15. There is one topic of your lordship’s yet untouched; that is authority: One you have very frequently made use of, and wherein, probably, the generality of readers suppose your lordship’s great strength lies. And indeed when your lordship first mentioned, (page 11.) “The general sense of the primitive church,” I presumed you would have produced so numerous authorities, that I should not easily be able to consult them all. But I soon found my mistake; your lordship naming only _Chrysostom_, _Jerome_, _Origen_, and _Athanasius_. However, though these four can no more be termed the primitive church, than the church universal, yet I consent to abide by their suffrage. Nay, I will go a step farther still. If any two of these affirm, that those seven texts belong _only to the apostolical age_, and _not to the Christians of succeeding times_, I will give up the whole cause. But let it be observed: If they should affirm, that these _primarily_ belong to the _♦Christians of the apostolical_ age, that does not prove the point, because they may in a secondary sense belong to _others_ notwithstanding: Nor does any of them speak home to the question, unless he maintain in express terms, that these texts refer _only_ to the _miraculous_ gifts of the Spirit, and _not at all_ to the state of _ordinary_ Christians. ♦ “Christans” replaced with “Christians” 16. Concerning those three texts, _John xiv. verse 16._ and the 26. and _John xvi. verse 13._ “I could easily add (says your lordship,¹) the authorities of _Chrysostom_ and the other antient commentators.” St. _Chrysostom_’s authority I will consider now, and that of the others, when they are produced. ¹ Page 15. It is granted, that he interprets not only _John xvi. 13._ but also both the passages in the 14th chapter, as primarily belonging to the apostles. Yet part of his comment on the 26th verse, is as follows. “Such is that grace (of _the Comforter_) that if it finds sadness it takes it away; if evil desire, it consumes it. It casts out fear, and suffers him that receives it to be a man no longer, but translates him, as it were, into heaven. Hence _none of them counted any thing his own_, but _continued in prayer, with gladness and singleness of heart_. For this _chiefly_ is there need of the Holy Ghost. For the fruit of the Spirit is joy, peace, faith, meekness. Indeed spiritual men often grieve; but that grief is sweeter than joy. For whatever is of the Spirit, is the greatest gain, as whatever is of the world, is the greatest loss. Let us therefore in keeping the commandments” (according to our Lord’s exhortation, verse 15.) “secure the unconquerable assistance of the Spirit, and we shall be nothing inferior to angels.”