sabbatieal ye.s.rs had been little observed ever such strict sabbntarians as to understand during the later Jewish kingdom; and it this as prohibiting all speeoh on the sabbath. would seem from the present passage (comp. Some have held that sabbatio:tl talk should be scanty, limited, 1·estrainod as much as Jer. rni. 21-23) that even the observance possible; but even for this there is no of the sabbath itself bad been neglected. warrant. It is the quality, rathe1· than the Not that the neglect was total. The sacri- quantity, of the words uttered that is of real fices proper to the sabbath were duly importance. offered-the "solemn assembly" was duly Ver. 14.-Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. Then sh1dl communion with called and attended ( eh. i. 13); but during Jehovah become a real pleasure to thee. the rest of the day business flowed in its The acts of worsliip shall not be done merely usual course-the complete sanctification of from a sense of duty, because commanded, the entire day was set aside. We find a but because they are oongeninl to the soul similar laxity prevalent after the return of the worshipper. A right use of the sabbath will help to form in men habits of from the Captivity (Neh. x. 31; xiii. 15, 16). devotion, which will make religion a joy Ver. 13.-If thou turn away thy foot from and a delight to them. I will oause thee to the sabbath; i.e. treat it with reverence, as if ride upon the high places of the earth; i.e. it were" holy ground" (Exod. iii. 5; Prov. iv. "I will give thee a prominent position in 27). From doing thy pleasure; rather, from the earth, and ea.use thee to occupy its high doing thy business-the same expression as in places, and bear rule over many nations." ver. 3. It is by "business,'' not by pleasure, Something more than a "ta.king triumphal that the sabbath was polluted both in the possession of Palestine" is evidently pointed time of Jeremiah (xvii. 21-23)and of Nehe- at (see Deut. xxxii. 13). And feed thee miah (x. 31, etc.). And call the sabbath a with the heritage of J'aoob thy father. The delight. This is the spiri tualization of the world itself was the "heritage of Ja.cob," sabbath-" to call" and feel it "a delight," since in him and his seed " all the families a real satisfaction to the soul, not a weari- of the earth were to be blessed" (Gen. ness (Amos ,iii. 5), as it was to many. And x.xviii. 14). Israel, having laid a.side its shalt honour him ; rather, and shalt honour formalism, and tuooed to God sincerely, it; i.e. the sabbath, which is made masculine keeping fast and sabbath as God would here, as in eh. lvi. 2. The sabbath was to be have them kept, not in the letter, but in the honoured by men not pursuing their own spirit, would enter upon the promised heri- ordinary ways, or engaging in their regular tage, and occupy the position originally business, or even carrying on their ordinary assigned to it. Israel's rejection of the everyday talk. Literally, the command is, gospel made the mixed Christian Church not to " speak words; " but no J ewe were the inheritress of the old promises.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 3-1.-Bighiful and wrongful fasting need to be carefully distinguished. Among wrong kinds of fasting may be noticed the following. L PcraELY FORMAL FASTING IB WRONG. The fasting that consists in mere abstinenee from food, without any accompaniment of prayer or meditation or almsgiving, has in it nothing religious, and is an indifferent act, unless -it be viewed as in some sort a pious exercise. Viewed in this light, it is a delusion and a snare-an encouragement to men to make all their religion formal, and to trust in mechanical acts as having a power to justify and to save. That which was indifferent in itself becomes wrong through the ill results to which it leads. II. F ABTING FOB OBTENTATION1B BAKE 1B STILL MORE WRONG. In the time of our Lord's ministry there were persons among the Jews who, when they fasted, purposely made themselves "of a sad countenance, that they might appear unto men to fa.at" (Matt. vi. 16). Their sole object was to attract attention, and obtain a reputation for asceticism in religion beyond their contemporaries. They looked to making a gain out of godliness, and were so far successful that our Lord says, " They had their reward." Men accounted tbem holier than others,,and respected them accordingly, whereas their ostentatious fasting deserved no respect. III. F ABTING FOB STRIFE AND DEBATE 1B ALSO WRONG. Wherever the practice stirs up "strife and debate," it is for men to ask themselves whether such "strife and debate" are their incentives for maintaining it, or no. If they f111t for other, sufficient, OH, tvm.1-14.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET lSAIAft. 3711