Chapter XV.--We Must Adhere to Those Who Cultivate Peace, Not to Those Who Merely Pretend to Do So.

Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cultivate peace with godliness, and not to those who hypocritically profess to desire it. For [the Scripture] saith in a certain place, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." ¹ And again: "They bless with their mouth, but curse with their heart." ² And again it saith, "They loved Him with their month, and lied ³ to Him with their tongue; but their heart was not right with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant." ⁴ "Let the deceitful lips become silent, ⁵ [and "let the Lord destroy all the lying lips, ⁶ ] and the boastful tongue of those who have said, Let us magnify our tongue: our lips are our own; who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, and for the sighing of the needy, will I now arise, saith the Lord: I will place him in safety; I will deal confidently with him." ⁷