2 2 The Gofpel Preachedunder the Old from the Lord, and from the Truth; That we may fee the oecafion of every new Difcovery : They departed and deftroyed themfelves; and then; the Lord appeared again in recovering Difpeufations. Now. thefe ,r..40, thefe feveral pieces and parcels ofthe Lord's Difcoveries and Manifeftations of himfelf may be referred to twogene.. ral heads. r. Before the Law. 2. Under the Law. Thefe were the two great pieces of it, and the Scripture takes notice of them both. Of that Difpenfation that was before the Law, from Adam to Mofes, the Apoflle fpeaks, Rom. 5. 14. Death reigned from Adam to Mofes. Of the Difpenfation under the Law, our Saviour fpeaks, Mattb. Ir. r3. For all the Prcphets- and the Law prophefied until John : again, Luk. 16. 16. the Lana and the Prophets were until John. The difference between thefe two lay chiefly in this that under the former. Difpenfation, the ordinary way of preferving the Knowledge of God was only by oral Tradition : But from. Mofeshis time,it was committed toWriting. In both thefe the Church of God was underyears,..in a 'late of Childhood, Gal. 4. I, 3. But in the former, viz. the time before the Law, they were little Children, it was the very Infancy, andfirft and weak`. beginnings of the Church. I. This period Before the Law : Or theChurches Infancy, may be fub-. divided into three particulars. I. The Difpenfation they were under from Adam to Noah, 2. From Noah to Abraham. 3.. From Abraham to Moles. I. Adam's Difpenfation; l mean, after the Fall: For it is the gradual`, breakings forth of Gofpel-light whereof the Text fpeaks. We are to confider how the Lord then fpake, and how far he reveal ed himfelf in that age and ftate of Mankind. Betides what was com-nron to all times, viz. the. Works of God, and the Light implanted in man's Heart : Therewere feveral things that were the fpecial Difcoveries and Light of that Age, I fhall inftance in fourparticulars. 1. The Lord, having convinced them of their Sin, gave them that . famous promif, that the Seed ofthe Woman fhoulcd break the Serpents Head, Gen. 3. 15.. This was the fir.ft Beam of Gofpel-Light, that ever brake forth unto: loft and fallen Man : A cotnprehenfive ,promife, which includes the whole Gofpel , ;. as you have formerly heard in many particulars upon that Text, Gen. 3. r 5. This great and precious Promife they, and all the. Saints for alnwoft four thoufand years did believe and live
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