640. That by “gopher woods” are signified concupiscences, and by the “mansions” the two parts of this man, which are the will and the understanding, no one has hitherto known. Nor can anyone know how these things are signified, unless he is first told how the case was with that church. The Most Ancient Church, as has often been said, knew from love whatever was of faith; or what is the same, from a will of good had understanding of truth. But their posterity received also by inheritance that cupidities, which are of the will, ruled over them, in which they immersed the doctrinal things of faith, and thus became “Nephilim.”

When therefore the Lord foresaw that if man continued to be of such a nature he would perish eternally, He provided that the will should be separated from the understanding, and that man should be formed, not as before by a will of good, but through an understanding of truth should be endowed with charity, which appears as a will of good. Such did this new church become which is called “Noah” and thus it was of an entirely different nature from the Most Ancient Church. Besides this church, there were other churches also at that time, as that which is called “Enosh” (see Genesis 4:26), and others also of which no such mention and description is extant. Only this church “Noah” is here described, because it was of another and entirely different nature from the Most Ancient Church.