Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse and explication 14
Vers. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his Spirit in the inner man.
THe Apostle doth, secondly, particularize those petitions which he put up to God in his prayer: and they are four. The first whereof, is in this verse, to wit, That God from the fountain of that in-exhaustible treasure of His divine attributes (called His glory, Exod. 33. 18. with 34. 6, 7.) and especially of His mercy and power (which are set forth by the name and epithet of His glory, or glorious, Eph. 1. 6. Col. 1. 11.) would furnish them with a daily increase of spirituall strength, whereby they might resist the devil, and all spirituall adversaries in their Christian course, Chap. 6. 12. which strength was to be wrought by the holy Spirit in their inward man, whereby, as, 2 Corinth. 4. 16. is meaned the soul, (not simply in it self, but as living the life of grace), and those things, which relate to that spiritual life: as the outward man doth comprehend all those things belonging to a man's outward estate; So, in a word, he prayeth that they may be strong and flourish in all things which relate to the spirituall estate of their eternal souls. Doct. 1. From the Apostle his being able to give an after-account of what he prayed for, see chap. 1. ver. 17. doct. 2. that he would grant unto you. 2. Whatever strength or natural parts of body, or mind, men naturally have to compasse their effairs of this world, Gen. 4. 20, 21, 22. yet they are wholly destitute of all spiritual strength and activity for compassing heaven and happinesse, and for walking in the way of holinesse, which leadeth to it: for, the Apostle findeth an inlack of this strength, even in the converted Ephesians; and therefore doth seek it from God unto them: Much more must it be wholly wanting in those who are not yet converted; That he would grant unto you to be strengthened in the inward man. 3. Though there be a new principle of spirituall strength wrought in those who are renewed at their first conversion, Jer. 31. 33. whereby the renewed heart, being wrought upon by the Spirit of God, doth really work that which is spiritually good, Philip. 4. 13. Yet a constantly-renewed supply of grace and strength from the Spirit of God, is necessary even to the renewed man, whereby those seeds of grace already wrought in him may be upheld in their being, Jer. 32. -40. preserved against the furious assaults of raging tentations, Luk 22. 32. a…d, and made to do that which is truely good, Philip. 2. 13. and much more, that hereby grace begun in conversion, may be made to grow and advance towards perfection, Philip. 1. 6. for, the Apostle prayeth even for those converted Ephesians, that they may be strengthened with might in the inward man. 4. Such is the vanity, lightnesse, and inconstancie of our hearts in good, Psal. 39. -5. our impotencie to resist tentations, Matth. 26. 34. our pronenesse to turn from the wayes of God, Gal. 5. 7. So strong, so subtile, so assiduous are our spirituall adversaries, Eph. 6. 12. So many are those difficulties, discouragements, diversions and hinderances, which we have to wrestle with, and overcome in the way to heaven, Act. 14. -22. that except we be underpropped and strengthened by Gods almighty power, we cannot stand one moment, and much lesse advance in our Christian course: for, therefore doth Paul pray that they might be strengthened with might in the inward man. 5. Even the regenerate children of God, in seeking increase of strength, and of more grace from God, must not, if so they would obtain their suit, plead from their merit, or any good use they have made of their former grace; seing upon a strict account it will be found that grace hath not been so improven by the best as it ought, Isa. 64. -6-. But they must seek what they so expect as a gift from God's free grace without any respect had to their own worth: for, the Apostle, while he seeketh increase of spirituall strength unto those converted Ephesians, he prayeth that God would grant, or give it as a gift (for the word signifieth so much) and that from the inexhaustible fountain of His glorious grace; That He would grant unto you according to the riches of His glory, not, according to your worth. 6. As all the attributes of God, and especially His mercy and power, are not onelyonly altogether glorious, because the glory of God is manifested unto the creatures in their severall wonderfull effects, Psal. 19. 1, &c. but are also infinite, and without measure, as being indefatigable in working, wholly insuperable by any impediment or opposition whatsoever, and inexhaustible by supplying any want in the creature; So in making our approaches unto God for seeking any good, and especially saving good, it is most necessary, that we lift our eyes above any thing that is ours, whether our good, or our evil, and fasten them by faith upon that inexhaustible fountain of mercy and power in God, whereby, he is not only willing as mercifull; but also able, as omnipotent, to bestow what ever we shall ask according to his will; for, the Apostle, in seeking spirituall strength for those Ephesians, doth look to the inexhaustible riches of Gods mercy and power, called here His glory; that He would grant according to the riches of His grace. 7. It is the Spirit of God, the third person in the blessed Trinity, who, taking up His place of abode in the truly regenerate, (1 Joh. 4. 13.) doth make it His work to renew their strength by upholding and actuating their graces, and making them advance from strength to strength in despite of all imaginable difficulties: neither is there any other strength or might, whether naturall or acquired, which can sufficiently furnish us to rancounter all those difficulties, which are incident in our Christian course, but that whereof the Spirit of God residing in us is the author and giver: for he prayeth they may be strengthened with might in the inner man from the spirit. 8. Though Christians are not to neglect their outward and bodily concernments, 1 Tim. 5. 8. 23. yet the spirituall estate of their eternall souls is to be cared for most, and so much, as if it go well with that, and if the soul be strengthened with might for carrying on the concernments thereof, their outward concernments may trouble them the lesse: and especially the care of Ministers should be employed about the inward and spirituall estate of their flock; for, Paul prayeth they may be strengthened in the inner man, his care did run most upon that.