Chapter XX: Section II

The brazen Serpent was a Figure of the flying Serpent, _Saraph_, which _Moses_ fixed upon an erected Pole: That there were such, is most evident. _Herodotus_ who had seen of those Serpents, says they very much resembled those which the _Greeks_ and _Latins_ called _Hydræ_: He went on purpose to the City of _Brutus_ to see those flying Animals, that had been devour’d by the _Ibidian_ Birds.

In _Asiatic-Georgia_, between the _Caspian_ and _Euxine_ Sea, are found winged Dragons, with anserine Feet and venemous Claws; and some of them are fortified with more terrible Pedestals than others: their Wings are generally composed of strong nervous Membranes, which when they walk, are scarcely visible, because of their close Adherence to their lateral Parts[358].

Footnote 358:

Paulus Jovius de Piscibus, cap 23. p. 140.

In the _Atlantic_ Caves, and Mountains of _Africa_, is an infinite Number of these winged Dragons, whose Poison is so strong, that the Flesh of such as are wounded by them, immediately grows soft, languid, and incurable[359]. We read of flying Serpents transported from some Parts of _Arabia_ into _Egypt_[360][361].

Footnote 359:

P. Belon in Johnstonus.

Footnote 360:

Teste Brodæo.

Footnote 361:

J. Leo’s Hist. of Africa, lib. 6, & 9.

These also have been seen in _Florida_ in _America_, where their Wings are more flaccid, and so weak, that they cannot soar on high. _Scaliger_ describes a certain flying Serpent that was four Foot long, and as thick as a Man’s Arm, whose Wings were cartilaginous, or gristly, _ibid._ History accounts for one of these flying Dragons that was killed in old _Aquitania_ in _France_, a Present of which was made to King _Francis_, as a great Rarity of the Kind.

_JEROM CARDAN_ informs us of some winged Dragons he had seen at _Paris_, so nicely preserved, that they very much resembled the Living; they were described with two Feet, weak Wings, a serpentine Head, and of the Bigness of a Rabbit.

Why was the Deliverance of _Israel_ by a Machine made in the Form of a _Serpent_? Perhaps, these serpentine Strokes might be intended as Emblems, or Memento’s of the fatal Wound in Paradise, where Man’s Nature was first poisoned by the Devil, who made use of a real Serpent to seduce our first Parents.

What is moral Evil but the Venom of the old Serpent? A Venom as pleasant to the Taste, as the forbidden Fruit to the Eye, but the End is Bitterness. And what are Incentives to Sin, but delusive Insinuations of the subtle Serpent? And what is Enjoyment, but a pleasing Illusion, which is no sooner grasp’d, but glides away as a Shadow, leaving behind it a wounded Conscience, direful Apprehensions and Prospects.

And what are all sensual Entertainments but so many hot Gleams that portend the Approach of warring Winds and Storms? The Powers of Darkness that excel in Science, know how to regale the human Mind with pleasant Scenes, and how to divert the Senses with delightful Charms; Charms that have no Existence but in a deluded Imagination.

The Cure by a brazen Serpent, might also be to shew, that the Almighty in relieving distressed Supplicants, is not tied to any particular Medium. When the _Israelites_ were poison’d by real Serpents, he heals them by the Image of a Serpent. When he would destroy _Goliath_ the Tyrant, he does it by a Sling in the Hands of _David_ a Youth, a very unlikely Person to encounter a Champion.

Thus God by the Figure of a Serpent mortifies the Pride of _Lucifer_, the old Serpent, by which he acquir’d greater Honour, than if he had sacrificed to the Fire all the Serpents in the Wilderness.

This may further intimate, that Providence may employ the same Kind of Instruments, either for the Display of Mercy or Justice upon Mankind. He who heals and wounds by the Mediation of Serpents, can turn Blessings into a Curse, or enable us to extract Sweetness out of the bitter Cup.

SECT. III.

This artificial Serpent might (as some have thought) prefigure the _Messiah_, the Healer of spiritual Maladies. Many take it for a Representation of his Passion and Crucifixion: The Analogy may be thus illustrated, _viz._ The Cures wrought by the Serpent and the Saviour, deriv’d their Efficacy from Divine Appointment.

If the _brazen_ Serpent had been the mere Contrivance of _Moses_, it would not have answer’d the Intention: so all human Institutions adopted into Divine Worship will be as little available to true Happiness, (_Who has required this at your Hand?_) of that Sovereign, who accepts no Worship but what has the Sanction of his Wisdom and Will.

Both Cures were performed by the most unlikely Means. The Serpent that healed their Wounds, was made of Brass; a Prescription in which there was no Probability of producing that happy Effect: And where was the promising Aspect arising from the Manner of our Saviour’s Appearance on Earth? What great Things could be expected from a Root of a dry Ground? How improbable was it that a Person so mean in external Form should overthrow the Kingdom of Darkness, a Kingdom that had been strengthening its Barriers for about four thousand Years? Who could think that he had such powerful Interest in Heaven, who was of no Reputation on the Earth?

Behold here a Scene of Paradoxes! Patients recovered by the Death of the Physician. Upon Mount _Golgotha_ we see Paradise, lost by the first _Adam_, regained by the Death of the second _Adam_; Principalities and Powers led captives by a dying Man; there we see Life restored by Death, a Crown of Glory purchased by an ignominious Cross. Were the _Israelites_ healed by a Creature made in the Likeness of the Serpent that hurt? So Men are restor’d by one made like themselves.

How was this miraculous Cure in the Wilderness obtained? It was by an ocular View, that is, by looking at the artificial Serpent. None else were entitled to a Relief. Thus Salvation comes by Faith, which in the prophetick Dialect is represented by _looking_. _Es._ xlv. 22. _Look unto me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth._ The first Sin enter’d at the Eye; _the Woman saw the Fruit was good_. Thus our Restoration to the Divine Favour is by an Eye to Christ, the _Tree of Life_, but I must not strain the Metaphor too far.

SECT. IV.

_Why was the Cure by a Serpent of Brass?_ I answer, not for any healing Virtue inherent in that Mineral, more than others, but to demonstrate his Almighty Power, who can save by improbable Means, or without the Application of any Means. Thus the blind Man was cured by a Piece of Clay temper’d with Spittle; _John_ ix. 6.

Perhaps, this also may refer to our Lord, as he is compar’d to _Brass_, which, when polish’d, is of a most beautiful Colour, exceeding that of Gold. _Revel._ i. 15. _His Feet like unto fine Brass._ An Emblem of the high Qualities that glitter in him, whose Nature is divinely fair and glorious.

Those fiery Serpents, as they flew in the Air, might in Colour resemble that of _burnish’d Brass_, because the Serpent of _Moses_ was form’d of _Brass_, a Metal that in itself is no Friend to Health; and some have said, that the Sight of the brazen Serpent ought naturally to increase the Distemper of the Wounded, instead of healing it; and that the Almighty, shew’d a double Efficacy of his Power, by healing with those Means, which ought to have a quite contrary Effect[362].

Footnote 362:

_Buxtorf_, Hist. de Serpente æneo.

Tho’ Brass 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 universal Remedy, and an excellent _Emetick_, having this singular Virtue, _that it exerts its Force, as soon as ever it is taken_: Whereas other Emeticks lie a long time dormant in the Stomach, creating nauseous Anxieties, _&c._ but a single Grain of _Verdegrease_ immediately vomits[363].

Footnote 363:

_Boerhaave_’s Method.

A Certain learned Gentleman of this Island, imagines that the _brazen Serpent_ was a kind of _Talisman_; that is to say, one of those Pieces of Metal, which are cast and engraven under certain Constellations, from whence they derive an extraordinary Virtue to cure Distempers, _&c._ Some impute their Effects to the old Serpent, others to the Nature of the Metal, and to the Influence of the Constellation. This Author therefore would make us believe, that the brazen Serpent cured just as the _Talismans_ cure certain Distempers, by the Sympathy there is between the Metals of which they are made, or the Influence of the Stars under which they are formed, and the Disease they are to cure. Every one may believe as he pleases[364].

Footnote 364:

_Marsham Canon. Chronic._ quoted by _Calmet_.

The Serpent that is always represented with _Esculapius_’s _Image_, and with _Salus_, the Goddess of Health, and often with the _Egyptian_ Deities, is a Symbol of Health, or of Healing, very probably derives those Ensigns of Honour from the brazen Serpent of _Moses_.

SECT. V.
_WHAT became of the brazen Serpent at last?_

I answer, it was brought into the _Land of Canaan_ as a sacred Relick, and religiously preserved among the _Israelites_ down to the Time of _Hezekiah_ the King, as a standing Memorial of divine Goodness to their Forefathers in the Wilderness; but being abused by them to Superstition and Idolatry, as appears by their burning Incense thereto, it was broke in pieces by the special Command of King _Hezekiah_, who, in Derision and Contempt, called it _Mehushtan_, a Piece of Brass, a Trifle, a Bauble, Shadow of a Snake. 2 _Kings_ xviii. 4. May all the Ecclesiastical _Nehushtans_ of _Babylon_, foisted into Divine Worship, from the Rising of the Sun, to the Going-down of the same, meet with the same honest and righteous Fate. In the Church of St. _Ambrose_ at _Milan_, they pretend to keep a _brazen Serpent_, which they shew for that of _Moses_, tho’ there be no such thing now in being. In the Church of St. _Ambrose_ there is a Dragon of Brass on a Column of Marble: Some think it to be that of _Esculapius_, others an Emblem of that in the Wilderness, upon which account many of the Pilgrims and common People worship it. The Inhabitants are very superstitious, and fond of holy Fragments, and pretend to have at the Church of St. _Alexander_, no less than 144,000 _Martyrs_ from the _Catacombs_ of St. _Sebastian_. The Cures effected by the artificial Serpent, derived that Efficacy from the divine Institution of that Medium: Had their Prescription been the meer Device of Rabbi _Moses_, that great and valuable End would not have been answered; therefore, since the Reason of that Institution ceased, ’twas highly criminal in them, to make any religious Use of it. It is the divine Impress upon Institutions that ushers in the Blessings intended by them; therefore to hope for Acceptance with God on account of meer human Ordinances, (as bowing to Images, to the Altar, to the East, and to make use of Crucifixes, Crosses, holy Water) is to _hope for what God has never promised to give_. No wonder to see the brazen Serpent ground to Powder, and the Dust scatter’d in the Air, that so no Fragments of it might remain, when Altars of divine Establishment, and sacred to Devotion, were intirely destroy’d, when they made Idols of them: And how a holy and jealous God may resent the _Adoration of the Cross in the Popish Church_, I pretend not to predict, much less to determine. This Destruction of the brazen Serpent, is reckon’d among the good Deeds of King _Hezekiah_, because it was made a Medium, and Part of Worship not prescrib’d by divine Authority.