In their Extremity, the People addrest their Mediator, Prophet, and General, _Moses_, saying, _O pray to the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us!_ The meek Prophet did so; the mediatorial Voice reach’d Heaven, and mov’d the Almighty who directs _Moses_ to make a Serpent of Brass, (which was a Figure of the Serpents that plagued the People) and fix it upon the Top of a Pole, conspicuous to all the Assembly, promising that all those who were bit by Serpents, and should look upon this brazen Image, should be presently healed. Astonishing Clemency! The Event was answerable to this Promise. This Method of Cure was new and strange; but he who at first called the World out of nothing, can with equal Facility command Health out of a Piece of Brass. Another Observable here, is that when the Almighty refused to hear the Cries of the Wounded in their Distress, he readily hearkened to _Moses_’s Intercession in their favour. Thus God accepted the Prayers of _Job_ for his three Friends, when he would not regard the Supplications they put up for themselves. _Job_ lxii. 7, 8. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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.