791. Saying, Who is like unto the beast? signifies the confession that nothing is more true. This is evident from the connection of what precedes with these words, thus from the series of the things treated of; for in what goes just before it is said that "they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast;" which signifies the acknowledgment of the dogma of the separation of faith from life, because it was established and confirmed by devised conjunctions with good works, so also by reasonings by which its disagreement with the Word was apparently cleared away (see above, n. 789, 790); and as falsity was thereby made to appear like truth it is said, "Who is like unto the beast?" This is why these words signify a confession that nothing is more true; but in the genuine sense, that nothing is more false. For a heresy that is believed by its followers to be truth is seen by wise men to be falsity.