Wesley Corpus

But I deny the minor also: The contradictory whereto, I trust, has appeared to be true. I grant indeed, that these words were more eminently fulfilled in the age of the Apostles: But this is altogether consistent with their belonging, in a lower sense, to all Christians in all ages; seeing they have all need of “an unction from the Holy One,” a supernatural assistance from the Holy Ghost, that they may know, in the due use of all proper means, all things needful for their souls' health. Therefore it is no enthusiasm, to teach that “the unction from the Holy One” belongs to all Christians in all ages. 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 Lord ship first mentioned (p. 11) “the general sense of the primi tive Church,” I presumed you would have produced so nume rous 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 betermed the primi tive 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 apostolic 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 pri marily belong to the Christians of the apostolic 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. 16. Concerning those three texts, John xiv. 16, 26, and John xvi. 13, “I could easily add,” says your Lordship, “the authorities of Chrysostom and the other ancient commen tators.” (P. 15.) St. Chrysostom’s authority I will consider now, and that of the others when they are produced. It is granted, that he interprets not only John xvi.