It is extraordinary how different
are the conclusions of faith from those of reason. Once reason
came along, and she heard a man cry, I am guilty, guilty. Reason stopped and said, The
man is guilty. God condemns the guilty. Therefore
this man will be condemned. Reason went away and left the
man condemned, ruined, and quivering with fear. Then Faith came and
heard the same cry, rendered more bitter by the cruel syllogism
of Reason. Faith stopped and said, The man
is guilty. Christ died for the guilty. The man will be saved. Faith's logic was right. The man lifted up his head and
rejoiced. Reason came one day and saw a
man naked, and she said, He does not have a wedding garment on.
Can naked souls appear before the judgment of God? Should they
have a place at the supper of the Lamb? That man is naked. He must be cast out, for naked
ones cannot enter heaven. Then faith came by and said,
The man is naked. Christ wove a robe of righteousness. He must have made it for the
naked. Christ would not have made it for those who have a
robe of their own. That robe is for the naked man,
and he shall stand in it before God. Faith's logic was right
and just. Reason once heard a man say that
he was righteous and good. Reason saw him go up to the temple
and pray, I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone
else, for I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery,
I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income. Reason
concluded that this man was better than others, and that he would
be accepted by God in the day of judgment. But Reason's logic
was wrong. For Reason then saw a poor sinner
who stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven
as he prayed. Instead, this man beat his chest
in sorrow, saying, O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. Reason saw this poor sinner,
not the proud Pharisee, return home justified before God. This Puritan devotional has been
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