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Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814
3. Part 1, Section 3: Of the Existence of God
The existence of God is further demonstrated, 1. By a diligent examination of the works of creation. 2. By the general consent of all nations. 3. By the internal testimony of our own conscience: and, 4. By our innate desire of a chief good, or of perfect happiness.
1. This world may be compared to a stage, on which the glory of God is represented before us; or to a book, proclaiming to every one the existence of its author; or to a mirror, in which we behold clearly exhibited the infinite wisdom of God. In testimony of this the apostle writes, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.” Rom. i. 20.
2. Every where among all nations, even amongst the most savage, altars have been raised, and sacrifices seen smoking upon them. Thus so strong in man was the conviction of the existence of a Deity, that he rather chose to worship stocks and stones in the place of God, than to suppose that there was no God.
3. The conscience of every man on his doing good, feels a lively sensation of joy; but on his committing evil, he feels remorse, and is self-tortured. Such feelings must originate from some innate powers, that most convincingly assure us, that there exists an Omniscient and Almighty Judge, a most liberal rewarder of the good, and a severe punisher of the bad. These considerations agree with the words of the apostle: “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another.” Rom. ii. 14, 15.
4. Let a man be ever so happy in this world, and abound ever so much in all that it can afford, yet still he is unable to satisfy his desires so far, as to prevent, at times, the world and all its enjoyments from becoming disgusting to him, or to keep his desires from running out after something more than all that surrounds him. Solomon, after having tried all manner of gratifications, was forced at last to exclaim, “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity!” This innate desire cannot be in vain; it must be gratified by some perfect and unchangeable good; and this chief good is God. In conformity to this, David says, “I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm xvii. 15. But blinded and impious Atheists cannot properly understand this most convincing reasoning: though it is not without cause, that some have even doubted, if such characters could exist as reject the being of a God, without feeling the accusations of their own consciences for entertaining such a sentiment.