762. Verses 15-16. And the serpent cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 15. "And the serpent cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river," signifies crafty reasonings in abundance respecting justification by faith alone by those who think sensually and not spiritually (n. 763); "that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the river," signifies that that church might be blinded and scattered by reasonings (n. 763 1/2) 16. "And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," signifies that those who are of the church that is not in truths afforded assistance, and did not receive the crafty reasonings of those who were in faith separated from charity (n. 764).