and sympathetical force over evil Doemons and causes a near affinity between the soul and them whence do proceed such a multitude of vain Thoughts Dreams Words and Works And therefore the Scripture saith of the evil Angel That he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour being a great Prince of the wrathful evil part of the world but not in the humane friendly or good part for that is separated from his Principle beyond the Sphear of his Activity so that he hath there no power And although nothing can be more prompt and ready than these dark spiritual Beeings to assist and carry on all evil designs in the hearts of men that incline to do the works of their principle yet still they cannot annoy nor injure any but only such as draw near unto or awaken their fierce wrathful Fountain by means of Uncleanness Superfluity and Intemperance which are the grand Inletts of the Devil that give him power over the Soul and Spirit whence arise innumerable vain Thoughts Imaginatious corrupt Words and Works and all kind of Violences and Oppression Nay further a secret Compact or Confederacy between the evil Genius and mans Soul in an insensible way so that many are Drown'd and as it were totally captivated into this dead Sea or Fountain of wrathful Darkness and they knew it notthemselves but others who have adhered unto the voice of Wisdom in themselves and live in the power and Vertue of Temperance do clearly perceive and know it for those that are afflicted and inslaved do make demonstrations of their wretched condition and what Angels or Spirits are their Guardians by their Vile and Blasphemous Words Wicked Works Cruel Violences and Oppressions to those of their own kind and also to all the inferiour Creatures which does sufficiently manifest whose Children they are and what Angel is their Captain and Conductor to wit he who in the Scripture is stiled Abbadon or Apolyon the Serpent the Enemy of all Goodness and Righteousness the False Accuser and the Destroyer And as their daily practises are so also suitable are their nightly Visions that is to say Vain Turbulent Lascivious Hideous or Frightful For the Thoughts Imaginations Ideas Figures Shapes Forms and the like that proceed or are generated from the dark Centre or wrathful Kingdom are Impertinent Lewd or Monstrous For this cause some Saturnine and Martial people are Afflicted with Hideous Frightful Malancholy Dolorous Dreams especially if they do not vigorously Endeavour through the Vertue and Power of Wisdom and Temperance to moderate the Inequality of those Astreal Forms which hath had the chief Government in the Complection The like is to be understood of the Shapes or Forms wherein deceased Souls appear or represent themselves for the same are either hideous and frightful or pleasant and humane according to what Property or Principle they are fallen into or captivated under Therefore those that have precipitated themselves into the divided Forms into Beastiallity and the savage Nature having cast off and abondon'd the humane Property and grown Hardhearted Cruel and Sordid without Mercy Compassion and Innocency such I say as live and dye in this Savage Brutish State do fall into the dark Fierce Hellish Principle which had already in their Life time captivated the Soul as may be understood by the unclean Words and Works that Proceeded from them Now according to what Property or Form has gotten the chief dominion in the Soul such a Shape and Form is the Soul and Spirit Cloathed with For in the Dark Wrathful or Hellish Fountain there is as great a Variety of Shapes Forms and Figures as there is in the Paradisical or Divine Principle of the Light-Kingdom of Love for every Soul shall be capable to reinvest and attract matter out of all things of the nature of the property that carries the upper dominion in the Spirits for such seed as men do sow such a Body Viz. of that Nature is generated and of a suitable Shape and Form for so the great and illuminated Apostle speaks of the Resurrection God giveth to every Seed its oâ—…n Body Wherefore if men sow hellish Seeds in their Lives no wonder if they be cloathed with sutable shapes in the next World But on the contrary those that in earthly Pilgrimage have freed their Souls and Spirits from Oppression Violence Uncleanness and Intemperance and seperated themselves from the giddy Croud and vain Wayes of the Multitude and introduced their Wills and Desires into the Friendly Principle of Gods Eternal Love and Light and have been guided by its Counsel their Souls shall after Death arise and be cloathed with a more Perfect Beautiful and Glorious Humane Shape and Form of whom our Lord Jesus Christ was the first For after He had Vanquisht Death by his Resurrection He Appear'd in the same Shape Form and Body as he had before in his Life Likewise the good Angels and all separated Souls of Saints have in all Ages appeared to the Prophets and holy â—…n in humane Shapes and Forms exceeding beautious For it is not to be doubted but that in the beginning the blessed Creator made Man in this very Form and Shape as to his Body which he does retain though not now altogether so beautifull by reason of his Degeneration and sordid Intemperances which have in some degree defaced the lovely Majesty of his Body and Countenance for though Man through Transgression and giving way to vain Imaginations hath lost the Government of the divine Principle and so is fain from his first illustrious and innocent Estate yet neyertheless he has in some measure preserved still his outward original shape or form of Body for the Lord endued every Body with a Seed in it self to beget and produce its own Species in all particulars and if it had not been for this great and undefeazable Law of the Creator Man by his great Lusts Intemperances Violence Oppression Cruelty Vanities and other evil Courses would long since have destroyed and lost his beautifull humane shape and form as well as that Angelical form of his Soul But it was not in the power of his will to alter Shapes and change one Form into another so long as his Soul is cloathed with Humane Nature for the truth is he hath done what he could to be a Beast outwardly as well as inwardly nay he is become far worse than any of the savages of the Desert internally in the Spirit and therefore the illuminated Prophets called men by the names of the worser sort of Beasts in whom the fierce cruel wrathful nature is most predominant as Generation of Vipers Lions Foxes Wolves c. and also the evil separated Spirits or Souls of Men as well as faln Angels have always been resembled and likened unto savage Beasts and represented accordingly when ever they appeared in brutish or fierce hideous forms Therefore when departed Souls shall appear to their surviving Friends either cloathed with sidereal thin Bodies or in Dreams
retain their Senses and Reason for those two serve to cover and hide the Conceptions Thoughts and Imaginations which continually are generated from the various Properties and Centers in man which in innocent Children as soon as they have the use of their Tongues and in mad people is not done but all Conceptions are promiscuously formed into words as they are generated there being no Judge nor Councellors to advise or determine whether they are fit to be divulged and Coin'd into Language or to be stiffled and suppressed § 7. The truth is as the knowledge of evil is mans fall so if this sort of Madness were practised amongst all men that have the use of Reason and their Senses it would be more like Innocency and Christianity then most mens general practises are now-a-days I mean if every man laying aside all subtilty and hypocrisie would speak his mind freely to his Neighbour without Cover or mental Reservations and leave off speaking of one thing to their neighbour or Friends faces and quite other and contrary things behind their backs To complement persons present with a thousand Flatteries and Lyes and revile the same persons as soon as they are absent with as many Calumnies Slanders and unjust Reproaches which is one of the worst kinds of Madness and indeed a Devilish one because they know they do not as they ought being at that very time accused and condemned by the Voice of Wisdom or divine Principle nor is there scarce one thing in Ten that men in the World do act but is far greater Madness and Evil than those things which persons do that are deprived of their Sences For Example Is it not a greater Extravagance for an Ambitious man to sell his Liberty and became a slave to the Lusts and Capricio's of Grandees to spend whole years in supple Attendances Crouching Cringing Fawning or Dissembling only in hopes of being one day made a great man or having an airey Title added like a Rattle to his name and seeing people stand Cap in hand to him whom he imagines to admire him though in truth as many of them as are wise deride and pitty his egregious Folly For a Lascivious man to waste his Wealth his Strength and expose both Body and Soul for the filthy imbraces of a loathsom Strumpet And hazard his Life and honour in attempting the Chastity of some virtuous Woman and be ready to dye for the Love of her whom as soon as he has debaucht he will scorn and hate For men to swallow down vast Estates at their Throats and Piss away the Labours of their Ancestors against the Wall To load their Table with variety of Dishes and be at any charge for poinant Sawces to provoke the Appetite beyond the power as well as necessities of Nature that their Bodies may be filled with Diseases That they may roar under the Stone and the Illiaac Passion and live Tormented Lives and dye an Immature Death For Parents to cark and care and vex and torment themselves with unreasonable Toils and many times hazard their Souls for unjust Gain meerly to heap up Estates for their Children who all ready wish them dead or to leave Riches amongst strangers who in their frolicks laugh at the memory of the old Miser and make themselves and their Companions merry with telling ridiculous Stories of him who for their sakes and for the getting those very Houses and those Bowls they carouze in lies perhaps broyling in the hottest Caverns of the Everlasting Tophet These and an hundred the like things which are the main business and the daily imployment of many that would be counted the shrewdest and most notable part of Mankind Are not I say all these far greater and more mischievous Phrensies than for a man to pull of his Garments and sit naked and spend time in weaving of Sraws or Building with Chalk upon the Walls innumerable Cities whereof he fancies himself to be Emperor To speak Truth the World is but a great Bedlam where those that are more mad lock up those that are loss the first presumptuously and knowingly committing Evils both against God their Neighbours and themselves but the last not knowing what they do are as it were next door to innocency especially when the Evil Properties were not awakened nor predominant in the Complexion in the time of their Senses Tell me I pray Are not all these Intemperances Violence Oppression Murder and savage Evils and Superfluities deservedly to be accounted the worst Effects of Madness As also Lying Swearing vain Imaginations and living in and under the power of evil Spirits more to be dreaded than the condition of those that want the use of Senses and Reason and therefore are esteemed Mad § 8. As for the Species of Madness they are as various as men are in their Complexions for according to what Principle and property whether good or evil does govern the Life in the time of their retaining their Reason and Senses such a property does more clearly manifest it self when the Reason and Senses are broken to pieces for this cause some who have seemed very Religious and soberly inclined as long as they retain'd their Senses and outward Reason as soon as they become deprived thereof the bitter envious fierce wrathful proud Spirit appears in its own form and has its operation without let or hindrance which was before by the cunning Reason and sensual subtilty kept in that it could not manifest it self for some men have obtain'd so much outward government over this bitter Spirit that they can at one and the same time cry Hosanna and Crucifie say God bless you and in their hearts wish your destruction But when such people who hide their Woolvish and Bearish Natures in the external sheeps cloathing of a dissembled Innocency happen to be Mad or deprived of outward Sense and natural Reason then they discover the Savage Nature that ruled before in the Center of their Souls But others who in the time of their sound Senses were accounted harsh and moross or severe their Tongues not so smoothly plain'd or Tipt with Complements but yet their words and works more agreeable to their insides that is they speak as they think and do not play the Hypocrites by retaining subtil Reservations or saying one thing and at the same time resolving on another such I say though many of them did not seem to be so fair and good men as the former yet they are really more innocent and have far better Principles within than the others who made use of their Natural Faculties to hide and cover the subtil bitter Spirit and therefore when these latter plain sort of people happen to be distracted they appear more calm and friendly than the former because the good property had a greater dominion in the Soul § 9. Every person when disturbed in his Senses and Reason then the distinguishing Faculties of Nature does variously appear in properties and Qualities differing according to which of the
Irradiations rendring it more fit to become the the Temple of God and Associate of Holy Powers those Pure Abstemious Vertues do in a wonderful but secret manner attract the good Angels and Spirits more especially to such Persons as by an insight into these Mysteries shall be satisfied of the possibility of such Spiritual Visits and Communications which are alwayes ready to reveal the Secrets of Time and Eternity to such as believe and imitate them For no man can open the Gate of that holy and friendly principle in which they live but those only who have obtained the right Key through obedience to the heavenly voice of Wisdom in themselves for this is the strait Gate and the narrow Way that leadeth into the holy City all things are moved by Concord and Equality which all the Prophets and renowned Law-givers were truly sensible of from the beginning of the world being wonderful for their strict observance of Sobriety and Temperance as Moses Elias c. who were so given to fasting that their Faces are said to have shined that is the divine principle and voice of Wisdom was so resplendent in them that they had and held the measure and reins of Goverment over the Body as if they had been a Spirit indeed all holy men endued with divine understanding and such as obtained of the Lord the great Blessing of Intelligences and the free Communication of good Spirits and Angels have been remarkable for Sobriety Temperance and innocent Living for mens minds cannot be any otherways preserved free and potent The Prophet Daniel was highly sensible of this when he and his Companions were both courted and threatned with the displeasure of the King and his Servants touching eating of the unclean Superfluities both of Flesh and Fish that came from the Kings luxurious Table which he and his fellows refused to defile themselves with chusing rather to adhere to wisdom's voice than fuffer themselves to be seduced out of natures pure simple and innocent way by either the Flatteries or Menaces of the Court and therefore according to the Law of their God and the Dictates of his Hand-maid Nature contented themselves with clean and harmless Foods and Drinks viz. Herbs Fruits Seeds and Grains for those things had not only a real Affinity with the innocent Principle in man but also they could be procured without Violence Oppression or Dying Groans and likewise without any trouble or hazard to Body or Minde Properties which the Kings royal Delicacies could not boast of Were not the Rachabites ennobled by the Recommendation even of the â—…lessed Creator Himself to all Posterity for their Abstinence and Temperence The truth is none can preserve their Spirits Clean and Pure but such as Extenuate the Gross Superfluous Humours by Parity and a Spare Frugal Innocent Diet by which the Body becomes more easily Penetrable it being a Maxime that may pass amongst the things undoubtable that if the Body be not fitly preserved and ordered the Spirit whilst it is linkt there-unto and as it acts so it suffers by it too cannot conveniently Exert its Functions for Abstinence and Temperance do dignifie men and render them fit for the Exercise of all Vertue being the Root of Strength and Fortitude For this cause the Mother of Sampson was commanded in Vision or Dream by the Angel of the Lord to abstain from Wine and Strong Drinks and so was Samson her Son who was endued with wonderfull Strength for wheresoever the Vertues of Temperance and Cleanness are Practised other Holy Vertues may be expected to follow because by its power no Superfluous Matter is Generated that may dull or indispose the Phantasie or other intellectual Power of the mind and so the Soul being freed from burthensom Vapours becomes watchful and soberly active both in Words and Works for the Body and inferiour Earthy Spirits being kept under the Soul is thereby adopted to the Superior Powers and their sweet influences Did not our Forefathers live to great Ages in perfect Health and Strength of Body and Mind enjoying many heavenly Priviledges by Vertue of their temperate and innocent Course of Life Now the Reason why Cleanness Temperance and Sobriety have been so much praised by all good men is because they proceed and are streams that slow from the benigne and ever-blessed Fountain of true Light and Love and all that espouse them in good earnest are powerfully drawn into the same Principle strengthening and defending the observers thereof against all Kinds of Superfluity and Madness of Riot Hence it was that the Wise Seers of old abstain'd from unclean Foods and the Flesh and Blood especially of such Animals whose predominant Quality and Ascendent chiefly stood in or proceeded from the wrathful and defiled Nature they being throughly sensible what a base depraved thing it was that the noble Faculties of the Soul and Humane Nature should mix joyn and incorporate with the Bruitish Nature and unclean wrathful properties of Beasts especially such as by Natural inclinations desire to eat the Flesh and Blood of others their Fellow Creatures it being concluded on all sides that such Carnivorous Blood-sucking Creatures are Radically unclean and not sit to be eaten which being a known Truth that scarce any will deny I do thence further demand by parity of Reason how then Mankind can be clean either in Soul Body or Spirit that now are so far generally degenerated as greedily to desire and devour the â—…lesh of all the Inhabitants of the sour Worlds or Elements What great Matters or Heroick Acts or spiritual performances can be expectted from such as defile themselves both in Quantity and Quality of Foods which renders them uncapable of seeing judging or understanding any thing as they ought to do Therefore whoever would know God and the wonderful Faculties of his own Soul must be conformable to the wholsome Rules of Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness in Meats Drinks and Communications For all the great Seers and holy Prophets every one according to his respective Gift and Manifestation was an immitator of God by living in the practice of those good Vertues which fitted and prepared them for every Good Work Temperance being the Captain of the Guard and chief watchman that suffereth not the Soul to sléep or be overcome with the sensual pleasures of Gluttony and Uncleanness but frees it from burthensom dulness and indisposed Dispositions and makes it see things even as they are in their Naked essential Verities and attracting the Coelestial Quires for such Manifestations both sleeping and waking as their Companions that delight to communicate with the undefiled in Mind and Body But on the Contrary Uncleanness and Intemperance defiles both the Body and Soul depraves and stupifies all the intellectual Powers and renders them uncapable of having any Converse with good Spirits or Angels for Disorders do as Naturally drive away and dissipate them as vertue and sobriety do attract their happy Company But Superfluity and Debauchery have a powerful inclination
the secret mysteries of Gods nature But some will say that these divine sights and visions like miracles were only to illustrate and confirm the Gospel or glorious manifestation of Christ in the human nature and to convince and call the Heathen to repentance and to the knowledge and faith of the universal Salvation But to this I answer First The Objection is not true for as these secret Communications were before under the Mosaical Dispensation so in fact they have been continued unto and enjoyned by multitudes of holy pious and reserved Souls in all Ages since of which varions Examples might be given from Authentick Histories I shall only cite one remarkable one out of the Book of Martyrs In Queen Maries days when the Prosecution was hot against the Protestants there was but one Congregation in all the City of London that kept it self intire and privately held Assemblies to which one Mr. Rough belonged as a Dâ—…acon or Officer to care for the poor and to that purpose had in his Custody aâ—… Roll wherein all the names belonging to the Congregation were entered it happened one night that Cuthbert Simpson Dreamed that Mr. Rough was taken and the Roll in his Pocket and then awaked and falling asleep again had the saine Dream repeated with which being much affected he gets up intending to go to Mr. Rough but before he got ready Mr. Rough came unto his Chamber to whom he told his Dream and desired him that he would some way dispose of that Catalogue that it might not be taken with him Rough reproved him for such a conceit telling him Dreams were but silly fancies and Christians ought not to regard them but Sympson upon whose Spirit it had made a greater impression adjured him in the Name of the Lord as he would answer the mischief which might befal the innocent People of God to mind what he said and convey away the Book so he consented and fecured it and within two or three days was himself taken and had the book been found with him all the whole Congregation had been discovered and ruined if not lost their lives which by this providence was prevented Secondly Is there not as great need and oceasion still for such spiritual Admonitions and Asiistances as there was in the Apostles days nay more for then Behevers were in more ample manner filled with the holy Spirit and able to work Miracles then for the conviction of Infidels whereas now there are few or scarce any arrive to those Gifts And do not the greater part of mankind still continue in blindness and unbelief The compaâ—… and number of Profest Christians is inconsiderable in respect of the vast numberless number of Infidels and Heathens besides most called Christians have more of the name then of the nature of that holy Religion The adorable Jehovah sent his well beloved and eternal Son our Saviour into the World to appease his wrath and to break down that irefull Partition Wall which separated man from the Peace of God and the God of Peace and to enlighten the Heathens and those that sat in darkness and the shadow of death and to reconcile man to his maker against whom he had rebelled and was become an Enemy not only to him but consequently to all goodness and vertue Now since divine Visions and Revelations by Dreams were so frequent before our Saviours â—…carnation why should we imagine that this most illustrious Light should put a total stop to all these holy celestial Communications Aâ—… though the ever Blessed God that made all things in Heaven and Earth in concord and sympathy were not the same nor so kind to man as in former days who is certainly unalterably and always ready to draw near unto and hear all those that fear his Name But the true original reason or occasion why Visions useful Dreams and the Communications of good Angels are ceased to many nominal Christians is their infidelity and disobedience and not living in the Power of that pure Spirit of Light Love and Wisdom that they profess in name For alas What do names or formal empty professions and talk signifie in this particular the Lord accepts of no Worship but that only which is hearty viz. in Spirit and in Truth as the great Light of the World does testifie To shew that I assert no new or singular opinion in this point I shall here add the words of a most Learned and Reverend Author the famous Dr. Usher Archbishop of Armaugh who in his Body of Divinity fol. 150 saith thus Doth man commit Sin in the Night when he Dreameth that is sometimes when he hath evil Dreams for of those the Author is speaking Yes surely saith this Learned and Holy man the Soul is never idle but when it thinketh not of Good it thinketh of Evil. And the Godly may mark that after they have had many Dreams of things unlawful their heart is in a measure wounded till they obtain Peace and Pardon from God What use are we to make thereof to pray earnestly that God would sanctifie our corrupt Heart that it may be a Fountain of Holy and not Sinful thoughts and in the Nighâ—… to commit our selves specially to God that because we having our Senses and Iudgment bound and silent are less able to resist and judge our sinful thoughts God would preserve us from them by his Grace And 2dly that we avoid all occasions thereof in the Day Thus far that Judicious Author If mankind suffer the fierce wild savage Spirit of Wrath Violence Oppression Intemperance and Uncleanness to reign in their Hearts and Souls then there is no doubt but all Illuminations true Dreams and divine Visions will cease in them and the Spirit of Error and Cruelty grow Strong and Powerfull These are things all sober serious well-minded Christians ought to consider and not to be lead away with Tradition Noises and Clamours for all such as shall adhere unto and regard the Voice of Wisdom that continually cries in the Gates of mans Microcosmical City and hereby have clensed themselves from Uncleanness both of Flesh and Spirit shall find the Inward and Spiritual Eye of their Understanding opened and having by obedience separated themselves from the giddy Croud of the Multitude and their pernitions Wayes they become Subâ—…ects of the coelestial Country and belong to the New-Ierusalem whose Gates stand open to them so that they are Fellow-Citizens with Saint Iohn in the Revelation where he saith The Gate of the Heavenly City was opened unto him on the Lords-Day that is the Divine Principle of Gods eternal Light and amiable Love disclosed its self in the Center of his Heart Now this was by a Divine Vision and the Eye of the mind that he saw the Heavenly Mysteries through the Outward Nature which is a true figure of the Inward because from thence it proceeds nor can any know this holy Sabbath or Lords Day but those that have retained the Counsel of the Voice of Wisdom and
tend to their Satisfaction Since True or Prophetical Dreams are a kind of Revelation of a divine power unto the Soul and that this sublime state of the minde is much advanced or depressed by Temperance or Intemperance Vertue or Vice it follows that the first step to all true wisdom is the fear of the Lord which teaches all men Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness therefore all such as are desirous to arrive at that supream state of the Soul and to be rendered capable of the Communications of Good Angels and Spirits and to receive true and profitable Dreams ought to be Chastly and Devoutly disposed and in an especial manner to observe Cleanness in Meats and Drinks and not to over-charge Nature with to great a quantity for such surplussage does strangely dull and becloud all the intellectual powers of nature so that the Soul can neither Communicate with good Angels or separated Spirits nor of herself see or penetrate into any Celestial thing But Wisdom which is derived from and joyned to Sobriety Cleanness and Temperance in that which rightly fitteth and disposeth both the Body and Soul and Spirit and advances them to a divine purity for Abstinence and cleanness in Meats Drinks Imployments and Communications have a wonderful power to fortifie all the Observers thereof against all sorts of Vices and Temptations of the Devil who continually goeth about seeking whom he may invegle to Drunkenness Gluttony Lying Coveteousness Pride and the like to all which enormities Excesses opens the Doors and Windows and so it is easie for him to enter finding abundance of prepared matter for his Suggestions and Temptations to work upon whereby many Thousands of Poor Souls are destroyed The contrary is to be Understood of good Angels and Spirit who by Temperance Chastity and Purity are drawn and conciliated to our Assistance therefore let all that would have their Souls and Intellects adopted for such divine converse keep their Bodies and Spirits pure and unincumbered and not overwhelmed in the commerce and affairs of this World and the flesh to which purpose nothing does more contribute then a strict observation of the rules of Temperance both in quality and quantity words and works avoiding all irregular Passions Violence and Oppression both of men and beasts and to bound their desires to the necessities of nature for the things that polute and encumber mens Souls and enslave their Bodies are not needful our ever Blessed Creator having in his infinite mercy given us all needful things in abundance which are also neer us and easily attainable but those that are not needful nor of use to us are hard to come at and mens so eager pursuit after them do but shew and manifest his depravation and fall from his first innocent Estate for the more things man fancies himself to need the more is his Turba that is the more strongly he awakens the wrathful powers of his Soul or first principle and the less he needeth the more like he becomes to his Creator who giveth all things and receiveth nothing 'T is certain mans soul is a Mystery breathed out of the grand Mystery or Abyssal Fountain or Eye outof the All-seeing a Ray of the eternal Sun and therefore when it becomes purified through Cleanness Sobriety Temperance and the Fear of the Lord which includes them all that is when separated from the gross fumes and polutions of the Flesh then is it capable of ascending receiving and communicating with good Angels and Spirits and attaining unto wonderful things in a moment even as David was of a Shepherd made a Prophet and expert in divine things or as Soloman in the dream of one night was filled with the knowledg of all things in the Created World so Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and other holy Prophets and Apostles were taught and the truth is the Soul when purified and united by Faith and Charity to its divine original can without long tedious studiing or seeking without the toil of Logical demonstration or perplexity of Syllogisms and Problems see into and apprehend as far as is convenient all divine and natural mysteries nor is there any thing that does more contribute to the good Complexion and Tranquility both of body and mind then these abstaining vertues which we have always celebrated but can never two much recommend But besides clean innocent Meats and Drinks such as may extenuate all superfluous matter and prevent Crudities there ought to be observed a due natural Fasting for that not a little conduces to the making of the intellect sound and vigorous and mostly preserves the Spirit from cloudy thickness and suffocation as all the holy Seers and sage Phylosophers of old have observed who keeping an abstemious and sober Table did protract there lives in all sobriety temperance whereby they prevented the Generation of all superfluous matters that might dull the phantasie for none can obtain the high illuminated state nor understand the divine and holy mysteries of God and live in his innocent Law but only such as do by abstinency prudently moderate every extravagant motion of the Mind and Body Hence some of the wise Antients would not admit any into their society but such as were abstinent from strong drink flesh and common Vices saying That none could know themselves or their Creator but such as do fervently and constantly endeavour to imitate him by a divine conversation and that the cleanness and purity of a mind devoted to God does make such a mans Soul a perpetual Temple for the divine Majesty It is also highly requisit for such as would be capable of this excellent Gift of true Dreams to withdraw from the multitude and from the variety of the gross outward Sences Affections Imaginations Opinions and Passions which are the torturing Distempers and Sicknesses of peoples minds for the simple Truth cannot be understood nor witnessed except a man first live in the opperation and practice of the divine power and innocent Spirit of Gods Love and Light principle these sublime Gifts and nocturnal Communications are to joyn unto Abstinency Sobriety and Solitude for by Lonesomeness Retirement and Silence the mind is made fine and as it were loosened from the cords perturbations of worldly affairs and is thereby the better prepared and the more at leisure to receive the spiritual Gifts and free Communications of the good Angels of God So Moses the Law-Giver and grand Prophet abstracted himself after he was learned in all the knowledge or Phylosophy of the Egyptians from the voluptuous charms of Pharaoh's Court and hurry of the World and went into the vast Wilderness of Midian or Ethiopia when keeping of Sheep an emblem both of innocency and of his further conduct of the people of God he applyed himself to the sole contemplation of divine things which pleased the Lord so well that he suffered him to see him as it were Face to Face and endued him with a wonderful power of miracles as the Scriptures of Truth do testifie
their prefect Senses and under the Goverment of Reason § 3. For when any shall forsake and slight the counsel of the voice of Wisdom and suffer their wills and desires too violently to entertain and enter into any of the fore-mentioned passions then presently the Saturnine and Martial Poysonous Fires are awakened whence does arise such an Hurley-burley Confusion Strife and In-equality between the properties in the Seven-fold Wbeel of Nature as will in a moments time subvert the government of the inward Senses and Spirit of Wisdom and puts Reason under Hatches and all its Faculties into a Tempest and Confusion so that the Soul is left either without Pilot or Rudder in this outward sensible World And being thus deprived of its true Senses and friendly Guide or Moderator viz. The divine implanted Light then the first Forms of the Original nature mutiny and make War one upon the other a sullen wrathful property being exasperated powerfully attracts and endeavours to compass all with a certain in-drawing Power and this is called the first Form or Saturnine Property which gives a Body or Covering to all Spirits according to the nature of each Thing or Creature The second Form is called Mars viz. The high lofty out-going bitter fierce fiery Property which cannot endure to be much holden or captivated by the attractions and in-drawing Property of Saturn whence does arise in the Soul a most terrible Contest and annoying Heat for the Saturnine Property does most powerfully draw inward and endeavour to encompass and captivate all but this the fierce high lofty property and martial bitter Fire cannot endure it being contrary to its Nature so that in this intestine Civil War or Agonous State there is a terrible dark brimstony or sulpherous fire generated which does so disturb all the inward parts as if Nature were all on Fire even in the Center The Heart akes the inward Body seems to swell and becomes too little for the Soul which in this Combustion is so terribly afflicted that it will no longer be confined to the Body and outward Senses but either withdraws it self and flings up the Reins of Government and lets Reason like a wilde Horse that hath cast off Bit and Bridle and thrown his Rider ramble confusedly whithersoever the Imagination shall hurry it or else sometimes breaks off wholly all Commerce with the Body and separates its self in Indignation and so the Life its self is destroyed this being the great and immediate cause both of Distraction and of Hanging Drowning and various other sorts of Self-Murder which are too frequently commited in the World § 4. The truth is Pride may justly be said to be the chief Procatarick or remote original cause of Madness for an abusive Self flattering Perswasion Credulity or Esteem of Falshood do at first Seduce a person into Presumption and a despising of others or into an Indignation of Self-Love Anger Hatred or Wrathfulness towards his Neighbour from whence proceeds Irreligion Unbelief Superstition impenitent Arrogancy drunken Disparation and sottish Carelesness For as Faith is the Gate unto Humility which is the Truth of the Intelector Understanding so a credulous esteem or judgment of Falshood is the entrance of Presumption and Arrogancy and the first madness of the Soul But other Disturbances as Love Desire Sorrow Fear Terror c. are especially stirred up by extrinsical occasion and therefore they do produce their effects not only in the Soul but in the Body For all passions do in their beginning take away sleep weaken the Appetite and Digestive Faculties and impress dark Idea's upon the spirits and at length through a long immoderate strong or sudden inordinacy those Idaea's do infatuate the Archeus subvert the Iudgment and the Soul is as it were shaken out of its place § 5. Now when the five inward senses of the Soul are weakened or destroyed then they can no longer present before the Judge the Thoughts Imaginations or Conceptions but they are all formed into words as fast as they are generated there being no controul or room for Judgment to censure what are fit and what are unfit to be coyn'd into Expressions For this cause Mad People and innocent Children do speak forth whatever ariseth in their Phantasies but on the contrary all those that attain to Maturity of Years and the knowledge of good and evil their inward Senses of the Soul being unviolated especially such as adhere to the counsel of the Voice of Wisdom they let no Conception or Imagination be formed into words before it be presented by the five Counsellors of the Soul before the Judge which keeps its Court and Seat of Justice in the Center of Life for if this were not more or less observed would not every man in the world seem to be Mad or Distracted For what wild incoherent absurd ridiculous notions should we hear from the most serious people if they should continually Speak and form into words the various Imaginations and Conceptions that do continually arise from the Magie or Generating Wheel of the seven Forms of Nature which never standeth still or ceaseth from working and generating the Soul of man and all the Faculties thereof being a compleat Image of its Creator who slumbereth not nor sleepeth but his generativo and wonderful creating power is always active for never hath any man ceased from Imaginations one quarter an hour in his whole Life or indeed one moment no not even when the Body Sences are asleep For though man can cease from speaking and may attain the Gift of Silence as any shall give their wills thereunto yet they cannot cease from thoughts and Conceptions either good or evil according to what property or principle has obtained the government in the Soul for if a man could or should cease from Imagination then also he must of necessity cease from all Motion and Action and become an eternal Stilness or Nihilation in which state nothing can be brought into Manifestation but it must be done through Motion Strife and Contention of the Properties for all Material and Immaterial were and are brought into Manifestation first by Imagination Desire and Motion For the Imagination and the Desire have a most wonderful deep and hidden Original and if its mighty property were not captivated darkned and as it were chained in the Clouds of gross flesh and dark Powers of the outward and corporeal Nature it would do wonders § 6. Therefore it is not perhaps alwayes so very deplorable an estate as some suppose to be deprived of common Sense and Reason as they call it especially to be a mad Innocent that is if the property of Friendliness have dominion in the Soul For when men are so divested of their Rational Faculties then they appear naked having no Covering Vail or Figg-leaves before them to hide themselves in and therefore they no longer remain under a Mask or Disguise but appear even as they are which is very rare to be known in any that
seven Forms Nature did carry the upper dominion in the Complexion Therefore Mad People vary as much in their inclinations and passions of Love and Hate as they did when in their Senses For Example If the first or Saturnine Property did preside in the Soul and be not corrected moderated allayed and made friendly by Wisdoms Voice whilst they remained in their Senses then such will manifest themselves when Mad in sullen dogged mischievous Melancholy dispositions and Inclinations with blasphemous words apt to hurt and be injurious with Sour evil Complexion and Looks But if the Iovial Properties had the uppermost Governments in the time of their Reason then such when out of their wits are for the most part affable and friendly using no cruel words nor so apt to do hurt or be churlish or dogged But if the Martial Property be superior in the Complexion such when deprived of Sense and Reason become furious blasphemous apt to all mischief and violence great Swearers and very unruly fierce turbulent and raging But if the Solar Property do bare Rule such have great and high thoughts and lofty Imaginations fancying themselves to be Kings and Princes and that all are in subjection to them and between while they are very unruly fierce and boisterous when they think they are not respected or humoured according to that Quality they have assumed to themselves So where the Venereal Property swayes in the Complexion such are between whiles friendly apt to laugh and be merry often discoursing of Love affairs and will sing and dance but sometimes are little out-ragious though not like the former for these people seldom do any hurt nor are they subject to Cursing Swearing or such like evil Speaking Where the Property of Mercury does bear sway in the constitution there is a strange mixture of Imaginations they are apt to think themselves very cunning extraordinary free and frolicksom with their Tongues running out of one thing into another prone always to talk too much and very furious bold and raging but calm at certain Intervals Lastly where the Lunar property predominates such people are extreamly unconstant fierce and raving never at any certainty but roaming out of one thing into another And not only this last sort but all other Mad people are better or worse according to the Motions Influences Configurations and Aspects of the Coelestials and their benevolent or malevolent Rayes towards the Ruling Constellation of each mans Complexion because all people that are deprived of the use of their Reason Sense and distinguishing Faculties are more immediately subjected to the outwardmost Government and Influences of the Stars and Elements And you may perceive a sensible alteration in their Humours Dispositions and Inclinations as the Coelestials alter which as they have Influence upon and do vary and change all things so more especially do they opperate upon those that have lost the guidance of the Will which is the Primum Mobile of mans Life Therefore it is observed that distracted people are more subject to be altered by the Influences Coelestial especially by the progress and Configurations that the Moon has with the other Erraticks and Constellations she being the Mansion-house or Magazine which receives all the Influences of the greater and higher Bodies or Stars And therefore persons bereaved of their Wits are in our English Laws called Lunaticks from the great power she hath upon such people § 10. By Custom Sense and Reason most men do hide their inward Inclinations Dispositions Complexions and what property carries the upper dominion in their Hearts and Souls so that the same may by several means be discovered and laid open is manifest in Drunkenness which is a kind of short Phrensie or Temporary Madness which make people appears in various Moods and Dispositions for those that seemed of a Malancholy Complexion seem Sanguine and the Sanguine Malancholy for it renders men to be that outwardly which they are inwardly for this cause some that are counted and seem to most men to be Severe and Austere when drink has opened the Sanguine Gate of Nature are found to be very familiar friendly and kind in their words and works But on others it hath a quite contrary operation viz. such who carried themselves very affable and friendly when overcome with Liquor grow Cruel Quarrelsom Devilish and Uncivil which does clearly intimate that the Saturnine and Martial Principles did predominate in the Soul for drink makes people appear in various Forms because during the operation thereof they are really deprived of the Exercise of their Right Reason and Sences of true distinguishments of things whereby they are uncovered and as it were left naked as Noah was after he had drank too liberally of the fruit of his new planted Vines And so the inside appears as it is in its own Form and Nature which does most truly discover the Complexion and natural Inclinations and what property does govern essentially in a man for then all glosses and cunning are removed whereas whilst a man is himself as they use to call it Shame Reason and good Breeding put a Restraint upon those vitious Inclinations lurking within and suffer them not to appear but when they are deprived of their Senses and Reason then they have no power to use those subtil Arts of Hypocrisie but what form soever has the predominancy does display and manifest it self in its own Colours And therefore as soon as they recover their Reason and come to their Senses they are ashamed of what they did and by Reason and Breding endeavour to hide these Defects and Ill Qualities which rule over them And thus not a few through Wit and Subtilty appear as if they were Saints but in truth they remain but little better than Devils so great is the power of mans Wit and contrived Understanding that he can appear with two faces to deceive others first and himself at last It is therefore a very difficult matter for any to judge of mens Complexions or real Inclinations except God have endued him with somewhat of the universal understanding of the nature of things and of the signatures of nature for the form or figure of each thing does to the enlightened Eye discover the inward Properties thereof But this is more evidently discovered in Phrensy or Madness the same being a real turning of the inside of all the natural Properties and Faculties of the Soul outward so that whatever mad people do externally in words or actions the very same other Folk do inwardly in thoughts and Imaginations and the difference is only this The one speaks and forms every thought into words having not the Bridle of sense nor Reason to restrain him the other often times cuts off such and such thoughts and Imaginations in the Budd or at least shuts the grand Gate the Mouth and keeps those shameful unruly Stragglers in not sufferring the Organs and Properties of Nature to form them into Articular Expressions § 11. It is also further
PYTHAGORAS HIS Mystick Philosophy REVIV'D OR THE Mystery of DREAMS UNFOLDED Wherein the Causes Natures and Uses of Nocturnal Representations and the Communications both of Good and Evil Angels and also departed Souls to Mankind are Theosophically Unfolded that is According to the Word of GOD and the Harmony of Created Beings Night unto Night sheweth Wisdom Psal. 19. 2. To which is added A Discourse of the Causes Natures and Cure of Phrensie Madness or Distraction By THO. TRYON Student in Physick and Author of The Way to long Life Health and Happiness London Printed for Tho. Salusbury at the Sign of the Temple near Temple-Bar in Fleet-street 1691. THE CONTENTS OR CHIEF HEADS of the Two Ensuing Treatises Of Dreams Chapter 1. IS by Way of Introduction shewing the Difficulty of this Work it s Usefulness both in Physick morral Phylosophy and Divinity Objections against the Observations of Dreams Distinguish'd and Answered Those that have hitherto Treated of this Subject have done it imperfectly because they understood not the true Radix of Dreams The Vain or Superstitious Conceits of many People about their Dreams no Argument but a Wise and Good man may still regard his with great profit to himself from Page 1. to p. 11. Chapter 2. Gives a Definition of Sleep and shews its Causes Natures and End The Mischief when 't is too long Also a plain Description of the Nature and Uses of the inward Sence's Faculties of man Viz. the common Sence Phantasie Iudgment Memory and where each of them Reside Why we sometimes remember our Dreams and sometimes not Of those that Talk Rise Walk c. iâ—… their sleep the Causes thereof and hoâ—… to prevent it as also of those that arâ—… troubled with the Night-Mare itâ—… Causes and Cure from Pag. 11. to 26â—… Chapter 3. Layes open the general Cause or Radix of Dreams whence they are derived viz. from the ever active proerty of the Soul that really we never sleep without Dreaming and the reasons why we do not sometimes perceive it That there is no standing still in the ways of God or Nature whence occasionally is discoursed why young Converts very zealous at first do afterwards decay in Grace and Knowledge the Advantages of being sober and serious and pressing on after greater Acquisitions and Attainments from Pag. 26. to p. 47. Chapter 4. Treats of the Causes of Dreams more particularly where seven Causes are assigned viz. 1st The Constitution 2dly The Profession or Course of Life 3dly The influx of the Planets 4thly Diet or Medicine 5thly Evil Spirits 6thly Good Spirits and Angels 7thly and lastly Extraordinary Visions from God all which are severally handled and the whole reduced into a threefold Radix viz. either 1. from the outward Principle of this World or 2. from the dark wrath or 3. from the friendly Divine Principle of Gods Love and Light and how by your Dreams you may know which of these three Principles do predominate in your Souls with a distinction of the several kinds of Dreams arising from each Complexion Sanguine Cholerick Melancholy and Phlegmatick as also of those that flow from each of the seven Planets from Pag. 47. to p. 58. Chapter 5. Contains a deep and serious Discourse proving that Dreams are a Figure or Resem blance of the Condition of Souls after Death The representations in Dreams are real to the Soul whilst we sleep tho they seem fantastick to us after we wake by reason of the vast difference between the material and immaterial Worlds from Pag. 58. to p. 68. Chapter 6. Shows how departed Souls Communicate with persons living in Dreams and sometimes in Apparitions What kind of Bodies such Apparitions have and whence taken How long such Bodies can endure Burning of dead Bodies a means to prevent the appearing of their Spirits and why A necessary Note for Midwives That it is easier for departed Souls to communicate with us in Dreams then by Apparitions Here is likewise discoursed of the Communications of Angels with men How Spirits either good or evil are attracted by sympathy or simile and their effects whence the vanity of mens imaginations and desires do in a great measure proceed from Pag. 68. to p. 89. Chapter 7. Treats particularly of the Offices rendred to men by good Angels The Ground of mixt Thoughts Actions The Shapes wherein good and bad Angels appear and the Reasons thereof from Pag 89. to p. 125. Chapter 8. Rehearses in order several Scripture-Examples and Testimonies touching Dreams and discants thereon illustrating thereby many difficult Texts from Pag. 125. to p. 143. Chapter 9. Discourses of Angels-Guardians of Countries and particular Persons and their Offices towards men mentioned in Scripture and how men do conciliate their assistance not by invocation or worship which is not due to them but by simile as they increase in Faith Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 143. to p. 176. Chapter 10. Why man cannot communicate with Spirits in his outward Sences but in Dreams and Extasies It also treats of strange material Figures represented Calls heard Blows received and the like before Death Of middle Spirits Against telling of Dreams Why Dreams are always represented in coopereal Forms and in what sence mens Works are said to follow them after death from Pag. 176. to p. 202. Chapter 11. Offers reasons why we are not to think that these Communications from good Angels by Dreams and the like so frequent in former times are not now wholly ceased Together with the Reasons why the same are so Rare and Seldom from Pag. 202. to p. 219. Chapter 12. The causes why Dreams are always represented actually present As also of the means tending to promote intellectual Communications the Excellency of Temperance and a regular Diet and sober vertuous course of Life and that it doth mightly advance true significant and profitable Dreams and helps to make an honest useful Emprovement thereof Also a Conclusion of the whole exhorting to Piety Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 219. to p. 249. Of Madness Section 1. DEfines the several sorts of Distraction that the same ariseth not so much from Excess of any of the Humors as from irregular Passions of the mind and poysonous Ferments Pag. 249 250 251. Section 2. The particular Passions most apt to cause it Pag. 251 252 253. Section 3. The maner how they disorder the Soul Pag. 253 254 255 256. Section 4. Pride the general cause of several sorts of Madness Pag. 256 257 258. Section 5. Madness is a bringing forth of all conceptions or imaginations as fast as they arise without any choice from Pag. 258. to p. 261. Section 6. They have no Vail to cover or disguise themselves with Pag. 261 262. Section 7. Most of the actions of men are worse and more mischievous and silly then those of common Madmen proved by particular instances from Pag. 262 to p. 267. Section 8. The several species of Madness and hoâ—… by their Carriage you may know whaâ—… Principle is most
therefore there was for them no help nor recovery but on the contrary men fell into the knowledge of Good and Evil that is into Nature and Creature which is his inexpressible happiness as being not left destitute or uncapable of the Blessing or Regenerating Seed of the woman for there does centrally dwell in the humane Nature that which the wise man calls The Voice of Wisdom that continually calls man to Repentance and Reproves him for his evil Wayes This is the Genius Optimus the Soul of the Soul and the Eye of the Mind that has power and is alwayes willing to defend man from all the Assaults of evâ—…l Angels and unto this holy Principle and friendly Fountain the Dictates and Voices of all good Angels and Spirits do concur it being a great part of their work and business to assist man and preserve him from the inward incursions of the multitude of malignant Spirits And as mens Thoughts Imaginations Words and Works are mixed viz. Good and Evil but generally the evil does much over-ballance the good the very same is to be understood of their Dreams and night Visions whence it comes to pass that the far greater part of mens Dreams proving so false frivilous vain and impertinent they are become infamous and a Reproach is unjustly brought upon Dreams in general whereas indeed the fault is in themselves that their Dreams are no more certain for the streams cannot asord good pure water if the Fountain be defiled neither can any expect true delightful and pleasurable Dreams and night Visions when the unequal Forms and Properties of nature have gotten the upper dominion in the heart and soul Or who can hope for the friendly Visits and Communications of good Angels when both Soul and Spirit are captivated in evil and lives as it were in another Country or Region which is as opposite to that wherein they delight as Light is to Darkness or the Zenith to the Nadar And therefore they cannot come there for Angels and Genij have power only in their own respective principles and mankind cannot draw neer nor have any Communication with them not they with him except he immerseth his will and desires into their principle This is clearly manifested by all things in this external world which is a real and true Figure of the internal from whence it proceeded for here we see how every thing desires to accompany its own kind as proceeding from the same Matter and Element and when the same properties have the chief dominion in the Centre of Life And therefore those men whose predomnant Qualities are alike have a great affinity with each other in their Dispositions and Inclinations and and do often heartily love and desire each others company and the same is to be understood in many other things where they agree in number weight and measure there they powerfully incorporate and rejoyce together and with united Forces endeavour to cast out their Contraries A pregnant Example of this we have in sounds If two Instruments of Musick of one sort be Tun'd to an equal pitch strike one of the strings and the same string on the other Instrument will Shake or Tremble as I my self have experienced The very same attractive and sympathetical Inclinations have all other things though in some it be more occult what man in the world would believe the Attractive Vertue and Power which the Loadstone has upon Iron if it did not appear to his Eye For the wise and wonderfull Creator has endued all things with an influential vertue and attractive Inclination and Certainly if Nature hath such Great Power and Secret Energy in inanimate Things much more there is in the Living Power or Highest Graduated Spiritual and Immortal Beeings of which these Outward Things are but Figures if man did but know or were but sensible how Wonderfully he is Made and Excellency of his own Composition and that in him is Contained the True and Real Principle both of Time and Eternity then would he be ashamed of his condition and ever Praise and Admire and Serve his Blessed Creator in Fear and endeavour to immitate Him and all Good Angels in Innocency and Well-doing which would more powerfully attract the Sweet and Blessed Influences of all Good Spirits and the Intrinsick Vertue of every other Thing whereas Discord and Evil do as Powerfully drive away all Good Intelligences and make men altogether incapable of Divine Visions so that he being Defiled and Polluted with Violence cannot soresee any Celestial Thing but becomes as it were wholy Blinde as to those Sublime Misteries and Holy Vertues which is a Wofull Condition and very Deplorable for then they call Evil Good and Good Evil not being Capable to make any Distinction of their Properties or the Principles of their own Nature On the other side a firm Faith and a continued Contemplation or Meditation on the wonderfull variety of Seperated Beeings and the Immortal World whence all material things take their Birth the inward Beeing the Life and the outward but as the Body for men I say to be sensible of these Sublime Opperations does Facilitate forward and promote true Visions more especially if Temperence Cleanness Innocency be observed in Meats Drinks Exercise Words Works and Communications for these Vertues are Divine Gifts he that obtaineth the Knowledg and Government of himself is endued with a Glimps or Ray of Divine and Universal Understanding both of the Material and Immaterial Creatures together with the Fear of the Lord and the inward Workings of his Holy Spirit and Divine Power therefore it is said That the Spiritual man discerneth all things even the deep things of God that is both things Internal as well as External wherewith agreeth the Apostle teaching That what ever may be known of God is manifest in man who is the only Creature in this Visible Material World that is capable of all Spiritual and Natural Learning and as he shall give way and be obedient to the inward voice of Wisdom that continually cries in the Gates of his Microcosmical City so shall he be endued by degrees with a True Sight and Spiritual Apprehension according to the use he makes of and the Advantages he puts his intrusted Talents unto For the Foundation of all Wisdom and Right Knowing is within in our own Apartments therefore there is a Necessity for every Man first to know himself in some Measure before he Think or Presume to Know or Understand any other Thing Truly be it either Natural or Spiritual and those that with an Holy Humility do Aspire to this Sublime Knowledge Viz. of God Nature and Themselves ought by all means to be in good earnest and Zealous for Cleanness and Innocent Living for Abstinence Sobriety and Temperence do wonderfully fortifie the Observers thereof against the Assaults and Temptations of Evil Spirits and Angels and make the Body Lightsom Pleasant and Healthy thereby enlarging all its Functions and also Prepares the Soul for Celestial
performed But though God speaketh frequently in Dreams yet many times man by his Dulness Corruptions and Depravedness renders himself insensible of those illuminations whence holy Iob affirms God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not in a Dream in a Vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Job 33. 14 15 16. And as those Dreams and Visions are sometimes matter of joy and comfort so at other times they are terrible and frightful and therefore the same pious Author complains Iob. 7. 14. When I say my bed shall comfort me my couch shall case me then thou scarest me with Drâ—…ams and terrifiest me through Visions 'T is the duty of the Prophets and Servants of God to have a due regard to their Dreams and though some pretended Dreams when they had none or made use of them to seduce the People to Idolatry yet still the true Prophets were not to slight Viâ—…ms and Dreams because of Idolatrous Impostures and such as were guilty of the latter were by Mose's Law to be put to death Deut. 8. 1. If there arise amongst you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder came to pass whereof he speakes unto thee saving Let us go after other Gods and let us serve them thou shall not hearken unto the voice of that Prophet or that Dreamer of Dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you Love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul And that Prophet or that Dreamer of Dreams shall be put to Death So the Prophet Zachariah chap. 10. 〈◊〉 complains The Idols have spoken Vanity and the Diviners have spoken a Lye and have told false Dreams they comfort in vain And so Ieremiah chap. 23. 25. I have heard what the Prophet said that Prophec lyes in my Name saying I have Dreamed have Dreamed How long shall this be in the Heart of the Prophets that Prophecy Lyes Yea they are Prophets of the deceit of their own hearts which think to cause my People to forget my Name by their Dreams which they tell every man to his Neighbour as their Fathers have forgot my Name for Baal All these Texts against the Abuse of Dreams when they are forged wickedly made use of to promote Idolatry but make nothing against the lawful humble pious and most profitable use of Dreams as appears by what follows in the 28th verse of the same chapter viz. The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell the Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord The knowledge of Visions and Dreams is reckon'd among the principal Gifts and Graces immediately bestowed by the Lord on them that fear him So 't is said of Daniel and his three Companions That God gave them knowledge and skill in all Learning and Wisdom and Daniel had understanding in all Visions and Dreams Dan. 1. 17. And therefore when King Nebuchadnezzar had Dreamed Dreams and his spirit was troubled because the thing was gone from him that is he had forgot what he had seen but only retain'd a general remembrance that he had a strange and wonderful Dream when all the Magicians and Astrologers and Sorcerers and Chaldeans were so far from being able to recall his Dream that they told him There was not a man upon the Earth could do it This holy Prophet Daniel not only shewed the King the Dream but also the Interpretation thereof the same being revealed unto him in a Night Vision Dan. 2. 19. whereupon he acquaints the King that there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets and maketh known to the King Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the Latter dayes As for thee O King thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy Bed what should came to pass hereafter and he that revealeth secrets maketh known unto thee what shall come to pass and so proceeds to tell him the particulars of his Dream and the meaning thereof being a Declaration of the most eminent Empires and Monarchies that should succeed in the Earth and their Qualities Splendor and Conditions The same King Nebuchadnezzar was premonished in a Dream of the Judgement that was coming upon him for his presumption and forgetfulness of God he was driven out of his Kingdom and from amongst men and did eat Grass with Oxen c. Also in the 7th of Daniel we read how the Lord by his Angel shewed that holy Prophet the things that should come to pass in the world in the Latter days Nor was this Method of God's whereby he revealed his secrets by Dreams peculiar to the legal Dispensation but seems more especially to be extended unto and enlarged under the Gospel according to that prophesie of Ioel chap. 2. 28. And afterwards saith the Lord I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and my Sons and my Daughters shall Prophecy your young men shall see Visions and your old men shall dream Dreams which is repeated and applied to the Illumination of the holy spirit by the Apostle Peter Acts. 2. 17. So in the new Testament we read That when Ioseph thought to put away the Virgin Mary whom he had espoused because he perceived her to be with Child The Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Dream saying Joseph thou son of David fear not to take Mary to thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost and she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his people from their Sins Mat. 1. 20. And in the second Chapter when the wise men came out of the East to visit him that was born King of the Iews and were sent by Herod to Bethlem bidding them when they had found him to bring him word that he also might worship him they were warned of God in a Dream that they should not go again to him and therefore returned into their own Country another way After whose departure vers 13. Behold the Angel of the Lord appeared again unto Joseph in a Dream saying Arise and take the Babe and his Mother and flee into Egypt and be thou there till I bring thee word for Herod will seek the Babe to destroy him And in the same Chapter vers 19. When Herod was dead behold an Angel of the Lord once more appeared to Joseph in Egypt saying Arise and take the Babe and his Mother and go into the Land of Israel for they are dead that sought the Child's Life CHAP. IX Of Angels Guardian of Countries and particular Persons and their Offices towards men mentioned in Scripture BY the numerous Examples mentioned in the foregoing Chapter we see how common and frequent it was in former Ages for the Lord to appear unto his people in nightly Visions
Poysons the Bitter Wrathful Astringent Spirits which compose the inwardmost Kingdom of sierceness wherein Devils dwell being destitute both of divine and eternal Light this evil center many men have so terribly awakned as shortly they have by way of simile att racted the evil Spirit and Angels for their Companions who do diligently wait upon and continually prompt them to wickedness and further exciting of the hellish poysonous properties whence are generated Filthy Swearings Lying obscene words and Actions and all kind of abominable Discourses and Actions with a thousand horrid thoughts and vile immaginations frequent amongst the multitude so that if a mans inward Eyes of his Soul were but opened he might easily see Legions of those accursed Demons fluttering in and about such People egging them on to all evil Communication and pâ—…actices it being a certain and undoubtable truth that all filthy vain thoughts words and works do arise and proceed from the Hellish centen and do all carry the power of their own principle with them and so incorporate with their Similes whereever they are received and thence pass back again into their own dark original Source and totally captivate the soul therein where they are recorded and shall stand forever as Witnesses of Condemnation against them if men Live and Dye in that deplorable state and do not Repent and turn from them by Regeneration and Newness of Life Now from those infernal Legions which beset us on all sides both inwardly and outwardly no man is safe any longer then he fears the Lord and has his mind fixed on Sobriety and Temperance in Meats and Drinks Exercises and Communications for nothing as we have already said and cannot say too often does so much disarm weaken prevent and frustrate all evil suggestions and ingections of the evil Angels both within and without as those sublime vertues with convenient Fasting and continual servent Prayers For as our Lord and Saviour Christ saith some sorts of evil Spirits are not cast out or chased away but with Fasting and Prayer and therefore the Kingly Prophet saith wherewith shall a young man cleanse and defend himself from evil Angels and other Enormities but only by keeping thy Word and being obedient to thy Commandements alwayes having a regard to that most excellent saying of Christ First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other good things shall be added or given unto you in due season For as every man does govern himself and into what property he suffers his soul to enter such an Angel or Spirit he allureth be it either good or evil there being Spirits of all Orders Complexions and Natures for which should we think the Intellectual world less peopled then the Material which always are ready and officious to exert their power as we read in the Scriptures of Truth The Lord said who will be a Lying Spirit in the mouths of Ababs prophets and presently steps forth one and said I will and far be it but we should believe that the benign Spirits are as ready to secure and defend mankind from evil when they incline to well-doing and Innocency as the malignant Ones are to precipitate them into Error Guilt and Misery If men did but believe those things and diligently observe and weigh them they would certainly be much more careful in moderating their thoughts and affections neither would many so much dote upon or be perpetually vexed with for or about the Spirits of golden mountains of Ethiopia the Dust of Guinea the Rubish of Peru which do give great advantage to and powerfully attract the evil Demons who by many of the Antients are thought to have some kind of rule over or affinity with those hidden Mines and Treasures in the bowels and dark Cavetns of the Earth which are the Idols whom most people now adore and over whom the evil spirit Mammon is said to be Lord president For whatsoever man does violently taste and set his mind and affections upon presently the evil Spirits that are of that quality do present themselves and are busie to allure the Soul and captivate it with more passionate desires after it For this cause it proves hard and very difficult for men too be temperate to moderate their affections in any thing wherein they have once run out into or contracted an habit of Excess so many Enemies there are to circomvent and inveigle them on every side whose power is great but 't is by reason of the greatness of mans sins which give them the Advantages whereby they lead multitudes into perdition On the other side the good Angels and Spirits are as easily attracted by vertue as the Evil are by vice that is so say they are delighted and conciliated by their own fair Resemblances Purity Love Truth Temperance Order firm Belief cleanness in Meats Drinks Innocency and Silence these are powerful Loadstones or Magneticks that will attract good Spirits and Angels even from the furthest parts of the World It is also further to be considered that true Dreams and Nocturnal Converse with good Angels and Spirits does afford great delight and true pleasure to the mind and soul the very thoughts of those secret visits chears and irradiates the intellectual Faculties even in the day and causeth a desire and longing for the night and the more fixed any man is and the more he lays them up in a Reserved and Religious Breast with serious Thoughts and Meditations on such sublime Mysteries the nearer he approaches unto their Beeings and powerfully invites those holy and material Essences and so by degrees even whilst he is in the Body becomes as it were incorporated with or endenizon'd amongst those Coelestial Quires of blessed Angels and Spirits of the Just made perfect and to have their Names Registred in the Book of Life as in the Revelations is promised For nothing comes so near those glorious Beeings or so effectually engages them as a constant thoughtfulness temperance and sobriety but more especially Innocency and the Child like nature which does in the highest degree imitate the nature Angelical whence our Saviour Christ Mat. 18. 10. admonishes his Disciples to take heed not to despise Innocency and the simple harmless nature which he calls one of these little Ones such as have through the vertue and power of the divine friendly innocent Principle disarmed the fierce wrathful properties and as it were cut off the members of evil that is their thoughts words and works and have as much as in them lies imitated and lived in the innocent nature of Christs Spirit and good Angels for of such he saith Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven But such as live in Uncleanness and Riot in Chambering and Wantonness in Oppression and Cruelty are subect to the Tyranny and Punishment of evil Angels as executioners of the divine Vengeance which hence are called destroying Angels Thus two Angels came to Sodom and having secured Lot