Consequently it is plain that by 'not defiling their garments' is signified to be in truths, and not to pollute worship by evils of life and untruths therefrom. [2] That 'garments' in the Word signify truths, and in the opposite sense untruths, is plain from these passages:-

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy beauty, O Jerusalem Isa. lii 1.

Jerusalem, I have clothed thee with broidered work, and shod thee with badger's skin, I have girded thee about with fine linen, and adorned thee with apparel; thou hast been decked with gold and silver, and thy garments are fine linen, silk, and broidered work, whence thou hast become exceeding beautiful. But of thy garments thou hast taken and made for thyself high places of divers colours, that thou mightest commit whoredom upon them; thou hast also taken thy broidered garments, and hast made images of a male, with which thou wast committing whoredom Ezek. xvi 10-18.

There the Jewish Church is described, that truths have been given to it, because [it had] the Word, but that they have falsified them. 'To commit whoredom' is to falsify (n. 134).

[3] The king's daughter is all glorious within, and her clothing is of weavings of gold. She shall be brought unto the king in [raiment of] needlework Ps. xlv 13, 14 [H.B. 14, 15].

The 'king's daughter' is the Church as to the affection of truth.

O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in double-dyed [scarlet and purple] with luxuries, and put an embellishment of gold upon your clothing 2 Sam. 24.

These things are said of Saul because the Divine Truth is signified by him as a king (n. 20).

I will make a visitation upon the princes and upon the king's sons, and upon all who are clothed in the garments of the stranger Zeph. i 8.

Enemies shall strip off the clothes from thee, and take away the instruments of thine adornment Ezek. xxiii 26.

Joshua had been clothed with filthy garments, and was standing so in the presence of the angel, who said, Take away the filthy garments from upon him, and clothe him with other garments Zech. iii 3-5.

The king came in and saw those who were reclining, and he saw a man not clothed with a wedding garment, and he said to him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? Matt. xxii 11-13.

A 'wedding garment' is Divine Truth out of the Word.

[4] Beware of false prophets, who come unto you in sheep's clothing Matt. vii 15.

No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise the new will rend the old, and the piece out of the new does not agree with the old Luke v 36, 37.

Because a garment signifies truths, the Lord therefore compares the truths of the previous Church, which were external and representative of spiritual things, to a piece of an old garment, and the truths of the new Church, which were internal and spiritual, to a piece of a new garment.

Upon the thrones were sitting twenty-four elders, clothed with white garments Rev. iv 4.

Those who were standing before the throne in view of the Lamb had been clothed with white robes; who washed their robes and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb Rev. vii 9, 13, 14.

White robes were given to each one under the altar Rev. vi 11.

The armies of the One sitting upon the white horse were following Him clothed in fine linen white and clean Rev. xix 14.

[5] Because 'angels' signify Divine Truths, therefore the angels seen in the Lord's sepulchre appeared in white and shining garments (Matt. xxviii 3; Luke xxiv 4). Because the Lord is Divine Good and Divine Truth, and by 'garments' Truths are understood, therefore when He was transformed:-

His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as the light Matt. xvii 2.

And glistering white Luke ix 29.

And shining white as snow, such as no fuller upon earth can whiten Mark ix 3.

It is said of the Ancient of Days, Who indeed is the Lord, that:-

His garment was white as snow Dan. vii 9.

And these things are said of the Lord besides:-

He has anointed all thy garments with myrrh, and aloe, and cassia Ps. xlv 8 [H.B. 9].

He washes his garments in wine, and his clothing (velamen) in the blood of grapes Gen. xlix 11.

Who is this one who comes out of Edom, [with His] garments be-spattered out of Bozrah, this one who is honourable in His apparel? Wherefore [art Thou] red as to thy garment? Thy garments are as of one who treads in the wine-press. Victory has been sprinkled upon My garments, and I have soiled all My raiment Isa. lxiii 1-3.

This also is said of the Lord. His 'garments' there are the Truths of the Word.

The One sitting upon the white horse was clothed about with a garment dipped in blood, and His Name is called the Word of God Rev. xix 13, 16.

[6] In consequence of the signification of 'garments' it can be seen why the Lord's disciples laid their garments upon the ass and the colt when the Lord would enter into Jerusalem, and why the people strewed their garments in the way (Matt. xxi 7, 8, 9; Mark xi 7, 8; Luke xix 35, 36); and what is signified by the soldiers having divided the Lord's garments into four parts (John xix 23, 24); thus what is signified by these [words] in David:-

They have parted my garments, and upon my vesture they have cast a lot Ps. xxii 18 [H.B. 19].

[7] In consequence of the signification of 'garments' it is also plain why they rent their garments when anyone spoke against the Divine Truth of the Word (Isa. xxxvii 1, and elsewhere); plain again that they washed their garments so that they [themselves] might be purified (Exod. xix 14; Lev. xi 25, 40; xiv 8, 9; Num. xix 11 to the end). And it is plain that, on account of transgressions against Divine Truths, they put their garments off, and put on sackcloth (Isa. xv 3; xxii 12; xxxvii 1, 2; Jer. iv 8; vi 26; xlviii 37; xlix 3; Lam. ii 10; Ezek. xxvii 31; Amos viii 10; Jonah iii 5, 6, 8). He who has become acquainted with what 'garments' signify, in general and in each case (in specie), is able to get to know what the garments of Aaron and his sons signified. These were the ephod, the robe, the checkered coat, the girdle, the breeches, and the mitre. Because 'light' signifies Divine Truth, and 'a garment' likewise, therefore it is said in David:-

Jehovah covers Himself with light as with a garment Ps. civ 2.