OF SERPENTS. 



the Earth. The firft Sin enter'd at the Eye; the Woman faw the 

 Fruit was good. Thus our Refloration to the Divine Favour is 

 by an Eye to Chrifl:, the Tree of Life ^ but I muft not flrain the 

 Metaphor too far., 



SECT. IV. 



Why was the Cure by a Serpent of Br afs ? I anfwer, not for 

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

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

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

 the blind Man was cured by a Piece of Clay temper'd with Spittle j 

 yoh?i\x. 6. 



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

 par'd to Brafs, which, when polifh'd, is of a moft beautiful 

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

 iintof?2e 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 thzl oi burnijli'd Brafs, becaufe the Serpent of il^o/i?^ 

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

 and fome have faid, that the Sight of the brazen Serpent ought 

 naturally to increafe the Diftemper of the Wounded, inflead of 

 healing it j and that the Almighty, fhew'd a double Efficacy of 

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

 quite contrary Effedl *. 



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 Angular Virtue, that it exerts its 

 Force, asfoon 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 F^r^z^rf^^" immediately vomits |). 



A Certain learned Gentleman of this Ifland, imagines 

 that the brazen Serpent was a kind of Tali/man i that is to 

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

 graven under certain Conftellations, from whence they derive 



C c 2 an 



* Buxtorf, Hid. deSerpente^neo. 

 II Boerbaave's Method. 



95 



