Jewish law, a man was stoned to death, for gathering sticks on the
sabbath day [Numb. xv. 32-36.], whereas you are doing a number of things
on the Lord's day, which might as well be done before, or left undone till
afterwards. But such is the long-suffering of the Lord, that though
others have been cut off, you are spared to this hour. May his goodness
lead you to repentance! Or otherwise, light as these things may appear
to you now, and though you may plead a necessity for what you do, I
tell you again, as I have often told you before, that a day is coming
when God will call you to a strict account.

Besides, If you would reasonably hope for the blessing of God to
succeed your labours, it is certainly your interest, as well as your
duty to obey his commands. And this in particular, Keep the sabbath day
holy. If, in direct opposition to this plain, precept, you will
work and labour, as on other days, what ground can you have to expect
that God will bless and prosper your undertakings? You have much
greater cause to fear that his curse will follow you in your affairs,
and blast and disappoint all your wishes and prospects.

Let then the misconduct and fatal ends of others, and the calamities
and troubles that you have brought upon yourselves--Let the gracious
promises of God, on the one hand, and his awful threatenings on the
other, induce you, in future, to remember the sabbath day, to keep it
holy!

And let me offer you a few plain directions, as to the observance and
improvement of the sabbath:

Begin the day with prayer; and for this purpose seek some place of
retirement, if you find it impracticable to meditate or pray, from the