Before repentance good is not done from the Lord, but from the man. It
has not, therefore, the essence of good within it, however it appears
like good outwardly. Good after repentance is another thing
altogether. It is a whole good, unobstructed from the Lord Himself. It
is lovely; it is innocent; it is agreeable, and heavenly. The Lord is
in it, and heaven. Good itself is in it. It is alive, fashioned of
truths. Whatever is thus from good, in good, and toward good, is
nothing less than a use to the neighbor, and hence it is a serving.
It puts away self and what is one's own, and thus evil, with every
breath. Its form is like the form of a charming and beautifully
colored flower, shining in the rays of the sun.
--_The Doctrine of Charity, n._ 150