677. [verse 2] 'And the first angel went away and poured out his phial upon the land' signifies into those who are in the interior things of the Church of the Reformed and busy themselves with the doctrine of justification by faith alone, who are called the clergy. By 'to pour out the phial' is signified an influx, as above (n. 676). By 'the land' is signified the Church (n. 285), here with those there who are in its interior things, who are those who busy themselves with the doctrine of justification by faith alone. These also say that they know its interior things; but the interior things are only confirmations of the one thesis that faith alone justifies without the works of the law. They are ignorant of other interior things. And because in those [confirmations] are chiefly the priests, professors of theology, and college lecturers, in a word, the teachers and leaders (Doctores et Pastores), therefore this first influx was effected into those who are called the clergy. The reason why these are the ones understood is because the first angel poured his phial onto 'the land', and the second into 'the sea', and then by 'the land' is understood the Church with those who are in the internal things thereof, and by 'the sea' is understood the Church with those who are in the external things thereof, as above (n. 398, 403, 404, 420, 470). That these are understood is plain also on account of its being said that a sore' was produced in them.