ocence is and its nature few in the world know, and those who
are in evil know nothing about it. It is, indeed, visible to the
eyes, as seen in the face, speech and movements, particularly of
children; and yet what innocence is, and especially that it is that
in which heaven is stored up in man is unknown. In making this known
let us proceed in order, and consider first the innocence of
childhood, then the innocence of wisdom, and lastly the state of
heaven in regard to innocence.

277. The innocence of childhood or of children is not genuine
innocence, for it is innocence not in internal form but only in
external form. Nevertheless one may learn from it what innocence is,
since it shines forth from the face of children and from some of
their movements and from their first speech, and affects those about
them. It can be seen that children have no internal thought, for they
do not yet know what is good and what is evil, or what is true and
what is false, of which such thought consists. [2] Consequently they
have no prudence from what is their own, no purpose or deliberation,
thus no end that looks to evil; neither have they anything of their
own acquired from love of self and the world; they do not attribute
anything to themselves, regarding all that they have as received from
their parents; they are content with the few and paltry things
presented to them, and find delight in them; they have no solicitude
about food and clothing, and none about the future; they do not look
to the world and covet many things from it; they love their parents
and nurses and their child companions with whom they play in
innocence; they suffer themselves to be led; they give heed and obey.
[3] And being in this state they receive everything as a matter of
life; and therefore, without knowing why, they have becoming manners,
and also learn to talk, and have the beginning of memory and thought,
their state of innocence serving as a medium whereby these things are
received and implanted. But this innocence, as has been said above,
is external because it belongs to the body alone, and not to the
mind;{1} for their minds are not yet formed, the mind being
understanding and will and thought and affection therefrom. [4] I
have been told from heaven that children are specially under the
Lord's auspices, and that they receive influx from the inmost heaven,
where there is a state of innocence that this influx passes through
their interiors, and tha