Ps 49:8

“On this score the other inspired authors leveled their accusations, remember, that they had bypassed the more important element of virtue and were resting their hope of salvation in these things.… Yet many are the words spoken about sacrifices, whereas the law about them was passed not because his wish was preeminently for such things but because he was showing considerateness for their limitations.… God should be worshiped, after all, not with fumes and smells but with an impeccable lifestyle, not bodily but of the mind. The demons of the foreigners were not inclined this way, however; rather, they even looked for these things. A poet of the Greeks even seems to be suggesting as much in saying, "It is by the will of the gods, you see, we obtain this portion." But our God is not like that: whereas those gods thirsted for human blood and in their desire to lead them into this bloodguiltiness constantly made such demands, our God by contrast wanted to remove them gradually even from the slaughter of brute beasts and so employed this considerateness in allowing sacrifices so as to abolish sacrifices.”

“What He requireth of man, let us see; what tribute our God, our Emperor and our King doth enjoin us; since He hath willed to be our King, and hath willed us to be His province? Let us hear His injunctions. Let not a poor man tremble beneath the injunction of God: what God enjoineth to be given to Himself, He doth Himself first give that enjoineth: be ye only devoted. God doth not exact what He hath not given, and to all men hath given what He doth exact. For what doth He exact? Let us hear now: "I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices" [Psalm 50:8]. I will not say to thee, Wherefore hast thou not slain for me a fat bull? why hast thou not selected the best he-goat from thy flock? Wherefore doth that ram amble among thy sheep, and is not laid upon mine altar? I will not say, Examine thy fields and thy pen and thy walls, seeking what thou mayest give Me. "I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices."”

“"I will not reprove you for your sacrifices." Here he treats of the disputation itself. And concerning this he does three things. First, he rejects the old sacrifice. Second, he introduces the new sacrifice, at "Offer to God." Third, he repels the wicked from this sacrifice, at "But to the sinner." Sacrifices are professions of faith; and therefore, being about to set forth concerning the worship of God, he first sets forth concerning faith in the one God. And first he proposes his intention; second, he assigns the reason. He says, therefore: I will come and judge, and "I will not reprove you for your sacrifices," which you have not omitted. But on the contrary: whoever at that time would have omitted them would have erred; but for every error one will be brought to judgment, as is said in Eccl. 12. It must be said that a man is reproved when he does not do the will of his superior. But the will of God is your sanctification, 1 Thess. 4. Now these sacrifices do not contribute to your sanctification; and therefore they are not willed by God in themselves, but insofar as they are signs of something else. And therefore Hos. 6 says: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." And insofar as they are signs of interior virtue, [men] are properly reproved for the virtues they did not practice, not for the sacrifices. He makes the reason clear, first on their part; second, on his own part. Hence he says, "Your holocausts are always in my sight"; as if to say: I will not reprove you for sacrifices, because you are ready to offer carnal sacrifices, because they gladly offered sacrifices on account of the fact that they delighted in them at banquets. Is. 22: "Behold, joy -- to sacrifice victims," etc. Or, differently: "I will not reprove you for sacrifices," namely carnal ones, because "your holocausts," namely spiritual ones, "are always in my sight," that is, they please me. And these are, as Gregory says, when everything is offered to God, namely when one offers oneself and all that one has, and thus spends it in the service of God.”