I. That as the Power of God shines in the Formation of all Creatures, so does his Goodness in their natural Perfections, which is the Goodness of their Being. 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.
II. Their poisonous Liquid must some way be beneficial to themselves. We are not told what their original Food was; but now they live by Plunder, and by their Venom they are enabled to make sure of their Prey, which otherwise might escape, or grow too strong for them, and so they might starve for want of proper Means to support Life; and what they take by their venemous Fangs and Stings, is good Nourishment.
Their Poison also, is to them as a Life-Guard. Were there not something terrible in their Weapons of War, every one would trample upon them. Add to this, that perhaps their Constitution may be so modify’d and framed, that this venemous Liquid may be as useful to digest their Food, as our Saliva is to us in that respect.
III. SERPENTS, tho’ venemous, are of special Use to Mankind, as they are Part of the Materia Medica, and bear a great Share in some of the best Antidotes, or Remedies against Poison. Vipers make a considerable Article in Medicine; their Flesh either roasted or boiled, the Physicians unanimously prescribe as an excellent Restorative, particularly in Consumptions, Leprosy.——
The learned Dr. Mead recommends the Broth or Jelly of Vipers; or, as the Antients did, to boil and eat them as a Fish, or at least to drink Wine, wherein they have been long infused: The Apothecaries sell the Pulvis Viperinus, which is only dried Vipers pulverized, Heart, Liver, and all other Parts, and past through a fine Sieve. Some call it, Animal Bezoard.
BEZOAR is a Persian Word, Pazahar, primarily denotes Counter-Poison, and is applied to several chymical Compositions of that Intention. Theriaca, or Treacle, a Name given by the Antients to various Compositions, is reckoned good against Poison.—The Basis or Foundation of the Composition is Viper’s Flesh[[64]].
[64]. Cyclopædia.
Even in Tartary, an uncultivated Nation, the Viper’s Flesh is reckoned to be wonderful good Physick. In some of the Rivers of Siam, are many Crocodiles, which the Siamese call Cayman, and use them as good Physick with Success[[65]].
[65]. Struys’s Voyages, ad annum 1657. I. c. III p. 29.