self indeed. For in
these words of the prophet, "The truth of God shall compass thee
round about with a shield from the arrow flying in the day," I
understand the arrow of pride, with which the devil tempteth a
man, not in the night (that is, in tribulation and adversity), for
that time is too discomfortable and too fearful for pride, but in
the day (that is, in prosperity), for that time is full of
lightsome pleasure and courage. But surely this worldly prosperity
in which a man so rejoiceth and of which the devil maketh him so
proud, is but a very short winter day. For we begin, many full
poor and cold, and up we fly like an arrow shot into the air. And
yet when we be suddenly shot up into the highest, ere we be well
warm there, down we come unto the cold ground again. And then even
there stick we still. And yet for the short while that we be
upward and aloft--Lord, how lusty and how proud we be, buzzing
above busily, as a bumblebee flieth about in summer, never aware
that she shall die in winter! And so fare many of us, God help us.
For in the short winter day of worldly wealth and prosperity, this
flying arrow of the devil, this high spirit of pride, shot out of
the devil's bow and piercing through our heart, beareth us up in
our affection aloft into the clouds, where we think we sit on the
rainbow and overlook the world under us, accounting in the regard
of our own glory such other poor souls as were peradventure wont
to be our fellows for silly poor pismires and ants.

But though this arrow of pride fly never so high in the clouds,
and though the man whom it carrieth up so high be never so joyful
thereof, yet let him remember that, be this arrow never so light,
it hath yet a heavy iron head. And therefore, fly it never so
high, down must it needs come, and on the ground must it light.
And sometimes it falleth not in a very cleanly place, but the
pride turneth into rebuke and shame and there is then all the
glory gone.

Of this arrow speaketh the wise man in the fifth chapter of the
book of Wisdom, where he saith in the person of them that in pride
and vanity passed the time of this present life, and after that so
spent, passed hence into hell: "What hath pride profited us? Or
what good hath the glory of our riches done unto us? Passed are
all those things like a shadow . . . or like an arrow shot out
into the place appointed; the air that was divided is forthwith
returned unto the place, and in such wise close