This follows as a result of all that has now been said. Therefore, in order that a man may see what sins are, the "first" of the Word was the Decalogue. For that reason also the Decalogue is a complex of all things of the Word. That is why it is called the Ten Words, the Ten Words signifying all truths in the complex. For the same reason, too, there are similar precepts among all nations in the universe with whom there is religion. Moreover, the man who knows that they are Divine laws, and that consequently anyone acting contrary to them is acting against God, or sinning, can receive Divine influx, and with that, too, a will or effort as of himself, that he would like to give up doing them and repent. The confession of one's sins before the Lord brings about conjunction with Him, and a reception of influx from Him; and then the Lord does it, while giving to the man to do it all the time as of himself. Otherwise the man would not do it. The Lord then operates through his inmost things right down to the outermost, and removes the lustings that are the roots of evil. This it is impossible for the man himself to do of himself. Of himself man acts upon the outermost things only, whereas it is the inmost things that make these. Therefore, if a man of himself were to remove the outermost things, the lustings would still remain.