Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

or, The Remorse of a King

Backwards and forwards, within a darkened chamber in the Castle of Stirling, paced a young man; the royal robes were wrapt about him, but there was no exultation in his heart. He was the undisputed King of the realm, but this yielded him no satisfaction. Beneath his robes, about his waist, he wore a heavy iron chain — his penance belt — but upon his mind and conscience there lay a heavier burden, for James IV. of Scotland was a prey to bitter remorse. He had been guilty of a fearful crime against one who loved him well, and now, when the enormity of his sin came home to him, it was too late for repentance — too late to hear words of forgiveness from the lips of the one whom he had wronged.

His father, James III. (like most of the ill-fated Stuart kings), was far from being an ideal monarch. He was weak in character, and had gathered around him many favourites who were not calculated to help him to govern, and the exaltation of these men to high offices had angered the proud and war-like nobles of the land, and they determined on rebellion.

By flattering words they induced the heir to the throne to head their army and fight against his father, the King.

Now, though James III. was a weak man, he was a very affectionate father, and this added greatly to the sin of his son, for he had no cause for his action, save that he was a conceited youth, and loved himself, and desired to be the greatest man within the kingdom.

Rebellion is a serious crime, but James of Rothesay is not the only one at whose door this crime lies. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” and that means that we have rebelled — not against an earthly sovereign, but against God Himself; and if anything could aggravate our case, it is that He against whom we have sinned, loved us perfectly, and never gave us any cause for our sin.

Our foreparents listened to the flattery of the tempter when he told them that if they did but turn their backs on God, they would exalt themselves; they sinned and fell into rebellion, because they loved themselves instead of God, and we, like they, have walked in the same path, loving ourselves and living for ourselves, instead of for Him who has a right to claim our loyalty and obedience. In short, we are sinners and ungodly, and deserve the righteous judgment of the God against whose law and love we have sinned.

Now James III. sent offers of forgiveness to his son upon one condition only, namely, that he should lay down his arms. And his father’s gracious message almost caused him to yield, but ill-advisers were at hand, who by more flatteries drowned the voice of conscience, and hardened him in his rebellion. They were his father’s bitter foes, who hoped to strike a deadlier blow at the King through the son whom he loved So well.

How like to that is what we see around us to-day. God has sent an offer of free pardon to sinners on one condition only, and that condition is, that they bow to Him. God is graciously proclaiming salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, and all who come to God through Jesus are blessed for ever. How do you stand in this matter, dear reader? God commands you to repent, and commends His love to you. Have you done the one and received the other? Millions have, and throughout eternity they will never regret it.

You have heard the message of salvation, and it may be that God’s grace, in spite of all your sinfulness, has almost persuaded you to be a Christian, but the devil has kept you back from that decision and induced you to continue in your sins and at a distance from God, and you have listened to his voice, as the youthful James listened to his evil counsellors.

Be sure of this, the devil does not seek your good. He hopes to rob God of the glory of pardoning a rebel sinner alike you, for He is God’s foe, but do you not see that this must mean eternal sorrow for you. Oh, if you are still afar from God listen to the voice of mercy to-day; surrender yourself to God by bring to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the case of the King’s son, his father’s foes prevailed, and a fierce battle was the result. Not more than a mile from the famous field of Bannockburn, the shameful sight was seen of a son leading an army against his father and his King. And in the fight the arms of the son prevailed, and the father fled from the battlefield a broken-hearted man. He was thrown from his horse in his mad gallop for safety, and in a fainting condition was carried into a miller’s cottage near. When he recovered from his swoon he told the miller’s wife that he was the King, and begged her to seek a priest to whom he could confess, for he was dying. In her astonishment she rushed to the door crying out for a priest to whom the King might confess, when a tall figure in a grey cloak appeared. “Where is His Majesty?” he asked “I am a priest.”

He knelt by the couch where the King lay, and while pretending to speak kindly to him, he thrust a dagger into his heart; then in his haste to get away he dropped the dagger upon the cottage floor.

The news of this had just been brought to James IV., and it filled him with dismay, and when the dagger which had done the fearful deed was put into his hand, his horror was increased a hundredfold, for he discovered it to be his own, which he had missed from his belt early in the day of the battle. Ah! how he would have done anything to have recalled the words and undone the deeds of the weeks that were passed. He sought for a place of repentance but though he sought it carefully with tears, he could not find one. He rejected “the mighty boon of forgiveness,” when he might have had it from his father’s lips, and now it was too late.

He ordered the smith to forge a heavy chain, which he wore about his waist until he fell upon Flodden field, but this did not make him a happy man, nor could an act like that put away his guilt.

Too late for pardon, to be for ever a prey to the heart-tearing pangs of remorse! Can such a doom be the portion of any who read this book? Yes, it may be. To harden the heart against God and His wonderful mercy can but result in a harvest of sorrow, for if God’s gift is refused, the wages of sin must be received. “He that being often reproved and hardens his neck shall be suddenly cut off, and that without remedy.” After death the judgment.

The Lord Jesus, whose great love led Him to die, so that sinners might be pardoned, spoke of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Oh, hear the warnings of love to-day. Surrender yourself to God, bow the knee to Jesus, and thus secure the pardoning grace of a Saviour-God.

But how can the sins of the past be atoned for? James IV. hoped to shrive his soul by constant penance. But can our sins be put away by any effort of ours?

You have read the story of the Lady Macbeth who, having assisted her husband to murder the old King of Scotland, used to walk in her sleep, and dreaming that upon her hand she saw the stain of the murdered man’s blood, cried out for some soap or perfume by which the stain could be erased. But neither our washing nor our suffering can put away our guilt. Cleansing power is to be found alone in the precious blood of Jesus, and His blood cleanses from all sin.

One word more before we close our chapter. You may be tempted to continue in your self-willed way, thinking it perhaps to be the freer and the happier path. Oh, remember that the sin of such a course can only recoil upon your own head. God must ever be victorious; in Him is the strength of almighty justice as well as omnipotent love. Bow to Him to-day and join the company of those who were once rebels, but who now find their joy in living for and serving the One whose grace has pardoned them.