23. 4. In proportion as a man does not wish to do evil to the neighbour, he wishes to do good to him; but not the reverse.
There is civil good, there is moral good, and there is spiritual good. Good, before a man shuns evils as sins, is civil and moral good; but as a man shuns evils as sins, the good, both civil good and moral good, becomes spiritual as well, but not before.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church