Smothered by superstition, stubbornness, and hypocrisy.

In chapter 4 Calvin asserts that though the “seed of religion” is in all men, this seed does not ripen in men due to their fall into sin. The knowledge of God imprinted on men’s conscience is either “smothered or corrupted, partly by ignorance, partly by malice” (Pg. 47).

1. Calvin deals with superstition first. Those who are superstitious fancy themselves to truly seek God, nevertheless as Calvin says: "In seeking God, miserable men do not rise above themselves as they should, but measure him by the yardstick of their own carnal stupidity, and neglect sound investigation; thus out of curiosity they fly off into empty speculations" (Pg. 47).
I am reminded of Romans 1. By superstition the superstitious change the image of God revealed in creation. In this activity of seeking after God the superstitious are actually running away from the true God. (Rom 1:21-22)

2. Next he deals with those who “deliberately befuddle themselves” (Pg.48). To put it in modern language: those who refuse to believe there is a God. They are called, the new atheists. They flatly deny the existence of God, and call on others to do the same because in their opinion religion is dangerous to society. Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 say, “The fool says in his heart there is no God.”

3. Then there are those who, “Shut God up idle in heaven” (Pg.48); a good description of the deists who have been with us since the Enlightenment. They assert for their own self interest that, "There is nothing less in accord with God's nature than for him to cast off the government of the universe and abandon it to fortune, and to be blind to the wicked deeds of me, so that they may lust unpunished" (Pg. 48).
They other day I was reading William Stringfellow’s book, A Public and Private Faith. In it he described the religion of North American evangelicalism. His conclusion: For our own self-interest, we in the church have shut up God idle in heaven, so we can be busy with our own religion down here; a religion of individualism and self-preservation where Jesus is on the level of medicine rather than Lord. A religion of materialism where we get from Jesus what we want but will not give the world, the poor, the downtrodden, mercy and attention.

4. Calvin cites hypocrisy as a sin which smothers the knowledge of God in mankind. How does it come about? Men are forced to fear God because of God's judgment, providence and creation. They hate this fear because they know God is judge. They want to overthrow this judgement so they wage war against it. Understanding they cannot overthrow God or flee from his judgment, they conjure up a plan in which they can live with themselves and before this "mysterium tremendum.” They plan, perform a semblance of religion. Pretend to be friends with God. By being good they think they will be forgiven. This is their gospel. However, during this whole affair they pamper themselves with thoughts of self-righteousness and acts of lust.