This is the first of the above
love, which with its delight after the birth passes fully to the
offspring.
394. VII. THIS SPHERE IS ALSO A SPHERE OF INNOCENCE AND PEACE (FROM THE
LORD). Innocence and peace are the two inmost principles of heaven; they
are called inmost principles, because they proceed immediately from the
Lord: for the Lord is innocence itself and peace itself. From innocence
the Lord is called a Lamb, and from peace he saith, "_Peace I leave you;
my peace I give you_," John xiv. 27; and he is also meant by the peace
with which the disciples were to salute a city or house which they
entered; and of which it is said, that if it was worthy, peace would
come upon it, and if not worthy, peace would return, Matt. x. 11-15.
Hence also the Lord is called the Prince of peace, Isaiah ix. 5, 6. A
further reason why innocence and peace are the inmost principles of
heaven, is, because innocence is the _esse_ of every good, and peace is
the blessed principle of every delight which is of good. See the work on
HEAVEN AND HELL, as to the state of innocence of the angels of heaven,
n.
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