as related to civil power: but fuch relation doth not appear in the prefent cafe. It fhou'd feem therefore, that they worship God as present in the fire, which they worship or reverence, not ultimately or for it felf, but relatively to the fupreme being. Which it is not unlikely was elfewhere the cafe at firft; though the practice of men, especially of the vulgar, might in length of time degenerate from the original inftitution, and reft in the object of fenfe.

185. Doctor Hyde, in his hiftory of the religion of the ancient Perfians, would have it thought, that they borrowed the use and reverence of perpetual fires, from the Jewish practice prefcribed in the Levitical law, of keeping a perpetual fire burning on the altar. Whether that was the cafe or not, thus much one may venture to fay, it seems probable that whatever was the original of this cuftom among the Perfians, the like cuftoms among the Greeks and Romans were derived from the fame fource.

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186. IT must be owned there are many paffages in holy fcripture (a), that would make one think, the fupreme being was in a peculiar manner prefent and manifeft in the element of fire. Not to infift that God is more than once faid to be a confuming fire, which might be understood in a metaphorical fenfe, the divine apparitions were by fire, in the bufh, at mount Sinai, on the tabernacle, in the cloven tongues. God is represented in the infpired writings, as defcending in fire, as attended by fire, or with fire going before him. Cæleftial things as Angels, chariots, and fuch like phænomena are invested with fire, light, and fplendor. Ezekiel in his vifions beheld

(a) 179.

fire and brightnefs, lamps, burning coals of fire, and flashes of lightening. In a vifion of Daniel the throne of God appeared like a fiery flame, and his wheels like burning fire. Alfo a fiery flame iffued and came forth from before him.

187. At the transfiguration, the apoftles faw our faviour's face fhining as the fun, and his raiment white as light, alfo a lucid cloud or body of light, out of which the voice came; which vifible light and fplendor was, not many centuries ago, maintained by the Greek church, to have been divine, and uncreated, and the very glory of God: as may be feen in the hiftory wrore by the Emperor John Cantacuzene. And of late years Bishop Patrick gives it as his opinion, that in the beginning of the world, the Shecinah or divine prefence, which was then frequent and ordinary, appeared by light or fire. In commenting on that paffage, where Cain is faid to have gone put from the presence of the Lord, the Bishop obferves, that If Cain after this turned a downright idolater, as many think, it is very likely he introduced the worship of the fun, as the best re. femblance he could find of the glory of the Lord, which was wont to appear in a flaming light. It would be endless to enumerate all the paffages of holy fcripture, which confirm and illuftrate this notion, or reprefent the Deity as appearing and operating by fire. The misconstruction of which might poffibly have mifled the Gnoftics, Bafilidians, and other ancient Heretics into an opinion, that Jefus Chrift was the vifible corporeal fun.

188. We have feen, that in the most remote ages and countries, the vulgar as well as the learned, the inftitutions of lawgivers, as well as the reasonings of philofophers, have ever confidered

the

the element of fire in a peculiar light, and treated it with more than common regard, as if it were fomething of a very fingular and extraordinary nature. Nor are there wanting authors of principal account among the moderns, who entertain like notions concerning fire, efpecially among thofe who are most converfant in that element, and should seem beft acquainted with it.

189. Mr. Homberg the famous modern chemist, who brought that art to fo great perfection, holds the fubftance of light or fire to be the true chemic principal fulphur, (a) and to extend it felf throughout the the whole univerfe. It is his opinion that this is the only active principle. That mixed with various things it formeth feveral forts of natural productions, With falts making oyl, with earth bitumen, with mercury metal. That this principle of fulphur, fire, or the fubftance of light, is in it felf imperceptible, and only becomes fenfible as it is joined with fome other principle, which ferves as a vehicle for it. That, although it be the most active of all things, yet it is at the fame tine the moft firm bond and cement to combine and hold the principles together, and give form to the mixed bodies. And, that in the analyfis of bodies it is always loft, escaping the skill of the artift, and paffing through the clofeft veffels.

190. Boerhave, Niewenty't, and divers other moderns are in the fame way of thinking. They with the ancients diftinguifh a pure, elementary, invifible fire from the culinary, or that which appears in ignited bodies (b). This laft they will not allow to be pure fire. The pure fire is to be difcerned by it's effects alone; fuch as heat, dilatation of all folid bodies, and rarefaction of fluids,

(a) 129 (b) 163, 166.

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the fegregating heterogeneous bodies, and congregating thofe that are homogeneous. That therefore which smokes and flames is not pure fire, but that which is collected in the focus of a mirrour or burning glass. This fire feems the fource of all the operations in nature: without it nothing either vegetates, or putrefies, lives or moves or ferments, is diffolved or compounded or altered, throughout this whole natural world in which we fubfift. Were it not for this, the whole wou'd be one great ftupid inanimate mafs. But this active element is fuppofed to be every where, and always prefent, imparting different degrees of life heat and motion, to the various animals vegetables and other natural productions, as well as to the elements themselves, wherein they are produced and nourished.

Fire,

191. As water acts upon falt, or aqua fortis upon iron, fo fire diffolves all other bodies. air, and water are all three menftruums: but the two last seem to derive all their force and activity from the first (a). And indeed there feems to be, originally or ultimately, but one menftruum in nature, to which all other menftruums, may be reduced. Acid falts are a menftruum, but their force and distinct powers are from fulphur. Confidered as pure, or in themselves, they are all of the fame nature. But, as obtained by distillation, they are conftantly joined with fome fulphur, which characterizeth and cannot be feparated from them. This is the doctrine of monfieur Homberg. But what is it that characterizeth or differenceth the fulphurs themselves? If fulphur be the fubftance of light, as that author will have it, whence is it that animal, vege

table, and metallic fulphurs impart different qualities to the fame acid falt? Can this be explained upon Homberg's principles? And are we not obliged to fuppofe, that light feparated by the attracting and repelling powers in the strainers, ducts, and pores of thofe bodies, doth form feveral diftinct kinds of fulphur, all which, before fuch feparation, were loft and blended together, in one common mass of light or fire feemingly homogeneous.

192. In the analysis of inflammable bodies, the fire or fulphur loft, and the diminution of weight fheweth the the lofs (a). Oil is refolved into wa ter, earth, and falt, none of which is inflammable. But the fire or vinculum which connected those things, and gave the form of oil, efcapes from the artist. It disappears but is not destroyed. Light or fire imprisoned made part of the compound, gave union to the other parts, and form to the whole. But having efcaped, it mingles with the general ocean of æther, till being again parted and attracted, it enters and fpecificates fome new fubject, of the animal vegetable, or mineral kingdom. Fire therefore in the fenfe of Philofophers is always fire, though not always flame.

193. Solar fire or light, in calcining certain bodies, is obferved to add to their weight. There is therefore no doubt but light can be fixed, and enter the compofition of a body. And though it should lye latent for a long time, yet, being fet free from it's prifon, it fhall ftill fhew itself to be fire. Lead, tin, or regulus of antimony, being exposed to the fire of a burning glafs, though they lofe much in fmoke and fteam, are nevertherless found to be confiderably increased in weight, which proves the introduction of light or fire in(a) 169. M

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