340、⑺以色列民族可以娶数个妻子，是因为他们当中没有基督教会，故无法被赐予真正的婚姻之爱。如今，有些人对一夫一妻，也就是一个男人与一个妻子的婚姻制度持有模棱两可的想法；他们彼此争论其中的原由，认为，既然以色列人及其国王，包括大卫和所罗门，可以公开拥有一夫多妻的婚姻，那么从本质上说，基督徒也可以。但是，这些人不知道以色列人与基督徒的区别，也不知道教会外在与内在的区别，同样不知道主如何将教会从外在变为内在。所以，靠着对婚姻的内在判断，他们一无所知。总体而言，必须铭记在心的是：人生来属世，是为了他能变得属灵；只要仍旧属世，他就如同在夜间或入睡时那样无法看到属灵之物；此时，他并不知道外在属世人和内在属灵人之间有什么区别。
从圣言清楚可知，以色列人当中并没有基督教会。因为他们一直在等候弥赛亚高举他们在世界各族各民之上，并且还在等候。因此，无论过去还是现在，他们若被告知，弥赛亚统治众天堂，因而统治众民族，就会视之为一派胡言。正因如此，当基督，也就是弥赛亚，我们的主降世时，他们不但不承认祂，还残忍地把祂从这个世界除去。由此明显可知，无论过去还是现在，基督教会都不在这个民族当中。那些没有基督教会的人，无论外在还是内在，都是属世的。他们不会因一夫多妻受到伤害，因为它被刻在了属世人身上。他在婚姻中只能觉察到诸如属于情欲的那类事物。这就是主说这句话的意思：
摩西因为你们的心硬，所以许你们休妻，但起初并不是这样。（马太福音19:8）
祂说摩西允许，是为了叫人知道，这不是主所允许的。
从主的诫命和祂废除仅服务于属世人功用的仪式清楚可知，主教导内在属灵人。主关于洗濯的诫命表明，这是对内在人的一种洁净（马太福音15:1，17-20;23:25，26;马可福音7:4-23）；关于奸淫的诫命表明，这是意愿的淫欲（马太福音5:28）；关于休妻的诫命表明，这是不可以的；关于一夫多妻的诫命表明，这并不符合神的律法（马太福音19:3-9）。主所教导的这些和许多其它诫命都涉及内在属灵人，因为唯独祂打开人心智的内层，使它们变得属灵，并将它们植入属世区域，以便它们也能获得一个属灵的本质。若人靠近祂，并照祂的诫命生活，这一切也会发生。简言之，这些诫命是：要信祂，避开邪恶，因为它们属于魔鬼，来自魔鬼；要行善事，因为它们属于主，来自主；要貌似凭自己行这两件事，但同时相信是主通过人自己行的。
唯独主打开内在属灵人，并将其植入外在属世人；其真正原因在于，人皆在属世层思考和行事；因此，如果神不给自己披上一个属世的人身，并将这人身也变成神性，人就无法觉察任何属灵事物，并把它接入自己的属世层。综上所述，这一事实是显而易见的，即：以色列民族可以娶数个妻子，是因为他们当中没有基督教会。
340、（7）如今有些人在头脑中会对一夫多妻左思右想，会想到为什么以色列人被准许一夫多妻制，象大卫和索罗门等。他们想也许一夫多妻制在基督徒中也是被准许的。但是他们并不知道以色列民族和基督徒的区别。不知道教会外在和内在因素的区别。不知道主对教会从外在向内在的转变。因为，他们不知道对婚姻进行内在的判断。
要知道人生来是自然性的，后来可以转变为精神性。但是，只要他处于自然中，对于精神的事物，他就好象是处于睡眠状态的黑暗中。此时，他不知道外在的自然人和内在的精神人之间的区别。
我们从《圣经》中知道，基督教不存在于以色列民族中。在这种状态中，他们就会一直在等待着弥赛亚将他们提高到高于一切人之上。所以现在告诉以色列人弥赛亚的王国在天国中，包含着各种族的人，他们会认为这是胡言乱语。所以当我们的主耶稣到他们中去时，他们不但不承认他，还以那种可怕的方式将主带走了。所以，很明显，基督教至今也不能存在于那个民族中。那些没有基督教存在的地方的人在内在，外在上都是自然性的。所以他们被准许有一夫多妻制，因为那是深存在自然人身上的。因为自然人对婚姻中的爱的看法是充满了色欲的。这就是主以下话语的含义，摩西因为他们僵硬的心，准许他们与妻子离婚，但最初时并非这样（《马太福音》19:8）。他说摩西准许一夫多妻而非主准允许这样。
主教导内在的精神性的人。我们知道主的一些仪式，规则只是针对那些自然性的人的。所以，关于洗浴，它是指对内在的洁净（《马太福音》15:1，17-20，23；25，26）《马可福音》7:14-23），而奸淫是指意志上的色欲（《马太福音》5:28），关于与妻子离婚，是指非法的，关于一夫多妻制，它是不存在神的律法中的（《马太福音》19:3-9）。
主的许多教导都是与人的内在和精神性有关的。因为只有主才能开启人头脑的内在，将人变得有精神性。并将其植入自然人中，使之具有主的十诫，总的来说就是相信主，拒绝罪恶。因为罪恶是属于恶魔的，要做善事，因为它们是属于主的；拒绝罪恶并做善事就好象是出于自我而这样做，但要相信是主通过人而这样做的。
至于为什么只有主才能开启人的内在和精神性并将其植入内在的人中，关键原因是因为人是在自然基础上思考，行为的，因此人不能掌握精神事物的并将其深入内自心。这只能是在主神性之中才是可能的。
340. (vii) The Israelite nation was permitted to marry more than one wife, because there was no Christian church with them, and so they could not be granted truly conjugial love.
There are some people today who take an ambiguous view of the institution of monogamous marriage, that is, between one man and one wife; and they argue among themselves holding the opinion that, because the Israelite people and their kings, including David and Solomon, were openly allowed to have polygamous marriages, these would be essentially permissible for Christians too. But these people have no knowledge of the difference between the Israelite and the Christian peoples, nor between the outward and inward aspects of the church, nor how the Lord changes the church from outward into inward. Consequently they have no knowledge about marriage that is based on inner judgment. It should be accepted as a general principle that man is born natural so that he may become spiritual; so long as he remains natural, he can no more see what is spiritual than he can see at night or while he is asleep. Then he cannot know what is the difference between an outward natural person and an inward spiritual one.
[2] It is well known from the Word that there was no Christian church among the Israelites. For they waited for the Messiah, as they still do, to raise them above all the nations and peoples in the world. If therefore they had been told, or if they are told today, that the Messiah reigns over the heavens, and so over all nations, they would have set this down as nonsense. That is why, when Christ, that is, the Messiah, our Lord came into the world, they not only failed to acknowledge Him, but also brutally made away with Him from the world. These facts establish that this people had no Christian church among them, just as they have none today. Those who have no Christian church are outwardly and inwardly natural; they are not harmed by polygamy, for it is imprinted on the natural man. In marriage he cannot perceive anything of love except what comes from lust. This is the meaning of the Lord's saying that, because of the hardness of their hearts Moses permitted them to divorce their wives, but it was not so from the beginning (Matthew 19:8). He says that Moses permitted it, so that it should be known it was not the Lord.
[3] It is well known from the Lord's commandments that he taught the inner spiritual man, and from the cancellation of the rituals which were only intended for the use of the natural man. His commandments about washing show that this was a purification of the inner man (Matthew 15:1, 17-20; 23:25-26; Mark 7:14-23); about adultery, as being a desire of the will (Matthew 5:28); about divorce, as being impermissible, and about polygamy, as being inconsistent with the law of God (Matthew 19:3-9).
These and many more teachings relating to the inward and spiritual man the Lord gave, because He alone opens the interiors of human minds, makes them spiritual, and so applies them to the natural regions that they too acquire a spiritual essence. This also happens if He is approached and life is lived in accordance with His commandments. These are briefly, to believe in Him, and to shun evils because they are of the devil and from the devil, but to do good deeds, because they are of the Lord and from the Lord, doing both of these things as if of oneself, but at the same time believing that it is the Lord who does them through oneself.
[4] The real reason why it is only the Lord who opens the inner spiritual man and applies this to the outer natural man is that everyone thinks and acts naturally, so that he could not perceive anything spiritual and receive that in his natural, if God had not taken on Himself a human natural, and made this too Divine. These considerations will establish the truth of the proposition that the Israelites were allowed to marry more than one wife, because the Christian church did not exist among them.
340. 7. The Israelite nation was permitted to take more than one wife because in it the Christian Church did not exist, and so neither was truly conjugial love possible. There are people today who waver in thought regarding the institution of monogamous marriages, or marriages of one man with one wife, and who debate with themselves over the reason, thinking that because polygamous marriages were openly permitted to the Israelite nation and to its kings, such as David and Solomon, polygamy might in itself be permissible for Christians, too. But they know nothing of the differences between the Israelite nation and Christianity, and between external and internal elements of the church, nor of the transformation of the church by the Lord from an external one into an internal one. Consequently they know nothing from any interior judgment concerning marriages.
It must be understood in general that a person is born natural and becomes spiritual, and that as long as he remains natural, he is, so to speak, in the dark of night and as though in a state of sleep with respect to spiritual things. In that state he is not aware even that there is a difference between the external, natural person and the internal, spiritual one.
[2] We say that the Christian Church did not exist in the Israelite nation, and this we know from the Word. For then, as they continue to do still, they awaited a Messiah who would raise them up over all other nations and peoples in the world. Consequently if they had been told, and if they were told now, that the Messiah's kingdom is over the heavens and therefore includes all nations, they would have regarded it as nonsense. So it was that, when the Christ or Messiah - our Lord - made His advent into the world, they not only did not acknowledge Him, but even removed Him from the world in a horrifying way. It is plain from this that the Christian Church did not exist in that nation, as it still does not to this day. And people in whom the Christian Church does not exist are outwardly and inwardly natural. Thus polygamy is not held against them, inasmuch as it is engraved on the natural man; for the natural man in thinking of love in marriage perceives only such things as have to do with lust. This is the meaning of the Lord's statement, that Moses, because of the hardness of their hearts, permitted them to divorce their wives, but that from the beginning it was not so (Matthew 19:8). He says Moses permitted it, to make known that it was not the Lord.
[3] The Lord directed His teaching to the internal, spiritual self, as we know from His precepts and from His abrogation of rituals which served a useful purpose only in the case of natural men. Thus His precepts concerning washing, that it is a purification of the inner self (Matthew 15:1-2,17-20; 23:25-26; Mark 7:14-23); concerning adultery, that it is a lust of the will (Matthew 5:28); concerning the divorcing of wives, that it is not lawful, and concerning polygamy, that it is not in accord with Divine law (Matthew 19:3-9).
The Lord taught these and many other precepts having to do with the internal and spiritual self, because He alone opens the inner elements of human minds and makes them spiritual, and implants them then in the natural elements so that they, too, take on a spiritual essence. This also is what happens if people go to the Lord and live according to His commandments. His commandments in sum are to believe in Him and refrain from evils because they are of the devil and from the devil; also to do good things because they are of the Lord and from the Lord; and to do both the one and the other as though on one's own and at the same believe they are done through one by the Lord.
[4] As to why the Lord alone opens the internal, spiritual self and implants this in the external, natural self, the essential reason is that every person thinks and acts on the natural plane, and it is impossible for him therefore to grasp anything spiritual and receive it into his natural self except in consequence of God's having assumed a natural humanity and made it also Divine.
From this now the truth appears, that the Israelite nation was permitted to take more than one wife because in it the Christian Church did not exist.
340. 7. The Israelite nation was allowed to have more wives because they did not have the Christian religion, and therefore real married love was not possible for them. There are some people today who have doubts about the institution of monogamous marriages - of one man with one woman - and debate the reason within themselves.
They judge that because polygamous marriages were openly allowed for the Israelite nation and their kings, and David and Solomon, polygamous marriages would, in themselves, be all right for Christians. But they do not have a clear understanding of Israelite and Christian peoples, nor about an outer and inner religion, nor about the Lord's changing religion from an outward one to an inner one. So they do not know anything from inner judgment about marriages.
Keep it generally in mind that a person is born worldly to become spiritual, and that so long as he remains worldly, it is as if he is sleeping in the night as far as anything spiritual goes, and at that time he does not even know the difference between the outward, worldly person and the inner, spiritual, person.
We know from the Word that the Israelitish people did not have the Christian religion. They were waiting for a Messiah who would raise them up over all the races and peoples in the world as they still are waiting. So if they had been told, and if they were told now, that the Messiah's kingdom is over the heavens and therefore is over all peoples, they would consider it a joke. This was why they not only did not acknowledge Christ, or the Messiah, our Lord, when He came to the world, but they cruelly removed Him from the world, besides. These things show that that race did not have the Christian religion, as it does not today. And those who do not have the Christian church are worldly inside and out, and polygamy does not hurt them, for it is an attribute of man's worldly side. For such a person does not perceive anything more about the love in marriages than that it is desire. This was the meaning of the Lord's statement that Moses let them send away wives because of the hardness of their hearts but that it was not so from the beginning (Matthew 19:8). He said that Moses allowed it, to show that it was not the Lord who allowed it.
Also, the Lord's teachings and His repeal of rituals that only met the needs of man's worldly side show that He was teaching to the inner spiritual person. His teaching about washing shows that "washing" is the cleansing of the inner parts of the person
(Matthew 15:1, 17-20; 23:25-26; Mark 7:14-23). The teaching about adultery shows that it is willful selfishness (Matthew 5:28). The teaching about sending wives away shows that it is unlawful and that polygamy is not in keeping with Divine law (Matthew 19:3-9).
The Lord taught these and other things that have to do with the spiritual person because He alone opens the inner parts of the human mind and makes them spiritual. And He puts these inner things into worldly things so the worldly ones will also take on a spiritual essence - which they do, too, if you approach Him and live by His teachings. In summary the teachings are to believe in Him, and to avoid bad acts because they are the devil's and come from the devil, and also to do good acts because they are the Lord's and are from the Lord, and to do these things as if from yourself and at the same time believe that the Lord does them through you.
The reason why the Lord alone opens the inner spiritual part of a person and why He puts it in the outer earthly part of a person is precisely that every person thinks on the worldly plane and acts on the worldly plane, so he could not notice anything spiritual and take it into his earthly life unless God had taken on a Humanity in nature and made this Divine, too.
These observations establish the truth that the Israelite race were allowed to take more wives because they did not have the Christian religion.
340. VII. THAT FOR THE ISRAELITISH NATION IT WAS PERMITTED TO MARRY MORE WIVES THAN ONE BECAUSE WITH THAT NATION THERE WAS NO CHRISTIAN CHURCH, AND HENCE NO POSSIBILITY OF LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL. At this day there are men who entertain ambiguous thoughts respecting the institution of monogamous marriages, that is, of the marriage of one man with one wife, debating within themselves concerning the reason, and opining that because polygamous marriages were openly permitted to the Israelitish nation and its kings, and to David and Solomon, they would in themselves be permissible to Christians also. But such men have no distinct knowledge concerning the Israelitish nation and the Christian; concerning the external and internal things of the Church; or concerning the change of the Church from an external Church to an internal which was made by the Lord. Consequently, they know nothing from interior judgment concerning marriages. In general it must be borne in mind, that man is born natural in order that he may become spiritual; that so long as he remains natural he is as though in night and in sleep respecting things spiritual; and that he then does not know even the distinction between the external natural man and the internal spiritual.
[2] That the Christian Church did not exist with the Israelitish nation is known from the Word; for they awaited a Messiah who was to exalt them above all nations and peoples in the world --and they are still awaiting. Therefore, had it been said to them, and were it now said, that the Messiah's kingdom is over the heavens and therefore over all nations, they would have set it down as among idle tales. It was because of this that when Christ, or the Messiah our Lord, came into the world, not only did they not acknowledge Him, but they cruelly put Him out of the world. From this it is evident that the Christian Church did not exist with that nation, as it does not at this day; and they with whom the Christian Church does not exist are natural men, both internally and externally. With such men polygamy, being inscribed on the natural man, is not hurtful; for, as regards love in marriage, the natural man perceives only such things as pertain to lust. This is what is meant by the words spoken by the Lord, that Moses for the hardness of their heart permitted them to put away their wives, but that from the beginning it was not so (Matthew 19:8). He says that Moses permitted, in order that it may be known that it was not the Lord.
[3] Moreover, that the Lord taught the internal spiritual man, is known from His precepts; from His abrogation of the rituals which served only for the use of the natural man; from His precepts concerning washing, that it is the purification of the internal man (Matthew 15:1,17-20; Matthew 23:25, 26; Mark 7:14-23), concerning adultery, that it is a lust of the will (Matthew 5:28), concerning the putting away of wives, that it is not lawful, and concerning polygamy, that it is not in agreement with Divine law (Matthew 19:3-9). The Lord taught these and many other precepts which pertain to the internal and spiritual man because He alone opens the internal things of human minds and, making them spiritual, implants them in things natural, that these also may receive a spiritual essence. This they do receive if man approaches Him and lives according to His precepts. In brief, these precepts are: To believe in Him and to shun evils because they are of the devil and from the devil; also to do goods because they are of the Lord and from the Lord; and to do both as of one's self, believing at the same time that they are done by the Lord through him.
[4] The veriest reason why it is the Lord alone who opens the internal spiritual man and implants it in the external natural man, is because every man thinks naturally and acts naturally; therefore, he could not perceive anything spiritual and receive it into his natural unless God had assumed a Natural Human and made this also Divine. From the above, the truth is now evident that for the Israelitish nation it was permitted to take more wives than one because with them there was no Christian Church.
340. (vii) The people of Israel were permitted to marry several wives inasmuch as there was no Christian Church with them, and true marital love was not possible. There are those today whose thought about the institution of monogamy or of the marriage of one man with one. wife wavers. They are at strife with themselves in their reasoning, thinking that, because polygamy was openly permitted to the Jewish people and to their kings, like David and Solomon, polygamous marriage might in itself be permissible to Christians, also. But they know nothing distinct about the Jewish people and the Christian, or about the external and internal things of the Church, or about the Lord's having altered the Church from external into internal; hence nothing from any interior judgment about marriages.
In general it must be remembered that the human being is born natural to become spiritual. As long as he remains natural he is as it were in the night or in a sleep about things spiritual, and does not know even the distinction between the external natural man and the internal spiritual.
[2] We know from the Word that there was no Christian Church with the people of Israel. For they awaited a Messiah, as they do still, who was to exalt them above all other peoples and nations in the world. Had they been told, therefore, and were they to be told now, that the kingdom of the Messiah is over the heavens and thence over all peoples, they would make light of it. Not only did they fail to acknowledge the Christ or the Messiah, our Lord, therefore, when He came into the world; they cruelly put Him out of the world. It is evident then that there was no Christian Church with that nation, even as there is none today. Those with whom there is no Christian Church are natural men, both in external and internal, and polygamy is not prejudicial to them, being inscribed on the natural human being. For love in marriage the natural man perceives only what is of lust. This is meant in the Lord's words,
That Moses on account of the hardness of their hearts had permitted them to put away their wives, but that it was not so from the beginning (Matthew 19:8).
He said that "Moses permitted it," in order that it may be known it was not the Lord who did so.
[3] The Lord, too, addressed the internal spiritual man, as is known from His precepts and from the abrogation of the ceremonials which had served a purpose only with the natural man. This is plain from His precepts:
About washing, that it is purification of the internal natural man (Matthew 15:1, 17-20; 23:25-26; Mark 7:14-23);
About adultery, that it is lust of the will (Matthew 5:28);
About divorce, that it is not allowed; and about polygamy, that it is not in conformity with the Divine law (Matthew 19:3-9).
These things and more, which are of the internal spiritual man, the Lord taught, for He alone opens the internals of human minds, renders them spiritual, and plants them in the natural, so that this too may have a spiritual essence. This takes place when He is approached and when a man lives according to His precepts, which in brief are to believe in Him, to shun evils because they are of the devil and from the devil, likewise to do goods, because these are from the Lord and of the Lord, and to do each as of himself and at the same time to believe they are done through him by the Lord.
[4] The deep reason why the Lord alone opens the internal spiritual man and sets it in the external natural man, is that every human being thinks and acts naturally, and therefore could not perceive anything spiritual and receive it in his natural, had not God assumed the Human Natural and made it, too, Divine. From these things now the truth is plain that the I sraelitish people were permitted to marry more wives than one because there was no Christian Church with them.
340. (7) That the Israelitish nation were permitted to marry more wives than one, because with them there was not a Christian church, and therefore, they could not have love truly conjugial. There are at this day those who think doubtfully respecting the institution of monogamous marriages, or the marriage of one man with one wife, and debate with themselves in their reason about it, thinking that because polygamous marriages were openly permitted to the Israelitish people and their kings, as to David and Solomon, they should in themselves be permissible also to Christians. But they have no distinct knowledge of the Israelitish and of Christian nations; nor respecting the externals and the internals of the church, neither concerning the change of the church by the Lord from external to internal; consequently, they know nothing from interior judgment respecting marriages.
It must be kept in mind, in general, that man is born natural that he may become spiritual; and so long as he remains natural he is in night, and as in sleep, respecting spiritual things; and that then he does not even know the distinction between the external natural and the internal spiritual man. That there was not a Christian Church with the Israelitish nation is known from the Word. For they were looking, as they are still looking, for a Messiah who would exalt them above all nations and peoples in the world; wherefore, if it had been said and were now said to them that the Messiah's kingdom is over the heavens, and from thence over all nations, they would have set it down among trifles. Hence it was that when the Christ, or the Messiah, our Lord, came into the world, they not only did not acknowledge Him, but even atrociously put Him away out of the world. From these facts it is evident that there was not a Christian Church with that nation as there is not at this day; and they with whom the Christian Church is not are external and internal natural, and with them polygamy is not prejudicial, for it is inscribed upon the natural man, and he in fact perceives no other love in marriages than such as is of lust. This is meant in the saying of the Lord:
Moses for the hardness of their heart permitted them to put away their wives; but from the beginning it was not so (Matthew 19:8).
It is said that Moses permitted in order that it may be known that it was not the Lord. And it is known from His precepts, and from His abrogation of the rituals which served only for the use of the natural man, that the Lord teaches the internal spiritual man: From His precepts concerning washing, that it is the purification of the internal man (Matthew 15:1, 17-20; 23, 25, 26; Mark 7:14-23). Concerning adultery, that it is the lust of the will (Matthew 5:28). Concerning the putting away of wives, that it is unlawful; and concerning polygamy, that it is not agreeable to the Divine law (Matthew 19:3-9).
These, and many other things the Lord taught, which are of the internal and spiritual man, because He alone opens the internals of human minds and makes them spiritual; and He puts these within things natural in order that they also may derive a spiritual essence, as in fact they do if He is approached, and if the life is according to His precepts; which are in brief, that one should believe in Him and shun evils because they are of the devil and from the devil; and do goods because they are of the Lord and from the Lord; and do both as if of one's self, and at the same time believe that they are done by the Lord through him. The very reason why the Lord alone opens the internal spiritual man, and brings this into the external natural man, is that every man thinks naturally and acts naturally, and for that reason could not perceive anything spiritual and receive it into his natural if God had not put on the natural human, and made also that Divine. From these considerations the truth is now evident, that the Israelitish nation were permitted to take more than one wife because there was not a Christian Church with them.
340. VII. Quod genti Israeliticae, permissum fuerit plures uxores ducere, quia apud illam non Ecclesia Christiana fuit, et inde nec dabilis amor vere conjugialis. Dantur hodie, qui de Institutione de Conjugiis monogamicis, seu unius viri cum una uxore, cogitant ambiguum, et apud se litigant ratione, opinantes, quod quia Polygamica conjugia Genti Israeliticae, et ejus Regibus, ac Davidi et Salomoni, aperte permissa fuerunt, in se etiam forent permissibilia Christianis; sed illi non aliquid distincte sciunt de Gente Israelitica et de Christiana, nec de Ecclesiae externis et internis, neque de mutatione Ecclesiae a Domino ab Externa in Internam; consequenter non aliquid ex interiori judicio de Conjugiis. In genere tenendum est, quod homo natus sit naturalis et 1fiat spiritualis, et quod quamdiu manet naturalis, sicut in nocte et sicut in somno de spiritualibus sit, et quod tunc ne quidem sciat discrimen inter hominem Externum naturalem ac Internum spiritualem.
[2] Quod apud Gentem Israeliticam non fuerit Ecclesia Christiana, notum est ex Verbo; exspectaverunt enim Messiam, sicut adhuc exspectant, qui illos super omnes gentes et populos in Mundo, exaltaret; quare si illis dictum fuisset, et adhuc diceretur, quod Regnum Messiae sit super Coelos et inde super omnes gentes, illud retulissent inter nugas; inde erat, quod Christum seu Messiam, Dominum nostrum, dum in Mundum advenit, non modo non agnoverint, sed etiam e Mundo atrociter sustulerint; ex his constat, quod apud illam Gentem non fuerit Ecclesia Christiana, sicut nec hodie est; et illi apud quos non Ecclesia Christiana est, sunt naturales externi et interni; et his non obest Polygamia, est enim illa inscripta naturali homini; hic enim de amore in conjugiis non alia percipit, quam quae libidinis sunt; hoc intelligitur per haec a Domino, Quod Moses ob duritiem cordis illorum permiserit dimittere uxores; sed quod ab initio non ita fuerit, Matth. 19:8; dicit quod Moses permiserit, ut sciatur quod non Dominus.
[3] Quod autem Dominus docuerit Internum spiritualem hominem, notum est ex praeceptis Ipsius, et ex abrogatione Ritualium, quae solummodo pro usu inserviverunt Naturali homini; ex praeceptis Ipsius de Lavatione, quod sit purificatio Interni hominis, Matth. 15:1-2, 17-20. Cap Matth. 23:25-26. Marc. 7:14-23: de Adulterio, quod sit cupiditas voluntatis, Matth. 5:28; de Dimissione uxorum, quod sit illicita; et de Polygamia, quod sit Legi Divinae non consentanea, Matth. 19:3-9: haec et plura quae Interni et spiritualis hominis sunt, docuit Dominus, quia Solus aperit interna Mentium humanarum, ac facit illa spiritualia, et haec indit naturalibus, ut haec etiam spiritualem essentiam ducant; quod etiam fit, si Ipse aditur, ac vivitur secundum praecepta Ipsius, quae in summa sunt, credere in Ipsum, ac fugere mala quia diaboli sunt et a diabolo, tum facere bona, quia Domini sunt et a Domino, et haec et illa facere sicut a se, et simul credere, quod fiant a Domino per illum.
[4] Ipsa causa, quod Solus Dominus aperiat Internum spiritualem hominem, ac indat hunc Externo naturali homini, est, quia omnis homo naturaliter cogitat, et naturaliter agit, et ideo non potest aliquid spirituale percipere, et illud in suo naturali recipere, nisi Deus Humanum Naturale assumserit, et Hoc etiam Divinum fecerit. Ex his nunc constat veritas, quod Genti Israeliticae permissum fuerit plures uxores ducere, quia apud illam non fuit Ecclesia Christiana.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: ut