CAPITULUM III

HOW HOPE RISETH IN THE AFFECTION

BUT, I pray thee, what comfort may be to them that truly dread and bitterly sorrow for their old sins, ought but a true hope of forgiveness? the which is the third son of Jacob, that is Levi, the which is cleped in the story "a doing to."⁴²⁴² Additus, vel Additio. For when the other two children, dread and sorrow, are given of God to a man's soul, without doubt he this third, that is hope, shall not be delayed, but he shall be lone to;⁴³⁴³ Added. Cf. Gen. xxix. 34. as the story witnesseth of Levi, that, when his two brethren, Reuben and Simeon, were given to their mother Leah, he, this Levi, was done to. Take heed of this word, that he was "done to" and not given. And therefore it is said that a man shall not presume of hope of forgiveness before the time that his heart be peeked in dread and contrite in sorrow; without these two, hope is presumption, and where these two

10are, hope is done to; and thus after sorrow cometh soon comfort, as David telleth in the psalm that "after the muchness of my sorrow in my heart," he saith to our Lord, "Thy comforts have gladded my soul."⁴⁴⁴⁴ Ps. xciv. 19 (Vulgate xciii.). And therefore it is that the Holy Ghost is called Paracletus, that is, comforter, for oft times he vouchethsafe to comfort a sorrowful soul.