s third, that is hope, shall not be delayed, but
he shall be lone to;[43] 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 are, 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."[44] And therefore it is
that the Holy Ghost is called Paracletus, that is, comforter, for
oft times he vouchethsafe to comfort a sorrowful soul.

CAPITULUM IV

HOW LOVE RISETH IN THE AFFECTION

FROM now forth beginneth a manner of homeliness for to grow between
God and a man's soul; and also on a manner a kindling of love, in so
much that oft times he feeleth him not only be visited of God and
comforted in His coming, but oft times also he feeleth him filled
with an unspeakable joy. This homeliness and this kindling of love
first felt Leah, when, after that Levi was born, she cried with a
great voice and said: "Now shall my husband be coupled to me."[45]
The true spouse of our soul is God, and then are we truly coupled
unto Him, when we draw near Him by hope and soothfast love. And
right as after hope cometh love, so after Levi was Judah born, the
fourth son of Leah. Leah in his birth cried and said: "Now shall I
shrive to our Lord."[46] And therefore in the story is Judah cleped
"Shrift."[47] Also man's soul in this degree of love offereth it
clearly to God, and saith thus: "Now shall I shrive to our Lord."
For before this feeling of love in a man's soul, all that he doth is
done more for dread than for love; but in this state a man's soul
feeleth God so sweet, so merciful, so good, so courteous, so true,
and so kind, so faithful, so lovely and so homely, that he leaveth
nothing in him--might, wit, conning,[48] or will--that he offereth
not it clearly, freely, and homely unto Him. This shrift is not only
of sin, but of the goodness of God. Great token of love it is when a
man telleth to God that He is good. Of this shrift speaketh David
full oft times in the psalter, when he saith: "Make it known to God,
for He is good."[49]