What Reason does the _Bishop_ give, why the Authority of the Fathers for the allegorical Interpretation of the Evangelical Writings, and of _Jesus_'s Miracles, in particular, is not to be allow'd of? None at all. Does he quote so much as a Canon of the Church, or a Vote in Convocation, or an Act of Parliament, or the consentient Opinion of all Protestant _Writers_ (which are the extrascriptural Standards of modern Orthodoxy) for his Opinion? No. Does he then reject the Authority of the Fathers in all other Cases, as well as in _this_ before us? Nor this neither. He allows their Authority,[376] as they were good Persons and credible Witnesses, "In Testimony of _Facts_; "And about the Observation of the Lord's Day; "And concerning the three Orders of the _Clergy_; "And about the Government of the Church by Bishops; "And about the Books received into the Canon of the Scripture;" But as for allegorical Interpretations of the Scriptures, they are of _little_, and (elsewhere) of _no_ Authority. Who can forbear smiling, unless the _Bishop_ had better _evinced_ the Reason of this Difference in their Authority? If he had rejected their Authority in all Cases, he would have judged more equally and impartially of it. In my Opinion, and I appeal to my _Readers_, whether it ben't their Opinion, that the _Bishop_ had been an ingenuous and plain Dealer, if he had express'd himself about the Authority of the Fathers in this following Manner, saying, "That the Authority of the Fathers is good in _such_ and _such_ Cases as aforesaid; because their Authority is agreeable enough to the present Doctrine, Practice and Discipline of the Church: But the Authority of the Fathers is not good for the allegorical Interpretation of the _New Testament_, because it is disagreeable to our Prejudices, and because their allegorical Expositions of some Miracles, if they should receive such a Sense, will bring Shame and Reproach to our Ministry. Neither is the Authority of the Fathers for Toleration, and against Persecution, good; because it is destructive of Ecclesiastical Power. Nor is the copious Authority of the Fathers against Preaching for Hire, good; because it is averse to our Interests. Where the Authority of the Fathers is agreeable to our Interests, Power, and Prejudices, there will we be for the Authority of the Fathers: But where the Fathers are against us, there will we be against them; and why should we not?" This is the true Sense of the _Bishop_, tho' he is so unhappy as to want the Talent clearly and plainly to express his Mind.