How mad a thing is it then, for any man to be lifted up in pride, upon such a vanity as this is; to build so lofty and over-jetting Roof upon such a feeble, tottering Foundation? We have seen Meadows full of such curio•s flowers, mown down and withered, men of great Estates impoverished suddenly: And when, like a Meadow that is mown, they have begun to recover themselves again (as the phrase is) the Lord hath sent Grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting-up of the latter growth,, Amos 7. 1. Just as the Grasshoppers and other Creatures devour the second tender Herbage, as soon as the Field begins to recover its verdure: So men, after they have been denuded and blasted by Providence, they begin after a while to flourish again, but then comes some new affliction, and blasts all. None have more frequent experience of this, than you that are Merchants and Sea-men, whose estates are floating: and yet such as have had the highest security in the eye of Reason, have notwithstanding experienced the vanity of these things. Henry the Fourth, a potent Prince, was reduced to such a low ebb, that he petitioned for a Prehends place in the Church of Spire. Gallimer, King of the Vandals, was brought ⟨p. 65⟩so low, that he sent to his Friend for a sponge, a Loaf of Bread and an Harp: a Sponge to dry up his tears, a Loaf of bread to maintain his life, and an Harp to solace himself in his misery. The story of Bellisarius is very affecting: He was a man famous in his time, General of an Army, yet having his eyes put out, and striped of all earthly comforts, was led about, crying, Date abolum Bellisario, Give one penny to poor Ballisarius. Instances in History of this kind are infinite. Men of the greatest estates and honours, have nevertheless become the very Ludibria Fortunae, as one speaks, The very scorn of Fortune.
How mad a thing is it then, for any man to be lifted up in pride, upon such a vanity as this is; to build so lofty and over-jetting Roof upon such a feeble, tottering Foundation? We have seen Meadows full of such curio•s flowers, mown down and withered, men of great Estates impoverished suddenly: And when, like a Meadow that is mown, they have begun to recover themselves again (as the phrase is) the Lord hath sent Grashoppers in the beginning of the shooting-up of the latter growth,, Amos 7. 1. Just as the Grashoppers and other Creatures devour the second tender Herbage, as soon as the Field begins to recover its verdure: So men, after they have been denuded and blasted by Providence, they begin after a while to flourish again, but then comes some new affliction, and blasts all. None have more frequent experience of this, than you that are Merchants and Sea-men, whose estates are floating: and yet such as have had the highest security in the eye of Reason, have notwithstanding experienc'd the vanity of these things. Henry the Fourth, a potent Prince, was reduced to such a low ebb, that he petitioned for a Prehends place in the Church of Spire. Gallimer, King of the Vandals, was brought ⟨p. 65⟩so low, that he sent to his Friend for a spunge, a Loaf of Bread and an Harp: a Spunge to dry up his tears, a Loaf of bread to maintain his life, and an Harp to solace himself in his misery. The story of Bellisarius is very affecting: He was a man famous in his time, General of an Army, yet having his eyes put out, and striped of all earthly comforts, was led about, crying, Date abolum Bellisario, Give one penny to poor Ballisarius. Instances in History of this kinde are infinite. Men of the greatest estates and honours, have nevertheless become the very Ludibria Fortunae, as one speaks, The very scorn of Fortune.
