by man and works done by the Lord in
man is not apparent to man's vision, but is clearly evident to the
vision of angels. Works done by man are like sepulchers outwardly
whitened, which within are full of dead men's bones. They are like
platters and cups outwardly clean, but containing unclean things of
every kind. They are like fruits inwardly rotten, but with the outer
skin still shining; or like nuts and almonds eaten by worms within,
while the shell remains untouched; or like a foul harlot with a fair
face. Such are the good works done by man himself, since however good
they appear on the outside, within they are full of impurities of every
kind; for their interiors are infernal, while their exteriors appear
heavenly.

But as soon as man shuns and turns away from evils as sins his works
are good not only outwardly but inwardly also; and the more interior
they are the more they are good, for the more interior they are the
nearer they are to the Lord. Then they are like fruits that have a
fine-flavored pulp, in the center of which are depositories with many
seeds, from which new trees, even to whole gardens, may be produced;
but everything and all things in his natural man are like eggs from
which swarms of flying creatures may be produced, and gradually fill a
great part of heaven. In a word, when man shuns and turns away from
evils as sins the works that he does are living works, while those that
he did before were dead works; for what is from the Lord is living but
what is from man is dead. (A.E., n. 974.)

It has been said that so far as a man shuns and turns away from evils as
sins he does goods, and that the goods that he does are such good works
as are described in the Word, for the reason that they are done in the
Lord; also that these works are good so far as man turns away from the
evils opposed to them, because so far they are done by the Lord and not
by man. Nevertheless, works are more or less good according to the
excellence of the use; for works must be uses. The best are those that
are done for the sake of uses to the church. Next in point of goodness
come those that are done as uses to one's country; and so on, the uses
determining the goodness of the works.

The goodness of works increases in man according to the fullness of
truths from affection for which they are done; since the man who turns
away from evils as sins wishes to know truths because truths teach uses
and the quality of the