Conjugial Love #394
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.)
Footnotes:
1. As in John 1:29, 36; Revelation 5:6, 8, 12-13, 6:1, 16, 7:9-10, 14, 17, 12:11, 13:8, 14:1, 4, 10, 15:3, 17:14, 19:7, 9, 21:9, 14, 22-23, 27, 22:1, 3.
