ting from an
evil end they call cunning, which they shun as the poison of a
serpent, since it is wholly antagonistic to innocence. As they love
nothing so much as to be led of the Lord, attributing all things they
receive to Him, they are kept apart from what is their own
[proprium]; and to the extent that they are kept apart from what is
their own the Lord flows into them; and in consequence of this
whatever they hear from the Lord, whether through the Word or by
means of preaching, they do not store up in the memory, but instantly
obey it, that is, will it and do it, their will being itself their
memory. These for the most part outwardly appear simple, but inwardly
they are wise and prudent. These are meant by the Lord in the words,

Be ye prudent as serpents and simple as doves (Matt.
10:16).

Such is the innocence that is called the innocence of wisdom. [3]
Because innocence attributes nothing of good to itself, but ascribes
all good to the Lord, and because it thus loves to be led by the
Lord, and is the source of the reception of all good and truth, from
which wisdom comes,--because of this man is so created as to be
during his childhood in external innocence, and when he becomes old
in internal innocence, to the end that he may come by means of the
former into the latter, and from the latter return into the former.
For the same reason when a man becomes old he dwindles in body and
becomes again like a child, but like a wise child, that is, an angel,
for a wise child is in an eminent sense an angel. This is why in the
Word, "a little child" signifies one who is innocent, and "an old
man" signifies one who is wise in whom is innocence.{1}

{Footnote 1} In the Word "little children" signify innocence
(n. 5608); likewise "sucklings" (n. 3183). An "old man"
signifies one who is wise, and in an abstract sense wisdom (n.
3183, 6524). Man is so created that in proportion as he verges
towards old age he may become like a little child, and that
innocence may then be in his wisdom, and in that state he may
pass into heaven and become an angel (n. 3183, 5608).

279. The same is true of everyone who is being regenerated.
Regeneration, as regards the spiritual man, is re-birth. Man is first
introduced into the innocence of childhood, which is that one knows
no truth and can do no good from himself, but only from the Lord, and
desires and seeks truth only because it is truth, and good only
becaus