2i6 A NATURAL HISTORY 



and Men, and efcaped Death : And this made them fit to par- 

 take of fuch Worihip, as they gave to the Stars. Sanchoniafho 



meant only, that the celeftial Bodies are intelligent, and fee what 

 is done here below, and therefore were to be adored as Gods *. 



SECT. III. 



Adoration ^Serpents. 



The next thing that comes under Confideration is, the War- 

 Jhip of Serpent Sy which is obj'erved thrd all the Pagan Antiquity. 



The Devil, who, under the Shape of a Serpent, tempted our 

 firft Parents, has, with unwearied Application, labour'd to deify 

 that Animal, as a Trophy of his firfl Victory over Mankind. 

 The Conqueft made by the old Serpent in Paradife, and the won- 

 derful Cures made by the Shadow of a Serpent in the JVildernefs^ 

 contributed very much towards making that hateful Creature Ip 

 venerable in the Eyes of fo many Nations. 



God having paft Sentence upon the Serpent, Satan confecrates 

 that Form in which he deceived the Woman, and introduces it 

 into the World as an Objed: of religious Veneration : This he did 

 with a view to enervate the Force of the divine Oracle, the 

 Seed of the Woman. Scarcely a Nation upon Earth, but he has 

 tempted to the groffeft Idolatry, and in particular got himfelf to 

 be worfhipped in the hideous Form of a Serpent, 



The Almighty forefeeing this general Delufion, guarded the 

 World againft it, by infpiring Men with the grea^eft Averfion to 

 that venemous Creature, and yet was the Tempter ador'd in mofl 

 places under the Appearance of a Serpent. If you fay, that Men 

 worlliip other Creatures j I anfwer, Thofe are beneficial to Man- 

 kind, and not fo odious and hurtful as thofe who carry Poifon 

 in their Tails and Teeth. 



How furprizing this ! that a Serpent, a Beaft to which Man- 

 kind has a ftrong natural Averfion, (hould be adord by Creatures 

 of ReafoHy and yet nothing more common, as will appear by the fol- 

 lowing Inftances from Antiquity. 



EGTPT 'wa.s a Country that abounded with Variety of Ser- 

 pents, and where they were generally held in the greateft Vene- 

 ration. The fupremg God was reprefented by them in the Forf/t 



of 

 f Santhoniathd's Phasxician H'lfi. by the Learned Bp. Cumberland^ voi. i. p. 2o,2i, 



