[2] Continuation.- That nevertheless the Lord provides that man should be capable of being reformed and saved by means of those things which he adopts from that source as his religion. Throughout the whole world, where there is any religion, there are two that constitute it; these are God and man, for there must be conjunction between these. There are also two things which make this conjunction, the good of love, and the truth of faith, the former being immediately, but the latter mediately from God. It is by means of the good of love that God leads man, and by means of the truth of faith man is led. This agrees with what was said above. The truth of faith appears to man as if it were his own, because it is from those things which he acquires for himself as if from himself. God therefore conjoins Himself to man by means of the good of love, and man conjoins himself to God as if of himself by means of the truth of faith. Because such is the nature of this conjunction, therefore the Lord compares Himself to a bridegroom and husband, and the church to a bride and wife. The Lord continually enters by influx with the full good of love, still He cannot be conjoined to man in the full truth of faith, but only in that degree of it which man possesses, and this varies. This fullness may exist in a greater degree with those who live in countries where the Word is, but in a less degree with those who live in countries where the Word is unknown; still however this fullness varies both with the one and the other, according to their knowledge (scientia), and their life in agreement with it. For this reason it may be greater in the case of those who have not the Word, than with those who have the Word.

[3] The conjunction of God with man, and of man with God, is taught in the two Tables which were written with the finger of God, and are called the Tables of the Covenant, the Testimony, and the Law. In one Table is God, in the other man. These Tables are found with all nations with whom there is any religion. From the first Table they know that God is to be acknowledged, and that He is to be hallowed, and worshipped. From the other Table they know that stealing is forbidden, either openly or covertly by means of wicked devices; that adultery is not to be committed, nor murder, either by the open violence of the hand or by hatred; that false witness ought not to be borne whether in a court of justice, or before the world; and further that he ought not to desire to commit those things. Man knows from his Table the evils which are to be shunned, and in proportion as he knows them and shuns them as from himself, God conjoins him to Himself, and enables him from His Table to acknowledge Him, to hallow Him, and to worship Him. He gives him power also not to will evils, and as far as this is the case He also enables him to become acquainted with truths. Those two Tables are thus conjoined in man, God's Table being set above man's Table, and they are put as one into the ark, over which is the mercy-seat, which is the Lord; and above the mercy-seat are the two Cherubim, which are the Word, and are from the Word, in which the Lord speaks with man, as He did with Moses and Aaron between the Cherubim.

[4] Since then the conjunction of the Lord with man, and of man with the Lord, is effected by these means, it is evident that every one who is acquainted with 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 is a Christian, a Mahometan, or a heathen. And, what is more, the man who embodies these principles in his life from a religious motive, although in the world he knows nothing either of the Lord, or of the Word, still he is in that state as to his spirit that he desires to become wise. After death therefore he is instructed by angels, and acknowledges the Lord; he also receives truths according to his affection, and becomes an angel. Every one of this description resembles a man who dies when a little child, for he is led by the Lord, and is educated by angels. Those who have no religious worship, in consequence of ignorance arising from being born in this or that country, are also instructed after death like little children, and, according to their civil and moral life they receive the means of salvation. I have seen such persons, and at first they had not the appearance of men; but afterwards I saw them as men, and heard them speaking sanely in accordance with the commandments of the Decalogue. To instruct such persons is inmost angelic joy. From these observations it is now evident that the Lord provides that every man should be capable of being saved.