4. Moral and Substantial Duties should chiefly be made Conscience of, and ought to take place of Ceremonial Observances, though belonging to the First-Table; for so in the Text is Mercy preferred before Sacrifices. Which is to be regarded to a double end; partly, that we may not rest in them as the better part of our Duty. If Men submit never so much to external Institutions about Religion and Worship, and think to satisfy their Consciences therewith, yet they will not at all be accepted and approved of God. No: he looketh more to moral Obedience, than positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion. And therefore you have Morals of the First-Table, or the Second, often compared with, and preferred above the Externals of Religion, as 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord any delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices? To obey, is better than Sacrifices; and to hearken, than the Fat of Rams. Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and Stubbornness as Idolatry. 'T was spoken upon the occasion of Saul's sparing Agag, and the Fat of the Cattle for Sacrifice, when he was to destroy Man ⟨p. 11⟩and Beast. At other times 'tis compared with Duties of the Second-Table. The Moral Duties of the Second-Table, are better than the Ceremonial Duties of the first. If we be scanty in the one, and abound in the other, 'tis a Note of an Hypocrite; Rom. 14. 17, 18. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meats and Drinks, but in Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost. If a Man do these things, he shall be accepted of the Lord, and approved of Men. There are two Expositions of that place both equally probable, the one more general. That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience, and Peace for Peace of Conscience, resulting from the Rectitude of our Actions; and Joy in the Holy Ghost, for supernatural Comfort, which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts, by reflecting on our Privileges by Christ, and the Hopes of the World to come. Now Christianity lieth not in outward Observances, but in solid Godliness. The other Exposition is in a more limited sense; That by Righteousness, is meant just dealing; by Peace, a peaceable, harmless inoffensive sort of living; by Joy in the Holy Ghost, a delight to do good to one another, not dividing from, or hating, censuring, excommunicating one another for ⟨p. 12⟩mere Rituals, but pleasing one another to Edification.
4. Moral and Substantial Duties should chiefly be made Conscience of, and ought to take place of Ceremonial Observances, though belonging to the First-Table; for so in the Text is Mercy preferred before Sacrifices. Which is to be regarded to a double end; partly, that we may not rest in them as the better part of our Duty. If Men submit never so much to external Institutions about Religion and Worship, and think to satisfy their Consciences therewith, yet they will not at all be accepted and approved of God. No: he looketh more to moral Obedience, than positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion. And therefore you have Morals of the First-Table, or the Second, often compared with, and preferr'd above the Externals of Religion, as 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord any delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices? To obey, is better than Sacrifices; and to hearken, than the Fat of Rams. Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and Stubbornness as Idolatry. 'T was spoken upon the occasion of Saul's sparing Agag, and the Fat of the Cattel for Sacrifice, when he was to destroy Man ⟨p. 11⟩and Beast. At other times 'tis compared with Duties of the Second-Table. The Moral Duties of the Second-Table, are better than the Ceremonial Duties of the first. If we be scanty in the one, and abound in the other, 'tis a Note of an Hypocrite; Rom. 14. 17, 18. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meats and Drinks, but in Righteousness, Peace, and Ioy in the Holy Ghost. If a Man do these things, he shall be accepted of the Lord, and approved of Men. There are two Expositions of that place both equally probable, the one more general. That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience, and Peace for Peace of Conscience, resulting from the Rectitude of our Actions; and Joy in the Holy Ghost, for supernatural Comfort, which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts, by reflecting on our Priviledges by Christ, and the Hopes of the World to come. Now Christianity lieth not in outward Observances, but in solid Godliness. The other Exposition is in a more limited sense; That by Righteousness, is meant just dealing; by Peace, a peaceable, harmless inoffensive sort of living; by Joy in the Holy Ghost, a delight to do good to one another, not dividing from, or hating, censuring, excommunicating one another for ⟨p. 12⟩meer Rituals, but pleasing one another to Edification.
