94 HEAVEN and HELL §177
a. Garments in the Word mean truths by reason of correspondence: 1073 , 2576 , 5319 , 5954 , 9212 ,
9216 , 9952 , 10536 ; because truths clothe what is good: 5248. A veil means something of intellect,
since discernment is the vessel of what is true: 6378. White garments of linen mean truths from
the Divine: 5319 , 9469. Flame means spiritual good, and the light from it means truth from that
good: 3222 , 6832.
b. Angels and spirits are seen wearing clothes that accord with their truths and therefore with
their intelligence: 165 , 5248 , 5954 , 9212 , 9216 , 9814 , 9952 , 10536. Some garments of angels are radi-
ant, and some are not: 5248.The Clothes Angels Appear In
177
S
INCE angels are people and live together the way people on earth do,
they have clothes and homes and a great many other things: the dif-
ference, however, being that everything is more perfect for them because
they are in a more perfect state. For just as angelic wisdom surpasses our
wisdom so greatly as to be inexpressible, so too does everything that
comes to their perception and sight, since everything perceived by and
apparent to angels corresponds to their wisdom (see above, § 173 ).178 Like everything else, the clothes angels wear correspond, and since
they do correspond they truly exist (see above, § 175 ). Their clothes refl ect
their intelligence, so all the people in heaven are dressed according to
their intelligence; and since one will surpass another in intelligence (see
§§ 43 and 128 ), one will have better quality clothing than another. The
most intelligent wear clothes that gleam as though afl ame, some radiant
as though alight. The less intelligent wear pure white and soft white
clothes that do not shine, and those still less intelligent wear clothes of
various colors. The angels of the inmost heaven, though, are naked.179 Because angels’ clothes correspond to their intelligence, they also
correspond to what is true, since all intelligence comes from divine truth.
So it amounts to the same thing whether you say that angels are dressed
according to their intelligence or according to divine truth. The reason
the garments of some angels gleam as though afl ame, while the garments
of others shine as though alight, is that fl ame corresponds to what is
good, and light to what is true because of that good.a The reason some
garments are pure white and soft white and do not shine, while others
are of various colors, is that divine good and truth are less dazzling and
are also differently accepted among less intelligent people.b Pure white