnesse And if any such place of happinesse be and He our Saviour not brought thereto then the greatest obedience performed to the Father for the manifestation of His glory should be without reward But this were unjust with God and therefore impossible And therefore it was necessary that our Lord after His resurrection should ascend into heaven 4. By the consent of Christians taught of God and of Heathens taught by nature heaven is the place of the greatest glory and happines as hell of sorrow and wretchednes For although the Heathen allotted a degree of eternall blisse to the soules which they sent to Elysium as you may read of Anchises and others Aeneid 6. yet they supposed that their false gods and such as were by them canonized went up to heaven as Hercules Castor and Pollux Romulus and he that was one of the chiefe masters of the devills slaughter-men Iulius Caesar From whence you may reason thus The place of the greatest glory is most due to Him that is both the Creator and Restorer of all things But such was our Lord Iesus as it hath appeared before Therefore He ascended into heaven 5. It is necessary that the blessed and damned doe differ by all those meanes whereby the paines of the one and the blessednesse of the other may be increased The paines of the damned are increased by the horrour of that place wherein they are tormented therefore

true faith with the fulnesse of the Gentiles may bee speedie according to the promises Es 59.20 Rom. 11.26 and verse 15. How Faith is said to justifie §. 4. SO precious is the redemption of soules that that must bee let alone to God for ever And therefore no workes or merit of our owne nor of all the Saints of Heaven can be of any availe for us that wee should be accounted just before God but onely by our Lord Iesus and His righteousnesse both originall and actuall apprehended by a true faith are wee accepted righteous For because God doth not accept of any righteousnesse which is not most perfect according to the perfection of his most just law And seeing the fountaine of all our actions is corrupted by our originall sinne therefore is the originall righteousnesse of Christ most necessary to be imputed unto us to take away our originall sinne and His actuall righteousnesse also wholly necessary that by His obedience and His sufferings wee may bee justified Vnderstand by the originall righteousnesse of Christ not that righteousnesse which is in Him as God as some have done but that righteousnesse which was in Him as man from the first minute of His incarnation by the Holy-Ghost which is His originall or habituall righteousnesse And this righteousnesse of His though it bee not in us yet it is imputed unto us even as our originall and actuall sinnes were imputed unto Him that wee might bee justified by Him And although it be necessary for us to know and to beleeve that as wee are made originally sinfull by Adam not onely because the offence of him that was the father of us all is imputed unto us or is reckoned ours because wee were all in him originally but also in respect of that staine of sinne and corruption which wee draw originally from him so is this righteousnesse of Christ accounted ours in as much as He hath set Himselfe to answere for us as it is said Matth. 20.28 That Hee gave His life a ransome for many that as by the disobedience of one Adam many are made sinners so by the obedience of One that is Christ many are justified Rom. 5.19 Therefore faith alone is not said to justifie us but faith with the object thereof that is Christ with all His merits So God the Father for the merit of Christ is said to justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 And the holy Spirit also is said to seale the promise of God unto us Ephes 1.13 and to justifie us in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6.11 Neither is faith any meritorious cause for which we are justified neither doeth faith precisely considered include charity or other vertues thereby justifie us but as an instrument or hand is it given to us of God whereby we take hold on Christ and His righteousnesse preached unto us in the word of reconciliation Therefore as the hand which receiues the treasure doth not make a man rich but the treasure it selfe So neither the habit nor the action of faith no not as it is the worke of God in us doth make us just before Him but onely correlatively that is as it brings to us the merit of Christ and makes it ours See what you find hereto in the Note b on the 27. Chapter The Conclusion BEcause I had both read and heard that divers men of fame in learning had undertaken this taske which I have now performed as you see I waited with great patience and hope the accomplishment of their promises But when they were dead and no fruites appeared worthy of such hopes as they had given having now past the seventieth yere of my life I utterly despaired of what I had so long hoped for For though I had oftentimes thought of that argument and for mine owne use had gathered divers Notes and Arguments thereunto yet when I considered that in that age the vigor of wit doth often languish which in younger yeares is more pregnant though not alwayes with that staydnes of judgment which ought to goe therewith and especially that for my professions sake I was compelled to poëts and their fables and among children to speake to their understanding yet when that great and grievous pestilence which befell in the yeare 1625. had made a stop to that dayly toyle I knew it was foolish and altogether vaine to flee from the hand of God and that no thoughts could befit a Christian better in the continuall hearing of dolefull knells and sight of corpses carryed to the grave then such as hold the mynd fast to God and those blessed hopes that He hath given to Christian men And therefore hauing brought my houshold to a few and them no gadders abroad but such as were easily commanded to stay within I tooke the comforts which Almighty God vouchsafed mee and found my selfe safe under His protection and so cheerefully undertooke that taske which I had long thought on because my expectation of others had quite failed me Therefore I praise and magnifie that glorious and holy Name not only for that whole and perfect deliverance which He vouchsafed unto mee at that time but much more also that Hee hath beene pleased to effect by me so meane that which other vertuous and learned men held fit to be done for the benefit of the Church and yet effected it not And if this labor of mine may prove any way availeable to the comfort of others or the strengthening of their faith or establishing of them therein that they fall not into those heresies into which other peruerse minded men have beene plunged For this also shall His praise be ever in my mouth according to that example of the holy Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS A TREATISE CONCERNING THE TRINITIE OF PERSONS IN VNITIE OF THE DEITIE VVritten by ALEXANDER GIL to Thomas Mannering an Anabaptist VVho denyed that IESVS is very GOD of very GOD but man onely yet endued with the infinite power of GOD. The second Edition ❧ Imprinted at London 1635. TO MY VERY LOVING FRIEND Master THOMAS VVHITE a Citizen of BRISTOVV WHile I was at Norwich in the yeere 1597 I writ this Treatise vpon such occasion as appeares therein and delivered it unto that Hereticke that by himselfe if God would he might consider and be perswaded Since which time I have kept it by me and though some of my private friends desired copies yet allowing that wisedome of Solon who would make no law against Patricide lest the mention of the fact might give occasion to commit it and withall considering that it is too simple and poore for the publike view I refused to make it common Yet after perceiving a present necessitie because that some began to wander in this labyrinth and withall remembring that if any weakling shall hereafter entertaine this opinion he may before he be wholy possessed therewith find the absurdity of it and be reformed that many a novice in Christianity who therefore doubts of the