194 A NATURAL HISTORY 



SECT. III. 



T H t s artificial Serpent might (as fome have thought) pre- 

 figure the Meffiah, the Healer of fpiritual Maladies, Many take 

 it for a Reprefentation of his PafTionand Crucifixion : The Ana- 

 logy may be thus illuftrated, viz. The Cures wrought by the 

 Serpent and the Saviour, deriv'd their Efficacy from Divine Ap- 

 pointment. 



If the bfazen Serpent had been the mere Contrivance of 

 Mofes, it w^ould not have anfwer'd the Intention : fo all human 

 In(litutions adopted into Divine Woifhip will be as little avail- 

 able to true Happinefs, {IVho has required this at your Hand?) of 

 that Sovereign, who accepts no Worfl:iip but what has the Sanc- 

 tion of his Wifdom and Will. 



Both Cures were performed by the moft unlikely Means. 

 The Serpent that healed their Wounds, was made of Brafs ; a 

 Prefcription in which there was no Probability of producing that 

 happy Etfe(ft : And where was the promifing Afpedl arifingfrom 

 the Manner of our Saviour's Appearance on Earth ? What great 

 Things could be expedled from a Root of a dry Ground ? How 

 improbable was it that a Perfon fo mean in exteri al Form fhould 

 overthrow the Kingdom of Darknefs, a Kingdom that had been 

 ftrengthning its Barriers for about four thoufand Years ? Who 

 could think that he had fuch powerful Interefl in Heaven, who 

 was of no Reputation on the Earth ? 



Behold here a Scene of Paradoxes ! Patients recovered by 

 the Death of the Phyfician. Upon Mount Golgotha we fee Pa- 

 radife, lofl by the firft Adam, regained by the Death of the fecond 

 Adam -, Principalities and Povt^ers led captives by a dying Man ; 

 there we fee Life reftored by Death, a Crown of Glory purchafed. 

 by an ignominious Crofs. Were the Ifraelites healed by a Crea- 

 ture made in the Likenefs of the Serpent that hurt ? So Men are 

 reftor'd by one made like themfelves. 



How was this miraculous Cure in the Wildernefs obtained ? 

 It was by an ocular View, that is, by looking at the artificial 

 Serpent. None elfe were entitled to a Relief. Thus Salvation 

 comes by Faith, whicft in the prophetick Dialeft is reprefented by 

 looking. Ef, xlv, 22. Lock unto me and be yejaved all the Efuls of 



