ly an entity, coextensive with and, in greater or
less force, wholly pervading the visible, material body.

At this point I will take the liberty to introduce, although somewhat
digressively, a few thoughts on the DISTINCTIONS OF VITALITY OR LIFE.

There are, as I suppose, the following several kinds of life: (1)
_Spirit life_; (2) _Moral life_; (3) _Electric life_.

(1.) There is _spirit_ life. And here are to be made several
subdivisions.

[1.] _Uncreated_ spirit life. This is the life of God. Of the nature of
the Divine Essence we know nothing; yet that God is a real, living
entity, we do know. My own conviction is that the divine essence and the
divine life are identical; that God, a spirit, is necessary, infinite,
conscious VITALITY--the voluntary Originator of all existencies besides
himself. But as to what is the essential nature of this vitality--this
eternal spirit-life--we can have no conception, only that this life is
God.

[2.] _Created_ spirit-life. And here we make another subdivision.

(_a_) The life of created _immortal_ spirit. This is a rational,
intelligent entity, representing the spirit of man and of unembodied,
created intelligences above him. This spirit God created as it pleased
him--"in his own likeness"--a living, indestructible essence; and, as I
suppose, its essence and its life the same.

(_b_) The life of created _mortal_ spirit, as the spirit of the beast.
Of the intrinsic essence of this spirit, we are also necessarily
ignorant. Yet, of its attributes we know that it has _consciousness_,
_sensibility_, and _will_. Of its life we know as little as of its
essence; both of which, however, as I conjecture, are also one and the
same--the spirit substance being itself essentially vital.

(2.) We pass next to _moral_ life. This life is identical with
_holiness_--the very opposite of that defilement that characterizes
moral _death_, which is a state of _sin_. But let me again subdivide.

[1.] As to the moral life of _God_, it consists in his infinite moral
purity--his _veracity_, _justice_ and _benevolence_ or _love_--qualities
which, in their combination make up his holiness.

[2.] The moral life of _man, as also of other rational creatures_. This
consists in his _sympathy of spirit with God_ in respect to those pure
qualities which constitute the Divine holiness.

(3.) Finally, there is _electric_ or _physical life_. But here again
there are varieties.

[1.] There is _animal_ life