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the devil's temptation to pride in prosperity is a greater
tribulation, and more hath need of good comfort and good counsel
both, than he who never felt it would believe. And that is the
thing, cousin, that maketh me speak of it as of a thing proper to
this matter. For, cousin, as it is a right hard thing to touch
pitch and never defile the fingers, to put flax unto fire and yet
keep them from burning, to keep a serpent in thy bosom and yet be
safe from stinging, to put young men with young women without
danger of foul fleshly desire--so it is hard for any person,
either man or woman, in great worldly wealth and much prosperity,
so to withstand the suggestions of the devil and occasions given
by the world that they keep themselves from the deadly danger of
ambitious glory. And if a man fall into it, there followeth upon
it a whole flood of all unhappy mischief: arrogant manner, high
solemn bearing, overlooking the poor in word and countenance,
displeasant and disdainful behaviour, ravine, extortion,
oppression, hatred and cruelty.

Now, many a good man, cousin, come into great authority, casteth
in his mind the peril of such occasions of pride as the devil
taketh of prosperity to make his instruments of, with which to
move men to such high point of presumption as engendereth so many
great evils. And, feeling the devil therewith offering him
suggestions to it, he is sore troubled therewith. And some fall so
afraid of it that even in the day of prosperity they fall into the
night's fear of pusillanimity, and they leave the things undone in
which they might use themselves well. And mistrusting the aid and
help of God in holding them upright in their temptations, whereby
for faint heart they leave off good business in which they would
be well occupied. And, under pretext (as it seemeth to themselves)
of humble heart and meekness, and of serving God in contemplation
and silence, they seek their own ease and earthly rest unawares.
And with this, if it be so, God is not well content.

Howbeit, if it be so that a man, by the experience that he hath of
himself, perceiveth that in wealth and authority he doth his own
soul harm, and cannot do the good that to his part appertaineth;
but seeth the things that he should set his hands to sustain,
decay through his default and fall to ruin under him, and seeth
that to the amendment thereof he leaveth his own duty undone; then
would I in any wise advise him to leave off that thing