mpet,"
the "vintage" and the last "vial;" and immediately precedes the
introduction of the millennium. "The remnant of the woman's seed" are so
called with reference to those of her offspring who had suffered death
under pagan and papal Rome, (ch. vi. 9.) Perhaps also we may suppose the
number to be comparatively few at the time of the last war with the
dragon; as during the whole period of the 1260 years, it was the aim of
the dragon, through his instruments, to wear out the saints of the Most
High. (Dan. vii. 25.) The character which the Holy Spirit gives of these
sufferers proves them to be the woman's seed. They "keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." This is
the special ground of the devil's hostility towards them. A more
comprehensive and definite description of true believers is not to be
found in the whole Bible. In matters of religion they adhere strictly to
the commandments of God. They will not introduce, nor permit to be
introduced, any corruptions into the doctrines of grace or into the
matter of God's worship. The temple, altar and worshippers must stand
the measurement of God's word in their fellowship. No human traditions
or innovations are to be tolerated. But besides their conscientious care
to have all the laws of the house of God duly observed, these remaining
witnesses sustain and propagate the testimony of their predecessors,
with such additional facts as they may have collected in their own time,
for the personal glory, the offices and work of Jesus Christ. This
testimony will necessarily bring them into collision with the children
of those who killed their fathers in the same quarrel. Like their
fathers, "they have the sentence of death in themselves, that they
should not trust in themselves, but in God which raiseth the dead,--not
accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." (2
Cor. i. 9; Heb. xi. 35.) For as already hinted, this remnant is to
"overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,"
as others did; and in death to gain the final victory over death by
vital union to their living Lord, "being made conformable to his death."
(Heb. ii. 14, 15.)

CHAPTER XIII.

1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of
the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and