10021. 'And you shall bring the young bull' means a state in which the natural or external man, as this is in its infancy, applies itself. This is clear from the meaning of 'bringing near' as effecting presence and togetherness, dealt with in 9378, 9997, 10001, and also application, 8439, at this point applying oneself to purification and to the reception of goodness and truth from the Divine, because by this sacrifice and by sacrifices generally such application is meant; and from the meaning of 'the young bull' as the good of charity and innocence in the natural or external man, dealt with in 9391, thus the external or natural man as this is in its infancy, for at this time the good of innocence reigns there. While in this state the external man is also in a state of applying itself to purification and to the reception of goodness and truth from the Divine.

[2] Since these matters are now the subject in the internal sense the nature of them must be mentioned. When a person is being regenerated, which happens when he has reached adult life, he is first let into a state of innocence, but a state of external innocence almost like young children's; for their innocence is an external innocence that resides in lack of knowledge. This state serves as the basis for new life while the person is being regenerated; for at this time also the person is a young child so to speak, in that while being regenerated he is conceived anew, born, becomes a young child, and grows up, all of which is accomplished through truth implanted in good. Also to the extent that he comes at this time into authentic good he passes on into the good of internal innocence, which is innocence residing in wisdom. And since the regeneration of a person is an image of the glorification of the Lord, it is evident that the manner in which the Lord glorified Himself, that is, made Divine His Human, is the same. For the subject in the internal sense of this chapter is the glorification of the Lord, 9985; but since the glorification of the Lord's Human is beyond understanding the likeness or image of it must be used to explain it and so give some idea of it. These things have been mentioned first so that people may know what to understand by purification and by reception of goodness and truth, and by joining together the things that are meant by sacrifices generally, and at this point specifically by the sacrifices offered at the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priestly office.

The regeneration of a person is an image of the glorification of the Lord, see 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688.

Young children's innocence is an external innocence, and it resides in lack of knowledge, 2305, 2306, 3494, 3504, 4563, 4797, 5608, 9301.

A person who is being regenerated is conceived anew, born, becomes a young child, then an older one, and grows up, 3203.

The innocence of early childhood serves as a basis, 2780, 3183, 3994, 4797, 5608, 7840.

Cognitions or knowledge of truth and good are implanted in the innocence which belongs to early childhood as their basis, 1616, 2299, 3504, 4797.

The innocence of those who have been regenerated is an internal innocence, and it resides in wisdom, 1616, 3494, 3994, 4797, 5608, 9301, 9938.

The difference between external innocence which young children possess and internal innocence which the wise possess, 2280, 4563, 9301.

The nature of the difference becomes clear from the upbringing and regeneration of children in the next life, dealt with in 2289-2309.

All the good of the Church and heaven holds innocence within itself, and without it good is not good, 2736, 2780, 6013, 7840, 7887, 9262.

What innocence is, 3994, 4001, 4797, 5236, 6107, 6765, 7902, 9262, 9936.

6013. 'And their young children' means accompanied by aspects of innocence. This is clear from the meaning of 'young children' as innocence, dealt with in 3183, 5608. Natural truth is said to be accompanied by aspects of innocence, and also those of charity, for the reason that if it lacks innocence and charity spiritual truths cannot cause it to move ahead. For to be genuine, truth must derive its essence and life from charity, and charity must derive its essence and life from innocence. Indeed these inner virtues which give truth its life follow one another in this order: What is inmost is innocence; below this comes charity; and what is lowest is a charitable deed motivated by or done in conformity with truth. The reason why they follow one another in this way is that they follow one another in heaven in that order. The inmost or third heaven is the heaven of innocence; the middle or second heaven is the heaven of charity that has innocence from the inmost heaven within it; and the lowest or first heaven is the heaven of truth that has charity from the second heaven within it, and innocence from the third within that charity.

[2] These virtues ought to exist in the same order in man, for interiorly the human being is so created that he conforms to an image of the three heavens. This also is why a person who has been regenerated is an individual heaven or the smallest form heaven can take. But exteriorly, especially so far as his body is concerned, he is so created that he conforms to an image of the world, which was why the ancients called him the microcosm. The ear has been made to conform to the whole nature of air and sound; the eye to conform to the whole nature of the ether and light; the tongue to every perception of particles dissolved and suspended in fluids; the nostrils to the perception of particles suspended in the atmosphere; touch to the perception of cold and heat, and also of weights; and so on. Just as a person's external senses conform to an entire image of the natural world, so his internal senses, which are those of his understanding and will, have been so created that they conform to an entire image of heaven. They have been created like this so that the human being as an individual, like heaven as a general whole, may be a recipient of Divine Good from the Lord.