a sweet poison and a secret thief that robs and destroys them. [1]
ii. The second vice is boasting, whose acts are, to praise oneself, telling of those good parts which one has not, or superfluously exaggerating and blazoning those which one has, or discovering without any necessity those which one should cover. [2]
iii. The third is ambition, inordinately coveting honours and dignities; whose disorder consists in coveting those which one deserves not or in procuring them by evil means [3] or with overmuch affection, having no other end but worldly honour.
iv. The fourth is presumption, presuming great matters of oneself more than one is able to perform, and through one's vanity casting oneself inconsiderately into them.
v. The fifth is hypocrisy, feigning that virtue and good intention which one has* not, to be accounted a holy man, and doing good works to this end with a dissembled goodness.
vi. The sixth is stubbornness in one's own judgment, preferring it before the judgment of others, even although they be one's superiors, in matters wherein it were good for him to subject himself to the opinion of others, not to be beguiled.
vii. The seventh is contempt of others, making small account of them; first of one's inferiors, and then of one's equals, and afterwards of one's superiors, until one come to despise even God himself. For pride, as David says, " ascendeth continually," [4] and begets innumerable other sins, discords, disobediences, maledictions and blasphemies.
3. As I am meditating these vices, I must consider what
