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

5. Do you think that a cruel unmerciful man, or a loving and merciful man is the more honest? Surely I shall here have all your voices. He that hateth those that hurt him not, and would kill them, and set their houses on fire, and carrieth malice in his face and speeches, will be called an honest man but by few. And he that is Loving, and studieth to do Good to all about him, will be counted Honest: Why try the ungodly and the Saints by this: No more malicious men in the world then the ungodly. They have an enmity even to the God that made them, Col. 1. 21. and to the Christ that bought them, Luke 19. 27. and to the Word of God that offereth them salvation, and would lead them to eternal life, and hate the Knowledge of the way of life, Prov. 1. 22. They are enemies to the servants of the Lord, and hate the upright that desire their salvation, and would but draw them from their sins, Prov. 29. 10. & 9. 8. They curse those that bless them, and persecute those that pray for them, Matth. 5. 44. The first wicked man that was born into the world, did kill his brother, because his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous, 1 John 3. 12.

5. Do you think that a cruel unmerciful man, or a loving and merciful man is the more honest? Surely I shall here have all your voices. He that hateth those that hurt him not, and would kill them, and set their houses on fire, and carryeth malice in his face and speeches, will be called an honest man but by few. And he that is Loving, and studyeth to do Good to all about him, will be counted Honest: Why try the ungodly and the Saints by this: No more malicious men in the world then the ungodly. They have an enmity even to the God that made them, Col. 1. 21. and to the Christ that bought them,