history of philosophy-第16章

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spiritual；　in　what　is　spiritual？　and　is　not　the　ruler　over　or　in　the　spiritual　region　higher　than　a　ruler
over　or　in　Nature？　But　is　that　admiration　of　God　as　revealed　in　natural　things　as　such；　in　trees　and
animals　as　opposed　to　what　is　human；　far　removed　from　the　religion　of　the　ancient　Egyptians；
which　derived　its　knowledge　of　what　is　divine　from　the　ibis；　or　from　cats　and　dogs？　or　does　it
differ　from　the　deplorable　condition　of　the　ancient　and　the　modern　Indians；　who　held　and　still　hold
cows　and　apes　in　reverence；　and　are　scrupulously　concerned　for　the　maintenance　and　nourishment
of　these　animals；　while　they　allow　men　to　suffer　hunger；　who　would　commit　a　crime　by　removing
the　pangs　of　starvation　through　their　slaughter　or　even　by　partaking　of　their　food？

It　seems　to　be　expressed　by　such　a　view　that　human　action　as　regards　Nature　is　ungodly；　that　the
operations　of　Nature　are　divine　operations；　but　what　man　produces　is　ungodly。　But　the
productions　of　human　reason　might；　at　least；　be　esteemed　as　much　as　Nature。　In　so　doing；
however；　we　cede　less　to　reason　than　is　permitted　to　us。　If　the　life　and　the　action　of　animals　be
divine；　human　action　must　stand　much　higher；　and　must　be　worthy　to　be　called　divine　in　an　infinitely
higher　sense。　The　pre…eminence　of　human　thought　must　forthwith　be　avowed。　Christ　says　on　this
subject　（Matt。　vi。　26…30）；　〃Behold　the　fowls　of　the　air；〃　（in　which　we　may　also　include　the　Ibis　and
the　Kokilas；）　〃are　ye　not　much　better　than　they？　Wherefore；　if　God　so　clothe　the　grass　of　the　field；
which　to…day　is；　and　to…morrow　is　cast　into　the　oven；　shall　He　not　much　more　clothe　you？〃　The
superiority　of　man；　of　the　image　of　God；　to　animals　and　plants　is　indeed　implicitly　and　explicitly
established；　but　in　asking　wherein　the　divine　element　is　to　be　sought　and　seen　…　in　making　use　of
such　expressions　…　none　of　the　superior；　but　only　the　inferior　nature；　is　indicated。　Similarly；　in
regard　to　the　knowledge　of　God；　it　is　remarkable　that　Christ　places　the　knowledge　of　and　faith　in
Him　not　in　any　admiration　of　the　creatures　of　nature　nor　in　marvelling　at　any　so…called　dominion
over　them；　nor　in　signs　and　wonders；　but　in　the　witness　of　the　Spirit。　Spirit　is　infinitely　high　above
Nature；　in　it　the　Divine　Nature　manifests　itself　more　than　in　Nature。

But　the　form　in　which　the　universal　content　which　is　in　and　for　itself；　first　belongs　to　Philosophy　is
the　form　of　Thought；　the　form　of　the　universal　itself。　In　Religion；　however；　this　content　is　for
immediate　and　outward　perception；　and　further　for　idea　and　sensation　through　art。　The　import　is
for　the　sensuous　nature；　it　is　the　evidence　of　the　Mind　which　comprehends　that　content。　To　make
this　clearer；　the　difference　must　be　recollected　between　that　which　we　are　and　have；　and　how　we
know　the　same　…　that　is；　in　what　manner　we　know　it　and　have　it　as　our　object。　This　distinction　is　an
infinitely　important　matter；　and　it　alone　is　concerned　in　the　culture　of　races　and　of　individuals。　We
are　men　and　have　reason；　what　is　human；　or　above　all；　what　is　rational　vibrates　within　us；　both　in
our　feelings；　mind　and　heart　and　in　our　subjective　nature　generally。　It　is　in　this　corresponding
vibration　and　in　the　corresponding　motion　effected　that　a　particular　content　becomes　our　own　and
is　like　our　own。　The　manifold　nature　of　the　determinations　which　it　contains　is　concentrated　and
wrapt　up　within　this　inward　nature　…　an　obscure　motion　of　Mind　in　itself　and　in　universal
substantiality。　The　content　is　thus　directly　identical　with　the　simple　abstract　certainty　of　ourselves
and　with　self…consciousness。　But　Mind；　because　it　is　Mind；　is　as　truly　consciousness。　What　is
confined　within　itself　in　its　simplicity　must　be　objective　to　itself　and　must　come　to　be　known。　The
whole　difference　lies　in　the　manner　and　method　of　this　objectivity；　and　hence　in　the　manner　and
method　of　consciousness。

This　method　and　manner　extends　from　the　simple　expression　of　the　dullness　of　mere　feeling　to　the
most　objective　form；　to　that　which　is　in　and　for　itself　objective；　to　Thought。　The　most　simple；　most
formal　objectivity　is　the　expression　of　a　name　for　that　feeling　and　for　the　state　of　mind　according
with　it；　as　seen　in　these　words；　worship；　prayer；　etc。　Such。　expressions　as　〃Let　us　pray〃　and　〃Let
us　worship〃　are　simply　the　recalling　of　that　feeling。　But　〃Let　us　think　about　God〃　brings　with　it
something　more；　it　expresses　the　absolutely　embracing　content　of　that　substantial　feeling；　and　the
object；　which　differs　from　mere　sensation　as　subjective　self…conscious　activity；　or　which　is　content
distinguished　from　this　activity　as　form。　This　object；　however；　comprehending　in　itself　the　whole
substantial　content；　is　itself　still　undeveloped　and　entirely　undetermined。　To　develop　that　content；
to　comprehend；　express　and　bring　to　consciousness　its　relations；　is　the　commencement；　creation
and　manifestation　of　Religion。　The　form　in　which　this　developed　content　first　possesses　objectivity
is　that　of　immediate　perception；　of　sensuous　idea　or　of　a　more　defined　idea　deduced　from　natural；
physical　or　mental　manifestations　and　conditions。

Art　brings　about　this　consciousness；　in　that　it　gives　permanence　and　cohesion　to　the　fleeting　visible
appearance　through　which　objectivity　passes　in　sensation。　The　shapeless；　sacred　stone；　the　more
place；　or　whatever　it　is　to　which　the　desire　for　objectivity　first　attaches　itself；　receives　from　art；
form；　feature；　determinate　character　and　content　which　can　be　known　and　which　is　now　present
for　consciousness。　Art　has　thus　become　the　instructress　of　the　people。　This　was　the　case　with
Homer　and　Hesiod　for　instance；　who；　according　to　Herodotus　（II。　53）；　〃Made　the　Greeks　their
Theogony；〃　because　they　elevated　and　consolidated　ideas　and　traditions　in　unison　with　the　spirit　of
the　people；　wherever　and　in　whatever　confusion　they　might　be　found；　into　definite　images　and
ideas。　This　is　not　the　art　which　merely　gives　expression　in　its　own　way　to　the　content；　already
perfectly　expressed；　of　a　Religion　which　in　thought；　idea　and　words　has　already　attained　complete
development；　that　is　to　say；　which　puts　its　matter　into　stone；　canvas；　or　words　as　is　done　by
modern　art；　which；　in　dealing　either　with　religious　or　with　historical　objects；　takes　as　its
groundwork　ideas　and　thoughts　which　are　already　there。　The　consciousness　of　this　Religion　is
rather　the　product　of　thinking　imagination；　or　of　thought　which　comprehends　through　the　organ　of
imagination　alone　and　finds　expression　in　its　forms。

If　the　infinite　Thought；　the　absolute　Mind；　has　revealed　and　does　reveal　itself　in　true　Religion；　that
in　which　it　reveals　itself　is　the　heart；　the　representing　consciousness　and　the　understanding　of　what
is　finite。　Religion　is　not　merely　directed　to　every　sort　of　culture。　〃To　the　poor　is　the　Gospel
preached；〃　but　it　must　as　being　Religion　expressly　directed　towards　heart　and　mind；　enter　into　the
sphere　of　subjectivity　and　consequently　into　the　region　of　finite　methods　of　representation。　In　the
perceiving　and；　with　reference　to　perceptions；　reflecting　consciousness；　man　possesses　for　the
speculative　relations　belonging　to　the　absolute；　only　finite　relations；　whether　taken　in　an　exact　or　in
a　symbolical　sense；　to　serve　him　to　comprehend　and　express　those　qualities　and　relationships　of
the　infinite。

In　Religion　as　the　earliest　and　the　immediate　revelations　of　God；　the　form　of　representation　and　of
reflecting　finite　thought　cannot　be　the　only　form　in　which　He　gives　existence　to　Himself　in
consciousness；　but　it　must　also　appear　in　this　form；　for　such　alone　is　comprehensible　to　religious
consciousness。　To　make　this　clearer；　something　must　be　said　as　to　what　is　the　meaning　of
comprehension。　On　the　one　hand；　as　has　been　remarked　above；　there　is　in　it　the　substantial　basis
of　content；　which；　coming　to　Mind　as　its　absolute　Being；　affects　it　in　its　innermost；　finds　an
answering　chord；　and　thereby　obtains　from　it　confirmation。　This　is　the　first　absolute　condition
necessary　to　comprehension；　what　is　not　implicitly　there　cannot　come　within　it　or　be　for　it　…　that　is；
a　content　which　is　infinite　and　eternal。　For　the　substantial　as　infinite；　is　just　that　which　has　no
limitations　in　that　to　which　it　is　related；　for　else　it　would　be　limited　and　not　the　true　substantial。　And
Mind　is　that　alone　which　is　not　implicit；　which　is　finite　and　external；　for　what　is　finite　and　external　is
no　longer　what　is　implicit　but　what　is　for　another；　what　has　entered　into　a　relation。　But；　on　the
other　hand；　because　the　true　and　eternal　must　be　for　Mind；　become　known；　that　is；　enter　into　finite
consciousness；　the　Mind　for　which　it　is；　is　finite　and　the　manner　of　its　consciousness　consists　in　the
ideas　and　forms　of　finite　things　and　relations。　These　forms　are　familiar　and　well　known　to
consciousness；　the　ordinary　mode　of　finality；　which　mode　it　has　appropriated　to　itself；　having
constituted　it　the　universal　medium　of　its　representation；　into　which　everything　that　comes　to
consciousness　must　be　resolved　in　order　that　it　may　gave　and　know　itself　therein。

The　assertion　of　Religion　is　that　the　manifestation　of　Truth　which　is　revealed　to　us　through　it；　is　one
which　is　given　to　man　from　outside；　and　on　this　account　it　is　also　asserted　that　man　has　humbly　to
assent　to　it；　because　human　reason　cannot　attain　to　it　by　itself。　The　assertion　of　positive　Religion　is
that　its　truths　exist　without　having　their　source　known；　so　that　the　content　as　given；　is　one　which　is
above　and　beyond　reason。　By　means　of　some　prophet　or　other　divine　instrument；　the　truth　is　made
known：　just　as　Ceres　and　Triptolemus　who　introduced　agriculture　and　matrimony；　for　so　doing
were　honoured　by　the　Greeks；　men　have　rendered　thanks　to　Moses　and　to　Mahomed。　Through
whatever　individual　the　Truth　may　have　been　given；　the　external　matter　is　historical；　and　this　is
indifferent　to　the　absolute　content　and　to　itself；　since　the　person　is　not　the　import　of　the　doctrine。
But　the　Christian　Religion　has　this　characteristic　that　the　Person　of　Christ　in　His　character　of　the
Son　of　God；　Himself　partakes　of　the　nature　of　God。　If　Christ　be　for　Christians　only　a　teacher　like
Pythagoras；　Socrates　or　Columbus；　there　would　be　here　no　universal　divine　content；　no　revelation
or　knowledge　imparted　about　the　Nature　of　God；　and　it　is　regarding　this　alone　that　we　desire　to
obtain　knowledge。

Whatever　stage　it　may　itself　have　reached；　the　Truth　must　undoubtedly　in　the　first　place　come　to
men　from　without　as　a　present　object；　sensuously　represented；　just　as　Moses　saw　God　in　the　fiery
bush；　and　as　the　Greek　brought　the　god　into　conscious　being　by　means　of　sculpture　or　other
representations。　But　there　is　the　further　fact；　that　neither　in　Religion　nor　in　Philosophy　does　this
external　form　remain；　nor　can　it　so　remain。　A　form　of　the　imagination　or　an　historical　form；　such　as
Christ；　must　for　the　spirit　be　spiritual；　and　thus　it　ceases　to　be　an　external　matter；　seeing　that　the
form　of　externality　is　dead。　We　must　know　God　〃in　Spirit　and　in　Truth。〃　He　is　the　absolute　and
actual　Spirit。　The　relation　borne　by　the　human　spirit　to　this　Spirit　involve　the　following
considerations。

When　man　determines　to　adopt　a　Religion　he　asks　himself；　〃What　i