n elevate his
understanding into the light of heaven, and think and talk spiritually,
like the spiritual man; but if the will does not at the same time follow
the understanding to its altitude, he is still not elevated; for he does
not remain in that elevation, but in a short time lets himself down to
his will, and there fixes his station. It is said the will, but it is
the love that is meant at the same time; because the will is the
receptacle of the love; for what a man loves, that he wills. From these
few considerations it may appear, that a polygamist, so long as he
remains such, or what is the same, a natural man, so long as he remains
such, cannot be made spiritual.

348. XIII. POLYGAMY IS NOT SIN WITH THOSE WHO LIVE IN IT FROM A
RELIGIOUS NOTION. All that which is contrary to religion is believed to
be sin, because it is contrary to God; and on the other hand, all that
which agrees with religion, is believed not to be sin, because it agrees
with God; and as polygamy existed with the sons of Israel from a
principle of religion, and exists at this day with the Mahometans, it
could not, and cannot, be imputed to them as sin. Moreover, to prevent
its being sin to them, they remain natural, and do not become spiritual;
and the natural man cannot see that there is any sin in such things as
belong to the received religion: this is seen only by the spiritual man.
It is on this account, that although the Mahometans are taught by the
Koran to acknowledge our Lord as the Son of God, still they do not come
to him, but to Mahomet; and so long they remain natural, and
consequently do not know that there is in polygamy any evil, or indeed
any lasciviousness. The Lord also saith, "_If ye were blind ye would not
have sin; but now ye say, We see, therefore your sin remaineth_," John
ix. 41. Since polygamy cannot convict them of sin, therefore after death
they have their heavens, n. 342, 343; and their joys there according to
life.

349. XIV. POLYGAMY IS NOT SIN WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN IGNORANCE RESPECTING
THE LORD. This is, because love truly conjugial is from the Lord alone,
and cannot be imparted by the Lord to any but those who know him,
acknowledge him, believe on him, and live the life which is from him;
and those to whom that love cannot be imparted know no other than that
the love of the sex and conjugial love are the same thing; consequently
also polygamy. Moreover, polygamists, who know nothing of the Lord,
remain natural