791. Saying, Who is like unto the beast? That this signifies a confession that nothing is truer is evident from the connection of what precedes with those words, thus from the series of the things treated of. For in what goes before, it is said that they worshipped the dragon, which gave power to the beast, and that they worshipped the beast; which signifies an acknowledgment of the dogma concerning the separation of faith from life, because it was strengthened and confirmed by devised conjunctions with good works; also by reasonings, by which its discordance with the Word was apparently removed (concerning which see above, n. 789, 790). And because the false was thereby made to appear as true, it is therefore said, "Who is like unto the beast?" By these words therefore is signified a confession that nothing is truer; but, in the genuine sense, that nothing is falser. For a heresy which is believed by its partisans to be the truth, is seen by wise men to be falsity.