in the Book of the Maccabees concerning Eleazar and the Woman with her seven Sons so cruelly tortured But these Commands were contrary to the Laws of God Should they have said God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice No in such a case God will have Sacrifice and not Mercy Tho often advised to yield they would not abate a Jot of their Zeal For tho the Case be but in Externals yet there is a Renunciation of our Relation and Obedience to God's Law So Daniel opening his Windows and praying three times a day as he was wont to do Dan. 6. 10. That Circumstance might have been forborn you will think in a Case of such imminent Peril of Life No he would neither forbear praying nor opening his Windows he had wont to do so before and without dishonouring God and renouncing his Profession he could not forbear to do so now The Promise of Audience made to Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple required this Ceremony as an Effect of Faith 1 Kings 8. 42 43. When they shall pray towards this House then hear thou in Heaven And David saith Psal. 5. 7. In thy Fear I will worship towards thy holy Temple The Temple did shadow forth the Body of our Lord Christ the Mediator in whom only our Prayers and Services are accepted with the Father which Solomon respected in looking towards the Temple But the chief Reason is the Necessity of Profession and open Profession too against this impious Law contrived by the Malice of his Enemies to make him afraid Now to shew he was not frighted from his Duty he openeth his Windows and would not forgo any Circumstance of his Duty to God I might instance in Circumcision as urged by the false Apostles as necessary to our Justification Gal. 5. 2 3 4. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testify again to every Man that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Christ is become of none effect unto you Whosoever of you are justified by the Law you are fallen from Grace Such is the difference when God calleth us to the profession of a lesser Truth Therefore the Case may be such that Externals may bear great Weight 7. If the Externals of God's Worship instituted by himself must give place to Mercy then Externals of Humane Institution ought much more to give place to Mercy Sacrifices were of God's Institution and a way of expressing their Obedience and Thankfulness in his Worship yet God saith I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice And twice is this applied by Christ to Mercy towards the Souls of Men in the Text and Mercy concerning the Bodies of Men Mat. 12. to defend the Disciples rubbing the Ears of Corn because they fainted for Hunger Then by like Reason where the urging of Externals may cross Mercy to the Souls of Men by depriving them of the Means of Edification and the Gifts of a lively Ministry or crossing Mercy to the Bodies of Men by depriving them and their Families of their necessary Support and Maintenance in such a case they should learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice And the Peace and Edification of the Church is more valuable than that of a private Man In all External positive Institutions the Apostles often urge Charity to the Souls of Men for which Christ died that we neither wound them with Sorrow or Sin as the sure Rule to guide us either in practising or forbearing our Liberty Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died So 1 Cor. 8. 11. And through thy Knowledg shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ died That is the scandalous Abuse of this Knowledg In short if any great dammage to the Souls or Bodies scandal or inconveniece should come upon urging these Externals surely they should be forborn for if it be the Will and Pleasure of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that Matters commanded by his Affirmative Precepts should be forborn for Charity 's sake Men should be perswaded to remit of the rigor of their Impositions in this kind though the things imposed were indifferent and the practice of them in some Cases a Duty yet if it would destroy Charity we are to leave our Prayers publick and private forsake a Sermon to save the Life of our Neighbour nay to quench the Fire burning his House nay to help his Cattle out of the Ditch But I will prosecute this no further Let me now make some use of what hath been said 1. Let us take heed that we be not of the number of them that are serious and zealous in some things but not in all Partial Zeal hath always been the Note of Hypocrites as the Pharisees were earnest for Externals but neglected Justice and Charity Saul is an Instance of Partial Zeal in destroying the Gibeonites and sparing the Amalekites 2 Sam. 21. 2. Saul sought to sâ—ay them in his zeal to the Children of Israel and Iudah He was expresly commanded to root out the Amalekites but he spared Agag out of seeming pity but useth barbarous Cruelty in seeking to root out the Gibeonites who were to be preserved by Oath and Covenant and this he is said to do in his Zeal Not a true Zeal surely as aiming at God's Glory for it tended much to his dishonour to have them destroyed who were new Proselytes and professing Religion and had put themselves under God's Protection but a preposterous hypocritical Zeal of aiming as he pretended at the welfare of the Common-Wealth of Israel his main Intent was popular Applause and to gratify them who envied the Gentiles should be incorporated into God's People An Hypocrite's Conscience is not uniform but brought upon the Stage for a Turn I shall give you another Instance in Iehâ— mighty zealous in destroying the Idolatry of Baal which was the Idolatry of the House of Ahab but not only cold and indifferent but resolute against the destroying the Calves of Dan and Bethel which was the Idolatry of Ieroboam 2 Kings 10. 28 29. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel Howbeit from the Sins of Jeroboam wherewith he made Israel to sin Jehu departed not from them to wit the Golden Calves in Dan and Bethel Reason of State perswaded the one and disswaded the other His Interest lay in ruining the House of Ahab and in taking care that the Tribes might not revert to the House of David Thus you see Men zealous in some things may griâ—vously sin in others Therefore my Beloved be you careful to regard all God's Commands in their place Piety in its place Justice in its place Mercy in its place The Jews after they had smarted in Babylon were zealous against Idols but robbed God of his Dues never took care to restore the Riches of the Temple Therefore the Apostle taxeth this partiality of Zeal Rom. 2. 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit
Sacrilege The latter Prophets tax them much for that Crime The Jewish Form still is hatred of Idolatry in-so-much that they think that all the Plagues that come upon them is for the Idolatry of their Fathers especially in the siâ— of the Golden Calf in the Wilderness and translate the Scene of their Repentance far enough from themselves that they may not see their present Sins both in breaking the moral Law and despising Christ. And every Party is observâ—d to have their Form one special Commandment which they stuck unto which they are zealous for whilst they neglect the rest The reproaches of our Enemies saith the Pharisee are only for the fourth Commandment but neglect the rest zealous for the Sabbath but unconscionable all the week after Oh let 〈◊〉 be no occasion for this Others sâ—em to make little reckoning of other Commandments and insist only upon the fifth obedience to Superiors The Charge is sometimes carried between the third and sixth Commandment they will not swear but will lie and slâ—nder their Neighbours I mention these things to shew what need we have to be uniform in our Obedience unto God I will mention but one Motive They that do not obey all will not long obey any but where their Interest or Inclinationsâ— require it will break all As Herod did many things but one Command stuck with him his Herodias and that bringeth him to murder God's Prophet Mark 6. 20. One Sin keepeth possession for Satan and that one Lust and Corruption may undoe all A Bird tied by the Leg may make some shew of escape so do many think themselves at liberty but the Fowler hath them fast enough 2. Let us not rest in outward Duties of Worship and place our Zeal there for that is an ill Spirit that doth so 'T is the Badg of Pharisaism they keep a fair correspondence with God in the outward Duties of his Worship but in other things deny their subjection to him the main reason is because Externals of Worship are more easy than the denial of Lusts. The sensual Nature of Man is such that 't is loth to be crossed which produceth prophaneness Wherefore do Men ingulph themselves in all manner of sensuality but because they are loth to deny their Natural Appetites and Desires and to row against the stream of Flesh and Blood and so to walk in the way of his own Hâ—art and the sight of his Eyes Eccles. 4. 8. If Nature must be crossed it shall be crossed only for a little and in some slight manner they will give God some outward thing which lieth remote from the subjection of the Heart to him therefore be zealous for Externals and this produceth Hypocrisy gross Hypocrisy and Dissembling whereby we deceive othâ—rs and get a good Name among others by a zeal and fervency for God's outward Iâ—stitutions And this close Hypocrisy or Partiality of Obedience is that whereby we deceive our selves exceeding in External Actions and Duties while we neglect those Substantials wherein the Heart and Life of Religion most lieth such are the Love of God Contempt of the World Mortification of the Flesh the Heavenly Mind and Holy Constitution of the Soul â—irmly set to please God in all things Once more That this Deceit may be more strong Men are apt to exceed in outward Observances or By-laws of their own and this produceth Superstition either Negative in condemning some outward things which God never condemned as those Ordinances of Men which the Apostle speaketh of Col. 2. 19. Touch not taste not handle not Or positive in doing many things as Duties and crying them up as special Acts and Helps of Religion which God never instituted to that end and purpose Mark 7. 7 8. Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. The Spirit and Genius of Superstition lieth in this neglecting many things which God commandeth but multiplâ—ing Bonds and Chains of their own making Sacrifices enow God shall have any thing for the Sin of their Souls Micah 6. 6 7. Thus these three great Evils Prophaneness Hypocrisy and Superstition do all grow upon the same Stem and Root First Men must have an easy Religion where the Flesh is not crossed but no mortifying of Lusts no exercising our selves to Godliness They can deny themselves in parting with a Sacrifice but the weighty things of Piety Justice and Mercy are neglected God shall have Prayers enow Hearing enough if the Humor and Temper of the Body will suit with it They can fast and gash themselves like Baal's Priests whip their Bodies but spare their Sins but the Heart is not subdued to God They can part with any thing better than their Lusts and disturb the present Ease of the Body by attending on long and tedious Duties rather than any solid and serious Piety II. The next Lesson which we learn is The Guise of Hypocrites for our Lord intimateth that these Pharisees had great need to learn the Importance of that Truth as being extreamly faulty I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice 1. The first thing notable in Hypocrites is a partial Zeal they have not an Uniform Conscience are very exact in some things but exceeding defective and faulty in others The good Conscience is intire and universal Heb. 13. 18. We trust that we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly The sincere Purpose and Intention of his Heart was to direct his Life according to the Will of God in all things Tho' every one hath his failings yet the Will and constant Endeavour of a sincere Heart is to govern himself universally according to the Will of God in all points of Duty whether they concern God or Man as 't is said of Zechary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. That they walked in all the Ordinances and Commandments of the Lord blameless The renewed Conscience doth approve all and the renewed Will which is the Imperial Power in the Soul the first Mover and Principle of all Moral Actions is bent and inclined to obey all and the New Life is spent in striving to comply with all But 't is not so with Hypocrites they pick and chuse out the easiest part in Religion and lay out all their Zeal there but let other things go In some Duties that are of easy digestion and nourish their Disease rather than cure their Soul none so zealous as they none so partial as they Now a partial Zeal for small things with a plain neglect of the rest is direct Pharisaism all for Sacrifice nothing for Mercy Therefore every one of us should take heed of halving and dividing with God If we make Conscience of Piety let us also make Conscience of Justice if of Justice let us also make Conscience of Mercy 'T is harder to renounce one Sin wherein we delight than a greater which we do not equally affect A Man is wedded to some special Lusts and is loth to hear of a divorce from them We have our tender and sore places in
the Conscience which we are loth should be touched But if we be sincere with God we will keep our selves from all even from our own Iniquity Psal. 18. 23. such as is most incident to us by temper or custom of Life or course of our Interests to baulk or break with God out of private Reasons of Pleasure Honour or Profit or any corrupt Interest is to prefer these things before God and to set up another chief Good in our Hearts and to prefer it before his Favour Thus in General 2. They place all their Godliness and Righteousness in outward Observances or external Discipline and so their Religion is more in the Flesh and in the Letter than in Heart and Spirit As the Pharisees rested in outward Worship only or some external Rules without the inward and real Duties either of the First or Second Table Mat. 23. 25. They cleanse the outside of the Cup and Platter but within they are full of Extortion and Excess And Vers. 28. Ye appear outwardly Righteous unto Men but within ye are full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity And every where they are represented as painted Tombs without but had much hidden Uncleanness and Corruption within There was an outward formality and shew of Religion when they denied the Power thereof They should join Obedience to God and Love to their Neighbour with their outward Sacrifices but these things were of little value and esteem with them Now what Sacrifices were to them that External Ordinances are to us And what their Rituals were the same is the Mode and Garb of Profession among us And therefore External Profession or the performance of External Duties according to our way is not a sufficient Testimony of true Godliness For Christ saith Mat. 5. 20. Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Their Righteousness was an out-side Righteousness without that inward Constitution of Soul which doth belong to a renewed Heart and yet carried on in such a way and applauded by Men that the Jews had a saying That if but two Men out of all the World went to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee Oh Christians 't is one thing to approve our selves to God who searcheth the Heart and another thing to approve our selves to Men who look only to the out-side and fâ—ir appearance without A renewed Heart that is unfeignedly set to please God in all things is more than all the Pomp of External Duties And therefore we should study to give Evidence of this by making Conscience of Obedience as well inwardly as outwardly growing in Holiness all the days of our Lives This will be comfortable to us and this will be approved of God hereafter even such an Holiness as is manifested in all the parts of our Conversation in outward Carriage and secret Practice common Affairs and religious Duties In the Worship of God and Charity and Justice to Men Phil. 3. 3. We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the Flesh. When there is a serious Bent and the true spiritual Affections of a renewed Heart towards God and Man and we do not rest in outward Duties but are still growing in internal Grace Faith Hope and Love and are still purifying the Heart and Life that we may constantly glorify God and do good to Men. This is that which is over and above the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees our Duty is to serve God in the Spirit and to bring the inward Man in subjection to him without which Externals are of little worth 3. They were more in love with Ceremonies than with Substance Sacrifices which belonged to the Ceremonies of the Law were in high esteem with them but Godliness Justice and Mercy were of little regard And as outward things were preferred before Inward so the lesser things before the weighty As to their Duties tithing Mint and Annise and Cummin but they have omitted the weightier Matters of the Law Justice Mercy Faith These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Matth. 23. 23. Formality and Hypocrisy maketh Men wise about that which is least to purpose They make a business about Ceremonies but neglect the Substance of Religion They enlarged their Phylacteries which were Scroles of Parchment on which the Law was written but took no care of having the Law of God written upon their Hearts Hypocrisy is an odd trifling Zeal which runneth out upon little things So for avoiding Sin Matth. 23. 24. They strain at a 〈◊〉 and swallow a Camel More scrupulous in a little Sin than a great in small Sins very scrupulous in greater Matters very adventurous And because this is one of the main things here intended I shall give you Instances and Reasons 1. Instances to prove that Hypocrites have such an odd Conscience that straineth greatly at a small Sin We have them every where out of the Word of God Herod's making Conscience of his Oath but not of shedding Innocent Blood The King was sorry nevertheless for his Oath 's sake c. Matth. 14. 9. he caused Iohn the Baptist to be beheaded A Sinner is holden in Bonds which he might lawfully break rather than Herod will break his rash Oath Iohn shall lose his Head Of such an odd Complection is the Conscience of Carnal Men. So the Jews when Iudas laid down the hire of his Treason and cast the Mony at their feet Mat. 29. 6 7. It is not lawful said they to put it into the Treasury because it is the price of Blood Pretending to be afraid to offend in the least things when they had offended in the greater They bogled not at betraying Innocent Blood and yet they would not meddle with the Gain when it was thrown back to them Another Instance of the like Conscience is Iohn 18. 28. Then led they Iesus front Caiaphas into the Iudgment-Hall and it was early and they themselves went not into the Iudgment-Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover They were careful to avoid legal Pollution and yet they were at the same time seeking the Life of the Lord of Glory Just such another fit of Conscience cometh upon them a little after Iohn 19. 31. They went to Pilate and desired that the Bodies might not hang upon the Cross on the Sabbath-day lest their great Feast should be defiled And thus you see that through Formality and Custom Men may be strictly bound in Conscience to perform the Duties of Ceremonial or External Worship whose Consciences notwithstanding never scruple to violate the most weighty Precepts of the Law Just of this Nature was that solemn Case of Conscience Zech. 7. 1 2. about the keeping of their Fasts when the Prophet telleth them they had higher Matters to mind the executing of Iudgment and shewing Mercy and breaking off their Oppressions vers 10. The