From: Lectures on Philosophy by Ignaz Paul Vitalis Troxler

6th lecture, p. 81

‘It is about a different knowledge as to quality and essence. The sense and spirit of all divine revelation can only be experienced and understood by a sense of human nature that is higher, inner, above priori and posteriori, above the understanding of reason and mere sense-belief; raised, I would say, to a supersensory spirit and super-spiritual level.

P. 81/82
‘Lavater says, “We have a friend within us – a tender sanctuary in our soul, where the voice and purpose of God resound enduringly, clearly and brightly. The ancients called this the Demon, the good genius of the human being to whom they paid homage with so much youthful love, followed it with so much reverence. It understands Christ with the clear eye that is the light of life, and makes the whole body light. David asks, for the good, joyful spirit of life that leads him on the right, even path. Whatever we may call it: consciousness or conscience, inner sense, mind or reason, or Logos, or as we like; enough, it speaks loud and clear, especially in youth, before it is gradually silenced or distracted by wild voices from outside and inside, by the clever chatter of unreasonableness, or the blaze of passion. Woe to him in whom it is made so dumb or foolish! He gradually becomes without God when he is in pain, walks about like a mad sheep, without a sound intellectual and moral sense, without feeling the Demon in a matter of life in itself and in others. Only so much do we have of God and His providence, as we know in a living way, both individually and generally. The more we see, without effusion and soul coldness in activity, how and for what he handles us, the more he is ours, ours alone, and we his. Let a babbler and doubter say what he wants; this innermost experience is elevated above gossip and doubt. »

P. 82
‘But if I am right, then there is something still higher than just the unity of reason and freedom in the human being. Our Christian ancestors called this: higher faith and grace. Not because the names in the newer world are reviled or lost, but because I think the term is more correct, I would call it the inborn but hidden divine nature within human nature. It is the light of the divine spirit in us. He who walks with this light and works in itspower understands the gospel, through whom God reveals himself through Christ, and the prophets and apostles; he is purified in himself from one clearness to the other, learns his origin and destiny, is wise and happy.

Lectures on philosophy – on content, education, purpose and application of philosophy to life; Bern 1835, reprint 1942, PDF (Agraffenverlag).

Johann Kaspar Lavater
Born: November 15, 1741, Zürich, Switzerland; Died: January2, 1801, Zürich, SwitzerlandTroxler and Lavater by Mieke Mosmuller