575. 'And the dragon gave him his vigour and his throne, and great authority' signifies that the heresy is prevalent and reigning through reception by the laity. By the dragon is signified the heresy of which n. 537 treats. By this 'beast' the laity are signified (n. 567), who do not speak on their own account but from their teachers, and because they constitute the people it is plain that by virtue of reception by them that heresy is prevalent and reigning. It is this, therefore, that is signified by the 'vigour', 'throne' and 'great authority' which the dragon gave to the beast, and by these following [words], 'And they adored the dragon who gave authority to the beast' (vers. 4). The dragon prevails and reigns through them especially by means of this dogma of their religion: 'That the understanding is to be suppressed under obedience to faith; and that it is a faith that is not understood; and that in matters spiritual that are understood faith in a thing is an intellectual faith, which is not justifying.' When these things are prevalent with the laity, the clergy have authority, veneration, and a sort of adoration for the sake of the Divine things which [the laity] suppose that they know, and which are to be absorbed out of their mouths. By 'vigour' is signified worth, by 'throne' government, and by 'great authority' dominion.