1 Peter 1:3
Strong Hope
There is a holy hope, a truly Christian hope, which the Scripture reckons among the graces of the Spirit. And I think I should never desire or seek any other hope but such a one; for I believe no other hope has any holy or good tendency. Therefore this hope, this grace of hope only, can properly be called a duty.
But it is just as absurd to talk of the exercise of this holy hope, the strong exercise of this grace of the Spirit, in a carnal, stupid, careless frame, such a frame yet remaining, as it would be to talk of the strong exercises of love to God, or heavenly-mindedness, or any other grace, remaining in such a frame to come out of it, in and by the strong exercises of all grace; but I should not think it proper to press a man earnestly to maintain strong hope, notwithstanding the prevailing and continuance of great carnality and stupidity.
For this is plainly to press people to an unholy hope, a strong hope that is no Christian grace; and that is strong wicked presumption. And the promoting of this has most evidently been the effect of such a method of dealing with souls, in innumerable multitudes of awful instances.
Readings taken from Day By Day With Jonathan Edwards
Strong Hope
There is a holy hope, a truly Christian hope, which the Scripture reckons among the graces of the Spirit. And I think I should never desire or seek any other hope but such a one; for I believe no other hope has any holy or good tendency. Therefore this hope, this grace of hope only, can properly be called a duty.
But it is just as absurd to talk of the exercise of this holy hope, the strong exercise of this grace of the Spirit, in a carnal, stupid, careless frame, such a frame yet remaining, as it would be to talk of the strong exercises of love to God, or heavenly-mindedness, or any other grace, remaining in such a frame to come out of it, in and by the strong exercises of all grace; but I should not think it proper to press a man earnestly to maintain strong hope, notwithstanding the prevailing and continuance of great carnality and stupidity.
For this is plainly to press people to an unholy hope, a strong hope that is no Christian grace; and that is strong wicked presumption. And the promoting of this has most evidently been the effect of such a method of dealing with souls, in innumerable multitudes of awful instances.
Readings taken from Day By Day With Jonathan Edwards
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