the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses." Such is Christian circumcision, separated from the flesh and the world, by reason of union with Christ risen and glorified. There is our reproach as men and as of the world "rolled away;" and, feeding on Christ our passover, we eat, at the same time, the manna, and "the old corn of the land." What a depth of meaning are we now able to attach to the cross of Christ: surely "to us, who are saved, it is the power of God, and the wisdom of God." To take our place in Spirit as already "seated in heavenly places in Christ," and there to survey the cross of Christ as our only ground of safety, deliverance, and introduction into the presence of God, is blessed indeed. And when the Lord Jesus shall come and receive us unto Himself, that where He is we may be also-then, in undisturbed repose, we shall be able to look back on the cross, and eat, as it were, the passover, in a new manner, in the kingdom of God; and sing the untiring new song, "Thou art worthy, for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood."

So

But there were enemies to Israel in the land, and the Captain of the Lord's host goes before Israel, to lead them on in a victorious career from Gilgal. also new enemies, and a new character of conflict are experienced, when the believer is led to see whereunto he is brought by the blood of the cross, even to take his place now" in Christ" in heaven. He has now, as it were, to fight for heaven. He has now to wrestle

against wicked spirits in heavenly places." They only consult to cast down the believer from his excellency (Ps. lxii. 4), to make him take lower ground than that which God has given to him in Christ. And it is a hard thing for the believer "to stand," to maintain his ground as one who has died to the world and is risen with Christ, so as to have his interests in things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. How needful is it, therefore, for the believer to look to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Captain of his salvation; the one who hath broken through all the host of the enemy, yea, led them captive, and triumphed over them in the cross. Surely, if the first passover which Israel ate was necessarily connected with the thought of their deliverance out of Egypt, and they had seen how "the Lord fought for them" (Ex. xiv. 14), and destroyed their enemies the Egyptians, they would, on eating the third passover in the land, look to the same God to drive out the Canaanites from before them, and to give them "houses which they builded not, vineyards which they planted not, and wells which they digged not." Even so the believer, learning, as he goes on his way, the value of the blood of the cross, is led to connect the cross with "the arm of the Lord," and to see not only his introduction into heaven under its blessed shelter, but that notwithstanding every "creature" may dispute his title to heaven, he is more than conqueror through Him that loved him. God is for him, who or whatever may be against him; and He is for him in the cross. And just as he learns that lesson more deeply, he is able to use the argument of faith: "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet

sinners, Christ died for us; much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him; for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

Ir is strengthening to ponder the various expressions our gracious God and Father uses to assure us of His entire forgiveness of sin. It would seem as if He delighted to vary the terms He employs to meet every variety of state of soul, and that all the sin of doubt and unbelief in this matter might be put away from the heart; that we might be without excuse. subjoin a list of the greater part of the terms so used by our blessed God in His Scriptures of truth; I also add some of the references to the passages where they

occur.

Blotted out. Is. xliii. 25, xliv. 22; Acts iii. 19.
Covered. Ps. xxxii. 1, lxxxv. 2; Rom. iv. 7.

I

Not imputed or reckoned. Ps. xxxii. 2; Rom. iv. 8. Removed. Ps. ciii. 3, 12.

Passed by. Mic. vii. 19.

Cast behind thy back. Is. xxxviii. 17.

Sought for, and not found. Jer. 1. 20.

Made an end of. Dan. ix. 24.

Finished. Dan. ix. 24.

Subdued. Mic. vii. 19.

Pardoned. Is. lv. 7; Jer. xxxiii. 8; Mic. vii. 18. Forgiven. Ps. ciii. 3; Rom. iv. 7.; Eph. iv. 32.

Not remembered. Jer. xxxi. 34.

Remitted. Matt. xxvi. 28; Acts x. 43; Heb. x. 18.
Purged. Ps. lxv. 3; Heb. i. 3, ix. 14.

Borne. Is. liii. 11; Heb. ix. 28; 1 Pet. ii. 24.
Carried. Is. liii. 14.

REMARKS ON 1 CHRON. XII.

It would wrong the early chapters of this book to pass them over hastily as chapters of genealogies, of repetitions, and of names.

Among many valuable subjects of instruction from the beginning, which might seem to come in incidentally, this chapter arrests the mind.

David is the great subject, the gathering together unto him; his kingdom, his honour, and his glory; a type surely of Christ, the Son of David, and the greater than he.

At Ziklag, he was probably in his greatest weakness and rejection; but there (ver. 1), chosen, valiant, and skilful ones came unto him. There were "even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin."

Ver. 8. Into the hold in the wilderness, men of might separated themselves to him, and men of war fit for the battle; and to them, as they came, whether from Gad or Judah, or even Benjamin, David's heart was knit.

One and another discerned that God was with David, and that the place of honour and of blessing was there too (ver. 18), and even at times of the greatest danger (ver. 19), some were found willing to hazard their lives for this anointed, though rejected king.

And those that came were not followers of David only, they defended his name and person. (Verses 20, 21.) By and bye these made up a great multitude, “a great host, like the host of God." (Ver. 22.)

Still further on in David's history, when he dwelt at Hebron, armed bands came to him, "to turn the kingdom of Saul to him according to the word of the Lord." These came to him out of every tribe, but each company had its own character, its own place.

Some were ready armed for the war; some were mighty men of valour; some famous in their father's house; while some "had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;" to such their brethren submitted. (Ver. 32.) All need not be leaders; it was the business of some to keep rank, and not to be of double heart. (Ver. 33.)

And they made David king; they were of one heart to do this; yet each one could find a service to do, and if nothing else, they could bring bread on asses, and camels, and mules :—and there was joy in Israel.

Spiritually, we may here read of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, God's anointed King, whom it is our privilege to join, and our honour to serve. Each has his distinct place and service, but only so long as His glory and His person are acknowledged and cared for, as the chiefest things, shall we have blessing and joy.