1. By instances of two sorts. 1. That believers have grown from weak grace to strong grace, who out of weakness were made strong. 1There are expositors who refer this place to Hezekiahs recovery, 1 Kin. 20.—but it may have a more general extent and application. The Psalmist speaking of Gods people (says he) They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God. 2It is true, the proper reference of these words is to the Jews going up to Jerusalem to worship, when the males went thrice a year up to Jerusalem to worship, according to the law, Exod 23. 14, 17. yet Ainsworth understands it of our growth in grace; so we are said to be changed from glory to glory, that is, from little degrees of grace to greater; grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected; true grace is still aspiring unto perfection,3 and therefore says Paul, 4if by any means I might attain the Resurrection of the dead, his meaning is, that I may attain that perfection of holiness which accompanies the state of the Resurrection ⟨p. 74⟩a Metonymy of the subject for the adjunct; he is still pressing forward that he might attain further degrees of grace; and for that end Paul, he forgot what was behind, and reached forth to those things that were before, ver. 13. And though Paul, Eph. 3. 4. had very great knowledge in the mystery of Christ, yet he still desired to know more and more of Christ.
1. By instances of two sorts. 1. That believers have grown from weak grace to strong grace, who out of weaknesse were made strong. 1There are expositors who refer this place to Hezekiahs recovery, 1 Kin. 20.—but it may have a more general extent and application. The Psalmist speaking of Gods people (saies he) They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God. 2It is true, the proper reference of these words is to the Jewes going up to Jerusalem to worship, when the males went thrice a yeere up to Jerusalem to worship, according to the law, Exod 23. 14, 17. yet Ainsworth understands it of our growth in grace; so we are said to be changed from glory to glory, that is, from little degrees of grace to greater; grace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected; true grace is still aspiring unto perfection,3 and therefore sayes Paul, 4if by any means I might attain the Resurrection of the dead, his meaning is, that I may attain that perfection of holinesse which accompanies the state of the Resurrection ⟨p. 74⟩a Metonymie of the subject for the adjunct; he is still pressing forward that he might attain further degrees of grace; and for that end Paul, he forgat what was behind, and reached forth to those things that were before, ver. 13. And though Paul, Eph. 3. 4. had very great knowledge in the mysterie of Christ, yet he stil desired to know more and more of Christ.
- 1Heb. 11▪ 34.
- 2Psal. 84. 7.
- 32 Cor. 3. 18
- 4Phil. 3 11.
