441Chapter 44 [Jeremiah]

1-6 Much of the church perished by departure from the Lord and by falsities of every kind. (3)

7-10 Now nearly all things left perish by means of knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, nor do they refrain for fear of destruction, (3)

11-14 because they consult knowledges, and thus there is scarcely any residue. (3, 3)

15-19 They make themselves obstinate, and love things that have been falsified by knowledges. (3)

20-23 Their destruction in consequence of this foretold, (3)

24-27 even until nothing of the church was left, (3)

28 except a few things. (3)

29-30 True knowledges [scientifica vera] are perverted by reasonings therefrom. (3)

2306. As regards the innocence possessed by young children, because as yet it is devoid of intelligence and wisdom, it is merely a kind of plane for receiving genuine innocence, which they do receive gradually as they become wise. The nature of young children's innocence has been represented to me by something wooden and practically devoid of life, but which is made living as they are perfected by means of cognitions of truth and affections for good. The nature of genuine innocence was afterwards represented by a very beautiful young child, full of life, and naked. For the truly innocent, who dwell in the inmost heaven and so nearest to the Lord, appear before the eyes of other angels as none other than small children, and indeed as naked; for innocence is represented by 'the nakedness of which they are not ashamed', as one reads of the first man and his wife in paradise. In short, the wiser angels are the more innocent they are; and the more innocent they are the more they appear to themselves as young children. This is why in the Word innocence is meant by early childhood. But the state of innocence will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with further on.