597. 'And causes the land and those dwelling in it to adore the former beast, the stroke of whose death was healed' signifies that as a result of the confirmations it has been established that it should be acknowledged as a holy thing of the Church that, because no one can do a good work from himself and fulfil the law, the one and only means of salvation is faith in the justice and merit of Christ, Who suffered on man's behalf and thereby endured the damnation of the law. It is unnecessary to expound these things because they follow from those expounded above (n. 566, 577-582). By 'the land and those dwelling in it' are signified the Churches of the Reformed, as above; by 'to adore' is signified to acknowledge as a holy thing of the Church, as also above; here, to acknowledge what is understood by 'the beast out of the sea' after 'the stroke of his death was healed'; and that is what has been set forth above.