Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Book 3 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of Hope.
I Have ſpoken in the firſt Book of the Chriſtian Vertue of Hope. Here I ſpeake of a naturall Paſsion. Yet it is certaine, that they differ onelyonly in the degree of perfection and in the object. Naturall hope is wavering, Divine hope is fixt; Divine hope regardeth eternall goods, Naturall hope lookes for naturall and civill goods; Yet the object of Divine hope is not denyed to the naturall, but when that paſsion is determined by grace unto ſupernatural goods, it becomes a vertue.
Hope is a compound of courage, Deſire, and Joy; but hath more of the firſt and ſecond ingredient then of the third. Alſo a graine of feare enters into the compoſition; for if there were none, it would not be hope but expectation; as on the other ſide there is a graine of Hope in feare, for if there were no Hope, it would not be feare but deſpaire.
Hope hath this common with love and deſire, that it regards a good object, at leaſt in the intention. But Hope conſiders foure particular qualities in her object, That it is abſent, that it is future, that it is poſſible and likely, and that it is yet uncertaine, at leaſt in ſome regard; if not in the ſubſtance, at leaſt in the circumſtance; for even the certaineſt Hope of all, that of eternall goods grounded upon Gods immutable promiſes, is nevertheleſſe uncertaine of the degree, the manner, and the time of the enjoyment hoped for.
Laying aſide that prime object of hope, it is hard to ſay, whether Hope doth more good or harme in the world; For on the one ſide it raiſeth the courage and animates good enterpriſes with vigour; On the other ſide it blinds the reaſon, which inſtead of good chooſeth a diſguiſed evill, or turnes good into evill, by raſhneſſe & unquietneſſe. Hope ſets the mind on gadding and aſpiring higher then it can reach, all wayes diſcontented with the preſent and hanging upon the future. And how deceitfull are the promiſes of Hope! Of ten, one comes not to effect. With hoping good and ſuffering evill, mans life paſſeth away.
Yet muſt we acknowledge the obligation that men have to hope, for it makes them ſubſiſt, even while it deceives them. What makes Negro's confined to the mines, there to eate and drinke? It is Hope. What makes gally ſlaves to ſing while they are rowing? It is Hope. And would ſo many perſons whoſe dayes are a continuall torment conſent to maintaine their wretched life, but that in a bottomleſſe gulfe of evills they will obſtinate themſelves to hope well; and after all goods are flowne away, Hope ſtayeth behind. Hence it comes, that many unfortunate perſons will ſtirre up their induſtrie, awake their vertue, ſtrengthen themſelves in faith, and live to ſee better dayes.
So to anſwere the queſtion whether Hope muſt be reckoned among the goods or among the evills, it may be ſaid that it is the evill of them that are at eaſe, and the good of the miſerable: For ſuch as have meanes and dignity have alſo many deſignes and chained hopes, which keepe them hanging in chaines, while cares and feares, like ravens, are tearing their hearts. Beſides, they that are inchanted with many worldly hopes, conceive chriſtian Hope but remiſſely.
Whereas they that are in adverſity being not tickled with thoſe delicate hopes which a man dares not recommend unto God, will fixe upon juſt hopes, ſuggeſted by neceſsity. And if they have any godlineſſe in them, they will ſhew it in grounding thoſe juſt hopes upon Gods mercy and promiſes. The leſſe invitation they have to flatter themſelves with worldly hopes, the more will they ſtrengthen themſelves with the hope of heavenly goods.
In both the fortunes, a wiſe lover of his tranquillity will not feed or ſwell his hope, but for one object, which is, The fullneſſe of his union with God; For any thing elſe he will clip the ſoaring wings of that aſpiring paſsion, and will not let her flye too high nor too farre.
In the appetite, as there is a predominant love and a predominant deſire, ſo there is a predominant Hope. When it is anchored upon the only good perfect and immutable object, it keeps the ſoul firme and tranquill. If it be moored upon quick-ſand (and ſuch are all the things of the world, in which there is no ſafe anchorage) it will be carried away by every winde and tide, and never keepe in a quiet ſtation.
The vulgar thinkes it a wiſe and couragious part to be obſtinate to hope well. But a firme and unmooved hope, ought not to be conceived or reſolved upon, but for firme and unmoved goods, even thoſe onelyonly that are the ſubject of the promiſes of the Goſpell. But for things about which wee have no divine and eſpeciall promiſe, the more one is obſtinate to hope well, the more likely is he to ſpeed ill, becauſe the obſtinacy of Hope puts the judgement out of his office and leave t… no roome for Prudence. And the ill ſucceſſe is made more bitter by the preceding obſtinate hope; Whereas to him that ſtands prepared for the worſt, nothing comes againſt Hope; And if good come, he taſts it better, for his ſucceſſe hath exceeded his Hope.
The way to be little diſappointed, is to hope little; and the way not to be diſappointed at all is to confine our Hopes within us, as much as we can, and to the things above, which the true Chriſtian finds already within; depending upon no future things, but his perfect reunion with God. Whoſoever will proportion his hope to the nature of the objects, ſhall never entertaine great hopes for worldly matters. For there is a great imprudence in that diſproportion to have great hopes for ſmall things.