14. VI. THE GOOD OF LOVE NOT UNITED TO THE TRUTH OF WISDOM IS NOT GOOD IN ITSELF, BUT ONLY APPARENT GOOD AND THE TRUTH OF WISDOM NOT UNITED TO THE GOOD OF LOVE IS NOT TRUTH IN ITSELF, BUT ONLY APPARENT TRUTH. It is true that there does not exist any good which is good in itself unless it is united to its own truth, nor any truth which is truth in itself unless it is united to its own good. Nevertheless, there does exist good separated from truth, and truth separated from good. Such good and truth are to be found in hypocrites and flatterers, in evil persons of every kind, and in those who are only in natural good and not in spiritual good. All these can do good to the Church, to their country, to their society, to their fellow-citizens, to the needy, to the poor and to widows and orphans. They can also understand truths and from their understanding can think about them, and from thought can declare them and teach them. Nevertheless, such goods and truths in these persons are not interiorly, that is, not in themselves, goods and truths, but are so outwardly, and thus are only apparently goods and truths. They find expression only for the sake of self and the world, and not for the sake of good itself and truth itself; consequently their source is not good and truth: they are of the mouth only and superficial, and not of the heart. [2] The good such men do may be likened to gold and silver overlaid on dross or rotten wood or mire; and the truths they utter may be likened to breath that is breathed out and dissipated, or to a delusive light that vanishes, though outwardly they appear as genuine truths. While these things appear to be so to the persons themselves, yet they may seem quite different to those who, not knowing the state of affairs, hear and accept them. For what is external affects everyone according to his own internal; and a truth, from whatever mouth it may be spoken, enters into another's hearing and is received by the mind according to the state and quality of the mind. It is almost the same with those who are in natural good by inheritance and in no spiritual good. For the internal of every good and truth is spiritual, and this dispels falsities and evils, while the merely natural favours them; and favouring evils and falsities is not compatible with doing good.