4029. 'So it was, whenever those came on heat - those of the flock which came together first' means the things that were spontaneous. This is clear from the meaning of 'coming on heat' as an intense desire, and the effect that resulted from this, dealt with above in 4018, 4019; from the meaning of 'the flock' as truth and good, also dealt with above; and from the meaning of 'those coming together first' as things that are spontaneous. This meaning of 'those which came together first' - namely things that are spontaneous - is evident from the sequence of thought in the internal sense. It is in addition evident from the consideration that anything done from affection is spontaneous, very much so when done from an intense desire, meant by 'coming on heat' - hence the use twice in this verse of the expression 'coming on heat'. And the meaning of 'those which came together first' is still further evident from the derivation of this expression in the original language as becoming joined together through deepest love, as well as from the subject here being the joining of truth and good in the natural which is effected only through that which is spontaneous, that is, done in freedom. From all this it may be seen that 'whenever those came on heat - those of the flock which came together first' or 'wherever those from the flock which came together first came on heat' means truths and goods which are spontaneous, that is, which are the product of freedom, or what amounts to the same, of deepest affection.

A person's feeling of freedom involves everything that is in keeping with his love or affection, see 2870.

Every joining together of truth and good is effected in freedom and none under compulsion, 2875, 3145, 3146, 3158.

Consequently all reformation and regeneration is effected through freedom, 1937, 1947, 2876-2881.

If it were possible to effect it through compulsion all would be saved, 2881.

2875. Goodness of life, or the affection for good, is instilled by the Lord by means of an internal way, without the person being at all aware of it, whereas the truth of doctrine, or faith, is instilled by an external way and introduced into the memory. From there it is called forth by the Lord in His own time and according to His own order and is joined to the affection for good. This happens in that person's freedom, for a person's freedom, as has been stated, flows from his affection. This is how faith is implanted and takes root. Whatever is done in freedom is joined to him, but that which is done under compulsion is not. This may become clear from the fact that nothing can possibly be joined to a person unless he has an affection for it. Affection is that which actually receives, and anything received that is contrary to his affection is contrary to his life. From this it is evident that the truth of doctrine, or faith, is incapable of being received except by the affection for it. But as is the affection so is the reception. It is the affection for truth and good, this alone, that receives the truth of faith, for they accord with each other, and because they accord they join themselves together.