They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offering
They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offering.
God call all their sacrifices flesh: that is, in contempt; as if he should say, you sacrifice, indeed I have a little flesh from you, But do you think that is the thing that I intend in my offering? I expect faith and obedience, I expect the work of faith relying upon him that is typified by all the sacrifices that you offer; but you wanting that inward spiritual worship in your souls, I account all your sacrifices but flesh.
Most people offer nothing up to God in all their sacrifices, but flesh; their offerings are flesh. That's thus: even in your prayers, in your hearing, in your receiving you offer sacrifice, but all is but flesh, God has the outward man, and it may be you have fleshly ends in what you do, and fleshly carnal hearts, you offer the flesh. Many a man that has excellent gifts in prayer, and seems to offer up an excellent sacrifice to God, but it's nothing but flesh, there's little of the Spirit of God, (of the sanctifying Spirit nothing it may be) a man that perhaps may preach excellently, yet in fleshly wisdom, nothing but fleshly excellency. Oh my brethren! what are our sacrifices, if they be nothing but fleshly excellencies? You know what the Scripture says, All flesh is grass, and as the flower of the field, but the Word of God abides for ever; all a man's parts, all things are but flesh that are not spiritual and the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God by the Word, but the Word of God abides; that is, the impression of the Word of God upon the soul by the sanctifying work of God's Spirit abides for ever, but all flesh is grass. You have got a great deal of fleshly excellency in parts, so as others admire your gifts; I but this flesh is as grass, it will come to nothing, and all your esteem will come to nothing. Oh let us take heed (my brethren) that our sacrifices be not flesh, for though they may glitter a while in the world, within a few years all will be as grass and will come to nothing.