Exodus 20:7

III. HALLOWING GOD'S NAME AND THE SABBATH DAY.

7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

This commandment prohibits all employment of the name of God for vain and unworthy objects, and includes not only false swearing which is condemned in Leviticus 19:12, as. profanation of the name of Jehovah, but trivial swearing in the ordinary intercourse of life, and every, use of the name of God in the service of untruth and lying, for imprecation, witchcraft or conjuring, or in light or idle conversation. Christ demands that the name of God be hallowed. This is done by treating it as holy, by speaking it with reverence, by using it in invocation, praise, prayer and thanksgiving.

Will not hold him guiltless.

The tens of thousands of profane swearers should heed this caution. God notes their idle, senseless, irreverent use of his name, and they are guilty before him. The time of punishment will come. "What does Satan pay you for swearing?" asked one gentleman of another. "He doesn't pay me anything," was the reply. "Well, you work cheap, to lay aside the character of. gentleman, to inflict so much pain on your friends and civil people, to suffer, and lastly to risk your own precious soul, and for nothing; you certainly do work cheap, very cheap, indeed."