But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in the Christ." (2 Cor. 2:14.)

Such is the improved rendering of the verse. Victory, triumph, not through ourselves, but through God. David won the victory over the giant. A mere stripling-as such, type of One who took the place of weakness-with only such weapons as he could get from the brook, he meets the giant and lays him low. So our David too for us met the foe, for us won the victory. Sin was there as having had dominion over man since the fall; Satan was there with the power of death; the world was there, with all its hatred of Him. He met all, He conquered all, by His very death. " Having spoiled principalities and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, leading them in triumph by it." (Col. 2:15, new version.)The cross, which speaks of His shame, of His woe and death, was that by which He triumphed. And now the Victor has come forth from the grave-the Captain of our Salvation. He is the Leader of His people. He has gone up with a shout, passed through the heavens, and as an overcomer sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. That victory was won for us.

How blessed it is to dwell on that precious fact, to look calmly, again and again, at all that was against us, and to know that all those foes were vanquished. Take the matter of our sins-we were guilty, waiting but for judgment. By His death, He took that guilt and bore its consequences, bore them so perfectly that there is no wrath for us-simple truth this, so familiar, one might say, that there is danger of its being worn threadbare; but can there be such a danger? Is not the danger rather that we forget these things-lose the joy of them and the sense of victory.

Again, take Satan's power and authority over us. Man had put himself in Satan's hands as being willing to believe him rather than God; hence he was under his, power. Satan was the strong man, we were his goods, held with a grasp "which nothing could relax. But a stronger One came, and now we no longer belong to Satan :we are free through the One who has won the victory for us.

But let us look forward a little-a very little while. " Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (i Cor. 15:57.) This is the shout of victory in anticipation of the resurrection at the Lord's coming. These bodies, bodies of humiliation (Phil. 3:) are to feel the quickening power of that shout. (i Thess. 4:6.)That which has been the sad witness] to the ruin brought in by sin will then be witness to the! blessing brought in by Christ. No longer will weakness, nor even suffering be the position of His people, but victory enjoyed away even from the presence of the conquered. Christ will then be the object before a!4.He will be the Victor, but we will share in the results with Him who thus loves to have His people associated with Himself. What joy there will be then !How complete the triumph !

What are to do meanwhile? Are we victors when we look back at the cross, or when we look forward to the glory, only to be defeated in the time between ? Are we to run from the enemy or to hang our heads in shame now when in a little while we will be joining in the song of victory ? Our verse gives the answer, "Who always leads us in triumphant." Israel's journey should have been a triumphal procession from Egypt to Canaan. So should ours. The apostle-oppressed, opposed, mistrusted and persecuted-his walk through the world was a triumph. Wherever he might be, whatever his surroundings, always -in the jail at Philippi, on the sinking ship, before the Roman Emperor, he was a victor. Are we different from Paul ? Surely, his being an apostle did not make him victor,-he had no grace of which we too cannot make use. As Elijah, he was a man of like passions with ourselves. Then if he conquers, so can we. This verse can be true of us. The stages of our lives can be so many milestones in the path of our triumphant progress.

Let us illustrate a little. Take the serious matter of sin. As we well know, provision has been made for us to walk in freedom from it, "sin shall not have dominion over you ; for ye are not under law, but under grace." How familiar are the words-alas! do we in any good degree practically realize their truth ? Here we go on, year after year, and one must ask himself the question, "Is there any progress-any growth in holiness?" Or, again, as we consider our circumstances, can we say we are led in triumph through them. Trials in our business, in our homes,-all such things as would give us opportunity of testing God's grace for us-how are we meeting these ? Every thing that comes,-sickness, bereavement, poverty,-all should but furnish occasion for the truth of our verse to be shown. Especially in our intercourse with one another are we permitted to exemplify this truth. Differences will arise, and misunderstandings too. The question is, Are we to be conquered by these things or to be led in triumph through them. Alas ! Satan has too often been allowed to see discord and permanent weakness brought among God's people, instead of a little self-denial, which would have overcome all the difficulties. Satan triumphs over the these ruins of once happy fellowship and confidence. Shall he continue to do so?

But how was Paul always led in triumph ? It was the way of the cross. He followed the Master, and in bearing about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, His life was manifested in his poor body. May the Lord give us to know more of this way of triumph-this lowly way- passing through this world with a song in our hearts and on our lips as well.