Three degrees of love I shall tell thee, for I would that thou mightest
win to the highest. The first degree is called _Insuperable_. The second
_Inseparable_. The third is, _Singular_. Thy love is Insuperable, when
nothing that is contrary to GOD'S love overcomes it: but it is stalwart
against all temptations; and stable, whether thou beest in ease or in
anguish, or in health or in sickness: so that men think that thou
wouldest not, even to have all the world without end, make GOD angry at
any time: and thou wert liefer, if so it should be, to suffer all the
pain and woe that might come to any creature, before thou wouldst do the
thing that should displease Him. In this manner shall thy love be
Insuperable that nothing can bring it down, but it may aye spring on
high. Blessed is he or she who is in this degree: but yet are they
blesseder who might hold to this degree and turn to the other, that is
to _Inseparable_. _Inseparable_ is thy love, when all thine heart, and
thy thought, and thy might is so wholly, so entirely and so perfectly
fastened, set and established in JESUS Christ, that thy thought comes
never from Him, never departs from Him, sleeping excepted: and as soon
as thou awakest, thine heart is on Him, saying _Ave Maria_, or _Gloria
Tibi, Domine_, or _Pater Noster_, or _Miserere mei, DEUS_, if thou hast
been tempted in thy sleep; or thinking on His love and His praise as
thou didst waking. When thou canst at no time forget Him, waking or
sleeping, whatso thou dost or sayst, then is thy love _Inseparable_.
Full great grace have they that be in this degree of love. And methinks
that thou, who hast nothing else to do but for to love GOD, mayst come
thereunto if any may get it.
The third degree is highest and most wondrous to win. That is called
_Singular_, for it has no peer. _Singular_ love is when all comfort and
solace is closed out of thine heart, but of JESUS Christ alone. Other
joy it delights not in. For the sweetness of Him in this degree is so
comforting, and lasting in His love, so burning and gladdening, that he
or she who is in this degree can as well feel the fire of love burning
in their soul, as thou canst feel thy finger burn if thou puttest it in
the fire. But that fire, if it be hot, is so delectable and so
wonderful, that I cannot tell it. Then, thy soul is loving JESUS,
thinking of JESUS, desiring JESUS; in covetousness of Him breathing; to
Him singing: of Him burning; in Him resting. Then the song of praise and
of love has come. Then, thy thought turns into song and into melody.
Then it behoves thee to sing the psalms which before thou said'st. Then
must thou be long over a few psalms. Then, thou wilt think death sweeter
than honey, for then thou art full of sighs to see Him whom thou lovest.
[Then mayst thou boldly say "I languish for love."] Then mayst thou say
"I sleep, and my heart wakes."
In the first degree, men may say "I languish for love," or "I long in
love." And in the second degree also: for languishing is when men fail
for sickness, and they who are in these two degrees fail from all the
covetousness of this world, and from lust and liking of sinful life, and
set their will and their heart to the love of GOD--therefore they may
say "I languish for love," and much more that are in the second degree
than in the first. But the soul that is in the third degree is all
burning fire, and like the nightingale that loves song and melody, and
fails for great love: so that the soul is only comforted in praising and
loving GOD; and till Death come, is singing ghostly to JESUS, and in
JESUS, and JESUS; not crying bodily with the mouth--of that manner of
singing I speak not, for both good and evil have that song. And this
manner of song have none unless they be in this third degree of love: to
the which degree it is impossible to come, but in a great multitude of
love. Therefore, if thou wilt wot what kind of joy that song has, I tell
thee, that no man wots, save he or she who feels it, who has it, and who
loves GOD singing therewith. One thing tell I thee, it is of heaven, and
GOD gives it to whom He will, but not without great grace coming before.
Who has it, he thinks all the song and all the minstrelsy of earth
naught but sorrow and woe (compared) thereto. In sovereign rest shall
they be who get it. Wanderers and brawlers, and keepers of comers and
goers early and late night and day, or any who are seized with any sin
witfully and willingly, or who have delight in any earthly thing, they
are also farther therefrom than heaven is from earth. In the first
degree, are many: in the second degree are full few; but in the third
degree are scarcely any: for aye the greater is the perfection the fewer
followers it has. In the first degree, men are likened to the stars, in
the second to the moon, in the third to the sun. Therefore says S. Paul:
"Others of the sun, others of the moon, others of the stars," so it is
of the lovers of GOD. In this third degree, if thou mayst win thereto,
thou shalt know of more joy than I have told thee yet. And among other
affections and songs, thou mayst, in thy longing, sing this in thine
heart to thy Lord JESUS, when thou dost covet His coming and thy going:
"_When wilt Thou come to comfort me: and bring me out of care, and give
me Thee, Whom I may see, having evermore? My heart when shall it burst?
for love then languished I no more. For love my thought has fast, and I
am fain to fare away. I stand still mourning for the loveliest of lore;
...[3] is love-longing; it draws me to my day; The brand of sweet
burning for it holds me aye: From place and from playing: till I may get
sight of my sweet One, Who never wends away. In wealth be our waking,
without hurt or night. My love is everlasting, and longs unto that
sight._"