3326. And Esau said, Behold I am going to die. That this signifies that he should afterwards rise again, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the good of the natural (n. 3302, 3322); and from the signification of “dying,” as being the last of a state when anything ceases to be (n. 2908, 2912, 2917, 2923); and because the end of a former state is the beginning of a subsequent one, by “going to die” is here signified to rise again afterwards, in like manner as is signified by being “buried” (that to be “buried” denotes to rise again, see above, n. 2916, 2917, 3256). That he should rise again afterwards, denotes that good would obtain the priority or dominion over truth, after truth as to time had apparently held the priority (concerning which subject see above).

362. The doctrine of faith called “Cain” is here described, which in consequence of separating faith from love, separated it also from charity, the offspring of love. Wherever there is any church, there arise heresies, because while men are intent on some particular article of faith they make that the main thing; for such is the nature of man’s thought that while intent on some one thing he sets it before any other, especially when his imagination claims it as a discovery of his own, and when the love of self and of the world puff him up. Everything then seems to agree with and confirm it, until at last he will swear that it is so, even if it is false. Just in this way those called “Cain” made faith more essential than love, and as they consequently lived without love, both the love of self and the phantasy thence derived conspired to confirm them in it.