60. The next chapter (Rev. 13) treats of the dragon's two beasts, the first seen coming up out of the sea, in verses 1-10, and the other one out of the earth, in verses 11-18. That these are the dragon's beasts is evident from verses 2, 4, and 11. The first beast signifies faith separated from charity in respect to confirmations of it from the natural man. The other beast signifies faith separated from charity in respect to confirmations of it from the Word, which also are falsifications of truth. As the exposition of these passages contains the argumentations of those who are in such faith, and would be too tedious if set forth in detail, I pass it by, and merely give the exposition of the concluding words:
He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (verse 18) "He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast," signifies that those who are in enlightenment examine the nature of the confirmations of that faith manufactured from the Word; "for it is the number of a man," signifies that the nature of these confirmations is one of self-intelligence; "and his number is six hundred and sixty-six," signifies all the truth of the Word in a falsified condition.
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