“Dreams have been on one hand superstitiously regarded, and on the other skeptically disregarded. That some are prophetic there can be no doubt......Dreams are of different kinds... . Some come immediately from Satan, and instill thoughts and principles opposed to truth and righteousness, and others come from God and necessarily lead to him, whether prophetic of future good, or of future evil, or impressing holy purposes, and heavenly resolutions. There is often as much superstition in disregarding as in attending to dreams, and he who fears God will escape it in both.”—Clarke’s Theology, p. 404.MIRP 44.4

John Wesley, the apostle of Methodism, says:MIRP 44.5

“‘And these signs shall follow them that believe.’ An eminent author subjoins, ‘That believe with that very faith mentioned in the preceding verse. Even at this day in every believer faith has a latent miraculous power (every effect of prayer being really miraculous); although in many, both because of their own littleness of faith, and because the world is unworthy, that power is not exerted. Miracles, in the beginning, were helps to faith; now also they are the object of it. At Leonberg, in the memory of our fathers, a cripple that could hardly move with crutches, while the Dean was preaching on this very text, was in a moment made whole.’”—Wesley’s Notes on Mark 16, 17.MIRP 44.6

Again, Wesley, at a time of reaction, after extreme views of outward manifestations had grown into fanaticism, says:MIRP 45.1

“The danger was, to regard extraordinary circumstances too much, such as outcries, convulsions, visions, trances; as if these were essential to the inward work, so that it could not go on without them. Perhaps the danger is, to regard them too little; to condemn them altogether; to imagine that they had nothing of God in them, and were a hindrance to his work. Whereas the truth is, 1. God suddenly and strongly convinced many that they were lost sinners; the natural consequences whereof were sudden outcries and strong bodily convulsions. 2. To strengthen and encourage them that believed, and to make his work more apparent, he favored several of them with divine dreams, others with trances and visions. 3. In some of these instances, after a time, nature mixed with grace. 4. Satan likewise mimicked this work of God, in order to discredit the whole work; and yet it is not wise to give up this part, any more than to give up the whole. At first, it was doubtless wholly from God. It is partly so at this day; and he will enable us to discern how far in every case, the work is pure, and where it mixes or degenerates.”—Wesley’s Journal, Vol. iv, p. 49.MIRP 45.2

John Bunyan, founder of the Baptist denomination in England, says:MIRP 46.1

“Though I will not now speak all that I know in this matter, yet my experience hath more interest in that text of Scripture, Galatians 1:11, 12, than many amongst men are aware.”MIRP 46.2

The scripture referred to is the following:MIRP 46.3

“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”MIRP 46.4

In the above, Bunyan very modestly refers to his receiving instruction by special revelation. Again he says he had been in his preaching “as if an angel of God had stood by at my back to encourage me. Oh, it hath been with such power and heavenly evidence upon my own soul, while I have been laboring to unfold it, to demonstrate it, and to fasten it upon the consciences of others, that I could not be contented with saying, I believe, and am sure.” etc.—Bunyan’s Life, or Grace Abounding, pp. 102, 103.MIRP 46.5

Wm. Eddy, a Methodist minister, writing in the Northern Christian Advocate, in 1855, says:MIRP 46.6

“It will not do to say that these gifts were restricted in their bestowment to the apostles and early Christians. All will allow that what Paul says of ‘charity’ or love, ‘the more excellent way,’ in 1 Corinthians 13, applies to Christians in all subsequent time, and yet he immediately exhorts to ‘covet earnestly the best gifts.’ The truth is, the church needs these gifts at this day to battle against error in its various forms. She needs them to preserve in her own mind the idea of the spiritual, the supernatural. She needs them as ornaments to supersede her jewelry. Let her ‘covet earnestly’ these gifts, and there would be less covetousness of worldly riches and honor; less covetousness of worldly display. Take for example, the gift of faith. 1 Corinthians 12:9. By faith here, the apostle evidently intends, something more than justifying or sanctifying faith. He speaks of faith as a special endowment—an extraordinary power of believing against great difficulties and overcoming them—of removing mountains—of casting out devils—of securing mighty results.MIRP 46.7

“We should covet the gift of prophecy. It is a New Testament endowment. See the quotation of Peter from Joel on the day of pentecost: ‘Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy in the last days,’ saith God.”MIRP 47.1

A late writer in the Independent, says:MIRP 47.2

“The Bible speaks of scores of men as ‘holy.’ ‘Well, but those were extraordinary men,’ says one, ‘who lived in extraordinary times. They possessed wonderful gifts.’ So they did. And so may you. Their God is your God. Their promises are your promises.”MIRP 47.3

Henry Ward Beecher says:MIRP 47.4

“What is needed is, that we should take a larger and broader faith, and we shall then have no difficulty with special providences, or miracles, or prayer; but all their problems will be solved, and their mysteries cleared away.”—Views and Experiences, p. 231.MIRP 47.5

Professor Kurtz, D. D., a German author, says:MIRP 47.6

“It can therefore occasion no surprise that the holy Scriptures unconditionally promise that Christian prayer shall be heard, and assign to that faith of which it is the expression, a miraculous power derived from divine Omnipotence.”—Sacred Hist. p. 407.MIRP 48.1

The following is by John Winebrenner V. D. M., founder of the sect called “Church of God.” In contrasting the ancient with the modern ministry he says:MIRP 48.2

“Preachers in primitive times were wonder-working ministers. They had spiritual gifts among them. They not only preached the gospel in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power, but they confirmed it with signs and wonders and divers miracles. These spiritual and special gifts of healing the sick and speaking with other tongues, etc., were signs and demonstrations of their divine mission, and gave great weight and power to their preaching.MIRP 48.3

“Miraculous power, however, was not peculiar to Christ and his apostles. Christ having set this power in the church, many others also had it. (1 Corinthians 12:10-28.) The seventy and the hundred and twenty had it. (Acts 2:4.) Stephen had it. (Acts 6:8.) Philip and his four daughters had it. (Acts 8:6; chap 21:9.) Barnabas and Paul had it. (Acts 14:3; chap 15:12; 19:11.) The Gentile converts at Cesarea had it. (Acts 10:45; chap 11:17.) The Corinthians had it. (1 Corinthians 12:4.) The Romans had it. (Romans 1:11; chap 12:6, 7, 8.) The Presbytery or Eldership had it. (1 Timothy 4:14.)... . Now concerning these spiritual gifts, brethren, God would not have us ignorant, because he has set those in the churches for signs to unbelievers, to make them ‘obedient by word and deed.’ Not by word only, mark you, but by ‘deeds’ or through mighty signs and wonders. (Romans 15:19.) But why are not the gifts in the churches now? Why is not the modern ministry a wonder-working ministry? Is it because God has taken these gifts and powers out of the church; or is it because of unbelief? Are the New-Testament church and ministry to be less gifted and less glorious than that of the Old? Who will dare to affirm it? Who will prove it?” Doctrinal and Practical Serm., pp. 191, 192.MIRP 48.4

CHAPTER I. SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY

CHAPTER III. HISTORY OF MIRACULOUS POWERS