172 



A NATURAL HISTORY 



and thus they were tempted to Pride. Unbelief and Pride were^ 

 the two fatal Rocks, on which their Innocence was wreck'd» 

 Thus our firft Parents fell, not for want of Light, but for extin- 

 guifhing it; not for want of Power^ but for not ufing it in the 

 Hour of Danger. 



The Enemy having made his Conqueft, might probably con- 

 tinue for fome time in Eden, to affift the Woman in feducing her 

 Hufband, and then confirm them in their Apoftacy, diredling 

 them,, upon the Approach of an Enemy, to hide themfelves a- 

 mong the Trees of the Garden, where he left them ; upon which 

 he return'd to his Kingdom in the Air, to publifh his fuccefsful 

 Atchievements in Paradife, and was no more heard of, till he was 

 fummon'd to the Bar. 



The Devil's principal Refidence is in the Air, where he keeps 

 his Court, from whence he fends out his Angels to fecure and en- 

 large his Conquefts. Perhaps, he may think it not confident 

 with the Dignity of fo great a Prince to traverfe the Earth in 

 Perfon, unlefs it be upon fome extraordinary Occafions, as that 

 of tempting the firft and fecond Adam, &c. 



The next Thing that offers itfelf, is an Attempt to illuftrate 

 the Cafe between the Woman and Serpent : It feems moft appa- 

 rent to me, that under the Name of the Serpent, we are to un-- 

 derftand the Devil, who made ufe of a real Serpent in his Defcent 

 upon Paradife, where he decoy'd the firft Woman into the fatal 

 Snare. 



I N the Curfe upon the Serpent, 'tis faid, the Seed of the Wo- 

 man fiould break the Serpent's Head ; intimating, the Serpent hav- 

 ing its Heart under the throat, and very near the Head., the rea- 

 dieft way to kill it, is to fqueeze the Head. Some of the Fathers 

 bring four Proofs of the Serpent's Wifdom \ trite and common. 



1. Whe n 'tis old, it has the Secret of growing young again, 

 by ftripping off its old Skin, which is fucceeded by a new Coat i 

 but if it parts with its outward Garments, it retains its Poifon, 

 Herein it is refembled by thofe, who leave the outward A6ls of 

 Sin, but not their fecret Regards for it. 



2. Th E Serpent affaults a Man if he fees him naked, but flies 

 if it finds him cloathed. But there is a Fault in this Paffage of 

 Epiphanius, who intends to ky the contrary; for 'tis generally 



affirm'd. 



