I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but I re-read Dr. Cooke’s paper several more times and feel that, while well written, it does not give a fair treatment of the subject. My reason for continuing this thread is not argue in favor of the modern Charismatic movement but simply to suggest that it is possible to go to the other extreme and end up in a dead orthodoxy. There is rich history of Christian testimony to wonderful works of God that most in reformed circles tend to ignore or at least not interest ourselves too much with. I think we should and I encourage the reader to do so by reading such books as Edwards on Revivals or Sprague on Revivals, for example. Anyway, I noticed a couple other things in Dr. Cooke’s article that it seemed to me were a bit distorted.

He stated: “Sign miracles accompanied the foundation of the church. They attested the authenticity of the writers who wrote during the time in which the foundation of the church was being laid. When these writers passed from the scene and the Word of God became the basis and authority for the entire church, then all miraculous works ceased (italics mine). There was no further need for them.”

From A.J. Gordon’s The Ministry of Healing (19c.) and The Holy Spirit in Missions I found the following:

The famous Moravian Count Zinzendorf writes as follows:
“To believe against hope is the root of the gift of miracles and I owe this testimony to our beloved Church, that apostolic powers are there manifested. We have had undeniable proofs thereof in the unequivocal discovery of things, persons, and circumstances, which could not humanly have been discovered, ‘in the healing of maladies in themselves incurable, such as cancers, consumptions when the patient was in the agonies of death, &c., all by means of prayer, or of a single word.’ ” * (Idem, p. III.)

Speaking of the year 1730, he says
“At this juncture various ‘supernatural gifts were manifested in the Church, and miraculous cures were wrought’. The brethren and sisters believed what the Saviour had said respecting the efficacy of prayer and when any object strongly interested them they used to speak to him about it, and to trust in him as capable of all good then was done unto them according to their faith. The count (Zinzendorf) rejoiced at it with all his heart, and silently praised the Saviour who thus willingly condescended to what is poor and little. In this freedom of the brethren towards our Saviour, Jesus Christ, he recognized a fruit of the Spirit, concerning which they ought on no account to make themselves uneasy, whoever it might be, but rather to respect him. At the same time he did not wish the brethren and sisters to make too much noise about these matters, and regard them as extraordinary but when, for example, a brother was cured of disease, even of the worst kind, by a single word or by some prayer, he viewed this as a very simple matter, calling to mind, ever that saying of scripture, that signs were not for those who believed, but for those who believed not.” * (Idem, pp. 405-6)

Thus we have the sentiment of the Moravians on the subject of Miracles very distinctly indicated. And the statements quite accord with their simple faith and filial confidence in the Lord, as indicated in other things.

The following furnishes a very beautiful glimpse into the actual miraculous experiences above referred to:

“Jean de Watteville had a childlike confidence in our Saviour’s promise to hear his children’s prayers. Of this he often had experience. One example we will here offer — A married sister became extremely ill at Hernnhut. The physician had given up all hopes, and her husband was plunged in grief. Watteville visited the patient, found her joyfully expecting her removal, and took his leave, after having encouraged her in this happy frame. It was at that time still the custom of unmarried brethren, on Sunday evening, to go about singing hymns before the brethren’s houses, with an instrumental accompaniment. Watteville made them sing some appropriate hymns under the window of the sick sister, at the same time praying in his heart to the Lord that he would be pleased, if be thought good, to restore her to health. He conceived a hope of this so full of sweetness and faith that he sang with confidence these lines

‘Sacred Cross, oh sacred Cross!
Where my Saviour died for me,
From my soul, redeemed from loss,
Bursts a flame of love to thee.
When I reach my dying hour
Only let them speak thy name
By its all prevailing power
Back my voice returns again.’

What was the astonishment of those who surrounded the bed of this dying sister when they saw her sit up, and join with a tone of animation in singing the last line - ‘Back my voice returns again.’
To his great amazement and delight he found her, on ascending to her chamber, quite well. She recovered perfectly, and not till thirty-five years after did he attend her earthly tabernacle to its final resting place.”

Rev. Isaac D. Colburn, for twenty years a missionary in Burmah, has at my request put the following incident in writing. It occurred in connection with his own work, and the truth of it he declares to be attested by many trustworthy eyewitnesses now living.
A company of native Christians in the district of Thongzai, British Burmah, had assembled on the banks of a pool to witness the baptism of several disciples. The surrounding rocks and hills were covered with spectators, who had gathered from the neighboring region. Near the water stood a father and his son, the first of whom had made himself conspicuous by a most bitter opposition to the gospel, and by most strenuous efforts to dissuade his heathen neighbors from becoming Christians. As the native pastor was opening the services at the pool, this opponent broke in with the most blasphemous interruptions mingled with all manner of obscene gestures and lascivious demonstrations. The preacher repeatedly remonstrated with him; but his words only stirred him to a more flagrant outburst of wickedness.
The father and son now stripped themsel,ves of their clothing and plunged naked into the water; and as the pastor was about to baptize a disciple, the old opposer caricatured the ceremony, seizing his son by the heels, dipping him several times in the water, and pronouncing over him the baptismal formula, coupling the name of the Trinity with the most horrible blasphemies, so that the services were completely stopped.
Standing on the bank of the pool among the company of Christians was a native Karen evangelist by the name of Sau Wah. He had been before his conversion a powerful chief, a noted warrior, and a much dreaded opponent of the gospel. Since he had become an humble disciple of Christ his whole soul and being were given up to persuading his countrymen to accept that Saviour whom he had once hated. With stern and commanding bearing Sau Wah now rose up, and called for silence. Then, turning to the old man in the water, he said: "0 full of all subtlety and mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" Those Christians who witnessed the scene declare that, as he spake, the Holy Spirit seemed to fall on the assembly, with awful power and impression. The disturbers, as though suddenly smitten with terror, fled from the water, and ran up the hillside. But before going many rods both fell prostrate to the earth. At the conclusion of the service the Christians lifted them up and bore them to the village. The father was found to be dead, and though the son afterwards recovered consciousness, the stroke proved fatal, and within a few months he followed his father to the grave. Who can reasonably doubt that here was a direct judgment of God upon the sin against the Holy Ghost? And can we wonder that again the record should be, "And great fear fell upon all the people"?

Again, Dr. Cooke says “As have many others, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reserves his severest attack for the passage in I Cor. 13:8-10. He argues, as have many others, that the word “perfect” refers to the perfect state, and if you say otherwise it is nonsense. It is then of interest to look at the history of the exegesis of this verse.”

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Dr. Cooke quotes Chrysotom, Lange and Vine to show that church history is on his side of interpreting the 1 Corinthians passage to mean the difference between the time before the canon of Scripture was complete and the time when it would be completed. I think it would have been more just to mention some of those in church history who supported Dr. Lloyd-Jones view of it, so as not to give the impression that it was just him and the modern Charismatics who took those verses in the sense of comparing this life to the perfect state in heaven. I just did a quick check in my small library and found that the puritan Thomas Goodwin, Charles Hodge, and Charles Spurgeon agreed with MLJ on the passage, and I assume there were others as well whom we consider “lights from the past.”

Last edited by hdbdan; Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:19 PM.