In the revelation already quoted for the reign of law in the physical universe, he also says: "And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified by the same. That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice nor judgment. Therefore they must remain filthy still." And again he said: "There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain any blessing from God it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."[A] The Prophet of the New Dispensation, then, the gospel of that dispensation, its Theology, stand committed to the sublime doctrine that the universe in every way is under the reign of law; and hence, in some way, the Atonement, by and through which man is redeemed; the necessity,--the absolute necessity--for it; the reason why that means, and that means alone, could bring redemption and put man in the way of salvation--all this must be by reason of the existence of some law by which the facts in the case are governed. These laws and an understanding of them are the object of our research. [Footnote A: Doc. & Cov., Sec. 130:21,22.] LESSON XV. (Scripture Reading Exercise.) THE EXORABLENESS[A] OF LAW. ANALYSIS. I. The Effective Quality in Law--Inexorableness. II. Reign of Law vs. Government by "Arbitrary Will." III. Mercy and Special Providence in a Reign of Law. IV. Law and Destructive and Constructive Forces. V. God No Respector of Persons; Mercy and Special Providence Under Dominion of Law. REFERENCES. Doc. & Cov., Sec. 88: also Sec. 130. Drummond's Natural Law in the Spiritual World--Introduction. Fiske's Studies in Religion, pp. 337-340; and the works and passages quoted in the body of this lesson. _SPECIAL TEXTS: "Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence [from prison] till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." (The Christ: Matt, v.26.)_ _"Think not I am come to destroy the law I a. not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matt, v.17, 18.)_ [Footnote A: "Inexorable"--literally not to be moved or changed by petition or prayer. Immovable, relentless. See Cent. Dict.] DISCUSSION. _1. The Essence of Law:_ Inexorableness is of the essence of law. There can be no force in law only as it is inexorable. What effect is to cause, in the physical world, that penalty must be to violation of law in the moral and spiritual kingdom. This is what is meant by the inexorableness of law.