Speaking of Montanism…

Here’s the description of the heresy by Charles Hodge-

Montanus taught that as the ancient prophets predicted the coming of the Messiah through whom new revelations were to be made; so Christ predicted the coming of the Paraclete through whom further communications of the mind of God were to be made to his people. Tertullian, by whom this system was reduced to order and commended to the higher class of minds, did indeed maintain that the rule of faith was fixed and immutable; but nevertheless that there was need of a continued supernatural revelation of truth, at least as to matters of duty and discipline.

Sound like any Pentebabbleists you know?

This supernatural revelation was made through the Paraclete; whether, as was perhaps the general idea among the Montanists, by communications granted, from time to time, to special individuals, who thereby became Christian prophets; or by an influence common to all believers, which however some more than others experienced and improved.

Again, sounds familiar doesn’t it…

… Montanism … assume[s] the insufficiency of the Scriptures and the ordinances of the Church for the full development of the Christian life; and … assert[s] the necessity of a continued, supernatural, revelation from the Spirit of God … and … the dominant authority of the bishops. Its denunciatory and exclusive spirit led to its condemnation as heretical. As the Montanists excommunicated the Church, the Church excommunicated them.  —  Hodge, C. (1997). Vol. 1: Systematic theology (69–70).

Again, adherence to church leaders as the dominant authority (even above scripture) is precisely the practice of our modern pentebabbleists.  This is why they will follow the ‘bishop’ (curious that even non Roman Catholics attending neither Reformed, Lutheran, nor Catholic churches will call their leaders ‘Bishop’) no matter what his behavior or morals or theological ineptitudes.  It further asserts that since its adherents enjoy the ‘second blessing’ of the Spirit, they are superior to the average believer who has not.

Montanism is alive and well in Pentecostalism.  The historical parallels are plain to see if even one eye is open.  There’s nothing new under the sun.  Not even heresy.