The Decline of the Most Ancient Church
By Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Genesis 4 Mark 12: 28-34 Arcana Coelestia 361 (Gen.4:7), 362
By Rev. Paul Booth
Lessons: Genesis 4 Mark 12: 28-34 Arcana Coelestia 361 (Gen.4:7), 362
" 'And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man (vir) Jehovah'. In the three foregoing chapters it has been sufficiently shown that the 'man and his wife' is signified the Most Ancient Church, so that it cannot not be doubted, and this being admitted, it is evident that the conception and the birth effected by that church were of the nature we have indicated. (Falsification of its doctrine, and, consequently, heresies and sects.) That the words 'I have gotten a man, Jehovah,' signify that with such as are called 'Cain' faith is recognized and acknowledged as a thing by itself. Previously, they had been, as it were, ignorant of what faith is, because they had a perception of all things of faith. But when they began to make a distinct doctrine of faith, they took the things they had a perception of and reduced them into doctrine, calling it, 'I have gotten a man, Jehovah,' as if they had found out something new." Arcana Coelestia 338, 339. 340
Whenever there is love or good and wisdom or truth within man conjoined in one, there is the true Church. These two - love or charity and truth or faith - in the Most Ancient Church or within the celestial man, formed that Church and give it life. As such, love or charity is first and primary and truth or faith is secondary with that Most Ancient Church. The celestial man had faith from his love to the Lord and towards the neighbor. In his love to the Lord he could perceive that all things belong to the Lord and come from the Lord's love, for love within man is man's life. Yet, we have learned from the Word in Genesis that the Most Ancient Church man wanted to know for himself, not from God and, so, ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This you can see is contrary to Divine Order. Doctrine comes from the Lord. You can even say that the Lord is Doctrine. Their doctrine, as was said, was love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor. By desiring to know from their self their faith became separated from charity. Faith, now, became first and primary; charity became secondary. Anyone should understand that such a faith falsifies doctrine, for it does not and is not from a love from Lord. They had made a confession of their faith and, thus had falsified doctrine; their faith separated them from the Lord's love. Today, there are some that even say that their doctrine is of faith alone and think they only need to believe or to know the truth and they will be saved.
Sin enter into the celestial man, though at first, he was not as today's man, for he had good within in that in this state he was still in innocence. We can see their doctrine changing; they began to make a distinct doctrine of faith - it was a doctrine of faith separated from charity. This may be confirmed in the fact that they began to live from their proprium, desiring to know what is good and evil and were thus led by themselves and not by the Lord. They had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, they sinned. This can be seen when they realized their nakedness and hid themselves from God.
The Most Ancient Church had faith in the Lord through love, but there arose some in that Church that separated faith from love. That Church began to change and their faith began to be derive from themselves, thus not from the Lord's Love. This was now their faith - a faith that is separated from love or from the Lord. We read.
So, faith was now seen and acknowledged as a thing separate from charity, for we see that Able was also of that doctrine formed within them. The Most Ancient Church was no longer ignorant of what faith is. There are two principle qualities of a Church - charity and faith. At one time the Most Ancient Church's faith we said was, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor. Now, it had begun to change and their faith was now through their love of self and of worldly things. Faith was a thing by itself and charity became secondary in their life.
Do not allow yourselves to fall into understanding the Genesis story from a natural perspective, as interesting as it may be. You will see only falsities as you try to rationalize why God looked to Able's offering and not to Cain's. Remember that the story here is the decline of the Most Ancient Church or its fall from the Lord's grace, and as such, their state, which was in that doctrine they conceived, separated their faith from charity, and made faith to be first and primary with them. You might think, why is it so bad if faith is the first of the two principle qualities of the Church? Today, a man has no choice, for he can only learn and acknowledge the Lord's love through the Word that is through external means. However, when there was no written Word as there was in the most ancient times, it was only through perception that a celestial man knew what was true and good. In other words, faith was through love, and it was secondary. In fact, celestial man would not even mention faith, love being all and first. Nonetheless, when man desired to know what was good and true from himself, his love to the Lord became secondary. He now had to learn truth and gain knowledge by his self; he made or conceived for himself the doctrine of faith, where before his doctrine was charity. Now, unless, the Lord had Himself become a man as we, no one could be saved. This is because a man's faith became primary and first with him and he then loved what was his own and that was the love of his self or proprium. So, the Lord had to fight the evils and falsities that reigned over man, so that, man might be free from his proprium.
The results are that even though a Church or a man of the Church may start out with good intentions and with charity from the Lord, will end separated from the Lord and from good unless the Lord is given the first place. Thus, the story of Cain killing his brother Able, tells of faith alone killing charity and leads to the doctrine of faith alone. Let us read from the Word.
It is here that we see 'faith' alone is not true faith. Instead of love, we see anger. It is not too far removed to see that anger is devoid of charity. Thus, the man of the Most Ancient Church began to change from being celestial to being natural, and we read that "his faces fell" (Gen. 4: 5). With the celestial man, like the angels, their faces reflect what is within, like a smile of a child when they have inward joy or a frown when they are sad. The disposition of a man's mind reflects through the face. So, it is, by Cain's face falling could anger be seen and not love. In effect, the qualities of such men of the Most Ancient Church were changing.
It is here that we also see a most important truth taught. It is that, even though, faith is first and primary in man's life, today, the Lord in His love will accept his faith, if he acts according to it in love. He will save us even though man has changed the order. "If thou doest well, is there not an uplifting?" There is also a warning. "And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." In other words, through faith one can have charity. Truths of faith can be in order when spiritual good acts within the man's natural understanding.
Now, because the Most Ancient Church's faith was made more essential than love, and the love of self became confirmed by doctrine, which became their main intent, instead of love to the Lord, which was the true doctrine of the celestial man of the Church. You can understand here that charity, like love, desires to abide with faith as love does with wisdom. However, faith, since it became separated from charity, wishes to rule over charity. This, of course, makes it no faith at all. We can understand this because we know that faith, the truth that one believes, is the light that shines for one to understand. However, unless there is a flame or charity there is no light. Of course, from that flame come both heat and light or love or good and truth. Still, when faith becomes predominate in a man it rules and there is then a contrary order of reception within him.
The results: a false doctrine arose among the Most Ancient Church and faith extinguished charity. This caused a struggle between faith and charity in that Church. It can be seen that every Church on earth ends in vastation, devoid of any love. "And Cain spake to Able his brother; and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Able his brother and slew him" (Gen. 4: 8). Now, isn't it the doctrine of faith alone that kills charity? Faith and charity are brothers, and as brothers should live together, and, in fact, when they live together in a man, he is conjoined with the Lord. Yet, how can they be conjoined together, when 'faith alone' wishes to kill charity? It is only by the Lord, when He is believed, that they can live together that man is saved. The Lord instructs that we are to hear and do what He teaches, that whosoever hears and does has faith and charity. Not so, when one hears and does not do what is taught. In other words, without charity the Church in man dies. "Whosoever hears these sayings of mine, (truths of faith) and does them, (does charity) I will liken to a wise man. And everyone that hears these saying of mine, and does them not, (separates faith from charity) shall be like a foolish man" (Matt. 7: 24,26).
Thus, in this way the doctrine of the Most Ancient Church became distorted and finally became a false doctrine, and in time the celestial man descended into the Natural state, cut off 'as it were' from their celestial and spiritual; they became sensual and corporeal. Faith became unwilling to be subservient to charity and thought charity was nothing. As a result, the Most Ancient Church had cursed themselves and heresies were taught not truths. But, you may say, don't we have the Word of the Lord, and, so, have the truth that teaches what is true faith, that is, that we are to do what the Lord and the Word teaches, and not just know what are truths? The answer, of course, is yes. Yet, over the ages mankind extinguishes the flame of charity and could not see genuine truths. You see, by putting faith first in his life, his doctrine became faith alone or faith separated from charity. You may understand why this is when you understand that truths that come to man are only seen in appearances. Before, in the Most Ancient Church, before its decline, truth or faith was through love to the Lord and a man saw (perceived) that truth was, now a man must learn what is truth. This is confirmed by, "When thou tillest the ground, (that is, cultivate heresies) it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength &…;" In other words, faith alone is barren. (Gen. 4:12).
At first, those in the Most Ancient Church with such disposition knew they had sinned and so despaired. Some good still remained with those in the Most Ancient Church, when they enter that state; however, as it can be seen what good or charity remained later perished in those who killed faith. When you read Cain's reply, you can see the same in a man of the Church of today who realizes that without the Lord, he is without hope and knows he has turned away from the Lord in sin which has entered his life, We see this in our despair; when all seems hopeless. "Behold, thou has cast me out this day from the faces of the ground, and from Thy faces shall I be hid&…;." (Gen. 4: 14). It is in this state that we believe that we shall never find peace and rest, and asked, shall I never find the truth and know it and, also, what is genuine good? "I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth" (Gen. 4:14). Not to know what is the truth and good destroys a man, because what man knows from self are only evils and falsities. You see, it is charity and love that conjoins us with the Lord, not truth without love, for our faith has been separated from Charity, and thus from the Lord. "Where there is no charity, there is disjunction, and where man is left to himself or to his proprium" (AC389). This is seen in a man's fear of death, and of loss of all that he has.
Yet, within that truth which a man would know if he is to learn and do good, even if it can only be seen in appearances, there is charity. So, to do violence to the Word or to one's faith is a sacrilege. It can be known that the human race's "character was to separate faith from love to the Lord, and make faith a doctrine by itself" (AC 393). The Lord allowed man this, (his proprium) but in such a way that through faith man might still receive charity from the Lord (see AC393). Thus, instead of perception conscience succeeded, and each man that is born receives goods and truths interiorly from the Lord while in the state of innocence, even through his parents and teachers, and these are called remains in the man. As a man turns to his proprium, which is when he no longer is innocent, he turns from this interior teaching. As such, he no longer perceives as the celestial man did before falling from the Lord's grace, but he can develop a conscience and this by believing the Word of the Lord and by doing as is taught because it is the truth and for truth's sake. Thus, was faith preserved in man, for from faith, today, a man can be reformed and the order reversed back, and then, through such a man's will, he again receives charity or love from the Lord and is then in regeneration. Faith was to distinguish a man so that he is preserved. This we see became evident in that the Church is bound to the Lord through the first and great commandments, It was a commandment to respect others with love, and, thus, not to kill faith within man. "And Jehovah set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should smite him" (Gen. 4:15).
The posterity of the Most Ancient Church had now separated their understanding from their will and the will and the understanding were no more united as one in them. Where the understanding before was of the will, now it was not of the will, but was separate. The will did not reign any longer with man, the understanding reign instead; that is, faith instead of love reigned. (cf. AC398). This process continued in the posterity of the Most Ancient Church. And, we see each succeeding doctrine derived in the man of that Church further declined into falsities. The process of bringing forth or acknowledgement of something new from self continued until man was nothing but falsity and evil and was vastated of any good and truth. One schism or heresy begot another or produced another. This becomes evident in the statement that Cain "built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch" (Gen. 4: 17). One can see that a city refers to doctrine from the fact that the Lord's New Church now receives its doctrine from the Lord, and that such a doctrine is called 'Nova Hieroslolyma' of 'New Jerusalem'.
Yet, we learned that doctrine declined to such a state, that is, it was vastated of falsities and evils and there a new Church rose up from the remains of that Most Ancient Church, which has two principles - the celestial and spiritual things of faith and natural things. Man has an internal and an external. The internal, which is celestial and spiritual, we can see in that he can be born again from the remains that are stored within. They could come out; they could be conceived and born or brought forth when the evils and their falsities had been vastated. In this new Church a man's internal begins to exist with him again, however the natural or external things which did not exist with him were now applied to internal things, not the external things of self or proprium or to worldly things. The doctrine now applies to natural good and truth out side the Church. Thus, it is because of the Church on earth that all mankind benefit; they can receive life and be saved. Here, we learn that a true Church is spiritual and can only exist in the natural from that spiritual. That vastation of evil and falsity ended the Most Ancient Church and can be seen in the words that Lemech said to his two wives, "I have slain a man to my wounding, and a little one to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lemech seventy and seven" (Gen. 4:23,24). Now, not only was faith separated, but also charity was devastated with the man of that Church and, thus, the Most Ancient Church ended.
However, a new Church rose up, as we said, for the Lord in man could again be seen, even as every man born has within his celestial and spiritual opened and the Lord can communicate directly with that person. "And the man (homo) knew his wife again.&…;" This we know signifies a new Church. "And she bare a son and called his name Seth," we learn that this son called Seth signify a new charity, for the son Able was slain. "God hath provided another seed instead of Able for Cain slew him." This we can understand is charity. Seth, as that new charity, is through that faith from which charity now comes. And, it is from such a faith that Charity comes, in that from such a faith regards charity as the chief thing. "And to Seth to him also there was born a son, and he called his name, Enosh. Then began they to call upon the name of Jehovah" (Gen. 4:26). The difference between this new Church and the Most Ancient Church is that the man of the Most Ancient Church was celestial and the man of this new Church is human spiritual. The human, is the rational being of and from the Lord. Enosh means man, but mortal man, while the Lord is an Eternal Man. Man was no longer celestial, but a new Church in and with man was established, which was a spiritual Church in that the doctrine now was from a faith in the Lord or from the Word as it was past down to them.
Sin enter into the celestial man, though at first, he was not as today's man, for he had good within in that in this state he was still in innocence. We can see their doctrine changing; they began to make a distinct doctrine of faith - it was a doctrine of faith separated from charity. This may be confirmed in the fact that they began to live from their proprium, desiring to know what is good and evil and were thus led by themselves and not by the Lord. They had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, they sinned. This can be seen when they realized their nakedness and hid themselves from God.
The Most Ancient Church had faith in the Lord through love, but there arose some in that Church that separated faith from love. That Church began to change and their faith began to be derive from themselves, thus not from the Lord's Love. This was now their faith - a faith that is separated from love or from the Lord. We read.
- "And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man, Jehovah" (Gen. 4:1).
So, faith was now seen and acknowledged as a thing separate from charity, for we see that Able was also of that doctrine formed within them. The Most Ancient Church was no longer ignorant of what faith is. There are two principle qualities of a Church - charity and faith. At one time the Most Ancient Church's faith we said was, love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor. Now, it had begun to change and their faith was now through their love of self and of worldly things. Faith was a thing by itself and charity became secondary in their life.
Do not allow yourselves to fall into understanding the Genesis story from a natural perspective, as interesting as it may be. You will see only falsities as you try to rationalize why God looked to Able's offering and not to Cain's. Remember that the story here is the decline of the Most Ancient Church or its fall from the Lord's grace, and as such, their state, which was in that doctrine they conceived, separated their faith from charity, and made faith to be first and primary with them. You might think, why is it so bad if faith is the first of the two principle qualities of the Church? Today, a man has no choice, for he can only learn and acknowledge the Lord's love through the Word that is through external means. However, when there was no written Word as there was in the most ancient times, it was only through perception that a celestial man knew what was true and good. In other words, faith was through love, and it was secondary. In fact, celestial man would not even mention faith, love being all and first. Nonetheless, when man desired to know what was good and true from himself, his love to the Lord became secondary. He now had to learn truth and gain knowledge by his self; he made or conceived for himself the doctrine of faith, where before his doctrine was charity. Now, unless, the Lord had Himself become a man as we, no one could be saved. This is because a man's faith became primary and first with him and he then loved what was his own and that was the love of his self or proprium. So, the Lord had to fight the evils and falsities that reigned over man, so that, man might be free from his proprium.
The results are that even though a Church or a man of the Church may start out with good intentions and with charity from the Lord, will end separated from the Lord and from good unless the Lord is given the first place. Thus, the story of Cain killing his brother Able, tells of faith alone killing charity and leads to the doctrine of faith alone. Let us read from the Word.
- "Therefore Jehovah God, sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken" (Gen. 3:23).
It is here that we see 'faith' alone is not true faith. Instead of love, we see anger. It is not too far removed to see that anger is devoid of charity. Thus, the man of the Most Ancient Church began to change from being celestial to being natural, and we read that "his faces fell" (Gen. 4: 5). With the celestial man, like the angels, their faces reflect what is within, like a smile of a child when they have inward joy or a frown when they are sad. The disposition of a man's mind reflects through the face. So, it is, by Cain's face falling could anger be seen and not love. In effect, the qualities of such men of the Most Ancient Church were changing.
It is here that we also see a most important truth taught. It is that, even though, faith is first and primary in man's life, today, the Lord in His love will accept his faith, if he acts according to it in love. He will save us even though man has changed the order. "If thou doest well, is there not an uplifting?" There is also a warning. "And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." In other words, through faith one can have charity. Truths of faith can be in order when spiritual good acts within the man's natural understanding.
Now, because the Most Ancient Church's faith was made more essential than love, and the love of self became confirmed by doctrine, which became their main intent, instead of love to the Lord, which was the true doctrine of the celestial man of the Church. You can understand here that charity, like love, desires to abide with faith as love does with wisdom. However, faith, since it became separated from charity, wishes to rule over charity. This, of course, makes it no faith at all. We can understand this because we know that faith, the truth that one believes, is the light that shines for one to understand. However, unless there is a flame or charity there is no light. Of course, from that flame come both heat and light or love or good and truth. Still, when faith becomes predominate in a man it rules and there is then a contrary order of reception within him.
The results: a false doctrine arose among the Most Ancient Church and faith extinguished charity. This caused a struggle between faith and charity in that Church. It can be seen that every Church on earth ends in vastation, devoid of any love. "And Cain spake to Able his brother; and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Able his brother and slew him" (Gen. 4: 8). Now, isn't it the doctrine of faith alone that kills charity? Faith and charity are brothers, and as brothers should live together, and, in fact, when they live together in a man, he is conjoined with the Lord. Yet, how can they be conjoined together, when 'faith alone' wishes to kill charity? It is only by the Lord, when He is believed, that they can live together that man is saved. The Lord instructs that we are to hear and do what He teaches, that whosoever hears and does has faith and charity. Not so, when one hears and does not do what is taught. In other words, without charity the Church in man dies. "Whosoever hears these sayings of mine, (truths of faith) and does them, (does charity) I will liken to a wise man. And everyone that hears these saying of mine, and does them not, (separates faith from charity) shall be like a foolish man" (Matt. 7: 24,26).
Thus, in this way the doctrine of the Most Ancient Church became distorted and finally became a false doctrine, and in time the celestial man descended into the Natural state, cut off 'as it were' from their celestial and spiritual; they became sensual and corporeal. Faith became unwilling to be subservient to charity and thought charity was nothing. As a result, the Most Ancient Church had cursed themselves and heresies were taught not truths. But, you may say, don't we have the Word of the Lord, and, so, have the truth that teaches what is true faith, that is, that we are to do what the Lord and the Word teaches, and not just know what are truths? The answer, of course, is yes. Yet, over the ages mankind extinguishes the flame of charity and could not see genuine truths. You see, by putting faith first in his life, his doctrine became faith alone or faith separated from charity. You may understand why this is when you understand that truths that come to man are only seen in appearances. Before, in the Most Ancient Church, before its decline, truth or faith was through love to the Lord and a man saw (perceived) that truth was, now a man must learn what is truth. This is confirmed by, "When thou tillest the ground, (that is, cultivate heresies) it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength &…;" In other words, faith alone is barren. (Gen. 4:12).
At first, those in the Most Ancient Church with such disposition knew they had sinned and so despaired. Some good still remained with those in the Most Ancient Church, when they enter that state; however, as it can be seen what good or charity remained later perished in those who killed faith. When you read Cain's reply, you can see the same in a man of the Church of today who realizes that without the Lord, he is without hope and knows he has turned away from the Lord in sin which has entered his life, We see this in our despair; when all seems hopeless. "Behold, thou has cast me out this day from the faces of the ground, and from Thy faces shall I be hid&…;." (Gen. 4: 14). It is in this state that we believe that we shall never find peace and rest, and asked, shall I never find the truth and know it and, also, what is genuine good? "I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth" (Gen. 4:14). Not to know what is the truth and good destroys a man, because what man knows from self are only evils and falsities. You see, it is charity and love that conjoins us with the Lord, not truth without love, for our faith has been separated from Charity, and thus from the Lord. "Where there is no charity, there is disjunction, and where man is left to himself or to his proprium" (AC389). This is seen in a man's fear of death, and of loss of all that he has.
Yet, within that truth which a man would know if he is to learn and do good, even if it can only be seen in appearances, there is charity. So, to do violence to the Word or to one's faith is a sacrilege. It can be known that the human race's "character was to separate faith from love to the Lord, and make faith a doctrine by itself" (AC 393). The Lord allowed man this, (his proprium) but in such a way that through faith man might still receive charity from the Lord (see AC393). Thus, instead of perception conscience succeeded, and each man that is born receives goods and truths interiorly from the Lord while in the state of innocence, even through his parents and teachers, and these are called remains in the man. As a man turns to his proprium, which is when he no longer is innocent, he turns from this interior teaching. As such, he no longer perceives as the celestial man did before falling from the Lord's grace, but he can develop a conscience and this by believing the Word of the Lord and by doing as is taught because it is the truth and for truth's sake. Thus, was faith preserved in man, for from faith, today, a man can be reformed and the order reversed back, and then, through such a man's will, he again receives charity or love from the Lord and is then in regeneration. Faith was to distinguish a man so that he is preserved. This we see became evident in that the Church is bound to the Lord through the first and great commandments, It was a commandment to respect others with love, and, thus, not to kill faith within man. "And Jehovah set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should smite him" (Gen. 4:15).
The posterity of the Most Ancient Church had now separated their understanding from their will and the will and the understanding were no more united as one in them. Where the understanding before was of the will, now it was not of the will, but was separate. The will did not reign any longer with man, the understanding reign instead; that is, faith instead of love reigned. (cf. AC398). This process continued in the posterity of the Most Ancient Church. And, we see each succeeding doctrine derived in the man of that Church further declined into falsities. The process of bringing forth or acknowledgement of something new from self continued until man was nothing but falsity and evil and was vastated of any good and truth. One schism or heresy begot another or produced another. This becomes evident in the statement that Cain "built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch" (Gen. 4: 17). One can see that a city refers to doctrine from the fact that the Lord's New Church now receives its doctrine from the Lord, and that such a doctrine is called 'Nova Hieroslolyma' of 'New Jerusalem'.
Yet, we learned that doctrine declined to such a state, that is, it was vastated of falsities and evils and there a new Church rose up from the remains of that Most Ancient Church, which has two principles - the celestial and spiritual things of faith and natural things. Man has an internal and an external. The internal, which is celestial and spiritual, we can see in that he can be born again from the remains that are stored within. They could come out; they could be conceived and born or brought forth when the evils and their falsities had been vastated. In this new Church a man's internal begins to exist with him again, however the natural or external things which did not exist with him were now applied to internal things, not the external things of self or proprium or to worldly things. The doctrine now applies to natural good and truth out side the Church. Thus, it is because of the Church on earth that all mankind benefit; they can receive life and be saved. Here, we learn that a true Church is spiritual and can only exist in the natural from that spiritual. That vastation of evil and falsity ended the Most Ancient Church and can be seen in the words that Lemech said to his two wives, "I have slain a man to my wounding, and a little one to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lemech seventy and seven" (Gen. 4:23,24). Now, not only was faith separated, but also charity was devastated with the man of that Church and, thus, the Most Ancient Church ended.
However, a new Church rose up, as we said, for the Lord in man could again be seen, even as every man born has within his celestial and spiritual opened and the Lord can communicate directly with that person. "And the man (homo) knew his wife again.&…;" This we know signifies a new Church. "And she bare a son and called his name Seth," we learn that this son called Seth signify a new charity, for the son Able was slain. "God hath provided another seed instead of Able for Cain slew him." This we can understand is charity. Seth, as that new charity, is through that faith from which charity now comes. And, it is from such a faith that Charity comes, in that from such a faith regards charity as the chief thing. "And to Seth to him also there was born a son, and he called his name, Enosh. Then began they to call upon the name of Jehovah" (Gen. 4:26). The difference between this new Church and the Most Ancient Church is that the man of the Most Ancient Church was celestial and the man of this new Church is human spiritual. The human, is the rational being of and from the Lord. Enosh means man, but mortal man, while the Lord is an Eternal Man. Man was no longer celestial, but a new Church in and with man was established, which was a spiritual Church in that the doctrine now was from a faith in the Lord or from the Word as it was past down to them.
Amen.
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