Tongs for Handling Hot Iron

‘”’’Chrysostom hath the following comparison: — smith that taketh up his red-hot 17’07i with his hands and not with his tongs what can he expect but to bur?! his fiiigers?’’ So we dest?’oy our souls whe?t we judge of the myste?’ies of faith by the laws of common reasonP Common enough is this error. Men must needs comprehend when their main business is to apprehend. That which God reveals to us is, to a large extent, beyond the reach of understanding, and, therefore, in refusing to believe until we can understand, we are doing ourselves and the truth a grievous wrong. Our wisdom lies as much in taking heed how we receive as in being careful what we receive. Spiritual truth must be received by a spiritual faculty; namely, by faith. As well hope to grasp a star by the hand, as divine truth by reason. Faith is well likened to the golden tongs, with which we may carry live coals; and carnal reason is the burned hand, which lets fall the glowing mass, which it is not capable of carrying.

Let it not, however, be thought that faith is contrary to reason. No: it is not unreasonable for a little child to believe its father’s statements, though it be quite incapable of perceiving all their bearings. It is quite reasonable that a pupil should accept his master’s principles at the beginning of his studies; he will get but little from his discipleship if he begins by disputing with his teacher. How are we to learn anything if we will not believe? In the gloriously sublime truths of Godhead, Incarnation, Atonement, Regeneration, and so forth, we must believe, or be for ever ignorant: these masses of the molten metal of eternal truth must be handled by faith, or let alone.

All-gracious Lord, this one thing thou hast done for me, — thou hast made me a willing believer. Let but thine authority be at the back of a statement, and it stands instead of reason: in fact, thy word is to me the surest evidence, and to believe it is my soundest common sense. O Lord, thy LOGOS is my logic; thy Testament is my argument; thy Word is my warrant. In the day which shall reveal all things it shall be seen that man’s reasonings are but childish folly, and God’s revelation is wisdom at its height.