[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, as of man and the lower animals. This I have already represented as consisting in the electro-vital force.
[2.] Vegetable life. This is another modification of the same essential principle—electro-vitality.
But now, to return to the physical or animal life of man—the electro-vital element. While this is in such immediate relation to the visible body on the one hand, it holds, also, on the other hand, an immediate relation to the mental part, both of man and of the other animated beings of earth. It serves to transmit, through the nervous system to the mind, all sensations and impressions from the outer world. It, moreover, receives from the mind the action of its volitions and imaginary conceptions, and conveys through the nerves the impressions or impulsions thus obtained to the various parts of the body, and there secures the fulfillment of the mind's behests. It appears to be only in this way that communication is had between the mind and its outer body. The natures of spirit and of gross matter are so totally unlike, that it seems impracticable for the mind and body to come into immediate mutual relation, or to act reciprocally, without the aid of a medium—ethereal, semi-material and semi-spiritual, such as is the electro-vital fluid. And the Creator has accordingly provided this mysterious, invisible medium between the two, and thus, in a degree, extended man's likeness to himself by making him a trinity in unity.