600. [verse 14] 'And he leads astray those dwelling upon the land on account of the signs that were given him to enact in the presence of the beast' signifies that by testifications and attestations they lead the men of the Church into errors. By 'to lead astray' is signified to lead into errors; by 'those dwelling upon the land' are signified the men of the Church of the Reformed, as above (n. 578, 588, 597); by 'the signs that were given him to enact before the beast' are signified testifications and attestations (n. 598, 599); by 'the beast out of the sea' in whose presence the signs were enacted is signified the faith of the dragon with the laity (n. 567); and by 'the beast coming up out of the land', which did the signs and elsewhere is called 'the false prophet', is signified the faith of the dragon with the clergy (n. 594). The like is said by the Lord in Matthew xxiv 24-26.