the Hearer of prayer, and the like, Isa. i. 9. Except the Lord of hosts had left us a very small remnant. Isa. xl. 14. The Zion of the holy One of Israel. Exod. iii 9. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, Isa. xl. 10. The Lord, the Creator,

of the ends of the earth, Job x. 20. What shall I do unto thee, thou preserver of men? 1 Tim. v. 15. The blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Jer. x. 20. Who would not fear thee O King of nations? Rev. xv. 3. Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 2 Cor. i. 3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies. Psal. lxviii. 20. He that is our God, is the God of our salvation, Psal. xcv. 2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. 3. By his attributes, which are his perfections, and properties, whereby he distinguishes himself from his creatures, such as, omnipotence, eternity, invisibility, infinity, wisdom, omnipresence, holiness, unchange ableness, mercifulness, love, and the like, Rev. xix. 6. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. I Tim. i. 17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be glory and honour. Psal. cxlviii. Great is our Lord, and of great power, his understanding is infinite, Jer. xxiii. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord, do not I fill heaven and earth? Mal. iii. 9. I am the Lord, I change not. Psal. cxlv. 8. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 1 John iv. 8. God is love. 4. By his ordinance, prayer, hearing, the sacrament, Psal, Ixxvii, 13. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary. 5. By his word, law, and gospel, Psal. ciii. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name, 6. By his works of creation and providence. Psalm xix. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. Psal. ix. 16. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeh. Acts xiv. 18. He left not himself without a witness in that he did good, and gave us rain and fruitful seasons.

Q. 3. What doth the third commandment require in reference unto those things whereby God doth make himself known?

A. The third commandment doth require in reference unto these things whereby God doth make himself known: 1. The use of them. 2. The Holy and reverent use of them, that we should use them with holy ends, designing the glory of God, and in a reverend manner, as is suitable unto the majesty of God who maketh himself known by them. Psal. xcvi. 8. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. Rev. xv. 3, 4. Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God. Almighty Who shall not fear thee, and glorify thy name?

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Q. 4. How should our holiness and reverence shew itself towards these things?

3. In

A. Our holiness and reverence should shew itself in reference unto God's names, titles, and attributes, I. In our holy and reverent thoughts, and meditating of them, so as to admire, fear, love, desire, and delight in God and in our holy and reverent mentioning them with our tongues. 2. In reference unto God's ordinances, in our holy and reverent making use of them, waiting upon, and seeking after God i them. reference unto God's word in our holy and reverent minding the majesty and authority of God therein, so as to yield ready obedience thereunto. 4. In reference unto God's work of creation, in our holy and reverent contemplation of God's infinite power and wisdom, and greatness therein manifested; and in reference unto God's works of providence, in our holy and reverent eyeing, following and complying with God's designs in all his providential dispensations, blessing and praising him for his mercies, submiting unto, and patiently bearing his corrections, and any sort of affliction.

Q. 5. When should we especially, holily and reverently make use of these things, whereby God maketh himself known?

A. At all times but especially when we are called to the duties of his immediate worship we should be holy and reverent in use of these things, sanctifying the pame of God in them.

Q. 6. What is the difference between the worship of God required in this third commandment, and that

which is required in the first and second commandments?

A. The first commandment hath a respect unto the object of God's worship; the second commandment hath a respect unto the means of worship; but the third commandment hath a respect unto the manner of worship requiring that it be performed with humility, and holy fear, with sincerity, fervency, and all kind of holy affection.

55. Q. What is forbidden in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment forbiddeth, the profaning or abubsing of any thing whereby God maketh himself known.

Q. 1. How are God's names, titles, and attributes profaned and abused?

A. God's names, titles and attributes are profaned and abused: 1. When persons do think slightly and irreverently of them, without any suitable affections of them, especially when their hearts are filled with despising hatred, and aversion towards the name of God. Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? If I be a master where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you that despise my name. 2. When persons speak irreverently concerning Ged, making mention of any of his names, titles or attributes, in ordinary discourse, crying, O Lord, O God, God forgive me, God save me, and the like; without minding what they say, or having any awe of God upon them, whilst they are speaking of him, Psalm cxxxix. 10. -Thine enemies take thy name in vain. 3. When per

sons do swear by the name of God, and that either vainly and wickedly, mingling their ordinary speech with hideous oaths, priding themselves in their inventionsof new oaths and emphatically pronouncing of them; or when persons being called to swear lawfully before a magistrate or the like, they do swear falsly, Mat. v. 34, 37. But I say unto you, swear not at all; but let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil, Zech.

v. 4. It shall enter into the house of him that swear-> eth falsly by my name. 4. When persons do curse either themselves or others, in the name of the Lord either jestingly, rashly, or maliciously. 1 Sam. xix. 34. And the Philistine cursed David by his gods, Mat. xxvi. 74. Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. 5. When persons blaspheme the name of the Lord, by speaking against any of those names, titles, or attributes, whereby he hath made himself known or, by ascribing any thing unto him, which is unworthy of him, 2 Kings xix. 22. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the holy One of Israel. James i. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted he any man. 6. When persons use the name of the Lord in any charms, Acts xix. 14, 16. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, in the name of the Lord Jesus, &c. And the man in whom the evil spirit was, lept upon them, and overcame them, so they fled out of the house, naked and wounded.

Q. 2. How are God's ordinances profaned and abused?

A. God's ordinances are profaned and abused: 1, When persons are irreverent in their attendance upon them, in regard of the outward gestures of their bodies; laughing, talking, sleeping, or any other way undecently behaving themselves in the time of prayer, preaching, singing, receiving the sacraments, or any other part of God's worship, Eccles. v. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God. I Cor. xvi. 40. Let all things be done decently, and in order. 2. When persons under ordinances are light and formal, as to the inward frame of their minds are roving and wandering, and their hearts are dead and dull, very unbeseeming the majesty of God, whom in his ordinances they wait upon, who being a spirit, doth chiefly look to the spiritual part of his service, John iv. 24. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him

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in Spirit and in truth. 3. And chiefly profane and abuse God's ordinances, when they make a profession of religion, and attend upon ordinances that they may be accounted religious men, without any sincere endeavours to approve the heart unto God, making use of religion only as a cloak, for covetousness; or maliciousness or voluptuousness, 2 Tim. iii. 5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, Mat. xxiii. 14. Woe unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Q. 3. How is God's word profaned or abused?

A. God's word is profaned and abused: 1. When persons think, or speak slightly, especially when they pervert the word God, or any part thereof into profane jests, Jer. xxiii. 33, 36. And when the people or prophet shall ask thee, saying, what is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt say, what burden? I will even forsake you saith the Lord. And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more; for ye have perverted the words of the living God. 2. When persons wrest the word of God unto false doctrine, perversely disputing against the sound of wholsome doctrine therein contained, 2 Pet. iii. 15. In which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction, 1 Tim. vi. 3, 4, 5. If any man teach otherways and consent not to wholsome words, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness: he is proud, knowing nothing, but doating about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. 3. When persons misapply the word of God, the threatenings unto the righteous, to make them sad; the promises to the wicked to encourage them in their wicked ways, Ezek. xiv. 22. With lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising life.