Persons in fellowship often feast and banquet together. The Father makes us a feast of fat things, of marrow and fatness, and of wines on the lees well refined, Isai. xxv. 6. Which glorious feast is the offering up of Christ, in sacrifice, once for us all. This is bringing forth the fatted calf to entertain the returning prodigals. Wisdom says, "She hath killed her beasts, she hath mingled her wine, she hath furnished her table. Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled," Prov. ix. 2, 5. And no sooner does the poor perishing sinner's mind and conscience feast upon his sin-atoning blood and lifegiving flesh, but the fire of inbred lusts, the fiery wrath of a broken law, and the fiery darts of Satan are all quenched and dispersed, while the Holy Spirit and his grace flow in, and overshadow the soul with the discovery of Christ, as the end of the law for righteousness. "I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste," Song ii. S. And, as the Almighty banquets us, so does he feast and feed upon the satisfaction Christ made for sin, and upon the fruits of his own implanted grace. "But the Father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry," Luke xv. 22, 23. And the Saviour says, "I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honey

comb with my honey; I have drank my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved," Song v. 1. Nor is the Holy Spirit less entertained, when we are lively under his influence, observant of his instructions, and obedient to his dictates; as appears by the approbation that he gives, the witness that he bears to our hearts, and by filling us with more of his grace, while we are blessing him for what we have got. When the apostles were apprehended and taken before the council of the Jews, and threatened and charged to teach no more in the name of Jesus, the Spirit of God enabled them to speak with such fortitude that the council marvelled; and, when they joined their own company, and put up their united prayers, the Holy Spirit shook the very house, and filled them all again. "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake the word of God with boldness," Acts iv. 31. For, as the Spirit is said to be grieved by the sins of some men, and to be vexed and rebelled against by others; so he rejoices in some, approves of others, and fortifies them to the astonishment of their most inveterate persecutors. Philip, when he obeyed the Spirit's voice, and joined himself to the Ethiopian's chariot, and preached Jesus to him, was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was found at Azotus, Acts viii. 39, 40. He fortified, furnished, and emboldened Paul before the Roman governor, that

Felix trembled when Paul stood undaunted. He made Stephen's face shine like the face of an angel, when his persecutors gnashed their teeth with anguish and desperation; and made Paul and Silas sing the high praises of God in the prison at midnight; and sent an earthquake and shook the prison to the foundation thereof, and opened the doors of it, and made the chains fall from off the criminals, to let them know that he proclaims liberty to captives: "For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;" and this the poor jailor found soon after to his astonishment. In all these things it is easy to see how the Holy Spirit is entertained, pleased and delighted, when men obey his dictates, and give themselves up to be led by him.

Persons in fellowship are jointly engaged: so God and his people are engaged in one cause, and jointly concerned in one interest. God is the portion of his people, and Jacob is the lot of God's inheritance. He that toucheth the saints toucheth the apple of God's eye, and the saints hate them that hate God, and count them their enemies; they love them that love the Lord; and, when any professors turn their backs and forsake God, as Judas did, the real saints always forsake them. God's own glory, in all his works, is what he aims at; and in the defence of God's glory and honour are his people engaged. God seeks a quarrel with the Philistines, and Samson will fight it out if he die in the field. God will avenge his people on the Egyptians, and Moses engages the whole nation. The

wicked Jews judged and condemned the Son of God, and the apostles got upon twelve thrones to judge and condemn them; and when they had passed the sentence upon them the Lord executed it. "But, when they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come," Matt. x. 23. The world, the flesh and the devil, are God's enemies; and against these do the saints cry, pray, and fight; all their days; and, if they are foiled or overcome, it is called violence, captivity, or a rape, which God will highly resent; and, if they are pressed beyond measure, and despair even of life, and are thrown seven times, and complain, " I die daily," or, "For thy sake we are killed all the day long;" yet they up and at it again, and never give over, nor give up, till they die; for, "As he is, so are we in this world." "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that we might live through him:" and Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it. And the Spirit's love appears in his convincing us of sin, righteousness and judgment; and in taking up his eternal abode with us, when we are the most vile, filthy, and abominable creatures, and to every good work reprobate.

The saints have suffered all sorts of torments, and every kind of death, that men or devils could invent, rather than dishonour their God, or lose their exceeding great reward: hence they labour after conformity to him, and disallow of every lust and corruption that resists his sovereign will.

If God arraign, they will not excuse; if he punish, they accept. If he search, they submit; if he condemn, they will not acquit; if he rebuke with fire, they approach the light; if he is wroth, they fear and quake; if he invite, they come up; if he chasten, they submit; if he attract, they follow on; if he frown, then they fear; if he command, they commend; if he forbid, they forbear; if he withdraw, they despond; if he threaten, they contract; if he allure, they enlarge; if he is absent, they are jealous; if he indulge, they make free; if his anger burn, they are mute; if he resist, they withdraw; he hides himself, they go in search; his bowels move, their bowels yearn; if he contend, they attend; if kindness flow, their spirits melt; if he forgive, they cannot forget; if he commune, their heart will burn; if he embrace, they swoon in love; if he bind, they will not be free; if he pull down, they will not build up; if he should wound, none else shall heal; if he lay on, they will not throw off; if he detain, none shall release; if he afflict, they will not be soothed; if he shut up, they will not come out; if he desert, they will not be wooed; if he cause grief, they will not hear peace; and, if he chide, they will not flee; he bends his bow, they yield their breast; if he delay, they still persist; if he deny, they will not give up; he will not relieve, they still entreat; he says Begone,' they importune; he shuts the door, they knock the more,