Because it has now been shown, that by John the Apostle, in the Word of the Evangelists, good works are signified, which are also called the goods of charity and goods of life, and that it was on account of such signification that John leaned on the Lord's breast, therefore in what follows I purpose to show what good works are; but in this place merely to state that they contain in themselves everything of charity and faith in man. Hitherto no one has known that all things of a man's life are in his works, because they appear only as movements, which, as proceeding from man, are called actions; and those which are caused by movements of the mouth, the tongue, and the larynx, are called words; but still they are the very things which not only manifest charity and faith in man, but also complete and perfect them; and this because neither faith nor charity are in man before they exist actually; and they do exist actually in works.

[3] The reason why all things of charity and faith with man are in works is, because works are activities arising from his will and thought; and all these put themselves in action and pour themselves forth into works, precisely as everything in the cause passes into its effects, and everything in a seed and tree into the fruits; for works are the complement of these. That such is the case does not appear before the eyes of man, but is perceived by the angels.

When a man is in the exercise of charity, the sphere of all his affections and thoughts therefrom appears round about him as limpid water, and sometimes as a cloud either bright or obscure. In this sphere are all the things of his mind in their whole extent; and from this the angels know what kind of man he is as to all his qualities. The reason is, that every man is his own love; and the works thence cause this love to be active, and whilst it is active, it pours itself round about him. The same spiritual sphere not only manifests itself before the sight as an undulation, but also before the sight in various representative forms, and this in such a manner that from those representatives the man, spirit, or angel, appears exactly as he is.

[4] A further reason why works contain in themselves all the things of the mind is that all things successive, which advance in their order from the highest to the lowest, or from primaries to ultimates, form what is simultaneous in things lowest or ultimate, in which all things higher or prior co-exist. But the nature of successive order, and thence of simultaneous order, may be seen above (n. 595, 666); and in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 634, 3691, 4145, 5114, 5897, 6239, 6326, 6465, 9215, 9216, 9828, 9836, 10044, 10099, 10329, 10335). And works are the ultimates of a man originating from his interiors, which are in successive order. From these things it is clear, that in these works all things of a man's will and thought co-exist, consequently everything belonging to his love and faith. This is why works are so often commanded in the Word by the Lord, and that man is to be judged according to his works.

From these things it is clear what kind of man he is who separates faith from works - that he is without faith, and that his works are evil, flowing from the love of self and of the world, covered over and encompassed with such things as pertain to faith, but which at the same time are contaminated and profaned by evils within. Therefore, when such a person is permitted to enter into his interiors, as is the case after death when he becomes a spirit, then all things belonging to his faith, which formed the circumferences, are cast off and dissipated. From these considerations it is evident why it is that John, who represented the goods of charity, or good works, leaned on the Lord's breast, and that he and not Peter followed the Lord; also that after the Lord's resurrection he abode with the Lord's mother.