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[ 549] Magistrates, Ministers, and People, to be peaceably minded.
IT was a good speech of Alphonsus, King of Arragon, That if he had lived in those times,* 1.1 when the Roman Common-wealth was almost consumed with mutuall and civill jars, he would have built a Temple, Iovi positorio, wherein men should have deposited and layen down all heart-burnings,* 1.2 all quarrells, before they entred the Senate: How necessary were such a place for the Magistrates, Ministers, and Peo∣ple of these times? For Magistrates before they come into any places of publique judicature, where they may meet and lay down all private thoughts, all prejudicate opinions, that so Iustice and Iudgement; may be duly and conscionably administred, For Ministers; before they preach in publique, where they may teach themselves the lessons of self-denial, and self-seeking, that so the Kingdom of Iesus Christ may be advanced: For People; before they touch the Mount, before they come to hear the word preached, or to partake of the blessed Sacrament, where they may lay aside all carnall and worldly thoughts, all prejudices of the Ministers and Ordinances, that so the word of God, and the professors thereof be not evil spoken of: That Magi∣strates, Ministers, and People, may be so peaceably minded, that the God of peace may delight to dwell amongst them.