thanks　may　be　rendered　Him　for　it；　as　this　commandment　requires。　On
  this　account　also　these　means　of　receiving　good　gifts　through　creatures
  are　not　to　be　rejected；　neither　should　we　in　presumption　seek　other
  ways　and　means　than　God　has　commanded。　For　that　would　not　be　receiving
  from　God；　hut　seeking　of　ourselves。
  Let　every　one；　then；　see　to　it　that　he　esteem　this　commandment　great
  and　high　above　all　things；　and　do　not　regard　it　as　a　joke。　Ask　and
  examine　your　heart　diligently；　and　you　will　find　whether　it　cleaves　to
  God　alone　or　not。　If　you　have　a　heart　that　can　expect　of　Him　nothing
  but　what　is　good；　especially　in　want　and　distress；　and　that；　moreover
  renounces　and　forsakes　everything　that　is　not　God；　then　you　have　the
  only　true　God。　If　on　the　contrary；　it　cleaves　to　anything　else；　of
  which　it　expects　more　good　and　help　than　of　God；　and　does　not　take
  refuge　in　Him；　but　in　adversity　flees　from　Him；　then　you　have　an　idol；
  another　god。
  In　order　that　it　may　be　seen　that　God　will　not　have　this　commandment
  thrown　to　the　winds；　but　will　most　strictly　enforce　it；　He　has　attached
  to　it　first　a　terrible　threat；　and　then　a　beautiful；　comforting　promise
  which　is　also　to　be　urged　and　impressed　upon　young　people；　that　they
  may　take　it　to　heart　and　retain　it：
  ＇Exposition　of　the　Appendix　to　the　First　Commandment。＇
  For　I　am　the　Lord；　thy　God；　strong　and　jealous；　visiting　the　iniquity
  of　the　fathers　upon　the　children　unto　the　third　and　fourth　generation
  of　them　that　hate　Me；　and　showing　mercy　unto　thousands　of　them　that
  love　Me　and　keep　My　commandments。
  Although　these　words　relate　to　all　the　commandments　（as　we　shall
  hereafter　learn）；　yet　they　are　joined　to　this　chief　commandment
  because　it　is　of　first　importance　that　men　have　a　right　head；　for
  where　the　head　is　right；　the　whole　life　must　be　right；　and　vice　versa。
  Learn；　therefore；　from　these　words　how　angry　God　is　with　those　who
  trust　in　anything　but　Him；　and　again；　how　good　and　gracious　He　is　to
  those　who　trust　and　believe　in　Him　alone　with　the　whole　heart；　so　that
  His　anger　does　not　cease　until　the　fourth　generation；　while；　on　the
  other　hand；　His　blessing　and　goodness　extend　to　many　thousands　lest　you
  live　in　such　security　and　commit　yourself　to　chance；　as　men　of　brutal
  heart；　who　think　that　it　makes　no　great　difference　＇how　they　live＇。　He
  is　a　God　who　will　not　leave　it　unavenged　if　men　turn　from　Him；　and　will
  not　cease　to　be　angry　until　the　fourth　generation；　even　until　they　are
  utterly　exterminated。　Therefore　He　is　to　be　feared；　and　not　to　be
  desisted。
  He　has　also　demonstrated　this　in　all　history；　as　the　Scriptures
  abundantly　show　and　daily　experience　still　teaches。　For　from　the
  beginning　He　has　utterly　extirpated　all　idolatry；　and；　on　account　of
  it；　both　heathen　and　Jews；　even　as　at　the　present　day　He　overthrows　all
  false　worship；　so　that　all　who　remain　therein　must　finally　perish。
  Therefore；　although　proud；　powerful；　and　rich　worldlings
  ＇Sardanapaluses　and　Phalarides；　who　surpass　even　the　Persians　in
  wealth＇　are　now　to　be　found；　who　boast　defiantly　of　their　Mammon；　with
  utter　disregard　whether　God　is　angry　at　or　smiles　on　them；　and　dare　to
  withstand　His　wrath；　yet　they　shall　not　succeed；　but　before　they　are
  aware；　they　shall　be　wrecked；　with　all　in　which　they　trusted；　as　all
  others　have　perished　who　have　thought　themselves　more　secure　or
  powerful。　And　just　because　of　such　hardened　heads　who　imagine　because
  God　connives　and　allows　them　to　rest　in　security；　that　He　either　is
  entirely　ignorant　or　cares　nothing　about　such　matters；　He　must　deal　a
  smashing　blow　and　punish　them；　so　that　He　cannot　forget　it　unto
  children's　children；　so　that　every　one　may　take　note　and　see　that　this
  is　no　joke　to　Him。　For　they　are　those　whom　He　means　when　He　says：　Who
  hate　Me；　i。e。；　those　who　persist　in　their　defiance　and　pride；　whatever
  is　preached　or　said　to　them；　they　will　not　listen；　when　they　are
  reproved；　in　order　that　they　may　learn　to　know　themselves　and　amend
  before　the　punishment　begins；　they　become　mad　and　foolish　so　as　to
  fairly　merit　wrath；　as　now　we　see　daily　in　bishops　and　princes。
  But　terrible　as　are　these　threatenings；　so　much　the　more　powerful　is
  the　consolation　in　the　promise；　that　those　who　cling　to　God　alone
  should　be　sure　that　He　will　show　them　mercy　that　is；　show　them　pure
  goodness　and　blessing　not　only　for　themselves；　but　also　to　their
  children　and　children's　children；　even　to　the　thousandth　generation　and
  beyond　that。　This　ought　certainly　to　move　and　impel　us　to　risk　our
  hearts　in　all　confidence　with　God；　if　we　wish　all　temporal　and　eternal
  good；　since　the　Supreme　Majesty　makes　such　sublime　offers　and　presents
  such　cordial　inducements　and　such　rich　promises。
  Therefore　let　everyone　seriously　take　this　to　heart；　lest　it　be
  regarded　as　though　a　man　had　spoken　it。　For　to　you　it　is　a　question
  either　of　eternal　blessing；　happiness；　and　salvation；　or　of　eternal
  wrath；　misery；　and　woe。　What　more　would　you　have　or　desire　than　that　He
  so　kindly　promises　to　be　yours　with　every　blessing；　and　to　protect　and
  help　you　in　all　need？
  But；　alas！　here　is　the　failure；　that　the　world　believes　nothing　of
  this；　nor　regards　it　as　God's　Word；　because　it　sees　that　those　who
  trust　in　God　and　not　in　Mammon　suffer　care　and　want；　and　the　devil
  opposes　and　resists　them；　that　they　have　neither　money；　favor；　nor
  honor；　and；　besides；　can　scarcely　support　life；　while；　on　the　other
  hand；　those　who　serve　Mammon　have　power；　favor；　honor；　possessions；　and
  every　comfort　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。　For　this　reason；　these　words
  must　be　grasped　as　being　directed　against　such　appearances；　and　we　must
  consider　that　they　do　not　lie　or　deceive；　but　must　come　true。
  Reflect　for　yourself　or　make　inquiry　and　tell　me：　Those　who　have
  employed　all　their　care　and　diligence　to　accumulate　great　possessions
  and　wealth；　what　have　they　finally　attained？　You　will　find　that　they
  have　wasted　their　toil　and　labor；　or　even　though　they　have　amassed
  great　treasures；　they　have　been　dispersed　and　scattered；　so　that　the
  themselves　have　never　found　happiness　in　their　wealth；　and　afterwards
  never　reached　the　third　generation。　Instances　of　this　you　will　find　a
  plenty　in　all　histories；　also　in　the　memory　of　aged　and　experienced
  people。　Only　observe　and　ponder　them。
  Saul　was　a　great　king；　chosen　of　God　and　a　godly　man；　but　when　he　was
  established　on　his　throne；　and　let　his　heart　decline　from　God；　and　put
  his　trust　in　his　crown　and　power；　he　had　to　perish　with　all　that　he
  had；　so　that　none　even　of　his　children　remained。　David；　on　the　other
  hand；　was　a　poor；　despised　man；　hunted　down　and　chased；　so　that　he
  nowhere　felt　secure　of　his　life；　yet　he　had　to　remain　in　spite　of　Saul；
  and　become　king。　For　these　words　had　to　abide　and　come　true；　since　God
  cannot　lie　or　deceive。　Only　let　not　the　devil　and　the　world　deceive　you
  with　their　show；　which　indeed　remains　for　a　time；　but　finally　is
  nothing。
  Let　us；　then；　learn　well　the　First　Commandment；　that　we　may　see　how　God
  will　tolerate　no　presumption　nor　any　trust　in　any　other　object；　and　how
  He　requires　nothing　higher　of　us　than　confidence　from　the　heart　for
  everything　good；　so　that　we　may　proceed　right　and　straightforward　and
  use　all　the　blessings　which　God　gives　no　farther　than　as　a　shoemaker
  uses　his　needle；　awl；　and　thread　for　work；　and　then　lays　them　aside；　or
  as　a　traveler　uses　an　inn；　and　food；　and　his　bed　only　for　temporal
  necessity；　each　one　in　his　station；　according　to　God's　order；　and
  without　allowing　any　of　these　things　to　be　our　food　or　idol。　Let　this
  suffice　with　respect　to　the　First　Commandment；　which　we　have　had　to
  explain　at　length；　since　it　is　of　chief　importance；　because；　as　before
  said；　where　the　heart　is　rightly　disposed　toward　God　and　this
  commandment　is　observed；　all　the　others　follow。
  The　Second　Commandment。
  Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　Lord；　thy　God；　in　vain。
  As　the　First　Commandment　has　instructed　the　heart　and　taught　＇the
  basis　of＇　faith；　so　this　commandment　leads　us　forth　and　directs　the
  mouth　and　tongue　to　God。　For　the　first　objects　that　spring　from　the
  heart　and　manifest　themselves　are　words。　Now；　as　I　have　taught　above
  how　to　answer　the　question；　what　it　is　to　have　a　god；　so　you　must　learn
  to　comprehend　simply　the　meaning　of　this　and　all　the　commandments；　and
  to　apply　it　to　yourself。　If；　then；　it　be　asked：　How　do　you　understand
  the　Second　Commandment；　or　what　is　meant　by　taking　in　vain；　or　misusing
  God's　name？　answer　briefly　thus：　It　is　misusing　God's　name　when　we　call
  upon　the　Lord　God　no　matter　in　what　way；　for　purposes　of　falsehood　or
  wrong　of　any　kind。　Therefore　this　commandment　enjoins　this　much；　that
  God's　name　must　not　be　appealed　to　falsely；　or　taken　upon　the　lips
  while　the　heart　knows　well　enough；　or　should　know；　differently；　as
  among　those　who　take　oaths　in　court；　where　one　side　lies　against　the
  other。　For　God's　name　cannot　be　misused　worse　than　for　the　support　of
  falsehood　and　deceit。　Let4this　remain　the　exact　German　and　simplest
  meaning　of　this　commandment。
  From　this　every　one　can　readily　infer　when　and　in　how　many　ways　God's
  name　is　misused；　although　it　is　impossible　to　enumerate　all　its
  misuses。