treats of the first and more especially of the second and third posterities of the church, who were endowed with such good.
296. That the skins of kids, sheep, goats, badgers, and rams signify spiritual and natural goods, is evident from the internal sense of the Word, where Jacob is treated of, and also where the ark is treated of. Of Jacob it is said that he was "clothed with the raiment of Esau," and on his hands and on his neck, where he was naked, "with skins of kids of the goats," and when Isaac smelled them, he said, "the smell of my son is as the smell of a field"(Gen. xxvii. 15, 16, 27). That these skins signify spiritual and natural goods, will of the Lord's Divine mercy be seen in that place. Of the ark it is said that the covering of the tent was "of rams' skins and badgers' skins" (Exod. xxvi. 14; xxxvi. 19), and that when they set forward Aaron and his sons covered the ark with a covering "of badgers' skins," and likewise the table and its vessels, the candlestick and its vessels, the altar of gold, and the vessels of ministry and of the altar (Num. iv. 6-14). Of the Lord's Divine mercy it will in that place also be seen that these skins signify spiritual and natural good, for whatever was in the ark, the tabernacle, or the tent, yea, whatever was upon Aaron when clothed with the garments of holiness, signified what is celestial spiritual, so that there was not the least thing that had not its own representation.
297. Celestial good is not clothed, because it is inmost, and is innocent; but celestial spiritual good is that which is first clothed, and then natural good, for these are more external, and on that account are compared to and are called "garments;" as in Ezekiel, speaking of the Ancient Church:—
I clothed thee with broidered work, and shod thee with badger, I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk (xvi. 10).
In Isaiah:—
Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness (lii. 1).
In the Revelation:—
Who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy (iii. 4, 5),
