Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	heart_n	let_v	lord_n	11,278	5	4.0773	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85424	The mystery of dreames, historically discoursed; or A treatise; wherein is clearly discovered, the secret yet certain good or evil, the inconsidered and yet assured truth or falsity, virtue or vanity, misery or mercy, of mens differing dreames. Their distinguishing characters: the divers cases, causes, concomitants, consequences, concerning mens inmost thoughts while asleep. With severall considerable questions, objections, and answers contained therein: and other profitable truths appertaining thereunto. Are from pertinent texts plainly and fully unfolded. / By Philip Goodwin preacher of the Gospel at Watford in Hartfordshire.	Goodwin, Philip, d. 1699.	1658 (1658)	Wing G1217; Thomason E1576_1; ESTC R200931	188,817	455

thy name O Lord in the night Psal 129. 55. In the intervals or spaces between sleep and sleep to have the heart with God to set our thoughts well a work when at times we wake Thus David Psa 65. 6. Lord I remember thee upon my bed and meditate upon thee in the night watches Thoughts good when awake bring good thoughts in our sleep 'T is a sweet thing to lye in the night and meditate upon the love of God and upon the Law of God A young Scholar asking a Jewish Doctor if he might not have time to learn the Greek Tongue he said if he would do it neither by day nor by night he might because day and night he was to meditate upon the law of God Psal 1. 2. And indeed such extended meditations are a mighty means to promote good Dreames Have we at any time such sweet Dreams Then our duty is To preserve them in our memories To improve them in our practice 1. In memory we must preserve them not forget good Dreames The Devill will endeavour to draw from us Dreames that are good What the souldiers falsly said of the buried Body of Christ Matth. 28. 13. His Disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept we may say safely of some blessed Dreames from Christ Satan came by night and stole it away while we slept Hence when we have been awake we have been to seek the matter hath been gone from us as Nebuchadnezzer said of his Dreame Dan. 2. 5. To maintaine the remembrance of good Dreames is our duty for which the best way is when awake Much to reflect upon them our selves Oft to repeat them unto others 1. We our selves should debate the businesse in our minds what Gods meaning should be consult the secrets of God therein and the good pleasure of God thereupon that we may well understand Gods drift in our Dreames What the understanding does most clearly discern the memory does most firmly retaine 2. We should relate things to others and consult with Gods Saints hereupon Thus to impart is to imprint and the way to drive Dreames in is so to draw them out When we keepe things from others we oft loose them our selves 2. In our practice we must improve what in our sleep we receive So as may be Both for the praise of God And for the profit of our selves 1. Hereupon we must put out our selves to give God the praise Thus did David I will blesse the Lord who hath given me counsell my reines also instruct me in the night seasons Psal 16. 7. He thankfully shewed forth in the morning what mercies he had met with in the night It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord to shew forth thy loving kindnesse in the morning and thy faithfulnesse in the night Psal 92. 1 2. So Solomon his sonne 1 King 3. 15. And Solomon awoke and behold it was a Dreame and he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Lord and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings c. Now if we would blesse God for such Dreames We must esteem highly of them We must rejoyce greatly in them Take a good Dreame as a great favour from God Then we heartily give God glory when we highly value his mercy We cannot but praise him if we prize his Be glad when a good Dream hath been O with what gladnesse did the Isralites gather up the Manna in the morning that fell from Heaven about their Tents in the night Exod. 16. With joy let us gather up the good Dreames God sent in the night The most joyfull heart is the best thankfull heart Lastly Let us improve such precious Dreames especially for our personall profit To quicken our obedience in day-duties To strengthen our expectance of day-day-mercies Hath God had good works in us when asleep Let us have good works for God when awake That good we Dreamt in the night let us deed it in the day draw it out in●acts to the utmost Neither let us doubt but he who hath been good in the night will be kind in the day O saies David The Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day in the night his song is with me Psal 42. 8. or his song shall be with me This saying of the Psalmist Mollerus expounds as a certain continuing of Gods comfortable kindnesse in the night being begunne in the day So likewise an enlarging of Gods delightfull love in the day having found some sweet entrance thereof in the Night As we may argue from Gods daykindnesse to his night-comforts So upon the divine speculative comforts of the night we may expect Gods accomplished kindnesse in the day Indeed the Dreames of worldly men about worldly matters vanish and perish they do not find that comfort fulfilled in the day they fancied in the night See how the Prophet compareth some Isa 29. 6 7. As when an hungry man Dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soule is empty or when a thirsty man Dreameth and behold he drinketh but when he is awake behold he is faint This place of the Prophet Calvin applies as to the Jews who were so drowned in security and carnall delights that they Dreamed of nothing but prosperity and peace but by and by a bloody Enemy cometh and dashing all in the dust leaves them desolate They found no such reall matter to meet them as they fondly imagined Diodate considers the place as to the Caldeans who coming against Jerusalem Dreamed of great satisfactions but the more they prospered in their successe the lesse they were satisfied in their pursuits All signifies men may Dreame of those earthly honours treasures pleasures which yet they never possesse whereas spirituall mercies that good men imagine in their sleep God may realize and make good when awake Let a gracious man Dreame of the matters of God converses with Christ priviledges of the Gospel after which his Soul pants with a holy hunger and heavenly thirst and afterward when awake God gives him that really which he did suppose in his sleep And after the Saints manner should we deale with God endeavouring to actuate that good in the day whereof we did cogitate in the night Yea let our day-deeds be better then our night-Dreames Nourish accomplish establish that Good when awake which was suggested in sleep And indeed good Dreams considered in such after duties we are undoubtedly concerned As to observe God in them So to improve them for God 1. To observe God in such Dreames by a due reflecting upon them and diligent looking back through them to find out the foot-steps of the all-wise and wonder-working God his goings and good doings in the darkest night and in our deepest sleep 2. To improve such Dreames for God and his praise by a present practising that good in the day whereunto God did guid in the night That every good Dreame which as good seed God sows or as

them Likewise these filthy Dreamers defile the flesh But the aspect of the similitude may be upon the act defiling rather then upon the object defiled Or if the object be considered in a generall sense flesh on all sides was surely defiled These defiled the flesh and so did the Sodomites the Sodomites defiled the flesh and so did these But that these Dreamers did defile carnem alteram seu alienam I conceive is a meer mistake Clemens Alexandrinus excellently and confidently besides the greatest part of others the best Expositors interpret these filthy Dreamers to be Mentall sinners men sinfull by imaginations and thoughts the evil of which do not directly reach to the wronging and defiling of others We may be harmed by mens outward words and deeds but yet receive no reall prejudice by their inward thoughts ' T is sure says Austin thou may be a murderer yet the man alive thou may be an adulterer yet the woman chast c. because while these things are onely in thoughts a mans neighbour is never the worse Mens mischievous and adulterous thoughts when awake work no immediate ill to others much less such thoughts in men asleep Flesh as referring to others is not defiled by filthy dreamers 2. Reflecting on themselves flesh defiled is two ways taken Either as more limited Or as more enlarged 1. Limited and more strictly the flesh they defile is their own bodies so runs the most Orthodox Commentators in a united current carnem maculant i. e. corpus suum polluunt they pollute their own bodies The flesh may more immediatly mean the body the body being most properly the fleshie part And in filthy Dreames the bodies of men may be actually concerned and so certainly defiled 2. Enlarged and more fully the flesh they defile is the whole man both body and soul Defilement in Dreames does not fasten upon the body barely but setles upon the soul also And this adds much to the mischief of such filthy Dreames that the soul or minde mans most precious part is by this means polluted And undoubtedly if these Dreames do defile mens bodies their hearts and mindes pass not free from defilement for sinne which defiles one does defile both body and soul must needs receive the same defilement From their close connexion From sinnes strong contagion 1. Their connexion union and mutuall dependance in being and working does assure their reciprocall sympathy in each others harms and joint partaking of each others sufferings 2. Sinnes contagion is such as concludes this The poisonous power the venomous and vitious quality of sinne is such as cause the same Sinne is such a Gangrene as seizing upon one part soon corrupts the whole As the sinnes of the soul bubble up and break out in the body so the sinnes of the body soak and sink down into the soul so that in filthy Dreames both body and soul are defiled Quest If the whole man be defiled why then is onely flesh named Answ In this matter most fitly may flesh bear the name for From the flesh all this comes Through this all becomes flesh 1. From the flesh it comes that men have such filthy Dreames as does defile them Flesh is the fountain the causa sine quanon The Devil could never fasten filthy defiling thoughts upon men asleep or awake were it not for flesh he findes in them Hence all Satans temptations towards Christ were onely by proposing things outward not impressing any inward evil The Prince of this world comes says Christ of the Devil and finds nothing in me Nothing says Ambrose O Lord in thee are treasures of wisdom in thee is the holy Ghost above measure in thee is the fullness of the Godhead bodily c. Ai but the Devil could finde nothing to fit his work no flesh in him out of which he could cause one bad motion in his minde sleeping or waking neither by night or day The Devil indeed when he comes to men findes flesh in them All men are not in the flesh but in them all have flesh out of which the Devil setches filthy thoughts and draws forth defiling Dreames The flesh is the first root and chief spring out of which proceeds these puddlestreames c. 2. By such filthy Dreams the whole man is made flesh hereby he is even as nothing but flesh flesh Isa 31. 3. 't is said of the Aegyptians Their horses are flesh and not spirit So of such men may it be said Their hearts are flesh and not spirit To have a heart of flesh may be a mighty mercy but to have a fleshly heart or a heart that is but flesh is a manifest misery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde of the flesh is the Apostles phrase Col. 2 18. Mans minde by fleshly defilings as it becomes filthy so it becomes fleshly As the Devil is in himself of a spirituall nature yet says Austin he does the deeds of the flesh c. so mans minde that is of a spirituall being yet in filthy Dreaming it hath a fleshly working and as it were works it self into flesh being comprised in that flesh which is defiled These filthy Dreamers defile the flesh 2. What this flesh-defiling meanes is manifest by marking What it Supposeth What it Compriseth This defiling supposeth concerning such Dreames That within they are sinnes That they are sinnes from within 1. Sinnes they are as within themselves considered in that they certainly defile for as there is no sinne but defiles so there is no defilement but by sinne As whatever is sinne defiles so whatever defiles is sinne Poverty imprisonment punishments and the most fearfull afflictions that can befall a man do not defile a man onely sinne 2. Sinnes they are from within for such sinnes do most immediately and monstrously defile as we finde Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts adulteries fornications these are the things that defile a man There be men that imagin no sinne in any thoughts but that thoughts and imaginations are free whereas freedom for imaginations is but an imaginary freedom Sure there is no freedom for sinne evil thoughts whether in men awake or asleep are sinnes as is proved by their defiling property There be men who may grant some thoughts to be sinnes as thoughts of Atheisme Blasphemy and the like when men are awake but thoughts of adultery fornication when men are asleep and in their Dreames are no sinnes with them whereas sinnes surely they are as their defiling implies 2. This defiling of the flesh is found to comprize The parts of Sinne The effects of Sinne. The parts of sinne are comprised in the defiling of these Dreames As an aversion from God And a conversion to Satan 1. God herein men turn from who is reall goodness and raised excellence rare in Majesty and rich in mercy now man becomes unclean when he thus declines When ever says Austin the

upon Men fear came upon me and trembling which made all my bones to shake c. Job 4. 12 13 14 15. Though some conceive it was a delusive Dreame yet it may appear to be a Dreame divine because it did suggest that which was to abase man and advance God ver 17. Shall mortall Man be more just then God shall a Man be more pure than his Maker Eliphaz did endeavour to improve this Dreame for Job's profit concluding thereupon his discourse with these words Hear it and know it for thy good Job 5. 27. Lastly If we have peaceable sleep from Dreames disturbing The Mercy of God is to be prized The God of the Mercy is to be praysed Gods Mercy is much to be confessed if we consider The malice of the Devil to draw such Dreames into all Men The misery of some Men into whom such Dreames are drawn 1. The Devil is malicious and desires so to assault all the soules of Men Satan himself is in continual torment having no rest Day nor Night when he is not in Hell he hath Hill in him and could he compass it we should never be quiet he would in the Day dismay us and in the Night ●●noy us and not suffer us to sleep one houre free from affrighting Dreames therefore God herein does not only refraine himself but also restrains the Devil beats him back and binds him up who otherwise would fly about and as a scritch-Owl clap his wings at our chamber windows crying over our beds and heads in the Night to break our rest God doth not only himself forbear by Dreames to distress us but keeps off our adversary that he cannot by skaring Dreames distract us O marvellous Mercy that 's a sweet promise Zech. 2. 5. I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about 'T is an allusion to some Countries where abundance of wild beasts are shepherds and travellers who would secure themselves and their flocks make fire round about their lodgings at Night The Lord is as a wall of fire round about our Night-lodgings the Devil dares not approach to interrupt our rest who would not admire this Mercy Observe 2. Some Men are so miserable who suffer under soul-skaring-Dreames As that When they are asleep with fear they awake And when they are awake they fear to sleep 1. From sleep with fear they come Many a Man hath met with those amazements in his bed that have made him rise and runne from place to place and yet found no rest Austin lively lays out such a lamentable Creature He flyes from his bed-chamber into the house from his house into the city from the city into the feild but his enemy followes he flyes back from the field to the city from the city to his house in his house up to his bed-chamber but his enemy finds him and his skared conscience cries upon him Some after sleep are sweetly refreshed but all his sleep is imbittered he comes from his bed as one out of Hell soul and body as those two possessed coming out of the Tombes Mat. 8. 28. 2. To sleep with fear they go As in the morning they rise up with terror so with trembling they lie down at Night upon many a man is that made true The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart failing of eyes and sorrow of mind thy life shall hang in doubt and thou shalt fear Day and Night In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thy heart wherewith thou shalt fear and the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Deu. 28. 65 66 67. Some that have been terrified with Visions and skared with Dreames have been afraid to think of the Night before it came and amazed to remember the bed while yet abroad but when evening is the sinner sighs This Night must I make my bed in Hell oh what a mercy then is this and worthy to be prized our peaceable rest As we have the Mercy let God have the Glory Quiet sleep is the Gift of God It is the Love of God to give sleep quiet 1. 'T is Gods Gift when we have it quiet sleep does revive nature as the dew or small rain does refresh the grass Now as the Prophet speaks Jer. 14. 22. Are there any of the gods of the heathen can cause rain or can the heavens give showres So it may be said Are there any of the creatures in earth or heaven that can give sleep That God which gives showres of rain must give houres of rest peaceable repose is Gods peculiar Gift 2. 'T is Gods Love when we gives it Psal 127. 2. For so he gives his beloved sleep that is sleep with quietness yea the Hebrew word Shena for sleep being with Aleph a quiet or resting letter otherwise then is usuall it signifies the greater quietness in time of sleep And whereas some apply the place only to Solomon who was called Jedidiah the beloved of the Lord to whom God gave sleep The Septuagint turne the Hebrew word plurally so God giveth his beloved ones sleep His Saints in generall God gives quiet sleep as a token of his love yea in the times of their greatest perill Thus Peter in prison when he was bound with chaines beset with souldiers and to die the next day yet see how fast he was found asleep Act. 12. 6 7. The same Night Peter was sleeping and behold the Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison yet Peter slept till the Angel smote him on the side and raised him up so God gives his beloved sleep and let his beloved give him the honour and the rather because Herein God answers our Praier Herein God fullfils his Promise Is it not our Praier that God would prevent affrighting and afford refreshing sleep and is it not Gods answer when in sleep he doth sustain us I cried says David unto the Lord with my voice and he heard me out of his holy Hill I laid me down and slep● for the Lord sustained me Psal 3. 4 5. Is it not Gods Promise to vouchsafe sleep free from frights Thou shalt lye down and shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet Prov. 3. 24. Hence Gods servants while they are in the wilderness and woods of this world they sleep safely and Devils as wild beasts can do them no harme Ezek. 34. 25. Have we through Gods blessing this benefit let us abundantly give praise and live praise unto God hereupon Yea large praise belongs to the Lord for quiet sleep from Men of all sorts Whether sinnefull Or sanctified 1. Sinnefull Men are much engaged to God for his common providence that allows them as the mercies of the Board in refreshing food so the mercies of the Bed in preserving sleep upon the want of which nourishment nature would be

weakened and wasted disturbed and destroyed and the wheeles of the whole man put out of order Indeed 't is a wonder they can sleep quietly miseries being many present and approaching poor wretches under Gods wrath a sad sentence of death damned already every day in danger of a dreadfull arrest for desperate Debts they are not able to pay they lie on their beds as Damocles sate in his chamber a naked sword hangs over their heads The stone crying out of the wall and the beame out of the timber answering it Sinne lies at the door the Devil dwells in the house hell fire ready to burn them in their beds yet they sleep 'T is securitie in them yet clemency in God that does not let loose affrighting Devils in skaring Dreames 2. Sanctified Men are much engaged to God for his speciall providence in their peaceable sleepes considering the deep dangers they may imagine themselves in on every side from desperate enemies of all sorts Both Devils Wicked Men. 1. Devils that wait Day and Night to do them harme did not God set His Angels to keep corpse-du-guard and to encamp about their beds how oft would the Devil beat up their quarters and surprize them with terrors But through God He cannot affright as he attempts He cannot effect as he affrights 1. Affright he cannot so oft as he attempts he cannot cast in so many terrors as he makes trials What Pliny reports of the Scorpion is true of Satan he is continually putting out his sting when yet often he cannot reach the souls of Gods Saints so as to fasten one fear 2. Effect he cannot so oft as he affrights he skares them with that in the Night which he cannot accomplish in the Day when he strikes them with Dreames he would strike them with death they should throughly feel the evils they fear he cannot by rending inflict though he does by roaring affright Indeed the Devil says Bernard is a roaring Lion but I thank the great Lion of the Tribe of Judah he roares but he cannot rend but how much thanks is due to the Lord who sometimes so stops this Lions mouth that he can neither rend nor roare not being able with the least fear to molest good Men. 2. Wicked Men may occasion Saints skares and feares and did not God prevent thoughts of their monstrous malice their cursed cruell wrath rage and fury would cause affrighting Dreames Some of the Papists report of their S t Dominick the Father of the Dominicans how when his Mother was with child of him she dreamed that she brought forth a wolf with a fire-brand in his mouth and such a manner of person he afterwards proved Wicked Men are like wolves with fire-brands in their mouthes or like Lions breathing fire against the best of men My soul is among Lions I lie among them that are set on fire c. Psal 57. 4. And would not such a lodging bring in skaring Dreames but that against them God is good through whose kindness we sleep secure Lord how are they encreased that trouble me many are they that rise up against me I laid me down and slept for the Lord sustained me Psal 3. 1 2. Yea Devils and men set aside do not we to such Dreames dispose our selves opening the doore to feares in sleep by needless feares when we are awake even awake we oft trouble our mindes with meer imaginary matters which might make our minds to imagine strange things in sleep how justly might God punish us with Night-sorrows for not regarding our day-comforts The Eternall God would saith Austin shine as a bright Sunne into thy soul and thou darkenest all with Clouds of thine own creating thou hangest thy bed-chamber with blacks and when thou mightest be secure thou troublest thine own head and heart with cares and feares How good is God who doth not leave us in our sleeping-times to troublesome Dreames That Dreame-dismayments do not amaze our mindes 't is mercy To God be glory for ever and ever Amen VI. Of Profitable and Instructing DREAMES Matth. 2. 12. And they being warned of God in a Dreame that they should not return to Herod departed into their own Countrey another way IN the former having finished what referrs to Dreames wherein God afflicts I proceed to such Dreames whereby God instructs For an Instance of this sort we may observe the Dream in the Text. And they being warned of God in a Dreame that they should not return to Herod they departed into their own Countrey another way Concerning this Dreame as here the Holy Evangelist sets forth Four things are considerable 1. The Subjects of it 2. The Substance of it 3. The Receits of it 4. The Effects of it 1. For the Subjects or the men into whose minds God sent this Dreame I shall only demonstrate them by three remarkable Things 1. The Knowledg they h●d 2. The Voyage they made 3. The Homage they did 1. Knowledg they had Hence they were called Wise men In the days of Herod the King behold there came wise men ver 1. Their wisdome understanding or knowledg is three wayes discoverable 1. By the Measure of it 2. By the Matter of it 3. By the Meanes of it 1. The Measure of their Knowledg and Wisdome was great which gained them this name of Wise Men. Magi 'tis as Pareus reports a Persian word importing men so expert in prudence as they were prompt and fit to be chief Counsellours unto Kings and out of which for their wisdome-sake some were chosen to be Kings and such were these wise men in the account of Cyprian and severall others 2. The Matter of their Knowledge was good Not onely had they Humane Learning in the sciences of the World as in Mathematicall and Astronomicall Knowledg so Calvin concludes they did excell but also some Learning in matters Divine endowed with some Metaphysicall and Theologicall Knowledg as relating to God and Christ his Sonne to come into the World Wise men among the Gentiles had some such knowledge as concerned Christ So Cyrill and severall assert 3. The meanes of their knowledg as to this part of principles appertaining to God and Christ his Sonne to be sent into the World They might acquire much by their industrious reading and diligent studying such helps as they had of ancient Prophesies as Plato did by the Books of Moses or God might inspire this irradiating their minds with such divine Beames as Balaam that Gentile Prophet God made him see much concerning Christ Numb 14. 2. Concerning the voyage which these wise men made manifesting some knowledg of Christ they had as may more appeare if we ponder The reach of it The rise to it The reason for it 1. The reach of their voyage or the extent of their journey it was from the Eastern parts as Persia to the land of Judaea and therein to Jerusalem the Metropolis thereof Wise men

are made to become carelesse of Scripture grounds and bounds onely so farre as to defend their own falsities Out of the fine and pure web of Gods word they cut out so much cloath as to cover their own brats and cast by all the rest as raggs and refuse or old garments not fit to be worne Men are onely solicitous saies Luther being deluded for to elude such Scaiptures as are contrary to their errors and contrary to the true sense of Scriptures to maintain their Dream-errors are their daily and diligent endeavours 4. From relative and domestick duties hereby are men drawn as we may see in our daies divers Severall considered we may well take up the complaint of Philo who comparing some in his time with Gods primitive people They saies he were called Tillers because as husbandmen till their fields and manure their grounds so did they teach their families and nurture their children and servants with good instructions But these saies he may rather be called wasters then tillers rather destroyers then instructers for they ruine their families while they let them lie like fallow fields c. Now who may we expect to performe that are more manifest to omit these Domestick matters than men misled by mistaken revelations Reading the Scripture prayer singing of Psalms though formerly of singular use most sinfully they now lay aside 2. Such raptures visions and revelations do transport men to such evills as true discoveries from God keep men from viz. To pride and arrogancy To errour and heresie To lyes and calumnies To hatred and cruelties c. 1. They prompt men to pride and arrogancy Luther laying down differences between Gods word and such like revelations That saies he changes affects humbles and laies low the Hearts of men but these puffe up mens hearts with pride and make them arrogant high and haughty So that men thus incited saies he in open-day they Dreame they have all singular excellencies they are sublimated to higher designes they alone know the mind of Christ c. Hence such seperate themselves from others and elevate themselves above others they love to ride in the Chariot of high praises and that others may runne by and bow c. 2. They dispose men to errors and heresies Heresie is more then an ordinary error ' T is a foule errour freely chosen and held fast with a fixed inflexiblenesse c. These raptures and revelations make men runne into most damnable opinions racing foundations and raising such buildings which though abominably bad they boldly maintain and will not be beat out This likewise of the same Luther observed 3. They move men to make lyes and lay calumnies upon others to them contrary We have many guilefull men saies Luther who will give the fairest glosses upon their own foulest facts and faslest words but mis-interpret and mis-report the best and most innocent words and deeds of other men they wrest well-meaning words and raise reports of things never thought much lesse said or done They asperse others with reproaches painting them alwayes in the blackest colours 4. They incline mens minds to cruell hatred and to hatefull cruelties Luther speaking of the Anabaptists abounding about him who much vapoured and vaunted themselves of their Dreams and visions raptures and revelations I have very often saies he very much marvelled at these men what should be the matter that they who formerly loved and favoured us are now so implacably fierce against us They pretend saith he they hate the Papists but to be sure they more sorely hate us certainly some of those subtill masters have changed their minds c. These these saies he are they who night and day contrive by what meanes to mischief us to make our labours void and our persons vile c. And into what bloody practises such proceeded is sad to say perturbing the publike peace slandering all setled wayes of sacred worship so that as Lactantius said of Lucian They neither spared God nor man Thus 't is manifest what motions visions revelations suggestions awake or asleep do not proceed from God but from God those Revelations Illuminations Inspirations Impressions visions Dreames do proceed that withdraw men from arrogancies heresies calumnies cruelties blasphemies and all impieties and keep Christians close to the duties of the Lords-Day publike ordinances family-performances and all Scripture-Rules relating to holy life In the 2 Cor. 12. The Holy Apostle reporting his heavenly raptures and revelations of the Lord let us seriously observe What he forbeareth What he declareth 1. He forbeareth in setting forth those celestiall things wherein himself was surely and solely concerned All application to himself All exaltation of himself 1. He applies not the things to himself but puts on a Prosopopeia representing all under the person of another man I knew a man in Christ caught up into Pararadise and I knew such a man taken up into the third Heaven he heard unspeakable words not a word as if this were himself but himself he covereth and concealeth 2. He exalteth not himself upon this or any other account Nay not onely does he at present refraine but he resolves for the future that he will not vaunt boast or glory of himself Yet of my self I will never glory And he renders a reason of this forbearance But I forbear lest any man should think of me above what he seeth me to be This blessed Apostle was lowest on earth when he had been highest in Heaven and least in himself when he had been greatest with God 2. He declareth after these high raptures and Heavenly revelations His sensiblenesse of sinne His supplicating against sinne 1. Of sinne he declareth himself exceeding sensible He mournfully complaineth of a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan buffeting him The best Interpreters understand this of some strong corruption incited and set forward by Satans temptation which sorely assaulted and pitifully perplexed this precious man as with pitious paine dolour and deep sorrow 2. Against sinne he supplicated God that from him this evill might in mercy be removed For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me He then sought to have sin set farthest from him when his soul had been set neerest to God His raptures did not streiten his prayers his visions of God did not stay his confessions of sin c. So then we may safely say such suggestions revelations visions Dreams as draw us more to God set us more against sin make us more holy humble prayerfull c. are good and such whereof we should be glad 5. Object If such Dreames are so good why then are they so rare and so few of them found in good men Answer Their paucity may prove their excellency things most excellent are most rare and fewest thereof to be found Good Dreames are things excellent from God though

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

more largly to lay out the time of the day in all holy duties Do we sleep out whole nights and not heare one good word from God nor of God have any one good thought And shall we passe away the day also and Christ and our hearts God and our minds scarse meet Doe we lodge so much asunder in our sleep O let us live the more together when awake it may be blame-worthy we have no more communion with God in good Dreames Indeed it is sad that deceiving Dreames the Devils tares should come up so thick and grow so fast in the worst of our fields and that in the best of our fields Gods wheat of good Dreames should spring up so thinne and thrive so little Alas a multitude of vain idle foolish and frivolous Dreames like birds at night that lodge in the trees of our hearts and boughs of our thoughts when good Dreames are driven away and by night be forced to flye As in Pharaohs Dreames the leane kine devoured the fat c. So in our Dreams matters bad prevent much good impertinent and idle things shut out all serious thoughts This I say is sad but more mournfull may this be made if in the day also we live look and labour but little for God Indeed did we in the day time abound in good delight in holy obedience and make religion our businesse we might meet more of God in our minds at midnight Aquinas observeth that commonly good students in the day have best Dreames in the nights and they who have the best affections when awake have the best suggestions in sleep Were we in the day more with God by meditation and prayer it might promote these matters in the night As for evill Dreames we should pray against them My Lord let this Dreame be to them that hate thee Dan. 4. 19. So for good Dreames to pray Lord let such Dreames be to all them that love thee Were these our daily prayers to God and were our day-meditations on God delights in God and labours for God it might fare farre better with us by night Did we like God in the Creation looke back upon every dayes work whether good and did we every evening make cleere with God and never dare to go to bed in our sinnes we might in the night meet much of God in our soules O how comfortable might it be if day and night by holy motions we made our minds to mount upward Among many marvellous things recorded by Galatinus out of the Jewish Doctors to have been about the Temple at Jerusalem this was one That as fire was continually kept in the Brazen Altar for burnt-offerings so no wind nor weather could night or day hold down the smoke thereof but it would by a direct and strait line still ascend up towards Heaven Thus ought it to be with our soules against corruptions temptations persecutions c. Our minds should day and night in good motions go directly to God as a comfortable evidence and infallible fruit of holy fire kept kindled in our hearts Were we expert in this work O how much good might we see and do in the dark 6. Object Dreame-discoveries are but like candle lights or starre lights no need of them seeing now that the Sun of the Gospel shineth out bright in our eyes Answer 1. Though the Gospel of Christ or rather Christ in the Gospell now shines as the Sunne yet that need not put out all candles or extinguish the light of these stars starres are of good use though the sunne does surpasse Of the Suns superexcellency severall Authors speak admirably and amply yet also they grant that much of the great God in little stars doth appear of his power prudence providence for the pleasure and profit of mankind in the world 'T is observed God did not make the starres first and after abolish them having created the Sunne But God is said first to make the Sunne and after 't is said He made the starres also Gen. 1. 16. 'T is also observed that not onely the Eclipsing of the Sunne but the Elapsing of the starres may portend tempestuous events As 't is no bright day wherein the Sun does not shine so that night is dark wherein no starre appeareth And when no sunne nor starres day or night appeared no small Tempest lay upon us Act. 27. 20. As it should be the sorrow of our souls not to see the Sunne of the Gospel to shine in the day so should it be our grief when there is no starre ippearance of God in the night during the day-time and while we are awake t' is good to walk in the warm beams of the Gospel-sunne to wait at the gates of wisdomes house conversing with others to exercise our selves in all Evangelicall ordinances as was the practise of the primitive Christians They continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and in prayer Act. 2. But in the night season and when we are asleep we are unfit for such performances yet then are the proper times for soul-converse with God in this hidden way of holy Dreames 2. The light of these starrs may lead to the sunne 't is observable 't was a starre that guided the wise men to Bethlehem where Christ was born We have seen say they his starre in the East and are come to worship him Mat. 2. As false Dreames from the Devill do dispose men to desert and forsake Gods publike service and the wonted wayes of his worship So true Dreames from God doe encline Christians to close with and keep to all Gospel-ordinances Yea these motions having been first in the night they may be the more apt to religious actings all the day after 3. In good Dreames may be more then the light of a starre even Christ the Son of Righteousnesse may shine therein God himself as the most glorious Son may therein breake out with the brightest beames Some of Gods Saints can safely say that when all the day hath been dark their hearts as the Heavens covered with clouds thick and black yet God as a Sunne of mercy hath arose at midnight and shined full faire in their face If I say surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be light about me darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shines as the day For thou hast possessed my reines Psal 139. 11 12. God may suspend mercy by day and dispatch a sweet message by night 'T is well observed how God himself was once said to rest from his works in the day But God hath night-works from which we never read of his rest God hath in the night-season towards his servants certain works as for their protection from evill so for direction in good as for their guiding to duty so for the giving out of his mercy God while we sleep may be so awake in his mercifull works and may bring in such a cleere