In one of the most powerful pleas we have seen presented, for commutation of the death sentence to life-imprisonment for the recently executed criminals, Sacco and Vanzetti, the following statement of the famous British statesman, Sir William Harcourt, was quoted:
"The exercise of the prerogative of mercy does not depend on principles of strict law and justice, still less does it depend on sentiment in any way. It is a question of policy and judgment in each case and, in my opinion, a capital execution which in its circumstances creates horror and compassion for the culprit rather than a sense of indignation at his crime, is a great evil."
We do not propose to discuss here either the guilt or the wisdom of the execution of these men; their case has already been given entirely too much notoriety. The stern mandate of the law has been executed on them, and with this the law-abiding must be content. We have a matter of vastly more importance before us.
It is this:If "the exercise of the prerogative of mercy does not depend on principles of strict law or justice," if "still less does it depend on sentiment in any way," on what does the exercise of the divine clemency towards the sinner depend? That man, in his constitution and conduct, is a sinner, no person of normal moral perceptions will deny; and that God in the gospel offers mercy to the sinner the Scriptures constantly and everywhere affirm. No man at all acquainted with these Scriptures, can possibly question it.
On what principles, then, does He extend this mercy? On what basis, in other words, is the clemency grounded? Mercy shown "on principles of strict law or justice," is a contradiction in terms; for if law and justice are on the side of the accused, he does not require mercy-he may demand an acquittal-justice requires that he be set free. Mercy can only be shown the guilty, else the act called by this name becomes the merest mockery. "I demand justice, not pardon," was the spirited reply of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, when offered clemency by the Government of France. And the apostles, illegally imprisoned by the authorities at Philippi, when these sent messengers to the jailor, saying, "Let these men go," answered firmly, "Nay, verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out." No, mercy cannot be shown the sinner on any ground of justice or merit whatever, else mercy ceases to be that and becomes but a mock-mercy.
The utter unreasonableness of any such proposition is shown by the apostle Paul in his usual masterly manner in the Epistle to the Romans, chap. 11, verse 6:"And if by grace, then is it no more of works:otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace:otherwise work is no more work." There can be no possible blending of these diametrically opposite principles, works and grace, merit and mercy, justice and clemency. God must by the very law of His being either justify the accused sinner on the ground of righteousness, or save him of His purest mercy. Now, since, "All the world guilty before God," is the pronouncement of the law, declared by God Himself to be "holy, just and good," how, on what principle, can mercy be extended towards those condemned by the divinely given law to die the death eternal, "the second death, which is the lake of fire?" (Rev. 20:14).
On that of sentiment, God's goodness, His infinite compassion, most would answer. But is this, strictly speaking (and in this matter we cannot speak otherwise than with the strictest precision), true? "Still less does it depend on sentiment," the great British jurist says. No, though sentiment, rightly understood, may and must have its due place; but this must never be permitted to interfere with the course of divine justice, else there would be no law-or the law's mandates would never be executed.
"God is love," we read in His Word; but it is also written that "God is light" (1 John 1:5; 4:8). Both qualities or attributes are in Him equally blended. How then, it may be asked, can a God of holiness and truth, who is at the same time of infinite compassion, spare, pardon, save the sinner? Yes, HOW?
Hear Him declare Himself to the man Moses:"And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty" (Exod. 33:6,7).
What then is to be done? again we ask. What answer can be given to this question-the balancing of the claims of divine justice with the prerogative of mercy ascribed to God in the gospel? The answer is simple, and sublime in its simplicity. Listen! "I am not ashamed of the gospel:for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth… for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:16,17). The gospel here makes known, not the love and mercy of God merely, but His righteousness, His consistency with His own essential attribute of impartial, strictest justice. This He does, as later chapters in the Epistle show, by giving His own sinless Son to die in the sinner's place, to be punished in his stead, to be made sin for him, and thus endure the judgment due the sinner. Thus the claims of justice are fully met, the righteousness of God is vindicated, the majesty of the violated law upheld, while the sinner who believes is saved. God's power by the gospel will henceforth enable the believer to "follow holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb.12:14).
And when the extreme penalty is visited on the sinner who refuses to repent, who continues in his rebellion against God, who will not submit himself to Christ, the "one Mediator between God and man," the justice of the sentence imposed will be so evident to all, "that every mouth will be stopped," the condemned will stand "speechless." The final judgment of the Great White Throne, will be, as Romans 2:5 tells us, "The revelation of the righteous judgment of God." And hell will not be filled with men defiant of God and His government, protesting their innocence. Their condemnation will create neither "horror" nor "compassion" for the guilty; on the contrary, hell will be but an eternal manifestation of God's just indignation at His creature's crimes, while heaven will be the everlasting witness and expression of His love and mercy towards all who repent and believe the gospel.
Reader, which will be your portion, your place, for eternity? It is for you to decide. God grant that you may make the decision He desires you to make, that you submit to His claims and heed at once His call, "Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die!"
"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"(John 3:16). "Mercy and truth are met together (in the gospel); righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good .. .Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us (who believe) in the way of His steps" (Ps. 85:10-13). C. Knapp