[1] The spring of the law is love. With its "Thou shalt not do this," and "Thou shalt not do that," the law presents rather an ungracious aspect. We like ill to be bidden, but worse to be forbidden. But does love never forbid? A mother, does she never forbid her child; but, on the contrary, indulge every caprice and grant all his wishes? How disastrous the fate, and brief the life, of a child denied nothing, indulged in everything, allowed to play with fire, or fire-arms; to devour the painted but poisonous fruit--to bathe where the tide runs like a racehorse or the river rushes roaring into the black, swirling pool. And he who frets against the restraints of God's holy law because it forbids this and the other thing, is no wiser than the infant who weeps, and screams, and struggles, and perhaps beats the kind bosom that nurses it, because its mother has snatched a knife from its foolish hands.--_Guthrie._ THE DOOM OF IMPENITENT ISRAEL. v. 24-30. _Therefore as the fire devoureth, &c._ In this threatening, fulfilled in the utter destruction of Israel by Assyria, we find illustrations of the following facts.--I. That _the Lord is a God of judgment as well as of mercy_.[1] The mercy of God has been exemplified in His long forbearance with sinful Israel: His justice was manifested in the utter destruction that came upon Israel when it was seen that that forbearance had been shown in vain. God is still as He revealed Himself in His Word and in His actual dealings with His people. It is utterly vain for us to frame for ourselves an ideal God in whose character the sternest justice has no place. II. That _we can sustain no relation to God which will render it safe for us to break His commandments, or exempt us from the consequences of wrong-doing_ (ver. 25. Compare ver. 5; Amos iii. 2). III. That _all the forces of the universe are at God's disposal for the execution of His purposes._ Appalling is the variety of the scourges and swords that lie ready to His hand for the chastisement of the rebellious,[2] and for the destruction of the incorrigible! IV. That _in addressing Himself to the work of judgment, God is moved by the highest moral considerations._ "Because they have cast away the _law_ of the Lord of hosts, and despised the _word_ of the Holy One of Israel; _therefore_ is the anger of the Lord kindled against His people." In His wrath, as well as in His love, He is holy: in neither is there any caprice. V. That _consequently God will not pause in His work of judgment out of any weak regard to the mere sufferings of wrong-doers._ It is against sin that His anger burns, and while sin endures the fires of His wrath will continue to flame. Eternal punishment! For impenitent transgressors there is woe upon woe, and no severity of suffering that they may endure abates the anger of the Lord against them. There is no such thing as salvation by personal