This is the fourth and final installment in this series on the presence throughout church history of spiritual gifts and miracles.

Although there is less evidence as we enter the period of the Middle Ages, at no time did the gifts disappear altogether. Due to limitations of space, I will only be able to list the names of those in whose ministries are numerous documented instances of the revelatory gifts of prophecy, healing, discerning of spirits, miracles, tongues, together with vivid accounts of dreams and visions. They include:

John of Egypt (d. 394); Leo the Great (400-461 a.d.; he served as bishop of Rome from 440 until 461); Genevieve of Paris (422-500 a.d.).

Pope Gregory the Great (540-604). His Dialogues on miracles are filled with stories of healings, deliverance, raising of the dead, foretelling the future, etc. “Now, generally, we see holy men do wonderful things, perform many miracles, cleanse lepers, cast out demons, dispel bodily sicknesses by touch [and] predict things to come by the spirit of prophecy” (Stanley Burgess, The Holy Spirit, 18).

Benedict of Nursia (480-547). An entire volume of Gregory’s Dialogues is devoted to Benedict and his miracles, healings, prophecies.

Gregory of Tours (538-594); the Venerable Bede (673-735; his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, written in 731, contains numerous accounts of miraculous gifts in operation); Aidan, bishop of Lindisfarne (d. 651) and his successor Cuthbert (d. 687; both of whom served as missionaries in Britain); Ansgar (800-865), one of the first missionaries to Scandinavia; Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) performed miracles of healing; the blind had sight restored, the paralytics regained use of their limbs, the deaf and dumb were set free, and he casts out demons; Bernard’s treatise on the Life and Death of Saint Malachy the Irishman (1094-1148); Richard of St. Victor (d. 1173), wrote of the contemporary validity of the gifts in 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Dominic, founder of the Dominicans (1170-1221), operated in miracles, tongues, resurrection of the dead, healings.

Symeon the New Theologian was an eastern mystic (949-1022), operated in words of knowledge and wisdom and spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Joachim of Fiore (1135-1202) medieval mystic, regularly experienced visions and prophecies. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231); Bonaventure (1217-1274; signs and wonders and healings), healed by Francis of Assisi (1182-1226; documented in Bonaventure’s Life of St. Francis); Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), widely acknowledged to be the greatest theologian in the history of Roman Catholicism, healed the sick and often experienced revelatory trances; Peter Waldo, founder of the Waldenses (d. 1217); together with virtually all of the medieval mystics, among whom are several women: Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), prophesied and spoke in tongues; Gertrude of Helfta (1256-1301), Bergitta of Sweden (1302-1373), St. Clare of Montefalco (d. 1308), Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) healed the sick; Julian of Norwich (1342-1416), Margery Kempe (1373-1433); Dominican preacher Vincent of Ferrier (1350-1419).

Gregory Palamas (1296-1359), a Greek monk and archbishop of Thessalonica, ministered in healing, miracles, foreknowledge, tongues, interpretation, etc.

Many spoke in tongues: Colette of Corbie (1381-1447), Angelus Clarenus (1247-1337, Clare of Montefalco (1268-1308).

John Hus (1369-1415), who was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415, believed in miracles and often experienced visions and dreams. He is reported to have prophesied as well.

If one should object that these are exclusively Roman Catholics, we must not forget that during this period in history there was hardly anyone else. Aside from a few splinter sects, there was little to no expression of Christianity outside the Church of Rome (the formal split with what became known as Eastern Orthodoxy did not occur until 1054 a.d.).

The Period of the Protestant Reformation

While Martin Luther (1483-1546) certainly objected to the rantings of the radical Anabaptists who insisted they had little need for the Bible because they regularly and directly heard the voice of the Spirit, he was not a cessationist in the manner of those who today rigorously deny the operation of the more miraculous gifts of the Spirit.

While he was hidden away in the Wartburg Castle, following his famous “Here I Stand” speech at the Diet of Worms, Luther wrote this to a friend: “Prove the spirits; and if you are not able to do so, then take the advice of Gamaliel and wait” (from Roland Bainton, Here I Stand, 209).

In a sermon he preached on Mark 16 for Ascension Day, 1522, Luther said: “Where there is a Christian, there is still the power to work these signs if it is necessary” (LW: Sermons, Lenker edition, 12.207). He argued that since the gospel has now spread there is less need for miraculous attestation, although if “need should arise, and men were to denounce and antagonize the Gospel, then we verily should have to employ wonder-working rather than permit the Gospel to be derided and suppressed.”

He also preached another Ascension Day sermon, this time in 1523, and referred to John 14:12 – “Therefore, we must allow these words to remain and not gloss them away, as some have done who said that these signs were manifestations of the Spirit in the beginning of the Christian era and that now they have ceased. That is not right; for the same power is in the church still. And though it is not exercised, that does not matter; we still have the power to do such signs” (LW: Sermons, 12.190).

Luther also prophesied on numerous occasions, such that his friend and colleague Philipp Melancthon called him “Elijah”. In addition, he speaks often of physical healings in response to his prayers.

John Calvin (1509-1564) took a view similar to Luther’s in saying that these extraordinary gifts are allowed “as the need of the times demands” (Institutes, 4.3.4).

Louis Bertrand (1526-1581) spoke in missionary tongues (languages spoken somewhere in the world but unlearned by those who spoke them).

Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) a Scottish Presbyterian contributor to the Westminster Confession, said he knew of men “who have foretold things to come even since the ceasing of the Canon of the word” (he had in mind John Hus, John Wycliff, and Luther).

The Westminster Confession (1.6) speaks of “new revelations of the Spirit” as being subject to the final authority of Scripture. It goes on to say (1.10) that “the supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentences are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures.” The reference to “private spirits” does not reject them but subjects them to the authority of Scripture.

The Book of Common Prayer, published during the reformation in England, affirms the validity of all nine gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Cor. 12:7-11.

We should also remember Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits and author of the Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius claimed to be the recipient of visions and revelations, and spoke often of the gift of loquela (language), which many believe to be the equivalent of singing in tongues.

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) was perhaps the most famous of all mystics. It is said that she was seen levitating during the celebration of Mass (an event that I find unlikely) and received numerous visions and trances. John of the Cross (1542-1591).

Francis Xavier (1506-1552), a famous Jesuit priest, was known to speak often in tongues.

Spiritual gifts, especially tongues, are reported to have been common among the Mennonites, the Moravians, especially under the leadership of Count von Zinzendorf (1700-1760; he spoke in tongues).

The French Huguenots in the late 17th century and the Jansenists of the first half of the eighteenth century. John Wesley (1703-1791) defended the on-going operation of tongues beyond the time of the apostles. One could also cite George Fox (1624-1691) who founded the Quaker church.

John Owen (1616-1683) - “To say God does not or may not send his angels to any of his saints, to communicate his mind to them as to some particulars of their duty according to his word or to foreshadow to them his own approaching work, seems to unwarrantably limit the Holy One of Israel.”

William Bridge (1600-1670) - a Westminster Divine, said: “But, you will say, may not God speak by extraordinary visions and revelations, in these days of ours? Yes, without all doubt he may: God is not to be limited, he may speak in what way he pleases.”

Richard Baxter (1615-1691) - “It is possible that God may make new revelations to particular persons about their duties, events, or matters of fact, in subordination to the Scripture, either by inspiration, vision, apparition or voice.”

John Flavel (d. 1691) - “Mr. Flavel replied that he expected much trouble because of his dream the night before, adding, that when he had such representations made to him in his sleep, they seldom or never failed. Accordingly, they were overtaken by a dreadful tempest.”

Miraculous Spiritual Gifts in the Scottish Reformation and Post-Reformation Period

Those who insist that revelatory spiritual gifts such as prophecy, discerning of spirits, and word of knowledge ceased to function beyond the first century also have a difficult time accounting for the operation of these gifts in the lives of many who were involved in the Scottish Reformation, as well several who ministered in its aftermath. Jack Deere, in his book Surprised by the Voice of God, has provided extensive documentation of the gift of prophecy at work in and through such men as George Wishart (1513-1546; mentor of John Knox), John Knox himself (1514-1572), John Welsh (1570-1622), Robert Bruce (1554-1631), and Alexander Peden (1626-1686).

I strongly encourage everyone to obtain Deere’s book and closely examine the account of their supernatural ministries, not only in prophecy but often in gifts of healings. Deere also draws our attention to one of the historians of the seventeenth century, Robert Fleming (1630-1694).

Additional Evidence from Post-Reformation Continuationists

Menno Simons (1496-1561), founder of the Mennonites, affirmed speaking in tongues and prophecy.

The Camisards (known as the French Prophets in England) stated that “God has nowhere in the Scriptures concluded himself from dispensing again the extraordinary Gift of His Spirit unto Men.” Speaking in tongues, visions, prophetic words were common among them.

The Shakers were an off-shoot of the Quakers, led later by Ann Lee (1736-1784). Although Lee’s theology was misguided in some areas, tongues, interpretation, healings, and prophecies were common among the Shakers. Lee is reported to have spoken in tongues for four hours to a group of clergymen who examined her.

George Fox (1624-1691), founder of what was to be the Quakers (Society of Friends), believed in the on-going revelatory work of the Spirit, prophesied, and spoke in tongues. Tongues were a commonplace in early Quaker meetings, as well as healings and deliverances.

John Wesley (1703-1791) witnessed many physical healings. He wrote: “Yet I do not know that God hath anyway precluded himself from thus exerting his sovereign power, from working miracles in any kind or degree, in any age, to the end of the world. I do not recollect any Scripture wherein we are taught that miracles were to be confined with the limits either of the apostolic age, or the Cyprian age, or of any period of time, longer or shorter, even till the restitution of all things” (The Works of John Wesley, 8:457, 465: CC 103-104).

Space does not allow much to be said about the manifestations of the Spirit and the operation of all his gifts in the lives and ministries of Edward Irving (1792-1834), Mary Campbell (who spoke in tongues in 1830), as well as James and George MacDonald (both of whom spoke in tongues).

A. B. Simpson (1843-1919), founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance described instances of speaking in tongues in India and Africa. Of tongues he wrote: “There appears to be no reason why this gift should not appear at any time in the history of the Church.” A. J. Gordon (1836-1895), for whom Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary are named, declared that “the gift of tongues and of prophecy therefore no not seem to be confined within the first age of the church” (The Ministry of Healing, or Miracles of Cure in All Ages, 53).

One hardly needs evidence of the gifts of the Spirit from the 19th century to the present day, as they are in abundance.