Treatise of the Passions and Faculties of the Soul, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Of the Effects of Hope: Stability of Mind: Wearinesse, arising not out of Weaknesse, Impatience, Suspition, Curiosity; but out of Want, Contention, and forth-putting of the Mind. Patience under the Want, Distance, and Difficulty of Good desires, Waiting upon Ayde expected.
THe Effects of Hope follow, which I will but name: The first is to free the Mind from all such Anxieties as arise out of the Floating, Instability, and Fearefulnesse thereof: For as the Philosopher telleth us,Philosophi quidom erant, qui a sp… di… ▪ sunt, Elp…icisti qui nihil sse pronunciarunt quod vitam Sympos. l. 4 q. 4 mag… … at que …, Vid. Plut. Fearefull men are foreign, hard of Hope: and in this property, Hope is well compared unto an Anchor; because it keeps the Mind in a firme and constant temper, without tottering and instability: for though there be but one Hope joyned with Certainty as depending upon an immutable promise all other having ground of Feare in them; yet this should be only a Feare of Caution, not of Iealousie and Distrust; because where there is Distrust in the means, there is for the most part Weaknesse in the use of them; and hee who suspects the Ayde which he relyes on, gives it just reason to faile and to neglect him. And therefore Aristotle hath set Hope and Confidence together, as was before noted, foreign, a Good Hope is grounded on a Beleefe, and alwaies worketh some measure of Affiance in the means unto it.
A second Effect of Hope, is to worke some kind of Distaste and Wearinesse in our present condition, which according as it is good or evill, doth qualifie the Hope from whence it ariseth: for there is a distaste that ariseth out of Weaknes; likeIob 10. …. c. 7. 20 that of Iob, My Soule is weary of my life; I am a burthen unto my selfe. Another that ariseth out of Want, That which ariseth upon Weaknes is a fickle and unconstant mutability of the Mind, whereby it desireth a continuall change of condition: which affection is wrought either out of Impatiency of opposition; whence the Mind upon the first difficulty which it meets with, is affrighted and discouraged; or out of a Sharpnesse of Apprehension, discovering Insufficiency in that wherein it desired content; or out of an Errour, and too highSpe… inane… quae in medio spa…io …rangū tur & cor…ūt & an…e in ipso curs… obr… tur quam po… tum conspi…e possu…. … ▪ d… Orat. l. 3. Estimation fore conceived, which in the tryall disappointing our Hopes, and not answering that Opinion, begins to be neglected as weake and deceitfull: or lastly, out of Curiosity and Search, when wee suppose that those things which cannot in their nature, may at least in their varieties, number, yeeld some content: and as Sands, which are the smallest things asunder; yet being united, grow great & heavy: so these pleasures, which are alone light and worthlesse, may by their multitude bring weight & satisfaction with them. Although herein the Minde is likely most of all to find Solomons Vanity; the Vnion of things subordinate, and which have no Cognation each to other (which is the property of worldly delights) working rather Distraction than Tranquillity in the Mind; this Wearinesse then which springeth from the Vnstaydnesse and Impotency of our affections, is not that which I make the Effect of a proper Hope (as being an opposite rather to true contentment of Mind, a vertue established, and not overthrowne by Hope) the Wearinesse then, which is wrought by the forecast and providence of a Minde possessed with Hope, is that which is grounded upon the knowledge and feeling of our emptinesse and wants, which therefore we long toPsal. 120. 5. have removed: like that of David, W… is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mese…h; wherupon followeth,foreign … foreign. Max. Tyr. disser…. 33.
The third Effect of Hope, which is an earnest contention of the Minde, in the pursuit of that Good, which should perfect our Natures, and supply our Wants. And this desire Saint Paul calleth Gemitus Creatura, the Groaning of the Creature: which is set downe as a Consequence of the Earnest Expectation of the Creature: and indeed there is not any Passion, which doth so much imploy, and so little violate Reason, as this of Hope doth, it being an exciting Passion, which moveth every Principle to its proper and speedy operation for gaining that perfection which the Mind so earnestly breathes after; & the want wherof doth work such weaknes in it.
The last Effect of Hope, is a Contented Repose and Patience of the Mind, resting it selfe in a quiet Expectation of the things hoped for, and yet not exhibited. And this Patience is threefold; a Patience under the Want; a Patience under the Distance; and a Patience under the difficulties of our desired Good; which holds especially in these Hopes (and those are almost all) which depend upon the will and disposition of another, whose pleasure it behooveth us in matters which are not of debt and necessity, rather to attend, than by murmuring and discontent to provoke him, and disappoint our selves. Hasty therefore and running Hopes are as improper in their Nature, as they are commonly vaine and empty in their successe. Hee that Beleeves, and must by Faith depend upon Externall help, must not make haste, but be content to have his Expectations regulated, not by his owne greedinesse, but by anothers will.