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, as we have shown above.