--Every one who lives
in the good of charity and of faith is a Church and a Kingdom of the
Lord.--The Church in general is constituted of those who are severally
Churches, however remote they are from one another.--The Church of the
Lord is scattered throughout the whole world.
--_Heaven and Hell, n._ 57
--_Apocalypse Explained, n._ 388
--_Arcana Coelestia_, n. 6637; ib., n. 9256
A SUCCESSION OF CHURCHES
There have been four Churches on this earth since the day of creation;
a first, to be called the Adamic, a second, to be called the Noachic;
a third, the Israelitish; and a fourth, the Christian. After these
four Churches, a new one will arise, which is to be truly Christian,
foretold in _Daniel_ and in the _Apocalypse_, and by the Lord Himself
in the Evangelists, and looked for by the Apostles.
--_Coronis_, Summary, I, VIII
EARLY CHRISTIANITY AND ITS DECLINE
When a Church is raised up by the Lord, it is in the beginning
blameless; and one then loves the other as his brother, as we know of
the primitive Church after the Lord's advent. At that time, all the
sons of the Church lived together like brothers, and also called one
another brother, and mutually loved each other.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85