spoken to you to revolt from the Lord your God.” ( Deut. 13:1–5.) In which words two things are to be observed; first, that God will not have miracles alone serve for arguments, to approve the prophet’s calling; but, as it is in the third verse, for an experiment of the constancy of our adherence to Himself. For the works of the Egyptian sorcerers, though not so great as those of Moses, yet were great miracles. Secondly, that how great soever the miracle be, yet if it tend to stir up revolt against the king, or him that governeth by the king’s authority, he that doth such miracle is not to be considered otherwise than as sent to make trial of their allegiance. For these words, “revolt from the Lord your God,” are in this place equivalent to “revolt from your king.” For they had made God their king by pact at the foot of Mount Sinai; who ruled them by Moses only; for he only spake with God, and from time to time declared God’s commandments to the people. In like manner, after our Saviour Christ had made His disciples acknowledge Him for the Messiah, (that is to say, for God’s anointed, whom the nation of the Jews daily expected for their king, but refused when He came,) He omitted not to advertise them of the danger of miracles. “There shall arise,” saith he, “false Christs, and false prophets, and shalt do great wonders and miracles, even to the seducing, if it were possible, of the very elect.” ( Matt. 24:24.) By which it appears that false prophets may have the power of miracles; yet are we not to take their doctrine for God’s word. St. Paul says farther to the Galatians ( Gal. 1:8), that “if himself, or an angel from heaven preach another gospel to them, than he had preached, let him be accursed.” That gospel was that Christ was King; so that all preaching against the power of the king received, in consequence to these words, is by St. Paul accursed. For his speech is addressed to those, who by his preaching had already received Jesus for the Christ, that is to say, for King of the Jews.
And as miracles, without preaching that doctrine which God hath established; so preaching the true doctrine, without the doing of miracles, is an insufficient argument of immediate revelation. For if a man that teacheth not false doctrine, should pretend to be a prophet