AE 706 - Signs and Wonders

AE 706 [1, 2, 3]

"Sign" and "wonder" are mentioned
in many passages in the Word,
"sign" meaning that which indicates, witnesses,
and persuades respecting the subject of inquiry,
and "wonder" meaning that which stirs up,
strikes dumb, and fills with amazement;
thus a sign moves the understanding and faith,
but a wonder the will and its affection,
for the will and its affection are what are stirred up,
stricken dumb, and filled with amazement,
while the understanding and its faith
are what are persuaded and moved
by indications and proofs.

. . .  in every particular of the Word
there is a marriage of truth and good,
and thus also of the understanding and will,
for truth is of the understanding and good of the will,
consequently "signs" there
have reference to things pertaining to truth,
and to faith and the understanding,
and "wonders" to the things pertaining to good,
and to affection and the will.

. . . a "sign" has reference to a prophet,
and a "wonder" to a dreamer of dreams,
because a "prophet" means one who teaches truths,
and in the abstract sense the doctrine of truth,
and a "dreamer" means one who stirs up to doing,
and in the abstract sense
the stirring up from which a thing is done;
this, too, pertains to a "wonder,"
and the former to a "sign;"
for prophets were instructed
by a living voice from the Lord,
and "dreamers" by representatives excited to doing,
which flowed into the affection of the dreamer,
and from that into the sight of the thought,
for when a person dreams
his natural understanding is laid asleep
and his spiritual sight is opened,
which draws its all from the affection.