heart goes a whoring from God how can it be clean As departure causes defiling so defiling implies departure 2. Satan men herein turn to betaking themselves to his enticing forgeries and hugging his shadowes and bowing down to his Images embracing the representations he tenders Satan makes a sinfull mans bed his nest in which he lays most loathsome eggs which yet the sinner sits over adding his own warmth to brood and bring them forth this his defiling act infolds 2. The effects of sinne are found infolded herein As somewhat privative And somewhat positive 1. Privative or a further depriving themselves of primitive amability and beauty Thus man is made more remote from his first purity glory excellency and immaculate innocency 2. Positive or a further imprinting of deeper deformity and greater impurity through the pollution of Dreames The Schoolmen discoursing of sinne do still â—…eat of two things macula reatus filth and guilt The former is the blackness of sinne that takes away mans lustre the latter is the bondage of sinne that takes away mans liberty hereby he is bound over to death and Hell both follows upon filthy Dreames for whatever casts under filth brings under guilt Every sinne as it stains a man and leaves him under blots so it stabs a man and leaves him in his blood Filthy Dreames that defile though these effects are secret and unseen yet that makes them never the less but the worse The outward sins of waking men lay blots and blows upon them in the eye of the world but these inward sins of sleeping men lay blows and blots upon them in the sight of God who sees in secret Sinfull Dreames leave black blots they be as deep stamps and dirty steps of the Devils foul feet Which foul defilings are further helped forward by filthy Dreamers themselves These filthy Dreamers also defile the flesh And now having walked through these words in their Explication I come to some Application from the words in a double way To wit Of Instruction Of Admonition 1. Instruction These filthy defiling Dreames considered severall lessons many men may learn that do certainly concern Themselves within Others without 1. Men as within themselves reflecting may finde much of their spirituall misery from these fleshly Dreames of which they may be Both Receptive And Productive 1. Of such Dreames to be receptive is sad For a man to be as a noisome sink into which gathers all such filthy mud to be as the Devils center in which he makes his black lines to meet For a mans bed and head to be Satans stage upon which he brings strange disguised persons to play their parts whereupon follows such effects as do defile both head and bed Lev. 15. 26. Deut. 23. 10 11. For a mans head and heart to be the Devils dung-cart into which both day and night he throws his dirt and filth the case of no creature is herein like mans beasts swine and poisonous Toads are not receptacles of such stinking dreggs as filthy Dreames 2. Of such Dreames to be productive is yet much worse when of such sinfull thoughts in sleep Satan may be an assistant but mans own evil heart herein the chief agent and hereof the author Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the whole imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were onely evil continually 'T is not the imaginations thoughts in mans heart quasi ex alio but the imaginations and thoughts of mans heart quasi ex seipso were onely evil continually col-haiom the whole day which being taken in a naturall sense does comprise the night as a part thereof Day and night mans whole time continually the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are some way evil It may be they do not always amount to such monstrous wickedness as the text intends but when hitherto they proceed such sinfull Dreames are the products of mans own evil heart which is always evil but may be worst in the night In the day by reading hearing seeing by means of others company counsell examples exercises others good words and works a wicked man may have many good thoughts moving in his mind but in the sleeping time of the night when he hath no such helps his thoughts may be most notoriously naught Plutarch reports of a River that runs bright and sweet in the morning and so remains the day but it begins to run black and bitter in the evening and so all night with men many times that wickedness which breaks out in the day was formed and framed in the night The Prophet reports of some whose hearts be like a Bakers oven that is heated and made ready in the night and in the morning burns as a flaming fire Hos 7. 6. But suppose it proceeds no further then filthy Dreams in the night yet therein a man may see his heart miserably naught when a man hath not onely a filthy Dream but is a Dreamer in this filthiness found not onely actuall but usuall it manifests much misery such self-pollution being a sad condition And sadly may such a one say of his sinne as David did of his sorrow My sore ranne in the night and ceased not Psal 77. 2. 2. As concerning Satan hereby a man may discern His Knowledg His Diligence 1. The Devils knowledg by this appears to be great and that he is intimately acquainted with mans case Both for Body And for Soul 1. The state of mans body he much understands how that is disposed the parts thereof inclined through its naturall constitution accidentall occasions assiduall transactions contracted imperfections what propensities lubricities imbecillities have seized upon man and under which he suffers He knows which way nature even in corporeal parts is prone to put out it self and so in flinging the bowl he observes the biass beating man upon his own ground and bringing him to much misery 2. Satan sees much into the state of mans soul Though the soul as concerning its immanent and immediate acts of the principall powers is so lockt up as the Devil by a direct intuition cannot look therein or have knowledg thereof yet he can gather much in an arguitive way he can make such animadversions of matters without as to discover much within Mans understanding makes its parelii or likenesses and resemblances and these the fancy being neer hand takes in observes and imitates and while this is at work the Devil may get the key of this shop go in and view the Images that are framed there to set forward his sinfull design though the Devil cannot create or frame in the fancy any new corporeall species yet he can discern such similitudes and shadows of things as are there already framed he can call them up and accordingly conform himself and so fetch forth a suteable draught of Dreames Unto filthy apprehensions he can cause filthy apparitions and pitifully puddle a man in polluting Dreames 2. The Devils diligence is discernable therein
night to Davids heart as Peter Martyr observes from Nathans Parable 2 Sam. 12. 4. At night came in a traveller to the rich man He spared of his own flock to dress for the wayfaring man that was come in to him c. Unclean cogitations came in as a way faring man at night yet this was not ordinary Filthy motions that come not in all the day may turn in at night and take men asleep but this not usuall when yet vain thoughts for a long time together in men may take up their lodging How long shall vain thoughts lodg in thee Jer. 4. 14 Lodging properly imports a place of night-abode Vain thoughts that are going and coming coming and going in the day have in mens mindes their constant lodgings at night Then they generate procreate increase and multiply then they grow into great multitudes Multitude commonly goes on the evil hand and the most usuall evils are commonly found in multitudes which also makes them more evill To vanity in Dreames may well be joyned multitude for vanity fills many of our Dreames yea most of our Dreames are filled with vanity And as for their vanity-sake they are evil so for their multitude-sake they are more evil In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities And thus we have the malady opened Secondly See the Remedy or the medicinable course for the cure of this common disease to heal and help against Dreames of divers vanities 1. This is Expressed 2. This is Applied Expressed in the Substance of it Applied to the Subject of it The substance of the Remedy is the true fear of God But fear God The subject of the Remedy is every individuall or particular man Thou But fear thou God Herein manifestly meets both man and God God and man both meeting in this commanded Fear God as the Person feared of man Man as the Person fearing of God No person so fit to be fearing of God as man No person so fit to be feared of man as God 'T is Gods due to be feared of man 'T is mans duty to be fearing of God 1. Gods due is this fear from man Psal 76. Thou even thou O Lord art to be feared vers 11. Take away fear and take away God Hence Learned Zanchius would have the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying such as disclaim fear do deny God and who ever will own God must acknowledg his fear This fear is a firm pillar upholding the Throne of God in the hearts of men New imaginations would wax so wanton and wild as to overthrow Gods throne in the world were it not for this fear 2. Mans duty is fear towards God Eccles 12. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole man the whole of man Such a duty is this fear of God as all men and all man must be engaged therein He that casts off the duty of fear casts off the condition of man Without this fear as God he seemeth nothing towards man so man he ceaseth says Bernard and is nothing towards God He who hath none of this fear both denieth the Lord to be God and himself to be man or at least he leaveth himself languishing and as a dying man in a malady denying the medicine The medicine or curing remedy of man in his maladies is this fear of God This fear of God is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universall salve for soul-sores The sores in the Text are severall the disease divers the malady lies in a multitude Divers vanities in a multitude of Dreames yet this one potion well took up this one plaister well laid on delivers recovers and causes a cure This fear of God is an excellent Antidote against the entring venome of various vanities in those divers Dreames which men may have in multitudes In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities but fear thou God The words thus farre unfolded two Points come to be concluded 1. That the vanities of Dreames are evils every man ought to use means for their preventing and his own preserving 2. That the best means a man can use for his soul-preserving and a sure preventing the vanity of Dreames is by his true and due fearing of God In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities but fear thou God For the more full improving the first Point that reflects upon the malady to wit The vanities of Dreames I shall assert four things I conceive considerable 1. That they are such motions as are certainly evils 2. That they are such evils as to which each man is subject 3. That against the evil of these men may be defended 4. That for a defence against these evils each man must use means First That Dreames of divers vanities are undoubtedly evil The evil of such Dreames is discoverable in a double way Negatively Positively Negatively These Dreames they are not good therefore evil There are no Adiaphora or middle matters in the motions of mens mindes In every matter the minde of man imagins is either some commanded good or some forbidden evil A great Expositor well distinguisheth between the actings of man externall and internall The extrinsecall acts says he may be in themselves neither good nor evil but acts intrinsecall are always evil if not good The influence of the inward acts upon the outward causeth some goodness or evilness to be alway therein And therefore the inward acts themselves are certainly either good or evil and evil if not good All the actings of the soul in the fancy whether man be awake or asleep if they be not verily good they are certainly evil Those imaginations that are not good in the day must needs be evil in the night Vain thoughts in the waking-day are naught and therefore in the sleeping-night they are not good but evil then also Dreames of vanity be verily evil Positively These vain Dreames do plainly appear to be evil by observing Whence they arise What they comprise 1. They arise and proceed from such a principle as is evil and not good and therfore are not good but evil Vain Dreames we cannot say they come from the God of Grace or from the Grace of God but we may say they proceed from sinne and Satan from that remaining vanity that is in mens hearts and mindes What is good is from God and what is from God is good but what is not from God but from a mans own evil heart is evil From a mans heart proceed such vanities as vent themselves in divers Dreames that are therefore evil 2. They comprise those things that prove them evil Dreames vain they contain Omissions and Transgressions Omissions There is in them a neglecting of that good which God hath much apted man to and enabled him for by giving him an active soul that never sleepeth but
awake then when we were asleep shall we not stick to that God in the day who stuck to us in the night Let our day-care appear to be great By an exact shunning of every sinne By an exact doing of every service First We must be very vigilant to avoid day-sinnes that the Lord may not leave us the night coming who the night past preserved us Let not sinfull thoughts come in and carry us away when awake least after we sinne in our sleep who before slept without sinne An Antient Writer upon the ten Commandements says That Idolatrous Images first crept into the Church when the Pastors thereof were asleep being idle and carelesly secure not foreseeing the evil Thus when we fall into careless security bodies awake but souls asleep at noon-day defiling imaginations and wicked thoughts wind into our hearts that may work us much ill the next night In the day-time let us see we turn not aside by sinfull thoughts Thoughts according as they commonly runne out in the day so they break forth in the night O let us look to these heart-sleeps and walk as evenly all day in thoughts as ever we can Let not us by evil thoughts make halts in our hearts least we go lame all our lives and day and night from God go awry Let a holy fear keep us watching against heart-wickedness and to fly back from all secret sinnes which Gods best Saints do most fear and whereof every day we are in the deepest danger The Devil we may be sure hath not a deeper design then to set us incessantly upon soul-sinfullness for thereby he can the sooner soil us and foul us with fleshly-lusts seducing from sinfull thoughts in the day to filthy acts in the night from imaginations of evil awake to evil imaginations in sleep Secondly We must be sedulous in the service of God Night-mercies engage to day-duties God who caus'd our deliverance when we were asleep calls for our obedience when we are awake Let us never be negligent towards him who hath been vigilant over us Let us do Gods work before we sleep that we may not do the Devils work when we sleep In the morning as soon as we awake let us up and be doing something for God and resolve again to serve God before we sleep and resolve not to sleep till God be served Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house nor go up into my bed I will not give sleep to my eyes nor slumber to my eye-lids untill I find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob Psal 132. 3 4 5. Every day a double care becometh Christians in this case of keeping clean from the filth of Dreames To get farre from the Devil To draw neer to God 1. Farre from the Devil Prov. 6. 4 5. Give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids Till thou deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the snare of the fouler He that is snared in the day gets not loose in the night 2. Neer to God in the day and God will be neer us in the night so neer as that nothing do come in between God and our souls except Christ alone which will be our best course to keep all cleer in this case that with filthy Dreames we do not defile our selves Amen Amen IV. Of Idle and Vain DREAMES ECCLES 5. 7. In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities but fear thou God BEing about bad Dreames wherein mans sinne and Satan have their subtill work Some be more bad and less usuall Others be less bad and more common And having finished the former to wit Dreames notoriously false filthy and vile I come to discourse the latter to wit Dreames ridiculously foolish idle and vain of which we finde a multitude In the multitude of Dreames there be divers vanities but fear thou God This whole Book of Ecclesiastes being as an excellent Sermon preached by repenting Solomon concerning the worlds vanity an Author eminent among the Schoolmen from thence draws a double inference as referring To this man in speciall To each man in generall 1. Towards this man to wit Solomon in that he saw all the world vanity he sure was above the vanities of the world He was says he a man and yet he did exceed a man for all those things that commonly men admire as the onely excellencies seemed to his view but very vanities 2. Towards each man this conclusion is made that he is a maker of vanity and that the motions of his hand head or heart are but meer vanities For says he if in some respect such things are vanities as were formed and fashioned by the hands of God sure such things then are very vanities as are fained and fancied in the hearts of men No marvell if mens head and heart-actings are but idle Ideas no wonder if the whole frame and Figment all the imaginations and thoughts of mens mindes are meer vanities considered Whether awake Or asleep What myriads and multitudes of most vain vanities are imagined and made in the mindes of men in times of sleep the Text present plainly and positively reports In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities but fear thou God This single sentence of Solomons consists of two considerable parts A Proposall An Imposall 1. That which the Preacher proposeth is man in his sleeping fancies that are not fit Philo observeth that man was made of God such a reall rationall creature as what he imagins should be solid and substantiall but man by sinne hath made himself such a fained fiction that what things he imagins are but fictions fained empty shews and fleeing shadows his vain and vanishing shadows day and night are great But as 't is well observed of the Sunne that it causeth the longest shadows when evening comes and it's going down so when man is in his night-time and laid down to sleep then he draws shadows long and great then his thoughts move most idlely then are his Dreames variously vaine In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities 2. That which the Preacher imposeth is that ever-awaking fear of God which is fit for man For man this fear is so fit as without the same he hath nothing solid but is full of vanity framing vanities fancying and conceiting such things in sleep as are but the shadows of the night yea man does not onely make night-shadows in his sleep but whether asleep or awake without this divine fear he is but a shadow Yea the want of this fear does not onely make man to be shadow-like but even God himself is made like a shadow without this fear Men in whose hearts this fear is not found in them Deity falls and vanity prevails But this fear so rowses man yea it so raises and realizes God as it advances Deity and prevents vanity In the
watch is a good means to keep out Dreames evil Fourthly To use all good means to keep out these evil Dreames is every Christians duty The duty of a Christian lies more inward than outward not so much in hand-work as in heart-work in heart-watching and diligent heart-keeping Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum omni custodia with all keeping keep or prae omni custodia above all keeping keep thy heart the Originall will well bear both The words do plainly and peremptorily impose a personall perpetuall universall and principall care for heart-keeping 1. Personall Every single man must take care for the well-keeping his own heart Keep thy heart 2. Perpetuall Now and ever the heart must be carefully kept Keeping keep thy heart 3. Universall Every man must keep his heart with all kindes of keeping With all keeping keep thy heart 4. Principall Though a man must with care keep other things yet his heart must be kept above all Above all keeping keep thy heart Each man must and ought to keep his own heart his soul in all its faculties before all things through all times from all evils and therefore from these night-evils of vain Dreames Those praecited words of Solomon some reade them Above all watchings watch thy heart now properly watching is a night-work against night-enemies and evils These evils are enemies that assault the Soul in the night season against which a double watch is not too much To guard and safeguard the whole soul against vain Dreames Diligence is a Duty For they will else be hurtfull towards men And men else will be faultfull towards themselves 1. Hurt will be to men by vain Dreames not prevented That which is evil will do no good what is evil in the cause will be evil in the effects The effects of vain Dreames may do much harm if not hindred This appeareth By what they oppose How they dispose 1. They may oppose the immission and introduction of Dreames divine they may interrupt the mindes operation in serious Dreames Why might not the minde at the same time be solid and serious as well as idle and vain if some impediment were not put by their interpose 2. They may dispose the heart open the door of the house and let in worse evils then themselves Hence Dreames vain and foolish may make way for Dreames vile and filthy A common Inne that admits of idle persons may lodg the worst of guests yea Dreames of vanity in the night-time may incline to deeds of vanity in the day-season 2. Fault will be to men if they use no means to prevent vain Dreames Towards vain Dreames men may be faulty By an efficiency By a deficiency An efficiency by doing what may further them A deficiency by not doing what may hinder them Yea that which men do not seek to hinder they may be said to further As he is said to command an evil that does not forbid it so he may be said to set forward such vanities who is not sedulous to intercept them That which is a mans duty to perform is his sinne to neglect To take care to keep all evil out of the heart and to keep the heart off from all evil 't is the duty of man to use meanes His fault it may not be that such evils enter but 't is his fault when meanes he does not use against their entrance See what the Church confesses as her fault Cant. 1. 9. Mine own vineyard have I not kept All sorts of vanities they hurt mans choicest vines and wrong his inward vineyard which he ought to keep and must use meanes to preserve Thus have I passed through the parts of the first Point I proceed Secondly That the best means to prevent the vanities of Dreames is by a personall fearing of God But fear thou God This Point will also afford us four considerable parâ—s 1. That fear is a fitting affection to prevent Dream-vanities 2. That God is the proper object for such preventing fear 3. That this preventing fear must be found in every person 4. That each person must abide active in this fear for prevention First That to prevent the vanities of Dreames fear is an affection fit To all vanities this opens a door to be without fear The Apostle speaks of some Jude 12 who are found feasting themselves without fear Such there be who buy and sell without fear eat and sleep without fear no marvell if multitudes of various vanities fill their fancies ' T is a fearfull matter to be a fearless man All fear we grant is not fit yea some fear to prevent evils and resist enemies is unfit That we should serve him in righteoâ—sness and holiness without fear Luk. 1. 74. As in Paradice there was a forbidden fruit so in a Christian there is a forbidden fear There is a Desponding fear There is a Defending fear 1. There is a fear that strikes a man down enfeebles him and makes him faint and fall this is not fit 2. There is a fear that stirres a man up and sets him to seek his own safety to be valiant and vigorous in his own defence and this fear is fit This fear as it expects evil against a man so it excites man against the evil 't is as the Centinel that is ever awake gives the whole soul an alarum and cries arm arm at midnight Fear Secondly That fear which prevents the vanities of Dreames must make God its object 't is a fear that must reflect upon God That fear which is defensive and proves preservative against evil of all sorts it must be found effectuall for two things To unite the Heart To stablish the Heart 1. Fear must unite and make the heart one for the heart while it is divided scattered and severed asunder any evil easily enters it lies open to all vanities iniquities and sins 2. Fear must stablish and make the heart firm for while the heart is unstable stragling wandring and wavering 't is quickly carried away and turned aside to sinfull vanities Now fear will never effect these things but as it referres to God 't is the fear of God that unites and makes the heart one Unite my heart to fear thy Name Psal 86. 11. or as the Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Make my heart one in thy fear 'T is the fear of God that establishes the heart that it does not start or depart from God I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. One well compares this fear in the soul to the Anchor of a Ship that where it is well fastened in God it holds head and heart firm that the wind of vanity prevails not It makes a man in his motions sober and serious whereas other fear says a good Author causeth a kind of drunkenness that filleth a mans heart and
the heart That saies to every other sinne as Pharaoh to Joseph In the Throne will I be greater then thou 2. This chief-ruling sin in man may be known T is true this sinne may most subtilly seek to conceal it self and as is reported of the Persian Kings to be seldome seen in the day During the day it may suspend its visible acts and not come into any open view 3. In the night time and in the midst of mans sleep may this sin arise and run out in his Dreams That 's a mans wel-beloved which lieth at night betwixt his breasts Cant. 1. 1â— That 's a mans Dalilah-lust which leaneth upon his lap in his sleep Judg. 16. 19. 2. Much of Satan in his subtill designes may hereby come to be discovered Ignorance of the Devils artifice is not fit for Christians We are not ignorant of his devices saies the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His thought works or the workings he hath in his thoughts whether men be asleep or awake Satans subtill injections into the minds of men as Tertullian renders the Apostles word 'T is in the plurall signifiing Satan hath severall of this sort How divers the Devil devices are Austin excellently opens having had experimentall knowledg of many And that good man among others does much bemoan what mischief he suffered from Satan in sinfull Dreames 2. By such knowledg of evil Dreames things practicall are promoted For repenting of what is past For preventing of what may follow First Of such evils past men through this knowledg are provoked to repent to humble themselves for these night-sinnes with which very few are affected and upon which scarse any reflect unless with delight Indeed the Recordation of Dreames have sadly distressed some of Gods Saints What amazements of mind What terrible troubles of conscience have come upon some men by this meanes there be that can bear witness in the world Some in their sleep have had a supposed burden dreaming such a load lay upon them as though they strove they could not stirre And such there are who after sleep and when awake have sorely felt a reall burden being pressed down with sorrow in the remembrance of their sinfull Dreames Dream-sinnes the most are ignorant of and so insensible under and sorrowless after Though 't is certain mens sinfull â—usts have no allowance from Gods Law in time of sleep Perhaps some think of the Law of God What Serbidious Scevola said of the Civil Law It was not at all written to restrain sleepers but wakers But both waking and sleeping man hath his bounds set which to transgress is sinne even in a foolish thought Prov 24. 9. Of all which a right knowledg much helps repentance Secondly Against such future Evils hereby man is moved to arm himself by the use of Scripture Meditation and Prayer Luther finding many fanâ—tick spirits as he termes them who boaâ—â—ing of their Dreames sought to seduce him This maâ—e me saith he earnestly pray to God that he would give me the true understanding of his holy Word that I might never be drawn away by such dangerous deviations in Dreames And did but men indeed know the dangerous errors and evils of evil Dreames with holy fear and care would they draw out the day and lie down at night lodging themselves in Christ that Satan may not find them out Necessary is it saies Luther that whether we rise up or lie down we should pray and ruminate upon the Word of God that our enemy may never find us empty or unprepared And saies another Author he that would secure himself from such deceiving Dreames as are Daemonum ludibria must be daily subduing his sinfull and sensitive part purging out present pollutions and elevating his mind above creature-vanities striving beyond his own strength to setle his soul in the sight of God acquainting his soul with the good will of God that therein he may go right towards God when his body lies asleep in his Bed Now a considerable Meanes to incite men to daily diligence in these good duties is to instruct them in the evil of Dreames For who will so soon use the Medicine as he that best knows the Malady â— Good Dreames whereof God is the Authour ought to be known For 1. Such have been 2. Such may yet be 1. Dreames Divine have formerly been in the minds of men Calvin in his Commentaries upon Daniel though he grants divers Dreames have been so falacious and frivolous as did evidence much of the Devil yet some Dreames have been so ponderous and serious as might signifie something of God And he gives some â—nstances out of Antient Authors as the Dream of Julius Caesar's Wife admonishing her about her Husbands death And the Dream of Augustus his Physician who thereupon commanded the Empâ—rour in his bed to be carried out of his â—ent and so escaped the cruell enemies hand In such Dreames we may imagine some moving hand of Almighty God Buâ— plain proofs we have from holy Scripture of Gods undoubted hand in divers Dreames Gen 20. 3. Gen. â—0 5 Gen 4. 7. Judg. 7. 13. â— King 3. 5. Dan. â— â— Dan. 7. 1. Math. 2. 19 c. 2. Dreames Divine may yet remain From God may come yea shall come good Dreams in these latter times And it shall come to pass in the last daies I will pour out my Spirit and your Sonnes shall Dream Dreames Acts 2. â—7 That excellent Expositor Paraeus in his Commentaries upon Genesis affirms in that place Dreames are not only to be taken in a Metaphoricall sense for those famous Patefactions under Gospel Administrations but also for Dreames properly so taken wherein God under the Kingdom of Christ may make known his mercifull mind unto the sonnes of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Filij vestri somnia somniabunt Your sons shall Dream Dreames Memorable is that of B. Cowper who in the passages of his life reports a Dream he had from God guilding him to the place of his publick Ministry most remarkeably And that the ever living Lord who sleepeth not may thus in these latter times warn the Souls of his Servants when their Bodies be a sleep none â— trust saies he wilâ— deny the same c. 'T is credibly told of a Native Turk in London lately Baptized into the Christian Faith how by a Dream he was thereunto much drawn As Austin had his Tolle-Lege So he is said to have his Surge Recipe whence without the receit of the Baptismall Sacrament he could not be satisfied Others by such Dreams may be incited So that to seek a due understanding of Divine Dreams is an undoubted Duty in Gospel-daies This will further Profitable Knowledg Sutable Practice 1. Requisite Knowledg may much be promoted by that Communion a good man may thus have both with God and himself during the darkest seasons of the
hand in severall Dreames p. 14 13. How the excellency of mans soul is raised by Dreames in what and above whom p. 15 14. Persons concerned to seek the knowledg of Dreames p. 18 15. Reasons declared why the knowledg of Dreames is to be sought p. 21 PART II. Of False and Deluding Dreames TEXT II. Zach. 10. 2. And they told False Dreames Contents 1. The Meanes producing false Dreams how divers p. 28 2. The divers times in which false Dreames have been produced p. 29 3. How those that deny Dreames false are confuted p. 34 4. How false Dreames from true are discovered by their causes p. 40 5. How also made manifest by their Effects p. 41 6. How false Dreames from the Devil and those from mens corruptions are Distinguished p. 42 7. How subtilly Satan may suggest Scripture in his soul-deceiving Dreames p. 43 8. Mans perils of believing delusive Dreames how many waies p. 44 9. Mans proneness to be by Dreames deluded how great p. 48 10. The Properties of the Devil fitting him to further false Dreames p. 49 11. The Evils of false Dreames how divers and most dreadfull p. 55 12. Whether the Devil can in Dreames foretell things to come p. 62 13. Whether in our times there be any danger of deluding Christians by false Dreames p. 70 14. The false Dreames of two sorts that Christians must seek to prevent p. 79 15. The Meanes of two sorts by which all false Dreames may be prevented p. 74 PART III. Of Filthy and defiling Dreames TEXT III. Jude 8. These filthy Dreamers defile the flesh Contents 1. What those Dreamers are who do defile the flesh expounded p. 92 2. What that flesh is which these Dreamers do defile explained p. 98 3. What that defiling the flesh is here intended p. 99 4. Though Dreames defiling do delude yet how deluding and defiling Dreames do differ p. 87 5. Defiling Dreames in a double sense considered p. 91 6. What a certain hand Satan severall waies hath in Dreames that do defile p. 96 7. What of man by Dreames filthy is defiled p. 99 8. What mens defiling themselves by filthy Dreames doth imply p. 104 9. How much of mens misery defiling Dreames doth comprize p. 107 10. How much Satans knowledg and diligence in mens silthy Dreames are discovered p. 110 11. What we are to believe De Incubis Succubis as relating to filthy Dreames declared p. 114 12. What we are to learn concerning God mens defiling Dreames considered p. 116 13. What duties men for the most part neglect for the hinderance of filthy Dreames p. 118 14. How much many men sinfully do whereby Dreames filthy are furthered p. 119 15. How men good and bad are both subject to defiling Dreames p. 121 16. How wicked men are the most proper subjects of Dreames that do defile p. 122 17. Why Satan with such Dreames assaults the servants of God p. 125 18. What harmes filthy Dreames in sleeping men do against things that are good p. 127 19. What harmes thâ—se Dreames defiling do as towards things that are evil p. 129 20. What meanes ought to be used for prevention of defiling Dreames p. 133 21. What duties are to be performed when such defiling Dreames have been prevented p. 144 PART IV. Of Idle and Vain Dreames TEXT IV. Eccl. 5. 7. In the multitude of Dreames are divers Vanities but fear thou God Contents 1. How divers Dreames are said to be Vain p. 154 2. How Vain Dreames are said to be divers p. 156 3. What a multitude of men have vain Dreames p. 158 4. What a multitude of va Dreames are in some men p. 160 5. How it appeareth that vain Dreames are evil and certainly sinfull p. 165 6. How vain Dreames are such sinnes to which each man is subject p. 691 7. That against these sinfull evils of vain Dreames men may be defended p. 117 8. That meanes each man must use for his defence against the evil of vain Dreames p. 174 9. How against the divers vanites in Dreames there be divers meanes meet to be used p. 176 10. How the true fear of God is the best meanes to Antidote mens minds against vain Dreames p. 179 11. What the fear of God is and what it does whereby from vain Dreams Christians are secured p. 180 12. Arguments disswasive from the vanities of Dreames prevailing without this fear of God p. 184 13. Arguments perswasive to the fear of God preventing Dreames of vanity p. 188 14. Adjuments or helps to incite and preserve such a fear of God as is good against vain Dreames p. 192 15. Whether good men may not have vain Dreames though they do fear God p. 195 PART V. Of Troublesome and Affrighting Dreames TEXT V. Job 7. 14. Then thou Skarest me with Dreames Contents 1. What were the Dreames wherewith God skared Job p. 200 2. What were the Times when with Dreames Job was skared p. 203 3. What this skaring Job by Dreames did contain p. 205 4. How evils both of sinne and punishment are the ordinary matters of troublesome Dreames p. 201 5. How both God and the Devil are usually movers in Dreames troublesome p. 202 6. How troubling Dreames from God and those from the Devil are differenced and discerned p. 204 7. How Dreames that affright and trouble may be very many in very good men p. 207 8. Whether men very wicked may not be very free from affrighting Dreams p. 216 9. The sad effects of Dreames affrighting to men both awake and asleepe p. 223 10. The severall Reasons why God affrights good men in time of their sleep p. 218 11. The divers Causes why God in time of sleep may affright men that are wicked p. 219 12. That Divine discoveries of Gods glorious Majesty may make to men in sleep dismaying and affrighting Dreames p. 208 13. That Dreames properly dismaying and frequently affrighting are the effects of Gods appearing displeasure p. 221 14. Causes for which Skaring Dreames are let into men to be avoided and shunned p. 225 15. Courses by which Skaring Dreames may be kept out from men to be observed and used p. 230 16. Mens Duties when with Dreames dreadfull they are surprized and oppressed p. 233 17. Mens Duties when from dreadfull Dreames they are secured and preserved p. 236 18. God Mercies how great to men in prevention of Dreames dismaying manifested p. 242 PART VI. Of admonishing and Instructing Dreames viz. from God TEXT VI. Mat. 2. 12. And they being warned of God in a Dream that they should not return to Herod departed into their own Country another way Contents 1. Who the persons were to whom God thus appeared in a Dreame described p. 248 2. What considerable Matter in this Dream from God to those Men was contained p. 252 3. In what a remarkeable manner these Men received this Dream set from God declared p. 255 4. What admirable Effects this Dream fom God divers waies produced p. 257 5. The divers Ages of the world through which
Therein is not only an Intension but an Extension of the mind the Imaginations are not only set on but drawn out doubling them over and over Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar as touching his Dreame As for thee O King thoughts came into thy mind upon thy Bed what should come to pass hereafter Thoughts in the plurall Theodoret expounding the place addes Thou didst think whether thou shouldst alwaies live thou dist think whether thou shouldst soon die thy thoughts therof did beat about this way and that Thus in a Dreame thoughts as they have their Representation so their Expatiation as a manifestation to so a multiplication of the Thoughts Thoughts many in one Dreame I have suffered saies Pilats Wife many things in a Dreame Many things that is many thoughts have pressed in and oppressed my mind Her Dreame was about one and the same Person but therein she had many thoughts about that Man and Matter We see then Dreams are the thought-works of the waking mind in the sleeping-man 2. See the sorts of Dreames that be especially these two Some Naturall and Some Supernaturall 1. Naturall Dreames are such thoughts in sleep as the mind emits or sends out by its own intrinsecall power the proper Product of mans own head and heart To a mans personall case and condition they are so suitable that we may be certain they proceed from the same principle 2. Supernaturall Dreames are such thoughts in sleep as are immitted or sent into the mind through some extrinsecall principle And though they come primarily from a principle without yet the mind concurres with what is occasionally cast in and becomes conformably active thereupon Now these Dreames ab extra they are of a double Kind as comming from a double and deeply differing Cause Diabolicall and Theologicall Bad Dreames wherein the Devil works and Good Dreames wherein God speaks The Manichees and Marcionits took up an opinion as reputed out of Plato that there were two co-eternall Principles the one Good and the other Evil saying that all good workings towards men were from the good Principle And all evill workings men ward were from the evill Principle As they managed the Matter they were in a gross errour as Austin and others evidence However this is a Truth there are two supream Principles One Good namely God and Another Evil to wit the Devil From God are all good works towards men and from the Divel are all evill workings men-ward both awake and asleep And the Truth of both which may appear in point of Dreames that be both good and evill Works Good Dreames are Gods good workings in mens sleepings And bad Dreames be the evill workings of the Divel in sleeping men And thus is finished the words of the Text in their Explicatory part wherein men have been unfolded as referring to Dreames and Dreames have been unfolded as referring to men We were like to men that Dreame I pass to the Applicatory part wherein will be endeavours to promote Man in his Dignity and The Duty of Man 1. This may set up man in his Dignity and exalt his Soul in its surpassing Excellency Above the Body in himself and Above the Spirit of Beasts 1. Above mans body The Body of man is very beautifull as in its Being so it may be admirable in its Workings to wit while man is awak but when asleep then mens Bodies are like Davids Idols Psal 115. 5 6 7. They have mouthes but they speak not eyes have they but they see not they have ears but they hear not Noses have they but they smell not hands have they but they handle not feet have they but they walk not A sleeping Man suppose his body rises out of his bed yet 't is like Lazarus rising out of his grave John 11. 44. And he came forth bound hand and foot with grave-cloaths and his face bound about with a Napkin All parts of the body are bound by sleep from their ordinary orderly acts But still the soul is at liberty no fetters of sleep be found upon any of its faculties but 't is free apt and able to act and transact severall things in considerable Dreames When the body is most still and lying at rest in the bed the soul is most stirring and laborious in business and this it s ever waking activity is its admirable excellency honour and dignity 2. Above the spirit of Bruits Bruits if in sleep they do dreame yet 't is in a way low and like themselves Men in Dreames transcend being above Bruits in these acts most admirable Among men there is no such marvellous Miracle as Man himself sayes Austin The very Body of Man is a Miracle marvellous but much more his Soul I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy workâ— and that my soul knows right well sayes David Psal 139. 14. He that is such a work of wonder may well be a wonder-worker Take him not only when awake but even in his sleep his night-works are wonderfull His very Dreames are filled with marvels even they are such as render Man rare and may with admiration raise him into the highest rank of visible creatures 'T is true this redounds to his blemish this reflects upon man with the greater shame when herein he sinnes as will hereafter be seen However this is his honour Man in Dreames is able to manage that good no other creatures can The Philosopher who grants that as Men so Bruits may dreame yet determins that Men in Dreamings as they are more frequent so more excellent to such acts more prompt and therein more acute The Soul of Man excels as concering Dreames in a double Act Direct and Reflect 1. Direct The Soul of man in Dreames can move forward and mount upward beyond the abilities of any beast Who knows the spirit of a man that goes upward and the spirit of a beast that goes downward to the earth Eccles 3. 21. True 't is of the Soul of Man not onely in the time of death and separation from the Body but in the time of sleep and its operation in the Body it runs out rises up and reaches to imagin matters not within the compass of other creatures 2. Reflect The Soul of Man in Dreams can turn backward and look over its own motions and imaginations so as to think what it does think One illustrates this At Tennis there must be two hands one to smite the Ball forward and another to beat it backward or the play ceaseth but the Soul of man can do both these with its own Hands it can send out thoughts from it self and cast thoughts back again upon it self and that in the time of mans sleep this other sleeping creatures cannot A School Doctor sayes well That God hath communicated to creatures such capacities as their kind will carry c. The condition and case of other creatures is not able to bear such abilities activities
evade them Thus the Devil when he would fain so fish as to catch these choice peeces the precious Saints of God he subtilly sets upon them in the night as his fittest time wherein to tempt and take them 2. The Devil is a coward In the day he dares not oftentimes so assault Gods Saints when he sees them up in their armour and so waits till night As there be wild beasts in the night they range abroad for their prey who are afraid to creep out of their dens in the day time Psal 104. 20. There be Theeves that venture not upon men that meet them in the day but are bold to break houses in the night and bind them they finde asleep in their beds Job 24. 15 16. Such a one is Satan The Saints of God when they are awake are more ready to the battell and then the Devil as a base beaten enemy is not so forward to fight them but he sets upon these souldiers of Christ when they are asleep in their quarters These things premised 't is manifest that as carnal men are the subjects of so Christian men are subject to these sinfull Dreames and therefore men of all sorts are concerned in the ensuing discourse 2. The matter whereof this monitory discourse will further consist touching such Dreames is 1. Some Perswasions against them 2. Some Directions about them Perswasions moving against them are from the prejudices of them in respect of things both Good Evil. First For the prejudice these Dreams do us toward things good 'T is in regard both of the Good they draw us from of the Good they draw from us 1. Such Dreames or sinfull thoughts in sleep they take our minds off from those good watchings and workings as sute to our sleeping times In the time of sleep though a mans outward senses are bound and as servants they cease their ordinary business abroad yet the inward powers of phantasie and memory are then most free and best at liberty for their proper imployments now the soul being of God furnished with such faculties and abilities 't is sad when the Devil seduces them and by sinfull dreamings diverts and pollutes them As God hath created the soul at all times fit for good work so God hath appointed good work for the soul at all times to wit meditation upon his Law day and night Josh 1. 8. Now sinfull Dreames draw us off from this duty 2. Such Dreames they do not onely take our mindes off from good but take good out of our mindes We have not the benefit and comfort of the Word of God and Spirit of God at such times to our thoughts they are as it were taken from us in respect of the stops hereby to their present exercise As when Saul was asleep in the trench David took from his very bolster his spear and a cruse of water 1 Sam. 26. 12. Thus Satan in the night when we are asleep in our beds by bad Dreames gets away our spear and our water the Word of God that should defend us and the Spirit of God that should refresh us Thus of good things are we lamentably left 2. The prejudice these Dreames do us toward things evil This in regard of The evil of Sinne they draw us unto also The evil of Punishment they draw upon us The sinne of such Dreames is against The Commands of God The Mercies of God 1. There be Commands which hereby we transgress God requires that not onely the soul but the body be set free from all ways of defilement Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour 1 Thes 4. 4. Not onely the soul which is in the vessel of the body but the body which is the vessel of the soul must be kept clean from soile We must hate that whereby the garment of the flesh is spotted as we must hate the garment spotted of the flesh Jude 23. therefore not defile the flesh with Dreames 2. There be Mercies which hereby we abuse To have beds to sleep on and to have sleep upon our beds is a double mercy Let us mark that expression of our Saviour Matth. 8. 20. The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air nests but the Sonne of Man hath not where to lay his head It may seem Christ had not here any setled bed to sleep upon 'T is evident Job had his bed but thereon he could not sleep Weary some nights are appointed to me when I lie down I say when shall I arise and the night be gone I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day Job 7. 3 4. Now to have with our beds to sleep on sleep upon our beds are benefits too big to be abused by the interpose of such prejudiciall Dreames The punishment for such Dreames is Present Future The punishments present in this world are Debility of Body Perplexity of Soul 1. Hereby the body is weakened nature wasted corporeall parts as defiled so enfeebled These Dreames do to the sinner as Dalilah to Sampson they bereave him of his strength and leave him in a languishing estate If life be prolonged pains are enlarged aches with age encreased especially if such filthy Dreames be frequent Beside the evil that may run and reach unto posterity 2. Hereby the Soul is wounded The Devil hereupon makes great advantage in life and death to dismay the mind Of such offences he does accuse in a double Court The Court of Heaven the Court of Conscience We read Rev. 12. 10. The accuser of our brethren is cast down who accuseth them before God day and night As the Devil does accuse in the day and night seasons so he does accuse of the day and-night sinnes He accuses in the night for sinfull deeds in the day and he accuses in the day of sinfull Dreames in the night 'T is sad when Satan keeps assizes in our souls and actually arraignes endites and condemns for such dealings as he hath had with us in a way of wicked Dreames 2. The punishment future in the world to come without the prevention of divine mercy is everlasting misery Such Dreames draw to ruine That which hath a defiling power is of a destroying nature And if such Dreames be sinne The wages of every sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. History reports of Nero that monster of men that among the many wayes he sought his Mother Agrippinas death one was in the night when she lay asleep in her bed to kill her with the fall of a heavy beam which was therefore made loose in the roof of the room 'T is our death and utter undoing the Devil our deadly adversary aims at when he lets fall these filthy Dreames while we lie by night asleep in our beds And as 't is that which he desires so 't is that which we
multitude of Dreames be divers vanities but fear thou God Concerning some Dreames that which Solomon in this saying sets down is double Their Malady Their Remedy 1. The malady or evil of those Dreames which here he drives at and draws out is discernably visible In their vanity In their multitude The vanity of these Dreames is very visible in The plurality of their number The diversity of their nature 1. Their number is plurall vanities If we observe what vanity is in the singular number we may soon conceive what 't is in the plurall Vanity as various Scriptures and very good Authors interpret the word take thus 1. Vanity for vacuity an emptiness of any true and solid good as a hollow vessel that hath nothing therein but a meer sound Hose 10. 1. Such a thing is a vain man or man of vanity 2. Vanity for falsity or a lye Lying vanities Jonah 3. v. 8. when something appears what it is not or is not what it appears but proves a plain imposture This is vanity 3. Vanity for levity a thing so light that hath neither weight nor worth They are lighter then vanity Psal 62. 9. 4. Vanity for inutility or what is profitless Vain things that will not profit 1 Sam. 12. 21. Things frivolous and fruitless are idle and vain The Jews use to call the seaventh year The idle year for then the earth seemed to be covered with vanity and sterility the ground lay fallow they did neither sow or reap When mens hands and hearts are idle from their business or idle in their business that no benefit is brought in thereby This is vanity That which vanishes as a meteor in the aire is like a vapour from the earth or like a bubble upon the water onely full of winde or that passes like a puff of breath from the mouth This is vanity Such vanities are in the ordinary actings and usuall movings of many mens mindes especially in sleeping time O what loose lame light leaps doeth the heart then take skipping up and down to no end What fond false foolish steps does the feet of the soul make when the body lies still on the bed Ambrose compareth the space case and use of many a mans life to a sleep full of vain Dreames In which sayes he are divers and as it were drunken changes of things nothing solid or serious nothing fixed or firm but empty shadows of things scattered that dispersing pass away So we see in what sense Dreames are said to be vanities Secondly See we the diversity of these Dreames or these vanities considered as they are said to be divers Divers vanities 1. Divers for their matter The matter about which sometimes the mindes of sleeping men move is vain in it self sometimes the matter in it self is solid yet the minde moveth vainly thereupon 2. Divers for their measure The measure or degree of vanity which men draw out in Dreames may be more or less Look into one Dreame and there is something of vanity observe another and it may be said vanity of vanities all is vanity 3 Divers for their manner The manner or way how vanity may work is wonderfull Dreames of vanity may be various not only in their kinde and cause but in their carriage and course as cast into severall moulds and coming out in differing methods 4. Divers for their meaning Such idle conceits may have severall designs Oft-times such vain motions the minde sends out as childrens arrows that are shot at random and directed to no mark At other times the very drifts of these Dreames are vain their intentionall tendency is to vanity 2. Observe the evil of such Dreames in which are divers vanities as may be further evidenced in their multitude In the multitude of Dreames c. For the unfolding of this two things 't is fit to affirm 1. That multitude does not make Dreames to be evil or vain 2. That Dreames may yet be made more vain and evil through multitude Meer multitude does not make the vanity or evil of Dreames nor are Dreames therefore evil and vain because of multitude For Dreames may be thus evil where multitude is not Multitude may be yet the Dreames not evil 1. Multitude may not be yet the Dreame not good but evil yea in a single Dreame there may be much evil couched and caused through the close concurrence of divers vanities 2. Multitude may be yet the Dreame not evil but good The door of the minde may be so close shut all the night as to exclude vanity that vanity is not able to enter I remember how Tertullian apologises for Christians When says he good men honest men many of them meet in a place 't is not to be condemned for evil or to be called a faction c. So when good motions when holy thoughts many meet in a heart they are not therefore naught because their number is great whether it be by day or by night 'T is vanity and not multitude that makes Dreames evil 2. Dreames that for their vanity are evil through multitude are made more evil As when things are good the more the better so when things are evil the more the worse This greatens and aggravates the evil of vain Dreams when of them there is a multitude Multitude augments the malady and the malady of vain Dreames is made more dangerous by the means of such a multitude Now multitude is a word which the Wise man might well prefix to Dreams of vanity for a double cause Because men that have vain Dreams are a multitude Because a multitude of mens Dreams are vain First A multitude of men have vain Dreames O what vain and foolish fancies flee up and down in very many mens mindes not onely in the day but at all hours in the night Bernard does distinguish mens thoughts into three sorts 1. Are thoughts or imaginations vain idle roving and impertinent 2. Are thoughts or imaginations violent strong and immoderate 3. Are thoughts or imaginations vile foul and fearfull uncleane The first kinde he compares to thin clay that sooner slips off and cleaves not The second to tough clay that sticks fast The last to loathsome and stinking mire and mud that cleaves close Now a multitude of men the feet of whose souls do not stick in the foul mire yet are found in the soft clay Though they come not to the last and worst sort of â—ordid and vile motions yet they are in the first sort of silly and vain imaginations Day and night though they hatch not Cokatrice eggs yet they weave Spiders webbs both awake and asleep Isa 59. 5. Vain Dreames Secondly A multitude of Dreames in men are vain In the night-time filthy Dreames â—oul imaginations may fall on mens mindes but that is more seldome when yet Dreames vain and imaginations foolish are found frequent The Devil in lustfull thoughts came like a stranger at
being always awake may be the readier for any good work Transgressions There is in them a swerving from Gods express precept and the proper practice of a pious man to meditate in the Law of the Lord both day and night Psal 1. 3. As God hath given man a meet Organ his inward mind night and day to be thinking with so God hath given a man a meet Object his holy Law day and night to be thinking on But now vain Dreames take the minde off from Gods Law and in the retired time of the night turn it aside c. This is evil The Lord does not allow mans minde the least time to be idle and vain therefore when it is vain and idle that is evil Are vain thoughts evil and are not vain Dreames Are vain words and works evil and are not vain Dreames In vain Dreamings there be vain thinkings and in vain thinkings there be vain actings and the vain speakings of the retired soul with it self Deut. 15. 9. Beware there be not a thought in thy evil heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Septuagint read it Beware that there be not a secret word within thy heart the evil whereof is hid In Dreames of vanities there may be much evil hidden evil secret yet certain The soul by thinking speaks vanity secretly to it self though no man besides sees or hears In vain Dreaming there is foolish thinking Now the thought of foolishness is sinne Prov. 24. 9. In vain Dreaming there is the souls idle talking Now of every idle word a man must give an account Matth. 12. 12. To conclude this If Dreames of vanity were not an evil disease what need this prescribed remedy viz. The fear of God By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 16. 6. There is an evil with certainty in Dreames of vanity Secondly That these Dreames are such evils to which each man is subject and with which any man may be much assaulted These Dreames whose vanities are divers be common to men from a twofold cause The temptation of Satan The corruption of Reason 1. Satan hereto tempts As some entice away children in the day by bringing them idle bables and toys to play with so Satan subtilly draws away mens mindes in the night by sending in foolish fancies and vain Dreames to please them As Aaron made Israel naked stripped them of their ornaments set up before them a golden Calf which they were so pleased with that they played about it so Satan makes men vain by bereaving them of their right mindes and rich endowments by representing such forms and foolish fictions as about which their hearts dance their thoughts take delight Satan himself is knowing but would have men ignorant himself is doing but would have men idle himself is subtill and serious in considering men Job 2. 3. but he would have men to be foolish slight and vain wild wanton and dallying with ridiculous deeds and Dreames not considering any thing serious 2. Reason herein is corrupt Men do not discern between truth and falsity virtue and vanity but take trees for men an Image for God a shadow for the substance and so are soon misled lost and wildered in the night Naturall reason like Abrahams Ramme is so entangled in the briars of sinne that 't is soon taken and sacrificed to vanity Reason in mans soul is like a dimme candle in a dark lanthorn no marvell if in the night-time the steps of the minde stumble and the fancy falls into Dreames of divers vanities Yea reason is so erroneous ignorant and corrupt that for these foolish Dreames man is frequently found with a minde Ready to receive them Prone to produce them 1. To receive them ready Melting wax is not more apt to take the stamp of the Seal than mans minde is inclineable to the impressions of vanity 2. To produce them prone 'T is observed that soon after Adam was vitiated with sin he had vanity for his Sonne viz. Abel whose Name so noteth Abel or vanity is the proper progeny of sinfull man Now no way so soon may sinfull mans vanity vent it self as in absurd Dreames or by idle imaginations in sleep c. Thirdly That against the evil of vain Dreames men by good means may finde much defence For a freeing escape avoidance and prevention of vanities in Dreames God can do enough Man may do much 1. God can and does keep off divers By nature all men in their mindes are equally corrupt 'T is an epidemicall disease to all alike incident what the Apostle asserts of some They become vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their imaginations By nature says One all are of the same colour and were it not for Gods discolouring grace it would in all so appear Vanity would be alike visible and vigorous as in all sorts of persons so at all sorts of seasons viz. day and night And as in all times so in all ways would vanity vent it self No Dreames so vain but would be in all equall did not God evidently difference men by his preventing mercies which are many yea say some in number the most Such are the sufficiencies of mercies to prevent vain Dreames what Dreames so vain but mercy to prevent is sufficient 2. Man may do a great deal against such Dreames consider Both wherein And whereby 1. Wherein Man by the use of means may much hinder vain Dreames In their frequency In their permanency 1. Dreames may not be so frequent and abounding in their diversity and multitude through means that men may use they may much prevent these foolish fancies that like Ignes fatui do in the night-time much mislead the minde 2. Such Dreames may not be so permanent constant and abiding not so long and lasting so throughly and durably drawn out as in many persons for the most part they be Secondly Whereby or by what course may Christians keep off the vanities of Dreames that if they enter the door they may not dwell in the house Of this more fully hereafter yet something for present we may ponder proving Dreames to be hinderable viz. By diligence in the day By vigilance in the night 1. Day-diligence Dreames that cannot be kept off when they do come may yet before they come By a present opposing the visits of vain thoughts when awake we may much hinder them in sleep As breeding-birds where they sit at night they commonly build their nests in the day In the day did we break the nests of these flying birds they would not so readily roost with us at night 2. Night-vigilance That is when the body is asleep let the soul not only be waking but watching so as not to let them in or at least not to allow them a common lodging In the receit of such Dreames even the soul is in some sense asleep or if it be awake it does not watch The keeping up a good
In praises we are to elevate and congratulate God that we have had no more vain Dreames and that our Dreames have been no more vain 2. Towards our selves Let us see unto those two things To use Reason in ways most sober To think on matters most serious 1. In sober ways to use our Reason And that reason may be of the better use it must be principled with Grace enlightened with the Spirit of sanctifying knowledg One well compareth Reason in man to the Sunne in the Heavens which if it hath not light enough to rule well in the day no marvell if it mislead the mind in the night and lets worldly vanitie as the Moon bear sway 2. On serious matters to set our thoughts most seriously Some mens minds are trifling in things serious and serious in trifles 'T is one of the highest points of prudence and the praise of a man to sute his mind to the matters and to let his thoughts be like to the things that he thinks upon On hatefull things to have hating thoughts on lovely things to have loving thoughts on transitory things to have transient thoughts on durable things to have enduring thoughts c. Let a man learn to delight his thoughts on the most delightfull things and to let the best things have the best of his thoughts Let us thus accustome the thoughts of our mindes while awake and they will not work so vainly in sleep Now the true fear of God is incentive to yea comprehensive of all this good which makes for the prevention of vain Dreames Quest Have not men fearing God and doing good Dreames of divers vanities Answ Vain and foolish Dreames may be found in a man fearing God and minding good but yet of such it may be said He is not so actuall in them They are not so usuall in him 1. Such Dreames he is not so actuall in as others his heart does not so delight therein or dilate thereon his mind does not so mount up to meet vanity in these night-visits 'T is set down as the singular character of a godly man He hath not lift up his soul to vanity Psal 24. 4. Vanity may fall upon his soul but his soul does not lift up it self to vanity 2. Such Dreames are not so usuall in him as in others Others the Dreames they have most common and more constant are idle and vain Vain are not only the ordinary but the exquisite thoughts of naturall men that are excellent in gifts The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3. 20. If in their wakeing-time their thoughts are vain how vain then sure in their sleep Men fearing God vain Dreames may befall them but they be not so frequent they do not so multiply Indeed Dreames vain might in good men be found fewer did they draw out and act up the fear of God as is fit David a man much in the fear of the Lord in stead of vain and foolish fancies and to arm against idle and ridiculous Dreames I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night Psal 119. 55. The Apostles counsell to Christians is exceeding observable Let us not sleep as do others 1 Thes 5. 6. Good Christians ought as in other things to differ from others so in their sleep Others so sleep as therein they have a multitude of Dreames of divers vanities but let our bodies sleep the fear of God possessing our souls In the multitude of Dreames are divers vanities but fear thou God V. Of Troublesome and Affrighting DREAMES JOB 7. 14. Then thou skarest me with Dreames HAving done discourse upon Dreames wherein the Devil without doubt hath the most immediate hand I come now to discover such Dreames whereof God without question is the most considerable cause and these we may observe of two sorts Dismaying Admonishing Affrighting Instructing Dreames of dismaying fears Job affirms he found from God Then thou skarest me with Dreames Job in this sentence sets forth his sad condition concerning things that did sore afflict his soul and much move his fear His fear is found to be great as referring to four severall heads 1. The Manner it was in 2. The Matter it was with 3. The Person it was from 4. The Season it was at 1. The Manner after which his fear is set forth to be great we find expressed by his being skared Skaring does intimate not onely a reall fear but a raised fear or fear extream extended and terrible dejecting and prostrating fear fear which flung Jobs mind as flat as his body bowing that also down upon his bed as some give the signification of the word The Hebrew word we may English in a differing way according as it is in Latin translated variously as such may see who consult Expositors Thou skarest me Take it as laid forth in a fourfold phrase 1. Contristas me Thou makest me exceeding sorry thou causest seas of sorrows to gather within my soul severall soul-sadding objects thou representest to my mind at once 2. Consternas me Thou doest astonish me Thou makest many fearfull things together and together thou settest them as about my bed to look me stern in the face 3. Conturbas me Thou troublest me Thou makest many amazing thoughts to meet within my mind at midnight Perturbing thoughts thrust into my soul like waves in the troubled sea 4. Conteris me Thou splittest me asunder and cut'st me in shivers I am not barely broken but beaten in pieces and as corn in a mill ground to powder He was as it were put into convulsion fits and the powers of his soul pulled awry he was wracked upon his bed distorted distracted torn and tormented in mind yea a terrible trembling took hold on his whole man This for the Manner 2. The Matter with which Jobs fear was greatned are said to be Dreames Thou skarest me with Dreams The Dreames wherewith this godly man was skared are considerable In their Nature In their Number 1. The Nature of these Dreames are evil evil being the proper object of fear Hence the Schoolmen determin That fear is not like love a Theologicall vertue because God is not the principall object thereof but evil A two-fold evil they also evidence Sinfull Poenall Or evils of Sinning And evils of Suffering 1. Sinfull evils or evils of sinne which are of all evils the worst and by the best men most feared Sinfull Dreames Jobs soul might possibly be assaulted with If in his sleep were any such sinfull proposals they sure soon made him to shrink and shake with fear having in his heart as hatred against them so horrour about them such Dreames did undoubtedly skare if they came Object If these skaring Dreames should be sinfull How then could God be their causer Answ Suppose the Devil was the cause of the Dreames yet God the cause of the fear The Dreames dreaded from the Devil yet the
dreading of the Dreames through God and his grace Where the grace of God is not sinfull Dreames are pleasing not perplexing and might Satan have his mind such Dreames should please good men with delight and not possess them with fear from God it is that sinne as defiling is affrighting 'T is from the nature of man to fear death that corrupts the body but 't is from the grace of God to fear sinne that pollutes the soul 2. Suffering evils or evils more purely poenall and painfull and these evil things most properly proceed from God and with such evil Dreames God did most probably afflict Job Job God might dismay in his Dreames with representations of sinne not to sinne Sinnes past God might make to appear What he had done awake God might cause him to see in his sleep with soulamazements But respects to sinne laid aside the Lord in sleep might arrest Job as a Judg. Though towards evils of sinne 't is not fit for God to act any thing he being the purest essence in Heaven yet 't is meet for God to act about matters of pain he being the supream Judg of the earth God is so good that he is not the least actor of sinne but God is so great as he is the chief inflicter of pain and though pain be inflicted of God who is good yet in it self it is evil and though pain to be sure is a less evil than sinne yet still it is evil Sinne is an evil that disturbs Gods quiet in Heaven and pain is an evil that opposes mans peace and rest upon earth How was Job interrupted in his rest and broken in his peace through painfull and dolorous Dreames the dread of which evidences them evil in their nature 2. In their Number considered it seems they were many not Dreame but Dreames in the plurall manifold Dreames and Dreames about manifold matters that might amaze him divers and differing Dreames for degrees and kindes wherewith Job was skared Dreames of fear that like flames of fire flashed fast in his face Dreames of terrors that like troops of Souldiers upon him thrusting thick in his sleep Dreames of horror that like billows of water broke into his chamber and overflowed his bed that he lay as drowned therein enduring many dolorous thoughts Many things may a man suffer from one single Dreame but how many things be suffered when sad Dreames be multiplied this was Jobs case being skared with Dreames 3. The Person from or by whom Job was skared was God himself Thou skarest me Had these Dreames been barely the Devils-darts or as burning brands flung into his bed onely by Satans hellish-hand his heart would not have been so shaked with fear but finding God to have his hand therein and to be the cause thereof this this encreased his skare Thou skarest me As if he had said O Lord thou who in the day of my prosperity wast to me a Paradise of pleasure causing thy joy to shine as a bright Sunne into my soul thou didst comfort ravish me and refresh me oft yet now thou makst me all agast Thou who in the night of my adversity I hoped wouldst have sent into my heart soul-sweet helps from Heaven wouldst have set up cleer candles of comfort about my bed Thou not onely leavest me in the dark but skarest me with Dreames For skares and fears to be from the Devil or this wicked world were no wonder but for a good man to be frighted of God that God will not let him sleep without skaring this is strange and astonishing For fire to come out of the bramble is no such marvell but for fire to come out of the Vine for the brazen Serpent to become a stinging Serpent and for him to wound that should heal to skare that should comfort for the Lord who uses to be to his servants as a Lamb to be like a Lion and to roar upon them in their sleep this is strange indeed Luther hath some such saying If all the men in the world were mustered as Souldiers and all the Devils in Hell gathered as their Commanders and were upon their march against a good man this would not so much dismay him as one God against him Nothing so perplexes a pious man as the appearance of Gods displeasure suppose with Dreames of this God-skaring Job Thou skarest me with Dreames 4. Observe the season when with Dreames was Job thus skared to wit When he found no comfort awake When he looked for comfort in sleep 1. When awake he had no comfort but such painfull dolour as not onely deeply distressed him all the day but wherewith he was wearied whole nights having no sleep Wearisome nights are appointed to me When I lie down I say when shall I arise and the night be gone I am full of tossings to and fro to the dawning of the day ver 3 4. 2. Asleep he could have no quiet Though sometimes after days of dismall distress he looked at night for peaceable repose but even then were his hopes disappointed Skaring Dreames came into his minde when he expected comfortable sleep in his bed When I said my bed shall comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint Then thou skarest me with Dreames c. Commonly good men then finde it worst from God when they expect most from the creature and from the creature finde least when they look for most Scaliger tells of a tree from which when a man departs ramos pandit it spreads the boughs but when a man comes to it ramos constringit it shrinks up the leaves This is the usuall carriage of the creature when men are from it it seems to spread it self into wide promises but when they approach neer it it shrinks up it self from any good performances Thus Jobs bed served him when his expectations towards it were most raised in the day then his perturbations upon it most encreased in the night his bed was so filled with thorns he could lie at no ease even then when he looked for the largest and sweetest rest When I sai dmy bed shall comfort me then thou skarest me with Dreames The further discourse of these skaring Dreames will consist of a double part Explicatory Applicatory In the Explicatory part I shall unfold as referring to Dreames that affright four things 1. The Matter they may be of 2. The Movers they may be from 3. The Persons they may be to 4. The Reasons they may be for First The Matters about which Dreames may be made amazing are of two sorts Matters of Gods Majesty Matters of Mans Misery 1. The Majesty abiding in God may be so represented in sleep as to make Dreames terrible Gen. 15. 12. And when the Sunne was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and loe an horror of great darkness was upon him Diodat observes that such a Majesty of Gods presence did appear to Abraham as set horror upon
may indeed condemn yet with this double caution and concession 1. Though all Dreames are not fit for some observation yet some observation is fit for all Dreames We grant from due grounds men may condemn as to some sort of Dreames a double observation Curious Credulous 1. Curious Christians are not critically and with excesse care to observe or to busie themselves about some kind of Dreames that may be dark and doubtfull An humble industry to search into such secrets so farre as foot-steps may be found in the word of God is good but with a proud curiosity presumptuously to pry into such mysterious matters without a right use of Scripture is an evill Austin and others have excellently declared against in some sutable cases 2. Credulous Christians must not be light of beliefe Dreames there be as we have seen wherein Satan acts so subtilly as we must not observe them with Assent to them or delight in them least we take Poison for Physick What evill men hugg in sleep they ought to fling away when awake Yet some observation may be fit for all Dreames No Dreames but may be observed so it be From right minds To right Ends. 1. Minds right To observe Dreames with understandings rightly informed A candle of good knowledge light and set up in the soule to see by so that we doe not grope in the dark or make blind animadversions but use well opened eyes not onely without but within Revel 4. 8. 2. Ends right To observe Dreams so as to guid our selves to good acts and effects according as the kind of Dreames require If bad to observe them that we may see the evill of them the Devill in them that we may be humbled for them and fly from them and all that sin to which they tend If good to observe them that we may see the good of them and God in them that we may be thankfull for them and be bettered by them 2. Though we are not some way to observe some Dreames yet all Dreames divine ought every way to be observed Such Dreames 't is our undoubted duty to ponder In their Productions In their Distinctions In their Directions In their Predictions 1. In their Productions As they certainly proceed from God and are his wonderfull all-watching works in our sleep And indeed as they that go down into the sea so they who lye down in their Beds may sometimes see the wonders of the Lord Psal 107. 33. 2. In their distinctions Though Satan be subtill and seek to assimilate and imitate God yet in Dreames divine to observe and discern cleer differences from Dreames Diabolicall carrying Characters of Gods Heavenly hand in our hearts making such impressions and moving such affections as are seen to be serious and solid so that we may certainly say This is none other but the work of God as Jacob awaking from such a Dreame concluded This is none other but the house of God Gen. 28. 27. 3. In their Directions To observe what evill they direct us from and what good they direct us to God by Dreames does sometime warn men to beware of evills sinfull and painfull which they are prone to and in perill of God also by Dreames does sometimes put on persons to pious actions purposing either their own advantage thereby or the benefit of others which they be bound to observe Men may hear a voice in the bed like that voice behind saying This is the way walk ye in it Isa 30. 21. 4. In their Predictions We are to observe what God may by Dreames foretel True in this case is required much care Prenunciation or Divination may soon be a sin and by Dreames to divine is very dangerous Divers men of evill minds have hereby been misled as from some some way so minded we may learn Yet Divination by divine Dreames or a reporting what God does in Dreames reveale is a Christian duty as Zanchius Paraeus and other Orthodox Authors cleerly conclude in relation unto things hereafter to come As God in days past to Joseph Daniel and divers others of his dear servants did in Dreames declare some future things that should come to passe So in dayes present God possibly may make known by Dreames some following things which men concerned ought to observe Doe sinfull men observe the Devill in his Dreame predictions who may foretell some future things but not all Some true things but many false some true matters but with a false meanning his designe being ever to deceive And shall not good men observe God in his predictions by Dreames who is able to foretell all future things infallibly who never foretells any thing but truth And alwayes as true matters so with a true meaning to advance truth and holinesse by righteous and regular wayes and meanes This with God was formerly more frequent yet now not impossible And though it be not now Gods usuall way yet when ever God goes this way surely we ought to observe him Yea all sorts of divine Dreames are alway for Gods sake to be observed 3. Object But Satan is subtill and may soon deceive men with Dreams meerly pretended from God Answer About this I shall discourse in a double way Of Concession thereto Of Consideration thereon 1. Concession So subtill we may well say is Satan that to set forward his foul deceits with the fuller successes he useth faire pretences Luther observeth a double design of Satan in conveyance of lying Dreames and such like delusions He covers himself from men He colours all over with God 1. Himself as he is he covers He comes not in the form or with the face of a Devill but cunningly conceales himselfe closely hiding his own horrid and hellish shape When he comes abroad upon such businesse he casts off his cloathes of darknesse and as a black Devill he does not act nor so is he seen 2. He colours all with God Makes his proposals appear so plausible as if plainly proceeding from the true Spirit of God as the Ground and verily intending the great Glory of God as the End He puts out all his Books and Baits his Doctrines and Dreames as glorious discoveries from Heaven of cleerer light greater Graces purer ways surer truths and more suteable to the mind of Christ and rule of Scripture and so with good words and faire suggestions he deceives the minds of the simple Such subtill designs the Devill even by Dreames drove in Luthers times and no doubt in the like manner he may in our dayes delude the soules of simple ones 2. Consideration Such Satanicall Dreames considered with which the minds of men may be soon deceived may well occasion divers duties towards good Dreames to be the more carefully performed by all good Christians viz. The more to discern them The more to desire them The more to esteem them The more to retain them
they be not frequent with men 2. Men good may have more of these in their minds then they manifest This amongst men is a remarkable difference Some have not that good in them they speak of and others have much more good in them then whereof they speak Some Pharisee-like they boast of the good that is in them but the evil that is in them they hide Others like the Publican they confesse their evill but much good there is in them they conceal God upon the spirits and souls of his saints both awake and asleep hath severall sweet workings the world knows not off Even in holy Dreames God may bring Heaven down into their hearts or carry their hearts up into heaven when others are not acquainted therewith but utterly ignorant thereof As the sick paulsie man Mat. 9. while he lay in his bed his body by some friends was let down to Jesus in the house for his cure So the souls of some of Gods Saints lying in their beds have been by blessed Dreames lifted up into Heaven and come before Christ to their comforts 3. The rarenesse of such soul-refreshing Dreames should draw Christians upon the learning a double lesson viz. The cause why they are so few The course how they may be more 1. We should enquire into the cause why good Dreames be so scarce and come so seldom from God God may so seldome send in such suggestions while we are asleep because of our ill carriage to good motions when we are awake As our intermissions therein And our opposition thereto 1. We so much intermit and interrupt good motions from God And touching good meditations on God we make such wide pauses and long intervalls and doe so little stay our minds on good matters in the day that no marvell we meet with no more immissions from God in the night He is a Christian saies Luther who standing and going lying down and rising up sleeping and waking keeps his heart warm with beleeving applications and enlivening meditations of the mercies of God the merits of Christ c. But alas we are herein so loose so little so short so slight and put so many broken stops to the best thoughts that night and day in this secret manner God may meet us the seldomer 2. We which is worse so much oppose and resist God in his gracious approaches and intimate accesses to our souls We strike down what we should stirre up 2 Tim. 1. 6. and what we should kindle we quench 1 Thes 5. 19. Zanchius upon the place observeth that men quench or put out Gods holy fire that falls from Heaven upon their hearts as by not adding of words so by powring on water When instead of making an addition of good matter we make a sinfull opposition to matter that is good God may withdraw his motions and seldome visit our minds either by night or by day 2. We should seek out and set upon such a positive course as may procure Gods frequent converse with our souls that he may in night-seasons send in such motions in larger measures and greater numbers And for that purpose to ponder things of two sorts Sound articles of faith Good examples of life 1. Sound Articles of faith in our souls we should settle and seriously consider In my heart saies Luther I let this article reign of firm faith in Christ out of whom by and about whom all my thoughts both day and night do flow and re-flow Plenty of such principles implanted in us and improved by us may profit us much to the multiplying as of good meditations in the day so of good conceptions in the night 2. Good examples of holy life dayly laid before our eyes may be a means to encrease good Dreames viewed examples and visible objects have not onely an attractive but an assimilative power to produce and forme Phantasms and such imaginations as suite thereunto O how the mind is ready to rise and runne thereupon To look upon the lives of good men to view their vertuous actions and behold their holy conversations is excellent The more of those good visions we have in the day the more we may have of these good Dreames in the night 4. Have we found good Dreames but few in times that are past this should put us on the more for present and future by desires prayers and endeavours every night that comes to cause our hearts to keep wakefull that they may be the more vigilant and observant of God God may often make overtures to us herein and we take no notice thereof God saies Elihu Job 33. speaks once yea twice in a Dreame by night and men perceive him not When our bodies are asleep in our beds grace may be asleep in our hearts and our hearts asleep as to grace and as unto God so that we then regard him not Many words by night God speaks and many motions he makes and we minde him not Did but we seek to set our hearts into such an ever watchfull frame as is fit we might in this manner finde more of God and by night heare more of his minde then ever we did Wicked men can keep their bodies awake and in the night to watch for their prey and work with the Devill and shall not we keep our minds alwaies awake for our profit to watch for and waite upon God to meet him coming to see his first step into our souls and heare the first word he speaks to our hearts As oft as we laydown our bodies to sleep we should call up our hearts and minds to awake and attend Gods work Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early Though our hearts be abroad in the day yet let them lodge with Christ at night M r Bradford that blessed martyr saies in a certain letter that as a wife though in the day time she may eat and drink sit talk and walk with her neighbours yet when night comes she keeps her bed for her husband alone So the Soule of a Christian that during the day goes out to meet and mind necessary matters of the world yet at night preserves the bed for intimate converse with Christ Christs sweetnesse We should so study mind and meditate by day as to resolve our hearts and He shall lye neere all night My beloved is to me as a bundle of myrrh he shall lye all night betwixt my breasts Cant. 1. 13. 5. If yet for future we find good Dreames but few and meet with little of Christ in our sleep it must the more prompt and provoke us to walk the more with Christ and work the more for God in the day by the more plentifull practice of all pious duties Did we know how pretious time is and did but we remember how much pretious time goes out in our sleep and did but we consider how little of God is enjoyed all that time it might much move us the