Body of Divinity, Book 7 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Hope and Fear. I. Of Hope.
1. THe Nature of this Affection.Hope, trust and confidence are all one.
Philosophers call it Extentionem appetitus naturalis.
It is an earnest and strong inclination and expectation of some great good apprehended as possible to be obtained, though not without difficulty.Spei objectum est bonum futurum, arduum, possibile adipisci, saith Aquinas. We may and must hope, 1. in regard of our selves, for all good things both spiritual and temporal, both for this and a better life: As 1. For salvation and remission of sins. 2. For maintenance in this world, and all other needful comforts. 3. Deliverance out of crosses so far as shall be good for us. 2. In regard of others, we must hope for the welfare of the Church, and the ruine of the enemies therof.
It is a great Question, Whether it be more difficult to trust in God for spiritual or temporal blessings? The promises for temporal things are not so expresse, and they are not fulfilled in the letter. On the other side, there are more natural prejudices against pardon of sinne then daily bread. We do not so easily believe Gods supply of temporal blessings, because bodily wants are more urgent. He that will not trust in Christ for provision for his body, will not trust in him for salvation of his soul.
First, The object about which it deals is some great and sutable good, especially salvation, Gal. 5. 5. Col. 1. 3.
The good is thus qualified:
1. It is Futurum, Hope is of good things to come. Joy is in a good present, fear is of evils to come.
2. Possibile, else we never expect it, herein it differs from despair.
3. Difficile, because it ever looks on the good it waits for, as not to be obtained by its own strength.
Secondly, The act of what the soul doth in reference to this object, an expectation, this the Scripture expresseth by waiting, patient abiding.
All hope is either Humane, the expectation which the rational creature hath from some second cause, this the Scripture cals A vain hope, A Spiders-web, A lie. Divine, the expectation of the will to receive good from the hand of God. The ground of such a hope must be the Word of God, by which alone his power and truth stand ingaged to us, and to hope for any thing but from them, is vain. So we must either have a general or particular promise *Act. 26. 6, 7. Ephes. 2. 12. Heb. 6. 18. Col. 1. …3.of the thing hoped for, or else it is idle to expect it. Therefore David repeateth it more then once, that he hoped in Gods Word, Psal. 130. 5. & Psal. 119. 49, 81. So Abraham had Gods promise for a son in his old-age before he expected one.
The measure of Hope.
It must be strong and firm without wavering, so as to hold out even against hope, all likelihood.
The continuance of it. It must hold out against all delaying and procrastination, 1 Pet. 1. 13. this is waiting on God, which is commanded.
2. The Image of God in this affection. There will be no use of hope at all in glory, there was little use of it in the primitive condition of man. The object of his happinesse was present and enjoyed, God, his favour and communion, and all things in him, but this did not continue.
3. The corruption of this affection.
1. The corrupt object of our hope when we are depraved.
2. The woful effects and cursed fruits it brings forth.
First, The object, that which is the only excellent object of it a wicked man hath wholly lost, God, his Image, favour, grace, Ephes. 2. 14. & 1. 11. That object though sutable is not lookt on by him under that notion.
2. There is no declaration of the will of God to reach out this unto him. Although there be no real hope, yet there is a bastardly hope which the Scripture cals presumption, the hope and vain expectation of the wicked will be cut off, it is an ungrounded confidence whereby a sinner without warrant will promise himself all good.
Secondly, The woefull effects which this false hope produceth in the soul of man.Iuvenes multum habent de futuro & parum de praeterito, & ideo quia memoria est praeteriti, spes autem futuri, parum habent de memoria, sed mul…um vivunt in spe. Aquin. 1 a, 2ae Quaest. 40. Art. 6.
1. It is a great means to draw them violently into the wayes of sinne. Young men are therefore easily beguiled, because they are full of hope.
2. This corrupt hope wraps up the soul in a cursed carnall security, Iob 18. 13, 14.
3. When this is cut down it usually ends in bitter despair, because the confidence it had to uphold it self was a meer sigment.
4. The Sanctification of this affection: Because the greatest part of a Christians good is unseen and unenjoyed in this world, therefore hope must have a great influence on a believers life to comfort, stay and refresh him, Rom. 8. 24, 25.
The work of Gods Spirit in sanctifying this affection:
1. In turning it to its right object, and upon a right ground.
2. In producing the right, proper, and natural effects of it; hope thus rectified is the establishing of the soul in all storms. It looks at two things▪ the good to be enjoyed, and the means whereby it is to be enjoyed.
God in Christ, and the Spirit, is the principal object that hope closeth with,The Covenant is rather the ground then the object of Hope. Ier. 14. 8. Rom. 15. 13. Col. 1. 27. 1 Pet. 1. 21.
2. The lesse principal are the promises concerning this and a better life, Heb. 11. or rather the things promised.
Secondly, The means, the good will of God, the Intercession of Christ, the Ordinances.
The ground of hope is faith in the Word; the act of hope is expectation, the putting out of the rational appetite in the expectation of a future good which isFalsum non potest subesse fidei. difficult, not a vain uncertain expectation, but a sure expectation of it, the object is sure, if I believe it, this makes the soul possesse it self in patience, Rom. 8. 24, 25. Heb. 11. 1. Faith looks at the truth as present, Hope closeth with it as future.
There is a Certainty▪
1. Of the object, when the thing I believe or hope for is infallible.
2. Of the subject, when the thing is made sure to my soul.
Two things are contrary to Hope, Despair and Presumption:
Despair is a falling of the heart from the future good conceived, as inattainable at least to the parties self. It is a soul racking it self with what is, and what will be. See Iob 13. 14.
We must despair of attaining any good thing by our own industry without Gods special help. We must not despair of attaining any good thing by Gods gracious blessing, favour and mercy, viz. power against sinne, pardon of it, deliverance out of crosses and life eternal. It is not a bare absence or privation of hope, but a passion contrary to hope, as love to hatred. Francis Spira in the despair of his soul, cried out, Verily desperation is hell it self, he said, My sin is greater then Gods mercy.
Presumption, which is the excesse of hope; the Papists expect heaven as a reward of their obedience. It is a taking of things asore-hand, or a looking for that God hath not promised.
What the proper use of this holy affection is to Gods people whilst they live in this world.
1. To be a stay and safeguard to their souls in all times of difficulty, Heb. 6. The Anchor of the soul.
2. It is while we are in this world all the possession we have of the other world, Rom. 6. We are saved by hope.
Marks of a sanctified Hope:
1. The holy Scripture breeds it, Rom. 15. 4. Col. 1. 23. it discovers thy desperateIt closeth with the good things the Gospel holds out, and in the way that it holds them out. condition in thy self, Lam. 3. 24, 25.
2. It is grounded upon true faith in Christ, Rom. 15. 13. Col. 1. 27.
3. Such a one minds heavenly things more then earthly, Heb. 11. 15, 16.
4. He that hath true hope to go to heaven will be careful to prepare and fit himself for it, 2 Cor. 5. 9. 1 Ioh. 3. 3. Psal. 37. 3. because the soul expects good from God, it labours to walk acceptably with him.
5. It carries the soul chearfully on in the use of all those means which the Lord hath appointed for attaining that end, Heb. 10. 23.
6. The use of it principally appears when storms and difficulties arise, the real useIt is compared to an Anchor, and an Helmet, Ephes. 6. 17. compared with 1 Thess. 5. 8. of it is to stay the soul; when troubles come, it quiets the soul and makes it patient and content under pressures, 1 Tim. 4. 10.
Motives to Hope:
First, There is a necessity of it, we cannot live without it; it is an expectation of an absent good, we shall be dasht on the rocks continually if we have not this Anchor of our lives, Prov. 10. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 13.
Secondly, When this grace is wrought in the soul it will keep it in a quiet calm condition.
Thirdly, It will be a great help to Holinesse. He that hath this hope will puririsie himself as he is pure. One cannot have a Gospel-hope, and lead a wicked life.
Fourthly, This hope will never deceive you, or make the soul ashamed, Rom. 5. 5. The hope of the wicked is like a Spiders-web, and the giving up of the ghost.
Means to get a sanctified Hope:
In general you must labour to be new-creatures, the Spirit of God must work it.
1. Let thy hope never rest on any thing but a word of God, Rom. 15. 4. there is no bottom for this Anchor but that.
2. Meditate on the All-sufficiency of God who hath given thee that word, Rom. 4. 18, 19. Psal. 9. 10.
1. On Gods Almighty power, how infinitely able he is to help.
2. On his free grace, on his own accord he makes and keeps the promise.
3. His mercy, goodnesse and faithfulnesse.
3. Experience of Gods dealings with others, Iam. 5. 11. and our selves, Psalm 42. 8. Rachel when she had one son, she called him Ioseph, saith she, God will adde Rom. 5. 7.another. Psal. 77. 10, 11. The servants of God of old did write some special name on their deliverance, or named the place so as to remember it, to help them both to praise God for mercies received, and to strengthen them to hope in God for time to come, as Eben-ezer, The stone of help, Iehovah-jireh, The valley of Berach…, Psal. 78. 9, 10.
4. The examples of his mercy and favour to others, Psal. 22. 4. & 44. 1, 2.
5. Such a one must be careful to walk in holinesse and righteousnesse before God, 1 Ioh. 3. 3, 29. Iob 31. 24.