line; but it never leaves its
own condition, in which it continues to develop. For example, the reality
of the spirit of Peter, however far it may progress, will not reach to the
condition of the Reality of Christ; it progresses only in its own
environment.

Look at this mineral. However far it may evolve, it only evolves in its
own condition; you cannot bring the crystal to a state where it can attain
to sight. This is impossible. So the moon which is in the heavens, however
far it might evolve, could never become a luminous sun, but in its own
condition it has apogee and perigee. However far the disciples might
progress, they could never become Christ. It is true that coal could
become a diamond, but both are in the mineral condition, and their
component elements are the same.

64: THE STATE OF MAN AND HIS PROGRESS AFTER DEATH

When we consider beings with the seeing eye, we observe that they are
limited to three sorts--that is to say, as a whole they are either mineral,
vegetable or animal, each of these three classes containing species. Man
is the highest species because he is the possessor of the perfections of
all the classes--that is, he has a body which grows and which feels. As
well as having the perfections of the mineral, of the vegetable and of the
animal, he also possesses an especial excellence which the other beings
are without--that is, the intellectual perfections. Therefore, man is the
most noble of beings.

Man is in the highest degree of materiality, and at the beginning of
spirituality--that is to say, he is the end of imperfection and the
beginning of perfection. He is at the last degree of darkness, and at the
beginning of light; that is why it has been said that the condition of man
is the end of the night and the beginning of day, meaning that he is the
sum of all the degrees of imperfection, and that he possesses the degrees
of perfection. He has the animal side as well as the angelic side, and the
aim of an educator is to so train human souls that their angelic aspect
may overcome their animal side. Then if the divine power in man, which is
his essential perfection, overcomes the satanic power, which is absolute
imperfection, he becomes the most excellent among the creatures; but if
the satanic power overcomes the divine power, he becomes the lowest of the
creatures. That is why he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of
perfection. Not in any other of the species in the wor