Coronis (An Appendix to True Christian Religion) #28
28. In the work itself, named THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, it has been shown that by the two trees, the one of "life" and the other of the "knowledge of good and evil," being placed in the garden of Eden, is signified that free-determination in spiritual things was given to man (n. 466-469); to which must be added that without such free-determination man would not be a man, but only a figure and semblance; for his thought would be without reflection, consequently without judgment, and thus in Divine things, which are the things of the Church, he would have no more power of turning himself, than a door without a hinge, or, with a hinge, bolted with a steel bar; and his will would be without decision, consequently no more active with respect to justice or injustice than a tombstone, beneath which lies a dead body. That man's life after death, and the immortality of his soul, is owing to the gift of this free-determination, and that this is the "likeness of God," has been proved in the work itself-as also above.
[2] Yea, man, that is, his mind, without this would be like a sponge which imbibes water in great abundance but is not able to discharge it, in consequence of which both would decompose,-the water into foulness, and the sponge into slime. Consequently, the Church with such a person would not be a Church, and thus a temple wherein the worship of God is performed; it would be like the den of some wild beast under the root of a lofty tree which sways to and fro overhead; except, only, that it would be able to take something therefrom, and apply itself to some other use than lying in tranquillity under it. Moreover, without free-determination in spiritual things, man would be blinder in all and each of the things of the Church, than a bird of night in the light of day, but more sharp-sighted than such a bird in the darkness of night; for with his eyelids he would close his eyes, and dim their sight to the truths of faith, but would raise his eyelids, open his eyes, and expand their sight like an eagle, to the falsities of faith. Free-determination in spiritual things arises from man walking, and living his life in the midst between heaven and hell; from heaven operating into him from above, and hell from beneath; and from the option given to man of turning himself either to higher or to lower things, thus either to the Lord or to the Devil.
Genesis 10
1
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
2
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3
And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
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And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
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By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
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And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
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And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
8
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
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And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
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Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
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And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
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And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
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And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.
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And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
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And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
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And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
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And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
19
And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.
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These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
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Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
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The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
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And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
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And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
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And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
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And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazar-maveth, and Jerah,
27
And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
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And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
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And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
30
And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
31
These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
32
These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
