44 A NATURAL HISTORY 



or boiling, which makes it harder of Digeftion, than all other 

 Animal Food ; and therefore forbid in Fevers, and other Diftem-^ 



pers. 



SECTION VIIL 



THA7 venemous Creatures have been made Infirimtents of di-- 

 'Vine and human Vengeance^ is mofi evide?2t. The romantic 

 Account given in Antiquity, of ftrange Feats done by apoifonous 

 Breath— does not alfed: the Truth of this Propofition. 



The Antients divided Serpents, into good and evil Mini- 

 flers ; thus the Egyptians looked upon fome of them to be Admi- 

 niftrators of Mercy, and others to be MefTengers of Juftlce. 

 Ofiris^^ one of their Gods, is faid to fend out Serpents, to chaftife 

 Evil-Doers 'f. 



When the Church of i/rj J murmured againft God in the 

 Wildernefs, and cenfured the Condud of Providence, he employs 

 an Army of Serpents as his Agents, to corred the Rebels. 

 Plagues^ and other peftilential Difeafes, were, in old times, reputed 

 to be the MelTengers of the Gods, and commiffioned by them, to 

 execute Wrath upon the Wicked. 



Some of the Heathens had exalted Notions of Virtue, and 

 believed Men of Virtue to be the Favourites of the Gods, and 

 that a vicious Life, being oppofite to the Sandity of their Nature, 

 they could not let it pais with Impunity. 



A N Inftance to this purpofe we have in the Hiftory of the 

 Apoftles, j^cfs xxviii. i, — — — 6. The IJla?jd was called Me- 

 iita. And when Paul had gathered a Bundle of Sticks, and laid 

 them on the Fir e^ there came a Viper out of the Heat, and faftiied on 

 his Hand. And when the Barbarians f aw the venemous Beaft ha?2g 

 on his Hand':, they faid among themfehes. No doubt this Man is a 

 Murderer, thd he has efcaped the Sea, yet Vengeance {^'-^r,^ f if ice) 



fujers not to live- -They looked when he fould havejwoln, or fain 



down 



Horn. Iliad iJ. 

 •JI- ^liam Hifi. Anmaliuw. 



