Preface: This article is the original text of Chapter Five reinterpreted in plain English by ChatGPT.

Chapter Five, “The Knowledge of God Displayed in the Structure of the Universe and in His Continuing Governance”.

I
Since a perfectly happy life is contained in the knowledge of God, God, in order that every person might be brought to a state of blessedness, has not only sown the seed of religion in the human heart, but has also manifested Himself in the creation of every part of the universe. He reveals Himself to all people every day, so that they may open their eyes and not fail to see Him. His essence is truly incomprehensible, and therefore His majesty cannot be perceived by the senses; yet He has impressed His glory upon all His works as clearly as a seal, so that even the most ignorant cannot excuse themselves by pleading ignorance. Thus the psalmist says, “He covers himself with light as with a garment” (Ps. 104:2). It is as if he were saying that God first appeared in a visible form at the creation of the universe, and that the glory displayed then remains evident everywhere even now. In the same place the psalmist compares the vast heavens to a palace, saying, “He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind,” and he makes the winds and flashes of lightning his messengers. Because the radiance of His power and wisdom shines more brilliantly above, the boundless firmament is called His palace. Wherever your eye can reach, there is nowhere you cannot see the traces of His glory in every atom of the universe. When you look upon this splendid machine of the cosmos, you cannot but be struck with amazement at its immeasurable brilliance. Therefore the author of Hebrews skillfully regards the world as the manifestation of invisible things (cf. Heb. 11:3), because the well-proportioned order of the universe is like a mirror in which we may behold the God who is otherwise invisible and without form. Thus the psalmist says that the heavens, in a language understood by all, make even the most unlearned people on earth know God through their plain testimony. Paul speaks even more clearly and definitively of this manifestation that aids the knowledge of God: “Ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divine nature, though invisible, have been clearly perceived through the things that have been made” (Rom. 1:20).

II

As to His marvelous wisdom, there are countless proofs throughout heaven and earth. These proofs appear not only in the difficult matters studied by astronomy, medicine, and the whole range of natural sciences, but also in things that even the most uneducated person can see the moment they open their eyes. Granted, those who are learned can go further in investigating the mysteries of God’s wisdom; yet the lack of scientific training does not prevent people from observing God’s works—works sufficient to awaken reverent admiration for His creation. The study of the motions of the stars, their positions, distances, and properties requires specialized skill, precision, and diligence; and since God’s providence is made more manifest through these scientific discoveries, the human mind ought to be lifted all the more to contemplate His glory. Since even the lowest and most foolish person, so long as they have eyes to see, cannot be wholly ignorant of the beauty of God’s work displayed in the countless heavenly bodies—ever-changing yet perfectly ordered—it is plain that the Lord has fully displayed His wisdom to every person on earth. Only those with extraordinary skill can examine the relation, proportion, beauty, and use of the parts of the human body with Galen’s precision; yet the structure of the body is universally regarded as so ingenious that its Creator deserves praise.

III

For this reason certain ancient philosophers aptly called the human being a “little world” (a microcosm), because the human person is a splendid specimen of God’s power, goodness, and wisdom; if we are willing to study it, the mysteries hidden within us are sufficient to occupy our attention. Accordingly, after Paul says that the blind should “seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him,” he immediately adds, “Yet he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27), because in each person’s inner being there is an undeniable awareness of the heavenly kindness that gives them life. If the idea of God need not be sought outside ourselves, how lazy are those who refuse to look within themselves in order to find God! Thus, after praising the universally evident name and glory of God, David says, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” and again, “Out of the mouths of babies and nursing infants you have established strength” (Ps. 8:4, 2). This not only declares that humanity is a mirror reflecting God’s works, but also that even nursing infants can proclaim His glory without the need of other eloquent speakers. Therefore God does not hesitate to set infants forward, equipping them with strength to refute the arrogance of those who, malicious and proud, would seek to destroy His holy name. Paul likewise cites the words of Aratus: “For we too are his offspring” (Acts 17:28), because by endowing us with such excellent qualities God has proved Himself to be our Father. Thus pagan poets, prompted by common sense and experience, called Him the Father of humankind. Unless a person is first moved by the experience of His fatherly love to revere and love Him, no one will wholly devote themselves to God.

IV

Here the base ingratitude of the human heart shows itself. People ought to praise God for the wondrous work by which He created them and for the immeasurable benefits He has bestowed upon them; instead, they grow complacent and self-satisfied. They perceive how wonderfully God works within them; experience tells them how many and varied are the blessings they have received from His generosity. Whether they wish to or not, they are forced to acknowledge these as evidences of His divinity—yet they suppress this knowledge in their hearts. Indeed, so long as they do not claim as their own what comes from heaven, and so long as they do not extinguish the light that leads their minds to a clearer knowledge of God, they may search within themselves. Even today many people of perverse temperament do not hesitate to corrupt every seed of divinity planted in human nature and to bury God’s holy name. Human beings discover innumerable proofs of God in both body and soul—yet they use this very excellence as a pretext for denying His existence. How detestable is such madness! They would not say that their difference from beasts is mere chance; yet they attribute it to “nature,” making nature the creator of all things and thereby blotting out God. From head to toe, in every part of their body, they discern the exquisite craftsmanship of creation, and yet here too they substitute nature for God. Above all, the quick activity of the mind, its noble functions, and its beautiful endowments reveal a God who cannot easily be hidden—unless one is an Epicurean, like the Cyclops giants, daring to use these very excellent gifts as an argument against God. If so many treasures of heavenly wisdom are employed to govern this five-foot body, does the whole universe lack such a privilege? Moreover, to say that there is within the soul a certain structure corresponding to the body’s parts does not diminish God’s glory; it displays it. Let Epicurus answer this: how do atoms assemble so as to mix food, sending one part out as waste and turning another part into blood, and causing the various bodily parts to perform different tasks—as if many souls were united in governing one body?

V

My present concern is not with this herd of pigs in their pen. I speak rather against those who, influenced by absurd subtleties, attempt indirectly to use Aristotle’s rigid rules to destroy the immortality of the soul and to strip God of His rights. Because the organs of the body are governed by the functions of the soul, they conclude that the soul is so bound to the body that it cannot exist apart from it; and by praising nature they strive to banish God’s holy name. But the powers of the soul cannot be confined to bodily functions. What does the measurement of the heavens, the counting of the stars, the estimation of their magnitude, the calculation of their distances, the speed of their motions, and the angles of their paths have to do with the body? I freely admit that astronomy has its uses; nevertheless I maintain that such lofty investigations do not require the cooperation of the body, but depend on the activity of the soul, which is entirely independent of the body. I have offered one example, from which the reader may infer the rest. The mind’s subtle transformations—enabling it to observe heaven and earth, to connect past and present, to remember events, to use imagination to form ideas at will, and to invent and create the arts—are clear proofs of something divine in human beings. Moreover, in sleep the mind acts freely, conceives many useful notions, studies problems, and even plans for the future. Does this not show that the mark of immortality engraved upon the human heart cannot be erased? Why should a being who comes from God refuse to acknowledge his Creator? We possess the faculty of judgment by which we distinguish right from wrong—can there be no Judge in heaven? We retain even in dreams traces of wise reasoning—can there be no God who governs the universe? Should we be honored as inventors of many useful arts and thus steal God’s glory? Yet experience teaches us that all we possess is given by a supreme Ruler.

Some people chatter that there is a hidden inspiration that animates the whole world. Such noise is not only groundless; it is sheer blasphemy. These people are fond of Virgil’s famous lines:

The sun and moon shine on, the stars are bright;
Great and small alike are drawn by Spirit’s might.
Strength flows from heaven, spreading far and near;
Birds cleave the clouds, wild beasts sweep the plain;
From high Olympus Spirit rules without end.

On such a view, it is as though this world—originally created as a stage to display God’s glory—were a stage built by the world itself. Hence the poet elsewhere, in line with common Greek and Latin opinion, writes:

Though bees are small, they share a kindred mind;
All things receive a holy favor, a benevolent wind.
Beasts perceive the divine intent; birds veil the sky;
Life may be limited, yet deep thoughts rise on high.

Consider what effect such mystical speculation about a “world-soul” that moves and animates the universe can have in producing and fostering piety in the human heart. It is even clearer in the profane sayings of the impure Lucretius, who draws blasphemous conclusions from the same principle. The point is simply to establish a phantom god and to exclude every notion of the true God whom we ought to fear. I admit that the phrase “nature is God,” when used by the pious, can have a devout meaning; strictly speaking, however, it is still incorrect. Nature is an order appointed by God, and it is dangerous to confuse God with His works; in matters of such gravity we must be especially careful.

VI

Accordingly, whenever we reflect on our own nature, we ought to remember that there is one God who rules the world and all of nature, and that we are to revere Him, believe in Him, worship Him, and pray to Him. It is utterly absurd that we enjoy the special grace within ourselves that testifies it comes from God, yet cast the Creator—who has bestowed such benefits—out of our minds. Unless we pretend not to know who upholds this vast universe by the power of a single word; who, with a nod, can shake heaven and earth with thunder and fire; who can destroy whom He will by lightning; who can turn the whole sky into a sea of flame; who can raise a tempest at will; who can at once bring everything to stillness; who can restrain the sea that constantly threatens the safety of the continents; who can stir it into raging waves one moment and calm it the next—unless we deny these things, they are obvious examples by which God calls us to notice His power. Countless praises of God’s power are found in the natural testimonies recorded especially in Job and in Isaiah; but since I consider it more fitting to treat these when discussing Scripture’s account of the world’s creation, I pass over them here. I only wish to point out that to seek God by tracing the outlines of His manifestation in heaven and earth is a method shared by believers and unbelievers alike. His power leads us to think of His eternity: since all things come from Him, He must be eternal and self-existent. But if we ask why He created all things and now preserves them, I consider His own goodness to be the sole reason. Though it is the sole reason, it is enough to make us love Him; for, as the prophet says, “The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made” (Ps. 145:9).

VII

In His second class of works—those that occur outside the ordinary course of nature—there are equally clear proofs of His perfection. For He so directs human affairs and societies that, on the one hand, He displays His kindness and compassion toward all by countless means, and on the other, He continually declares His generosity toward the pious and His severity toward the wicked. That He punishes wrongdoing is beyond doubt, because He plainly shows Himself to be the protector and avenger of the innocent: by His gifts He causes the good to prosper, supplies their needs, comforts their sorrows, lightens their calamities, and secures their safety. Though He often allows those who do evil to escape punishment for a time, and permits good people to be tested by undeserved afflictions and even oppressed by the malice of unbelievers, this in no way undermines the permanent rule of His justice. Rather, we should draw a very different conclusion: since He clearly reveals wrath by punishing one sin, He hates all sin; and since He now lets many sins go unpunished, there will surely be a judgment to come and punishment then. He also seeks pitiable sinners with unwearied love, calling them back with a love greater than that of parents, until His goodness overcomes their evil—so great is His mercy toward us.

VIII

Thus the prophet, speaking of God (cf. Psalm 107), recounts how He helps the miserable who are near destruction at moments of crisis and unexpected need; how He protects those lost in the wilderness from being devoured by wild beasts and finally leads them back to the right path; how He provides food for the hungry and the needy; how He releases captives from prison and chains; how He brings those in danger at sea safely back to shore; how He heals those who are deathly ill; how He sends drought so that the land dries up; how by His merciful rain He turns barren soil into fertile fields; how He raises up the lowest and brings down the exalted. These many examples, I maintain, are not accidents, but demonstrations of God’s will—especially demonstrations of His fatherly love—so that upright people may rejoice and sinners and rebels may be left speechless. Since most people are trapped in error, even with abundant opportunities they remain blind and do not see God; therefore the psalm says that only a few wise people will attend carefully to all God’s works (cf. Ps. 107:43). Some who are intelligent in other matters still gain nothing from seeing God’s works. Though God’s glory is displayed so fully, scarcely one in a hundred truly grasps it. His power and wisdom are equally evident. His power is shown in this: the ferocity of the unjust is commonly thought irresistible, yet He instantly brings it to nothing; He restrains their arrogance, destroys their strongest fortresses, disarms them, removes their strength, frustrates their plots, causes their efforts to fail, and makes their shameless acts collapse. Conversely, “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap” (Ps. 113:7), delivering the oppressed and afflicted from extreme misery, restoring hope to the despairing; causing the unarmed to overcome the fully armed; the few to defeat the many; the weak to prevail over the strong. He orders all things in due season, confounding the most shrewd on earth, “catching the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Cor. 3:19), and governing all things according to the highest reason, so that His wisdom may be made known.

IX

We need not seek proof of God’s majesty and greatness through lengthy argument, for the few examples mentioned incidentally already show how plain they are—visible everywhere. Here we must also note that the knowledge of God we seek is not satisfied with empty speculation floating in the mind, but is a firm and fruitful knowledge that, once received, takes deep root in the heart. The Lord reveals Himself by His perfection; when we have seen His power and received the blessings He gives, our knowledge of Him makes a deeper impression than any knowledge of a god known only by imagination and not by experiencing His power. Therefore we conclude that the best and most legitimate way to seek God is not to pry with arrogant curiosity into His essence, which should be worshiped but not pursued to the limit; rather, we are to meditate on Him in His works—works by which He makes Himself accessible to us, familiar to us, and, as it were, in communion with us. The apostle says that God is not far from us, because by His omnipresence He dwells in each of us (cf. Acts 17:27). Thus David, though he once acknowledged God’s ineffable greatness, adds when speaking of His works that he will “declare his greatness” (Ps. 145:6). It is fitting, then, that we strive to know God; this strengthens the praise of our minds and the affection of our hearts. Augustine said that since we cannot comprehend God, and faint beneath His boundless greatness, we must attend to His works, so that we may be stirred by His goodness.

X

Such knowledge should not only encourage us to worship God; it should also remind us to set our hope on the life to come. Once we see that the Lord’s generosity and severity are only a beginning and not the completion, we should regard them as a prelude to far greater things that will be displayed in the future life. When we see the righteous sorely troubled by the wicked—injured, slandered, oppressed, and subjected to many indignities—while the wicked prosper, enjoy honor, and go unpunished, we may immediately conclude that there is a future life in which the wicked will be repaid and the righteous rewarded. Moreover, when we see that the faithful are often disciplined by the Lord, we may be absolutely certain that the wicked cannot escape His retribution. Augustine speaks rightly: “If every sin were immediately punished openly, we might suppose that nothing was left for the final judgment; on the other hand, if God did not openly punish any sin, we might say there is no providence.”

Therefore we must acknowledge that the object is Scripture. Therefore, Charles Hodge believes that for biblical theologians, using an inductive method includes the following aspects: (1) Make one’s presuppositions explicit. Natural scientists have their own presuppositions or assumptions when conducting research; theologians, when studying Scripture, must likewise have clearly defined premises. The rule of faith revealed in Scripture is what God has impressed upon our nature, and obeying God’s moral law is the most natural way of life for human beings. The validity of these rules must serve as the theologian’s foundational presupposition. (2) Collect facts from Scripture. A theologian is not a thinker in the general sense, but a Christian thinker who thinks within the framework of Scripture and takes the facts recorded in Scripture as the standard and material for thought.

(to be continued)