306. After this I looked, and behold, _a door was opened in heaven_; and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me; which said, come up hither, _and, 1 will shew thee things which must be hereafter_. And immediately I was in the spirit; and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper, and a sardine stone; and there was a _rainbow round about the throne_, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, _clothed in white raiment,_ and they had on their heads _crowns of gold_. And out of the throne proceeded _lightnings and thunder-ings_, and voices, and there were _seven lamps of fire_ burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was _a sea of glass_ like unto the crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne _were four beasts full of eyes before and behind._ And the first beast was like a _lion_, and the second beast like a _calf_ and the third beast _had a face as a man_, and the fourth beast was like a _flying eagle_. And the four beasts had each of them _six wings_ about him, and they were full of eyes within _and they rest not day and night, saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty which was, and is, and is to come_. Rev. iv. 1 to 8. [This is a very beautiful description of heaven--it almost equals in absurdity and extravagance the wild dreams of Mahomet.] 307. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the _beast_ that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Rev. xi. 7. [It appears, then, from this and the preceding note, that there are beasts both in hell and in heaven; whether these angelic creatures have immortal souls or not, the theologians may decide.] Also Notes 73, 74, and 76. PASSAGES CONTRADICTORY. 308. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke among people afar off; _and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks_; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more. Micah. iv. 3. 309. _Beat your plough-shares into swords_, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong. Joel iii. 10. 310. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels _and have not charity_, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, _and have no charity_, I am nothing. 1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2. 311. And as we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye have received, _let him be accursed._ Gal. i. 9.