The Vanity of the Lives and Passions of Men, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the vanity of the paſsion of worldly Hope.
IF the greateſt evil is nothing elſe but the privation of the greateſt good, how miſerable ſhould the lives of men be in their tedious Pilgrimage through this vale of Tears, if they were deprived of Spiritual Hope? ſith it is their greateſt Comforter, and their chiefeſt Cordial againſt the anxieties of their minde, and the anguiſh of their bodies, under the burden of which their hearts would faint, if they were not ſupported and comforted by this Hope. And in this as much as in any thing, is the incomprehenſible wiſdom of God viſibly ſeen, that he hath been pleaſed to ſtore men with Antidotes againſt all kinde of venoms and evils that might be deſtructive to them, and to their beeing; for were it not for this paſſion of Hope, men upon the leſt diſgraces, afflictions, tribulations, and perſecutions of this world, would imbrace all manner of deſperate reſolutions, and make themſelves away, to be rid of the continual anguiſh, grief, and ſorrow they are ſubject unto in this life. And I am perſwaded that the want that the Heathen had of this ſpiritual hope of the eternal joy to come, was the cauſe that ſo many of them laid violent hands upon themſelves: for ſome to be free from the imperious inſultations of their mortal enemies, or diſdaining out of a manly courage to be oblieged for their lives to their clemency, have ripped up their own bowels with their ſwords,See Plutarch in Ceſar and Catoes lives. as Cato did, rather then he would fall alive into the hands of Ceſar; and others to be rid of the exceſſive grief and ſorrow which did rack and torture their ſouls for the loſs of their beloved husbands, or intimate friends, have drunk Poyſon, or ſtifled themſelves with burning coals, as did Portia for her dear huſbands death, Martius Brutus. See Plutarch in Marcus Brutus life.But Chriſtians being ſupported by this ſpiritual Hope, and with an aſſurance that all worldly diſgraces and afflictions are not for continuance, but like unto a vapor ariſing from the earth, which is ſuddenly annihilated by the beams of the Sun, accounts theſe things unworthy to be regarded, in compariſon of the eternal joy and glory that is reſerved in the higheſt heavens for ſuch as ſuffer with patience the croſſes, and tribulations of this life for righteouſneſs ſake. This paſſion being then of great uſe for all true Chriſtians, I will for the better deſcriptition of it, extend my Diſcourſes on theſe particulars.
1. On the Definition of worldly Hope.
2. On the Cauſes of it.
3. On the Objects of it.
4. On its Proprieties.
5. On its Effects.
6. On the Excellency of ſpiritual Hope.
Firſt, There are diverſe Definitions of Hope; ſome ſay it is but an expectation of the good:The definition of worldly Hope. others ſay, It is nothing but a confidence that men have that ſuch things will happen to them, which they have conceived in their imagination:The Biſhop of Marſeillis pag. 500. Theophraſtus, Bojou, pag. 723. Others ſay, It is a paſsion of the ſoul, whereby upon the impreſsion that men have of ſome future good which is repreſented to their imagination by the ſenſes, as difficult to obtain; whereupon they addict themſelves to an eager proſecution of it, conceiving to be able of themſelves to obtain the injoyment of the ſame. Hope, ſaith another, is a motion of the ſoul, that inticeth men to expect and ſeek after a good that is abſent, in which they ſee ſome probability to be obtained; and Senault agreeing with theſe two laſt Opinions, adds, that there can be no real hope, except there be an apparent poſſibility it may be obtained. Hope is then the firſt paſſion incident to the Iraſcible appetite, of great uſe to men, if they fix their hope upon vertuous, or religious objects
Secondly, The cauſes that beget worldly Hope in the heart of carnal men; are theſe: firſt, a continual proſperity in their underſtandings doth puffe up their hearts with vain and deluding hopes that the ſame proſperity will ſtill continue, and accompany their deſigns to the end.See Plutarch in Pompejus life. Pompejus the great was deluded by this hope, for relying overmuch in the proſperous events he had formerly had in war (having never been foiled by any of his enemies) he neglected to raiſe a ſufficient Army to hinder Ceſars coming into Italy, as he was counſelled to do by his intimate friends, but hoping on his former proſperous ſucceſs, he ſaid unto them, If I do but ſtamp with my feet upon the ground, ſouldiers will iſſue out of it in all parts of Italy to ſide with me againſt Ceſar; but this vain hope was the cauſe of his utter overthrow, for he was inforced to forſake Italy to the mercy of Ceſar, and to fly beyond the ſeas, where his Army was defeated, and himſelf conſtrained to ſave his life by ſhipping into Egypt, where he was baſely murdered: ſecondly, Might and Power doth fill the hearts of carnal men with vain hopes; Xerxes King of Perſia relying upon his numerous Army of a million of men, hoped to over-run Greece, See Plutarch in the life of Themiſtocles.and to dry up the very rivers with the incredible number of his foot and horſe, but he was deluded in his hope, and in the ſtraits of Thermopilae, his whole Hoſt was ſtopped and foiled by Leonidas King of Sparta, who had but three hundred valiant Lacedemonians with him, and preſently after his invincible Navy was utterly routed by Themiſtocles by the Iſland of Salamine, and he himſelf inforced out of fear to fly into Aſia with a great part of his Army: thirdly, Youth, Strength, and a ſanguin Complexion fills the hearts of young Gallants with vain hopes, and makes them undertake things that ſeem impoſſible,See Quintius Curtius in his Alexanders life. as Alexander the Great did the Conqueſt of the greateſt part of the world with an inconſiderable Army of fouty thouſand foot, and twenty thouſand horſes, in compariſon of five or ſix hundred thouſand that Darius brought into the field; and this paſſion of Hope was ſo predominant in him. that before he departed out of Greece, he gave away to others his Patrimony eſtate, and reſerved nothing for himſelf, but the uncertain hope of the conqueſt of Aſia. The natural reaſons why young, ſtrong, and ſanguin Complexions are more addicted to this paſſion of Hope then others, are:Six cauſes of the worldly Hopes of men. firſt, that they abound in ſpirits, for the Sanguin have more blood and ſpirits then the Cholerick, Flegmatick, or Melancholick men: ſecondly, they have time by their young age to proſecute the injoyment of their hopes; thirdly, they have ſtrength and activity to overcome all difficulties that ſeem to bar them from the injoyment of their hopes, whereas ancient men are more addicted to the paſſion of Fear then to Hope;Three reaſons why young men are more addicted to Hopes then ancient men. firſt, Becauſe their natural ſtrength, and vital ſpirits are waſted with age; ſecondly, becauſe their long experience hath made them more conſiderate then young men; thirdly, becauſe they have one foot in the grave, and have not time to proſecute the injoyment of their hopes, and are better acquainted with the incertitude of the undertakings of men: fourthly, Men that are verſed in the affairs of the world, have their hearts filled with vain hopes, becauſe they think nothing impoſſible unto them, by reaſon that their long experience in the affairs of this world hath drawn them out of the ſnares of many perplexities: fifthly, Men that have been divers times in great dangers by Sea and by Land, have their hearts filled with Hope when they fall into danger, hoping then to avoide the ſame, as they have done formerly: ſixthly, Men of undanted ſpirits, have their hearts filled with vain hopes, becauſe the paſſion of Undantedneſs drives away all fears from their mindes, yet theſe come oftentimes ſhort of their hopes;See the French Mercury. for Baligny one of the moſt undanted ſpirits of the French Nation, who had ſlain in Duel, or in ſingle Combat ſeventeen valiant Gentlemen as any were in France, was ſlain himſelf in the ſtreets of Paris manfully by another Gentleman, who was reputed but a Novice in the feats of Arms. Therefore mens hopes are for the greater part of a deluding Nature, if they be not grounded upon Reaſon and good Probabilities.
Thirdly, The Objects of the Hope of worldly men are theſe: firſt, Honors: ſecondly, Riches: thirdly, Pleaſures: fourthly, Self-ends, and Vain-glory; for all the hopes of carnal men are fixed upon one of theſe Objects,The vanity and incenſtancy of worldly honor. and by conſequence their hopes muſt be meer vanity and vexation of ſpirit: firſt, Men that make Honors the Objects of their Hopes, will finde them to be grounded upon quickſand, for what is more ſubject to mutation and change then worldly Honors? The Favorites of Princes are compared to Moucherons that grow up in one night,Jonah 4.6, 7. or to Jonahs Gourd that ſprouted and grew to its perfection in one day, and by a Worm was withered the next day, even ſo the honors of Favorites are taken away in a moment;Eſther 4, 2. and 7.10. Hamon the Agagite was promoted on a ſudden above all the Princes that were with the great King Ahaſuerus, but he loſt in a moment his life and his Honors, and ſuffered an ignominious death, for he was hanged on a Gibbet of fifty cubits high. Sejanus likewiſe the Great Favorite of the Emperor Tiberius Nero, See Tacitus in Tiberius life.was raiſed to the greateſt honors of the Roman Empire, but in a moment he was degraded of all his Honors, and dragged like a dog thorow the ſtreets of the City of Rome; See the French Hiſtory.and of late years the Marqueſs d'Auere of a Groom was promoted to the greateſt Honors of the Crown of France, but in an inſtant he was piſtoled by the command of the King, Lewis the thirteenth, and having been buried in a Church neer to the Kings Palace, his body was taken out of the grave by the common people the next day,The vanity and mutability of worldly Riches. and dragged up and down the ſtreets of the City of Paris, and afterwards hacked in pieces, burned, and his aſhes caſt into Seine. Therefore mens hopes that are fixed upon worldly Honors have a very ſandy foundation: ſecondly, If mens Hopes be fixed upon Riches, they are as ill grounded, for what is more fickle then Riches, that make themſelves wings and flee away?Prov 23.5. See Herodotus in the life of Cyrus. Creſſus King of Lydia, loſt all his incredible Treaſures and his Kingdoms in a day; and Craſſus the richeſt Roman that ever was,See Plutarch in Craſſus life. loſt his life and his unparallel'd riches by indeavouring to increaſe them: Riches are then a tottering foundation for mens hopes: thirdly, if mens Hopes be fixed upon worldly pleaſures, they are of leſs continuance then the fire of thorns under a Pot, for carnal pleaſures ſeem tedious in the continuance,The vanity of worldly Pleaſures. and mens eſtates will be ſooner waſted, and their bodies conſumed by lothſome diſeaſes, then they will beſatisfied with carnal pleaſures: fourthly, Although Self-ends, and Vaine-glory are the ordinary objects of the Hopes of the moſt generous ſpirits, yet Vain-glory is but a meer ſhadow; and for Self-ends it is contemptible and baſe; for moral Hope which inticeth men to generous actions, cannot be pure if it be not free from Self-ends, and vain oſtentation;The vanity of Self-ends, and vainglory. and notwithſtanding, if the moſt heroical actions of the ancient and modern Worthies, both in Arms, and in learning, were well examined, few will be found, that were acted meerly for the love of Vertue, or the publique good, but were mixt with Self-ends, and Vain-glory: for the Conqueſts of Alexander and of Ceſar, and of a hundred more, were to increaſe their fame and Dominions. And the learned Works of Ariſtotle, of Plate, of Demoſthenes, of Cicero, of Seneca, of Saluſt, and of many more, were written as much to perpetuate their memory, as for the love of Vertue, or of the Publick good. Mens Hopes muſt then have a more excellent object, and a more ſolid foundation then theſe before related, or they will prove to be but meer vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
Fourthly, The nature and proprieties of this paſſion of worldly Hope are theſe: firſt, Although all worldly Hope is of an earthly nature, becauſe of its corruptible and tranſitory objects, yet it hath a propriety of agility, for it is as ſwift as the thoughts and deſire of men, for in an inſtant of time mens Hope may be here, in France, in Spain, in Turky, or any where, where men have commerce or trading,The nature and probabilities of worldly Hopes. acquaintance, or intimate friends: ſecondly, The worldy Hope of men is as inconſtant as the Windes, for ſometimes it is fixed upon Honors, other times upon Riches, and again upon Pleaſures, or upon this undertaking, or this other deſign, and alters according to mens fancies and imaginations: thirdly, the worldly Hope of men is ordinarily voide of Prudence, for it is extravagant, and oftentimes ridiculous, becauſe it doth not take his meaſures and diſtances aright, I mean, in fixing their Hopes upon impoſſibilities, which is the reaſon that ſo many are deluded in their Hopes; divers unreaſonable creatures having by a natural ſagacity a better aim then they: for the Lyons, the Tygers, the Bares, and all other devouring beaſts will not ſet upon any other beaſt except they ſee ſome probability they may maſter them, for if they be too ſwift, or too ſtrong, they forbear to ſet upon them: nor the Kite will not offer to raviſh the young Chickens, if its ſees the Hen neer at hand to defend them,The wilde beaſts, by a natural ſagacity undertake nothing without probability they may attain. nor the Hawk will not fly after the Partridge except it ſees that ſhe is within her reach; but worldly men, for the greater part, fix their hopes upon objects, wherein there is no probability at all they ſhould attain to the injoyment of them, which is againſt the natural propriety of this paſſion of Hope; for true Hope eſchews all impoſſibilities: fourthly, The worldly Hopes of men are inſatiable, as well as their Deſires, for when they have attained the fruition of one of their Hopes, they inſtantly fix their Hopes upon another object, ſo that the thirſt of an Hydropick will be ſooner quenched, then the worldly hope of men will be ſatisfied. Pyrrhus King of Albania had conceived a vain Hope of the conqueſt of Italy: but his wiſe, and prudent Counſellor Cynias, perceiving no probability in this hope of his, becauſe the Roman Common-wealth was then powerful, argued with his Prince after this manner; Suppoſe, ſaith he, my Liege, that Fortune be ſo favorable to you, as to grant you the fruition of your hopes,See Plutarch in Pyrrhus life. in which I ſee ſmall probability, becauſe the Roman State is potent, and abounds in valiant and warlike men, and experienced Commanders; where will you then fix your hopes? Pyrrhus anſwered, when I ſhall have the poſſeſſion of Italy; I will croſs over into Sicilia and ſubdue that, and then, replied Cynias, where will you bend your Hopes? to conquer Carthage, ſaid Pyrrhus, and all the coaſts of Africa; and whether then ſaith Cynias? we will then, ſaith Pyrrhus, return into Albania, and joy in our Conqueſt, and make good chear, and be merry: and who hinders you, ſaith Cynias, to be joyful, and make good chear, and be merry, ſith you have a rich Kingdom of your own, and abound in Treaſures, and in all things that your heart can deſire? my counſel is then, that you ſhould give bounds to your hopes, and prefer the certain to the uncertain events of Fortune. By this Inſtance onelyonly, theſe things will be confirmed: firſt, That the hopes of men are inſatiable: ſecondly, That young and ſanguin men are moſt addicted to hopes, and to undertake hard and difficult enterpriſes: thirdly, That raſh, and inconſiderate hopes, void of probabilities are always deceitful, and vaniſh into ſmoke; for this young and valiant Prince was deluded by his hopes, and was foiled in Italy by the Romans, and in lieu of the conqueſt of Italy, of Sicilia, Carthage, and the coaſt of Africa, after the ſhedding of his ſubjects blood, the exhauſting of his Treaſures, and the many hazards he was in to loſe his life, he was inforced to return into Albania, and was ſlain in the City of Argos by a woman, that did caſt a Tyle upon his head.
Fifthly, The effects of worldly hope may be theſe: firſt, it is Hope that incourageth generous ſpirits to undertake all hard and difficult enterpriſes: It was Hope that moved Alexander to forſake his Kingdom of Macedonia, to undertake the conqueſt of Aſia, and that made him leave a certain good for an imaginary hope of conqueſt, which had a proſperous ſucceſs againſt all human probabilities by the ſecret decree of God,The effects of worldly Hopes. that the Perſian Monarchy ſhould be transferred to the Greeks, as it was fore-told by the Prophet Daniel. It was Hope that moved Ferdinand, and Iſabella, King and Queen of Spain to undertake the conqueſt of the Weſt-Indies: and by Hope the Ottoman Family hath been inticed to undertake the conqueſt of the third part of the Kingdoms of the earth;See the Spaniſh Hiſtory. but all their hopes had no other object then ſelf-ends, and vain-glory: ſecondly, It is Hope that induceth Polititians,See the Turkiſh Hiſtory. and Stateſmen, to impaire their health, and tire their ſpirits, to dive into the myſteries of the Maximes, and Reaſons of State, to propagate the increaſe, honor, and glory of their native Countrey, as Cardidinal Ximenez did for Spain; and the Cardinal de Riche-lieu for France, See the French Hiſtory.yet their Hopes were mixt with ſelf-ends, and vain-glory: It is Hope that moves Commanders and Souldiers to venture their lives in the dangerous atchievements of war, under colour to fight for the Liberties and increaſe of the peace and extent of the demains of their native Countrey, yet Marius Sylla, and Ceſar had a ſelf-end in all their Military exploits, tending more to the utter ſubverſion of the Liberties, and deſolation of their native Countrey, then to the increaſe of the good or glory of it: fourthly, It is Hope that inticeth Merchants to venture their means and lives at Sea; and Tradſmen, and Artificers to moyl and toyl; and the Husbandman to to endure the heat in Summer, and the cold blaſt of the Northerly windes in Winter;Hope incourageth men in their calling. nay, all the injuries of the Meteors of the Air; but all their Hopes have no other object then their private gain, and to keep themſelves and their Families in a decent condition, and free from penury. This hope is neceſſary, and therefore more commendable then any of the former (ſo it be kept within the bounds of moderation) becauſe it is profitable to the Common-wealth, without which it could not ſubſiſt; but the other are deſtructive to mankinde, for they are cauſe of much ſhedding of blood, and of the deſolation of Kingdoms: fifthly,Moral Hope excels worldly Hope. Moral Hope is better then wordly Hope, for it is a preſerver of Life, and the Moderator of Grief and Sorrow, and a Cordial againſt all Anguiſhes and Infirmities of the body, it ſupports men in their greateſt miſeries, and is the oppoſite of the paſſion of deſpaire, for it moved a Rhodian who had been caſt into a dungeon ful of Adders and Snakes (for ſome horrid crimes by him committed) to uſe daily antidotes for his preſervation, and to anſwer to ſome that perſwaded him to rid himſelf by a violent way out of that miſery where he lay; no, ſaith he, as long as I have breath in my noſtrils, I will ever hope for my deliverance; and it is daily ſeen,Hope forſakes not men till death. that the Gally-ſlaves, and thoſe that are condemned to die, do ever hope to be redeemed or reprived; and the ſickeſt, or the oldeſt man hath hope to recover, or to live one year longer: Nature having, as it ſeems, indowed men with this paſſion of Hope for the preſervation of their beeing, for as ſoon as Hope forſakes men they go the way of all fleſh, or fall into deſpaire: ſixthly, If Moral Hope be thus qualified, it will be of excellent uſe: firſt, Its objects muſt be a real good: ſecondly, This good muſt be abſent or to come: thirdly, It muſt be difficult to obtain: fourthly, It muſt have ſome probability that it may be obtained, for impoſſibilities deſtroy the nature and the proprieties of Hope. Vertue is then the true object of moral Hope, but it muſt be without mixture of ſelf-ends and Vain-glory. But
Sixthly, The Spiritual Hope is free from both, for it is a ſupernatual gift of God: The Apoſtle St. Paul in the eighth of the Romans makes a clear definition of it; Hope that is ſeen is not Hope, Rom. 8.24.25.for what a man ſeeth, why doth he yet hope for? but if we hope for that we ſee not, then do we with patience wait for it. Now the object of this hope is the Rock of Eternity, Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, and the Joy and Glory to come, for as the Apoſtle ſaith in the ſame Chapter, We are ſaved by hope. The cauſe of this hope is the immediate grace of God, for ſo excellent a Flower doth not grow in the Garden of our corrupt Nature; The effects it prroduceth in all true Chriſtians proceed from the Promiſes of God, and the recompence of reward, as the Apoſtle St. Paul ſaith of Moſes. Heb. 11.24, 26.By faith when Moſes was come to years refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharoahs daughter, chuſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures of Egypt, for he had reſpect to the recompence of reward. And were it not for this Spiritual Hope, the true Chriſtians ſhould be more miſerable then the profane; nay, more then the bruit beaſt: for the portion of the children of God in this life is moſt commonly, nothing but affliction, grief, and ſorrow, tribulations, perſecutions, reproaches, and ignominy: whereas the wicked flouriſh in this world like green Bay trees, Pſal. 37.39.and injoy all the delights and pleaſures of this life, becauſe they make no conſcience to ſin; but the true children of God hate and abhor ſin, and are conſcious to commit the leaſt ſins; therefore without this hope, which doth uphold and comfort them, their race through this vale of tears would be tedious and irkſome unto them: for as Salomon ſaith, Hope deferred maketh the heart ſick, Prov. 13.12.but when the deſire cometh it is the tree of life. The firſt effect of ſpiritual Hope is, that it breeds in the hearts of men ſuch a fortitude and confidence, that it expelleth all fears from their ſouls, and makes them ſay with the Prophet David, Pſal. 16.8.I have ſet the Lord always before me, becauſe he is at my right hand I ſhall not be moved: ſecondly, Hope engendreth joy in the hearts of the Elect, and this joy is ſo conſtant and permanent that it never forſakes them in their greateſt perplexities, nay, at the very hour of death, when all worldly comforts forſake them, this joy chears up their hearts, and makes them ſay with the Prophet David, Pſal. 16.9, 10.My heart is glad, and my glory rejoyceth, my fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope, for thou wilt not leave my ſoul in hel, neither wilt thou ſuffer thy holy one to ſee corruption: thirdly, Hope breeds patience, and makes Chriſtians ſuffer patiently, the greateſt torments that the cruelleſt tyrants can inflict upon them,Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. For we glory, ſaith S. Paul, in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the love of God is ſhed in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt that is given us: fourthly, Hope gives life to all our Chriſtian and religious Duties, as St. Paul ſaith,1 Cor. 9.10. He that ploweth ſhould plow in Hope, and he that threſheth in hope ſhall be partaker of his hope: Hope is one of the beſt defenſive Arms of a Chriſtian to oppoſe the fiery darts, and the temptations of Satan, as the Apoſtle St. Paul ſaith, Putting on the breaſt-plate of faith, and love, 1 Theſ 5.8.and for an helmet the hope of ſalvation: ſixthly, Hope is like a ſure Anker to all afflicted Chriſtians in the midſt of the impetuous ſtorms of perſecution, as the Apoſtle St. Paul ſaith,Heb. 6.18.19. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſsibile for God to lye, we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is ſet before us; which hope we have as an Anker both ſure and ſtedfaſt: ſeventhly, Hope doth mitigate and ſweetens all kinde of afflictions that befall to the children of God in this life,Coloſ. 1.5. whether they be perplexities of the minde or anguiſhes of the body: eighthly, All ſuch as confide and hope in Chriſt ſhall never be aſhamed nor confounded, &c.