Heaven on Earth

Fifthly, As you are in public places,¹ so lay out your selves impartially for the common good of all that have interest in you, or dependence upon ⟨image 13⟩you: So did Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel, but above all Christ himself. You are more for the peoples sake, then the people are for yours: Magistrates are Rulers over the persons of the people, but they are servants to the good of the people. As it is the duty of all to serve them, so it is their office to serve all. It is no Paradox to affirm, That Rulers are the greatest Servants. The Ancients were wont to place the Statues of their Princes by their Fountains, intimating that they were, or at least should be, Fountains of the Public good. The Counsellor saith, That a man in public place should give his will to God, his love to his Master, his heart to his Country, his secrets to his Friends, his time to Business. It is a base and unworthy spirit, for a man to make himself the Centre of all his actions. The very Heathen man could say, A Mans Country, and his Friends and others challenge a great part of him. The Sun that is the Prince of lights,² doth impartially serve all, the Peasant as well as the Prince, the poor as well as the rich, the weak as well as the ⟨image 14⟩strong; you must be like the Sun. The Sun of Righteousness was of a brave Public Spirit, he healed others, but was hurt himself, he filled others, but was hungry himself, he laid out himself, and he laid down himself for a Public good. That Pilot dies nobly (saith Seneca) who perisheth in the storm with the Helm in his hand. It is really your praise among the Saints, that you have ventured killing, burning, drowning, and all to save the Ship of the Commonwealth from sinking.

Fifthly, As you are in publick places,¹ so lay out your selves impartially for the common good of all that have interest in you, or dependence upon ⟨image 13⟩