I.

has gracioufly indulged to us, above his SB RM. ancient People, from the Coft and Care of the various Sacrifices they were bound to, with the long and frequent Journeys, and other very burthenfome Circumftances required to that Purpose. Such Eafe gives us the more Scope for Beneficence, and prompts our Gratitude to a more cheerful Application to that rational, `voluntary, noble Service; in which the Duty of the first and greatest Commandment, and of the fecond, (which is like unto it,) is eminently united, and difcharged by the very fame Acts, and all the Law fulfilled in one Word. So excellent and comprehenfive is Charity.

Thirdly, I would remark the lamentable Abfurdity of the Hope of those who would reconcile themselves to the Favour of God by dedicating fome of the Fruits of their Fraud or Violence to him. Perhaps many rich Endowments and magnificent Structures have owed their Foundation to this Thought. But the Divine Justice will not regard these Peace-Offerings. Repentance, Reformation, and Reftitution, are what it infifts upon: Nor is that Charity,

SERM. which proceeds not out of a pure Heart I. and a good Confcience. And if any Doctrine favours the contrary Perfuafion, it is interested and deceitful, cherishes the Body and wounds the Soul of Religion; which muft abhor all fuch tithing and confecrating of Mens Sins. And fo God declares by the Prophet Isaiah, I the Lord love Judgment: I hate Robbery for BurntOffering.

Laftly, Let no Man make a wrong Ufe of what hath been faid, to encourage himself in a Conclufion which does not follow from it. For there may be fome, that because Juftice and Charity, and Sobriety, (they fee) have Right to the principal Place, would therefore allow none at all to the other Offices of Reliligion and Piety. They would reckon, that holding the fubftantial Part by the Conviction and Strength of Reason, they may exempt themselves from the Trouble of obferving what has been instituted as Helps and Incitements for the Service of -weaker People. People. But there is nothing vainer than this philofophifing; which would make Man wifer than God, who

furely

furely knows the Weakness of his Crea- SER M. ture, has appointed thefe Affiftances for 1. all, and will himself affift them only in the Use of his own Appointments. And where the Presumption I fpeak of obtains, I fear it is a common Cafe (and what Wonder?) that these wise Men find their Endeavours of keeping the Commandments in their own Way ineffectual; and fo throw up one Part of their Duty after the other, as impoffible to be performed.

The true Conclufion therefore of the whole Matter is: We prefer the End to the Means; and nevertheless embrace the Means (with great Thankfulness to the gracious Appointment,) that we may obtain the End : For, according to our Lord's Decifion, one ought to be Done, and the other not to be left Undone.

And because in his Person and Sufferings alone both Obedience and Sacrifice have been united and perfected, Let us pray, that our Services of either Kind may for the Sake of them find Acceptance: And to "Him for the fame, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory World without End.

SERMON

SERM.

II.

SERMON

II.

Of the Distinction between Moral and Pofitive Duties.

PART II.

MATT. xii. 7.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the Guiltless.

HESE Words, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice, (which are cited from the vith Chapter and fame Verse of Hofea) confider'd in my laft Discourse on the ixth and the 13th of this Evangelift; where our Lord alledged them on a different Occafion. I then endea

I

vour'd to fhew, from the Sentence itself, SERM. explain'd by correfpondent Places in the II. Old Teftament; and from the two feveral Applications of it in St. Matthew: That by Sacrifice, because it was a principal Part of External Honour and Worship, the Prophet intended to exprefs all the Conditions and Circumstances of them; whatever was to be done or refrain'd in Pursuance of Ceremonial Inftitutions; and by Mercy, (for a like Reafon) the whole Kind of Moral Duties, both Justice and Charity, and all the Dictates of the uniform and everlasting Law. This I fupported by the Reason of the Thing; and made it appear, that the Nature of the latter was unchangeable, but the former fubjected to Change; and never acceptable to the Lawgiver himself, unless in Conjunction with the latter, to which they were defign'd as Helps and Means, and derived their whole Value from answering that End. And upon this Examination it fell in our Way to obferve, that the Judicial or Political Conftitutions were of the fame Nature, and upon the fame Foot with the Ceremonial; ow'd their

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