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Genesis 19

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1 ερχομαι-VBI-AAI3P δε-X ο- A--NPM δυο-M αγγελος-N2--NPM εις-P *σοδομα-N1--AS εσπερα-N1A-GSF *λωτ-N---NSM δε-X καθημαι-V1I-IMI3S παρα-P ο- A--ASF πυλη-N1--ASF *σοδομα-N1--GS οραω-VB--AAPNSM δε-X *λωτ-N---NSM εκ αναιστημι-VHI-AAI3S εις-P συναντησις-N3I-ASF αυτος- D--DPM και-C προςκυνεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--DSN προσωπον-N2N-DSN επι-P ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF

2 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S ιδου-I κυριος-N2--VPM εκκλινω-VA--AAD2P εις-P ο- A--ASM οικος-N2--ASM ο- A--GSM παις-N3D-GSM συ- P--GP και-C καταλυω-VA--AAD2P και-C νιπτω-VA--AMD2P ο- A--APM πους-N3D-APM συ- P--GP και-C ορθριζω-VA--AAPNPM αποερχομαι-VF--FMI2P εις-P ο- A--ASF οδος-N2--ASF συ- P--GP ειπον-VAI-AAI3P δε-X ου-D αλλα-C εν-P ο- A--DSF πλατυς-A3U-DSF καταλυω-VF--FAI1P

3 και-C καταβιαζομαι-V1I-IMI3S αυτος- D--APM και-C εκκλινω-VAI-AAI3P προς-P αυτος- D--ASM και-C ειςερχομαι-VBI-AAI3P εις-P ο- A--ASF οικια-N1A-ASF αυτος- D--GSM και-C ποιεω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DPM ποτος-A1--ASM και-C αζυμος-A1B-APM πεσσω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DPM και-C εσθιω-VBI-AAI3P

4 προ-P ο- A--GSN κοιμαω-VC--APN και-C ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM ο- A--GSF πολις-N3I-GSF ο- A--NPM *σοδομιτης-N1M-NPM περικυκλοω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF οικια-N1A-ASF απο-P νεανισκος-N2--GSM εως-P πρεσβυτερος-A1A-GSMC απας-A3--NSM ο- A--NSM λαος-N2--NSM αμα-D

5 και-C εκκαλεω-V2I-IMI3P ο- A--ASM *λωτ-N---ASM και-C λεγω-V1I-IAI3P προς-P αυτος- D--ASM που-D ειμι-V9--PAI3P ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM ο- A--NPM ειςερχομαι-VB--AAPNPM προς-P συ- P--AS ο- A--ASF νυξ-N3--ASF εκαγω-VB--AAD2S αυτος- D--APM προς-P εγω- P--AP ινα-C συνγιγνομαι-VB--AMS1P αυτος- D--DPM

6 εκερχομαι-VBI-AAI3S δε-X *λωτ-N---NSM προς-P αυτος- D--APM προς-P ο- A--ASN προθυρον-N2N-ASN ο- A--ASF δε-X θυρα-N1A-ASF προςοιγνυμι-VAI-AAI3S οπισω-P αυτος- D--GSM

7 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X προς-P αυτος- D--APM μηδαμως-D αδελφος-N2--VPM μη-D πονηρευομαι-VA--AMS2P

8 ειμι-V9--PAI3P δε-X εγω- P--DS δυο-M θυγατηρ-N3--NPF ος- --NPF ου-D γιγνωσκω-VZI-AAI3P ανηρ-N3--ASM εκαγω-VF--FAI1S αυτος- D--APF προς-P συ- P--AP και-C χραομαι-VA--AMD2P αυτος- D--DPF καθα-D αν-X αρεσκω-V1--PAS3S συ- P--DP μονον-D εις-P ο- A--APM ανηρ-N3--APM ουτος- D--APM μη-D ποιεω-VA--AAS2P μηδεις-A3P-ASN αδικος-A1B-ASN ος- --GSM εινεκεν-P ειςερχομαι-VBI-AAI3P υπο-P ο- A--ASF σκεπη-N1--ASF ο- A--GPF δοκος-N2--GPF εγω- P--GS

9 ειπον-VAI-AAI3P δε-X αποιστημι-VA--AAD2S εκει-D εις-A3--NSM ερχομαι-VBI-AAI2S παραοικεω-V2--PAN μη-D και-C κρισις-N3I-ASF κρινω-V1--PAN νυν-D ουν-X συ- P--AS κακοω-VF--FAI1P μαλλον-D η-C εκεινος- D--APM και-C παραβιαζομαι-V1I-IMI3P ο- A--ASM ανηρ-N3--ASM ο- A--ASM *λωτ-N---ASM σφοδρα-D και-C εγγιζω-VAI-AAI3P συντριβω-VA--AAN ο- A--ASF θυρα-N1A-ASF

10 εκτεινω-VA--AAPNPM δε-X ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM ο- A--APF χειρ-N3--APF ειςσπαω-VAI-AMI3P ο- A--ASM *λωτ-N---ASM προς-P εαυτου- D--APM εις-P ο- A--ASM οικος-N2--ASM και-C ο- A--ASF θυρα-N1A-ASF ο- A--GSM οικος-N2--GSM αποκλειω-VAI-AAI3P

11 ο- A--APM δε-X ανηρ-N3--APM ο- A--APM ειμι-V9--PAPAPM επι-P ο- A--GSF θυρα-N1A-GSF ο- A--GSM οικος-N2--GSM πατασσω-VAI-AAI3P αορασια-N1A-DSF απο-P μικρος-A1A-GSM εως-P μεγας-A1--GSM και-C παραλυω-VCI-API3P ζητεω-V2--PAPNPM ο- A--ASF θυρα-N1A-ASF

12 ειπον-VAI-AAI3P δε-X ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM προς-P *λωτ-N---ASM ειμι-V9--PAI3S τις- I--NSM συ- P--DS ωδε-D γαμβρος-N2--NPM η-C υιος-N2--NPM η-C θυγατηρ-N3--NPF η-C ει-C τις- I--NSM συ- P--DS αλλος- D--NSM ειμι-V9--PAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSF πολις-N3I-DSF εκαγω-VB--AAD2S εκ-P ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM ουτος- D--GSM

13 οτι-C αποολλυω-V5--PAI1P εγω- P--NP ο- A--ASM τοπος-N2--ASM ουτος- D--ASM οτι-C υψοω-VCI-API3S ο- A--NSF κραυγη-N1--NSF αυτος- D--GPM εναντιον-P κυριος-N2--GSM και-C αποστελλω-VAI-AAI3S εγω- P--AP κυριος-N2--NSM εκτριβω-VA--AAN αυτος- D--ASF

14 εκερχομαι-VBI-AAI3S δε-X *λωτ-N---NSM και-C λαλεω-VAI-AAI3S προς-P ο- A--APM γαμβρος-N2--APM αυτος- D--GSM ο- A--APM λαμβανω-VX--XAPAPM ο- A--APF θυγατηρ-N3--APF αυτος- D--GSM και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αναιστημι-VH--AAD2P και-C εκερχομαι-VB--AAD2P εκ-P ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM ουτος- D--GSM οτι-C εκτριβω-V1--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--ASF πολις-N3I-ASF δοκεω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X γελοιαζω-V1--PAN εναντιον-P ο- A--GPM γαμβρος-N2--GPM αυτος- D--GSM

15 ηνικα-D δε-X ορθρος-N2--NSM γιγνομαι-V1I-IMI3S επισπουδαζω-V1I-IAI3P ο- A--NPM αγγελος-N2--NPM ο- A--ASM *λωτ-N---ASM λεγω-V1--PAPNPM αναιστημι-VH--AAPNSM λαμβανω-VB--AAD2S ο- A--ASF γυνη-N3K-ASF συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--APF δυο-M θυγατηρ-N3--APF συ- P--GS ος- --APF εχω-V1--PAI2S και-C εκερχομαι-VB--AAD2S ινα-C μη-D συν αποολλυω-V5--PMS2S ο- A--DPF ανομια-N1A-DPF ο- A--GSF πολις-N3I-GSF

16 και-C ταρασσω-VQI-API3P και-C κρατεω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM αγγελος-N2--NPM ο- A--GSF χειρ-N3--GSF αυτος- D--GSM και-C ο- A--GSF χειρ-N3--GSF ο- A--GSF γυνη-N3K-GSF αυτος- D--GSM και-C ο- A--GPM χειρ-N3--GPF ο- A--GPF δυο-M θυγατηρ-N3--GPF αυτος- D--GSM εν-P ο- A--DSN φειδομαι-VA--AMN κυριος-N2--ASM αυτος- D--GSM

17 και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S ηνικα-D εκαγω-VBI-AAI3P αυτος- D--APM εξω-D και-C ειπον-VAI-AAI3P σωζω-V1--PAPNSM σωζω-V1--PAD2S ο- A--ASF σεαυτου- D--GSM ψυχη-N1--ASF μη-D περιβλεπω-VA--AAS2S εις-P ο- A--APN οπισω-P μηδε-C ιστημι-VH--AAS2S εν-P πας-A1S-DSF ο- A--DSF περιχωρος-A1B-DSF εις-P ο- A--ASN ορος-N3E-ASN σωζω-V1--PMD2S μηποτε-D συν παραλαμβανω-VV--APS2S

18 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X *λωτ-N---NSM προς-P αυτος- D--APM δεομαι-V1--PMI1S κυριος-N2--VSM

19 επειδη-C ευρισκω-VB--AAI3S ο- A--NSM παις-N3D-NSM συ- P--GS ελεος-N3E-ASN εναντιον-P συ- P--GS και-C μεγαλυνω-VAI-AAI2S ο- A--ASF δικαιοσυνη-N1--ASF συ- P--GS ος- --ASN ποιεω-V2--PAI2S επι-P εγω- P--AS ο- A--GSN ζαω-V3--PAN ο- A--ASF ψυχη-N1--ASF εγω- P--GS εγω- P--NS δε-X ου-D δυναμαι-VF--FMI1S διασωζω-VC--APN εις-P ο- A--ASN ορος-N3E-ASN μη-D καταλαμβανω-VB--AAS3S εγω- P--AS ο- A--NPN κακος-A1--NPN και-C αποθνησκω-VB--AAS1S

20 ιδου-I ο- A--NSF πολις-N3I-NSF ουτος- D--NSF εγγυς-D ο- A--GSN καταφευγω-VB--AAN εγω- P--AS εκει-D ος- --NSF ειμι-V9--PAI3S μικρος-A1A-NSF εκει-D σωζω-VC--FPI1S ου-D μικρος-A1A-NSF ειμι-V9--PAI3S και-C ζαω-VF--FMI3S ο- A--NSF ψυχη-N1--NSF εγω- P--GS

21 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM ιδου-I θαυμαζω-VAI-AAI1S συ- P--GS ο- A--ASN προσωπον-N2N-ASN και-C επι-P ο- A--DSN ρημα-N3M-DSN ουτος- D--DSN ο- A--GSN μη-D καταστρεφω-VA--AAN ο- A--ASF πολις-N3I-ASF περι-P ος- --GSF λαλεω-VAI-AAI2S

22 σπευδω-VA--AAD2S ουν-X ο- A--GSN σωζω-VC--APN εκει-D ου-D γαρ-X δυναμαι-VF--FMI1S ποιεω-VA--AAN πραγμα-N3M-ASN εως-P ο- A--GSN συ- P--AS ειςερχομαι-VB--AAN εκει-D δια-P ουτος- D--ASN καλεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN ο- A--GSF πολις-N3I-GSF εκεινος- D--GSF *σηγωρ-N---AS

23 ο- A--NSM ηλιος-N2--NSM εκερχομαι-VBI-AAI3S επι-P ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF και-C *λωτ-N---NSM ειςερχομαι-VBI-AAI3S εις-P *σηγωρ-N---AS

24 και-C κυριος-N2--NSM βρεχω-VAI-AAI3S επι-P *σοδομα-N1--AS και-C *γομορρα-N---AS θειος-A1A-ASM και-C πυρ-N3--ASN παρα-P κυριος-N2--GSM εκ-P ο- A--GSM ουρανος-N2--GSM

25 και-C καταστρεφω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--APF πολις-N3I-APF ουτος- D--APF και-C πας-A1S-ASF ο- A--ASF περιοικος-A1B-ASF και-C πας-A3--APM ο- A--APM καταοικεω-V2--PAPAPM εν-P ο- A--DPF πολις-N3I-DPF και-C πας-A3--APN ο- A--APN ανατελλω-V1--PAPAPN εκ-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF

26 και-C επιβλεπω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--NSF γυνη-N3K-NSF αυτος- D--GSM εις-P ο- A--APN οπισω-P και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S στηλη-N1--NSF αλς-N3--GSM

27 ορθριζω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--ASN πρωι-D εις-P ο- A--ASM τοπος-N2--ASM ου-D ιστημι-VXI-YAI3S εναντιον-P κυριος-N2--GSM

28 και-C επιβλεπω-VAI-AAI3S επι-P προσωπον-N2N-ASN *σοδομα-N1--GS και-C *γομορρα-N---GS και-C επι-P προσωπον-N2N-ASN ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF ο- A--GSF περιχωρος-A1B-GSF και-C οραω-VBI-AAI3S και-C ιδου-I αναβαινω-V1I-IAI3S φλοξ-N3G-NSF ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF ωσει-D ατμις-N3D-NSF καμινος-N2--GSM

29 και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S εν-P ο- A--DSN εκτριβω-VA--AAN κυριος-N2--ASM πας-A1S-APF ο- A--APF πολις-N3I-APF ο- A--GSF περιοικος-A1B-GSF μιμνησκω-VSI-API3S ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSM *αβρααμ-N---GSM και-C εκ αποστελλω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASM *λωτ-N---ASM εκ-P μεσος-A1--GSM ο- A--GSF καταστροφη-N1--GSF εν-P ο- A--DSN καταστρεφω-VA--AAN κυριος-N2--ASM ο- A--APF πολις-N3I-APF εν-P ος- --DPF καταοικεω-V2I-IAI3S εν-P αυτος- D--DPF *λωτ-N---NSM

30 αναβαινω-VZI-AAI3S δε-X *λωτ-N---NSM εκ-P *σηγωρ-N---GS και-C καθημαι-V1I-IMI3S εν-P ο- A--DSN ορος-N3E-DSN και-C ο- A--NPF δυο-M θυγατηρ-N3--NPF αυτος- D--GSM μετα-P αυτος- D--GSM φοβεω-VCI-API3S γαρ-X καταοικεω-VA--AAN εν-P *σηγωρ-N---DS και-C οικεω-VAI-AAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSN σπηλαιον-N2N-DSN αυτος- D--NSM και-C ο- A--NPF δυο-M θυγατηρ-N3--NPF αυτος- D--GSM μετα-P αυτος- D--GSM

31 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X ο- A--NSF πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NSFC προς-P ο- A--ASF νεος-A1A-ASFC ο- A--NSM πατηρ-N3--NSM εγω- P--GP πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NSMC και-C ουδεις-A3--NSM ειμι-V9--PAI3S επι-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF ος- --NSM ειςερχομαι-VF--FMI3S προς-P εγω- P--AP ως-C καταηκω-V1--PAI3S πας-A1S-DSF ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF

32 δευρο-D και-C ποτιζω-VA--AAS1P ο- A--ASM πατηρ-N3--ASM εγω- P--GP οινος-N2--ASM και-C κοιμαω-VC--APS1P μετα-P αυτος- D--GSM και-C εκ αναιστημι-VA--AAS1P εκ-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM εγω- P--GP σπερμα-N3M-ASN

33 ποτιζω-VAI-AAI3P δε-X ο- A--ASM πατηρ-N3--ASM αυτος- D--GPF οινος-N2--ASM εν-P ο- A--DSF νυξ-N3--DSF ουτος- D--DSF και-C ειςερχομαι-VB--AAPNSF ο- A--NSF πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NSFC κοιμαω-VCI-API3S μετα-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM αυτος- D--GSF ο- A--ASF νυξ-N3--ASF εκεινος- D--ASF και-C ου-D οιδα-VXI-YAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSN κοιμαω-VC--APN αυτος- D--ASF και-C αναιστημι-VH--AAN

34 γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X ο- A--DSF επαυριον-D και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S ο- A--NSF πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NSFC προς-P ο- A--ASF νεος-A1A-ASFC ιδου-I κοιμαω-VCI-API1S χθες-D μετα-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM εγω- P--GP ποτιζω-VA--AAS1P αυτος- D--ASM οινος-N2--ASM και-C ο- A--ASF νυξ-N3--ASF ουτος- D--ASF και-C ειςερχομαι-VB--AAPNSF κοιμαω-VC--APD2S μετα-P αυτος- D--GSM και-C εκ αναιστημι-VA--AAS1P εκ-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM εγω- P--GP σπερμα-N3M-ASN

35 ποτιζω-VAI-AAI3P δε-X και-C εν-P ο- A--DSF νυξ-N3--DSF εκεινος- D--DSF ο- A--ASM πατηρ-N3--ASM αυτος- D--GPM οινος-N2--ASM και-C ειςερχομαι-VB--AAPNSF ο- A--NSF νεος-A1A-NSFC κοιμαω-VCI-API3S μετα-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM αυτος- D--GSF και-C ου-D οιδα-VXI-YAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSN κοιμαω-VC--APN αυτος- D--ASF και-C αναιστημι-VH--AAN

36 και-C συνλαμβανω-VBI-AAI3P ο- A--NPF δυο-M θυγατηρ-N3--NPF *λωτ-N---GSM εκ-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM αυτος- D--GPF

37 και-C τικτω-VBI-AAI3S ο- A--NSF πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NSFC υιος-N2--ASM και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN αυτος- D--GSM *μωαβ-N---ASM λεγω-V1--PAPNSF εκ-P ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM εγω- P--GS ουτος- D--NSM πατηρ-N3--NSM *μωαβιτος-N2--GPM εως-P ο- A--GSF σημερον-D ημερα-N1A-GSF

38 τικτω-VBI-AAI3S δε-X και-C ο- A--NSF νεος-A1A-NSFC υιος-N2--ASM και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN αυτος- D--GSM *αμμαν-N---ASM υιος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSN γενος-N3E-GSN εγω- P--GS ουτος- D--NSM πατηρ-N3--NSM *αμμανιτης-N1M-GPM εως-P ο- A--GSF σημερον-D ημερα-N1A-GSF

   

Nga veprat e Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #2669

Studioni këtë pasazh

  
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2669. 'Also, the son of the servant-girl I will make into a nation' means the spiritual Church which was to receive the good of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the son of the servant-girl' and also of 'a nation'. 'The son of the servant-girl' or Ishmael, while he was in Abraham's house, that is, while he was with Abraham, represented the Lord's first rational, as shown in 2652, 2653, 2657, 2658. But now he has been separated he takes on another representation, namely that of the spiritual Church, 2666. A similar change of representation occurred previously with Lot who while with Abraham represented the Lord's external man, 1428, 1429, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698, but once he had been separated from Abraham he represented the external Church and many states of that Church, 2324, 2371, 2399, 2422, 2459, and in the whole of Chapter 19. As regards 'nation' meaning good, see 1159, 1258-1260, 1416, 1849. Here the good of faith is meant since it has reference to the spiritual Church. Hence the words used here, 'Also, the son of the servant-girl I will make into a nation', mean the spiritual Church which was to receive the good of faith, which is charity.

[2] The Lord's kingdom in heaven and on earth is celestial and spiritual, and therefore angels are distinguished into those who are celestial and those who are spiritual, see 202, 337. To celestial angels the Lord appears as the Sun, to spiritual as the Moon, 1053, 1521, 1529-1531. Men in a similar way are distinguished into those who are celestial and those who are spiritual. Those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church which existed before the Flood were celestial, dealt with in 607, 608, 784, 895, 920, 1114-1125, while those who belonged to the Ancient Church which existed after the Flood were spiritual, dealt with in 609, 640, 641, 765. For what the difference was between those two Churches, see 567, 607, and for what the difference is between what is celestial and what is spiritual, 81, 1155, 1577, 1824, 2048, 2069, 2088, 2227, 2507. The celestial are referred to by the Lord in the following,

He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He has led out His own sheep He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.

The spiritual however are referred to in these words,

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:3-4, 16.

The good of love is that which constitutes the celestial Church, but the good of faith that which constitutes the spiritual Church. The truth of faith does not constitute the Church but leads into it.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia #920

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920. In this verse the worship of the Ancient Church in general is described, that is, by 'the altar and its burnt offerings', which were the chief features of all representative worship. First of all however the nature of the worship of the Most Ancient Church must be mentioned, and from that how worship of the Lord by means of representatives arose. For the member of the Most Ancient Church there was no other worship than internal such as is offered in heaven, for among those people heaven so communicated with man that they made one. That communication was perception, which has been frequently spoken of already. Thus, being angelic people, they were internal men. They did indeed apprehend with their senses the external things that belonged to the body and to the world, but they paid no attention to them. In each object apprehended by the senses they used to perceive something Divine and heavenly. For example, when they saw any high mountain they did not perceive the idea of a mountain but that of height, and from height they perceived heaven and the Lord. That is how it came about that the Lord was said to 'live in the highest', and was called 'the Most High and Lofty One', and how worship of the Lord came at a later time to be celebrated on mountains. The same applies to all other objects. For example, when they perceived the morning they did not perceive morning time itself that starts the day but that which is heavenly and is a likeness of the morning and of the dawn in people's minds. This was why the Lord was called the Morning, the East, and the Dawn. Similarly when they perceived a tree and its fruit and leaves they paid no attention to these objects themselves but so to speak saw man represented in them. In the fruit they saw love and charity, and in the leaves faith. Consequently the member of the Church was not only compared to a tree, and also to a tree-garden, and what resided with him to fruit and leaves, but was even called such.

[2] Such is the character of people whose ideas are heavenly and angelic. Everyone may know that a general idea governs all the particular aspects, and this applies to all objects apprehended by the senses, both those which people see and those they hear. Indeed they pay no attention to such objects except insofar as these enter into the general idea a person has. Take the person who has a cheerful disposition; everything he hears and sees seems to him to contain joy and laughter. But for one who has a sad disposition everything he sees and hears seems to be sad and dismal. The same applies to every other kind of person, for their general affection is present within each individual part and causes each individual part to be seen and heard in the general affection. Other features do not even show themselves but are so to speak absent or insignificant. This was so with the member of the Most Ancient Church. Whatever he saw with his eyes was for him heavenly, and so with him every single thing was so to speak alive.

[3] From this the nature of that Church's Divine worship becomes clear, namely that it was internal and not at all external. When however the Church went into decline, as it did among its descendants, and that perception, or communication with heaven, began to die out, a different situation started to emerge. In objects apprehended by the senses they no longer perceived, as they had done previously, that which is heavenly, but that which is worldly. And the more they perceived that which is worldly the less perception remained with them. At length among their final descendants, who came immediately before the Flood, they apprehended nothing at all in such objects except that which was worldly, bodily, and earthly. Thus heaven became separated from mankind and communicated with it in none but an extremely remote way. Man's communication now changed to a communication with hell, and from there he obtained his general idea from which, as has been stated, stem the ideas belonging to every individual part. In this situation, when any heavenly idea came to them, it had no value for them. At length they were not even willing to acknowledge the existence of anything spiritual or celestial. Thus man's state came to be altered and turned upside down.

[4] Because the Lord foresaw that the state of mankind was to become such as this, He also provided for the preservation of doctrinal matters concerning faith so that from them people might know what was celestial and what was spiritual. These matters of doctrine were gathered together from the members of the Most Ancient Church by the people dealt with already called Cain and those called Enoch. This is why it is said of Cain that a sign was placed upon him to prevent anyone killing him, and of Enoch that he was taken by God. Concerning these two, see Chapter 4:15 - in 393, 394 - and Genesis 5:24. These matters of doctrine consisted exclusively in things that were meaningful signs and so things of a seemingly enigmatic nature. That is to say, they consisted in earthly objects which carried spiritual meanings, such as mountains, which meant heavenly things and the Lord; the morning and the east, which also meant heavenly things and the Lord; various kinds of trees and their fruits, which meant man and the heavenly things that are his; and so on. These were the things that their matters of doctrine consisted in, which had been gathered together from the meaningful signs of the Most Ancient Church. Their writings too were consequently of this nature. Now because they wondered at, and to themselves seemed to detect, that which was Divine and heavenly in such matters of doctrine, and also because of the antiquity of these, they began and were allowed to make such things the basis of their worship. This was the origin of their worship on mountains, in groves, and among trees, also of their pillars in the open air, and later on of altars and burnt offerings which ended up as the chief features of all worship. Such worship was begun by the Ancient Church, and from there spread to their descendants and to all the nations round about. These and many other matters as well will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.