OF VITAL MOTION. 153 



mind, and holding a similar relation to this essence, 

 (only at an infinite and unapproachable distance,) as 

 the body of our Saviour Christ did to his Divinity 

 that is, Divinity incarnated in Divinity. 



To the reception of views like these, there are great 

 and wellnigh insurmountable obstacles, arising chiefly 

 in the notions of inferiority which we apply to the 

 body, and which we reiterate so often. But, notwith- 

 standing this, if we attend to what is said in Holy 

 Writ, and study nature with a philosophical spirit, we 

 shall find fewer real difficulties than we might antici- 

 pate. It will undoubtedly be admitted by all that the 

 present state of being is imperfect, and in process of 

 evolution to a higher; and therefore it is no more 

 necessary that we should possess at present the entire 

 faculties of a future condition, than that the caterpillar 

 should have all the energies of the butterfly. At the 

 same time, we would contend that there is sufficient 

 evidence to show that the present body is capable of 

 being altered as we have said. The bodily attri- 

 butes of our Saviour which we may assume with- 

 out irreverence for ourselves inasmuch as they 

 belong also to angels, form the grand fact upon which 

 this opinion rests. Here, then, was a human form, 

 living upon earth for thirty years, and confounded by 

 the multitude with ordinary men, suffering death, 

 being raised again, appearing for some time in 

 familiar intercourse with his friends, eating and 



