#59 We must adhere to those who cultivate peace, not to those who merely pretend to do so.

By Clement of Rome, from The Ante-Nicene Fathers

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 mouth, and lied to Him with their tongue; but their heart was not right with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant."³ "Let the deceitful lips become silent,"⁴ [and "let the Lord destroy all the lying lips,⁵] 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."⁶