Shortly after Queen Victoria came to the throne, she was waited on by the Duke of Wellington, the hero of Waterloo, one of her ministers, who brought in his hand the death-warrant of a soldier who had been tried by court-martial, and sentenced to death.
It was the duty of the sovereign at that time to personally sign the death-warrant of all who were to suffer the extreme penalty of the law. The young Queen was greatly moved. It was the first time she had been called to affix her name to the dread document, and the tears filled her eyes as she asked the Duke with great earnestness “Have you nothing to say on behalf of this man?”
“Nothing; he has deserted three times,” replied the Iron Duke.
“Oh, your Grace, think again,” said the agitated Queen, in pleading tones.
“Well, your Majesty, he certainly is a bad soldier, but there was somebody who spoke as to his good character, so he may be a good fellow in private life.”
“Oh, thank you!” exclaimed the Queen, as she lifted her pen and wrote across the death-warrant the one word— “Pardoned” —appending her own beautiful signature, “Victoria” beneath it.
Yet that act of royal grace is as nothing compared with the sovereign grace of God, now proclaimed to sinners in the gospel. In one important particular it is a contrast to it. There was something good that could be said about the condemned soldier. But in the light of God’s glory, we have all sinned and come short. The verdict concerning all of us is— “There is none righteous, no, not one.” “There is none that seeketh after God. There is none that doeth good, no not one.” (Rom. 3:10-1210As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:10‑12)). “They are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). Yet—wonder of all wonders! —the very God against whom we have sinned becomes the Justifier. “It is God that justifieth”—not merely pardons, but justifies. The Queen could pardon; she could not justify. But the royal grace of God “justifieth the ungodly” (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)). Do you ask how? Let God Himself answer. “Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:2424Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:24)). Yes, this is the divine basis! The blood of Christ has atoned for sin, and God is just “and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)). Glorious gospel! Wondrous grace!
My dear friend, will you not receive this testimony? Are not these good tidings for you? Oh, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. “Through this one [the Lord Jesus Christ] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).
C. H. C.