Page:A Compendium of the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.djvu/436

340 far as Tyre and Sidon, and over the whole land of Canaan, on this and on the other side Jordan. But a kind of external worship afterwards began in Syria, which in process of time became widely spread, — and in fact over many countries, especially in the land of Canaan, — which was different from the worship of the Ancient church. And as somewhat of a church thence arose which was separate from the Ancient church, there sprung therefrom a quasi new church, which may therefore be called a second Ancient church. The first institutor of it was Eber; for which reason that church was named from Eber. At that time, as has been said before, all were distinguished into houses, families, and nations. One nation acknowledged one father, from whom it also derived its name; and thus the nation which acknowledged Eber as its father was called the Hebrew nation. (A. C. n. 1238.) [This form of society had continued down to them from the most ancient times. ib. n. 470, 471.]

As regards Eber being the first founder of a second Ancient church, by whom that church is signified (Gen. x. 24, 25; xi. 14, seq.), the case is this: — The first Ancient church, so widely extended as was said over especially the Asiatic world, in the course of time, — as all churches everywhere are wont, — degenerated, and was corrupted by innovators, both as to its external and internal worship; and this in various places. Especially by the fact that all the significatives and representatives which the Ancient church received orally from the Most Ancient church, — all which had reference to the Lord and His kingdom, — were turned to idolatrous and among some nations to magical [purposes]. That the universal church might not perish, it was permitted by the Lord that significative and representative worship should be somewhere restored; which was done by Eber. This worship consisted chiefly in things external. The externals of worship were high places, groves, statues, anointings, — besides priestly offices and things belonging to the priestly functions, and many other things which were called statutes. The internals of worship were doctrinals, from the antediluvian period, — especially from those who were called Enoch, who gathered together the perceived truths of the Most Ancient church and formed doctrinals from them. These were their Word. Of these externals and internals did the worship established by Eber consist, — but increased, and also changed. Especially they began to prefer sacrifices to other rituals, — which ill the true Ancient church were unknown; except that they were permitted among some descendants of Ham and Canaan therein, who were idolaters, lest they should sacrifice their sons and daughters, (ib. n. 1241 .)