288. Since heaven's peace is a divine blessedness that profoundly affects the essential good within angels, it does not come to their open perception except through a heartfelt delight when they are involved in the good of their life, a pleasure when they hear something true that is in accord with their good, and a gaiety of mind when they perceive the union of the two. Still, it does flow into all the acts and thoughts of their life and makes itself known as joy, even in outward form.

[2] Peace varies in quality and quantity in the heavens, though, in proportion to the innocence of the people in any given location, because innocence and peace walk hand in hand. For as already noted, innocence is the source of everything good in heaven and peace is the source of all the joy of that good. We may conclude, then, that we can say much the same about the state of peace as has already been said about the state of innocence in the preceding chapter, since innocence and peace are united the way anything good and its delight are. Whatever is good is in fact sensed by its delight, and whatever is delightful is recognized by virtue of its goodness. This being the case, we can see that angels of the inmost or third heaven are in the third or inmost level of peace because they are in the third or inmost level of innocence, and that angels of the lower heavens are in lesser levels of peace because they are in lesser levels of innocence (see above, 280).

[3] If we look at little children, we can see that innocence and peace occur together in the same way that anything good and its delight do. Because they are in innocence, they are at peace as well; and because they are at peace, everything associated with them has a playful quality. However, their peace is an outward peace. Inner peace, like inner innocence, is found only in wisdom; and since it does dwell in wisdom, it is found in the union of the good and the true, since this is the origin of wisdom.

Heavenly or angelic peace occurs in us when we are attuned to wisdom because of the union of the good and the true and therefore see ourselves as contented in God. However, as long as we are living in this world, that peace lies hidden in our depths. Still, it is unveiled when we leave our bodies behind and enter heaven, because then those depths are opened.

394. 7. This atmosphere is also an atmosphere of innocence and peace from the Lord. Innocence and peace are the two innermost elements of heaven. We call them innermost, because they emanate directly from the Lord. For the Lord is the essence of innocence and the essence of peace. Because of His innocence the Lord is called a Lamb, ¹ and because of His peace He says, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). His peace is also meant as well by the peace with which the twelve disciples were to greet whatever city or household they entered, and if it were worthy, to let the peace come upon it, and if not worthy, to let the peace return (Matthew 10:11-13). For the same reason the Lord is also called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Innocence and peace are the innermost elements of heaven for the further reason that innocence is the very essence of every good, and peace is the serenity of every delight that is connected with good. (See the book, Heaven and Hell, on "The State of Innocence of Angels in Heaven," nos. 276-283, and "The State of Peace in Heaven," nos. 284-290.)

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