38. That the Churches after the times of the Apostles fell away into so many heresies, and that at the present day there are none other than false Churches, is owing to their not having approached the Lord, when yet the Lord is the Word, and the Light itself which enlightens the whole world. And yet it is as impossible to see one genuine truth from the Word, which is not crowded about and defiled with falsities, and cohering with falsities, as it is impossible to sail to the Pleiades, or to dig out the gold which is in the centre of the earth. Wherefore, in order that the true Christian religion might be opened up, it was absolutely necessary that some one should be introduced into the spiritual world, and derive from the Lord's mouth genuine truths out of the Word. The Lord cannot enlighten any one with His light, unless He is approached immediately, and acknowledged as the God of heaven.