An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 16. And it is a clear Truth (before proved) That God brought all Mankind in Adam under a Law and Covenant of Grace, founded in the Promise of the Victory of the Woman's Seed: And his dealing with all men ever since, doth fully confirm ⟨p. 194⟩it. And this Law made to Mankind in Adam and Noah, was never repealed to the World, but perfected by a perfecter Edition to those that have the Gospel. Therefore we have two Questions here to consider. 1. What Law the World was under before Christ's Incarnation: And, 2. whether Christ repealed it to them?

§. 17. 1st. And it is proved, That on God's part the said Law of Grace continued: And man's Disobedience could not here nullify the Law, as it did that of Innocency: Because it was a Law that allowed Repentance till the time of Death: So that when they sinned never so much, they were still obliged by it to repent, that they might be saved. Their Rebellion deprived them of the Benefit, but did not end the Law, nor rendered them uncapable of its Obligation. God made Adam, and after him the Heads of Families his Priests: He had then public Worship natural, and instituted sacrificing, and the distinction of clean and unclean Beasts, Sabbath and Marriage, as well as calling on the Name of the Lord, are expressed: As the Covenant to Noah was the same with that to Adam, with some small Addition, so no doubt were the Precepts of Noah. As the Canaanites sacrificed, so their marrying in the prohibited Degrees, is called one of their Abominations: It's very probable, that not only the Decalogue in sense; but also all, or most of the particular Mosaical Precepts, which are but the Instances, Explications, and Applications of those Generals, were given before the Flood; and some more, which even the Nations Traditions kept some remembrance of, though not named particularly in the Text.

§. 17. 1st. And it is proved, That on God's part the said Law of Grace continued: And man's Disobedience could not here nullifie the Law, as it did that of Innocency: Because it was a Law that allowed Repentance till the time of Death: So that when they sinned never so much, they were still obliged by it to repent, that they might be saved. Their Rebellion deprived them of the Benefit, but did not end the Law, nor rendered them uncapable of its Obligation. God made Adam, and after him the Heads of Families his Priests: He had then publick Worship natural, and instituted sacrificing, and the distinction of clean and unclean Beasts, Sabbath and Marriage, as well as calling on the Name of the Lord, are expressed: As the Covenant to Noah was the same with that to Adam, with some small Addition, so no doubt were the Precepts of Noah. As the Canaanies sacrificed, so their marrying in the prohibited Degrees, is called one of their Abominations: It's very probable, that not only the Decalogue in sence; but also all, or most of the particular Mosaical Precepts, which are but the Instances, Explications, and Applications of those Generals, were given before the Flood; and some more, which even the Nations Traditions kept some remembrance of, though not named particularly in the Text.