A Golden Chain

The first is strength to bear the cross and to resist spiritual temptations, v. 16. where the strength is set out by divers arguments: First, that it is the mere gift of God, that he would grant you: Secondly, the cause of strength, by his Spirit: Thirdly, the subject or place where this strength must be, in the inner man, that is, in the whole man, so far forth as he is renewed by grace, Eph. 6.14. The second is, the dwelling of Christ in their hearts by faith: Faith is when a man being seriously humbled for his sins, is further in conscience persuaded, and resolved of the pardon of them, and of reconciliation to God. Now where this persuasion is in deed, there follows necessarily Christs dwelling in the heart, which stands in two things: the first is, the ruling and ordering of the thoughts, affections, and desires of the heart, according to his will; as a master rules in his house: the second is the continuance of his rule. For he cannot be said to dwell in a place, who rules in it but for a day.

The first is strength to beare the crosse and to resist spirituall temptations, v. 16. where the strength is set out by diuers arguments: First, that it is the meere gift of God, that he would graunt you: Secondly, the cause of strength, by his Spirit: Thirdly, the subiect or place where this strength must be, in the inner man, that is, in the whole man, so farre forth as he is renued by grace, Eph. 6.14. The second is, the dwelling of Christ in their hearts by faith: Faith is when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes, is further in conscience perswaded, and resolued of the pardon of them, and of reconciliation to God. Now where this perswasion is in deed, there followes necessarily Christs dwelling in the heart, which stands in two things: the first is, the ruling and ordering of the thoughts, affections, and desires of the heart, according to his will; as a master rules in his house: the second is the continuance of his rule. For he cannot be said to dwell in a place, who rules in it but for a day.

The third, is the knowledge and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatness of Gods love in Christ, an effect of the former. v. 18, 19. the words are thus explained: Rooted and grounded. Here the love of God wherewith he loves the elect, is as a root and foundation of all Gods benefits, election, vocation, justification, and glorification. Men are rooted and grounded in love, when Gods spirit assures their hearts of Gods love, and doth give them some inward sense and feeling of it. For then they are as it were sensibly put into the root, and laid on the foundation. With all Saints: Paul desires this benefit, not only to the Ephesians, but also to all the faithful with them. What is the length, the breadth. Here is a speech borrowed from the Geometricians, and it signifies the absolute greatness or infiniteness of Gods love, and that it is like a world, which for length, breadth, height, and depth, is endless. Here note the order or receiving grace. First, Christ dwells in the heart by faith. Secondly, then comes a sense and feeling of Gods love, as it were by certain drops thereof. Thirdly, after this ariseth a plentiful knowledge, and apprehension of Gods love, and as it were the pouring out of a sea into a mans heart, that for greatness hath neither bottom nor bank. And know the love of Christ: these words (as I take it) are an exposition of the former: for to comprehend the love of God, is nothing else but to know the love of Christ: considering that all whom the father loveth, he loveth them in Christ: which passeth knowledge, that is, which for the greatness of it no man can fully know.