CHAPTER V.. Contents.

CONTENTS.

Reasons for worshipping Serpents, seem to rise from Misapplication of some Scripture Passages: But especially, 1. From the Triumphs of the Paradisaic Serpent. Pagan History from Moses. In the primitive Church, a Sect of Christians worship’d Serpents, and said the Serpent in Paradise was a good Creature. 2. From the miraculous Cures done by the brazen Serpent. Alexander affected the Honour of being begot by a Serpent, ador’d as a God, by a Decree of the Priests.

WHAT Reason can be assigned for giving religious Worship to Serpents? I answer,

It is no easy Matter to find out the Original of Pagan Idolatry, having no authentick Records of those remote Times, therefore Conjectures, or nothing must content the honest Enquirer: Something may be offer’d, without going beyond our Depth. Before I proceed, it may be proper to observe, viz. That Knowledge sprung from the Sons of Noah, who doubtless instructed their Successors in the History of the Creation, the Conquest of Paradise by a Serpent, that introduced the Knowledge of Good and Evil upon Earth.

Those whom we call Heathens, at first were Members of the true Church; the further Men went from the Spring, the Streams grew more muddy, and strange Constructions were put upon the History of Adam and Eve, Noah, and his Progeny, which in process of Time was metamorphosed into a Narrative of Fooleries and fabulous Gods.

So the Mosaick History of their Travels thro’ the Wilderness, and the Promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai, were strange and stupendous Events, that soon spread over the Nations in some Shape or other.

In the Phœnician Theology, we find the Creation described, almost in the Terms used by Moses. Diodorus Siculus says, the Antients liv’d upon Roots and Fruits. The Phœnician Records mention Ujoris, i. e. Adam, the first that wore Garments made of Animal Skins. The Vulcan of the Heathen was the Tubal-cain of Moses, (Gen. iv. 22.) the first Artificer in Brass and Iron: Plato’s Atlanticus is a Fable founded upon the History of Noah’s Flood: The Fable of the Giants storming Heaven, is taken from the Builders of the Tower of Babel, as before: Yea, says a Learned Father (after Numenius, the celebrated Pythagorean and Platonist) what is Plato but Moses in an Athenian Dress? But to be more particular,

Footnote 419:

Τι γαρ εστι Πλατων η Μωσης αττικιζων. Quid enim est Plato, nisi Moses qui loquitur Atticè? Or, Quid enim aliud est Plato, quam Moses Atticissans? Clementis Alexandrini Opera, Strom. lib 1. Coloniæ p. 342.

1. 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; and for this Reason also, because in the Perfections of the Mind she exceeded our first Parents, who being constituted Governors of the Earth, must be supposed to be furnish’d with extraordinary Accomplishments: But, says Tradition, here is one who infused greater Knowledge into them, and made them more wise; and they, for contesting with the Wisdom of the Serpent, were turned out of Paradise, and ordain’d their Dwelling to be among the Beasts of the Field.

Surely, might the People say, so great a Being as this Serpent merits our awful Regards. Now, how far such Thoughts might operate in those early days of Ignorance and Superstition, I determine not: The Serpent indeed, is said to be more subtle than the Beasts of the Field, but not more wise than Adam and Eve.

It is more strange, to think that in the primitive Church there were certain Hereticks call’d Ophites, took their Name from Ophis, who worshipped the Serpent that betray’d Eve, and ascribed all sorts of Knowledge to that Animal, maintain’d ’twas a good Creature, and that our first Parents were instructed by it to know Good and Evil. Yea, they believed, “the Serpent that tempted Eve was the Christ, who afterwards came down and was incarnate in the Person of Jesus: That it was Jesus, but not the Christ, that suffer’d; for which reason they made all Proselytes to their Sect, to renounce Jesus.” If a Sect of Christians speak after this manner, what Ideas must the Heathen form of things?

Footnote 420:

A Greek word that signifies a Serpent.

Footnote 421:

Calmet.

One of the Fathers speaking of these Hereticks, observes how they affirm’d,——That Wisdom made itself a Serpent——had given Knowledge to Man, and that the Position of Man’s Bowels, winding about like Serpents, shews that there is in us a hidden Substance that engenders the Figure of Serpents. Surely those Fathers of the Church were Children in Understanding, that gave way to such mystical Conundrums. Call them no more Fathers, but Children of Antiquity.

Footnote 422:

Irenæus adv. Hæres. (lib. 1. cap. 34.—sophiam serpentem factam—) who flourish’d in the close of the 2d Century.

These Hereticks, in the Consecration of the Eucharist, always had a Serpent ready in a Box, which they produced on that Occasion, making it come out by certain Charms, and lick the Bread, and having kissed the same, they eat it. Another Historian expresses it thus, viz. “When their Priests celebrated their Mysteries, they made one of these Creatures to come out of his Hole, and after he had roll’d himself upon the Things that were to be offer’d in Sacrifice, they said Jesus Christ had sanctified them, and then gave them to the People to worship them.” N. B. I don’t apprehend how the Learned Abbot makes them bring in the Name Jesus here, a Name which in the same Page he says, they obliged their Proselytes to renounce.

Footnote 423:

Bingh. Index Heret.

Footnote 424:

Calmet’s Histor. Dict. vol. ii. p. 668.

This strange Superstition seems to be derived from the Heathen, who at the Feasts of Bacchus, used to carry a Serpent, and to cry, Evia, Evia: And Evia, says Clemens Alexandrinus, if it be asperated, Hevia, signifies in the Hebrew, a female Serpent. Dr. Lightfoot observes, that there being no such Word in the Hebrew, Clemens must mean the Chaldee, in which Hivia signifies a Serpent.

Footnote 425:

Ευια, ευια.

2. The Reputation gain’d by the Serpent in Paradise, was heighten’d by the wonderful Cures done by the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness. As this strange Occurrence was capable of various Glosses, so it must undergo different Constructions. The Brazen Serpent was brought to Canaan, where ’twas kept in remembrance of the miraculous Cures their Forefathers had received from it in the Wilderness; and, ’tis probable, the Israelites themselves were the first that paid divine Honours to it, and the Idolatry might begin in the days of the Judges; others say, under the Kings of Judah.

Footnote 426:

Jurieu, vol. ii. from Rabbi Kimchi, who says they burnt Incense to it, from the time the Kings of Judah had corrupted themselves ... in locum.

It lay quiet there, until those Days, the Children of Israel burnt Incense to it. That is, from the days Israel began to commit Idolatry, to the days of Hezekiah; who, to prevent the Growth of that Serpentine Idolatry, brake in pieces the brazen Serpent that Moses had made. 2 Kings xviii. 4.

The Sound of the strange Cures done by the brazen Serpent, soon spread over the forsaken Nations, who, observing how the Wounded were healed by looking at it, conceived it to be a proper Instrument to be their Mediator, and consequently a fit Object for their Adoration, when even the Wounded in Israel, by addressing to its Shadow, were healed.

It is most probable, that the Adoration of Serpents by the Pagans, sprung from these two Fountains,

The Wisdom of the Serpent in Paradise, and the miraculous Cures done by the Shadow of a Serpent in the Wilderness; which were improved by the Devil to secure his Honour and Interest, who wanted not Priests to display the Glories of their Character, to make the Serpent honourable in the sight of his Vassals. From hence, the Egyptians, Phenicians, yea most Nations, did imagine the Serpent to have some Divinity in its Nature, and for that reason (as hinted before) honour’d it with sacred Homage; this the Devil did, with a view to lessen Men’s Esteem for the Almighty Creator.

Hence also some Men of superior Dignity have affected to be esteem’d more than meer Men, making this as an Argument, that they were begot by Serpents, as we observed already, therefore I shall only add, viz.

That Alexander the Great, after he had taken Rhodes, Egypt and Cilicia, addrest Jupiter Ammon to know his Original, for his Mother Olympias had confest to his Father Philip, that Alexander was not begot by him, but by a Serpent of vast Bulk; whereupon Philip was divorced from his Wife Olympias, and Alexander was saluted Son of Ammon, and by Order of the Priests, his Companions were enjoin’d to worship him as a God, and not as a King.

ALEXANDER, when he had conquer’d Darius III. surnam’d Codomannus, and was possest of the Persian Empire, writ to the Grecians, that they should decree him to be a God. Hereupon several Decrees were made: The Lacedemonians exprest their Compliance in this short Decree, viz. Forasmuch as Alexander would be a God, let him be a God. Thus with Laconick Brevity, fashionable among the Lacedemonians, they humour’d and reproved the Pride of their King at once.

Footnote 427:

Επειδἡ Αλεξανδρος βουλεται Θεδς ειναι εσο Θεος. Æliani variæ Hist. lib. ii. cap. xix.

VARRO was of Opinion, that all gallant and heroick Men should believe themselves, tho’ falsly, to issue from the Gods ... that upon this Supposition, they might attempt great things with more Courage, and prosecute them with more Ardency; and tho’ the Motive was but imaginary, yet might produce glorious Effects. When Varro writ this, ’tis probable he had Alexander the Great in his view.

Footnote 428:

Ex Diis genitos—Aug. de Civitate Dei. cap. 4.

Such is their Opinion of their King in China, that they think he is descended from the Race of some Demi-God, and so adore him accordingly. They believe there is some Divinity in his Blood, in so much that he never marries any but his next Relatives, for fear of staining the Royal Blood.

Footnote 429:

Howel’s Londinopolis. p. 384.

Among the Antients, Serpents were Emblems of Power; therefore Epaminondas, the brave Theban General, to encourage his Army against a powerful Enemy, bruised the Head of a Serpent before them as a Prognostick of Victory.

Thus King James I. tho’ the Dupe of all Christendom, says a certain Gentleman, yet was the grand Idol of the Court-Clergy. That Pedantry which would have brought a School-Boy under the just Discipline of the Rod, in him was represented by his parasitical Preferment-hunting Ecclesiasticks, as divine Eloquence, and the Inspiration of the Almighty....