Holy living in which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every virute, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations : together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion occasians [sic], and furnished for all necessities / by Jer. Taylor.

Rules to govern our Hope.

1. Let your Hope be moderate, proportioned to your state, person and condition whether it be for gifts or graces, or temporal favours. It is an ambitious hope for a person whose diligence is like them that are least in the

Kingdome of Heaven, to believe themselves endeared to God as the greatest Saints, or that they shall have a throne equal to S. Paul, or the blessed Virgin Mary. A Stammerer cannot with moderation hope for the gift of Tongues, or a Peasant to become learned as Origen: or if a Begger desires or hopes to become a King, or asks for a thousand pound a year, we call him impudent, not passionate, much lesse ••easonable. Hope that God will crown your endeavours with equal measures of that reward which he indeed ••••eely gives, but yet gives according to our proportions. Hope for good successe according to, or not much beyond the efficacy of the causes and the instrument, and let the Husbandman hope for a good Harvest not for a rich King∣dome, or a victorious Army.

2. Let your hope be well founded, relying up must confidences, that is, upon God ac∣cording to his revelations and promises. For it is possible for a Man to have a vain hope upon God: and in matters of Religion it is presumption to hope that Gods mercies will be powred forth upon lazy persons that doe nothing towards holy and strict walk∣ing nothing (I say) but trust, and long for an event besides and against all disposition of the mean••. Every false principle in Re∣ligion is a Read o•• Egypt, false and dange∣rous. * Relie not in temporal things upon uncertain prophecies, and Astrology not up∣on our own wit or industry, not upon gold or friends, not upon Armies and Princes, expect not health from Physicians that can∣not cure their own breath, much lesse their

mortality: use all lawfull instruments, but expect nothing from them above their natu∣rall or ordinary efficacy, and in the use of them from God expect a blessing. A hope that is easie and credulous is an arm of flesh, an ill supporter without a bone.* 1.1

3. Let your hope be without vanity, or garishness of spirit, but sober, grave and si∣lent, fixed in the heart, not born upon the lip, apt to support our spirits within, but not to provoke envy abroad.

4. Let your hope be of things possible, safe and useful.* 1.2 He that hopes for an opportuni∣ty of acting his revenge, or lust, or rapine, watches to doe himself a mischief. All evils of our selves or brethren are objects of our fear, not hope: and when it is truly under∣stood, things uselesse and unsafe can no more be wished for, then things impossible can be obtained.

5. Let your Hope be patient, without tedi∣ousness of spirit, or hastiness of prefixing time. Make no limits or prescriptions to God, but let your prayers and endeavours go on still with a constant attendance on the pe∣riods of Gods providence. The men of Be∣thulia resolved to wait upon God but five daies longer. But deliverance stayed seven daies, and yet came at last: and take not every accident for an argument of despair▪ but go on still in hoping, and begin again to work if any ill accident have interrupted you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ier. 17.5.
• * 1.2

  Di cose fuo••i di credenza non voler far s••eranza.