Alexander willed that the Grecians and the Barbarians should no longer be distinguished by their garments, but by their manners ; so should Christians be distinguished from all others, by their lives and by their examples ; 2 Sam. xxiii. S, 'The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord.' An excellent lord is always better than an excellent law. Let your laws be never so good, if the law-makers are bad, all will come to nothing. The people's eyes are much upon that Scripture, ' Have any of the rulers believed on him V John vii. 48, &c. Abraham was an example of righteousness in Chaldea, Lot was just in Sodom, Daniel was an example of holiness in Babylon, Job was an example of uprightness in the land of Uz, which was a land of much profaneness and superstition, Nehemiah was an example of zeal in Damascus, and Moses was an example of meekness among the mutter- ing and murmuring Israelites. Above- all examples, Christ was ex- emplary in all piety and sanctity, in all righteousness and holiness, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. And why then should not you be exemplary among those poor creatures, those black angels, — I had almost said, — among whom you walk ? ^
It was the saying of Trajanus, a Spaniard, the first stranger that reigned among the Italians, qualis rex, talis grex, subjects prove good, by a good king's example. So do soldiers, so do sailors, by the good examples of their superior commanders. Such commanders as are examples of righteousness and holiness to others, are certainly high in worth, and humble in heart ; they are the glory of Christ, and the honour of religion.
Fifthly, As you are in public places, so lay out yourselves impar- tially for the common good of all that have interest in you, or dependence upon you. So did Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah,
• The complaint of Seneca is ancient, that commonly men live not ad rationem, but eid aimilitudinem. — Seneca de vila beata. [Sea-marks = %A^ houses. Another Shakesperian word : Coriolanus, V. 3 ; Othello, V. 2.— G.]
* Plutarch saith of Demosthenes, that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of his ancestors, but not so at imitating them. You may easily apply it,
? It was a good law that the Ephesians made, that men should propound to them- selves the best patterns, and ever bear in mind some eminent man. The Arabians, if their king be sick or lame, they all feigu themselves so.
Ezra, Daniel, but above all, Christ himself. You are more for the people's sake, than 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 ser- vants. The ancients were wont to place their 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 man's country, and his friends, and others, challenge a great part of him.' The sun, that is the prince of lights, doth impartially serve all, the peasant as well as the prince, the poor as well as the rich, the weak as well as the 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 common-wealth from sinking.
Sirs ! Be not weary of public work. It is honour enough that God will make any use of you to carry on his design in the world. He is a faithful pay-master ; heaven at last will make amends for all. ' You shall reap, if you faint not,' Gal. vi. 9. I do verily believe, God will make use of you to do greater things on the sea, than yet have been done. The Lord hath now begun to set a foot upon the sea ; let his <inemies tremble. God will not suffer his glory to be buried in the deeps. He is shaking the nations, and will not leave shaking them, till He that is the desire of all nations come. The Lord hath said, ' That he will overturn, overturn, overturn, until he comes, whose right it is to wear the crown, and the diadem, and he will give it him,' Ezek. xxi. 25-27. Till then, there will be little else, but plucking up and break- ing down, Jer. xlv. 4. Therefore be courageous, and follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes. You need fear no enemies, that have Christ the conqueror on your sides.
Sixthly, and lastly. Make it more and more your chiefest woi^k to "make plentiful proimions for the eternal ivelfare of your sovls. Your souls are more worth than ten thousand worlds. .All is well, if thy soul be well ; if that be safe, all is safe ; if that be lost, all is lost, God, Christ, and glory is lost, if the soul be lost^
Worthy sirs. Though others play the courtiers with their souls, yet do not you. The courtier doth all things late: he rises late, and dines late, and sups late, and repents late.
' I have read of one that had rather beautify Italy, than his own h ouse. There is very little of this spirit abroad in the world.
* So doth the sea feed and refresh the smallest fish, as well as the greatest leviathan ; the trees do shade and shelter from heat the least bird, as well as the greatest beast.
' O anima Dei inaignita imagine, despontata fidei, donata tpirilu, &c., Bernard. 0 divine soul, invested with the image of Qod, espoused to him by faith I
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Sirs ! Is it madness to feast the slave, and starve the wife ? and is it not greater madness to feast the body and starve the soul? to make liberal provision for the body, and none for the soul ? Do not they deserve double damnation, that prefer their bodies above their souls ? Methinks our souls should be like to a ship, which is made little and narrow downwards, but more wide and broad upwards. Before all, and above all, look to your souls, watch your souls, make provision for your souls. When this is done, all is done; till this is done, there is nothing done that will yield a man comfort in life, joy in death, and boldness before a judgment-seat.^
Callenuceus tells us of a nobleman of Naples, that was wont pro- fanely to say, ' He had two souls in his body, one for God, and another for whosoever would buy it.^ Verily, they will make but a bad bargain of it, that, to gain the world, shall sell their souls.