Matthew 12:7 But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. They pick and choose 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. It 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 ourselves from all, even from our own iniquity (Psalm 18:23). (T. Manton.)Morals before rituals. (T. Manton. .) Parallel Verses KJV: But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. |
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