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THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY.

the churches before the coming of the Lord were all representative churches.

In order that all these idolatries might be extirpated, the Divine Providence of the Lord caused that a new religion accommodated to the genius of the Orientals should commence, in which there should be something from each Testament of the Word, and which should teach that the Lord came into the world, and that he was a most eminent prophet, the wisest of all, and the Son of God. This was done by means of Mahomet, from whom that religion was called.

From these things it is manifest that this religion was raised up by the Divine Providence of the Lord, and accommodated to the genius of the Orientals, to the end that it might abolish the idolatries of so many nations, and give them some knowledge of the Lord before they came into the spiritual world, which takes place after the death of every one. This religion would not have been received by so many kingdoms, and would not have been able to extirpate their idolatries, unless it had been made agreeable to their ideas; especially unless polygamy had been permitted; and because the Orientals, without that permission, would have been incited to filthy adulteries more than the Europeans, and would have perished. (C. L. 342.)


THE TWO TABLES AMONG ALL NATIONS.

The conjunction of God with man and of man with God, is taught in the two tables which were written

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