OF SERPENTS. 195 



the Earth. The firft Sin enter'd at the Eyej the Woman jaw the 

 Fruit was goo J. Thus our Refloration to the Divine Favour is 

 by an Eye to Chrift, the Tree of Life, but I mufl not ftrain the 



Metaphor too far. 



* 



SECT. IV. 



PFhy was the Cure by a Serpeftt of Brafs 1 I anfwer, not for 

 any heahng Virtue inherent in that Mineral, more than others, 

 but to demonflrate his Almighty Power, who can fave by im- 

 probable Means, or without the Application of any Means. Thus 

 the blind Man was cured by aPieceof Clay temper'd with Spittle 5 

 yohn ix. 6. 



Perhaps, this alfo may refer to our Lord, as he is com- 

 pared to Brafs, which, when polifh'd, is of a mofl beautiful 

 Colour, exceeding that of Gold. Revel, i. 15. His Feet like 

 unto fine Brafs. An Emblem of the high Qualities that glitter in 

 him, whofe Nature is divinely fair and glorious. 



Those fiery Serpents, as they flew in the Air, might in Co- 

 lour refemble th^ii oi bur ftiffd Brafs y becaufe the Serpent of A/^(?^ 

 was form'd of Brafs, a Metal that in itfelf is no Friend to Health; 

 and fome havefaid, that the Sight of the brazen Serpent ought 

 naturally to increafe the Diflemper of the Wounded, inftead of 

 healing it ; and that the Almighty, Ihew'd a double Efficacy of 

 his Power, by healing with thofe Means, which ought to have a 

 quite contrary EfFed: *. 



Tho' Brafs in its natural State, may not be propitious to 

 Health, yet when duly prepar'd it is beneficial: The Preparation 

 of Copper has been accounted an univerfal Remedy, and an ex- 

 cellent Emetick, having this fingular Virtue, that it exerts its 

 Force, as foon as ever it is taken : Whereas other Emeticks lie a 

 long time dormant in the Stomach, creating naufeous Anxieties, 

 &c. but a fingle Grain of Ferdigreafe immediately vomits ||. 



A Certain learned Gentleman of this Ifland, imagines 

 that the brazen Serpent was a kind of Ta/ifman j that is to 

 fay, one of thofe Pieces of Metal, which are cafl and en- 

 graven under certain Conftellations, from whence they derive 



C c 2 an 



* Biixtorf, Hili. de Serpente ccnso. 

 (I Boerhaave's Method. 



