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[ 1657] Pride in Riches, honours, preferments, &c. the vanity thereof.
A Bladder being puff'd up with a little wind, if but two or three beans or pease be put into it,* 1.1 they make a mighty sound and ratling, insomuch that a good mettall'd horse, which not otherwise afraid to enter the troops of ten thousand armed Men, will be so scared with the strangenesse of the noyse, that the Rider shall be scarce able to sit him; yet if this bladder be but prick'd with a pin, it comes instantly to nought. A true resemblance of such whom God enricheth with his blessings,* 1.2 casting into their bosoms some beans and pease of extraordinary gifts and graces, of authority, honour, wisdom, and the like, with which they make such a ratling, that even valiant hearts are daunted with the sound thereof, and they themselves drawing in the wind of popular applause, begin to swell as big as any bladder with presumption of their own merits; but if their Princes displeasure do but breathe on them, or some feaver or distem∣per seize upon them, this great wind is abated, their Souls are galled with impa∣tience, and they sing their part with those wretched ones; What hath Pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of Riches brought us? Wisd. 5. 6.