344 In/lituted Religion not Intended Vol. I. The Firft is here in the Text, upon occafion of the Pharfies finding Fault with him, for convertingwith Publicans and Sinners ; the other is, i%iatth. 12.7. where the Pharifees blaming the Difciples of our Saviour for plucking the Ears of Cornon the Sabbath day, our Saviour tells them, if ye had known what meaneth, will haveMercy and not Sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guilt- lefs ; that is, if they hadunderflood the true Nature of Religion, and IA. hat Du- ties of it are chiefly and in the firft place to be regarded, they would not have been fo forward to cenfure this A&ionof his Difciples. So that the plain meaningof this Saying is this, that in comparing the parts of Religion and the Obligation of Duties together, thofeDuties which are of moral and natural Obligationare molt valued by God, and ought to take place of thofe which are pofitiveand ritual. I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice, that is, , rather than Sacrifice, according to the true meaning of this Hebrew Phrafe, which is to be underftood in comparative Senfe, as is evident from the Text it felf, in He- fea, I clef/red Mercy, and not Sacrifice ; and the knowledge ofGod rather than burnt offerings ; if they cannot be obferved together, let Sacrifice be negle&ed, and the work of Mercy be done. And the Reafon of this Teems very plain; becaufe Jhewing Mercy, or doing Good in any kind is a prime inftance of thofe moral Duties, which do naturally andperpetually oblige ; but Sacrifice is an Inftance of poftive and ritual Obfervances, and one of thechief ofthekind : fo that whenmoral Duties, and.ritual Obfervan- ces come in competition, and do clafh with one another, the obfervation of a Rite,; or pofitive Infiitution, is togive way to a moral Duty ; and it is no Sin in that cafe to negle& the Obfervation of fuch a Rite, yea though it were command- ed and appointedby God himfelf. And though this may feem to be a breach of the letter of the Law ; yet it is according to the true mind and meaning of the Law; it being a tacit condition implyed in all Laws of a ritual and pofitive Na- ture, provided the obfervance ofthem be not to the hindrance and prejudice of any Dit- ty, which is of a higher andbetter nature ; in that cafe the Obligation of it does for that time give way and is fufpended. And this will appear to be the true meaningof this Rule, by comparing more particularly the lnftances to which our Saviour applies it. His Difciples palling through theCorn on the Sabbath Day, and being hungry, pluckt. the Ears and did eat; this our Saviour does juftifie to be no Breach of theLaw of the Sab- bath ; becaufe in that cafe, and in fuch Circumftances, it did not oblige : for the Difciples being call'd to attend upon our Saviour, to be inftru&ed by him in the things which concerned the Kingdom of God, that is, in the Do&rine of the Gofpel, which they were to publi(h to the World, this Attendance hindred them from making neceffary Provifions againft the Sabbath, they, in obedienceto their Ma er, being intent upon a better.Work ; but that they might not ftarve, the ne- cefíities of Nature mutt be provided for ; and therefore it was fit, that theLaw of the Sabbath, which was but pofìttve and ritual, fhould give way to an a& of Mercy, and Self-prefereeation ; ifye hadknown what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and notfacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltlefs. And the reafon is the fame as toany Inftrumental part of Religion, bywhich I mean any thing which may be a means to promote Piety and Goodnefs ; as Pray- er, hearing the Word of God, keeping goodCompany, and avoiding bad ; the Duties of this kind, our Saviour herein the Text (where he likewife applies this Rule,) compares withmoral Duties. Toavoid the Company of vicious and wick- ed Perfons, is a good means to preferve Men from the contagion of their Vices, and was always efteemed a Duty among prudent Men, both Jews and Heathens, and is in nowife difallowed by our Saviour : but yet not fo a Duty, as to. hin- der a greater Duty, nor fo ftri&ly and perverfely to be infifted upon, as if one ought not to converfe with bad Men in anyCafe, or upon any Account, no not for fo great and good as end as to reclaim them from their Vices. In this Cafe we ought to confider, that our firft and higheft obligation is to moral Duties, comprehended under the love of God and our Neighbour ; among which one of the chief is to dogood to Men, and to fhew Mercy and Pity to thofe that are in Mifery g
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