s as youths and young men,
as they are perfected in intelligence and wisdom, is that
intelligence and wisdom are essential spiritual nourishment;{1} and
thus the things that nourish their minds also nourish their bodies,
and this from correspondence; for the form of the body is simply the
external form of the interiors. But it should be understood that in
heaven children advance in age only to early manhood, and remain in
this to eternity. That I might be assured that this is so I have been
permitted to talk with some who had been educated as children in
heaven, and had grown up there; with some also while they were
children, and again with the same when they had become young men; and
I have heard from them about the progress of their life from one age
to another.

{Footnote 1} Spiritual food is knowledge, intelligence, and
wisdom, thus the good and truth from which these are (n. 3114,
4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582,
5588, 5655, 8562, 9003). Therefore in a spiritual sense
everything that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord is food
(n. 681). Because bread means all food in general it signifies
every good, celestial and spiritual (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177,
3478, 6118, 8410). And for the reason that these nourish the
mind, which belongs to the internal man (n. 4459, 5293, 5576,
6277, 8410).

341. That innocence is a receptacle of all things of heaven, and thus
the innocence of children is a plane for all affections for good and
truth, can be seen from what has been shown above (n. 276-283) in
regard to the innocence of angels in heaven, namely, that innocence
is a willingness to be led by the Lord and not by oneself;
consequently so far as a man is in innocence he is separated from
what is his own, and so far as one is separated from what is his own
he is in what is the Lord's own. The Lord's own is what is called His
righteousness and merit. But the innocence of children is not genuine
innocence, because as yet it is without wisdom. Genuine innocence is
wisdom, since so far as any one is wise he loves to be led by the
Lord; or what is the same, so far as any one is led by the Lord he is
wise. [2] Therefore children are led from the external innocence in
which they are at the beginning, and which is called the innocence of
childhood, to internal innocence, which is the innocence of wisdom.
This innocence is the end that directs all their instruction and
progress; and