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 (Exod. xxxii 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 (Exod. xxxii. 2, 3, 4, 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.