Late 17th-century physics question

Isaac Newton's Universal Gravitation was maligned during his life
as "invoking occult agencies" because of its force-at-a-distance
aspect.

In those days, force was considered to be conveyed ONLY by
actual physical contact between material bodies.

Does anyone know how the forces associated with magnetism
and electricity were explained in those days?

Thanks for any insight into this matter.

Bob

armistead_rap[AT]bigfoot.com
.