By ' flesh' is meant outward things, as prerogatives, privileges, actions of a man's own doing, and particularly, he aims at circumcision, which he calls ' outward, and that of the flesh,' Rom. ii. 28. So as the observation that we'may gather is, that confidence in Christ takes aivay confideiice in outtuard things. The reason is, if Christ be fully all-sufticient, what need is there of any outward thing to put confidence in ? For these are two opposite things, and one overthrows the other.
Doct. The second instruction is, that naturally men have confidence in outivard things ; for having not hearts filled with grace, they relish not Christ, but fly to ceremonious outward actions as their refuge. Nay, in the church, till we be converted, we naturally fly to outward fleshly con- fidence. We have the word taught to us ; we come to hear it twice on the Lord's day. Alas ! what is this, if thou be not transformed, and inwardly and outwardly conformed in obedience ! Hast thou the sacraments ? dost thou uncover thy head, or bow the knee ? These are good, and they seem fair ; but where is the heart ? how is that prepared ? hast thou an earnest desire to leave ofi" thy course of sinning, and dost thou resolve hereafter to amend thy life ? Oh, here is the hard spiritual work ! So, in outward fasting and abstinence, it is an easy matter. The Pharisees did it often. But this is the fast that God hath commanded, to loose the bands of wickedness, to fast from sin, Isa. Iviii. 6. The suffering of the flesh, if it be separated from spiritual use, and alms, they profit nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 3. AU Paul's prerogatives, which were many, 2 Cor. 11th and 12th chapters, yet they were in his account but 'dross and dung,' in comparison of Christ. Most men are like Ephraim, Hosea x. 11, as heifers, who serve to tread out corn and to plough. Ephraim loved to tread corn, where he might eat his bellyful ; for by the law of Moses, the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn was not to be muzzled. Men they are delighted in the per- formance of slight duties ; but to put their neck under the yoke, to plough, it is a hard work ; who can bear it ?
Ohj. But some will say, Oh, what ! do you condemn outward duties and use of them ?
Ans. I answer. We may consider religious duties two ways. First, as they are outwai'd means to salvation, for so they are. Secondly, as they are expressions of inward truth ; and so out of a sincere, entire afiection we bear to them, and out of a desire to be wrought upon by them, we do them. Thus they are commended that use them. But let them want but an inch of this, all is abominable, all is ' flesh.' The Jews they boasted in the name of 'holy people,' in their law, 'in the temple,' in the 'Holy Land ;' yet for all these, saith God, you shall go into captivity. Against such Christ preached : ' Woe to you. Scribes and Pharisees ! you tithe mint, but let pass justice and judgment,' Mat. xxiii. 23. And Paul, ' Be not high-minded, but fear,' Bom. xi. 20. And the reasons why men are taken up with this fleshly confidence are.
Reason 1. First, Outirard things are easy, and men cannot bend themselves to perform the hard matters of the law.
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Ticafion 2. Secondly, Thc]i (ire i/Joriotis, and men desire to be observed.
limson 3. Tbirdly, Mcu have a foolish conceit that God is delighted with the outward act, when the inward sincerity is wanting.
Reason 4. Fourthly, Lieu urud knowledi/e of llieinselres, want the inward change, want sense of their own unworthiness and Christ's worthiness.
Reason 5. Fifthly, God folloireth such with prosperity in this world. Thereby they think God is well pleased with them, till the hour of death come, and then they find all but froth.
Quest. How shall we know whether our confidence is fleshly or not ?
Ans. I answer. Where this fleshly confidence is, there is bitterness of spirit against sincerity. The Pharisees, the doctors of the law, sat in Moses' chair, yet who more opposed Christ than they ? Mat. xxiii. 2. Nay, they whollj^ and only in their whole course sought to persecute him, and made it their trade.
2. Secondly, Where this fleshly confidence is, there is also a secret bless- ing of ourselves in our performance of good duties, without humiliation for our defects. Hypocrites think that God is beholden to them, and therefore do bless themselves in the deed done.
In the fourth verse he comes to an argument, taken from himself, against those of the concision.
\^RSE 4.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. Jf any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.
As if he had said. If any other man may glory in the flesh, then may I much more. But I do not think that I have cause sufiicient to glory in the flesh ; therefore have not they, or may not they, glory in the flesh. And the reason or ground of this proposition is taken from his many pre- rogatives he had, which he comes to in the 5th and 6th verses following.