An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of…An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of…

Reply. The Complainants do not say that he got his interest, either in ⟨p. 90⟩Magistrates, or Ministers of the Classis, by abusing & corrupting them, but, that he abuseth the interest which he hath gotten in them, to the injury of the Church. 2. Nor is an interest in wise and godly men, an infallible sign of upright walking. Indeed interest in God is a sign of uprightness, as in Noah, Abraham, Job, Moses, Samuel, David &c. Because the Lord searcheth the heart, and knoweth our thoughts afar off: but it is not so in mens acceptance, who, judging by the outward appearance, are often deceived and may be deluded by false pretences. Was not David a wise King? And yet Ziba abused his interest in him, and, by misinforming him, caused him to do an injury to Mephiboseth. The Church, to whom John the Divine wrote, was not destitute of wise men, and of men able to judge: yet Diotrephes so far abused his interest in them, as the Apostle describeth,¹ saying. I wrote unto the Church, but Diotrephes that loveth to have the preeminence amongst them, received us not, wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds, which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words, and not content therewith, neither doeth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the Church. Both those had an interest: the one in the Magistrate, the other in the Church, which they abused. But I produce these examples, not to compare the Answerer with them, but only to show, that an interest may be gotten with wise and good men, without upright walking, and therefore this is no necessary consequence.

Reply. The Complainants doe not say that he got his interest, either in ⟨p. 90⟩Magistrates, or Ministers of the Classis, by abusing & corrupting them, but, that he abuseth the interest which he hath gotten in them, to the injury of the Church. 2. Nor is an interest in wise and godly men, an infallible signe of upright walking. Indeed interest in God is a signe of uprightnes, as in Noah, Abraham, Iob, Moses, Samuell, David &c. Because the Lord searcheth the heart, and knoweth our thoughts afarre off: but it is not so in mens acceptance, who, judging by the outward appearance, are often deceived and may be deluded by false pretences. Was not David a wise King? And yet Ziba abused his interest in him, and, by misinforming him, caused him to doe an iniury to Mephiboseth. The Church, to whom Iohn the Divine wrote, was not destitute of wise men, and of men able to judge: yet Diotrephes so farr abused his interest in them, as the Apostle describeth,