The World by Wisdom Knew Not God
By Alexander Carson (1776-1844)“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Corinthians 1:21).
The powers of the human mind, though puny in comparison with the divine wisdom, are great in themselves. Though unequal to the task frequently assigned them, their efforts, when legitimately employed, are truly astonishing. The great intellects of Des Cartes and Leibnitz, when employed hypothetically on the formation of worlds, are lost in an abyss. Their theories are only the ingenious reveries of leaned madmen.
But when we behold in Newton the lawful direction of the human faculties, we are constrained to admire their wonderful capacity. What an amazing depth have the intellects of that single man penetrated into the works of God! The worlds formed by the imagination of other philosophers, he overthrew with a touch, and discovered the admirable simplicity of the laws that govern the works of creation. Has the sagacity and patient exercise of the faculties of the human mind determined the motions, dimensions, and distances of the heavenly bodies? Look into the discoveries of natural philosophy, and admire the extent of human intellect. On the foundation of a few axioms what a stupendous fabric has been reared by mathematics! In every human science where the powers of man have been properly directed, there success has been superior to the most sanguine anticipation. The inspiration of the Almighty hath given him understanding.
But let us try these wise men on things that relate to God. Have they discovered the glories of the divine character? Have they made a proper estimate of the character of man? Have they perceived the origin of the guilt and misery of the human race? Have they seen that men are by nature universally in rebellion against their maker, and, consequently, the children of wrath? Have they discovered the way to Heaven? Have they told us how God can be both just and merciful - the just God, yet the Saviour of the ungodly? Have all their searches after God discovered His nature, or given any light to the guilty, in order acceptably to approach Him? No; in all these things they are very children. In answering these questions, they are like shooting at a mark in the blackness of midnight.
That God might give a fair trial to the efforts of human wisdom on these subjects, and silence for ever the arrogant pretensions of philosophy; learning had been deeply cultivated for several centuries before the proclamation of the truth that saves the sinner. For a period of more than five hundred years, the subtlety of the genius of the philosophers of Greece had been diligently and enthusiastically employed in inquiries about God, virtue, and happiness. But in all these five hundred years, instead of discovering anything like the truth, they made not the smallest approaches towards it. Instead of pointing out the true way to virtue and happiness, their learned theories only bloated the mind with increased measures of vanity, and served to show the wickedness of the human heart increases with an increase of its wisdom. These wise men differed from the vulgar, only in the excess of their arrogance. Their investigations led to skepticism or atheism; and when they had not these results, they never raised an individual above the folly of polytheism.
It is usual with the learned men of modern times, to endeavour to cover the nakedness of their ancient brethren. In excuse for the worship of the gods by the sages of Greece and Rome, it is alleged that their compliance was only out of constraint or courtesy. If the excuse is founded in truth, it condemns their honesty, and robs these boasted sages of all pretensions to virtue. While they talked so much of truth and of virtue, how can they be justified in not confessing the truth, which they are supposed to possess? But, although they occasionally speak something rationally of some of the divine attributes, there is, in my apprehension, not the smallest reason to suppose, that any of them who were not atheists, were anything but polytheists.
The patriarch of the heathen world, (as Socrates is styled, I think by Lord Shaftesbury,) though ridiculed on the stage by Aristophanes as an atheist, died in the sincere profession of the worship of the gods. Before his death, he ordered his friend to sacrifice a cock to Esculapius. What were the gods of the Epicureans? Lazy, voluptuous sensualists, who lived at a great distance above the clouds, and took no concern about the affairs of men.
What a poor view of the divine character was entertained by the stoics, is seen in every line of their philosophy. Their man of virtue was superior to their Jupiter. Instead of needing mercy from divine clemency, he scorned to crouch under all the effects of the unprovoked rage of Heaven. The wise man might be happy independent of Jupiter, and even as his opponent; yet, as the Pharisees among the religious sects of the Jews, the stoics were the strictest sect among the philosophers.
That the highest eff orts of human wisdom might be exerted, there was nothing wanting to stimulate their genius. They were divided into different sects, who were perpetually at war. Each philosopher was roused by all the strongest passions, to labour for the honour of his system. Philosophy was not merely the ornament, but the very business of life for thousands of the acutest men. The approbation of numerous disciples increased the exertions of the heads of sects, and the perpetual discussions among their followers, could not but sharpen the penetration, and increase the vigour, of the human mind. As war increases the courage and prowess of nations, controversy undoubtedly increases the energy of the mental powers among warring sects.
And what was the result of all their inquiries, of all their intricate discussions? Let us receive an answer to this question from the mouth of God Himself. “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Corinthians 1:19-21). So far from discovering the divine character, and the plan of salvation, God testifies of these sages, that “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).
That the wisdom of this world is still not only unequal to the discovery of divine truth, but in dreadful opposition to it, when discovered, is seen in the doctrines of our modern philosophers. In many things respecting the perfections of God, they speak more rationally than their ancient brethren, owing to the light of revelation, which sheds some of its rays on those who are blind to its true glory. Th ey have rejected polytheism, and ascribe immensity, and eternity, and many other attributes, to their god. But he is a god, perfect neither in mercy nor in justice. He neither saves the guilty, nor condemns every transgressor.
With the above exceptions, the god of the philosopher is not materially different from the god of the ancient sage. Their man of virtue is in every essential point the same. Modern philosophers are even found to acknowledge this. They are willing to give a just theme of praise to the happy tendency of the labours of their great predecessors. Mr. Dugald Stewart, the greatest living philosopher in the science of mind expressly asserts, that some of the ancient systems were rather defective than erroneous. Philosophy has never changed her tone. The soul of her systems in every age is the same. She is every where known by her hatred of the true character of God, and her encomiums on the virtue of human kind. If ever she succeeds in bringing men to find happiness, it will be by storming the gates of Heaven by the artillery of moral worth. Learn, then, proud philosopher, that your wisdom is folly in the estimation of God. Renounce your atheistical delusions - submit to the wisdom of God - receive the atonement of Jesus. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (I Corinthians 3:18).
============================ [From Works of Carson, Volume I, 1847; via The Berea Baptist Banner, February 5, 2011, pp. 1, 26 & 33. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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