652. [verse 20] 'And the winepress was trodden outside the city' signifies that the examination was made from (ex) the Divine Truths of the Word [to discover] what the works flowing forth from the Church's doctrine of faith were like. By 'the winepress was trodden' is signified that the examination was made [to discover] what the works were like. By 'to tread the winepress' is signified to examine, and by the 'clusters' that are trodden are signified works, as above (n. 649), here the works flowing forth from the Church's doctrine of faith, which are evil works. By 'the city' here is understood the great city treated of above (chap. xi, verse 8), which 'is called the great city, spiritually Sodom and Egypt'. That by it is understood the doctrine of faith separated from charity, which is the doctrine of the Church of the Reformed, may be seen above (n. 501,, 502). And because every examination of the doctrine of the Church is made by means of the Divine Truth of the Word, and this is not in the doctrine but outside of it, this also is signified by the treading having been done 'outside the city'. From these considerations it can be established that by 'the winepress was trodden outside the city' is signified that the examination was made from the Divine Truths of the Word [to discover] what the works flowing forth from the Church's doctrine of faith were like. By 'to tread the wine- press is signified not only to examine evil works, but also to hold out against them with others, also to remove and cast them into hell, in the following passages:-