How Protestants Falsely Defined Hope, According To Bellarmine

St. Robert Bellarmine, De Iustificatione, Book 3, Chap. 11: “A twofold certitude in hope can be considered. One, on the part of the will; the other, on the part of the intellect. On the part of the will, the certitude of hope is a firm adhesion of the will to the thing hoped for… even if on the part of the intellect man is not certain that he will attain that thing. Indeed, it seems that hope not only does not require but also cannot bear absolute certitude on the part of the intellect. For that which we certainly know we shall have, we do not hope for, but we absolutely expect… Therefore, the heretics of our time, who require absolute certitude on the part of the intellect, leave no place for hope properly stated.
     But although (as we said) hope does not require absolute certitude on the part of the intellect, it nevertheless has a twofold certitude even on the part of the intellect. The first arises primarily from the foundation of hope, which is the promise of God. For we are certain that God cannot be deceived. And if indeed nothing were required for justification or salvation except the promise of God, we would also have concerning these things absolute and infallible certitude. Nevertheless, since other things are required, concerning which we are not as certain, hope does not expel all fear… The other certitude of hope on the part of the intellect arises from charity, and for this reason it is applicable only to just men.”