in the flesh, he had as good cause so to doe, nay better cause so to doe then any of them that reioiced in the flesh had. 2. He shewes that albeit hee might haue as good confidence in the flesh as the best, yet hee now counted of all those things not only as vnprofitable, but as hurtfull, vers 7.8. Whereby the Apostle both represseth the insolencie of those false teachers that boasted so much, and yet had not so much cause as hee had of boasting touching the flesh; and likewise lets the Phi∣lippians see that seeing hee hauing such prerogatiues aboue others touching the flesh, yet counted all things without Christ euen but dung and losse, they also should doe so, and therefore should not regard whatsoeuer those false teachers told them of circumcision, or of the workes of the Law. In generall therefore first the Apostle shewes, that if hee would haue confidence in the flesh, he hath cause enough, so that he might if hee would haue confidence in the flesh, in these words, Though I might, &c. Secondly he shewes that he hath more cause to trust in the flesh then any of those false teachers haue, in these words, If any other, &c. Thirdly, hee proues his two former assertions by a particular recitall of certaine ••hings wherein he might reioice, in some of which he was not ••nferiour to the best, as in circumcision, being circumcised ••he eighth day; in kindred, being of the kindred of Israel; in ••ribe, being of the tribe of Beniamin; in ancientnesse of stocke ••nd linage, being an Hebrew of the Hebrewes; and in profes∣sion, being a Pharisie: and in others he was before the best, as ••n zeale, hauing persecuted the Church, and in righteousnesse, ••hich is in the Law, being vnrebukeable. Thus yee see the ••orme of the Apostle his proceeding, and the diuision of these word, into their branches. Now touching the meaning of ••hem in more particular sort.
First, in the first generall proposition, where hee saith, ••hough I might, &c. the Apostle meeteth with an obiection which happily the false teachers might haue made against ••••m; and it is as if he should thus haue said: Though I say that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reioice in Christ Iesus, and haue no confidence in the flesh, ••et let no man say that it is because I haue no cause of confi∣••ence in the flesh; for I haue cause enough: so that if I would