In the most ancient church, their method of expressing themselves was such, that when they mentioned material and worldly things, they thought of the spiritual and celestial things that were represented. So they not only expressed themselves with representatives, but also lowered their thoughts into a kind of historical series, or arrangement, to give them life, and in this they found the greatest delight and entertainment. Those representatives are called 'hidden sayings of old,' in David's Psalm 78:2-4.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 66)

66. There are in general four differing styles in the Word. The FIRST is that of the Most Ancient Church. In their mode of expression, when they mentioned earthly and worldly things their thought was of the spiritual and celestial things which these represented. For this reason they not only expressed themselves by means of representatives but also, to bring them to life, they arranged them in quasi-historical sequence, and this gave them extremely great delight. This style was meant when Hannah prophesied and said,

Speak that which is high, that which is high; let that which is ancient come from your mouth. 1 Samuel 2:3.

In David those representatives are called,

Dark sayings from antiquity. Psalms 78:2-4.

From the descendants of the Most Ancient Church Moses came into possession of these stories concerning Creation, concerning the Garden of Eden, and of the event, down to the time of Abram.

[2] The SECOND is the historical style, which appears in the books of Moses to describe the time of Abram onwards, and in the books of Joshua, the Judges, Samuel, and the Kings. In these books the facts of history are exactly as set out in the sense of the letter, yet every single one contains something entirely different in the internal sense, which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be dealt with in proper order later on. The THIRD is the prophetical style, the offspring of the style of the Most Ancient Church, a style which they revered. However it is not continuous, nor does it take quasi-historical form as the most ancient style did. Instead it is diffuse and scarcely ever intelligible except in the internal sense where very deep arcana reside, linked together and following in perfect order. These arcana focus on the external man and the internal, the many states of the Church, heaven itself, and inmostly on the Lord. The FOURTH style is that of the Psalms of David, which varies between the prophetical style and ordinary speech. There in the personage of David asking the internal sense deals with the Lord.