The seventeenth Character.

* 17. High-minded. Such as are puft up with pride, and even swell'd, like Toades with Poyson. This High-mindednesse is that Pride of Spirit, and Arrogancy of an aspiring Minde, whereby men do con∣temn all others in Comparison of themselves, and centre all their Affections and Endeavours in themselves, being wholly taken up and bu∣sied about their own private and personal Con∣cernments. The† Word imports such a lift∣ing up of the Minde as unhinges Reason, and opens a wide door to folly and madnesse to enter in. So 'tis used by Physicians to signifie Madnesse and Phrenetick Distempers. High-mindedness is a kind of spiritual Phrensy Page  46 and Madnesse of the Minde. Ambition, Pride, and Self-love are the Ingredients of this strong Drink which strangely intoxicates the minde of man, and if it be but mixt with some drams of Popular Applause and worldly Glory, it ordinarily produces this Spiritual, (or if you will, Moral) Mad∣nesse. That famous Mutinist, Masianello of Naples, was not able to bear the new wine of his disproportion'd worldly Greatnesse. What Phrensy, what Fury possest the minds of Haman, of Herod, when they had drunk deep of the Worlds Golden Cup of Glory! The one would sacrifice many thousand Lives to his Revenge for want of the bowing of one mans knee*; the other (to outvy him in the desperate Madnesse of an audacious enterprize) would plant his Engines higher, and attempt to kill God himself, to mur∣der God incarnate†. Man's head cannot beare too great heights, but its presently fill'd with giddiness, and prone to Precipi∣tation. A small ship is soon overturn'd by the windes when it carries too great a Saile. 'Tis then an excellent admonition, that of the Apostle*;

* Be not High-minded, but Fear.

High-minded men are usually very Pusillani∣mous, and low-spirited in the most Noble un∣dertakings. They are but empty Bladders that are thus swell'd with the Wind of vanity.