ifestations of his favour to his people
are introduced under the representation of the Lord returning to them
while performing the duty. "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for,
lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And
many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my
people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee."[653] Entering into
covenant with him, they feast before him. The dispensation of all the
ordinances of religion is represented as a feast; and not less than of
any other of them is that of Covenanting. A feast is a token of
friendship. Special solemnities among the people of Israel were
designated feasts. Covenanting with God sometimes entered into the
religious exercises performed at these. The blessings of salvation are
offered as the rich provision of a sumptuous feast, provided and given,
by the Lord himself. And the reception of them in this exercise belongs
to the privilege of those accepted, before him. "And in this mountain
shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a
feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on
the lees well refined." "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is
_our God_; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the
Lord: we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his
salvation."[654]

Finally. By his love the Lord constrains his people to take hold on his
Covenant. Because of the love of God, his chosen are called at once to
duty and privilege. Duty they perform through the influence of his love
shed abroad in their hearts; and they enjoy privilege by his love
extending to them. The Lord Jesus said to his disciples, "If ye love me,
keep my commandments." The injunction extends to the command regarding
the commemoration of his death,--"This do in remembrance of me."[655]
And his people, under the influence of love to him, obey. "For the love
of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for
all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live
should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for
them, and rose again."[656] But in drawing near to God in the ordinance
of the Supper, and in other explicit acts of Covenanting, they enjoy the
manifestations of his love. "He brought me to the banqueting house, and
his banner over me was love."[657] Even as Jonathan, after David and he
had entered into a c