men they most resemble God, who does good to all, Mat. 5:45; there
who are 'seekers of themselves,' Philip. 2:21, and who are 'minders of themselves,' Philip. 3:19. 'They mind earthly things.' Of all these we may say, as God speaks of Israel, 'Israel is an empty vine; he brings forth fruit unto himself,' Hosea 10:1; yea, of all these we may say that light is not more contrary to darkness, heaven to hell, glory to shame, than these are contrary to Christ, and to those precious servants of his who are crowned and chronicled in the blessed Scriptures for their public spiritedness and public usefulness in the world. But,
3. Thirdly, Men of public spirits are rare men, excellent men; of all men they most resemble God, who does good to all, Mat. 5:45; there are none so excellent and truly honourable as these. All the instances cited to make good the second particular evidences this: to which I may add that of Daniel, who was a man of a public spirit, and of that excellent spirit, as that he carried the bell from all the presidents and princes of Darius's court, Dan. 6:3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because 'an excellent spirit was in him,' and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. I might give you many other instances from the patriarchs and apostles, but what need that, when blind nature speaks so loud in the case. Men of public spirits have been very excellent and honourable in the very eyes of all the heathen. Take a few instances among the many hundreds that might be produced. M. Attilius Regulus was a man of that public spirit, that he valued neither state nor life to serve his country and preserve his own honour; he got very much for his country, but little for himself; seven acres of land being all that ever he had. He was a man highly honoured among the Romans.
Titus Vespasian was a man of a public spirit. He governed so sweetly, moderately, and prudently, that he was generally termed deliciœ humani generis, the delight of mankind. He was greatly honoured
whilst he lived, and when he died the people wept so bitterly for him as if they had been resolved to have wept out their eyes.
Curius Dentatus was a man of public spirit, and very victorious. When his country was settled, he was found at dinner feeding hard on a few parched pease, when the ambassadors were sent to tender him a great sum of gold, which he refused, saying, 'He had rather be at his pease, while they whom he ruled over had the gold, than he to have the gold and they the pease.' When some unworthy persons once accused him for keeping back somewhat from the public, he brought forth a wooden platter, and did swear, that it was all he had reserved to himself of the spoils. He was had in great honour and reputation among the people.
'That pilot dies nobly,' saith Seneca, 'who perisheth in the storm with the helm in his hand.'
Aristides was a man of a public spirit. After the overthrow of the Persians, when there was a mass of treasure, gold, silver, and rich apparel, he would not touch it, nor take so much as one farthing of it to himself. He was in high esteem among the people.
Tully in his book of Scipio's dream, brings in a dead father, now in heaven as he supposed, encouraging his son to do service for his country, wherein himself had given him a most noble and notable example, upon a very high consideration, viz., There is a most sure and certain place in heaven for every man that shall procure the weal of his country, either by freeing it from peril, or increasing the happiness of it any way. To hear a Gentile tell of heaven as of a thing certain; to hear him tell of certain places provided there for those that should do virtuously; to have the service of one's country pressed on his soul with so celestial an argument, what matter of wonder and admiration is it!