56 EXCELLENCY OF [SBRM ]Sr. The first is that of Adam. No sooner was man fallen from his state of innocency, and had lost all reasonable hopes of happiness, according to that constitution and covenant in paradise which our divines have generally called the covenant of works, but the goodness of God was manifested in revealing to Adam the covenant or constitution of grace, as it was contained in this obscure promise, the " seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent;" Gen. iii. 15. which in the language of the New Testament; signifies that the Saviour, in the fulness of time, should be born of a woman, and should destroy this work of the devil. Gal. iv. 5. 1 John iii. 8. This first promise, doubtless was more largely explained to our first parents, which encouraged sinful mankind, by the hopes of a Saviour, and of acceptance with God, to repent of their transgressions, and return to their Maker in a way of new obedience. This is that gospel which is the same in all ages, and which runs through all the bible; viz. that there is forgiveness for sinful men who return to God, and this is to be manifested through a Saviour. But in the several discoveries of this gospel to men, there were several additional duties or promises, or both, which distinguish them into what we call dif- ferent dispensations. This constitution or covenant of grace, in its dispen- sation to Adam, had the appointment of sacrifices su- peradded, which were figures of Christ, the true sacrifice of atonement. This covenant was also confirmed to Noah and his sons after the flood, with some further precepts about the distinctions of meats, and the punish- ment of murder, and the promise that the earth,should be no more destroyed by water, of which the rainbow was an appointed seal. This is that dispensation by which Job and Melchisedec also were saved, with many others in that early age of the world. The saine covenant was continued to Abraham, with some clearer promises of theMessiah, or Saviour. "The gospel was preached to Abraham ;" Gal. iii. 8. together with the addition of a promised inheritance in the land, of Canaan, as a type of heaven, and the peculiar precept of circumcision, which was a figure of the mortification of sin. This is called the dispensation of Abraham. The same gracious covenant or gospel was yet farther
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