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The Epistle to the Romans
No. 8
Glory and thankfulness to God for His Goodness (Rom. 1: 21)
The inexcusability of mankind for their departure from God is twofold :
(1). God revealed His eternal power and deity in them by the
witness of His works.
(2). When they knew God, they wickedly perverted this know
ledge.
We have given some consideration to the truth of (I), so we now turn our attention to
the teaching under the heading of (2).
"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
" They knew God."- Is there any evidence extant of this primitive knowledge?
The testimony of antiquity.
Wilkinson, in his Ancient Egyptians, says, "The existence of a sole and omnipotent
deity, Who created all things, seems to have been the universal belief." Moor, in his
Pantheon, speaking of Brahm, the supreme God of the Hindoo, says, "Of Him whose
glory is so great, there is no image" (Veda). He" illumines all, delights all, whence all
proceeded; that by which they live when born, and that to which all must return" (Veda).
Monier Williams, in his Hidden Wisdom, quotes some lines from a Vedic Hymn:-
"In the beginning there was neither nought or ought.
Then there was neither sky nor atmosphere above.
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Then there was neither death nor immortality.
There was neither day, nor night, nor light, nor darkness,
Only the Existent One breathed calmly, self contained.
Nought else than Him there was nought else above, beyond."
Col. Vans Kennedy, in his Hindoo Mythology, quotes from the Institutes of Menu: