4442. 'And Hamor, Shechem's father, went out to Jacob to speak to him' means consultation regarding the truth of that Church. This is clear from the representation of 'Hamor, Shechem's father' as the truth known to the Ancients, dealt with in 4430, 4431; from the representation of 'Jacob' as the external Ancient Church, dealt with just above in 4439; and from the meaning of 'speaking to him' as consultation. Consequently these words mean consultation regarding the truth of that Church. Anyone who does not know that names in the Word mean spiritual entities will be amazed to learn that these words 'Hamor, Shechem's father, went out to Jacob to speak to him' mean consultation by the truth of the Church among the Ancients with the truth which was suited to the Ancient Church that was to be established among Jacob's descendants. But no one who knows what the internal sense of the Word is like will be amazed; nor indeed will those who from books by the Ancients have acquainted themselves with the literary style customary among them. For the Ancients commonly presented entities as if conversing with one another, such as wisdom, intelligence, knowledge, and the like. They also commonly gave these entities names by which such things were meant. The gods and demigods of the people of old were nothing other, and neither were the personalities whom they invented to link those entities together into a historical tale.

[2] The philosophers of old received this customary style from the Ancient Church which had been spread throughout much of the Asiatic world, 1238, 2385; for those who belonged to the Ancient Church linked together entities that were holy by means of representatives and meaningful signs. The Ancient Church however received the same by word of mouth from the most ancient people who lived before the Flood, 920, 1409, 1977, 2896, 2897; and these people received it from heaven since they had communication with heaven, 784, 1114-1125. For such representatives and meaningful signs occur in the first heaven, which is the lowest of the three heavens. This explains why the Word was written in that kind of style. But in contrast to the writings of the men of old the Word has this peculiar feature, that the separate entities in a continuous chain represent the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself; that the actual historical details are also such; and what is more, that they are real correspondences, these being continuous, extending through the three heavens from the Lord.

1114. [AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTORY NOTE - CONTINUED

This page continues and completes the 'Author's Introductory Note' that appears on page 1 of the first volume of this English translation. The items numbered 1-27 are the titles of the sections - describing the MARVELS - which occur 'before and after each chapter' of Volume One of the Latin (Chapters 1-15). Items 28 and 29 are the titles of sections that stand in Volume Two of the Latin, at the ends of Chapters 16, and 17 respectively.]

16. The Most Ancient Church, which was called Man, or Adam, 1114-1129.

17. Those before the Flood who perished, 1265-1272.

18. Position in the Grand Man, also place and distance in the next life, 1273-1278

19. Position and place, and also distance and time in the next life - continued, 1376-1382.

20. The perception spirits and angels have; also spheres in the next life, 1383-1400.

21. Perceptions and spheres in the next life - continued, 1504-1520.

22. The light in which angels are living, 1521-1534.

23. The light in which angels are living - continued; also their paradise gardens, and their dwelling-places, 1619-1633.

24. The speech of spirits and angels, 1634-1650.

25. The speech of spirits, and its variations continued, 1757-1764.

26. Sacred Scripture or the Word, and how it conceals within itself Divine matters which are fully visible to good spirits and to angels, 1767-1777

27. Sacred Scripture or the Word - continued, 1869-1879. Some facts about spirits and angels in general, 1880-1885.

28. Visions and dreams, including those that are prophetical which are described in the Word, 1966-1983.

29. The Last Judgement, 2117-2134.

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Genesis 10.

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THE MOST ANCIENT CHURCH, WHICH WAS CALLED MAN, OR ADAM

Angels and spirits, that is, human beings after death, are able to meet any they like of all those whom they have been acquainted with in the world or whom they have heard of. They see them and talk to them in person, when the Lord allows it. And what is remarkable, those people are with them in an instant and very much in person. Thus they are allowed to speak not only to friends, who normally find one another, but also to others whom they have admired and revered. In the Lord's Divine mercy I have been allowed to speak not only to those who were known to me during their lifetime but also to the most prominent characters mentioned in the Word. Thus I have been allowed to speak as well to those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church, the Church called Man, or Adam, and also to certain of those who belonged to the Churches that came after it. The reason for my being allowed to do so was so that I might know that the names found in the initial chapters of Genesis are used solely to mean Churches, and also that I might know the character of the members of the Churches of that time. The things that follow next therefore are what I have been given to know concerning the Most Ancient Churches.