rom the
violence of evildoers. All these are good works. So all services of
managers and dealings of merchants are good works when they shun
unlawful gains as sins against the Divine laws. When a man shuns evils
as sins he daily learns what a good work is, and an affection for doing
good grows in him, and an affection for knowing truths for the sake of
good; for so far as he knows truths he can perform works more fully and
more wisely, and thus his works become more truly good. Refrain,
therefore, from asking in thyself, "What are the good works that I must
do, or what good must I do to receive eternal life?" Only refrain from
evils as sins and look to the Lord, and the Lord will teach and lead
you. (A.E., n. 979.)

VI. The Sixth Commandment

Thus far five commandments of the Decalogue have been explained. Now
follows the explanation of the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not commit
adultery."

Who at this day can believe that the delight of adultery is hell in man,
and that the delight of marriage is heaven in him, consequently so far
as he is in the one delight he is not in the other, since so far as man
is in hell he is not in heaven? Who at this day can believe that the
love of adultery is the fundamental love of all hellish and devilish
loves, and that the chaste love of marriage is the fundamental love of
all heavenly and Divine loves; consequently so far as a man is in the
love of adultery he is in every evil love, if not in act yet in
endeavor; and on the other hand, so far as he is in the chaste love of
marriage he is in every good love, if not in act yet in endeavor? Who
at this day can believe that he who is in the love of adultery believes
nothing of the Word, thus nothing of the church, and even in his heart
denies God; and on the other hand, that he who is in the chaste love of
marriage is in charity and in faith, and in love to God; also that the
chastity of marriage makes one with religion, and the lasciviousness of
adultery makes one with naturalism?

All this is at this day unknown because the church is at its end, and is
devastated in respect to truth and in respect to good; and when the
church is such, the man of the church, by influx from hell, comes into
the persuasion that adulteries are not detestable things and
abominations, and thus comes into the belief that marriages and
adulteries do not differ in their essence, but only as a matter of
order, and yet the difference between them