“Whether absolute or finite spirit, there is to each an inner world of conscious prerogative—revealed to itself completely, and to itself only, except as the absolute includes the finite—and from which comes forth perpetually the imperative, that every action be restrained by that which is due to its own dignity. It is this consciousness of the intrinsic excellency of spiritual being, which awakens the reverence that every man is forced to feel when he is brought fairly to stand alone in the presence of his own spirit. As if another and a divine self scanned and judged every purpose and thought of the acting self, so is every man when arraigned before his own personality, and made to hear with uncovered head his sentence of self-justification or self-condemnation. There is an awful sanctuary in every immortal spirit, and man needs nothing more than to exclude all else, and stand alone before himself, to be made conscious of an authority he can neither dethrone nor delude. From its approbation comes self-respect; from its disapprobation, self-contempt. A stern behest is ever upon him, that he do nothing to degrade the real dignity of his spiritual being. He is a law to himself, and has both the judge and executioner within him and inseparable from him. The claim of this intrinsic excellency of spiritual being, as apprehended by the reason may be known as the _objective_ Rule of right. “We may call this the imperative of reason, the constraint of conscience, or the voice of God within him; but by whatever terms expressed, the real meaning will be, that every man has consciously the bond upon him _to do that, and that only, which is due to his spiritual excellency_. The motive to this is not any gratification of a want, not any satisfying of a craving, and thus to be done for a price in happiness; but it is solely that he may _be_ just what the intrinsic excellency of his own spirit demands that he _should be_. Enough for him, that he _is_, in the sight of his own spirit, and of all spirits, worthy of spiritual approbation. Not only would he not sell this worthiness of character for any price, but he has not attained it for the sake of a reward beyond it. That it was not the end, but a means to a further end, would make it wholly mercenary, and the very worthiness he speaks of would be profaned to a marketable commodity. He willingly then would be anything else if he could get equal wages for it. To be thus worthy of spiritual approbation is the attainment of the highest dignity, and may be called the _subjective_ end of ethics, and is a _moral good_. “This is the ultimate end of rational being; the end of all ends. As worthy of happiness, this may now righteously be _given_, and righteously _taken_, but not righteously _paid_ as a price nor _claimed_ as wages. The _good_ is the _being worthy_, not that he is to get something for it. The highest good—the SUMMUM BONUM—is _worthiness of spiritual approbation_.”