236、现列举一些许可的例子，不过它们仍符合圣治的律法；纯属世人或严格的唯物主义者就是拿这些例子来确认支持自然反对神，支持人类谨慎反对圣治的。例如，他在圣言中读到：
①最有智慧的人类，就是亚当和他的妻子让自己被蛇迷惑，神却不利用祂的圣治来阻止这一切（创世记3:1-5）。
②他们的长子该隐杀死了他的兄弟亚伯，神当时没有向他发话阻止，仅在事后诅咒他。
③以色列民族在旷野敬拜一只金牛犊，承认它为领他们出埃及地的神；然而，耶和华从附近的西乃山上看到这一切，却不寻求阻止（出埃及记32:1-6）。
④大卫数点百姓，结果一场瘟疫降与他们，导致七万人死亡；而神不在事前，却在事后差遣先知迦得见大卫，宣布处罚。
⑤所罗门被允许恢复偶像崇拜。
⑥继他之后的许多王被允许亵渎圣殿和教会的圣物。
⑦最后，以色列民族被允许将主钉死在十字架上。
在圣言的这些和其它许多事上，承认自然和人类谨慎的人只看见与圣治矛盾的东西；因此，他会利用这些事作为论据来否认圣治；即便在最接近言语的外在思维上不否认，在远离言语的内在思维上也是否认的。
236. We will now list some instances that are illustrations of permission and yet are in accord with laws of Divine providence, instances which the merely natural person uses to confirm himself on the side of nature in opposition to God, and on the side of human prudence in opposition to Divine providence. As for example, when he reads in the Word that the wisest of mankind, Adam and his wife, allowed themselves to be seduced by the serpent, and that God did not by His Divine providence prevent it. That their first son, Cain, killed his brother Abel, and God did not deter him at the time by speaking to him, but only after the deed by cursing him. That in the wilderness the Israelite nation worshiped the golden calf and acknowledged it as the God who had led them out of the land of Egypt, even though Jehovah saw this from Mount Sinai nearby and did not act to avert it. Further, that David numbered the people, and in consequence a pestilence was sent upon them, as a result of which so many thousands of the people died, and that God did not send the prophet Gad to him and pronounce the penalty beforehand but only afterward. That Solomon was permitted to establish idolatrous forms of worship, and many kings after him were allowed to profane the temple and sanctities of the church. And finally, that that nation was permitted to crucify the Lord.
In these and many other instances in the Word, the person who acknowledges nature and human prudence sees nothing but evidence against Divine providence. He may use them, therefore, as arguments to deny it, if not in his outer thought which is closely connected with his speech, still in his inner thought which exists apart from speech.
236. Let me list some instances of permission that are still in accord with divine providence, instances that strict materialists use to justify their preference for the material world over God and human prudence over divine providence. When they read the Word, for example, they find that the wisest people of all, Adam and his wife, let themselves be led astray by the serpent and that God did not use his divine providence to prevent it [Genesis 3:1-5]. Their first son, Cain, killed his brother Abel, and God did not dissuade him by talking with him beforehand, but simply cursed him after the fact []. The Israelites worshiped a golden calf in the wilderness and acknowledged it as the God who had led them out of the land of Egypt, while Jehovah was watching from nearby Mount Sinai and doing nothing to prevent it [Exodus 32:1-6]. Because David had taken a census of the people a plague was sent and thousands of people died; and God did not send Gad the prophet to announce the punishment beforehand but only after the fact []. Solomon was allowed to revive idolatrous worship, and many of the later kings were allowed to profane the temple and the holy practices of the church. Finally, that nation was allowed to crucify the Lord.
Worshipers of the material world and human prudence see in these instances and in many others in the Word nothing but contradictions of divine providence, so they can use them as arguments for denying providence. If they do not do so in their outward thinking, the thinking that is closest to speech, they still do it in their deeper thinking, which is distanced from their speech.
236. Some of the things will now be enumerated which belong to permission and yet are in accordance with the laws of the Divine Providence, by which the merely natural man confirms himself in favour of nature against God, and in favour of human prudence against the Divine Providence. For example, he reads in the Word that:
1. The wisest of men, Adam, and his wife suffered themselves to be led astray by a serpent, and God did not avert this by His Divine Providence.
2. Their first son Cain killed his brother Abel, and God did not withhold him at the time by speaking to him, but only after the deed cursed him.
3. The Israelitish nation worshipped a golden calf in the desert, and acknowledged it as the god which led them out of the land of Egypt. Yet Jehovah saw this from Mount Sinai nearby and did not seek to prevent it.
4. David numbered the people, and in consequence a pestilence was sent upon them, by which so many thousands of men perished; and God, not before but after the deed, sent the prophet Gad to him and announced punishment.
5. Solomon was permitted to establish idolatrous worship.
6. Many kings after him were permitted to profane the temple and the holy things of the Church.
7. And lastly, that nation was permitted to crucify the Lord.
In these and many other passages in the Word he who acknowledges nature and human prudence sees nothing but what is contrary to the Divine Providence. Therefore, he can use these as arguments to deny it, if not in his exterior thought which is nearest to speech, still in his interior thought which is remote from it.
236. We will now enumerate some things that belong to permission and yet are in accord with the laws of Divine providence, by which a merely natural man confirms himself in favor of nature against God, and in favor of human prudence against Divine providence. For example: When he reads in the Word that the wisest of mankind, Adam and his wife, suffered themselves to be seduced by a serpent, and that God did not avert this by His Divine providence; that their first son Cain killed his brother Abel, and that God did not withhold him at the time by speaking with him, but only after the deed, by cursing him; that the Israelitish nation worshiped a golden calf in the desert, and acknowledged it as the God who led them out of the land of Egypt, and yet Jehovah saw this from Mount Sinai near by and did not seek to prevent it; also that David numbered the people, and in consequence a plague was sent upon them, by which so many thousands of men perished, and that God, not before but after the deed, sent Gad the prophet to David and denounced punishment; that Solomon was permitted to establish idolatrous worship, and many kings after him were permitted to profane the temple and the holy things of the church; and finally, that that nation was permitted to crucify the Lord. In these and many other things in the Word one who acknowledges nature and human prudence sees nothing but what is contrary to Divine providence; therefore he can use these things as arguments for rejecting it, if not in his outer thought which is nearest to speech, still in that inner thought which is remote from it.
236. Enumerabuntur nunc aliqua quae Permissionis sunt, et usque secundum leges Divinae Providentiae, per quae mere naturalis homo se pro natura contra Deum, et pro humana prudentia contra Divinam Providentiam, confirmat: ut cum Verbum legit, 1quod sapientissimus hominum, Adamus et uxor, se passi sint a serpente seduci, et quod Deus hoc per Divinam suam Providentiam non averterit. Quod primus eorum filius, Cainus, occiderit fratrem suum Abelem, et Deus non tunc abduxerit loquendo cum illo, sed modo post factum, maledicendo. Quod Gens Israelitica in deserto coluerit vitulum aureum, et agnoverit eum pro Deo qui e terra Aegypti illos eduxit, cum tamen Jehovah hoc vidit e Monte Sinai prope, et non praecavit. Tum quod David numeraverit populum, et propterea immissa sit pestis, e qua tot millia 2hominum perierunt, et quod Deus non ante sed post factum ad illum miserit Gadem prophetam, et denuntiaverit poenam. Quod Salomoni permissum fuerit instaurare cultus idololatricos: et multis Regibus 3post illum prophanare Templum et Sancta Ecclesiae: et demum quod Genti isti permissum sit crucifigere Dominum. In his et multis aliis in Verbo, agnitor naturae et prudentiae humanae non videt nisi quam contraria Divinae Providentiae, quare illis ut argumentis potest uti ad negandum illam, si non in exteriore sua cogitatione, quae est proxima loquelae, usque in interiore quae remota est a loquela.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: legit;
2 Prima editio: milia
3 Prima editio: Regibus