FortosaythatGodhathspokentohimintheHolyScriptureisnottosayGodhathspokentohimimmediately,butbymediationoftheprophets,oroftheApostles,oroftheChurch,insuchmannerasHespeakstoallotherChristianmen。TosayHehathspokentohiminadreamisnomorethantosayhedreamedthatGodspaketohim;whichisnotofforcetowinbelieffromanymanthatknowsdreamsareforthemostpartnatural,andmayproceedfromformerthoughts;andsuchdreamsasthat,fromself-conceit,andfoolisharrogance,andfalseopinionofaman’sowngoodliness,orvirtue,bywhichhethinkshehathmeritedthefavourofextraordinaryrevelation。Tosayhehathseenavision,orheardavoice,istosaythathedreamedbetweensleepingandwaking:forinsuchmanneramandothmanytimesnaturallytakehisdreamforavision,asnothavingwellobservedhisownslumbering。Tosayhespeaksbysupernaturalinspirationistosayhefindsanardentdesiretospeak,orsomestrongopinionofhimself,forwhichhecanallegenonaturalandsufficientreason。SothatthoughGodAlmightycanspeaktoamanbydreams,visions,voice,andinspiration,yetHeobligesnomantobelieveHehathsodonetohimthatpretendsit;who,beingaman,mayerrand,whichismore,maylie。
HowthencanhetowhomGodhathneverrevealedHiswillimmediatelysavingbythewayofnaturalreasonknowwhenheistoobeyornottoobeyHisword,deliveredbyhimthatsaysheisaprophet?Offourhundredprophets,ofwhomtheKingofIsrael,askedcounselconcerningthewarhemadeagainstRamothGilead,onlyMicaiahwasatrueone。*TheprophetthatwassenttoprophesyagainstthealtarsetupbyJeroboam,*2thoughatrueprophet,andthatbytwomiraclesdoneinhispresenceappearstobeaprophetsentfromGod,wasyetdeceivedbyanotheroldprophetthatpersuadedhim,asfromthemouthofGod,toeatanddrinkwithhim。Ifoneprophetdeceiveanother,whatcertaintyisthereofknowingthewillofGodbyotherwaythanthatofreason?TowhichIansweroutoftheHolyScripturethattherebetwomarksbywhichtogether,notasunder,atrueprophetistobeknown。Oneisthedoingofmiracles;theotheristhenotteachinganyotherreligionthanthatwhichisalreadyestablished。
Asunder,Isay,neitheroftheseissufficient。“Ifaprophetriseamongstyou,oradreamerofdreams,andshallpretendthedoingofamiracle,andthemiraclecometopass;ifhesay,Letusfollowstrangegods,whichthouhastnotknown,thoushaltnothearkentohim,etc。Butthatprophetanddreamerofdreamsshallbeputtodeath,becausehehathspokentoyoutorevoltfromtheLordyourGod。“*3Inwhichwordstwothingsaretobeobserved;first,thatGodwillnothavemiraclesaloneserveforargumentstoapprovetheprophet’scalling;butasitisinthethirdverseforanexperimentoftheconstancyofouradherencetoHimself。FortheworksoftheEgyptiansorcerers,thoughnotsogreatasthoseofMoses,yetweregreatmiracles。Secondly,thathowgreatsoeverthemiraclebe,yetifittendtostiruprevoltagainstthekingorhimthatgovernethbytheking’sauthority,hethatdothsuchmiracleisnottobeconsideredotherwisethanassenttomaketrialoftheirallegiance。
Forthesewords,revoltfromtheLordyourGod,areinthisplaceequivalenttorevoltfromyourking。FortheyhadmadeGodtheirkingbypactatthefootofMountSinai;whoruledthembyMosesonly;
forheonlyspakewithGod,andfromtimetotimedeclaredGod’scommandmentstothepeople。Inlikemanner,afterourSaviourChristhadmadehisDisciplesacknowledgehimfortheMessiahthatistosay,forGod’sanointed,whomthenationoftheJewsdailyexpectedfortheirking,butrefusedwhenhecame,heomittednottoadvertisethemofthedangerofmiracles。“Thereshallarise,“saithhe,“falseChrists,andfalseprophets,andshalldogreatwondersandmiracles,eventotheseducingifitwerepossibleoftheveryelect。“*4Bywhichitappearsthatfalseprophetsmayhavethepowerofmiracles;yetarewenottotaketheirdoctrineforGod’sword。St。