470. 'And he set his right foot upon the sea and the left one upon the land' signifies that the Lord has the entire Church under His auspices and dominion, as well the members who are in the external things thereof, as those who are in its internal things. By 'sea and land' the entire Church is signified; by 'the sea' the external Church, that is, those who are in the external things thereof; and by 'the land' the internal Church, that is, those who are in its internal things (n. 398). By 'to set the feet upon them' is signified to have all things subject to Himself, consequently under His Divine auspices and dominion. Since the Lord's Church on earth (in terris) is beneath the heavens it is therefore called 'the footstool of His feet', as in these places:-
He has cast forth out of heaven onto the land the ornament of Israel, He remembers not the footstool of His feet Lam. ii 1.
The land is the footstool of My feet Isa. lxvi 1.
We will enter into His dwellings, we will bow ourselves down at the footstool of His feet Ps. cxxxii 7.
Swear not by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the land, for it is the footstool of His feet Matt. v 34, 35.
I will render the place of My feet honourable Isa. lx 13.
Thou hast made Him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands, Thou hast put all things under His feet Ps. viii 6 [H.B. 7].
These things [are said] of the Lord. That 'he set his right foot upon the sea, and the left one upon the land' is because those who are in the external things of the Church have not so confirmed the untruths with themselves as have those who are in its internal things.
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