534 JLORD’o discovery of the banians and persees.

But joy is never of long lading, but after the paflage of little time hath its abate-ment ; this the brethren being fenfible of, laid afide the thoughts of their travels, andthe remembrance of their late comforts ; and as men newly tranfplanted to bring forththe fruits of their being in that place, begetting new generations there, that the worldmight be completely populous, and inftructed in their feveral qualities ; by Brammonin matters of religion, by Cuttery in matters of rule and denomination, by Shudderyin matters of traffick and merchandizing, and by Wyfe in the invention of the handi-crafts : of which four calls the world confided ; every one of them living in his feveralquality, keeping his tribe free from confufion or interfering j and thus the worldbecame peopled.

But multitude and concourfe that ufeth to be the nurfe of mifchief, for where thereare many men there will be many evils, and profperity that maketh us forgetful of our-felves, and length of time that render to us the word at our latter endings, began toconfound all goodnefs, and turn every thing out of order: for Brammon grew negle£t-ful of his piety ; and Cuttery grew cruel and full of ufurpation ; and Shuddery grewdeceitful in the weights and balances ; and practifed cozenage arnongd his brethren ;and Wyfe lod his confcience in his dealings, and became a fpendthrift, making theprofits that came by his inventions, but the furtherers of riot and excefs. And as theywere thus evil in themfelves, fo they were evil one towards another ; for Brammondomached Cuttery’s greatnefs, and Cuttery forgot to give Brammon the pre-eminenceof his birth : and, as if his might had been diffident to give him the right of priority*placing all excellency in rule and authority, condemned the dill and folitary fpirit ofhis brother, as unworthy of refpeft and eminence ; yea, prized his own laws and govern-ment before God ’s laws, becaufe they came from Brammon, whom he difedeemed.On the other fide, he pleafed himfelf with the daughter of thofe that difpleafed him ilaid taxations upon Shuddery, and drained the profit of Wyfe’s labours, and likengreat tide, made all run along with his own current, whild they requite his injuries incozenage and griping upon their brethren; in fraud and circumvention. Thefe evilsof example were feeds of wickednefs that no doubt would grow in their poderity. Andthis difiention among themfelves did bode a breach of that fweet harmony that concur-red to the world’s fird conditution.

Wyfe likewife feing Brammon to lofe his refpect, the more to make him defpifed,fought to bring in a new form of religion, communicated to him in vifion, concerningthe worfhip of images, and bowing to pagods under green trees, with other new cere-monies, which frnce Brammon’s book contained not, the difpute was great, whetherthey Ihould be received as canonical; but upon W yfe’s afleveration that they werereceived from God , they were received as part of the ceremonial laws.

Thus, every day prefenting new platforms of wickednefs and fins that made a noife*God grew angry, and the heavens were clothed with blacknefs and terror ; the feasbegan to fwell as if they meant to join with the clouds in man’s dedruftion ; great noifewas heard aloft, fuch as ufeth to difmay mortal wretches ; and thunder and lightning-flafhed from the poles, fuch as feemed to threaten a final wreck to the earth ; but asif the world needed cleanfing of his defilement and pollution, there came a flood thatcovered all nationsin the depths. Thus the bodies had their judgment, but the fouls werelodged in the bofom of the Almighty: and fo concluded the fird age of the worldjaccording to the tradition of the Banians.

Chap*