deuced into a liquor : and this they term mercury : then 

 an insipid liquor, which they call phlegm : afterward aa 

 acid liquor, which is also termed mercury. A thicker 

 and oily liquor comes next, which, because easily in- 

 flammable, is stiled sulphur. The salt, which is after- 

 wards found, is their fourth element, ttie insipid earth, 

 which is left, the fifth. 



9. But not to insist, that all bodies are not rcsolvible 

 into these principles, it is utterly uncertain whether 

 fire does not alter the natural qualities of bodies, and 

 introduce other qualities into them, which they had not - 

 before : besides, some of these are not simple elements, 

 they are compounded of others, oils, and salts in par- 

 ticular : therefore, neither are all those oils and salts of 

 one sort, but as various as the bodies from which they 

 are extracted. In truth, these are at most the constitu- 

 ent parts of two of the Aristotelic elements, namely, 

 water and earth ; but the two others, air and fire, are 

 quite omitted in their account. 



10. Perhaps one might rather term matter itself, with 

 its general properties, the first and most simple ele- 

 ment, out of which all things are compounded : but the 

 particles of this are not fit to compose the imme- 

 diate stamina of larger bodies, till they combine together 

 into oils, salts, and juices of various kinds. And 

 hence arise those principles of the chymists, of which 

 most bodies are compounded, although still they are 

 only secondary elements, as being themselves com- 

 pounded. Indeed, it seems probable, God, in the be- 

 ginning, formed matter in solid, impenetrable, moveable 

 particles, of such sizes and figures as most conduced 

 to the end for which he formed them ; and that these 

 primitive bodies are incomparably harder than any 

 porous bodies compounded of them, even so hard as 

 never to wear out, no natural power being able to 

 divide them: and thus remaining entire, they com* 

 pose bodies of the same nature and texture in all 

 ages; whereas, should these wear a\vay, or break in 



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