344 MANION, OF ALS. ItISLIGIONS. iniquity had spread over all the race. of Adam, when God the governor of the world saw it necessary in his wisdom to destroy mankind from the earth, for their abominable trans- gressions : because all flesh had corrupted its way upon earth, so that there was not one person, or not one family left who main- tained the purity of religion, besides Noah and his house ? Gen. vii. 1. II. Therefore, after this universal destruction by the flood, God was pleased to repeat and renew his dispensation of grace in another public edition of it unto Noah. It is true, this coven- ant is said tobe made, not only withNoah, but retith his sons also; and with every animal; Gen. ix. 9, 10. that the waters 'shall no more becomeaflood to destroy allflesh : But it is sufficiently evi- dent that there was contained in it the covenant of grace or sal- vation, for this was the great design of God in all his other covenants with men, since the fall ; and if mankind be no more destroyed by a flood, it is that the covenant of grace may save men in following ages. III. This edition of the covenant of grace, contained in it the same blessings, promises, and ditties, with that of Adam after his fall, and probably the same sacrifices also: Here were superadded some further preceptsabout the distinction ofmeats, the prohibition of eating blood, the punishment of murder, and . the promises of the church of God in the family of Shem, aswell as the promise that the earth should no more be destroyed by water. Note, that this promise manifested the grace and long- suffering of God to men, in order to call them to repentance after the flood. Of this promise the rainbow was an appointed emblem or pledge, token or sign ; and as such it stands round the throne of God, and Jesus the Mediator in Rev. iv. 3. IV. This dispensation was published, not only to Shem, but to Ham and Japhet also, that is, to all mankind after the flood, by their father Noah, who was a preacher of righte- ousness; 2 Pet. ii: h. 'By this dispensation Job and Melchise- dec also were saved, with many others in that early age of the world. V. Let it be observed here, that though we have a very short account of this dispensation in scripture, yet as Job pro- bably lived under it, there are some bright discoveries of the resurrection of the dead, and of future happiness for good men, among the speeches of Job, especially in the xiv. and xv. chapters. VI. Observe also, that this has been the last dispensation of grace which has been made known, and offered to most ofthe heathen nations, or their fathers, even to all such as were not di scended fromAbraham, and have never heard of Jesus Christ. All these therefore abide under Noah's covenant.
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