AC 6013 - Innocence

AC  6013

And their babes.
(Genesis 46:5)

. . . those things which are of innocence,
is evident from the meaning of "babes," as being innocence.
It is said "with those things which are of innocence,"
also "which are of charity,"
for the reason that without innocence and charity,
natural truth cannot be caused to advance by spiritual truths;
for in order that truth may be genuine,
it must derive its essence and life from charity,
and charity from innocence.
For the interior things which vivify truth
succeed one another in the following order:
inmost is innocence;
next lower is charity;
and lowest is work of charity from truth or according to truth.
The reason why they succeed one another in this order
is that they so succeed one another in the heavens.
For the inmost or third heaven is the heaven of innocence;
the middle or second heaven is the heaven of charity,
within which is innocence from the inmost heaven;
and the ultimate or first heaven is the heaven of truth,
within which is charity from the second heaven,
and within this is innocence from the third.
All these must be in the same order with a person,
for in respect to his interiors
person is formed after the image of the three heavens;
and therefore a regenerated person
is a heaven in particular or in the least form.
But in respect to his exteriors, especially the body,
he is formed after the image of the world . . .
to the end that every person may be in particular
a recipient of Divine good from the Lord,
as heaven is in general.