Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 975

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975. Finally the subject is the Ancient Church in general. At this point 'Shem' is used to mean internal worship, 'Japheth' external worship corresponding to it, 'Ham' faith separated from charity, and 'Canaan' external worship separated from internal, verses 19-end. Wishing to investigate from itself the truths of faith, and to do so by means of reasonings, that Church first sank into errors and perversities, verses 19-21. As a result of such errors and perversities people whose worship is external separated from internal mock the doctrine of faith itself, verse 22, While those whose worship is both internal and also external deriving from internal place a good interpretation upon such things and make excuses for them, verse 23. People whose worship is external separated from internal are the lowest of all, verses 24, 25. But for all that, they are still able to Perform inferior types of service within the Church, verses 26, 27.


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