The state of abandonment contains in itself pure faith, hope, and charity.
The state of abandonment is a certain mixture of faith, hope, and charity in one single act, which unites the soul to God and to His action. United, these three virtues together form but one in a single act, the raising of the heart to God, and abandonment to His action. But how can this divine mingling, this spiritual oneness be explained? How can a name be found to convey an idea of its nature, and to make the unity of this trinity intelligible? It can be explained thus. It is only by means of these three virtues that the possession and enjoyment of God and of His will can be attained. This adorable object is seen, is loved, and all things are hoped for from it. Either virtue can with equal justice be called pure love, pure hope, or pure faith, and if the state of which we are speaking is more frequently designated by the last name, it is not that the other theological virtues are excluded, but rather that they may be understood to subsist and to be practised in this state in obscurity.
There can be nothing more secure than this state in the things
that are of God; nothing more disinterested than the character
of the heart. On the side of God is the absolute certitude of
faith, and on that of the heart is the same certitude tempered
with fear and hope. O most desirable unity of the trinity of
these holy virtues! Believe then, hope and love, but by a
simple feeling which the Holy Spirit who is given you by God
will produce in your soul. It is there that the unction of the name
of God is diffused by the Holy Spirit in the centre of the heart.
This is the word, this is the mystical revelation, and a pledge
of predestination with all its happy results. "Quam bonus
Israel Deus his qui recto sunt corde" (Psalm 72, i). This impress of the Holy Spirit in souls inflamed with His love, is called pure love on account of the torrent of delight overflowing every faculty, accompanied by a fulness of confidence and light; but in souls that are plunged in bitterness it is called pure faith because the darkness and obscurity of night are without alleviation. Pure love sees, feels, and believes. Pure faith believes without either seeing or feeling. In this is shown the difference between these two states, but this difference is only apparent,
not real. The appearances are dissimilar, but in reality as the
state of pure faith is not lacking in charity, neither is the state
of pure love lacking in faith nor in abandonment; the terms
being applied according to which virtue prevails. The different gradations of these virtues under the touch of the Holy Spirit form the variety of all supernatural and lofty states. And since God can rearrange them in an endless variety there is not a single soul that does not receive this priceless impress in a character suitable to it. The difference is nothing, there are the same faith, hope, and charity in all. Abandonment is a general means of receiving special virtues in every variety of different impresses. Souls cannot all lay claim to the same sort, nor to a similar state but all can be united to God, all can be abandoned to His action,
all can receive the impress that is best suited to them, all in fact
can live under the reign of God and enjoy a share in His justice
with all its advantages. In this kingdom every soul can aspire