STRABO, Procopius, and Ben Jonas say, the antient Persians kept and worshipped their perpetual Fire on Mount Albors, a Branch of Caucasus. The Japonese worship the Devil, and the Head of their Religion is called Dair, whom they worship as a God. Atlas.
I Should rather think the Persians ador’d the supreme God, under the Image of Fire, by reason ’tis Fire gives Motion to every thing in Nature, and therefore they made it an Emblem of Divinity.
The Hebrews kept up the holy Fire in the Temple, and the Vestals were appointed to keep the sacred Fire of the Romans.
VULCAN was worshipped among the Antients, and particularly the Egyptians, as the Inventor of Fire.
The People of Egypt exceeded most Nations in depreciating Divinity by gross Superstitions and Idolatry; they did not err in worshipping Mortals only, but they gave Reverence to Beasts, Birds, Insects, Winds, Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Plants, &c. whom Rhodius Anaxandrides, one of themselves, derides in this manner:
I sacrifice to God the Beef, which you adore;
I broil th’ Egyptian Eels, which you as God implore.
You fear to eat the Flesh of Swine, I find it sweet:
You worship Dogs, to beat them I think meet,
When they my Store devour.[[433]]——