water brooks,” while they sojourned in a dry and parched land, far from their Father’s house.  Man’s sin consisted in forsaking this “Fountain of living waters,” and his recovery and felicity must arise from his returning from his own “broken cisterns” to the original spring.—­The water of life was purchased at infinite cost by Christ; but he offers it to the thirsty without price, (Is. lxv. 1, 2.)—­Those who are refreshed by the streams of the water of life, have many enemies to encounter in their militant state, but all who overcome are encouraged in their warfare by the animating promise, that they shall “inherit all things.” (1 Cor. iii. 21.)—­“He shall be my son,” and “if a son, then an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ.”

8.  But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

V. 8.—­“But the fearful,” who dread suffering or reproach for the cause of Christ,—­not the self-diffident who loves his Captain, but the coward or deserter, who “turns back in the day of battle,” who fears the enemy more than his Captain:—­“and unbelieving,” not the misbelieving, as Thomas; nor the weak in faith, but such as have no faith,—­infidels;—­“the abominable,” defiling the flesh as Sodomites:—­“murderers,” suicides, duelists, assassins, burglars, etc., “whoremongers,” adulterers, fornicators:—­“sorcerers,” necromancers, spiritualists, who are the devil’s prophets, pretending to new revelations, “and all liars,” perjured persons, deceivers, hypocrites, false teachers, who handle the word of the Lord deceitfully, for filthy lucre’s sake,—­all such shall have their part in the lake, with the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. (1 Cor. vi. 9, 10; Gal. v. 19-21; Eph. v. 5, 6; 2 Cor. xi. 13.)

9.  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

10.  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11.  Having the glory of God:  and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper-stone, clear as crystal;

12.  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

13.  On the east, three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates.

14.  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.