Charles Owen

“ The Serpent having ascrib’d its Reason, and Speech to the eating of that Fruit, the Woman might infer, If this Fruit did turn a Serpent into a rational Creature, why may it not transform a rational Creature into a God, and a Woman into a Goddess? ”

“ So the Egyptians said, that Mice were produced from the Mud of Nilus, and Insects from putrified Matter animated by the Sun. The Principle of this equivocal Generation, was the old Doctrine of Egypt, and now justly exploded, as contrary to Reason and common Sense, as well as to the Design of the Creator in making Animals Male and Female; the End of which Difference in Sexes, all Animals exactly answer, as if they were endued with human Reason. No Woman more tender of her Babe, or careful in providing for it, than Animals are of their Young Ones. ”

“ Scarcely a Nation upon Earth, but he has tempted to the grossest Idolatry, and in particular got himself to be worshipped in the hideous Form of a Serpent.
The Almighty foreseeing this general Delusion, guarded the World against it, by inspiring Men with the greatest Aversion to that venemous Creature, and yet was the Tempter ador’d in most places under the Appearance of a Serpent. If you say, that Men worship other Creatures; I answer, Those are beneficial to Mankind, and not so odious and hurtful as those who carry Poison in their Tails and Teeth. ”

“ But, why does Moses introduce a Serpent speaking, when naturally it was a speechless Creature?
In answer to this, may we not observe, that the Almighty, who has no material Tongue, yet is often introduced, speaking with human Voice in the Scripture. The Egyptians made the Crocodile a Symbol of the Deity, giving this as a Reason why they worshipped God symbolically in that Creature, because it resembled God, in that it was the only Animal without a Tongue; for the Divine λογος stands in no need of Speech; he governs human Affairs without Words, and without Noise. ”

“ READER. The Divine Wisdom so variously displayed in the Works of Nature, even the lowest Order of them, entertains the human Eye with Prospects exquisitely beautiful and pleasurable: As our Knowledge is defective, we are at a loss how to account perfectly for the particular Ends of their Formation, and Manner of their Subserviency to the Whole of the Eternal Design. ”

“ Every Creature is good, and if any Branch of the Creation be hurtful to another, ’tis the Effect of moral Evil, and not any necessary Consequence arising from their Creation.
This noxious Quality in Serpents, is God’s Creature, and must answer some valuable Purpose, tho’ concealed from an Eye blinded by the Venom of Sin. Nor must we forget that they seldom hurt their Fellow-Creatures, but when they are provok’d; and when they hurt, they present us with a healing Remedy, that is, the volatile Salt of Vipers, which if rubbed into the Wound, has been generally applied with Success. ”

“ Nevertheless ’tis past doubt, that Brutes of the highest Order, and most refin’d, are but Brutes, i. e. irrational, and it’s well for us they are so.
This is call’d Instinct, a natural Disposition, or Sagacity wherewith Animals are endued; by virtue whereof they are enabled to provide for themselves, know what is good for them, and are determin’d to propagate and preserve their Species. Instinct bears some Analogy to Reason or Understanding, and supplies the Defect of it in Brutes. The Narrative of Eve’s Temptation begins with affirming, The Serpent was more subtle than any Beast of the Field. ”

“ III. The Cerastes is a Serpent of the viperine Kind; its Head resembles the Cornigerous; it belongs to the Libyan and Nubian Family: Its Teeth are like those of the Viper, and it brings its Successors into the World after the same manner.
Its Constitution is very dry, which refines and exalts its Poison, and makes it more dangerous; the Wound is generally attended with Distraction, and continual pricking as with Needles. Some say, ’tis of a whitish Colour, others arenaceous; it loves sandy Habitations, where it often surprises the unwary Traveller: And all agree ’tis of a most cruel Nature ”

“ LXXX. The Tejuguacu is a Brazilian Lizard, of black Colour, beautified with elegant white Spots, which renders it pleasing to the Eye: Its Tongue is long and cloven, smooth and red. ’Tis a little Creature, and moves its little Body with great Celerity; is patient in Want, and will for six or seven Moons, live without any kind of Sustenance, but Air, the Fluid in which we all breathe. ”

“ Now, what is it that makes the great Character, but Knowledge in all its diversity, a Sollicitousness for the Spread of Arts and Sciences, excelling in one’s particular Station of Life, and being divinely forward to all the high Offices of Humanity? ”

“ Thus we see no Creatures so mean in our View, but a Ray of divine Wisdom shines in their Foresight and Contrivance: When we consider how wonderfully these inferior Creatures are conducted in their Operations, how punctually they obey the Laws of their Creator, how solicitously every one propagates his Kind, and makes proper Provisions for his Family ”

“ The sovereign Lord of the Creation made over to Adam large Dominions, and the Mannour of Paradise for the Seat of his Empire, reserving nothing to himself but a small Rent of Acknowledgment, which was only the Fruit of one Tree. ”

“ So in the Moral World. Even in the Paradisaical State, how malignant the Poison of forbidden Fruit that spread Mortality over the whole human Race, and will affect Millions; dreadful Effects of once eating forbidden Fruit! ”

“ 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. ”

“ However, by Observation and Improvements in Natural Philosophy, we are assured thus far; that as the Almighty Creator made nothing in vain, so all his Works are good, and admirably fitted to answer the Purposes of his Will, and that his Wisdom, like his tender Mercies, shines through all the Systems of his Creatures. ”

“ LVIII. SERPENS Indicus Coronatus, an Indian Serpent, that makes its Appearance with a crowned Head, which it holds up on high, as if proud of the Honour. This is an Emblem of Pride, that Dropsy of the Mind; to yield to its Thirst, is to swallow the Bait, that turned the Seraph into a Devil.
The Remedy used by the Indians for its Wounds, is what they call the Serpent-Stone, which, according to Thevenot and others, is an artificial Composition, and not taken out of this Serpent’s Head. ”

“ And perhaps when Angels, the Messengers of Heaven, conversed with Adam and Eve, it might be in the Shape of flying speaking Serpents. Without allowing this mutual Intercourse, and former Familiarity, we can’t well suppose that our first Parents, tho’ not furnish’d with so much Knowledge as is usually ascribed to them, would be conquer’d by a Demon in the Shape of a Serpent, which naturally is a Beast of the Field, and known to be so by Adam, who, but a little before, had enrolled it among his Subjects, and given it a significant Name. ”

“ The poor People they burnt in their Houses, and dash’d out the Brains of their Children: Those that were spared, they forced to carry greater Burdens than they were able to bear, by which thousands of them were destroy’d: Others who escap’d, died of Famine in the Woods, after they had kill’d their own Wives and Children, and eat them for hunger. In this one Province they murder’d above two Millions of Men, not sparing those of Quality, who had civilly entertain’d them. They tortured the Natives with the most hellish Inventions, to make them discover their Gold. ”

“ Sleep is the Nurse of Nature, a Nurse that greatly indulges the animal Spirits, and, by arresting voluntary Motion, prevents their daily Consumption, and, at the same time, allows the perpetual Motion of the Arteries, Veins, Heart. We know but little of the real peculiar Nature of what we call Air, only that it is the most heterogeneous Body in the World, a kind of secondary Chaos, being a Compound of minute Particles of various Kinds, Earth, Water, Minerals, Vegetables, Animals, &c. ”

“ Ceylon in the East-Indies produces several sorts of remarkable Ants, particularly a large red kind, which make their Nests on the Boughs of great Trees, with Leaves wrapt together in Clusters, in which they lay their Eggs: And another sort call’d Vacos, whose Hinder-part is white, and the Head red; these swarm over the Land and devour every thing, but Stone and Iron: They creep on House-walls, and always build an Arch over themselves; on these their Poultry live chiefly; some of them bite desperately. ”

“ The next thing that comes under Consideration is, the Worship of Serpents, which is observed thro’ all the Pagan Antiquity. The Devil, who, under the Shape of a Serpent, tempted our first Parents, has, with unwearied Application, labour’d to deify that Animal, as a Trophy of his first Victory over Mankind. The Conquest made by the old Serpent in Paradise, and the wonderful Cures made by the Shadow of a Serpent in the Wilderness, contributed very much towards making that hateful Creature so venerable in the Eyes of so many Nations. ”

“ Among the Minerals known to us, there are many more noxious than wholesome and the Power of the former to do mischief, is more efficacious than the Power of the latter to do good; which is evident from the little Benefit the Miner’s Health receives from any mineral Effluvia, compar’d with the great and sudden Damps, that are often caused by the Expirations of Orpiment, Sandarac, and white Arsenic, which is a deadly Poison, and most fatal of the whole Tribe of Fossils. ”

“ No living Creature more nimble in Motion, or a greater Enemy to Mice, for it leaves not one of that Vermin alive, wherever it comes. This Serpent kills the Rattle-Snake, by twisting its Head about the Neck of that Snake, and whipping her to death with its Tail.
This Serpent very much haunts Dairy-houses in those Countries, and makes very free with unguarded Milk-Pans, and Cream-Pots: It delights to be among Hens, whose Eggs it does not suck, but swallows them whole, as all Snakes do their Sustenance. ”

“ But ’tis most probable, that the royal Stile is given to this Serpent, because of its majestic Pace, which seems to be attended with an Air of Grandeur and Authority. It does not, like other Serpents, creep on the Earth; which if it did, the sight of it would not be frightful, but moving about, in a sort of an erect Posture, it looks like a Creature of another Species, therefore they conclude ’tis an Enemy. Serpents are for Uniformity, therefore can’t endure those that differ from them in the Mode of Motion. ”

“ Happy are the Times, when Knowledge is the study of those who have superior Abilities for it: Happy therefore is the present Age, that has you, among many other Learned, so eminent an Encourager of it.
Tho’ elevated Minds direct all their concern to what they should be, and not to any Applause for what they really are ”

“ SATAN, who conducted the War in Eden, display’d his Art under the Form of a Serpent, which Moses represents as a Creature of superior Wisdom, and Illuminator of Mankind. Now the Tradition, that the first Serpent had not only the Gift of speaking, but of communicating Science, and had held a Conference with the first Woman, to the vast Increase of her Knowledge, might at last swell to such a degree, that ignorant People might attribute to that Serpent, and her Race, a kind of Divinity ”

“ The Persians had no Temples, Altars, nor Images, holding such little Things improper for the high Gods. Therefore they worshipp’d upon the Top of Hills, where they offer’d Sacrifices to the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The Babylonians adored the Sun, to which the King offer’d every Day a white Horse richly furnish’d: The Sun was in high Esteem among the Phenicians, whose Priests were crown’d with Gold. The Tartars and Cathaians worship the Sun, and Stars, to which they offer the first Fruits of their Meat every Morning before they eat and drink themselves. ”

“ Nothing so constituted in Nature, but a superficial Observer may construe as a Blemish to the Creation; but to a more penetrating Eye, those imaginary Blemishes have their Convenience and Use, and appear to be the Product of perfect Intelligence and Wisdom. ”

“ I answer, this is so far from derogating from divine Wisdom and Goodness, that it is an admirable Instance and Illustration of both; for were our olfactory Nerves susceptible of such quick Sensations as Dogs and some other Animals, we shou’d be continually annoy’d with pestiferous Fumes and Exhalations, so as not only to render most Situations troublesome, but even Life it self miserable and wretched. ”

“ By this curious Articulation of the Joints, they can turn and wind their Bodies any way without any difficulty.
The Outside of their Skin is a most elegant Composition: to a common Eye, their Tegument has a rugged uneven Aspect; but, to a proper Judge, the Scales of Vipers are found to be a most exquisite Piece of Mechanism; the Symmetry of the whole is geometrically exact, and vastly beautiful; not imitable by human Skill: Some of them are guarded by a coverture not penetrable by a human Arm, which is their Security in a perilous Situation ”

“ A famous Serpent called Cheieu, (probably Guardian of that Tree) perceiving the Secret was discover’d by the Gods of the second Rank, was so enraged, that it scatter’d a Flood of Poison over the Plain. All the Earth felt the fatal Effects, and no Man escaped the Infection: But the God Chiven, took pity on the human Nature, appear’d in the Shape of Man, and swallow’d all the mortal Poison, wherewith the malicious Serpent had infected the Universe.... ”

“ Insects have been seen through a Microscope to eat some Particles of Dust, and reject many others, having accurate Organs of Sight, Smelling, and Feeling, as well accommodated to Dust, as the Organs of Ducks and Hogs are to find their Food in Dirt.
And here it may be observed, that what the Serpent does through a Necessity from the Divine Sentence, the earthly Man does from his own Will; the Serpent only by the Will of another, Man eats it from his own Inclination to it ”

“ The Creation is, as it were, a Poem in the Sublime: Every Species of created Beings is a Stanza, and every individual Creature, a Verse in it, as a certain learned Divine expresses it. Creation here is not stiled εργον, which is a Work of manual Labor, but ποιημα [333] , a Work of Skill; not so much the Operation of the Hand, as of the Head and Heart: No Creature so small and mean, but glitters with a Beam of divine Skill. ”

“ He adds, the Curse of the Serpent is not only to go upon its Breast, but, and thou shalt go upon thy Belly. q. d. “Since Pleasure was thy Desire, let the Pleasure of the Earth enter into it. The Belly, says the Allegorizer, is the Receptacle of most Pleasures of the Animal Kind.” Creatures that go upon four Feet, or more, are deem’d impure; and such is he, who is a Lover of terrene Pleasures; such a Person may be said, always to go upon his Belly, because he studies nothing more than its Gratification. Pleasure indeed, is attended with a Train of Allurements and Charms. ”

“ Some have made this Tree of Life a Representation of Christ, and if so, here, as in a Glass, darkly Man saw his Saviour before he stood in need of him: The Tree of Life planted in the midst of Paradise, was to preserve Adam’s Life, and without doubt had done so, if he had not rebelled. According to a Learned Jew, the Tree of Life represents Piety ”

“ The King of Calicut (in the East-Indies, the most powerful of all the Malabar Princes) causes little Cottages to be erected for sacred Serpents, to guard them against the Inclemency of the Weather, and ’tis made Death to hurt them, being they are look’d upon as heavenly Spirits; and they believe them to be such for this Reason, because they kill Men so suddenly by the Wound they give, which is only a little Puncture, and would not prove fatal if given by other Creatures. ”

“ They also ador’d the Gods of Health, Love, Fear, Pain, Indignation, Shame, Renown, Prudence, Art, Science, Fidelity, Liberty, Money, War, Peace, Victory....
Thus we have seen, that nothing more common among Pagans, than to place Men among the Number of Deities; yea, some of them would not wait for their Deification till Death. Thus Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, procured his Image to be worshipped while he was living. Thus Augustus had Altars erected and Sacrifices offered to him while alive. He had Priests called Augustales, and Temples at Lyons, and several other Places. ”