7663. 'With our flocks and with our herds we shall go' means those governed by good, interior and exterior. This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks' as interior good, and of 'herds' as exterior good, dealt with in 5913, 6048. The words in this verse, saying that they would go with their children and old people, sons and daughters, and flocks and herds, are used to mean in the internal sense everything that belongs to the Church, both the external Church and the internal. What belongs to the external Church is meant by 'children', 'sons', and 'herds', and what belongs to the internal Church by 'old people', 'daughters', and 'flocks'; for 'old people' are aspects of wisdom, 'daughters' affections for good, and 'flocks' genuine good. These are what belong to the internal Church; but 'children' are aspects of simplicity, 'sons' affections for truth, and 'herds' external good, these being what belongs to the external Church.

6307. INFLUX AND THE INTERACTION OF SOUL AND BODY - continued

Experience extending over many years now has allowed me to know about the existence of influx from the spiritual world by way of angels and spirits into people's affections and thoughts, to know it so plainly that nothing could be plainer. I have been made aware of it as an inflowing not merely into thoughts but also into affections. Whenever evil and falsity have flowed in I have been allowed to know which hells they came from, and whenever goodness and truth have flowed in to know which angels they came from. Experience has made me so familiar with all this that at last I have been able to know where every specific aspect of my thoughts and affections originated. Yet my thoughts have been just like those I had before.