Isaiah 58

A true child of God fears nothing so much as the loss of his Father's presence (Hosea 9:12): Woe to them when I depart from them. 2. Love to our heavenly Father is seen by loving his day (Isaiah 58:13): If you call the Sabbath a delight. The ancients called this Regina Dierum, t…

Fourth sign of sanctification is the spiritual performance of duties, namely with the heart, and from a principle of love. The sanctified soul prays out of love to prayer, he calls the Sabbath a delight (Isaiah 58:13). A man may have gifts to admiration, he may speak as an angel…

It is a day of sweet rest. This day we must call a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable (Isaiah 58:13). Metal that has the King's stamp upon it is honorable, and of great value.

So when we see the light of a Sabbath shine we should rejoice. Isaiah 58:13: "You shall call the Sabbath a delight." This is the queen of days, which God has crowned with a blessing.

5. Having heard the Word in a holy and spiritual manner, for the further sanctification of the Sabbath, confer of the Word. We are forbidden on this day to speak our own words (Isaiah 58:14), but we must speak of God's Word. Speak of the sermon as you sit together; this is one p…

You see the manner of sanctifying the Lord's Day, by reading, meditation, prayer, hearing of the Word, and by singing of Psalms, to make melody to the Lord. Now, besides what I have said for the keeping this day holy, let me make a short comment or paraphrase on that Scripture (…

Fifthly, God remembers all our deeds of charity, and takes them kindly at our hands. Hebrews 6:10. God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints. The chief butler may forget Joseph's kindness,…

4. Such as think it hard and injurious to them that their own duties and performances are no more regarded and rewarded by God. Some there be who are very diligent, and take much pains in the attendance upon duties both ordinary and extraordinary; and they make a great deal of d…

Q. What is the sum of the fourth commandment? A. The consecrating and observing of that seventh part of time in God's solemn worship which he has instituted and ordained, which is the holy keeping of the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:13). Q. What is the main sin here forbidden?

Certainly they miss it much, that think, that true grace differs from that which we call common grace, only in degree: let common affections, such as be often found in unsound professors, be enlarged never so much, this will not alter a man's estate Godward; he may be a deeper,…

He may abound with religious performances, as they (Isaiah 1:11) had multitude of sacrifices, yet to no purpose: the Lord says that he was full of them. So they (Isaiah 58:2) sought him daily. Yet there is this difference also, besides what has been said.

We are to extend our liberality by virtue of a membership. Isaiah 58. 7. That you hide not yourself from your own flesh. The poor are ex eodem luto, they are fellow-members of the same body.

Cursing does ill become them that are called to inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:9). 3. They are flatly against the word; the Scripture is a great friend to the peace of human societies, for it condemns the least offensive word and gesture (Isaiah 58:9). You shall put away from you…

Now if a Christian really be this, which he ought and pretends to be, and do this which you see he stands obliged to do, 'tis incredible what clamors are raised against him. If a man make conscience of remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and of abstaining from the doing…

3. There was a typical signification in them. The silver trumpet signified the sounding of the silver trumpet of the Gospel through all the world, the preaching of the pure word of God by his messengers, who are said to lift up their voice as a trumpet (Isaiah 58:1). Set the tru…

For to speak without the Scripture is censoriousness, but to speak plainly according to it, is faithfulness. Isaiah 58:1. Cry aloud and spare not, says the Lord, but lift up your voice like a trumpet, show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. It was…

If patience be a giving God the honor of his righteousness in his judgments — Psalm 119:75: I know, O Lord, that your judgments are right, and that you in faithfulness have afflicted me — impatience must be a charge against God for unrighteousness in his judicial proceedings, an…

I'le make Ephraim to ride. Still take this in a way of threatening; in Scripture it's applied both to a way of mercy and judgment, in (Isaiah 58:14). Then shall you delight yourself in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the Earth.

But till then says he, I regard none of your days of thanksgiving. And so in Isaiah 58. there's one special reason why the days of fasting were not regarded, it was, because of their oppression of the poor, and their uncharitableness, and their injuriousness in the courts of jus…

When was there ever such smiting with the tongue as there is now? Yes, even good men smite one another: there was a time when the Prophet desired to be smitten by the righteous, in Psalms 141:5, Let the righteous smite me (says the Prophet) it shall be as oil to my head; but now…

And when God, in answer to their prayers and succeeding their endeavours, delivers, restores and advances his Church, according to his promise, then he is said to answer, and come, and say, Here am I, and to show himself; and they are said to find him, and see him plainly. Isaia…

Hereby is confuted their opinion, that take it a Sabbath kept, if they rest from their labours, so in the mean time they labor in plays, dancings, vain songs, and enterludes, &c. as though the Lord had called us from our profitable labor commanded, to displease him in these vani…

We shall first open the words a little, and then speak to some doctrines from them, reserving the uses to the close of all. 1. Where it is said, He was oppressed, the word signifies to exact; and we find it three ways applied in Scripture: 1. To the exacting of tribute, as (2 Ki…

Our second disease is, we forget that he that created the love of Christ in the heart, can only cure our love, when it is sick for Christ: As he that created the first world can rule it, so he that created the second new world, can guide it, and all the creatures in it, though o…

This makes walking after the Spirit, and a parting from iniquity and being pure in Spirit and dying to [illegible] of no interest in Christ, contrary to (Romans 8:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:19; Matthew 5:8; 1 Peter 2:4; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:18), and contrary to the whole Gospel: which…

If he prayed for this Transfiguration, observe, That God often answers his people in the very time while they are praying (Isaiah 58:9). When they call I will answer, and when they cry he shall say, Here I am.

There 1. Take notice of the ground which the devil chose for the conflict: he takes him up into the Holy City, and sets him on the pinnacle of the Temple. By the Holy City is meant Jerusalem, for this name is given to it in other Scriptures (Isaiah 58:2): They call themselves of…

Again, we have in Paul an example of boldness and liberty in reproving of sin. This was a thing commanded to the prophets and apostles (Isaiah 58:1): Cry and spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, show my people their transgression. (Jeremiah 1:17): Truss up your loins, a…

You shall love] understand both the affection, and the duties of love. Your neighbor] any one that is near to us in respect of man's nature (Isaiah 58:7): though he be our enemy, yet if by any occasion he be offered to us by God, he is our neighbor. As yourself] these words sign…

I have satisfied myself in correcting you, it is time now therefore you should begin to take some ease. And therefore by the word To shine, under a figure he means a recovery of health, and a flourishing estate: as heretofore by darkness, (Isaiah 58:10 and 59:9) he signified the…

In the French version our Author quotes a similar passage from the book of Psalms, (37:6;) “and he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon-day” — Editor (Isaiah 58:8.) In this way, his blessing always rises above all unjust slanders.

So it was with the Pharisees; they made long Prayers, and fasted twice a Week. False Religion may cause Persons to be loud and earnest in Prayer: Isaiah 58. 4. Ye shall not fast as ye do this Day, to cause your Voice to be heard on high.

But, if they be not so, any one's asking him how he likes that dish, (because that occasions a more express animadversion), will also draw from him an acknowledgment that it is pleasant and savory. 2. That a dead religion may be thought delightful; and through the ill temper of…

There they divided their delight — they would serve God in his worship, yet they would sin against him. So those in Isaiah 58:3, 6, 7: they took delight in drawing near to God, yet in the day of their fast, found pleasure in sin. Now, to have a divided love, to delight in sin as…

And he gives another instance to the same purpose, in the word [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], Judges 10:4, Jair the Gileadite had thirty sons, [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], where the word [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩] signifies in the first place colts of asses, and in the latter, ci…

Hence our main duty lies in an endeavour to get spiritual joy and delight in the services of this Day; which are the especial effects of spiritual liberty. So the Prophet requires, that we should call the Sabbath our delight, holy and honorable of the Lord (Isaiah 58:13). As als…

The Observation of the Sabbath is pressed on the Church, on the same Grounds, and with the same Promises, as the greatest and most indispensible Moral Duties; and together with them opposed to those Fasts which belonged to Ceremonial Institutions. To this purpose is the Nature a…

First, the vehemency of their sorrow, as when a man does lift up his voice and speak, he speaks vehemently. (Isaiah 58:3) Lift up your voice like a trumpet, that is, speak with a loud and strong voice; so here, they lifted up their voice and wept, that is, they wept vehemently,…

This indeed will hardly be obtained at trades-mens hands, but yet they must know that the whole Sabbath day is the Lords, wherin he wil be worshipped with delight, neither ought men to doe therein their own workes, nor seeke their own wills, nor speake their own words. Isa. 58.…

That we approoue our selues & our action to God in fasting, we must be sure we propound unto our selues therein the right ends of a religious fast which we have before propoūded; for if we faile therein, and propound other ends unto our selues, we corrupt the whol action unto o…

She is not like a city without walls, exposed to every assault and temptation, but has a hedge of divine protection, which is as a wall of fire about her to defend her; and also a guard of watchfulness and holy fear, in the exercise of which the believer has rule over his own sp…

This she must be some singular person, and so it proves his scope, laid down, verse 9. 2. The matter of the words, sets out her loveliness in four expressions or similitudes, tending to one thing, namely to show the radiance (to speak so) of the Church, and her ravishing beauty:…

For it is moral and rational that the whole of that day, which is set apart for the worship of God, should be employed in his worship. This likewise is moral, and of spiritual obligation, that we do not our own pleasure, nor speak our own words on his holy day, as the prophet ex…

This is the touchstone of faith and spiritual obedience, the most intimate and difficult part of this exercise: where this is not, there is no life in the soul. There are two things whereby men do or may deceive themselves herein; (1.) abounding in the outward performance of dut…

The Protestants in France called their church Paradise, because there they met with God. The Jews called the Sabbath, desiderium dierum, the desire of days (Isaiah 58:13). You shall call the Sabbath a delight.

Variety of voices please the ear: variety of colors delight the eye; the same meat prepared several ways, pleases the palate more, and clogs it less. [reconstructed: But] O the variety of choice dishes with which God entertains his people in a [reconstructed: Sabbath]! as the Wo…

God seeks of no man above that he has, or according to what he has not: and if you fail in what you have, what can you say for what you have not. The formal cause of the charity, is the pouring or drawing out of the soul to the hungry (Isaiah 58:10), in faith, in lending to God,…

This condemns the cold, indifferent, and dead actions of many, who are far from that, whatever you do, do [illegible], from the heart or soul, which says some duties are soul-less actions, and actions dead without heart and soul. Isaiah would have us, if we fast aright, to give…

The everlasting gospel is a testimony (Matthew 24:14), either to us to convince us, or against us to condemn us, and then no wonder if those speak against it who hate to be convinced by it, and dread to be condemned by it. The prophet complains of those that laid snares for him…

Tenthly, it is a blessed thing to be with them, though with some hardship, because God is working more and more good for his people every day: Now he is about fulfilling the glorious promises that we have in the Prophets, to make an end of all the glory that he does intend in th…