Augustine of Hippo

That God is a certain eternal life, unchangeable, intelligible, understanding, wise, making others wise, even some philosophers of this age have seen. They have indeed seen a fixed, stable, unchanging truth, where all the reasons for all created things are found, but they saw it from afar; they saw it, but while in error; and therefore, to that great, indescribable, and beatifying possession, they did not find the way by which one might arrive. For since they too saw (as much as can be seen by a human) the Creator through the creation, the Maker through the thing made, the Fashioner of the world through the world, the Apostle Paul is a witness, whom Christians ought surely to believe. For he says, when speaking of such people: The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. These, as you recognize, are the words of the Apostle Paul. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Did he say they do not hold the truth? Rather: they hold the truth in unrighteousness. What they hold is good; but where they hold it is evil. They hold the truth in unrighteousness. But it might be asked: How do those ungodly ones hold the truth? Did God speak to any of them? Did they receive the law, as the people of Israel did through Moses? Whence then do they hold the truth, even in unrighteousness? Listen to what follows, and it is shown. Because what is known of God, he says, is manifest in them; for God has shown it to them. Did he show it to those to whom he did not give the law? Hear how he showed it. For his invisible things, being understood by the things that are made, are clearly seen. Question the world, the beauty of the sky, the brightness and arrangement of the stars, the sun sufficient for the day, the moon the comfort of the night; question the earth, fruitful with herbs and trees, full of animals, adorned with humans; question the sea, full of so many and such kinds of creatures that swim; question the air, enlivened by so many birds; question all things, and see if by their own sense they do not answer you: God made us. These things even noble philosophers sought, and from the art they recognized the artist. What then? Why is the wrath of God revealed against that ungodliness? Because they hold the truth in unrighteousness? Let him come, let him show how. For he has already said how they knew. His invisible things, that is, of God, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; even his eternal power and divinity; so that they are without excuse. Because, when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor gave thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. These are the words of the Apostle, not mine: And their foolish heart was darkened; for, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. What they found by curiosity, they lost by pride. Professing themselves to be wise, that is, attributing to themselves the gift of God, they became fools. The words, I say, are the Apostle's: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Show, prove their foolishness. Show, Apostle, and just as you showed us how they could come to the knowledge of God, because his invisible things, being understood by the things that are made, are clearly seen; so now show how, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Listen: Because, he says, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of corruptible man, and of birds, and of four-footed beasts, and of creeping things. For the pagans made for themselves gods in the forms of these animals. You found God, and you worship an idol. You found the truth, and you hold that very truth in unrighteousness. And what you knew through the works of God, you lose through the works of man. You considered everything; you gathered the order of heaven, earth, sea, and all the elements; but you do not wish to consider this, that the world is the work of God, the idol is the work of the craftsman. If the craftsman, as he gave the idol its shape, also gave it a heart, the craftsman would be worshipped by the idol itself.