He is

To the soul in union are expressions applied which seem to be directly opposite to each other in their import.

1. “He is dead and is alive again.” That is to say, dead to private aims, interests, selfish passion, prejudices, and pleasures, worldly reputation, and honour. He is alive to God, and His interests; to the honour which comes from God, and from God only.

2. “He is without action, and yet always acting.” That is to say he is always in harmony with Providence; moving as he is moved upon, retreating, going forward, or standing still, just as the voice of God in the soul directs. Action is as essential to him as life; but it is action in God, and for God.

3. “He is always suffering, and yet always happy.” The opposition between the peace of his own soul and things around him causes affliction but in the inward recesses of the soul, faith stands unshaken; faith which proclaims a present God,—therefore he is always happy.

4. “He is ignorant, and feels himself to be so, and yet is full of Divine wisdom.” He can say sincerely, “I know nothing,” because human knowledge compared with the Divine is always ignorance, but if he has no knowledge from himself he still has God for his teacher.

5. “He is poor and yet he has all riches.” Poor because he has nothing, he can call his own. That which the world calls ‘his’, he calls, ‘Gods!’ He is a poor son with a rich Father.

6. “He is weak, and yet he has all power.” He has renounced his own strength, he has no power in himself, yet he has all power in God.