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C,tAP. V I. OF THE CONFLAGRATION OF THE UNIVERSE. 453
tial burntugs, as they are types and presages of the
universal burning of the world, so they at least make
that possible and probable.
&conally, The probability of the universal confla-
gration may be argued from the preparations in na-
ture which are made and making for it; for the apostle
says, that the heavens and the earth which are now,
which are now in being, are by the same word, the
word of God, kept in store, as a treasure, and are trea-
sured up among the stores of vengeance, reserved unto
fire; for which preparations are making in them;
against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly
men, when it will break forth and destroy the universe
and all things in it. Preparations are making in the
earth for this general burning. Not to take notice of
the central fire, supposed by some to be in the midst of
the earth, since it is doubtful whether there is such a
thing or not; it is certain there are various volcanos, or
burning mountains, in different parts of ttle world;
besides Mount Etna, in Sicily {}, which has been burni. ng
for many ages, as also has Vesuvius, near Naples; and
the island of Strombilo, in the sea, which lies between
them both, and is thought to have a communication
with them under the bottotn of the sea; and Lipara,
near Sicily: and so far nortb as Iceland, there are three
burning mountains; one of them called Hecla, which
oftentimes rages no less than Etna, vomiting out pro-
digious stones, with a terrible noise; besides hot springs
in abundance. In the East Indies, in the island of
Java, riot far from the town Panacura, a mountain broke
out in 1586, for the first time; discharging such quan-
tities of burning brimstone, that above ten thousand
persons in the country round about were destroyed.
The mount Gonnapi, in one of the islands of Banda,
in the same year, which had been bm'ning seventeen
years, broke from the rest, throwing out a most dread-
ful quantity of burning matter, an&great red-hot stones,
&c. There is another mountain on the island of Su-
matra, which smokes and flames just like Etna. The
earth, in the Molucca islands, casts out fire in several
places; as in Sorea and Cclebes; especially a moun-
tain in Tcrnata. In one of the Maorish islands, sixty
leagues from those of tbe Molucca, there happen very
often earthquakes, with eruptions of fire and ashes.
In Japan, and the islantls about it, there are many
little, and one great burning mountain; nay, it is
said {}, there are eight volcanos iu Japan, besides many
hot springs. In Tandaja, one of the Philippine islands,
are forrod many small fire-mountains; an{t one in the
island Mariudica, not far from them. The like are
for|m{ in North America, in the province of Nica-
ragua. And in South America, in Peru, among those
mountains that make the ridge of the Cordillera, neat'
the city Arequipa, there flames a mountain conti-
nually. There is likewise one near the valley Mul-
lahalo, which being opened by tire, casts out great
stones. There arc also several burning mountains in
6 PIthy speaks of the burning of Ettta in hk, tithe, and sa>s ot
~hat nature not only raged in it, but that it threatened and denotmced
the bttrt~ing of the xvorld; and he makes ~ncntion of ~eveH~l places then
al~'ays burni~g, a~ in ]~haselis, l,ycia, B;nctria, 'Nitdin, Per, in, Etltio-
l~ia, Babylonia, &c. Nat. llist. I. 2. c. 106, 10~.
~ Philosoph. ]'ransact. abridged, vol. 3. p.
s See Nicusventyt'~ Religiot~s Philosopher, vol. 2. contempt. ~1. s.l~.
the district that lies on the east side of the river Je-
niscea, in the country of the Tongesi, some weeks
journey from the river Oby, according to the relation
of the Muscovites; as also near another water called
Besida. Near the island Santorini, no longer ago than
the year 1707, sprung up a new island from the bot-
tom of the sea; in which, about the end of August that
year, the subterraneous fires, after a terrible rumbling,
burst out with such violent noise as if six or seven
pieces of cannon were discharged at once; and ire~
quently a great quantity of ashes, glowing stones, and
huge pieces of burning rocks, have been tossed into
the air with such a force, that they have been carried
seven miles before they have dropped into the sea s !
Strabo 9 reports somewhat similar to this, as done near
this place some hundreds of years ago. Nor is our
island free from symptoms and appearances of subter-
raneous fires'; for by what are the hot waters at Bath
and Bristol occasioned, but by them, by which they
are heated? Besides, there are eruptions of fire ih
some places in other parts of the land '°. And by the
above accounts it appears, that not only there have
been burning mountains in ages past, in some places,
even thousands of years ago; but that new ones, in
later times, have broke out: so that the preparation
for the general burning of the world is still carried on
and is increasing; and which may seem to portend
its being near. And there is not only a preparation
making in the earth but in the heavens also, where
there is great store of materials fit for this purpose
provided; witness the fiery meteors in them, the blaz-
ing comets, which sometimes appeal and are always in
being, though not always seen by us; also those vast
bodies of light and fire, the sun and stars, to be made
use of on occasion; and the vast quantities of matter
which occasion such dreadful thunders and lightpings
which, in some parts of the world, are almost continual,
and from which they are scarce ever free. Now when
these things are considered, the general conflagration
of the world will seem neither impossible nor impro-
bable; but rather it may be wondered at, and thought
a miraclc, that the earth has not been destroyed by fire
long ago. Let the atheist, the infidel, the profane and
careless sinner tremble at this. PIthy {} the heathen,
observing the many fires in the earth and in the hea-
vens, and how easily fire is kindletl by holding con-
cave glasses 16 the sun, says, " It exceeds all miracles,
that one day should pass and all things not put into a
ccnflagration !"
Thirdly, What may make the doctrine of the uni-
versal conflagration probable, is, that it has been be-
lieved in all ages, and by all sorts of persons. Jose-
phus {} says, that Adam foretold the destruction of all
things, at one time by the 'force of fire; and at another
time by the violence and multitude of water; and
therefore the posterity of Seth built two pillars, one of
brick and the other of stone, on which they inscribed
p. ti21, 6~'2. Philosophical Transact. abridged, vol. ~. p. 391--394.
and vol. 5. part. '2. p. 196, &c.
:' (leograph. 1.1. p. 39. vide ,lustin. e Trogo, 1.30. c. 4.
~ Of a burning spring at Brosely in ~hropshire; see Philosophic;x~
'rransactions abridged, vol. 4. part 2. p. 195.
t~ iYt supra, c. 107.
~2 Antiq. 1. t, c. ~. s :L