A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

WE have tried whether the way of Godliness or Ungodliness be the safest. Let us next try which is the Honestest, of which one would think we should never meet with a man so shameless as to make a question. But experience telleth us that such there are, yea and that they are very common: Even in their reproaching of a Holy life, they will join the boastings of their own Honesty; and say, Though we swear or are drunk now and then, and make not such a stir about Gods service and our salvation, yet we are as Honest as these, preciser people, that make more ado, and censure us as ungodly.] As truly and wisely as if a common whore should say, [I am as Honest as these precise people that will not play the harlots as I do:] And as wisely as if a Thief should say, Though I steal for need, I am as honest as these precise people that will not steal.] But yet we have this advantage by these shameless boasts, that still the Name of Honesty is in credit, and the worst men honour it, by pretending to it, while they dishonour themselves by their renouncing the Thing it self and by the impudency of their pretences.

WEE have tryed whether the way of Godliness or Ungodliness be the safest. Let us next try which is the Honestest, of which one would think we should never meet with a man so shameless as to make a question. But experience telleth us that such there are, yea and that they are very common: Even in their reproaching of a Holy life, they will joyn the boastings of their own Honesty; and say, Though we swear or are drunk now and then, and make not such a stir about Gods service and our salvation, yet we are as Honest as these, preciser people, that make more ado, and censure us as ungodly.] As truly and wisely as if a common whore should say, [I am as Honest as these precise people that will not play the harlots as I do:] And as wisely as if a Thief should say, Though I steal for need, I am as honest as these precise people that will not steal.] But yet we have this advantage by these shameless boasts, that still the Name of Honesty is in credit, and the worst men honour it, by pretending to it, while they dishonour themselves by their renouncing the Thing it self and by the impudency of their pretences.

Honesty is nothing but true Virtue, or the Moral Goodness of the Mind or Action: An Honest man and a Good man, is indeed all one: [Greek or Hebrew] or [Greek or Hebrew] with the Greeks; one that is both inwardly virtuous, and manifests it in the cleanness and integrity of his life, in the sight of men. All men for ought I can perceive, would be accounted Honest. This reputation Honesty hath among its vilest enemies, that they approve the Name, and would not appear to be its enemies, till they have put some other Name upon it: While they hate Honesty, and persecute it, they would be called Honest men themselves. And therefore by the consent of all the world, friends and foes, that is the Best way which is the Honestest.