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.

2299. Young children are taught in particular by means of representatives suited to their disposition; and how beautiful these representatives are and at the same time how filled with wisdom from within. nobody can possibly believe. In this way intelligence which derives its soul from good is gradually instilled into them. Let merely one representative which I have been allowed to witness be recounted here, from which the nature of all others may be inferred. They represented the Lord rising up out of the tomb, and at the same time His Human united to the Divine. This was done in a manner so wise as to surpass all human wisdom, and yet at the same time in a manner that was innocent and that of a young child. They also presented the idea of a tomb, but not at the same time an idea of the Lord, except in so remote a way that one scarcely perceived it to be the Lord, except so to speak a long way off. The reason for this was that the idea of a tomb implies death and burial, which they were removing by their manner of presentation. After that, with utmost carefulness, they introduced into the tomb something air-like, yet seeming to be lightly filled with moisture, by which they meant, also with an appropriate remoteness, spiritual life in baptism. After that I saw them represent the Lord's descent to those that are bound and His ascent with those that are bound into heaven, which they did with matchless carefulness and reverence. And the representation had a child-like feature in that when they represented the Lord among the bound on the lower earth, they let down scarcely visible, soft and very slender cords with which they effected the Lord's ascent. All along they acted with a holy fear lest anything at all in the representation should border on anything devoid of the spiritual-celestial within it. There are other representatives besides these, such as games that are appropriate to the minds of young children by which they are introduced into cognitions of truth and into affections for good.