38 Chap. io. Of Hope, Prefumption, andDefpair. Comer it, is vita vita mortalis, the life of this mortal life, and if we were without it : we In Pjn1.3. fhould want breath. As the body lives fpirando, fo the Soul fperaudo, and it is ve- ry true in the fpiritual life, si defperavit, expiravit, he that defpaireth, is dead. Now to conclude this Affirmative Rule, We may fay with the Pfalmift , p;alm.84. t 3. 0 Lord God of. Hefts, Bleffeel is the man that putterhhis trufl in thee : which blefling in this life is, the certainty that we {hall enter in with the Bridegroom to the frui- tion of it in the life to come." And thus we have feen the nature, neceffity, and end of hope. y. Now for the firft Rule, concerning what is commanded and forbidden. Our Rule for faithand hope is not.unitke to that of humility. t. As Nebuchadonazor, Daniel.. 27. afcribed thebuilding of great Babel to his own power, and made his own glory theend of it; fo on the contrary (as we (hew- edof humility ) we alto fay of hope, it makes God theAuthor of all the good it looks for, and makes his,glory the endof all. For firft, it makes us go out of our felves and truft only in God, and wholly rely upon him, as the role efficient caufe of;good tous, we mutt wholly depart out of our felves, we muff not conceive that there is any fnfficiencie in our felves, but that all our fufficiencie is of God, not fo much as to think a good thought, therefore much lefs to have a will to do it ; but that it is God that works the ve/le, and confequently the perficere, boththe will and z Cor.3.5. thedeed in us. We molt not afcribe any part or help to our dives : for our Saviour Ihil.z.r3. faith, Sine me pereflisnihil facers.; without me ye can do nothing. Upon which place john 15,5, St.Augu/line noteth, ir is nor ailil magni, but nihil omnino, not any great thing, but . nothing at all, and not nihilperficere, sat we canperfect nothing, but nihilfacere, do- nothing at all. Andas it makes God the caufe and firft beginning, fo the laft end too, bygiving the glory of his graces in us tohim : and the reafon is plain in the A- tCor.1a,9.3t poftle, That nof/efhfhouldglory in his prelim; but as it fol oweth, That he that glo- rieth (holdglory in him. In the exercifeof hope two thingsare commonly Peen. ì. Grief. 2. Joy. Joy becaufe we hope for that which is good, andgrief becaufe the good we hope for is delayed. Or rather e converfo. a. Joy,and then grief. If hope be true, it never fuffer- ethus to befecure, but we (hall be in a continualWar. The Apoftle intimates to us, a Thef.9.s. that we are warriours, whenhe advifeth us toput onthe helmet of hope. And in Pror.i312. the Pfalms, King David is fometimes beaten down, and fometimes railed again; fometime hope and joy are viEtors, fometime grief and fear. And feeing ¿chalo bo- ni, muff have rationemmali, and that hope deferred afig {t animam, afHiEts theSoul, PGI.tt 9.z. it muff needs be a great afiCtion to the Soul, that when a man fhall fee that which was promifed not only deferred, but fometimes to happenclean contrary :,as when he looks for peace, then terror and anguifh to follow; he thall finde not only wicked men and enemies upbraiding him,and faying,as they to Daniel, ubi-fpesve/Ira, where is your hope ? but even his own reafon {hall make a Probleme with his fpirit within him, and tell him it is in vain to hope any longer. Surely this muff work uponmen, for it worketh even indumb Creatures, though they (hall not be partakers of the iiom, a.aa. Refurreflion with us, yet becaufe the deliverance of man is notaccomplifhed, they are faid togroan, and defire to be delivered.. Now the only remedy for this is the confederation exprelfed by Saint Augufline, In Pfi1.36.' Su(line ilium, fuflinuit te, fi freflinuit te duns mutarer vitam malam, fsi line to illare dam coronar vitam bónam, bear with him that hath born with thee ; it he have for- bornthee whilft thou altereft thy ill life, forbear him whiles he crowns a good life. This hath great reafon for ir, which Ihall be fhswed afterwards when we come to treat of patience.* Saint Bail compareth theGofpel to a Net, and fear to the lead which makes it fink, and keeps it fail, and Hope to theCork whichkeeps it always above, without the Lead of Fear it would be carried hither and thither , and without the Rom.ta.ta. Corkof Hope it would fink down under water : And the Apoftle thews ajoy 116;10.13. in Hope, and therefore wills usto hold fall the profeffion of our Faith without, wa- vering ; and he givesa fufficient reafon, Forhe is faithful that hath promifed. And fo all thefe are neceffarily to be obferved in this Command of Hope. Ano- ther thing commanded is Hope for earthly things. Foras our Saviour faith offaith, be
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