1082. Verse 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment and both of them put it on a shoulder, and went backwards and covered their father's nakedness; and their faces were backwards, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 'Shem', as stated, means the internal Church, 'Japheth' the external Church corresponding to it. 'They took a garment' means that they placed a good interpretation on it. 'And both of them put it on a shoulder' means that they did so with all the power they possessed. 'And they went backwards' means that they took no notice of errors and perversities. 'And covered their father's nakedness' means that in this way they excused those things. 'And their faces were backwards, and they did not see their father's nakedness' means that this is what ought to be done and that no notice ought to be taken of such things as errors and faults resulting from reasonings.
