HERE BEGINNETH THE FIRST CHAPTER
Of four degrees of Christian men's living; and of the course
of his calling that this book was made
unto.
GHOSTLY friend in God, thou shalt well understand that I find, in my boisterous
beholding, four degrees and forms of Christian men's living: and they be these,
Common, Special, Singular, and Perfect. Three of these may be begun and ended
in this life; and the fourth may by grace be begun here, but it shall ever last
without end in the bliss of Heaven. And right as thou seest how they be set
here in order each one after other; first Common, then Special, after Singular,
and last Perfect, right so me thinketh that in the same order and in the same
course our Lord hath of His great mercy called thee and led thee unto
Him by the desire of thine heart. For first thou wottest well that when thou
wert living in the common degree of Christian men's living in company of thy
worldly friends, it seemeth to me that the everlasting love of His Godhead,
through the which He made thee and wrought thee when thou wert nought, and
sithen bought thee with the price of His precious blood when thou wert lost in
Adam, might not suffer thee to be so far from Him in form and degree of living.
And therefore He kindled thy desire full graciously, and fastened by it a leash
of longing, and led thee by it into a more special state and form of living, to
be a servant among the special servants of His; where thou mightest learn to
live more specially and more ghostly in His service than thou didst, or
mightest do, in the common degree of living before. And what more?
Yet it seemeth that He would not leave thee
thus lightly, for love of His heart, the which He hath evermore had
unto thee since thou wert aught: but what did He? Seest thou nought how Mistily
and how graciously He hath privily pulled thee to the third degree and manner
of living, the which is called Singular? In the which solitary form and manner
of living, thou mayest learn to lift up the foot of thy love; and step towards
that state and degree of living that is perfect, and the last state of all.