132、神迹的这种性质从犹太人和以色列人所见证的神迹很清楚地看出来。尽管这些人在埃及地，后来在红海看到那么多神迹，在旷野，尤其颁布律法时的西乃山看得更多，但摩西在山上逗留了一个月后，他们就为自己铸了一只金牛犊，承认它是领他们出埃及地的耶和华（出埃及记32:4-6）。从后来在迦南地所行的神迹也可以看出这种性质；然而，以色列人却屡次背离所规定的敬拜。从主在世时当着他们的面所行的神迹再次看出这种性质；即便如此，他们仍把主钉死在十字架上。
神迹之所以行在他们当中，是因为犹太人和以色列人完全是外在人，被领进迦南地只是为了使他们可以代表教会，并通过外在敬拜代表内在敬拜；坏人和好人一样，也能代表；因为外在是仪式，其外在的一切都表示属灵和属天的事物。甚至亚伦虽铸了金牛犊，并吩咐百姓去敬拜它（出埃及记32:2-5，35），也能代表主及其救赎的工。他们因不能通过内在敬拜被引导代表这些事物，故被神迹引导，实际上被神迹驱使和强迫。
他们之所以不能通过内在敬拜被引导，是因为他们不承认主，尽管他们当中的整部圣言唯独论述主；凡不承认主的人都不能接受任何内在敬拜。但主显现自己，在教会被接受并承认为永恒之神后，神迹就不再发生了。
132. That such is the nature of miracles can clearly be seen from the miracles done before the people of Judah and Israel. Even though they saw so many miracles in the land of Egypt, and afterward at the sea of Suph, and others in the desert, and especially on Mount Sinai when the Law was proclaimed, still, after a month's time, when Moses tarried on that mountain, they made themselves a golden calf and accepted it as the Jehovah who had led them out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4-6).
The same can be seen as well from the miracles done after that in the land of Canaan, and the fact that the people nevertheless so often lapsed from their prescribed worship. And it can be seen, too, from the miracles that the Lord performed before them when He was in the world, and the fact that they nevertheless crucified Him.
[2] Miracles were done among the Jews and Israelites because they were completely external people, and they were led into the land of Canaan simply to represent a church and its internal elements by their external acts of worship, an evil person being able to represent as well as a good one. For external acts are rituals, and among those people these all symbolized spiritual and celestial things. In fact, even though Aaron made the golden calf and commanded the people to worship it (Exodus 32:2-5, 35), still he could represent the Lord and His work of salvation. Moreover, because the people could not be brought by internal qualities of worship to represent those things, therefore they were brought to it - indeed, forced and compelled to it - by miracles.
[3] The reason they could not be brought to it by internal qualities of worship was that they did not acknowledge the Lord, even though the whole Word that they had among them treats of Him alone; and one who does not acknowledge the Lord is incapable of receiving any internal quality of worship. However, after the Lord manifested Himself and was received and acknowledged in the churches as the eternal God, miracles ceased.
132. We can see this characteristic of miracles very clearly in the miracles that were witnessed by the Jews and Israelites. Even though they saw so many miracles in the land of Egypt and then at the Reed Sea, and even more in the wilderness, and especially at Mount Sinai when the Law was given--all the same, after that month when Moses stayed on the mountain, they made themselves a golden calf and acknowledged it instead of Jehovah, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4-5, 6). We can see this also from the miracles that were done later in the land of Canaan, when the Israelites still fell away from their required worship so often. The same holds for the miracles that the Lord did in their presence when he was in the world: even so, they crucified him.
[2] The reason these miracles were done is that the Jews and Israelites were totally focused on earthly concerns. They were brought into the land of Canaan simply to portray the church and its deeper values by means of their outward worship; and evil people can portray this just as well as good ones because these outward activities are rituals, all pointing to spiritual and heavenly realities for them. So even though Aaron had made the golden calf and commanded the people to worship it (Exodus 32:2-3, 4-5, 35), he could still portray the Lord and his work of salvation. Further, since they could not be led to portray these things through inner worship, they were led by miracles, actually constrained and compelled.
[3] The reason they could not be led through internal worship is that they consistently failed to acknowledge the Lord, even though the whole Word that was present with them is about him and no one else. People who do not acknowledge the Lord are not open to any inner worship. After the Lord had made himself known, though, and had been accepted and recognized in the church as the eternal God, miracles stopped happening.
132. That this is the nature of miracles may be clearly evident from those wrought before the people of Judah and Israel. Although these had seen so many miracles in the land of Egypt, and afterwards at the Red Sea, and others in the desert, and especially on Mount Sinai when the Law was promulgated, yet after the space of a month when Moses tarried upon that mountain, they made for themselves a golden calf and acknowledged it as Jehovah who had led them out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4-5, 6). Again, the nature of miracles may be evident from those wrought afterwards in the land of Canaan; and yet the people so many times departed from the worship enjoined upon them. It is equally manifest from the miracles that the Lord wrought before them when He was in the world; and yet they crucified Him.
[2] Miracles were wrought among the people of Judah and Israel because they were a wholly external people; and they were led into the land of Canaan solely in order that they might represent the Church and its internal things by means of the external things of worship, a wicked man equally with a good man being able to represent. For external things are the rituals, all of which with them signified spiritual and celestial things. Aaron indeed, although he made the golden calf and commanded the worship of it (Exodus 32:2-5, 35), could nevertheless represent the Lord and His work of salvation. Since they could not be led by means of the internal things of worship to represent these things, therefore they were led, even driven and compelled by miracles to do so.
[3] They could not be led to such representation because they did not acknowledge the Lord, although the whole Word which was among them treats of Him alone; and he who does not acknowledge the Lord cannot receive any internal of worship; but after the Lord manifested Himself and was received and acknowledged in the Churches as the eternal God, miracles ceased.
132. That miracles are such can be seen very clearly from the miracles wrought before the people of Judah and Israel. Although these had seen so many miracles in the land of Egypt, and afterwards at the Red Sea, and others in the desert, and especially on Mount Sinai when the law was promulgated, yet only a month afterwards, while Moses tarried on that mountain, they made themselves a golden calf and acknowledged it as Jehovah who led them forth out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 32:4-6). So again, from the miracles afterwards wrought in the land of Canaan; and yet the people relapsed so many times from the prescribed worship. And again, from the miracles that the Lord wrought before them when He was in the world; and yet they crucified Him.
[2] Miracles were wrought among them because the men of Judah and Israel were wholly external men, and were led into the land of Canaan merely that they might represent the church and its internals by means of the externals of worship, a bad man equally with a good man being able to represent; for externals are rituals, and all of their externals were significative of spiritual and celestial things. Aaron even, although he made the golden calf and commanded the worship of it (Exodus 32:2-5, 35), could represent the Lord and His work of salvation. And because they could not be brought by the internals of worship to represent those things they were brought to it and even driven and forced to it by miracles.
[3] They could not be brought to it by the internals of worship because they did not acknowledge the Lord, although the whole Word that was in their possession treats of Him alone; and he that does not acknowledge the Lord is unable to receive any internal of worship. But when the Lord had manifested Himself, and had been received and acknowledged in the churches as the eternal God, miracles ceased.
132. Quod miracula talia sint, manifeste constare potest ex miraculis factis coram populo Judaico et Israelitico; hi tametsi viderunt tot miracula in terra Aegypti, et postea ad mare Suph, ac in deserto alia, ac imprimis super monte Sinai, cum promulgata est Lex, tamen 1post mensem dierum, cum Moses moratus est super illo Monte, fecerunt sibi Vitulum aureum, et agnoverunt illum pro Jehovah qui eduxit illos e terra Aegypti, Exodus 32:4-6. Tum etiam ex miraculis postea in terra Canaane factis, et tamen toties a cultu mandato recesserunt.
[2] Pariter ex miraculis, quae Dominus, cum fuit in mundo, coram illis fecit, et tamen crucifixerunt Ipsum. Quod Miracula apud illos facta fuerint, erat causa, quia Judaei et Israelitae erant prorsus externi homines, ac in terram Canaanem introducti sunt, ut solum repraesentarent Ecclesiam ac interna ejus per externa cultus, et repraesentare potest aeque malus homo quam bonus, nam externa sunt ritualia, quae omnia apud illos significabant spiritualia et coelestia; imo Aharon, tametsi fecit vitulum aureum, ac mandavit cultum ejus, Exodus 32:2-3, 35, usque potuit repraesentare Dominum et Opus salvationis Ipsius: et quia per interna cultus non potuerunt adduci ad illa repraesentanda, ideo per miracula ad id adducebantur, imo adigebantur et cogebantur.
[3] Quod non potuerint adduci per interna cultus, erat causa, quia non agnoscebant Dominum, tametsi totum Verbum, quod apud illos erat, de Ipso solo agit; et qui non agnoscit Dominum, ille non potest recipere aliquod internum cultus: at postquam Dominus Se manifestavit, ac receptus et agnitus est pro Deo aeterno in Ecclesiis, cessaverunt miracula.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: et tamen