First, Future, for good present is the Object of1 our sense, but Hope is of things not seen, for herein is one principal difference between divine Faith, and divine Hope, that Faith being [Greek or Hebrew]. The substance of things hoped f•r, […] ever respect to it's Object, as in some manner present and subsisting in the promises and first fruits which we have of it, so that the first effect of Faith is a present Interest and Title; but the2 operation of Hope is waiting and expectation, but yet it will not from hence follow, that the more a man hath of the presence of an Object, the less he hath of Hope towards it, for though Hope be swallowed up in the complete presence of it's Object, yet it is not at all diminished but ⟨p. 235⟩increased rather by a partial presence, and as in Massive bodies though violent motions be in the weakest, as being furthest from the strength that impelled them, yet natural are ever swiftest towards the Centre, as nearest approaching unto the place that draws them: so in the Hope• of men, though such as are violent and groundless prove weaker and weaker, and so break out at last into emptiness and vapour. In which respect3 * Philosophers have called Hope the dreams of waking men; like that of the Musician whom Dionysius deceived with an empty promise, of which I spake before: yet those that are stayed and natural, are evermore strong, when they have procured a larger measure of presence and union to their Object, Qu• propius accedimus ad spem fruendi eò impatientius caremus. The nearer we come to the fruition of a good, the more impatient we are to want it.
First, Future, for good present is the Object of1 our sense, but Hope is of things not seene, for herein is one principall difference betweene divine Faith, and divine Hope, that Faith being 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. The substance of things hoped f•r, 〈…〉 ever respect to it's Object, as in some manner present and subsisting in the promises and first fruits which we have of it, so that the first effect of Faith is a present Interest and Title; but the2 operation of Hope is waiting and expectation, but yet it will not from hence follow, that the more a man hath of the presence of an Object, the lesse he hath of Hope towards it, for though Hope be swallowed up in the compleat presence of it's Object, yet it is not at all diminished but ⟨p. 235⟩encreased rather by a partiall presence, and as in Massie bodies though violent motions be in the weakest, as being furthest from the strength that impelled them, yet naturall are ever swiftest towards the Center, as nearest approaching unto the place that drawes them: so in the Hope• of men, though such as are violent and groundle•sse proove weaker and weaker, and so breake out at last into emptinesse and vapour. In which respect3 * Philosophers have called Hope the dreames of waking men; like that of the Musitian whom Dionissiu• deceived with an empty promise, of which I spake before: yet those that are stayed and naturall, are evermore strong, when they have procured a larger measure of presence and union to their Object, Qu• propius accedimus ad spem fruendi eò impatientius caremus. The nearer we come to the fruition of a good, the more impatient we are to want it.
- 1[…].〈…〉.
- 2Hebr. 11.
- 3[…]. [Greek or Hebrew] 2 Pet. 3. 12.〈…〉. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 2 Pet. 3. 12.
