2896、大洪水之前上古教会的圣言不是书面圣言，而是一部被揭示给所有上古教会成员的圣言。他们是属天人，故和天使一样拥有对良善和真理的感知，他们也与天使互动。因此，他们拥有写在他们心上的圣言。关于这些事，详情可参看597， 607， 895， 920， 1114-1125节。由于他们是属天人，与天使相伴，所以对他们来说，他们所看见，或无论以哪种方式感觉到的一切事物代表并表示主国度中的属天和属灵事物。
因此，他们的确用肉眼看到世俗和地上的事物，或以其它感官感知到它们，但他们从这些事物并通过它们思想的，却是属天和属灵事物，或说这些事物是思想属天和属灵事物的起点和方法。他们只有通过这种方式才能与天使交谈，因为存在于天使当中的事物都是属天和属灵事物，当这些事物降到人那里时，它们就降至诸如与世人同在的那类事物。从创世记第一章直到此处都在说明，世上的一切事物都代表并表示存在于天堂中的事物。这也是代表和有意义的符号或象征的起源，当与天使的交流开始消亡时，“以诺”所表示的人就将这些代表和有意义的符号或象征收集起来。这就是下面这句话的意思（参看521节）：
以诺与神同行，神将他取去，他就不在了。（创世记5:24）
Potts(1905-1910) 2896
2896. The Word in the Most Ancient Church which was before the flood was not a written Word, but was revealed to everyone who was of that church. For they were celestial men, and therefore were in the perception of good and truth, as the angels are (with whom moreover they were in company), so that they had the Word written on their hearts (concerning which things see n. 597, 607, 895, 920, 1114-1125). As they were celestial men, and had companionship with angels, all the things which they saw and apprehended by any of the senses were to them representative and significative of the celestial and spiritual things which are in the Lord's kingdom; so that they indeed saw worldly and earthly things with their eyes, or apprehended them by some other sense, but from them and by means of them they thought of celestial and spiritual things. In this way, and in no other, were they able to speak with angels; for the things with the angels are celestial and spiritual things, and when they come down to man they fall into such things as are with him in the world. That each one of the things in the world represents and signifies something in the heavens, has been shown from the first chapter of Genesis up to this point. Thence came the representatives and significatives which, when communication with angels began to cease, were collected by those meant by "Enoch," as was signified by the words (Gen. 5:24) "Enoch walked by himself with God, and was no more, for God took him" (see n. 521).
Elliott(1983-1999) 2896
2896. The Word in the Most Ancient Church before the Flood was not a written Word but one revealed to each member of the Church; for they were celestial people and so, like the angels in whose company they lived, knew through perception that which was good and true. Thus they had the Word written on their hearts. For these matters, see 597, 607, 895, 920, 1114-1125. Because they were celestial people and lived in the company of angels, everything they saw and apprehended with any of their senses was to them a representative and a meaningful sign of celestial and spiritual things within the Lord's kingdom; so that they did indeed see worldly and earthly things with their eyes or apprehend them with one or other of their senses; but from and through those things their thoughts were of celestial and spiritual things. In this and no other way they were able to talk to angels, for the things that exist among angels are celestial and spiritual, and when these come down to man they descend into such things as exist with man in the world. The fact that particular objects in the world represent and mean those that exist in heaven has been shown all through from Genesis 1 to here. Such was also the origin of the representatives and meaningful signs, which, when communication with angels started to fade, were gathered together by the people meant by 'Enoch'. See 521, where it is shown that the gathering of those things is meant by the following words,
Enoch walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him. Gen 5:24.
Latin(1748-1756) 2896
2896. Verbum in Ecclesia Antiquissima quae fuit ante diluvium, non fuit Verbum scriptum, sed revelatum unicuivis qui ab Ecclesia; fuerunt enim homines caelestes, ita in perceptione boni et veri, sicut angeli, cum quibus etiam consortium habuerunt; ita Verbum habuerunt cordibus suis inscriptum; de quibus videatur, n. 597, 607, 895, 920, 1114-1125. Illi quia caelestes fuerunt, et consortium habuerunt cum angelis, omnia quae videbant et aliquo sensu capiebant, illis erant repraesentativa et significativa caelestium et spiritualium quae in regno Domini; sic ut mundana et terrestria quidem oculis viderent aut aliquo sensu caperent, sed ex illis et per illa cogitabant de caelestibus et spiritualibus; ita non aliter, loqui potuerunt cum angelis, nam quae apud angelos, caelestia et spiritualia sunt, et cum ad hominem, in talia quae apud hominem in mundo sunt, cadunt; quod singula quae in mundo, repraesentent et significent illa quae in caelis, hactenus a primo capite Geneseos huc usque ostensum est. Inde repraesentativa et significativa venerunt, quae quando communicatio cessare incepit cum angelis, collecta fuerunt ab illis qui per Hanochum intelliguntur, {1}quae quod significata sint per haec verba, Ambulavit sibi Hanoch cum Deo, et non amplius, quia sumpsit illum Deus, Gen. V 24, videatur n. 521. @1 i et in usum posteritatis conservata$