OF SERPENTS. 



The Cures effedled by the artificial Serpent, derived that 

 Efficacy from the divine Inftitution of that Medium : Had their 

 Prefcription been the meer Device of Rabbi Mofes, that great and 

 valuable End would not have been anfwered \ therefore, fince the 

 Reafon of that Inftitution ceafed, 'twas highly criminal in them, 

 to make any religious Ufe of it. 



It is the divine Impiefs upon Inflitutions that ufliers in the 

 Bleffings intended by ihcm , therefore to hope for Acceptance 

 with God on account of meer human Ordinances, (as bowing to 

 Images^ to the Altar, to the Eaft, and to make ule of Crucifixes, 

 Crofles, holy Water) is to hope for niohat God has never promijed 

 to give. 



N o wonder to fee the brazen Serpent ground to Powder, and 

 the Dud fcatter'd in the Air, that fo no Fragments of it might 

 remain, when Altars of divine Eftablifliment, and facred to De- 

 votion, were intirely deftroy'd, when they made Idols of them : 

 And how a holy and jealous God may refent the Adoration of 

 the Crofs i?t the Popifi Church, I pretend not to predicft, much 

 lefs to determine. This Deftruftion of the brazen Serpent, is 

 reckon'd among the good Deeds of King Hezekiah, becaufe it 

 was made a Medium, and Part of Worlhip not prefcrib'd by di- 

 vine Authority. 



197 



C H A P. IV. 



Ihis Chapter begins with the Original of Idolatry, as a Prelimi- 

 ■ nary to the Adoration of Serpents, under three SeSlions. 



S E C T. I. 



AS introdudory to the Divinity of Serpents, I fhall make a 

 brief Inquiry into the Original of facred Images, and Idol- 

 Worfhip; the firft Period of which is hard to trace. 



Some make Cain the firft Founder of it, becaufe of his early 

 Apoftacy from the true Religion; which is not very improbable, 

 fmce 'tis faid, He -went out from the Frefence of the Lord .... 



He 



