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according to the deeds they have done in the body, from the least of them to the greatest, from the horri infidel to the least unregenerated one among them: and their sentence shall be written on the heart, and the date thereof eternity, put in characters of unspeak able despair.

But now the great assize is past. At this momert the energies of nature are let loose, and all the great solar vortex breaks forth in flames of fire, for now is come the day of God, wherein the heavens (of the whole solar system) being on fire, shall be dissolved,. and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. 2 Pet. 3, 12, 20.

A philosophical description, by Dr. Clark, of the probable operation of the elements upon each other at that day, is highly interesting. See 2 Pet. 3, 10, and the comment.

The heavens shall pass away with a great noise.-"As the heavens in this place mean the whole atmosphere, in which all terrestrial vapours are lodged; ani as water itself is composed of two gases, eighty-five parts in weight of oxygen, and fifteen of hydrogen, or two parts in volume of the latter, and one of the for mer: (for if these quantities be put together, and sev eral electric sparks passed through them, a chemical union takes place, and water is the product; and, vice versa, if the galvanic spark be made to pass through water, a portion of fluid is immediately decomposed into its two constituent gases, oxygen and hydrogen) and as the electric or etherial fire is that which, in all

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likelihood, God will use in the general conflagration, the noise occasioned by the application of this fire to such an immense congeries of aqueous particles as float in the atmosphere, must be terrible in the extreme. When, therefore, the whole strength of those opposite agents is brought together into a state of conflict, the noise, the thunderings, the innumerable explosions (till every particle of water on the earth, and in the atmosphere, is, by the action of fire, reduced into its component gascous parts) will be frequent, loud, confounding, and terrific, beyond every comprehension but that of God himself. The elements shall melt with fervent heat. When the fire has conquered and decomposed the water, the elements, the hydrogen and oxygen airs or gases (the fornier of which is most highly inflammable, and the latter an eminent supporter of all combus tion) will occupy distinct regions of the atmospherethe hydrogen, by its very great levity, ascending to the top, while the oxygen, from its superior specific gravity, will keep upon or near the surface of the earth, and thus, if different substances be once ignited, the fire which is supported in this case, not only by the oxygen, which is one of the constituents of atmospheric air, but also by a great additional quantity of oxygen obtained from the decomposition of all aqueous vapours, will rapidly seize on all other substances, on all terrestrial particles, and the whole frame of nature will necessarily be torn in pieces, and thus the earth, and its works, be burnt up.”

"It was an ancient opinion among the heathens,

that the earth should be burnt up with fire. So Ovid has expressed himself. Meta. lib. iv. 256.

"Remembering in the fates a time, when fire
Should to the battlements of heaven aspire;
And all his blazing world above should burn,
And all the inferior globe to cinders turn.”

"Minucius Felix tells us, xxxiv. 2 Dryden, that it was a common opinion of the Stoics, that the moisture of the earth being consumed, the whole world would catch fire. The Epicureans held the same sentiment; and indeed it appears in various authors, which proves that a tradition of this kind has pretty generally prevailed in the world. But it is remarkable that none have fancied that it will be destroyed by water. The tradition, founded on the declaration of God, was against this therefore it was not received." Dr. Clark.

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"Thunder and earthquake are the sons of fire, and we know nothing in all nature more impetuous, or more irrésistibly destructive than these two; and accordingly in this last war of the elements, we may be sure they will bear their parts, and do great execution in the several regions of the earth. Earthquakes and subterraneous eruptions, will tear the body and bowels of the earth, and thunders and convulsive motions of the air, the skies. The waters of the sea will boil and struggle with streams of lava that run into them, which will make them fume, and smoke, and roar, beyond all storms and tempests, and these noises of the sea will be answered again from the land by falling

rocks and mountains." Sinner! this is your house, your future home-it is the wages of your sins-it is the palace of devils-the repository of all that is badthe great cauldron of eternal death-and is soon to be thrown from its orb into its congenial hell of fire and brimstone, prepared for the devil and his angels.

"Here are lakes of fire, rivers of melted glowing matter, ten thousand volcanos vomiting flames all at once, thick darkness, and pillars of smoke, twisted about with wreaths of flame like fiery snakes-mountains of earth thrown into the air, and the heavens dropping down in lumps of fire.

"But now the storm subsides; for the fire has subdued all bodies, all combustibles, to itself; and those tall flames which pierced the skies, are fallen to an even surface, and present the earth as a molten sea of fire; for when the exterior region of the earth is melted into a liquid state, it will, according to the nature of all other fluids, fill all vacuities and depressions, and fall into a regular surface at an equal distance every where from its centre. In this condition, the earth, with all its sinners, who have persevered to the end in evil doings, shall be thrown from its orb, to where a hell of fire, in the deep recess of eternal night, hath its place” --which is that very lake of fire into which the devil, who decieved all sinners, shall finally with them be thrown, together with the earth, at the judgment day; for thus saith the Lord, (see Rev. 20, 10.) And the devil that decieved them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.

Such shall be the end of this poor world--the god

of millions-the place where death now reigns over the body, and the hell, wherein now are confined the departed spirits of the ungodly; but these shall be cast, together with the earth, into a lake of fire; for it is written, Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Rev. 20, 14.

But, reader, you may escape it-the way is open and plain-cease to do evil, and learn to do wellhave faith in the Son of God, working by love, and persevere in this to the end; so you shall be happy, shall be honourable, shall be glorious, shall be immortal, shall be as the angels of God at the resurrection of the just; for such is the promise of Him who was dead; but, behold! he is alive for ever more!

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