636. IV. Faith which imputes Christ's merit was unknown to the earlier, Apostolic church, and is nowhere to be understood in the Word.

The church which existed before the Council of Nicaea was called the Apostolic church. This was extensive, having been spread to three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, as is evident from the Emperor Constantine the Great, whose dominion covered not only a number of European kingdoms that subsequently broke away, but also the nearer parts outside Europe, being a Christian and zealous for his religion. He therefore, as said above, summoned the bishops from Asia, Africa and Europe to his palace in the city of Nicaea in Bithynia, in order to expel from his empire the scandalous teachings of Arius. This took place by the Lord's Divine providence, since if the Lord's divinity is denied, the Christian church dies off, and becomes like a tomb bearing the inscription: HERE LIES...

The church which existed before this time was called Apostolic, and its notable writers were known as the Fathers, and the true Christians beside them as brethren. It is certain from the Creed known after that church as the Apostles', that it did not acknowledge three Divine Persons and thus not a Son of God from eternity either, but only a Son of God born in time. The Creed says:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic church, the communion of saints.

This makes it plain that they acknowledged no Son of God other than Him who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, certainly not a Son of God born from eternity. This Creed, like the two others, has been acknowledged down to the present day by the whole Christian church as a genuine and catholic creed.

702. Three unclean spirits like frogs. This symbolically means that there arose nothing but reasonings and lusts to falsify truths.

Spirits here have the same symbolism as demons, since we are shortly told that they were spirits of demons, and demons symbolize lusts to falsify truths (no. 458). The number three symbolizes all (nos. 400, 505), here nothing but. Frogs symbolize reasonings prompted by lusts, because they croak and are lascivious.

It is apparent from this that three unclean spirits like frogs symbolize nothing but reasonings and lusts to falsify truths.

Frogs here have the same symbolic meaning as the frogs in Egypt, because the destruction of the church among the Egyptians is likewise described by the miracles done, regarding which we are thus told in Exodus:

Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land... (Exodus 8:5-14, cf. Psalms 78:45; 105:30)

And later the frogs were removed, remaining only in the river (Exodus 8:11-13).

Frogs were produced from the waters of Egypt and remained in the river because the waters in Egypt, and especially those in the river there, symbolized doctrinal falsities on which the people based their reasoning.