ſture. What Signifies a Gay Furniture, and a Pamper'd Carcaſs; or any other Outward Appearance, without an Intrinſick Value of Worth and Virtue? What ſigniſies Beauty, Strength, Youth, Fortune, Embroder'd Furniture, Gawdy Boſſes, or any of Thoſe Temporary, and Uncertain Satisfactions, that may be taken from us with the very next Breath we draw? What Aſſurance can any man have of a Poſſeſſion that Every Turn of State, Every Puff of Air, Change of Humour, and the lead of a Million of Common Caſualties may Deprive him of? How many Huffing Sparks have we ſeen in the World, that in the ſame day have been both the Idols, and the Sport and Scorn of the ſame Slaves and Fools? Nay, how many Emperours and Princes, that in the Ruff of All their Glory have been taken down from the Head of a Conquering Army, to the Wheel of the Victors Chariot? Where's that Advantage under the Sun that any but a Mad man would be Proud of? Or where's That Pride it ſelf that any Mortal in his Right Wits, would not find Reaſon to be Aſhamed of? Take it ſingly, and what is there More in't, than an Unnatural, and an Unmanly Tympany, that Riſes in a Bubble, and ſpends it ſelf in a Blaſt? Take it in Complication, and we find a Thouſand Weakneſſes, Iniquities, and Vexatious Cutting Miſeries wrapt up in't. What can be more Imprudent than to Affect Reputation by the Methods of Infamy? To Aſpire to Greatneſs by the ways of becoming Odious and Contemptible? And to Propoſe the Erecting of a Mighty Fabrick, upon a Bottom that will Certainly ſink under the Weight?
The Diſappointments of Thoſe that Build their Hopes in this World upon a Falſe Baſis, fall under Theſe Three General Heads. The Advantages we Value our ſelves upon, may either be Taken from Us; or We from Them: Or, which is much at One, we may be brought by a Thouſand Accidents to loſe the Uſe and Relliſh of them. As firſt for the Purpoſe; they may be taken from Us, by Cheats, Robberies, Subornations, Falſe Oaths, Forgeries, Corrupt Judges; To ſay nothing of Fires, Earthquakes, Tempeſts, Inundations, Inſurrections, and Other Violences without Number. Secondly, We may be taken from Them, by as many Ways as there are out of This World. A Fly or a Hair ſhall do the Office of a Rope. And then for the Third Branch, an Indiſpoſition, a Feaver, an Acute Pain, an Impetuous Paſſion, an Anxious Thought, Impotency and Old Age, ſhall do the Work of Taking away both the Guſt, and the Comfort of them. Nay, the very Loſs of One Pleaſure is enough to Damp, if not to Deſtroy the Relliſh of Another.
But now to carry the Alluſion One Step further yet; It may be literally Aſſerted, that All Proud Men, over and above the Stroke of a Divine Judgment, are Miſerable, even in Themſelves, and that no Circumſtances in This World can ever make them Other. Their Appetites are Inſatiable, and their Hearts conſequently never at Reſt; Whether it be Wealth, Power, Honour, Popular Eſteem, or whatever elſe they pretend to. They Envy, and they are Envy'd. 'Tis Impoſſible for them to be at reſt, without Enjoying what it is Impoſſible for them to Attain. They live Gaping after More, and in a perpetual Fear of Loſing what they have already. The Higher they are Rais'd, the Giddier they are; the more Slippery is their Standing, and the Deeper the Fall. They are never Well, ſo long as Any thing is above them: And their Ambition carries them on to the Supplanting of their very Matters and Makers: When yet by a moſt Ridiculous Contradiction, they lie Effectually, (in