Gods Effectual Calling, Treatise · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII. Of Hope.
HOPE followeth faith: for that apprehenſion of Ieſus Chriſt with his benefits offered Hope.in the worde and ſacraments, which is the property of faith, dooth giuegive hope vntounto vsus that wee ſhall one day inioy Chriſt preſent. The Apoſtle, Rom. 5. ſaith, that experience breedes hope. Now by faith we get experience, and as Peter ſayth, wee taſte how good the Lorde is: wherefore it muſt needs bee that faith begets hope.
That we may therefore ſpeake of hope: it muſt firſt of all be ſeene, what is the obiect thereof. The obiect of faith and hope is the ſame in ſubſtance, namely, Ieſus Chriſt with his benefits. Heb. 11. It is ſaid that faith is the Obiect of hope the ſame in ſubſtance with the obiect of faith, and how they differ.ground of things that are hoped for. It may be againe ſaid, that hope is of thoſe things which are beleued or which hauehave after a ſort a being by faith. By theſe things it is euident, that the obiect of faith and hope is the ſame thing in ſubſtance or effect.
Yet the obiect of hope differeth in reaſon from the obiect of faith. The chiefe difference is this, that the obiect of faith is Chriſt in the word & ſacraments, or the word concerning Chriſt and the ſacrament, which ſhadoweth him: Wherefore the obiect of faith is a certaine image of Chriſt, which is propounded to vsus to be looked vponupon in the glaſſe of the worde and Sacraments. Whereupon 2. Cor. 3. we are ſaide with open face to behold as in a glaſſe, and to be transformed into that image, which we behold in that glaſſe.
But the obiect of hope, is Chriſt with his benefits, not indeed appearing to vsus in the word & ſacraments, but appearing as he is, and as I may ſay, in his owne perſon. For hope is not ſetled vponupon that image of Chriſt which we behold in a glaſſe by faith, but vponupon the face of Chriſt himſelfe which we hope we ſhal ſee at the laſt. Phil. 3. 20. from whence alſo we looke for the Sauiour our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Tit. 2. Looking for that bleſſed hope and the glorious comming of the great God our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Becauſe we ſhall ſee him as he is: and whoſoeuer hath this hope in him, that is, he that hopes that he ſhall ſee him as he is. By theſe things it appeareth, that hope hath for it obiect the very face of Ieſus Chriſt. There be three things which are conuerſant about one Chriſt, Faith, Hope, and Sight, 1. Faith. 2. Hope. 3. Sight.but each in a diuers reſpect. For faith is properly of his image; hope is of his face, but to come and appeare hereafter: and ſight is likewiſe of his face, but preſent.
The ſecond difference betweene the obiect of faith and hope, is a conſequent out of yt firſt, and this is it, that faith is of preſent of things, namely, of Chriſt and his benefits, or rather of the image of theſe things, which we behold preſent in the glaſſe of the word and ſacraments: whereupon Heb. 11. it is called A ground and an euidence, which words ſignify the preſence of thoſe things which are beleeued. But hope is of things to come hereafter: for hope if it be ſeene, is no hope, that is, if it bee of things preſent, it is no hope. For why ſhould a man hope for that which he ſees? Ro. 8. 24. Beſide, hope is of his face, which is not yet ſeen. The third differēce followes alſo out of the firſt: for faith is of the thing only in part, ſeeing that it is of the image and as it were of the ſhadow, and as I may ſay, of the earneſt, which is but part of the ſumme. See 1. Cor. 13. We know in part. But hope is of the whole thing, it is of the face, of the complemēt; to conclude, it is of the whole ſumme, the hope whereof that earneſt which we apprehend by faith, giueth vntounto vsus. And thus far of the obiect of hope.
The ſubiect followeth, which is not the mind, or ſome faculty of the mind, whether of vnderſtanding or iudgeing; Subiect of hope.nor is it the wil, for faith hath made her ſeate in theſe. But hope being content with the inferior ſeate, hath it a biding in the heart. For it is an affection of the heart, euen as feare is which is oppoſed to it. If we ſpeake of the nature of it, it is not iudgment or aſſent; it is not an apprehenſion or truſt: for all theſe belong to faith, but it is an expectation which followeth faith, and is begotten by faith.
The property of hope, is not that certainty properly which is of faith, or of that aſſent which is in faith. For faith is properly ſaid to be certaine: but hope is not properly How hope is certaine.called certaine; but it is tearmed certaine becauſe of the certainty of faith. In ſcripture I finde that patience is attributed to faith, as a certaine property thereof. Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that which we ſee not, we doe with patience foreign. Patience of hope.abide for it Heb. 6. it is ſaid of Abraham, that when he had patiently taried, he obtained the promiſe. 1. Theſ. 1. 3. there is mention made of the patience of hope, or of patient hope. And this patience is it, whereby hope doth ſuſtaine all the croſſes and afflictions of this life, and doth as it were goe vnderunder them: For all the promiſes of heauenly things are made with an exception of temporall afflictions. Wherefore, whoſoeuer hopeth that he ſhall obtaine thoſe heauenly promiſes, he muſt needes make himſelfe ready to beare and ſuſtaine all the calamities which are incident to this life. Wherefore patience is ſo neceſſarilie ioined with hope, as that hope cannot bee without it.
Out of theſe things which we hauehave ſpoken, the definition of hope may be gathered: that hope is a patient abiding Hope defined.of the heart for the face of Chriſt or fulfilling of the promiſe. It is to be noted that this is the definition of hope, as the name is taken for the worke, and office of hope, which properly ſignifies an affection of the heart, and that a ſanctified one; and not onelyonly ſo, but an affection caryed vp aboue nature. For when we are regenerated by the ſpirit of Chriſt, we doe not only recouer that holines of nature loſt in Adam, but alſo in regeneration there is not a faculty of the minde or an affection of the heart, but ſome ſupernaturall power or quality is put into it, for the exerciſing of ſupernaturall functions. For our regeneration is not ſo much effected according to that image which was entire and holy in Adam before his fall, as according to the image of Chriſt. 1. Cor 15. 49. We ſhal beare the Image of the heauenly man: Whereupon the motions of VVhat affectiōs a man regenerate hath in him.our heart are termed vnutterable, and ſuch as cannot be declared. Rom. 8. they are called grones which cannot bee expreſſed. 1. Pet. 1. Ioy is called vnſpeakable and glorious: and the faculties of the mind & the affections of the heart regenerated are caried to thoſe things which are incomprehenſible, and which I think, could not be comprehended by Adams holy nature; ſuch as theſe are: The vnſearchable riches of Chriſt, Eph. 3. 8. the louelove of Chriſt which paſſeth all knowledge, in the ſame Chap. verſ. 19. As thoſe things which the eie hath not ſeene, nor eare heard, nor euer entred into mans heart, 1. Cor. 2. 9. But we hauehave ſpoken of theſe things already in the doctrine of faith.
This laſt of all is to be obſerued concerning hope, that there be many degrees of it: For there is a certaine more Degrees of hope foreign.earneſt or vehement hope, which is called by the Apoſtle Rom. 8. 19. the feruent deſire of the creature. Phil. 1. 20. Paul doth profeſſe this kind of hope and earneſt looking for. And thus much of hope according to the iudgment of our Churches.
Now bee aduertiſed in few words, what our aduerſaries Popiſh opinion of hope.thinke of it. They make the obiect of hope to be thoſe things which belong to him that hopeth; for this difference they make betweene hope and faith, that faith is of generall mercy, and not of proper: but that hope is of proper mercy. But this difference is falſe: For as wel faith, as hope, is of proper grace and mercy. They ſay with vsus, that the ſubiect of hope is the heart: For they teach that hope is a vertue put into the heart.
They make the nature of it to conſiſt not in knowing nor in iudging, but in expecting. Bellarmine makes a difference betweene hoping and expecting. We hope (ſaith he) for thoſe things which we doe not know certainly that we ſhall obtaine. Whereupon the bleſſed ſoules in heauen are ſaid to expect the reſurrection of their bodies, becauſe they know certainly that it ſhall come to paſſe. But Paul. Rom. 8. ſeemeth to take the words of hoping and expecting for one and the ſame thing: If we hope for that which we ſee not, then do we with patience expect it. You foreign.ſee that with Paul, to hope and to expect, are one and the ſame.
They make the property of hope to be certainty: For they ſay that hope is certaine: but they teach, that this certainty belongs to the vnderſtanding. For it is the vnderſtanding that dooth know certainly that ſaluation will come to paſſe; and becauſe of the certainty of the vnderſtanding, hope is ſaid to be certaine, and the heart hopeth certainly that ſaluation will come. Therefore this certainty is not properly in hope, but hope preſuppoſeth it. They ſay that this certainty is not ſimple and abſolute. For they ſay that no man is ſimply and abſolutely certaine of his ſaluation, or dooth certainly know that hee ſhall obtaine ſaluation: Nay contrarywiſe they teach that there is ſimply and abſolutely an vncertainty of hope, and hee that hopeth (ſay they) is ſimply and abſolutely vncertain of his ſaluation. But he that hopes (ſay they) is certaine of his ſaluation not ſimply and abſolutely, but after a certaine manner and in ſome reſpect. Firſt in regard of the foundation of hope, that is, the promiſe of God which cannot deceiue, and for which, if there were not other cauſes of certainty, one might be ſaide to be ſimply and abſolutely certaine of his ſaluation. But ſeeing there be other cauſes of certainty, beſide the promiſe of God, a man cannot be ſaide to be ſimply and abſolutely certaine of his owne ſaluation for the promiſe of God only, and the infallible truth thereof. Secondly, a man is ſaid to bee certaine of his ſaluation in reſpect of charity, which they ſay, is the forme of faith. For he that hath charity, is in this part, and in this reſpect certaine of his ſaluation: For charity is a ſure cauſe of ſaluation, and if it could bee that a man might neuer fall from charity, euen for that cauſe alone he might be ſimply & abſolutely certaine of his ſaluation. But ſeeing any man may fal from charity and leeſe it, therefore there is no abſolute certainty of hope in reſpect of charity neither.
This is then their opinion, that hope is likewiſe vncertaine, but yet that it is certaine in ſome reſpects. Firſt, in reſpect of the promiſe; then in reſpect of charitie: and therefore that the certaintie of hope is alwayes mixt with vncertaintie. For what time it is certaine becauſe of of the promiſe of God, at the ſame time it is vncertaine for other cauſes which are in our ſelues: as in regard of our repentance▪ in reſpect of our works and merits, which are alſo required to make hope certaine. Againe, what time it is certaine becauſe of charity, at the ſame time it is vncertain, becauſe of the changeableneſſe of charity. This is their opinion. But we hold thus, that hope is called certaine, becauſe of faith going afore it, & for the full aſſurance Certainty of hopeof that faith. For certaintie doth properly belong to faith; and it is faith whereby eueryevery one of vsus doth certainly know, that ſaluation belongeth vntounto vsus: Hence commeth the ſureneſſe of hope, and the certainty thereof. Secondly, we ſay, that this certainty of hope, which is for Faiths ſake, is ſimple and abſolute: and wee deny that hope is in one reſpect certaine, and in another reſpect vncertaine, which thing they affirme: but we affirme that it is certaine in all reſpects, at leaſt that it ſo ought to be, in reſpect of Gods promiſe, in reſpect of charity, and of our whole regeneration, in reſpect of our perſeuerance: and ſo of the reſt. For all theſe things are certaine and ſound, vponupon which hope dependeth, and for which it is ſaid to be certain: & theſe things do depend vponupon Gods vnchangeableneſſe, whether they be out of vsus, as the promiſe of God; or within vsus, as charity and all regeneration: for grace once giuen in Chriſt Ieſus, can neuer be totally and finally loſt.
Our aduerſaries doe place ſome cauſe of certainty in our ſelues, and in our ſtrength, and in our workes and merits. And therefore it is no maruell, though they ſay that hope is not ſimply and abſolutely certaine: for there is nothing more vncertaine then theſe things, in which they place ſome, or rather the chiefe cauſe of the certainty of hope.
Concerning the abſolute certainty of hope, theſe bee ſome teſtimonies of Scripture. Pſal. 31. In thee, O Lord, hauehave I hoped, let me not be confounded for euer. He that truſteth in the Lord ſhall be as mount Sion, which ſhall not be moued for euer, Pſal. 125. Rom. 5. We reioyce vnderunder the hope of the glorie of God. And after. Hope maketh not aſhamed. Rom. 8. We are ſaued by hope. Phil 1. 20. According to my earneſt expectation and hope, that I ſhall not be aſhamed. Rom. 9. Whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhall not be confounded. And thus much of hope.