4266. 'He gave them into the hand of his servants, drove by drove separately, and he said to his servants, Pass over in front of me and put a space between drove and drove' means an arrangement of them into the order in which they were to be introduced. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving into the hand' as providing with power, for 'the hand' means power, see 878, 3091, 3387, 3563; from the meaning of 'servants' as things which belong to the natural man, dealt with in 3019, 3020 - for all things in the natural or external man are subordinate to the spiritual or internal man, and therefore in relation to the latter all things in the natural man are servants and are actually called 'servants'; from the meaning of 'a drove' as facts and also cognitions, and so matters of doctrine, dealt with in 3767, 3768, which, as long as they remain in the natural or external man, that is, in the memory there, and have not yet been implanted in the spiritual or internal man, are meant by the droves which were given into the hand of those servants; from the meaning of 'separately' as to each one according to its own class, or according to its genus and species; from the meaning of 'passing over in front of me and puffing a space between drove and drove' as preparing a way for the good which was to be received - for the reception of good by truth and the joining together of these within the natural man is the subject here. From these specific details it is evident that this whole verse means the arrangement of them into the order in which they were to be introduced.

[2] As regards the introduction of truth into good within the natural man, this cannot by any means be explained intelligibly, for the member of the Church at the present day does not even know what the internal or spiritual man is even though he often speaks about it. Nor does he know that if he is to become a member of the Church, truth has to be introduced to good within his external or natural man; and he knows even less about any arranging into order effected by the Lord within that natural man so that this may become joined to the internal man. These considerations, which are very general ones, are at the present day so hidden from people's eyes that the existence of them is not even known. For that reason if one were to explain to them the specific details contained here in the internal sense concerning arrangement into order and concerning introduction, one would be declaring utter mysteries to them and so things wholly beyond what they are able to believe. One's words would therefore be uttered in vain, or so to speak sown like seed on water or sand. This is the reason why specific details are being passed over here, and in this and the following verses of this section no more than a general explanation is given.

3020. 'Who administered all that he had' means the functions of the natural man. This is clear from the meaning of 'administering', and in particular of 'administering all things', as performing functions or duties. The relationship of the natural man to the rational, or what amounts to the same, of the external man to the internal, is like that of one who administers in a house, see 1795. All things in man are like one house, that is, one family, for there is one who has the duty to be head of the family, and others who have the duty of servants. The rational mind itself is the one that organizes everything, like the head of the family, and by influx brings order into the natural mind. The natural mind however is one that serves and administers. And because the natural mind is distinct and separate from the rational mind, existing on a level below the latter, and also in a sense acts independently, it is called in relationship to the rational 'the servant, the oldest of the house' and 'the one who administered all that he had there'.

[2] The fact that the natural mind is distinct and separate from the rational, existing on a level below it, and in a sense acting independently, becomes clear from the things it has within it, and from the functions it performs. The things it has within it are all facts, and so also all cognitions of every kind - in short, every single thing belonging to the exterior or physical memory, dealt with in 2471, 2480. To this memory also belongs the whole faculty of imagination, which constitutes man's interior sensory awareness and is particularly active with children and during the early stages of adolescence. To the exterior memory belong in addition all the natural affections which man has in common with animals. From this it is evident what the functions of the natural mind are.

[3] The rational mind however is interior. The items of knowledge it has within it, that is to say, every single thing belonging to the interior memory, are not evident to man, but are imperceptible during his lifetime, dealt with in 2470-2474, 2489, 2490. It also has within it the power of thought, which is a perceptivity of what is fair and righteous, as well as of what is true and good. In addition it has all the spiritual affections which are strictly human and which mark man off from animals. From these things within itself the rational mind flows into the natural mind and activates the things that are there, views them with a certain vision, and in this way forms judgements and conclusions. The fact that these two minds are distinct and separate is quite evident from this consideration: With many people the natural mind has dominion over the rational mind, or what amounts to the same, the external man has dominion over the internal; yet it does not have dominion and is subservient only with those in whom the good of charity is present, that is, who allow themselves to be led by the Lord.