In the day of your fast ye find pleasure] Fast days are generally called holidays, and holidays are days of idleness and pleasure. In numberless cases the fast is turned into a feast.

And exact all your labours.] Some disregard the most sacred fast, and will oblige their servant to work all day long; others use fast days for the purpose of settling their accounts, posting up their books, and drawing out their bills to be ready to collect their debts. These are sneaking hypocrites; the others are daringly irreligious.

Is. 58:1,2 The Holy Spirit had hypocrites of every age in view Self-love and timid Christians may say, Spare thyself; dislike to the cross and other motives will say, "Spare the rich and powerful;" but God says, "Spare not:" and we must obey God, not men. We all nee earnestly to pray for God's assistance in examining ourselves. Men ma go far toward heaven, yet come short; and they may go to hell with good reputation.

Is. 58:3-12 A fast is a day to afflict the soul; if it does not expres true sorrow for sin, and does not promote the putting away of sin, it is not a fast. These professors had shown sorrow on stated of occasioned fasts. But they indulged pride, covetousness, and malignan passions. To be liberal and merciful is more acceptable to God tha mere fasting, which, without them, is vain and hypocritical. Many wh seem humble in God's house, are hard at home, and harass their families. But no man's faith justifies, which does not work by love Yet persons, families, neighbourhoods, churches, or nations, sho repentance and sorrow for sin, by keeping a fast sincerely, and, from right motives, repenting, and doing good works. The heavy yoke of sin and oppression must be removed. As sin and sorrow dry the bones an weaken the strongest human constitution; so the duties of kindness an charity strengthen and refresh both body and mind. Those who do justl and love mercy, shall have the comfort, even in this world. Good work will bring the blessing of God, provided they are done from love to God and man, and wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit.

Is. 58:13,14 The sabbath is a sign between God and his professin people; his appointing it is a sign of his favour to them; and their observing it is a sign of their obedience to him. We must turn from travelling on that day; from doing our pleasure on that holy day without the control and restraint of conscience; or from indulging in the pleasures of sense. On sabbath days we must not follow ou callings, or our pleasures. In all we say and do, we must put difference between this day and other days. Even in Old Testament time the sabbath was called the Lord's day, and is fitly called so still and for a further reason, it is the Lord Christ's day, Rev. 1:10. If we thus remember the sabbath day to keep it holy, we shall have the comfort and profit of it, and have reason to say, It is good to dra near to God __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew