igo A NATURAL HISTORY 



on a fudden falls into Extremity of Anguifli ; and why ? Guilt, 

 Guilt . . . ftruck with Horror of Mind for the Effufion of inno- 

 cent Blood ; was arraign'd, and fentenced by his own Confcience, 

 and became his own Executioner: His Guilt was the Wound 

 that bled within, and what Words can defcribe the Agony that 

 made that wretched Man throw himfelf into Hell for Eafe. 



SECT. IV. 



This gloomy Occurrence fell out in the lafl: Year of their 

 Pilgrimage. Ttie Wildernefs thro' which they had travelled 

 abounded with thefe venemous Creatures, but were under the 

 Reftraint of a kind Providence, and not fuffer'd to diflrefs the 

 Camp of Ifrael till now. T>eut. viii. 15. Who led thee through the 

 great Wildernefs^ wherein were fiery Serpe?jts ajid Scorpions. 



Thus, for their repeated Provocations, they were purfued by 

 divine Vengeance to the very Borders of Canaan, 



Just as they were congratulating one another upon the glo- 

 rious Profpect before them, an Army of venemous Serpents in- 

 vade their Camp, and made a terrible Slaughter among them. 

 Little did our firft Parents fuipeft a Serpent in Paradifc, nor If- 

 rael fuch a Vifit from fiery Serpents upon the Confines of the 

 holy Land, the weftern Border of Paradife. 



This Plague in the Camp, was the laft Punidiment Inflifted 

 upon the Hoiifie of Ifrael in the Wildernefs. When they came 

 out of Egypt, it appeared they were about y/A* hu?idred thoufand 

 Men, bejides Women and Children, and a mixt Multitude : Of 

 that mighty Number, none but two, viz. yofua and Caleb en- 

 ter'd into the promifed Land j the reft, for their Unbelief and 

 .reiterated Offences, perifh'd by the way *. 



» Exod. xii. 37j 38. 



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