126. And I will give thee the crown of life, signifies wisdom and eternal happiness therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "crown," as being wisdom, in reference to those who are in the spiritual affection of the knowledges of truth and good (of which more in what follows); and from the signification of "life," as being eternal happiness, which is also called life eternal. Those who are in the spiritual affection of truth and good, and who are here treated of, have eternal happiness, because heaven with man is implanted by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word. He who believes that heaven is implanted by other means is much deceived; for man is born merely natural, with the faculty of becoming spiritual, and he becomes spiritual by means of truths from the Word and a life according to them. Who can ever become spiritual unless he has some knowledge of the Lord, of heaven, of the life after death, of faith, and of love, and of the other things that are means of salvation? If man had no knowledge of these things he would remain natural; and a merely natural man can have nothing in common with the angels of heaven, who are spiritual. Man has two minds, one exterior, the other interior.

The exterior mind is called the natural mind, but the interior is called the spiritual mind. The former or natural mind is opened by means of the knowledges of the things that are in the world; but the latter or spiritual mind by means of the knowledges of the things that are in heaven, which the Word teaches, and the church from the Word; by means of these man becomes spiritual when he knows them and lives according to them.

[2] This is meant by the Lord's words in John:

Except a man has been born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5).

"Water" signifies the truths of faith, and "spirit" a life according to them (See above, n. 71); and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 202-209). Most people at this day believe that they are to come into heaven solely by virtue of holy worship in temples and by adorations and prayers; but such of them as do not care for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and who fail to imbue with these the life, as well as the memory, remain natural as before, and do not become spiritual; for their holy worship, adorations, and prayers, do not proceed from any spiritual origin; since their spiritual mind has not been opened by the knowledges of spiritual things and a life according to them, but is empty; and worship that proceeds from what is empty is merely natural gesture, with nothing spiritual in it. If such persons are insincere and unjust in respect to moral and civil life, their holy worship, adorations, and prayers have within them what repels heaven from them, instead of opening heaven to them as they believe; for their holy worship is like a vessel containing things putrid and filthy, which are oozing forth, or like a splendid garment investing a body covered with ulcers. I have seen many thousands of such cast into hell. But wholly different are holy worship, adorations, and prayers with those who are in the knowledges of truth and good and in a life according to them; with such these acts are pleasing to the Lord, for they are the effects wrought by their spirit in the body, or the effects of their faith and love, thus they are not merely natural gestures, but spiritual acts.

From this it can be seen that the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and a life according to them, alone make man spiritual; and that in him who is thereby made spiritual, angelic wisdom from the Lord can be implanted together with eternal happiness. Angels derive happiness from no other source than from wisdom.

[3] A "crown" signifies wisdom, because all things by which man is clothed or distinguished derive their signification from the part of man that they clothe or distinguish (See Arcana Coelestia 9827), and "crown" signifies wisdom, because it is a sign upon the head, and "head" in the Word signifies wisdom, for there wisdom resides. So in Ezekiel:

I decked thee with ornaments, I put bracelets upon thy hands; and a chain upon thy throat. And I put a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings in thine ears, and a crown of adorning upon thy head (Ezekiel 16:11, 12).

Jerusalem, which signifies the church, is here treated of, such as it was when it was established by the Lord; by these various insignia are meant, in the spiritual sense, such things as are of the church; and each one takes its signification from the part to which it is applied, and "the crown of adorning" here means wisdom. (But what is meant by "ornament," may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 10536, 10540; by "bracelets," n. 3103, 3105; by "chain" n . 5320; by "jewel," n. 4551; by "earrings," n. 4551, 10402) Wisdom, which is from the knowledges of truth and good from the Word and from a life according to them, is likewise signified by "crown" in many other passages in the Word (as in Isaiah 28:5; Jeremiah 13:18; Lamentations 5:15, 16; Ezekiel 21:25, 26; 23:42; Zechariah 6:11-14; Psalms 89:38, 39; Psalms 132:17, 18; Job 19:9; Revelation 3:11; 4:4). The crowning of kings is from ancient times, when men were familiar with representatives and significatives, and it was known that "kings" represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth, and that a "crown" was intended to signify wisdom (that "kings" represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5068, 6148); that those that are in truths are called "kings" and "king's sons" see above n. 31; and as these are called "kings" in the Word, and kings have crowns, so here where these are treated of it is said that they were to receive "the crown of life."

5954. 'And to them all he gave each one changes of garments' means truths brought in touch with good. This is clear from the meaning of 'garments' as truths, dealt with below, so that 'changes of garments' are truths that are new, and truths are made new when they are brought in touch with good, for then they receive life. The subject is the joining of the natural man to the spiritual, or the external man to the internal. When the joining together is effected the truths undergo change and are made new since they receive life from the good that flows into them, see just above in 5951. 'Changing one's garments' was representative of the need to put on holy truths, and this is also the origin of 'changes of garments', see 4545.

[2] The reason why in the Word truths are meant by 'garments' is that truths clothe good in almost the same way as blood vessels contain blood or fibres contain spirit. 'A garment' also has truth as its meaning because spirits, and angels too, are seen wearing garments; and each spirit or angel is attired in a way that accords with the truths that reside with him. Those seen wearing white garments are spirits or angels whose truths of faith act as paths to good, whereas those seen wearing brightly shining garments are ones whose truths of faith radiate from good. For it is good radiated through truth that produces the shining brightness, see 5248.

[3] The wearing of garments by spirits and angels is also evident from the Word where mention is made of angels that have been seen, as in Matthew,

The appearance of the angel sitting at the Lord's tomb was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. Matthew 28:3.

In John,

On the thrones I saw twenty-four elders seated, clad in white garments. Revelation 4:4.

In the same book,

He who sat on the white horse was clothed in a garment dyed with blood, and His name is called the Word of God. His armies in heaven were following Him on white horses, clothed in linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:11, 13-14.

'Garments white as snow' and 'white linen' mean holy truths, for whiteness' and 'brightness' have reference to truths, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319, for the reason that they are very nearly as bright as light, and the light which radiates from the Lord is Divine Truth. This explains why, when the Lord was transfigured, His garments looked like the light, as described in Matthew,

When Jesus was transfigured His face shone like the sun, and His garments became like the light. Matthew 17:2.

It is well known in the Church that 'the light' is Divine Truth; but its comparison to a garment is clear in David,

Jehovah covers Himself with light, as if with a garment. Psalms 104:2.

[4] The fact that 'garments' are truths is evident from many places in the Word, as in Matthew,

When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man (homo) who was not wearing a wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment? Therefore he was cast out into outer darkness. Matthew 22:11-13.

Who exactly are meant by the one 'not wearing a wedding garment', see 2132. In Isaiah,

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for no more may there come in to you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Isaiah 52:1.

'Beautiful garments' stands for truths that spring from good.

[5] In Ezekiel,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shed you with badger, and I swathed you in fine linen and covered you with silk. Your garments were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. Ezekiel 16:10, 13.

This refers to Jerusalem, by which is meant at this point the spiritual Ancient Church, which was established by the Lord after the celestial Most Ancient Church breathed its last. The truths bestowed on that Church are described as 'garments'. 'Embroidered cloth' is factual knowledge. When such knowledge is genuine it also manifests itself in the next life as embroidered cloth and as lace, as I have also been allowed to see. 'Fine linen' and 'silk' are truths springing from good; but in heaven those fabrics are utterly bright and transparent because they are in the light there.

[6] In the same prophet,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, and violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. Ezekiel 27:7.

This refers to Tyre, by which the cognitions of truth and good are represented, 1201. When genuine ones, these are 'fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt'. Resulting good, which is the good of truth, is meant by 'violet' and 'purple'.

[7] In David,

All glorious is the king's daughter, in her clothing with gold interweavings; in embroidered robes she will be led to the king. Psalms 45:13-14.

'The king's daughter' stands for the affection for truth. 'Her clothing with gold interweavings' stands for truths that have good within them. 'Embroidered robes' stands for the lowest truths. In John,

You have a few names in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white ones, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments. Revelation 3:4-5.

'Not soiling one's garments' stands for not defiling truths with falsities.

[8] In the same book,

Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked, and men see his shame. Revelation 16:15.

'Garments' in a similar way stands for truths. Truths of faith drawn from the Word are what are meant, strictly speaking, by 'garments'. Anyone who has not acquired those truths from there - or who has not, as gentiles do, acquired truths or something like them from the religion to which he belongs - and applied them to life, is not in touch with good, no matter how much he may think that he is. For having no truths from the Word or from what his religion teaches he allows himself to be led by reasonings received as much from evil spirits as from good ones, and cannot thus be given protection by the angels. This is what is meant by being awake and keeping one's garments, so that one may not walk naked and men see one's shame.

[9] In Zechariah,

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and so stood before the angel, who said to those standing before him, Remove the filthy garments from upon ¹ him. But he said to him, See, I have caused your iniquity to pass away from you, by putting on you a change of garments. Zechariah 3:3-4.

'Filthy garments' stands for truths defiled by falsities deriving from evil. Once these were removed therefore and others were put on, the words 'See, I have caused your iniquity to pass away from you' are used. But anyone can recognize that iniquity does not pass away through a changing of garments, from which anyone may also deduce that a changing of garments was a representative act, as was also the washing of garments, which was commanded when people were purified, for example when they drew near Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:14, or when they were cleansed from impurities, Leviticus 11:25, 40; 14:8-9; Numbers 8:6-7; 19:21; 31:19-24.

[10] Cleansings from impurities are effected by means of the truths of faith since they teach what good is, what charity is, what the neighbour is, and what faith is. They also teach the existence of the Lord, heaven, and eternal life. Without truths to teach them people have no knowledge of these things or even of their existence. Who left to himself knows other than this, that the good which goes with self-love and love of the world is the only kind of good in a person? For both constitute the delight of his life. Can anyone know except from the truths of faith about the existence of another kind of good that can be imparted to a person, namely the good of love to God or the good of charity towards the neighbour? Can anyone know that those kinds of good have heavenly life within them, or that those kinds of good flow in from the Lord by way of heaven in the measure that the person ceases to love himself more than others and the world more than heaven? From all this it becomes clear that the purification which was represented by the washing of garments is effected by means of the truths of faith.

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