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 interruptions you are exposed to in your dwellings*, from those who ridicule and scoff at every appearance of religion. Retire from them, and pray to him who seeth in secret; and praise him for the many mercies you have received. Consider with yourself, how little you have improved them. Humble yourselves before God, under a sense of your sins and imperfections, and pray for pardon and repentance. Intreat him, to enable you to watch over your hearts, words, and actions, throughout the day, and that you may not be hindered or hurt by the snares and temptations around you. Intreat God to assist your minister, and to accompany what you may hear from him, with a blessing to your soul, and to all who shall be present with you. [*Footnote: Many complaints have been made to me on this head.] If you have families, you should call them together, and pray with them, and for them. There are many promises made to worshiping families, and to those who, like Abraham, endeavour to teach their children and household to know and serve the Lord. [Gen. xviii. 19.; Prov. iii. 33.] And the neglect of this is one reason, why many families live uncomfortably. They live without prayer, and therefore without peace. Having thus endeavoured to impress your minds with serious thoughts, in secret or at home; attend constantly upon the public worship, and there pay a close attention to every part of the service. Remember that the eye of God is particularly upon you there. He has promised to be with two or three that meet together to call upon his name [Matt. xviii. 20.; John iv. 24]. He is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth; and whether they assemble in a church, or in the open air, he can give them cause to say with Jacob, This place is surely the house of God, and the gate of Heaven [Gen. xxviii. 17.]. Attend the public worship again in the afternoon, with your hearts lifted up to God, that you may not hear in vain; and accustom yourself in the evening to recollect what you have heard, concerning the miseries which sin has brought into the world, the love of God in sending his own Son to redeem sinners from those miseries; the sufferings, life, death, and resurrection of the Saviour; and that eternal rest, which remaineth for the people of God--FOR YOU, and FOR ME, if we are believers in Christ.