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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 is the ground of my faith？〃 The
Christian Religion replies … 〃The Spirit's witness to its content。〃 Christ reproved the Pharisees for
wishing to see miracles； the Spirit alone comprehends Spirit； the miracle is only a presentiment of
that Spirit； and if the miracle be the suspension of natural laws； Spirit itself is the real miracle in the
operations of nature。 Spirit in itself is merely this comprehension of itself。 There is only one Spirit；
the universal divine Spirit。 Not that it is merely everywhere； it is not to be comprehended as what
is common to everything； as an external totality； to be found in many or in all individuals； which are
essentially individuals； but it must be understood as that which permeates through everything； as
the unity of itself and of a semblance of its 〃other；〃 as of the subjective and particular。 As universal；
it is object to itself； and thus determined as a particular； it is this individual： but as universal it
reaches over this its 〃other；〃 so that its 〃other〃 and itself are comprised in one。 The true universality
seems； popularly expressed； to be two … what is common to the universal itself and to the
particular。 A division is formed in the understanding of itself； and the Spirit is the unity of what is
understood and the understanding person。 The divine Spirit which is comprehended； is objective；
the subjective Spirit comprehends。 But Spirit is not passive； or else the passivity can be
momentary only； there is one spiritual substantial unity。 The subjective Spirit is the active； but the
objective Spirit is itself this activity； the active subjective Spirit is that which comprehends the
divine； and in its comprehension of it it is itself the divine Spirit。 The relation of Spirit to self alone is
the absolute determination； the divine Spirit lives in its own communion and presence。 This
comprehension has been called Faith； but it is not an historical faith； we Lutherans … I am a
Lutheran and will remain the same … have only this original faith。 This unity is not the Substance of
Spinoza； but the apprehending Substance in self…consciousness which makes itself eternal and
relates to universality。 The talk about the limitations of human thought is futile； to know God is the
only end of Religion。 The testimony of the Spirit to the content of Religion is itself Religion； it is a
testimony that both bears witness and at the same time is that witness。 The Spirit proves itself； and
does so first in the proof； it is only proved because it proves itself and shows or manifests itself。
It has farther to be said； that this testimony； this inward stirring and self…consciousness； reveals
itself； while in the enshrouded consciousness of devotion it does not arrive at the proper
consciousness of an object； but only at the consciousness of immersion in absolute Being。 This
permeating and permeated Spirit now enters into conception； God goes forth into the 〃other〃 and
makes Himself objective。 All that pertains to revelation and its reception； and which comes before
us in mythology； here appears； everything which is historical and which belongs to what is positive
has here its proper place。 To speak more definitely； we now have the Christ who came into the
world nearly two thousand years ago。 But He says； 〃I am with you even unto the ends of the earth；
where two or three are gathered together in My Name； there will I be in the midst。〃 I shall not be
seen of you in the flesh； but 〃The Spirit of Truth will guide you into all Truth。〃 The external is not
the true relation； it will disappear。
The two stages have here been given； the first of which is the stage of devotion； of worship； such
as that reached in partaking of the Communion。 That is the perception of the divine Spirit in the
community in which the present； indwelling； living Christ as self…consciousness has attained to
actuality。 The second stage is that of developed consciousness； when the content becomes the
object； here this present； indwelling Christ retreats two thousand years to a small corner of
Palestine； and is an individual historically manifested far away at Nazareth or Jerusalem。 It is the
same thing in the Greek Religion where the god present in devotion changes into prosaic statues
and marble； or in painting； where this externality is likewise arrived at； when the god becomes
mere canvas or wood。 The Supper is； according to the Lutheran conception； of Faith alone； it is a
divine satisfaction； and is not adored as if it were the Host。 Thus a sacred image is no more to us
than is a stone or thing。 The second point of view must indeed be that with which consciousness
begins； it must start from the external comprehension of this form： it must passively accept report
and take it up into memory。 But if it remain where it is； that is the unspiritual point of view： to
remain fixed in this second standpoint in this dead far…away historic distance； is to reject the Spirit。
The sins of him who lies against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven。 That lie is the refusal to be a
universal； to be holy； that is to make Christ become divided； separated； to make Him only another
person as this particular person in Judea； or else to say that He now exists； but only far away in
Heaven； or in some other place； and not in present actual form amongst His people。 The man who
speaks of the merely finite； of merely human reason； and of the limits to mere reason； lies against
the Spirit； for the Spirit as infinite and universal； as self…comprehension； comprehends itself not in a
〃merely〃 nor in limits； nor in the finite as such。 It has nothing to do with this； for it comprehends
itself within itself alone； in its infinitude。
If it be said of Philosophy； that it makes reality the subject of its knowledge； the principal point is
that the reality should not be one outside of that of which it is the reality。 For example； if from the
real content of a book； I abstract the binding； paper； ink； language； the many thousand letters that
are contained in it； the simple universal content as reality； is not outside of the book。 Similarly law
is not outside of t