304. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 2 Corin. xii. 2.
305. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Rev. viii. 1.
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.