still more venomous, broke out. No sooner were the ravages of
the enemy checked, than the island was deluged with a most
extraordinary plenty of all things, greater than was before known,
and with it grew up every kind of luxury and licentiousness. It
grew with so firm a root, that one might truly say of it, "Such
fornication is heard of among you, as never was known the like
among the Gentiles." But besides this vice, there arose also
every other, to which human nature is liable and in particular
that hatred of truth, together with her supporters, which still
at present destroys every thing good in the island; the love of
falsehood, together with its inventors, the reception of crime
in the place of virtue, the respect shown to wickedness rather
than goodness, the love of darkness instead of the sun, the
admission of Satan as an angel of light. Kings were anointed,
not according to god's ordinance, but such as showed themselves
more cruel than the rest; and soon after, they were put to death
by those who had elected them, without any inquiry into their
merits, but because others still more cruel were chosen to succeed
them. If any one of these was of a milder nature than the rest,
or in any way more regardful of the truth, he was looked upon
as the ruiner of the country, every body cast a dart at him, and
they valued things alike whether pleasing or displeasing to God,
unless it so happened that what displeased him was pleasing to
themselves. So that the words of the prophet, addressed to the
people of old, might well be applied to our own countrymen:
"Children without a law, have ye left God and provoked to anger
the holy one of Israel?* Why will ye still inquire, adding
iniquity? Every head is languid and every heart is sad; from the
sole of the foot to the crown, there is no health in him." And
thus they did all things contrary to their salvation, as if no