f Eph. ii. 7. p The word " exceeding " is a very strong one, vtrtptaWovTa ttXovtov, and is the same word used 2 Cor. iii. 10, "The glory that excelleth ;" Epk. i. 19, " The exceeding greatness of his power ; M iii. 19, "The love of Christ that passeth knowledge."
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it is not merely grace, but it is riches of grace; nay, it is not this only, it is exceed- ing riches of grace ; riches of grace not only excelling all other riches, but excel- ling all those riches of grace that have hitherto been known, as if past grace were to be forgotten in the plenteousness of that which is to come.
How often in Israel's past days, when sin abounded, has grace come pouring in, obliterating it all as if it had never been ! But in the day when " the Redeemer shall come to Zion and turn away ungod- liness from Jacob," — at the moment when their cry of despair may be, " Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? " shall grace come in upon them like a flood, fuller and richer than any thing that they or their fathers knew, bearing down mightier obstacles, and levelling higher mountains of iniquity. For it is written, in reference to this time, " Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious to you .... he will be very
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gracious to thee at the voice of thy cry." (Isa. xxx. 18.) In that day shall " grace " not merely bring forgiveness to Israel, but raise her to a height of glory in the earth and eminence among the nations ; so that the past shall not be remembered nor come into mind.
How often in the church's past history has grace been magnified ! Each age has brought out to view new wonders of grace, because of which she has praised the God of all grace. But the abundance of the past is not all that is in store for her. Her returning Lord shall bring with him all the " exceeding riches of his grace," and upon her shall these riches be expended. When caught up into the clouds to meet her Lord in the air and to be for ever with him, she shall be led into the treasure- house of grace and get a glimpse of its vastness. Each step in her past course has drawn forth a fresh out-flow of abound- ing grace. Grace found her in the desert
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land and in the waste howling wilderness. Grace drew her out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay. Grace washed her, and " clothed " her, and " shod " her, and "girded " her, and " decked her with orna- ments," (Ezek. xvi. 9 — 11,) giving her beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourn- ing, the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Grace strengthened her for warfare, and hardship, and labour, making her more than conqueror through him that loved her. Grace comforted her in the evil day, wiped away tears, poured in fresh joys, and threw round her the everlasting arms. Grace taught her to pray, and praise, and love, and trust, and serve, in spite of the ever-revolting heart within. Grace kept her as a stranger and a pilgrim here, without a city and without a resting- place on earth, looking for the city of foundations, watching for her Lord's ap- pearing, amid all the heart-sickenings of hope deferred, and wearying for the Bride-
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groom's embrace, undazzled and undis- tracted by the false splendour of a present evil world. But the grace that has brought her thus far is not exhausted. For it is absolutely boundless > like the heart of Him out of whom it comes ; and as it raises the church from one level to another, its own circle is ever enlarging.
The resurrection-dawn, the morning of joy, brings with it new stores of grace. We had thought that grace could go no further than it had gone here, in forgiving so many sins, in saving us with so complete a salva- tion ; but we then shall find that grace had only begun to display itself.
It was but the first draught from the deep well that we tasted here. Grace meets us as we come up from the tomb to load us with new blessings, such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard. It clothes us with the royal raiment. It seats us upon the throne. It gives us the " crown of life " (Rev. ii. 10) ; the " crown of right-
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