3"4. Dr.Bates afternoon Sermon. Chrift he brought more honour to God by his obedience, than we brought difbonour by our tranfgreffions, ; and therefore witholit any injury to God, hemight be at peace with us. You know, all our fins were but the a&s offinite creattires, and only infinite in re- gard of the obje& againfi whom they were committed. But the blodd of Chrift was of infinite value in regard of the Subje&, for, be-was God, and the enriching union of the Deity conveyed firth Worth and value to his blood, that he was able to appeafe God, and not only to free us fromcondemnation, but to make us the rayon- ,. rites of God. We are not only pardoned, but prefered upon the account of.his Blood. 2. He is the God of peace, as with refpeEt to the blood Of thrift, which is the purchafe of peace; fo with ref-pea to the Covenant which is made between God and us (through the blood of the ever- ' kling Covenant) There are three forts of Covenants amongft men, fome are Covenants of Friendthip and Amity : fome are Covenants of Trade and Commerce and fome are Covenants of Afliftante and Help. Now all thefe qualifications meet in this Covenant,which is made between God andBelievers : It is a Covenant ofPeace and Friendfhip, for now we ftandupon terms of amity with God, Thole who were hangers and enemies , are now reconciled. And there is between God and us perfeec peace, there is a League (as the Scrip- ture fpeaks),between God and the Creature. It is a Covenant of Trade, there is now a way opened to Heaven, we may now afcend to God in duties of holinefs, and God defeends to us by the exci- tations ofhis grace, and influences of joy. Arid 'tis a Covenant of Affiftance, for he proinifes not only to give us the reward of the Covenant, but to fecure unto us the Condition ; he promiles to us todifcharge the conditions of Faith and Repentance, Now upon this account, of that Covenant which is founded in the blood of Chrift, he is the God ofpeaceto his people. Vfe.] Is by way ofConyiecion. This may dilcover to us, how diftant their temper is from God, who are enemies to peace.- We un- man our felves, we unchriftian our felves fo far as we are oppofite to thisibleffed temper of peaCe. Certainly, as difturbed water can- not make any reflection unto us of that face that; looks into it, fo when our tpirits are diffurbed by animofities, exafperations, heats and divifions,'tis impollible for us to fee the' Image of God, as he the God of peace. And certainly there is no more doleful con& deration in the world than this, That Man, whomGod made fo a focial creature, who bath all the engagements and ,endearments laid upon him, which may caufe him to live in peace and gentle- nefs
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