2i6 A NATURAL HISTORY 



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



take of fuch Worfliip, as they gave to the Stars. Sanchoniatho 



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 ef Se rpents. 



The next thing that comes under Confidcration is, the Wof" 

 JJnp of Serpents, which is obferved thro all the Pagan Antiquity. 



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

 firfl Parents, has, with unwearied Application, labour'd to deif)"- 

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

 The Conqueft made by the old Serpe?it in Paradije, and the won- 

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

 contributed very much towards making that hateful Creature fo 

 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 Objedl 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 worfliipped in the hideous Fortn of a Serpeiit. 



The Almighty forefeeing this general Delufion, guarded the 

 World againft it, by infpiring Men with the greateft Averfion to 

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

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

 wor{hip oth-er Creatures; 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 whicli Man- 

 kind has a flrong natural Averfion, ihould be ador'd by Creatures 

 of Reafon, and yet nothing more common, as willappear by the fol- 

 lowing Inftances from Antiquity. 



EGTPT \v2iS a Country that abounded witli Variety of Ser- 

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

 ration. The fupreme God was repreftnted by tliem in the Fof-m 



of 



* Sanchaniatho's Phcenician Hiji. by the Learned Bp. Cumberlandj vol i. p. 20,21. 



