Selections from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
There are two affections, namely, the affection of good, and the affection of truth.• The affection of good is to do what is good from the love of good
• The affection of truth is to do what is good from the love of truth
At the first view these two affections appear to be the same; but in reality they are distinct from each other both as to essence and as to origin.
• The affection of good, or doing what is good from the love of good, is properly of the will
• The affection of truth, or doing what is good from the love of truth, is properly of the understanding
Thus these two affections are distinct from each other in the same way as are the will and the understanding.
• The affection of good is from Celestial love
• The affection of truth is from Spiritual love
The affection of good can be predicated solely of the Celestial Man, but the affection of truth, of the Spiritual Man.
What the Celestial or the Celestial Man is – What the Spiritual or the Spiritual Man is
• The Most Ancient Church, which existed before the flood, was in the affection of good
• The Ancient Church, which existed after the flood, was in the affection of truth
The Most Ancient Church was a Celestial Church, but the Ancient Church, a Spiritual Church.
All the angels in the heavens are distinguished into the Celestial and the Spiritual —
• The Celestial are they who are in the affection of good
• The Spiritual are they who are in the affection of truth
To the Celestial the Lord appears as a sun, but to the Spiritual as a moon. This latter affection, of truth, the Lord united to the affection of good, which is to do what is good from the love of good, when He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence.
(from Arcana Coelestia 1997)
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The Most Ancient Church was Celestial, but became Spiritual.• The Most Ancient Church had a perception of good and truth
• The Ancient Church, had not perception, but in its place another kind of dictate, which may be called conscience.
But what is as yet unknown in the world, and is perhaps difficult to believe, is that the men of the Most Ancient Church had internal respiration, and only tacit external respiration. Thus they spoke not so much by words, as afterwards and as at this day, but by ideas, as angels do; and these they could express by innumerable changes of the looks and face, especially of the lips. In the lips there are countless series of muscular fibers which at this day are not set free, but being free with the men of that time, they could so present, signify, and represent ideas by them as to express in a minute's time what at this day it would require an hour to say by articulate sounds and words, and they could do this more fully and clearly to the apprehension and understanding of those present than is possible by words, or series of words in combination. This may perhaps seem incredible, but yet it is true. And there are many others, not of this earth, who have spoken and at this day speak in a similar manner; concerning whom, of the Lord's Divine mercy hereafter.
NATURE OF INTERNAL RESPIRIATION
It has been given me to know the nature of that internal respiration, and how in process of time it was changed.
As these Most Ancient people had a respiration such as the angels have, who breathe in a similar manner, they were in profound ideas of thought, and were able to have such perception as cannot be described; and even if it could be described such as it really was, it would not be believed, because it would not be comprehended. But in their posterity this internal respiration little by little came to an end; and with those who were possessed with dreadful persuasions and phantasies, it became such that they could no longer present any idea of thought except the most debased, the effect of which was that they could not survive, and therefore all became extinct.
WHEN INTERNAL RESPIRATION CEASED
When internal respiration ceased, external respiration gradually succeeded, almost like that of the present day; and with external respiration a language of words, or of articulate sound into which the ideas of thought were determined. Thus the state of man was entirely changed, and became such that he could no longer have similar perception, but instead of perception another kind of dictate which may be called conscience, for it was like conscience, though a kind of intermediate between perception and the conscience known to some at this day. And when such determination of the ideas of thought took place, that is to say, into spoken words, they could no longer be instructed, like the Most Ancient Man, through the internal man, but through the external.
Therefore in place of the revelations of the Most Ancient Church, doctrinal things succeeded, which could first be received by the external senses, and from them material ideas of the memory could be formed, and from these, ideas of thought, by which and according to which they were instructed. Hence it was that this Church which followed possessed an entirely different genius from that of the Most Ancient Church, and if the Lord had not brought the human race into this genius, or into this state, no man could have been saved.
INTERNALS WERE CLOSED
The man of the Most Ancient Church could no longer — as said before — be informed and enlightened in the same way; for his internals were closed, so that he no longer had communication with heaven, except such as was unconscious. Nor, for the same reason, could he be instructed except — as before said — by the external way of sense or of the senses. On this account, of the Lord's providence, doctrinal matters of faith, with some of the revelations to the Most Ancient Church, were preserved for the use of this posterity.
THE PRESERVATION OF THAT DOCTRINE FOR THE USE OF POSTERITY
These doctrinal things were first, collected by "Cain" and were stored up that they might not be lost; and therefore it is said of Cain that a "mark was set upon him, lest anyone should slay him."
And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. (Gen. 4:15)These doctrinal matters were afterwards reduced into doctrine by "Enoch;" but because this doctrine was of use to no one at that time, but was for posterity, it is said that
Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. (Gen. 5:24)These doctrinal matters of faith are what were preserved by the Lord for the use of this posterity or Church; for it was foreseen by the Lord that perception would be lost, and therefore it was provided that these doctrinal things should remain.
(from Arcana Coelestia 607 - 608)
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TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOOD AND TRUE
There were some at that time who framed doctrines from the things that had been matters of perception in the Most Ancient and succeeding Churches, in order that such doctrine might serve as a rule whereby to know what was good and true: such persons were called "Enoch." This is what is signified by the words, "and Enoch walked with God;" and so did they call that doctrine; which is likewise signified by the name "Enoch" which means to "instruct."The same is evident also from the signification of the expression to "walk" and from the fact that he is said to have "walked with God" not "with Jehovah:" to "walk with God" is to teach and live according to the doctrine of faith, but to "walk with Jehovah" is to live the life of love. To "walk" is a customary form of speaking that signifies to live, as to "walk in the law" to "walk in the statutes" to "walk in the truth."
To "walk" has reference properly to a way, which has relation to truth, consequently to faith, or the doctrine of faith.
(from Arcana Coelestia 519)
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The Most Ancient Church, as has often been said, knew from love whatever was of faith; or what is the same, from a will of good had understanding of truth. But their posterity received also by inheritance that cupidities, which are of the will, ruled over them, in which they immersed the doctrinal things of faith, and thus became "Nephilim."When therefore the Lord foresaw that if man continued to be of such a nature he would perish eternally, He provided that the will should be separated from the understanding, and that man should be formed, not as before by a will of good, but through an understanding of truth should be endowed with charity, which appears as a will of good. Such did this New Church become which is called "Noah" and thus it was of an entirely different nature from the Most Ancient Church.
Besides this Church, there were other Churches also at that time, as that which is called "Enosh" (see Gen. 4:26), and others also of which no such mention and description is extant.
In the most ancient time there were many doctrines and heresies separate from the Church, each one of which had its name, which separate doctrines and heresies were the outcome of much more profound thought than any at the present day, because such was the genius of the men of that time. (from AC 442)Only "Noah" is described, [after the Most Ancient Church], because it was of another and entirely different nature from the Most Ancient Church.
(from Arcana Coelestia 640)