More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second…

But that Gods love and mercy and his own good will is the first cause, which gave us Christ for a Redeemer as a second cause, an effect of his love, and the Head of all the means of our Recovery; and the true meriting cause of that Grace and salvation which God will give us. Nor so meriting as to change God, but so ⟨p. 86⟩meriting as to remove the Impediments of his grace as to the Communication, and as to become the sittest Instrument of the Fathers love and mercy, by whom to Govern the lapsed world, and to communicate grace and life to sinners. Fifthly, And yet fuller to satisfy your objection, we hold that. All mankind is brought by Christ under a Covenant of Grace, which is not vain, nor repealed by God; but as their abuse of the Grace of the Covenant may cast them out. For as a Covenant of Entire Nature or Innocency was made with all mankind in Innocent Adam; so a Covenant of Grace was made with all mankind in Lapsed Adam, Gen. 3. 15. in the promised seed: and renewed again with all mankind in Noah. No man can prove either a limitation of this Covenant to some, (till the rest by violating it become the Serpents seed, at least) nor yet that ever God did abrogate it, as it was made to all the world. Sixthly, And we further acquaint you, that it was not the existent humanity of Christ, that procured Grace and Life to the world, for those (about) 4000 ⟨p. 87⟩years before his Incarnation. The mere Decree and Promise did serve for mans salvation all that time, without the Existence of his Humanity. Seventhly, Therefore when you grant a necessity of Believing in God, as merciful, you must needs include Christ in his Divine subsistence, for you must needs grant that the eternal [Greek or Hebrew] or wisdom of God, must be the fountain and determiner of all those means by which his Love and mercy would communicate recovering grace and life to man. You will not divide God as the object of our faith, and leave out the wisdom that must manage all. Eighthly, And yet further to remove your scandal, we maintain that the Jews themselves were not bound to believe many that are now Articles of our Faith (that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, descended to hades, and rose again the third day) And that his very death and resurrection, were not believed by his own Apostles till he was risen.