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by the finger of God, called tables of the covenant, the testimony and the law. These tables are with all nations who have any religion. From the first table they know that God is to be acknowledged, sanctified and worshipped; from the other they know that theft ought not to be committed, either openly or clandestinely by arts, neither is adultery to be committed, nor murder with the hand or heart, neither ought man to bear false witness in a court of justice or before the world, and likewise that he ought not to desire these things.

Now since the conjunction of the Lord with man and of man with the Lord is effected by the above things, it is evident that every one who knows them and lives according to them, not only from civil and moral law but also from the divine law, will be saved; thus every one in his own religion, whether he be a Christian, a Mahometan or a Gentile.

And, what is more, the man who from a religious principle lives according to the above precepts, although in the world he knows nothing of the Lord, nor any thing more from the Word, yet he is in that state as to his spirit that he is willing to become wise. Therefore after death he is instructed by the angels, and acknowledges the Lord, and receives truths according to affection, and becomes an angel.

Every person who is of such a character is as one who dies an infant; for he is led of the Lord and educated by the angels. (A. E. 1179.)