And
this
blind
abandonment
is
the
permanent
condition
of
the
soul
of
which
I
speak;
because
having
become
one
with
God,
it
can
see
nothing
but
God;
for
having
lost
all
separateness,
self-
possession,
and
distinction,
it
can
no
longer
be
abandoning
itself,
because,
in
order
to
abandon
ourselves,
we
must
do
something,
and
have
the
power
of
disposing
of
ourselves.
The
soul
is
in
this
condition
"hidden
with
Christ
in
God
"
(Col.
iii.
3)
;
mingled
with
Him,
as
the
river
of
which
we
have
spoken
is
mingled
with
the
sea,
so
that
it
can
be
separated
no
more.
It
has
the
ebb
and
flow
of
the
sea,
no
longer
by
choice,
will,
and
liberty,
but
by
nature:
the
im-mense
sea
having
absorbed
its
shallow
limited
waters,
it
participates
in
all
the
movements
of
the
sea.
It
is
the
sea
which
bears
it,
and
yet
it
is
not
borne,
since
it
has
lost
its
own
being;
and
having
no
other
motion
than
that
of
the
sea,
it
acts
as
the
sea
acts:
not
because
it
naturally
possesses
the
same
qualities,
but
because,
having
lost
all
its
natural
qualities,
it
has
no
others
but
those
of
the
sea,
without
having
the
power
of
ever
