216. And they sewed fig leaves together and made girdles for themselves. 'Sewing leaves' is excusing themselves, 'fig' is natural good, 'making girdles for themselves' is being filled with shame. This was how the most ancient people spoke and described this generation of the Church, that is to say, that instead of the innocence existing with them previously they now had natural good which; served to conceal their evil, and that because they were in possession of natural good they were moved to shame.