Question XII: Whether there is a precept of hoping in God

The Seraphic Doctor DISTINGUISHES book 5 of the Compendium of Theology, cap. 22. a threefold Hope, namely, of Pardon, Ps. 30. In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded. Of Grace: But he that hopeth in the Lord, mercy shall encompass him. Ps. 31. Of Glory: Proverbs 28. He that hopeth in the Lord shall be saved. He also notes its effects, so that the necessity of hope may appear. For it frees from tribulation, Ps. 21. Our fathers hoped in thee, and thou didst deliver them, and it stands shown in Dan. 13. by the example of Susanna. It strengthens in the crisis, 2 Machab. 7. Beholding the seven sons perishing within the space of one day, the mother bore it with a good courage, because of the hope she had in God. It strengthens and raises the mind, Isa. 40. They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles. It saves, Ps. 16. O thou that savest them that trust in thee. It ministers temporal things, Ps. 144. The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord.

HOPE is compared to many things necessary: to the Helmet for fighting, 1 Thessal. 5. Putting on the helmet of salvation. To the Anchor Hebr. 6. Who have fled for refuge to hold fast the hope set before us: which we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm. To Medicine: He that trusteth in the Lord shall not be weakened, Ps. 25. To the Gem: Most precious is the expectation, Prov. 17. it is called the strongest solace Hebr. 6. The wood of life, Sap. 3. If they have suffered torments before men, their hope is full of immortality. Keys, and the Gloss on that Ps. hope in the Lord.

IN the Dial. of salvation, tit. 10. cap. 5. he again sets forth a threefold Hope, of Pardon, of Grace, and of Glory. But he proves that the hope of Pardon puts every sin to flight. All they that trust in him shall not offend. Ps. 33. The hope of grace is that by which one, trusting in Divine help alone, not in human strength, acquires salvation, Jerem. 17, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and the Lord will be his trust. The hope of glory makes strong even unto death; thus the martyrs conquered their torments. Thus Moses Heb. 11. thus the Ps., Sacrifice a sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord, and to Titus 2. he urges to patience and perseverance: Waiting for the blessed hope, and the coming of the Lord. From these the Theologians commonly gather that Hope is a necessary means to salvation, and that from the beginning, as is said Hebr. 11, For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and is a rewarder to them that seek him. And Rom. 8, By hope we are saved. And in the Tridentine Council sess. 6. cap. 6. and 7. and can. 5. Hope is numbered among the dispositions necessary for justification. The reason is, because he cannot be saved who does not believe God to be a supernatural rewarder, and unless he be converted to God by loving him above all things; but these things involve, unless he hope, that this good is to be attained, as Caspensis argues num. 32. with D. Bonaventure book 3, dist. 26. art. 2. quaest. 3. in the body: Therefore.

You will say. Without Hope God can be loved with the love of friendship.

It is ANSWERED, that one must hope from God at least mercy, pardon, and grace, as the Seraphic Doctor says above.

THEREFORE ALTHOUGH there are not found in the scriptures words expressing the force of a precept; yet from the necessities related the Doctors gather that a precept of Hope is given. So Suarez de Spe, disp. 2. sect. 1. Sanchez lib. 1. Decal. lib. 2. cap. 33. Fagundez lib. 1. cap. 31. num. 4. with D. Thom. 2. 2. quaest. 22. art. 1. The Seraphic Doctor dist. 26. quaest. 2. where he proves it, because it is declared in scripture that one must hope in God alone, and that cursed is he who does not hope in him, but in creatures.

Hence D. Augustine tract. 83. says, It is a precept to us to hope for the things that have been promised.

Therefore the argument is thus formed: Every act that is a necessary means to salvation falls under a precept, as Suarez shows de fide disp. 13 sect. 2. and lib. 8. de gratia, cap. 18. and 19. But the act of hope is a necessary means to salvation, as the Council of Trent declares sess. 6. cap. 6. for unless we hope for glory, our faith is vain: Therefore a precept of it is given. So also Fagundez num. 4. The minor is proved by the Seraphic Doctor book 5, Brevil. cap. 4. because for salvation the rectification of the soul toward God is necessary; but this is done through the three Theological virtues, for by faith the reason, by hope the irascible, by charity the concupiscible is rectified.

But the minor is explained by the Seraphic Doctor book 3, Canti. sect. 39. because to attain beatitude one must expect and ask help from God; one must detest faults, endure punishments, undertake terrible things, rise toward arduous precepts, conquering the demons, the flesh, and the world: but these things are not done without hope, which resides in the irascible, and moves the other powers, fortitude, etc.

But this precept is affirmative, yet including a negative, of not despairing; and insofar as it includes the negative, it obliges always, as Sanchez notes lib. 1. Decal. cap. 33. Suarez de spe, disp. 2. sect. 1. num. 7. D. Thom. loc. cit. Fagundez num. 5. For the acts contrary to Hope are intrinsically evil. Some, however, cited by Caspensis disp. 2. sect. 5. think this precept to be merely negative; he himself nevertheless says that both the affirmative is given, and indeed a special one, and not only a general one; as some Summists think. So also Fulgentius lib. 3. cap. 7.

Insofar, however, as it is an affirmative precept, it obliges at some time to acts of Hope at some time; but it is doubtful at what time it obliges.

Some, cited by Aragon 2. 2. quaest. 22. art. 1. dub. 1. think that, once an act of Hope has been had, this precept no longer obliges.

But it obliges after the use of reason, not immediately, but not after much time, and sometimes even during life, by the judgment of the prudent, so that one is not without an act of hope for many years. See on the act of faith what I said in the preceding Treatise disp. 1. quaest. 14. and following. And I shall say in the following Treatise on the precept of Charity disp. 8. from quaest. 50. So Suarez disp. 2. sect. 1. Caspens. num. 19. He adds, with Castro Palao, that regularly men satisfy this precept when they grieve over their sins, which is almost never without an act of Hope. Fulgentius adds, that one is obliged at the end of life, and when one is gravely tempted to despair, and as often as the precept of faith urges, For he that cometh to God must believe that he is a rewarder. Hebr. 11. So also Bassaeus.