APPENDIX TO THE FIRST EDITION. 11 F the scandal and cruelty of an uncharitable temper have not been describ. ed in characters sufficiently frightful, it must be imputed to a want of skill in the hand that attempted it, for there is no want of lbrmidable features in the vice itself. Perhaps alittle and unknown pen bath not force enough to wage successful war against this mighty iniquity ; and the printer in two or three vaeaut pages, permits the to call in the aid of some great and well -known names : Names who fought against it in their lives; who being dead yet speak, and plead heartily that it may be destroyed. They espoused the cause of charity with a warm zeal, being persuaded that it made a considerablepart of our religion, and the contrary humour was destructive to all that is called christian.- Since this infection is not confined to one party of men, but hails spread itself wide through all christian societies among us, I have taken the liberty in the foregoing leaves to strike at it wheresoever I found it ; and these who hide this venom in their heart still, to whatsoever tribe they belong, let them hearthe words of their dead fathers: Let 'them blush at their own folly, aosl nolonger refuse to be healed. Archbishop Tillotson in his Works in folio, page 217, acquaints us that " ° other-Sects were distinguished by little opinions, or by some external rites . and observances in religion ; but our Saviour pitches upon that which is the most substantial, the most large. and extensive, the most useful and beneficial, the most human, and the most divine quality of whichwe are capable, and that is love." Andpage 126. He declares that " mncharitableness is as bad an evidence, either of a true christian or a true church, as a manwould wish. Damning of men is a very hard thing, and theretbre whenever we do it, the case must be wonderfully plain. And page 364. We should rather be con- tented to err a little on the favourable and charitable part, than to be mistaken, on the censorious and damning side. Our blessed Saviour frames his parables. with it remarkablebias to the charitable side, to reprove the uncharitableness_ of the Jews, who positively excluded all the rest of mankind besides them- selves, from all hopesof salvation. An odious temper, which to theinfinite scandal of the christian nameand profession bath prevailed upon some cheis. tiaras to a notorious degree." Doctor Owen in his Discourse of the Person of Christ, page 222, saith " One christianwho is meek, humble, kind, patient and useful unto all, that condescends to the ignorance, weaknesses, andinfirmitiesof others, that passes by provocations, injuries and contempt with patience and with silence, unless where the glory and truth of God call for a just vindication, that pitieth all sorts of men in theirfailings and miscarriages, who isfree. from jealousies and evil surmises, that loveth what is good in all men, and all men, even wherein they are notgood, nordo good, sloth more express thevirtues and excellencies of Christ, than thousands can dowith the most magnificent works of piety or charity, that is liberality where this frame is wanting in them. For men to pretend to follow the example of Christ, and in the mean time to be proud, wrathful, envious, bitterly zealous, calling far fire from heaven, to destroy men, or fetching it themselves from lid), is to cry, " Hail unto him," and to crucifyhim afresh unto their power." Mr. Baxter in his Christian Directory, part I. page 40, writes thus : " Surely if the very life of godliness lay not much in unity and love, we should never have had such wordsspoken of it as you find in scripture. Love is to the soul as our natural heat is to the body whatever destroys it, destroys life ; and thorefore cannot be for owgood. lie certain, that opinrpm,
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