414. I have had various conversations with angels about innocence. They said that innocence is the being of all good, and good is only good in so far as it contains innocence; and because wisdom is a matter of how one lives and so of good, it is wisdom in so far as it derives from innocence. The same is true of love, charity and faith. Hence it is that no one can enter heaven, unless he is in a state of innocence. This is the meaning of these sayings of the Lord:
Allow the children to come to me, do not prevent them; for of such is the kingdom of the heavens. Truly I tell you, anyone who does not accept the kingdom of the heavens as a child will not enter into it. Mark 10:14, 15; Luke 18:16, 17.
Children here and in other places in the Word means those who are in a state of innocence. The reason why good is good in so far as it contains innocence is that all good is from the Lord, and innocence is being guided by the Lord.
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