863. For they are virgins, signifies for the reason that they are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth. This is evident from the signification of "virgins," as being affections of truth, which are called spiritual affections of truth. For there are natural affections of truth which exist in almost everyone, especially during childhood and youth. But natural affections of truth have reward as an end, at first reputation, and afterwards honor and gain. These are not the affections here meant by "virgins," but spiritual affections of truth are meant, which are such as have for their end eternal life and the uses of that life. Those who are in such affections love truths because they are truths, thus apart from the world's glory, honors, and gains; and those who love truths apart from such considerations love the Lord; for the Lord is with man in the truths that are from good. For that which proceeds from the Lord as a Sun is the Divine truth, and that which proceeds from the Lord is the Lord; consequently he that receives truth from spiritual love because it is truth receives the Lord. Therefore of such it is said "these are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Moreover, such are meant by the Lord in these words in Matthew:

The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a treasure hidden in a field, which a man having found hideth, and in his joy goeth and selleth all things whatsoever he hath, and buyeth the field. Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man, a merchant, seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one precious pearl, went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matthew 13:44-46).

"The treasure hidden in a field" and "the pearls" signify the truths of heaven and the church; and the "one precious pearl" signifies the acknowledgment of the Lord. The affection of truths because they are truths is meant by "the man went in his joy and sold all that he had, and bought the field" in which the treasure was hidden, also by "the merchant's going and selling all that he had, and buying the precious pearl."

[2] Those who are in the spiritual affection of truth are called "virgins" from the marriage of good and truth from which is conjugial love; for a "wife" is the affection of good, and a "husband" the understanding of truth; moreover, females and males are born such. Now because virgins love to be conjoined to men with whom is the understanding of truth, therefore they signify the affections of truth. (But on this see more fully in the work on Heaven and Hell 366-386, where "Marriages in the Spiritual World" are treated of.) This makes clear what "virgins" signify in the following passages in the Word.

In Lamentations:

The ways of Zion do mourn because they come not to the feast; all her gates are devastated, her priests moan, her virgins are sad, and she herself is in bitterness. The Lord hath cast down all my mighty in the midst of me; He hath proclaimed against me an appointed time for breaking my youths. The Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the virgin daughter of Zion. ¹ Hear, I pray, all ye people, and behold my grief; my virgins and my youths have gone into captivity (Lamentations 1:4, 15, 18).

This describes the devastation of Divine truth in the church, "Zion" of which this is said signifying the church, where the Lord reigns by the Divine truth. "The ways of Zion do mourn" signifies that Divine truths are no longer sought; "no one comes to the feast" signifies that there is at that time no worship; "all her gates are desolated" signifies that there is no approach to truths; "her priests moan, her virgins are sad," signifies that affections of good and affections of truth are destroyed; "He hath cast down all my mighty in the midst of me" signifies that all power of truth against falsities has perished; "He hath proclaimed against me an appointed time" signifies its last state, when the Lord is about to come; "for breaking my youths" signifies when there is no longer any understanding of truth; "the Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the virgin daughter of Zion" ¹ signifies when all the truths of the Word are falsified; "my virgins and my youths have gone into captivity" signifies when all the affection of truth and the understanding of truth have perished by falsities.

[3] In the same:

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the earth; they keep silence; they have cast up dust upon their head; they have girded themselves with sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem have made their head to go down to the earth. What shall I testify unto thee, to what shall I liken thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? They have lain in the streets, the boy and the old man; my virgins and my youths have fallen by the sword (Lamentations 2:10, 13, 21).

These words, too, describe the devastation of Divine truth in the church, "the daughter of Zion" being the church in which the Lord reigns by Divine truth; grief on account of its devastation is described by "sitting on the earth," "the elders being silent," "casting up dust upon the head," "girding themselves with sackcloth," and "making the head to go down to the earth." "The elders of the daughter of Zion" signify those who have been in Divine truths; "the virgins of Jerusalem" signify those who have taught truths from the affection of truth; "they have lain in the streets, the boy and the old man," signifies that innocence and wisdom have been destroyed, together with Divine truths; "my virgins and my youths have fallen by the sword" signifies that all the affection of truth and all the understanding of truth have perished by falsities, "virgin" being the affection of truth, "youth" the understanding of truth, and "to fall by the sword" is to perish through falsities.

[4] In the same:

Our skins are become black like an oven because of the tempests of famine; the women in Zion have been ravished, the virgins in the cities of Judah; the princes have been hanged up by their hand; the faces of the elders have not been honored (Lamentations 5:10-12).

In this like things are involved. What is signified by "the women in Zion," "the virgins in the cities of Judah," and "the princes and old men," has been explained above (n. 540, 555, 655).

In Amos:

Behold the days shall come in which I will send a famine in the land, not a famine for bread nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah. In that day shall the beautiful virgins and the youths faint for thirst (Amos 8:11, 13).

This describes the lack of Divine truth. That lack is meant by "famine" and by "thirst;" therefore it is said, "not a famine for bread nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah." That the affection of truth and the understanding of truth will cease because of this lack is signified by "in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the youths faint for thirst."

[5] In Isaiah:

Blush, O Zidon, the sea hath said, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, neither brought forth; I have not trained up youths, I have not brought up virgins (Isaiah 23:4).

"Zidon and Tyre" mean the church as to the knowledges of good and truth; and the "sea" and "the stronghold of the sea" mean the natural where such knowledges are. That none are reformed by those knowledges is signified by "I have not travailed, neither brought forth;" and that consequently there is no understanding of truth and no affection of truth is signified by "I have not trained up youths, I have not brought up virgins."

[6] In David:

God shut up His people to the sword, and was wroth with His inheritance. The fire hath devoured her youths, and her virgins are not wedded. Her priests have fallen by the sword (Psalms 78:62-64).

This, too, treats of the devastation of the church by falsities and evils. "God shut up His people to the sword, and was wroth with His inheritance," signifies that the church perished through falsities and evils, the "sword" signifies the destruction of truth by falsities, "to be wroth" destruction by evils, the "people" those of the church who are in truths, and "inheritance" those who are in goods, but here those who are in falsities and evils. "The fire hath devoured her youths" signifies that the love of self and thence the pride of self-intelligence have destroyed the understanding of truth; "her virgins are not wedded" signifies that the affections of truth have perished through non-understanding of truth; "her priests have fallen by the sword" signifies that the goods of the church, which are the goods of works, of charity, and of life, have been destroyed by falsities.

[7] In Moses:

Without shall the sword bereave, and from the chambers terror, both the youth and the virgin, the suckling with the old man (Deuteronomy 32:25).

"Without shall the sword bereave, and from the chambers terror," signifies that falsity and evil, which are from within, shall devastate both the natural and the rational man; "the youth and the virgin" signify the understanding of truth and the affection of it; "the suckling with the old man" signifies innocence and wisdom.

[8] In Jeremiah:

By thee I will scatter nations, and by thee I will destroy kingdoms; by thee I will scatter the horse and his rider; by thee I will scatter the chariot and him that is carried therein; by thee I will scatter the old man and the boy; by thee I will scatter the youth and the virgin; by thee I will scatter the shepherd and his flock; by thee I will scatter the husbandman and his team; by thee I will scatter the governors and the leaders (Jeremiah 51:20-23).

This is said of Jacob and Israel, by whom is meant in the highest sense the Lord, who was to destroy the evils and falsities that bore rule in the church about the time of His coming; the "nations" and "kingdoms" that He will scatter signify evils and falsities in general; "the horse and his rider" signify reasonings from falsities against truths; "the chariot and him who is carried therein" signify falsities of doctrine; "the old man and the boy" signify falsities confirmed and not confirmed; "the youth and the virgin" signify the understanding of falsity and the affection of it; "the shepherd and his flock" signify those who teach and those who learn; "the husbandman and his team" have a like signification; "governors and leaders" signify the principles of falsity and evil.

[9] In Ezekiel:

Jehovah said, Go through the midst of the city, and through the midst of Jerusalem. Slay to destruction the old man, the youth and the virgin, and the infant and the women; but come not against any man upon whom is the sign (Ezekiel 9:4, 6).

This describes the devastation of all things pertaining to the church; "Jerusalem" signifies the church; "the old man, youth, virgin, infant, and women," signify all things of the church, the "old man" wisdom, the "youth" intelligence, the "virgin" the affection of truth, the "infant" innocence, "women" good conjoined to truths; "to slay to destruction" signifies to destroy utterly. That these things did not happen, but were merely seen by the prophet when he was in the spirit, is evident from the preceding verses, in which the abominations of the house of Israel and Judah are set forth under various forms and objects; and as these things did not happen, but were merely seen, it is clearly evident that "old man, youth, virgin, infant, and women," have this signification. What is signified by "come not against any man upon whom is the sign" may be seen above n. 427.

[10] In Joel:

They have cast lots upon my people, and they have given a boy for a harlot, and have sold a girl for wine which they drank (Joel 3:3).

"To cast lots upon the people" signifies to disperse the truths of the church by falsities; "to give a boy for a harlot" signifies to falsify the truths of the Word; "to sell a girl for wine" signifies to falsify the goods of the Word; "which they drank" signifies becoming imbued with falsity.

[11] In Zechariah:

The streets of the city were filled with boys and girls playing in its ² streets (Zechariah 8:5).

"Boys and girls" signify the truths and goods of innocence, such as are the truths and goods of the Word, which essentially constitute the church; "streets of the city" signify doctrinals, for which reason the ancients taught in the streets; and "to play in the streets" signifies to be glad and rejoice from doctrinals.

[12] In Jeremiah:

Again will I build thee, O virgin Israel; then shall the virgin be glad in her dance, and the young men and old men together (Jeremiah 31:4, 13).

"The virgin Israel" signifies the church from the affection of truth; "then shall the virgin be glad in the dance" signifies the gladness of heart of those who are in the spiritual affection of truth, since all spiritual gladness is from the affection of truth; and this is why the expressions "to play," "to dance," "to sing," and the like, are used in the Word in reference to virgins and girls.

[13] Because the church is a church from the spiritual affection of truth, which is the love of truth for the sake of truth, the following expressions are frequently used in the Word:

The virgin of Israel (Jeremiah 18:13; 31:4, 21; Amos 5:2);

The virgin daughter of Zion (2 Kings 19:21; Isaiah 37:22; Lamentations 1:4; 2:13);

The virgin daughter of my people (Jeremiah 14:17);

The virgin daughter of Zidon (Isaiah 23:12);

The virgin daughter of Egypt (Jeremiah 46:11);

Also the virgin daughter of Babylon (Isaiah 47:1).

In David:

They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. The singers went before, the minstrels after, in the midst of virgins playing on timbrels (Psalms 68:24, 25).

This is said of the Lord, who is here meant by "my God" and "my King," and His coming is meant by "His goings in the sanctuary," "the singers, minstrels, and players on timbrels," signify all who are of the Lord's spiritual and celestial kingdom, "the virgins singing," those who are of His spiritual kingdom, and "the minstrels and players on timbrels" those who are of His celestial kingdom; they are called "virgins" from the affection of truth and good; and "to sing, to play on instruments and on timbrels" describes the gladness and joy of their heart, for instruments played by beating and by blowing depict the joy of those who are of the celestial kingdom; while stringed instruments and singing depict the gladness of those who are of the spiritual kingdom.

[14] In the same:

King's daughters are among thy precious ones; on thy right hand standeth the queen in the best gold of Ophir. Hear, O daughter and see, incline thine ear. Then shall the king delight in thy beauty; for he is thy lord, therefore bow thyself down to him. The daughter of Tyre also with an offering, the rich of the people shall entreat thy faces. The king's daughter is all precious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold; she shall be brought unto the king in broidered work; the virgins that follow her, her companions, shall be brought unto him; with joy and exultation they shall be brought, they shall come into the king's palace (Psalms 45:9-15).

It is evident from the verses that precede (Psalms 45:2-8), and from those that follow (Psalms 45:16, 17), that this is said of the Lord. "King's daughters" signify the affections of Divine truth; "the queen that was at his right hand in the best gold of Ophir" signifies heaven and the church, which are in Divine truths from Divine good; "to hear, to see, and to incline the ear," which is said of the king's daughter, signifies to hearken, to perceive, and to obey, thus to understand, to do, and to be wise, from the Lord. That she will then be acceptable to the Lord is signified by "then shall the king delight in thy beauty," "beauty" is predicated of the affection of truth, for this is what constitutes the beauty of angels; "therefore bow thyself down to him" signifies worship from a humble heart. "And the daughter of Tyre shall send an offering" signifies worship by those who are in the knowledges of truth; "the rich of the people shall entreat thy faces" signifies adoration by those who are in intelligence from these knowledges; "the king's daughter is all glorious within" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, which is called "glorious" from abundance of truth, while "within" signifies what is spiritual; "her clothing is inwrought with gold" signifies investing truths formed from the good of love; "she shall be brought unto the king in broidered work" signifies the appearances of truth, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word; "the virgins that follow her, her companions," signify the spiritual-natural affections of truth which serve; "with joy and exultation they shall be brought, they shall come into the king's palace," signifies with heavenly joy into heaven, where the Lord is.

[15] Because "king's daughters" signified the spiritual affections of truth, and their "garments" signified truths in the ultimate of order, such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of its letter, therefore:

The king's daughters that were virgins were formerly clothed in robes of diverse colors, as is said of Tamar the daughter of David (2 Samuel 13:18).

In Zechariah:

How great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty! Corn maketh the young men to grow, and new wine the virgins (Zechariah 9:17).

This, too, is said of the Lord; and "His goodness and beauty" mean the Divine good and the Divine truth. "Corn maketh the young men to grow, and new wine the virgins," signifies that the understanding of truth and the affection of truth are formed by good and truth from Him. It is evident from these passages that "virgins" signify in the Word the affections of truth, likewise from other passages (as Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 2:32; Joel 1:7, 8; Psalms 148:12; Judges 5:30).

[16] Because a "virgin" signified the affection of the genuine truth of the church, which is wholly in accord with the good of love, it was commanded:

That the high priest should not take to wife a widow, or one divorced, or one polluted, a harlot, but a virgin of his own people, lest he profane his seed (Leviticus 21:13-15; also Ezekiel 44:22).

The particulars of this may be seen explained above n. 768. It was because "virgin" signifies the affection of genuine truth, and her defilement signifies falsification of Divine truth, that to commit whoredom was so severely forbidden, that:

If anyone should entice a virgin and lie with her he should pay her a dowry to be a wife for himself; but if her father should refuse to give her he should weigh him silver according to the dowry of virgins (Exodus 22:16, 17; Deuteronomy 22:28, 29).

This may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9181-9186.

[17] Because the affection of truth and the understanding of truth constitute a marriage, like that of a virgin espoused and married to a man, and these afterwards make one, like will and understanding, or affection and thought, or good and truth, in every man, and because diverse affections cannot be conjoined to one and the same thought, or diverse wills to one and the same understanding, or diverse truths of the church to one and the same good of love, without causing falsifications and dispersions of truth, so lying with a virgin who was betrothed was made a crime punishable with death, according to this command in Moses:

If a man lie in a city with a damsel that is a virgin betrothed to a man, both shall be stoned; but if in the field the man alone shall die, to the damsel there is no crime of death (Deuteronomy 22:23-27).

"Lying together in the city" signifies the adulteration of the good and truth of doctrine from the Word, for a "city" means doctrine, and "stoning" was a punishment for harm done to the truth of doctrine. But "lying together in the field" signifies the falsification of the truth of the church before it has been accepted as a doctrinal; and this is not the adulteration of its good, since a "field" means the church, in which truth at first is implanted and afterwards grows and at length becomes a matter of doctrine; and for this reason the man only should die. From this it can also be seen that "virginity" signifies the undefiled affection of truth (as in Leviticus 21:13; Deuteronomy 22:13-21; Ezekiel 23:3, 8.

Fusnotat:

195. Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of the state of man's life (See above, n. 148); here, therefore, "names" signify men who are such. It is evident also from the signification of "the church in Sardis," as being those who live a moral life but not a spiritual life, because they have little regard for the knowledges of truth and good from the Word (See also above, n. 148, 182); but here those are meant who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, for it is said, "that have not defiled their garments." It is evident also from the signification of "garments," as being knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions in the natural man (of which presently). "Not defiling their garments," therefore, signifies living as a moral man not for the sake of self and the world, which is for the sake of the body and its life only, but for the sake of the Lord and of heaven, which is for the sake of the soul and its life. From this it is clear that "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies such as live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to their life.

[2] But as few know what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to apply the knowledges of truth and good from the Word to the uses of their life, it shall be told. Man lives a moral life from a spiritual origin when he lives it from religion; that is, when he thinks, when anything evil, insincere, or unjust presents itself: that this must not be done because it is contrary to the Divine laws. When one abstains from doing such things in deference to Divine laws he acquires for himself spiritual life, and his moral life is then from the spiritual; for by such thoughts and faith man communicates with the angels of heaven, and by communication with heaven his internal spiritual man is opened, the mind of which is a higher mind, such as the angels of heaven have, and he is thereby imbued with heavenly intelligence and wisdom. From this it can be seen that to live a moral life from a spiritual origin is to live from religion, and within the church, to live from the Word; for those who live a moral life from religion and from the Word are elevated above their natural man, thus above what is their own [proprium], and are led by the Lord through heaven; consequently they have faith, the fear of God, and conscience, and also the spiritual affection of truth, which is the affection of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for to such men these are Divine laws, according to which they live. Many of the heathen live such a moral life, for they think that evil must not be done because it is contrary to their religion; this is why so many of them are saved.

[3] But on the other hand, to live a moral life not from religion, but only from the fear of the law in the world, and of the loss of fame, honor, and gain, is to live a moral life not from a spiritual but from a natural origin; therefore to such there is no communication with heaven. And as they think insincerely and unjustly regarding the neighbor, although they speak and act otherwise, their internal spiritual man is closed, and the internal natural man only is opened; and when this is open they are in the light of the world, but not in the light of heaven. For this reason such persons have in them little regard for Divine and heavenly things, and some deny them, believing nature and the world to be everything. (From this it can now be seen what it is to live a moral life from a spiritual origin, and what it is to live it from a natural origin; but these things may be seen set forth in clearer light in the work on Heaven and Hell 528-535.) Of those who live a moral life from a natural origin only, it may be said that they "defile their garments," for "garments" mean that which is outside the man himself and which clothes him, thus his natural man with the things that are in it, which are knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions; and when these are from the Word they are defiled by the fact that he learns and holds them only for the sake of reputation, that he may be thought learned or well informed, or that he may thereby acquire honors and gain wealth; and except for such ends he has no regard for them. Thus it is that the knowledges from the Word are polluted and defiled by the loves of self and the world, for these knowledges dwell in the same place with the evils and falsities that gush out from those loves as from their fountains.

[4] It was said above, that man becomes spiritual by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word applied to the uses of life. Why men become spiritual by means of knowledges from the Word, and not by means of other knowledges, shall now be told. All things that are in the Word are Divine, and they are Divine for the reason that they have in them a spiritual sense, and by that sense communicate with heaven and with the angels there. When, therefore, man has knowledges from the Word and applies them to life, then through these he has communication with heaven and by that communication becomes spiritual; for man becomes spiritual by his being in like or in corresponding truths with the angels of heaven. It is said in "corresponding" truths, because each and all things in the sense of the letter of the Word are correspondences, for they correspond to the truths that angels have. But the knowledges derived from other books, which set forth and by various means establish the doctrines of the church, do not effect communication with heaven except by the knowledges from the Word they contain; such knowledges do give communication if they are rightly understood and are applied to life, and not to faith alone. Everyone can see that this is so from this, that the Word in itself is Divine, and what is Divine in itself can become Divine with man by his applying it to life. "Becoming Divine with man" means that the Lord can have His abode with man (John 14:23), thus dwelling with him in what is His own (that the Lord dwells in His own with man and angel, and not in what is their own [proprio illorum], see in the work on Heaven and Hell 12). The Lord dwells in His own when He dwells in those things with man that are from the Word, for the Lord is the Word (John 1:1, 2, 14); and the words that He spoke, that is, that are in the Word:

Are spirit and life (John 6:63, 68; 12:50).

[5] That "garments" signify the things that are in the natural man, which are knowledges [scientifica], ¹ true or false, or cognitions, is from the spiritual world; for in the spiritual world all, however many, appear clothed according to their moral life; consequently those who have lived a moral life from a spiritual origin appear clothed in shining white garments, like fine linen; but those who have lived a moral life from a natural origin only, appear according to the nature of that life, those who have polluted their life by evils and falsities appearing in dark garments, mean, torn, and hideous to behold (See the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182). From this now it is that "garments" in the Word signify truths from good, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil, both of them in the natural man; truths and falsities in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica] and cognitions.

[6] That "garments" in the Word signify truths or falsities can be clearly seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on the garments of thy splendor, O Jerusalem; for henceforth there shall no more come to thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1).

"Zion" in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus also the celestial church, and "Jerusalem" the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church (what the celestial kingdom is, and the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). The "garments of splendor that Jerusalem must put on" are Divine truths; the "uncircumcised and the unclean that shall not come to them" are those who are in evils and falsities.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Jerusalem, I clothed thee with broidered work, I shod thee with badger's skin, I girded thee about with fine linen. I adorned thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy throat, and a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings upon thine ears, yea, a crown of ornament upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou becamest exceeding beautiful, and didst prosper even unto the kingdom. But thou didst take of thy garments, and didst make to thee high places with divers colors, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou also didst take garments of thy broidered work, and didst cover the images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezekiel 16:10-13, 16-18).

Here what the church was when it was first established by the Lord is described; the "garments" that are mentioned are truths from good; "broidered work" is true knowledge [scientificum]; "fine linen and silk" are truths from a celestial source; the "bracelets," "chain," "jewel," "earrings," and "crown," are decorations signifying things spiritual of various kinds; the "gold and silver" with which she was decked are the good of love and its truth. Then the same church when perverted is described, by this, that "she took of the garments, and did make to herself high places with divers colors," signifying truths falsified; and that "she took the garments of broidered work, and covered the images of a male," signifies that they applied the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to so confirm falsities even so as to make them appear like truths; "committing whoredom with them" and "under them" signifies making doctrine and worship out of falsities (that this is to "commit whoredom," see above, n. 141, 161).

(That "Jerusalem" is the church where there is true doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 402, 3654, 9166. That "broidered work" is knowledges [scientificum], n. Arcana Coelestia 9688. That "fine linen" is truth from a celestial origin, n. 5319, 9469. That "bracelets" are truths and goods of the church, n. 3103, 3105. That "a chain [for the neck]" is representative of the conjunction of interior and exterior things, n . 5320; that "jewels [for the nose]" and "earrings" are representatives of perception and obedience, n. Arcana Coelestia 4551. That "a crown" means wisdom, see above, n. 126. That "gold" is the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881; that "silver" is truth from that good, n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658. That "high places with divers colors" are truths falsified, n. 796, 4005. That the "male" or "masculine" is truth, n. 749, 2046, 4005, 7838; therefore "images of a male" are appearances of truth.)

[8] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thy covering. Syria was thy merchant in purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, with chrysoprasus. Dedan was thy merchant with garments of liberty for the chariot; Asshur and Chilmad with bales of blue and of broidered work, and with treasures of precious garments (Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 20, 23-24).

Here Tyre and her wares are treated of, and "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, and "trading" and "trafficking," signify acquiring for oneself and communicating such knowledges; "purple and blue" signify the celestial love of good and truth; "Egypt," the knowledge belonging to the natural man; by "broidered work from Egypt" the like; "Syria" the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good; "Asshur" the rational of that church; "Dedan" those who are in the knowledges of celestial things. From this it can be seen that the "wares of Tyre," treated of in the whole of that chapter, do not mean wares, but each and all these things mean spiritual things, which man ought to acquire, be imbued with, and communicate. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1201. That "Egypt" signifies the knowledges [scientificum] belonging to the natural man, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6682, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. That "Syria" is the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, n. 1232, 1234, 3664, 3680, 4112. That "Dedan" signifies those who are in the knowledges of celestial things, n. 3240, 3241. That "Asshur" is the rational therefrom, n. 119, 1186. That "purple" is the celestial love of good, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. That "blue" is the celestial love of truth, n. 9466, 9687, 9833; likewise "chrysoprasus," n. Arcana Coelestia 9868. What "fine linen" and "broidered work" signify, see just above.)

[9] In David:

The king's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is inwrought with gold. She shall be brought unto the king in broidered work (Psalms 45:13-14).

The "king's daughter" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, and therefore the church consisting of those who are in that affection; "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth; "clothing inwrought with gold," intelligence and wisdom from that truth; the "broidered work" in which she should "be brought to the king" signifies the knowledges of truth. (That "daughter" signifies the affection of truth, and the church therefrom, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 2623, 3373, 3963, 4257, 6729, 6775, 6779, 8649, 9055, 9807. That "king" signifies the Lord in respect to Divine truth, see above, n. 31.)

[10] In the second book of Samuel:

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with dainty things, and who put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:24).

This is in the lamentation of David over Saul, which he wrote:

To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:18);

by "bow" is signified truth combating against falsities (See Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8] Arcana Coelestia 2686[1-8], 2709); "Saul" here, as a king, signifies such truth; the "sons of Judah" signify those who are in truths from good; "to clothe the daughters of Israel in scarlet," and "to put ornaments of gold upon the apparel," is to impart intelligence and wisdom to those who are in the spiritual affection of truth.

[11] In Matthew:

When the king came in to behold those reclining to eat, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? He was speechless. Then said the king, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13).

A "wedding garment" signifies the intelligence of the spiritual man, which is from the knowledges of truth and good; but "he that had not on a wedding garment" signifies a hypocrite, who by a moral life counterfeits the spiritual life when yet he is merely natural; "to bind him hand and foot" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges from the Word, by which he has put on the likeness of a spiritual man; "to be cast out into outer darkness" signifies among those who are in falsities from evil (for "outer darkness" signifies falsities from evil).

[12] In Zephaniah :

I will visit upon the princes, and upon the king's sons, and upon all that are clothed with the garments of the alien (Zephaniah 1:8). "Princes" and "king's sons" signify those who are in truths, and in a contrary sense, as here, those who are in falsities; these are said to be "clothed with the garment of the alien," because "garment" signifies falsity, and "alien" those who are out of the church and do not acknowledge the truths of the church.

[13] In Matthew:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing; inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. Matthew 7:15).

"False prophets in sheep's clothing, who inwardly are ravening wolves," are those who teach falsities as if they were truths, and who in appearance live a moral life, but who by themselves, when they think from their spirit, think of nothing but themselves and the world, and are eager to deprive all others of truths.

[14] In John:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou wast younger thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not (John 21:18).

What these words signify in the spiritual sense may be seen above n. 9; namely, that by "Peter" is meant the faith of the church; when he "was younger and girded himself and walked whither he would" means the faith of the church at the beginning, when men are in the good of charity, that they then think about the truths of the church from the spiritual man, which is to think from their spirit, thus from the spiritual affection of truth, that is, from freedom. But by "Peter when old, that he should stretch forth his hands and another should gird him," is meant the faith of the church at its end, when faith would be without charity, that they then would think nothing about the truths of the church from themselves, but from others, thus from doctrine only and not from the Word, which is relatively a servile state. For to believe what another says is servile, but to believe what one himself thinks from the Word is freedom; according to the Lord's words in John:

If ye abide in My Word, ye are truly My disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32).

[15] In Luke:

No man putteth a piece of a new garment on an old garment; else the new will rend the old, and the piece from the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and itself be spilt, and the bottles be destroyed (Luke 5:36-37; Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22).

Because a "garment" signifies truth, the Lord compared the truths of the former church, which was a church representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new church, which were spiritual truths themselves, to a piece of a new garment; He compared them likewise to bottles of wine, because "wine" in like manner signifies truth, and "bottles" mean the knowledges that contain truth. (That "wine" in the Word signifies truth, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 219.)

[16] From this it can now be seen what is signified in the Word elsewhere by "garments," which are often mentioned there, as in the following passages. In Revelation:

And upon the thrones four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

Again:

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse followed Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And:

They who stood before the throne in sight of the Lamb, were clothed in white robes (Revelation 7:9).

Again:

The seven angels from the temple were clothed in linen, clean and shining (Revelation 15:6).

Again:

White robes were given to everyone of those under the altar (Revelation 6:11).

Again:

Buy gold and white garments (Revelation 3:18).

In Ezekiel:

If he giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment (Ezekiel 18:16).

"To give bread to the hungry" signifies in the spiritual sense to instruct from the good of charity those who long for truths; "to cover the naked with a garment" signifies to instruct, in like manner, those who are not in truths.

[17] In the same:

The enemies shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning (Ezekiel 23:26).

In Zechariah:

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and thus stood before the angel. And he said to those that stood before him, Take away the filthy garments from off him. And he said, I have made thine iniquity to pass from off thee, in clothing thee with changed garments (Zechariah 3:3-5).

In Lamentations :

They have wandered blind in the streets, they have been polluted with blood; what they cannot pollute they touch with their clothes (Lamentations 4:14).

From the signification of "garments" it can be known what is meant by many statutes with the sons of Israel:

That they should not put on mixed garments (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11);

That a woman should not wear the vessels of a man, nor a man be clothed with the garments of a woman (Deuteronomy 22:5);

That they should wash their garments that they might be purified, and thus sanctified (Exodus 19:14; Leviticus 11:25, 11:28, 11:40; 14:8; (Leviticus 14:8); Numbers 19:11-22);

and elsewhere:

That in mourning for transgression against Divine truths they should put off their garments and put on sackcloth (Isaiah 15:3; 22:12; 37:1-2; Jeremiah 4:8; 6:26; 48:37; 49:3; Lamentations 2:10; Ezekiel 27:31; Amos 8:10; Jonah 3:5-6, 3:8);

And that they should rend their garments (Isaiah 37:1 and elsewhere).

Also what this signifies:

That the disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord was going to Jerusalem, and that the people then strewed their garments in the way (Matthew 21:7-9; Mark 11:7-8; Luke 19:35-36);

can be seen above n. 31.

[18] That "garments" signify truths has its origin in this, that the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord as a sun there, and all things that have existence in the heavens have existence from the light there, and this is true in like manner of the garments in which the angels appear clothed. It is from this:

That the angels who sat at the Lord's sepulchre had raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3);

And that their garments were shining (Luke 24:4).

(That the garments in which the angels appear clothed correspond to their intelligence, and that they have intelligence according to their reception of Divine truth from the Lord, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182;and that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is light in heaven, n. 126-135.) From this it can be seen what "garments" signify in reference to the Lord, namely, Divine truth proceeding from Him; and as Divine truth is signified, the Word also is signified, for the Word is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens. This was represented by the Lord's "garments" when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, which are thus described in the Evangelists:

When Jesus was transfigured, His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light (Matthew 17:2);

And white, dazzling (Luke 9:29);

And glistering white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3).

The like is said of the Ancient of Days in Daniel:

The Ancient of Days did sit, and His garment was like white snow (Daniel 7:9).

"The Ancient of Days" is the Lord from eternity. As "light" is Divine truth, and this in reference to the Lord is signified by "garments," therefore it is said in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[19] From this it can be seen what the Lord's garments mentioned elsewhere in the Word signify. As in David:

He hath anointed all Thy garments with myrrh and aloes and cassia (Psalms 45:7-8);

where the Lord is treated of. In Moses:

He will wash His vesture in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11).

This is also said of the Lord. "Wine" and "the blood of grapes" signify Divine truth. Because the Lord's garments signified Divine truth, therefore also:

Those who touched the border of His garment were healed (Matthew 9:20-21; Mark 5:27-28, 30; 6:56; Luke 8:44).

In Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, His garments bespattered from Bozrah; this that is honorable in His apparel? Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments as of one treading in the wine-press? Their victory is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel (Isaiah 63:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord; "garments" here signify the Word, which, as has been said, is Divine truth from the Lord on earth and in the heavens; the violence offered to Divine truth or to the Word by those who were then of the church, is described by this, that "He was red in apparel as one treading in the wine-press," and that "victory was sprinkled upon His garments," and that "He had stained all his raiment."

[20] In Revelation:

He that sat on the white horse was arrayed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

Here it is plainly declared that He who sat on the white horse was called "the Word of God;" and it is clear that this is the Lord, for it is immediately said of Him:

He hath on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

It is therefore the Word in the letter that is signified by the "garment dipped in blood," since violence was done to it, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense; violence could not be done to this, because they knew nothing about it.

[21] That violence was done to the Word in the sense of the letter, but not to the Word in the spiritual sense, is signified also by the soldiers dividing the Lord's garments, but not His tunic, of which it is said in John:

The soldiers took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

And in David:

They parted My garments, and cast the lot upon My vesture (Psalms 22:18).

"The garments of the Lord which they parted" signify the Word in the letter; His "tunic" the Word in the spiritual sense; "soldiers" signify those of the church who should fight in behalf of Divine truth; therefore it is said, "These things therefore the soldiers did." (That "tunic" signifies Divine truth, or the Word in the spiritual sense, see Arcan (Arcana Coelestia 9826, 9942) a Coelestia, n. 9826, 9942; that "soldiers" signify those who are of the church, and who should fight in behalf of Divine truth, see above, n. 64, at the end, where these things are more fully explained.) It should be known that each particular related in the Evangelists respecting the Lord's passion, involves and signifies how the church at that time, which was among the Jews, had treated Divine truth, thus the Word, for this was Divine truth with them; the Lord also was the Word, because He was Divine truth (John 1:1, 2, 14). But what each particular involves and signifies cannot be known except from the internal sense. Here it will be told only what "the Lord's garments" signified, because the meaning of "garments" is here treated of, namely, that they signify truths, and in reference to the Lord, Divine truths.

[22] "The garments of Aaron and of his sons" have a like signification, because Aaron with his sons represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, and their garments the Lord in respect to Divine truth. (But these things may be seen explained and shown in the Arcana Coelestia; as that Aaron represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, n.9806, 9946, 10017; also what each of their garments signified, the breastplate, the ephod, the cloak, the tunic wrought with checker work, the miter, and the belt, n. 9814, 9823-9828)

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