In the same way, modern philosophy recognizes the distinction between the phenomenon and the thing-in-itself not as metaphysical, as Kant believed, but as epistemological, that is, the concepts of phenomenon and essence denote the various degrees and perfections of our knowledge and understanding; Cognition of a phenomenon becomes, to the extent of its perfection, cognition of the essence. Both in moral life and in knowledge, man begins with subjective movements and states. If, however, these subjective movements and states are inconceivable without an objective, even the most insignificant, content, then the further development of spiritual life gradually removes from them their original limitations. These movements and states gradually become the bearers of the most essential content: in knowledge we finally know not ourselves, but the truth; in desire, finally, we desire not ourselves, but good; our actions and knowledge finally acquire a universal human significance, and finally have a dignity for every spirit, for the spirit in general. By this we do not say that our human thought could ever become a complete and in all respects luminous image of the essence of things, or that it could attain in any direction an unconditional identity with being: at this stage it would cease to be human thought and become divine thought. For our human consciousness there will always be something incomprehensible, there will always be something beyond for the past. But it follows from the foregoing that if ideas are understood by us as the rational and singular essence of a thing, then, on the other hand, it must have names, and the meaning is phenomenal. Not far away, somewhere beyond all external and internal experience, lies this idea, in favor of which there would be no evidence in the world before us. Ideal connections and ideal relations between things and events must be a phenomenon and a fact. An idea posited and determined not on the basis of its phenomenon, but only a priori, that is, an arbitrary hypothesis. Thus we must find an idea in reality as something given, positive, discovered, and knowable. Before experience we cannot have knowledge of an idea; we cannot, for example, say with Hegel that this idea must be logical. Perhaps in the phenomena of the world we will be impressed by moral and aesthetic moments.

That is why we no longer hope that on the basis of experiments it will be possible, following Kant, to regard nature as the sum of sensible objects, and nothing more, or to see with Hegel in this vital and animate nature an insoluble contradiction with uOvrii. A priori definitions drive out the life π spirit of their true place, and force thought to seek life and spirit in those abstractions whose direct merit consists in keeping them dead.

These simple convictions, which are rooted in modern philosophy, do not, however, remove the difficulties which lie before this science, but only open them. To the extent that philosophy reduces the ideal moments known in the phenomena of the world to the unity of the beginning, it abandons that solid field of particular investigations in which it is maintained only at every step by a view, knowledge by habit, it rises to the height of an integral world outlook, to which views and experiences reach only in the whole and in the general, only in indefinite and general outlines. In vain would they give philosophy good advice not to rise to this metaphysical height of the unconditional Divine idea.

From the last remarks, however, we can conclude that philosophy, as an integral world outlook, is not the work of man, but of humanity, which never lives in an abstract or purely logical consciousness, but reveals its spiritual life in all the fullness and integrity of its moments.

The Heart and Its Significance in the Spiritual Life of Man, According to the Teaching of the Word of God

Whoever reads the word of God with due attention can easily notice that in all the sacred books and in all divinely inspired writers, the human heart is considered as the center of the entire bodily and spiritual life of man, as the most essential organ and the nearest seat of all the forces, functions, movements, desires, feelings, and thoughts of man with all their directions and shades. First of all, we will collect some passages from the Holy Scriptures, from which it will be clear that this view of the sacred writers on the essence and significance of the human heart in all areas of human life is distinguished by definiteness, clarity and all the signs of conscious conviction, and then we will compare this biblical teaching with the views on this subject that prevail in modern science.

The heart is the guardian and bearer of all the bodily powers of man. Thus, David expresses the exhaustion of bodily strength from severe suffering with the words: "Leave me in my heart" (Psalm 39:13); My heart is troubled, forsake me my strength (37:11). A weary pilgrim strengthens his heart with bread (Judg. 19:5), and in general wine rejoices the heart of a man, and bread strengthens the heart of a man (Psalm 103:IG). Therefore the heart dries up when a man forgets to bear his bread (Psalm 101:5). The incontinent weigh down their hearts with gluttony and drunkenness (Luke 21:34), they feed their hearts as in the day of the slaughter (James 5:5). The merciful God filleth the hearts with food and gladness (Deipus 14:17).

The heart is the center of the spiritual and spiritual life of the Tik man," the heart is conceived and the determination of the Chsloka to do this or that action is born; a variety of intentions and desires arise in him; It is the seat of Noli and her desires. These actions of intention, desire, and determination are denoted by the expressions: "And I have breathed my heart" (Yoccles 1:13); and put Daniel on his heart. (Dan. 1:8); and it shall be in the hearts of my father David" (3 Kings 8:17). The same is said by the expressions: good will of the heart (Romans 10:2), will of the heart (2 Corinthians 9:7, Acts 11:23). Ancient Israel had to bring gifts for the building of the tabernacle, each according to the will of his heart (Exodus 35:5), and having brought it to the table that thou shalt love their heart (v. 21). Whoever expressed his desires spoke all that was in their hearts (1 Kings 10:2). When we do something willingly, our action comes from the heart (Romans 6:17). Whom we love, to him we give our heart, and vice versa, that we have in our heart: give me thy heart unto my son (Proverbs 23:26); in our hearts you eat (2 Corinthians 7:3); for what I have in your hearts (Phil. 1:7).

The heart is the seat of all the cognitive actions of the soul. Meditation is the suggestion of the heart (Proverbs 16:1), the counsel of the heart: and my heart is in me (Neh. 5:7). To understand with the heart means to understand (Deuteronomy 8:5); to know with all one's heart — to understand it wholly (Joshua 23:14). He who does not have a heart to understand, has no sight to see, and ears hear (Deut. 29. 4). When the heart becomes numb, then a person loses the ability to notice and understand the most obvious manifestations of God's providence: he hears his ears hard, and he closes his eyes (Isaiah 6:10). In general, everyone thinks in his heart (Gen. 6:5). An evil man has a heart that forges evil thoughts (Proverbs 6:18). Lying prophets prophesy the arbitrariness of their hearts (Jeremiah 14:14), they speak the sight from their hearts, and not from the mouth of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:16). Thoughts are counsels of the heart (1 Corinthians 4:5). The Word of God is judged by the thoughts and thoughts of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). What we firmly remember, imprint in our souls, and assimilate, we put in, believe, compose, and write in our hearts: put these words into your hearts (Deuteronomy 11:18); put me as a seal upon thy heart" (Song of Songs 8:6); Mary, who have kept all these words, composing them in their hearts (Luke 2:19); write (words of wisdom) on the tablet of thy heart (Proverbs 3:3). Everything that comes to our mind or memory comes to our hearts. In the kingdom of glory the ascetics, who suffered for the sake of righteousness and faith, shall not remember the former, but shall ascend lower into their hearts (Isaiah 65:17); and in the heart of man hath not ascended, which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor. 2:9).

As the word is a manifestation or expression of thought, so it also is worn out of the heart (Job 8:10); for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (Matt. 12:34). And since thinking is a conversation of the soul with itself, so he who meditates conducts this inner conversation in his heart: "I speak in my heart" (Ecclesiastes 1:16); I spoke in my heart (Ecclesiastes 2:1); saith that wicked servant in his heart (Matt. 24:48).

The heart is the focus of diverse spiritual feelings, excitements, and passions. All degrees of joy are assimilated to the heart, from complacency (Isaiah 65:14) to rapture and exultation in the presence of God (Psalm 83:3, Acts 2:46); all degrees of sorrows, from a sad mood — when a fallen passion in the heart offends the heart, and when sorrow harms the husband's heart (Proverbs 25:20-21) — to crushing grief, when a man cries out in the pain of his heart (Isaiah 65:14) and when he feels that his heart is troubled and cut off from his place (Job 37:1); all degrees of enmity, from jealousy and bitter envy (Proverbs 23:17, James 3:14) to fury, in which a man gnashes his teeth (Acts 7:54) and from which his heart burns with vengeance (Deuteronomy 19:6); from anxiety, when the heart is troubled (Proverbs 12:25), to despair, when it renounces all strivings (Ecclesiastes 2:20); and finally, all forms of fear, from awe (Jeremiah 32:40) to overwhelming terror and confusion (Deuteronomy 28:28, Psalm 142:4). The heart faints and is tormented with anguish (Joshua 5:1, Jeremiah 4:19), according to the difference of sufferings it becomes like wax melting (Psalm 21:16), or dries up (Psalm 101:5), warms up and is kindled (Psalm 38:4, 72:21), or becomes contrite and contrite (Jeremiah 23:9, Psalm 146:3). In despondency a person is fearful and weak in heart (Deuteronomy 20:8). From compassion the heart is transformed (Hos. 11:8). The grace-filled word of God works in the heart like a burning fire (Jeremiah 20:9); the heart is inflamed and burns when the ray of the divine word touches it (Luke 24:32).

Finally, the heart is the focus of man's moral life. In the heart are united all the moral states of man, from the highest mysterious love for God, which cries: "God of my heart, and my part is God for ever" (Psalm 72:26), to that arrogance which, adoring itself, sets its heart as the heart of God, and says: "I am God" (Ezekiel 28:2). According to the difference in moral ailments, the heart is darkened (Rom. 1:21), whitened (Isaiah 6:10), made hard (Isaiah 63:17), stony (Ezekiel 11:19), inhuman, bestial (Dan. 4:13). There is an evil heart (Jeremiah 16:12), a vain heart (Psalm 5:10), a foolish heart (Romans 1:21). The heart is the starting place of all that is good and evil in the words, thoughts, and deeds of man, it is the good or evil treasure of man: the good man will bring forth the good of the good treasure of his heart: and the evil man will bring forth evil from the evil treasure of his heart (Luke 6:45). The heart is the tablet on which the natural moral law is written; wherefore the Gentiles manifest the work of the law, which is written in their hearts (Rom. 2:15). On this tablet is also written the law of grace: "My people, saith the Lord, whose law is in your hearts" (Psalm 51:7); and on their hearts I will write (the laws of grace) (Jeremiah 31:33). For this reason the word of God is sown in the field of the heart (Matt. 13:19); conscience has its seat in the heart (Heb. 10:22); Christ dwelleth in our hearts with faith (Ephesians 3:17), and also grants the betrothal of the Spirit in our hearts (2 Corinthians 1:22). And let the peace of God dwell in your hearts (Col. 3:15); for the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). The grace-filled light of God has risen in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6). "But, on the other hand, the devil puts evil beginnings into the heart of the sinner (John 13:2), fills his heart with evil thoughts (Acts 5:3). Satan comes to the inattentive hearers of the word of God, and takes away the word that is in their hearts (Mark 4:15).

As the center of all the bodily and diverse spiritual life of man, the heart is called the outflow of life or the source of life: "Guard thy heart with every preservative: for from these proceed the life" (Proverbs 4:23); it is the beginning of our birth (James 3:6), that is, the circle or wheel in the rotation of which our whole life consists. Therefore it is the deepest part of our being: deep is the heart of man more than all, and who knows it (Jeremiah 17:9). Never do external manifestations of words, thoughts, and deeds exhaust this source; the secret of the heart of man (1 Pet. 3:4) is open only to God: for this is the secret tidings of the heart (Psalm 43:23). The state of the heart expresses the entire state of the soul (Psalm 50:12; 83:3). Man must give his heart to God alone, in order to become faithful to Him in thoughts, words, and deeds: "Give me thy heart unto my son," God's wisdom cries out to man (Proverbs 23:25).

In accordance with this view of the dignity and significance of the heart in the human being, the sacred writers speak figuratively of the heart of heaven (Deuteronomy 4:11), the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40), and the heart of the sea (Jonah 2:4). In the same way, they sometimes designate a spiritual change in the heart in a figurative sense, as a bodily change. Thus, we read in one of the most remarkable passages of the Prophet Ezekiel: "And I will pluck out a heart of stone from their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my folds, and keep my righteousness" (<Ezekiel 11:19<-20). The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians: "Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read from all men: we are manifest as the Epistle of Christ, which we have ministered, not written with ink, but by the living Spirit of God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh" (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). These expressions show quite definitely that the sacred writers recognize as the center of all bodily life and the organ of all spiritual life that very fleshly heart, the beating of which we feel in our breast. When a person suffers spiritually, this carnal heart is cut off from its place (Job 37:1). We direct these remarks against those interpreters of the word of God who see in the texts we have quoted an accidental image of verbal expression, which was not controlled by a definite thought, and in which, therefore, we would search in vain for an integral view of the sacred writers on the essence of the subject we are considering. A mere reading of the sacred texts, unless we reinterpret them according to preoccupied ideas, convinces us directly that the sacred writers definitely and with a full consciousness of the truth recognized the heart as the center of all phenomena of human bodily and spiritual life.