BOOK VII.

Of the Provifion made for

LIGHT and HEAT throughout the Universe.

СНАР. І.

Of the Light and Heat of the Fixt Stars and Sun

S Light and Heat are two of the most uséful things in the Univerfe, fo the infinitely wife and kind CRE

ATOR hath made an excellent pro

vifte

vifion for these things, in all proba bility for every Globe throughout the Univerfe, but particularly for those of our own Syfteme. For it is very manifeft that every Globe we see doth fhine with its own native, or with borrowed Light. Even all those im menfe Bodies at the greatest distance from us, the Fixt Stars, which I have before said are probably so many Suns, it is Light they manifeftly dart as far as to our fo diftant Globe, as well as what they emit for the enlightening, warming, and cherishing their own respective Planets.

J

But I fhall forbear to launch out into those conjectural matters, and fhall come nearer home into our own Systeme, where we have enough to entertain our Eye, to captivate our Thoughts, and to excite our higheft admiration of these magnificent Works of God; whether we furvey the great Fountain it felf of our Light and Heat, M

the

the Sun; its due Pofition, and its wonderful ufe to its Planets; and the incomparable provifions that are made to fupply its abfence and greater diftances from them.

AND in the first place, as to the Sun it felf; what Power is there that the most extravagant Phancy can imagine to it felf, that could ever be able to make so prodigious a mass of Fire as the Sun is, but only the power of God's Almighty Hand! a Body of fo immenfe a Bulk as I have fhewn it is, and of fuch an exceffive Heat, that no greater a number of its Rays than what fall within the compass of a two or three inch Burning-Glass fhall actually burn; and what fall within the compass of not many feet, fhall far exceed the ftrongeft culinary Fire in the Earth; as is manifeft from its almoft inftantaneous burning, and vitrifying the most obdurate incombuftible bodies, fuch as not only green

green wood, and white bodies, but allo Stones, Bricks, Metals, yea Gold it felf (the hardest of all metals to be wrought upon by fire) which yet is melted down in a few minutes (1). Taus the infinite Power and Wifdom of GOD appear in the appointment and make of that immense Body of Fire, the Sun; a mass wonderful, and worthy of its Maker, whether we confider its immenfity, its ex

(1) The famous Burning-Concave at Lyons of 30 Inches Diameter, and others in France and Germany of greater breadths, have been celebrated for their Feats in burning, calcining and vitrifying both metallick and other Bodies. But I queftion whether any of them have come up to the Burning Inftrument contrived by, and made for Sir I. Newton, and by him presented to the Royal Society. It confifts of 7 Concave foiled Glaffes, each of them 12 inches diameter: which are all fo placed as to have their Foci concur in one point. By which means the Heat is fo increased, as in a furprizing manner to perform the Feats here mentioned, and many others furpaffing them.

2

M 2

ceffive

ceffive Heat, or its abfolute neceffity and great use to us; and all the reft of its Syfteme. But we fhall find yet farther evidences of the great CREATOR's work in the following Chapter.

CHAP. II.

Of the due Pofition and Distance of the Sun and its Planets.

A

S the infinite Power and Wifdom of God appear in the appointment and make of the Sun, according to the preceding Chapter; fo in this I fhall demonftrate the fame from the due Pofition of the Sun among his Planets, and his due Diftance from each of them.

Now here we may take it for granted that the Sun is the Fountain

of