OFSERPENTS. 9 



To thefe I might add the Wafps, that have their Wlnter- 



Treafures in fubterranean Cells, and the Field-mice that know 

 the proper Seafon to gather Acorns, which they carefully hide 

 in hollow Places, (as Mole-runs) in the Earth. Thus we fee 

 no Creatures fo mean in our View, but a Ray of divine Wifdom 

 fhines in their Forefight and Contrivance : When we confider 

 how wonderfully thefe inferior Creatures are conducSled in their 

 Operations, how punctually they obey the Laws of their Creator, 

 how folicitoufly every one propagates his Kind, and makes pro- 

 per Provifions for his Family , it looks as if it were done by fome 

 Principle that's more perfecft than the common Reafon of Man. 

 Neverthelefs 'tis paft doubt, that Brutes of the highefl: Order, 

 and'moft refin'd, are but Brutes, i, e, irrational, audit's well for 

 us they are fo. 



This is call'd hiftinB, a natural Difpolition, or Sagacity 

 wherewith Animals are endued j by virtue whereof they are en- 

 abled to provide for themfelves, know what is good for them, 

 and are determin'd to propagate and preferve their Species. /;/- 

 jliitB bears fome Analogy to Reafon or Underflanding, and fup- 

 plies the Defed: of it in Brutes. The Narrative of R'-oe'^ Temp- 

 tation begins with affirming, "The Serpoit was more fubtle than any 

 Beaft of the Field. And Chrifi recommends the Wifdom of the 

 Serpent, but not without the Innocence of the Dove. 



The Proofs of its Subtilty are not fo obvious ; fome produce 

 fuch as thefe, telling us, that the Serpent Cerajies hides itfelf in 

 the Sand, with a view to bite the Horfe's Foot that he might 

 throw the Rider. Jacob feems to allude to this, in the Bleffing 

 he gave to Dan^ of whom 'tis faid, Dan Jhall be a Serpent by 

 the V/ay^ an Adder in the Path, that bites the Horfe's Heels, fo 

 that his Rider Jhall fall backward* G^n. xlix, 17. But more in 

 Part third. 



SEC" 



