DLW 416
A person who is prompted by a natural love
and at the same time a spiritual love
is a rational person.
However, one who is prompted by
a natural love only,
although he is able to think rationally
just as well as a spiritual person,
still is not a rational person.
. . . So for example,
when the intellect from being elevated
is in a state of wisdom,
love then sees what justice is,
what honesty is,
what chastity is,
indeed what genuine love is.
A natural love is capable of seeing this
as a result of its ability
to understand and view matters
in the light of heaven.
Indeed, it can speak, preach and describe them
as moral and at the same time spiritual virtues.
However, when the intellect
is not in an elevated state, then,
if the love is merely natural,
it does not see those virtues,
but sees, instead of justice, injustice;
instead of honesty, deceit and deception;
instead of chastity, lasciviousness; and so on.
If it then thinks about the matters it spoke of
when its intellect was in an elevated state,
it may laugh at them
and think of them only as means
that serve it for captivating minds.
DLW 418
The common opinion
is that wisdom makes the person.
Consequently when people hear
someone speaking or teaching wisely,
they believe that it reflects his character.
Indeed, that is how
the person thinks of himself at the time,
because when he speaks and teaches
in the presence of others,
he thinks on the basis of his memory,
and if he is merely natural,
in accord with the outer layer of his love,
which is an affection for
honor, glory and material gain.
However, when the same person is alone,
he thinks in accord with
the interior love of his spirit,
and he thinks then not wisely
but sometimes insanely.
It can be seen from this
that no one should be judged
by the wisdom of his speech,
but by his life, that is,
not by the wisdom of his speech
apart from his life,
but by the wisdom of his speech
in conjunction with his life.
By life we mean love.
Love is a person's life . . ..
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