most obdurate, incombuftible Bodies, fuch as not only green Wood, and white Bodies, but alfo 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 (a).

Thus

(a) 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 Ifaac 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.

Having mentioned these Burning-Concaves, it may be of use on several Occafions, and particularly for the cheap trying of Experiments, to take Notice of what was related to me by a Perfon of very high Quality: Who doing me the Honour to talk with me about fuch Concaves, told me, that in Germany one Mr. Czhernhaufen, a Silefian Gentleman,

made

Thus the infinite Power and Wif dom of GOD, appear in the appointment, and make of that immenfe Body of Fire, the Sun; a Mass wonderful, and worthy of its Maker, whether we confider its Immenfity, its exceffive Heat, or its abfolute Neceffity, and great Ufe to us, and to all the rest of its System. But we shall find yet farther Evidences of the great CREATOR's Work in the following Chapter.

made divers very large Concaves with Pafte-board; which were covered over with a kind of Pafte or Foil, that ftrongly reflected the Sun's Rays. But what their Power was, he did not fee.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

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

S the infinite Power and Wifdom of God appears 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 Distance from each of them.

Now here we may take it for granted, that the Sun is the Fountain of the Light and Heat of all the Planets, not only of the Earth, but of the other Planets, that move either about the Sun, or the Earth. But whether the Sun be placed in the

2

Center

Center of its Syftem, or the Earth be fo, is of no great Confequence here to enquire. But I have all along supposed the former to be the most probable Hypothefis, and it feems to be still more fo, from the Confideration we are now upon, concerning the Community of its Light and Heat to all the Planets. For fince it is manifeft, that what Light and Heat the Planets have, they receive from the Sun, it is far more likely that this their Fountain of Light, and Heat, is placed in the common Center of them, and that they move round about it, rather than it about them.

But be it fo, or not fo, it is however very certain, that all the Planets are placed at fuch a due, and proper Distance, from the Sun, that they receive the beneficial Rays thereof, in a due manner and proportion, There is no great Reason to doubt

of

of this, among the Planets that are at greater or leffer Distances from the Sun than we, because we find a noble and folemn Apparatus, answerable to their Distances from the Sun; which I intend to speak of hereafter. But as for our own terraqueous Globe, we have fufficient Signals of the great Care and Counsel, that have been used in the due Pofition, and Distance thereof from the Sun. For as to its Pofition to the Sun, I have heretofore fhewn, that by the Inclination of its Axis, and its diurnal and periodical Revolutions, all parts have a due Share of Light and Heat. And as for its Distance, it is fuch, as not only prevents the Danger of its interfering with the other Globes, as I have formerly obferved, but also it is duly adjusted to the Density of the Earth and Waters, and to the Make and Temper of our Bodies, and of all

other