You think it a small matter to be _peevish_ or _ill-natured_ to such or such a man; but you should consider, whether it be a small matter to do that which you could not do, if you had but so much charity as to be able to recommend him to God in your prayers. You think it a small matter to _ridicule_ one man, and _despise_ another; but you should consider, whether it be a small matter to want that charity towards these people which Christians are not allowed to want towards their most inveterate enemies. For, be but as charitable to these men, do but _bless_ and _pray_ for them, as you are obliged to bless and pray for your _enemies_, and then you will find that you have charity enough, to make it impossible for you to treat them with any degree of scorn or contempt. For you cannot possibly despise and ridicule that man, whom your _private prayers_ recommend to the love and favour of God. When you despise and ridicule a man, it is with no other end but to make him ridiculous and contemptible in the eyes of other men. How therefore can it be possible for you sincerely to beseech God to bless that man with the _honour_ of his love and favour, whom you desire men to treat as worthy of their contempt. Could you, out of love to a neighbour, desire your _prince_ to honour him with his esteem and favour, and yet at the same time expose him to the scorn and derision of your own servants. Yet this is as possible, as to expose that man to the scorn and contempt of your fellow-creatures, whom you recommend to the favour of God in your secret prayers. 17. You cannot despise a brother, without despising him that stands in a _high relation_ to God, to his Son Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Trinity. You would certainly think it a mighty impiety to treat a _writing_ with contempt, that had been written by the _finger_ of God; and can you think it a less impiety to contemn a brother, who is not only the _workmanship_, but the _image_ of God? You would justly think it great prophaneness to condemn and trample upon an _altar_, because it was appropriated to holy uses, and had had the body of Christ so often placed upon it; and can you suppose it to be less prophaneness to scorn and trample upon a brother, who so belongs to God, that his very body is the _temple of the Holy Ghost_, 1 Cor. vi. 15. 18. *But to return: _Intercession_ is not only the best arbitrator of all differences, the best promoter of true friendship, the best cure and preservative against all unkind tempers, all angry and haughty passions, but is also of great use to discover to us the true state of our own hearts. There are many tempers which we think _lawful_ and _innocent_, which we never suspect of any harm; which, if they were to be tried by this devotion, would soon shew us how we have deceived ourselves.