HOMILY VII.] HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS. 81 because it was by Christ that every thing was made. Ver. 12. "In whom we have," saith he, " boldness, and access in confidence through our faith in him." " Have access," not as prisoners, he says, nor yet, as persons candidates for pardon, nor as sinners ; for, saith he, we have even " boldness with confidence," that is, accompanied with cheerful trust ; arising fromwhat source ? through our faith in Him." Ver. 13. "Wherefore 1 ! ask that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which are your glory." How is it "for them?" How is it "their glory ? " It is because God so loved them, as to give evtn the Son for them, and to afflict His servants for them : for it was in order that they might attain so many blessings, that Paul was in prison. Surely this was from God s exceeding love towards them : it is what God also saith concerning the Prophets, "I have slain them by the words of my mouth." (Hos. vi : 5.) But how was it that they fainted, when another was afflicted ? He means, they were troubled, were distressed. This also he says when writing to the Thessalonians, "that no man be moved by these afflictions." (i Thes. iii: 3.) For not only ought we not to grieve, but we ought even to rejoice. If ye find consolation in the fore warning, we tell you beforehand that here we have tribulation. And why pray ? Because thus hath the Lord ordered. Ver. 14, 15. "For this cause 2 1 bow my knees unto the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." He here shows the spirit of his prayer for them. He does not say simply, "I pray," but manifests the supplication to be heartfelt, by the " bowing of the knees." " From whom every family." That is, no longer, he means, reckoned, according to the number of Angels, but accord ing to Him who hath created the tribes both in heaven above and in earth beneath, not as the Jewish. Ver. 16, 17. "That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory that yemay be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inward man ; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Mark with what insatiable earnestness he invokes these blessings upon them, that they may not be tossed about. But how shall this be effected? By the " Holy Spirit in your inward 1 [Wherefore. " in view ofmy position as minister ofsuch a gos pel." Riddle. G. A.]a [This rovrov x-PiV s aresumption of the first verse ofthechap ter which was left unfinished by reason of the digression concern ing his office as apostle of the Gentiles, which forms a section by itself, (ver. 2-13.) G. A.] man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." How again shall this be? Ver. 18, 19. "To the end that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, 3 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowl edge." Thus is his prayer now again, the very same as when he began. For what were his words in the beginning? "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give unto you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him ; having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints ; and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe." And now again he says the same. "That ye may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth ; " i. e.,. to know perfectly the mystery which hath been provi dentially ordered in our behalf : 4 " and the breadth, and length, and height, and depth; " that is, too, the immensity of the love of God, and how it extends every where. And he out lines it by the visible dimensions of solid bodies, pointing as it were to a man. He comprehends the upper and under and sides. I have thus spoken indeed, he would say, yet is it not for any words of mine to teach you these things; that must be the work of the Holy Spirit. " By His might," saith he, is it that ye must be "strengthened" against the trials that await you, and in order to remain unshaken ; so that there is no other way to be strengthened but by the Holy Ghost, both on account of trials and carnal reasonings. But how doth Christ dwell in the hearts? Hear what Christ Himself saith, "I and my Father will come unto him, and makeourabode with him." (John xiv : 23.) He dwelleth in those hearts that are faithful, in those that are "rooted "in His love, those that remain firm and unshaken. "That ye may be" thoroughly "strong," saith he ; so that there is great strength needed. 5 " That ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God." 3 [ "A sensuous illustration of the idea; how great in every relation. " Meyer.G. A.I * [ " Of what are these dimensions predicated * Not oMhe work of redemption as Chrysostom (TO iuu<mjpioi TO virep v^utv oixov- onriOev) because after a new portion of the discourse is begun at vei. 14, the nwritptov is not again mentioned ; nor of the love of God to us, as Chrysostom again, for the iv ayairn preceding does not refer to God s love : but of the love of Christ to men as shown in ver. 19." Meyer. So Ellicott, Braune, Riddle. G. A.I [This entire paragraph is omitted from Field s text. But as it is supported by several excellent authorities, as it is in Chrysos- tom s style and as it contains a very noble thought, we have ven tured to retain it. " Field seems to rely on the probability that the shorter text is the original. One of his main authorities seem*