CHIEF JUSTICE COKE. 305 



David to leave Shimei, and call upon God ; he hath 

 some great work to do, and he prepareth you for it; 

 he would neither have you faint, nor yet bear this 

 cross with a stoical resolution : there is a Christian 

 mediocrity worthy of your greatness. I must be 

 plain, perhaps rash ; had some notes which you had 

 taken at sermons been written in your heart to 

 practise, this work had been done long ago, without 

 the envy of your enemies ; but when we will not 

 mind ourselves, God, if we belong to him, takes us in 

 hand ; and because he seeth that we have unbridled 

 stomachs, therefore he sends outward crosses, which, 

 while they cause us to mourn, do comfort us, being 

 assured testimonies of his love that sends them. To 

 humble ourselves therefore before God is the part of 

 a Christian ; but for the world and our enemies the 

 counsel of the poet is apt, 



&quot; Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.&quot; 



The last part of this counsel you forget, yet none 

 need be ashamed to make use of it, that so being 

 armed against casualties, you may stand firm against 

 the assaults on the right hand, and on the left. For 

 this is certain, the mind that is most prone to be puft 

 up with prosperity, is most weak and apt to be de 

 jected with the least puff of adversity. Indeed she 

 is strong enough to make an able man stagger, 

 striking terrible blows : but true Christian wisdom 

 gives us armour of proof against all assaults, and 

 teacheth us in all estates to be content : for though 

 she cause our truest friends to declare themselves 



VOL. VII. X 



