[349]. Mahometism fully explained, by Mahomet Rabadan, a Moor of Arragon in Spain, for the Instruction of the Moors in that Kingdom, who were then violently persecuted there. Translated out of Spanish by Mr. Morgan, with a design to give us a better Notion of the Mahometans, and to place it in the rich Library of the late Earl of Oxford. Printed A. D. 1724.
Satan, who imploy’d the Serpent in his Service, is supposed to be punish’d here under the Figure of a Serpent: But why in the Presence of our first Parents? Perhaps for such Reasons as these, viz. 1. To reproach their Inadvertency for suffering themselves to be imposed upon by a lying Spirit, who, if but resisted by a meer Negation, would have fled. 2. To let them see that no Creature, tho’ never so great, can rebel with Impunity; from whence they might conclude, what to expect from new Provocations. 3. They had no other way to see a Spirit punish’d, but under some visible Form. It could not but give them some secret Satisfaction to see their cruel Enemy tremble at the Bar.
It is observable here, that the Promise of the Messiah was made to Adam, before the Almighty past upon him the Sentence of Death. How surprizing this! to find the Death of Christ published, before the Death of Adam was pronounced. The Death of Christ, the Innocent; before the Death of Adam, the Criminal.
The last Remark I shall make here is, that the Earth, tho’ cursed for Man’s Sin, still puts on the Face of a Paradise, abounding with an innumerable Variety of good Things; yea, and those so delicious and pleasant to Mankind, that many wish to live in it for ever. Thus they confine their Hopes and Fears to the present State, and are so far from believing a Life to come, that they can hardly persuade themselves to believe, that they shall leave this present Life.
As the Bounties of Providence gives us no room to murmur at our present Province or Portion, so on the other hand, the Toils and Troubles of this State should cause us to aspire after the heavenly Paradise, where no Curse ever found Access, where none of the Thorns of Affliction, or the Briers of Sorrow grow.
CHAPTER II.
Contents. Of the fiery Serpents that annoy’d the Camp of Israel: The Reason of that judicial Stroke, i.e. Murmuring under a Dispensation of Miracles. Why punish’d by Serpents? Why called Fiery? The last Plague in the Desart. Flying Serpents.
SECTION. I.
It might be said with great Propriety of the People of Israel, that they were a Generation of Vipers. Ingratitude, Unbelief, Discontent and Murmuring, were the dominant Passions in the Wilderness; they were always quarrelling with God and Moses: never easy, no not under a Theocracy, a divine Government. No wonder that Rage and Faction haunt the Dwellings of good Princes, when we find perverse Spirits have murmur’d at a divine Administration.