671. 'Clothed with clean and shining linen, and girded about the breasts with golden girdles' signifies this out of the pure and genuine truths and goods of the Word. By 'clean and shining linen' is signified pure and genuine Truth, concerning which [something] follows. By 'a golden girdle about the breast' is signified the proceeding and at the same time conjoining Divine, which is Divine good (n. 46 above). By 'to be clothed and girded about' is signified to appear and be presented in them, for 'garments' signify truths clothing good (n. i66), and 'girdles' or belts signify truths and goods holding together in order and connection (n. 46). From these things it is plain that by 'angels clothed with clean and shining linen, and girded about the breasts with golden girdles' are signified pure and genuine truths and goods, which because they are from nowhere else but the Word signify the truths and goods of the Word. [2] That 'linen' signifies Divine Truth can be established from the following references, as that:-
Aaron had breeches of linen when he entered the tent and drew near to the altar Exod. xxviii 42, 43.
When Aaron entered into the holy-place he put on a coat of linen of holiness, coverings (caligae) of linen were upon his flesh, he girded himself with a belt of linen, and put upon himself a mitre of linen; these are the garments of holiness; and he put on the same garments when he made atonement for the people Lev. xvi 4, 32.
In like manner that:-
The priests, the Levites, when they entered at the gates of the inner court, put on garments of linen, mitres of linen upon the head, and breeches of linen upon the loins Ezek. xliv 17, 18.
The priests wore ephods of linen 1 Sam. xxii 18.
Samuel, when as a boy he ministered before Jehovah, was clothed with an ephod of linen Sam. ii 18.
David, when the ark was being transported into his city, was girded with an ephod of linen 2 Sam. vi 14.
From these things it can be established why:-
The Lord, when He washed the disciples' feet, girded Himself with linen and wiped their feet with the linen cloth John xiii 4, 5.
Angels also appeared clothed with linen Dan. x 5; Ezek. ix 2-4, 11; x 2-7.
Also that:-
The angels seen in the Lord's sepulchre appeared clothed with bright and shining white Matt. xxviii 3.
The angel who measured the new temple had a thread of linen in his hand Ezek. xl 3.
Jeremiah, so that he might represent the state of the Church as to truth,
was commanded to buy a girdle of linen, and he hid it in a hole of the rock by the Euphrates, and afterwards he found it spoiled Jer. xiii 1-7.
It is also said in Isaiah:-
A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, and He shall bring forth the judgment into the truth (veritas) Isa. xlii 3.
By 'linen' in those places nothing else is understood but Truth.
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