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 VIII. 



THAT vefiemous Creatures have been made Injlnimenti of di- 

 vine and human Vengeance^ is mofi evident. The romantic 

 Account given in Antiquity, of flrange Feats done by a poifonous 

 Breath — ^does not afFeft the Truth of this Propofition. 



The Antients divided Serpents, into good and evil Miniflers; 

 thus the Egyptia?2s looked upon fome of them to be Admini- 

 ftrators of Mercy, and others to be Meffengers of Juflice. OJi- 

 ris *, one of their Gods, is faid to fend out Serpents, to chaftjfe 

 Evil- Doers -f. 



When the Church of Ifrael murmured againft God in the 

 Wildernefs, and cenfured the Condudl of Providence, he employs 



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



Plagues, and other pefblential Difeafes, were, in old times, reputed 

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

 execute Wrath upon the Wicked, 



S o M E 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 pafs with Impunity. 



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



Apoftles, A^s xxviii. i 6. The IJland was called Me- 



lita. And when Paul had gathered a Bu7idle of Sticks, and laid 

 them on the Fire, there came a Viper out of the Heat, and fajlened on 

 his Hand. And when the Barbarians faw the venemous Bea/i hojig 

 on his Hand ; they faid among theinfehes. No doubt this Man is a 

 Murderer, thd he has efcaped the Sea, yet Vengea^ice (J~ix-/i, fuflice') 



fiffers not to live^ They looked when he fiould havefwoht, or fain 



down 



* — — — (JjoaHuv ETTt voiTOL Sajpoivof 

 'ZuSjiSx.X^^, roil p airoq oXiy.Trt<^ ri>l£ (poag (Sf, Hom. Iliad. B. 



f Mlian. Hiji. Anmalhm. 



