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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

Therein is not only an Intension but an Extension of the mind the Imaginations are not only set on but drawn out doubling them over and over Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar as touching his Dreame As for thee O King thoughts came into thy mind upon thy Bed what should come to pass hereafter Thoughts in the plurall Theodoret expounding the place addes Thou didst think whether thou shouldst alwaies live thou dist think whether thou shouldst soon die thy thoughts therof did beat about this way and that Thus in a Dreame thoughts as they have their Representation so their Expatiation as a manifestation to so a multiplication of the Thoughts Thoughts many in one Dreame I have suffered saies Pilats Wife many things in a Dreame Many things that is many thoughts have pressed in and oppressed my mind Her Dreame was about one and the same Person but therein she had many thoughts about that Man and Matter We see then Dreams are the thought-works of the waking mind in the sleeping-man 2. See the sorts of Dreames that be especially these two Some Naturall and Some Supernaturall 1. Naturall Dreames are such thoughts in sleep as the mind emits or sends out by its own intrinsecall power the proper Product of mans own head and heart To a mans personall case and condition they are so suitable that we may be certain they proceed from the same principle 2. Supernaturall Dreames are such thoughts in sleep as are immitted or sent into the mind through some extrinsecall principle And though they come primarily from a principle without yet the mind concurres with what is occasionally cast in and becomes conformably active thereupon Now these Dreames ab extra they are of a double Kind as comming from a double and deeply differing Cause Diabolicall and Theologicall Bad Dreames wherein the Devil works and Good Dreames wherein God speaks The Manichees and Marcionits took up an opinion as reputed out of Plato that there were two co-eternall Principles the one Good and the other Evil saying that all good workings towards men were from the good Principle And all evill workings men ward were from the evill Principle As they managed the Matter they were in a gross errour as Austin and others evidence However this is a Truth there are two supream Principles One Good namely God and Another Evil to wit the Devil From God are all good works towards men and from the Divel are all evill workings men-ward both awake and asleep And the Truth of both which may appear in point of Dreames that be both good and evill Works Good Dreames are Gods good workings in mens sleepings And bad Dreames be the evill workings of the Divel in sleeping men And thus is finished the words of the Text in their Explicatory part wherein men have been unfolded as referring to Dreames and Dreames have been unfolded as referring to men We were like to men that Dreame I pass to the Applicatory part wherein will be endeavours to promote Man in his Dignity and The Duty of Man 1. This may set up man in his Dignity and exalt his Soul in its surpassing Excellency Above the Body in himself and Above the Spirit of Beasts 1. Above mans body The Body of man is very beautifull as in its Being so it may be admirable in its Workings to wit while man is awak but when asleep then mens Bodies are like Davids Idols Psal 115. 5 6 7. They have mouthes but they speak not eyes have they but they see not they have ears but they hear not Noses have they but they smell not hands have they but they handle not feet have they but they walk not A sleeping Man suppose his body rises out of his bed yet 't is like Lazarus rising out of his grave John 11. 44. And he came forth bound hand and foot with grave-cloaths and his face bound about with a Napkin All parts of the body are bound by sleep from their ordinary orderly acts But still the soul is at liberty no fetters of sleep be found upon any of its faculties but 't is free apt and able to act and transact severall things in considerable Dreames When the body is most still and lying at rest in the bed the soul is most stirring and laborious in business and this it s ever waking activity is its admirable excellency honour and dignity 2. Above the spirit of Bruits Bruits if in sleep they do dreame yet 't is in a way low and like themselves Men in Dreames transcend being above Bruits in these acts most admirable Among men there is no such marvellous Miracle as Man himself sayes Austin The very Body of Man is a Miracle marvellous but much more his Soul I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy work● and that my soul knows right well sayes David Psal 139. 14. He that is such a work of wonder may well be a wonder-worker Take him not only when awake but even in his sleep his night-works are wonderfull His very Dreames are filled with marvels even they are such as render Man rare and may with admiration raise him into the highest rank of visible creatures 'T is true this redounds to his blemish this reflects upon man with the greater shame when herein he sinnes as will hereafter be seen However this is his honour Man in Dreames is able to manage that good no other creatures can The Philosopher who grants that as Men so Bruits may dreame yet determins that Men in Dreamings as they are more frequent so more excellent to such acts more prompt and therein more acute The Soul of Man excels as concering Dreames in a double Act Direct and Reflect 1. Direct The Soul of man in Dreames can move forward and mount upward beyond the abilities of any beast Who knows the spirit of a man that goes upward and the spirit of a beast that goes downward to the earth Eccles 3. 21. True 't is of the Soul of Man not onely in the time of death and separation from the Body but in the time of sleep and its operation in the Body it runs out rises up and reaches to imagin matters not within the compass of other creatures 2. Reflect The Soul of Man in Dreams can turn backward and look over its own motions and imaginations so as to think what it does think One illustrates this At Tennis there must be two hands one to smite the Ball forward and another to beat it backward or the play ceaseth but the Soul of man can do both these with its own Hands it can send out thoughts from it self and cast thoughts back again upon it self and that in the time of mans sleep this other sleeping creatures cannot A School Doctor sayes well That God hath communicated to creatures such capacities as their kind will carry c. The condition and case of other creatures is not able to bear such abilities activities

evade them Thus the Devil when he would fain so fish as to catch these choice peeces the precious Saints of God he subtilly sets upon them in the night as his fittest time wherein to tempt and take them 2. The Devil is a coward In the day he dares not oftentimes so assault Gods Saints when he sees them up in their armour and so waits till night As there be wild beasts in the night they range abroad for their prey who are afraid to creep out of their dens in the day time Psal 104. 20. There be Theeves that venture not upon men that meet them in the day but are bold to break houses in the night and bind them they finde asleep in their beds Job 24. 15 16. Such a one is Satan The Saints of God when they are awake are more ready to the battell and then the Devil as a base beaten enemy is not so forward to fight them but he sets upon these souldiers of Christ when they are asleep in their quarters These things premised 't is manifest that as carnal men are the subjects of so Christian men are subject to these sinfull Dreames and therefore men of all sorts are concerned in the ensuing discourse 2. The matter whereof this monitory discourse will further consist touching such Dreames is 1. Some Perswasions against them 2. Some Directions about them Perswasions moving against them are from the prejudices of them in respect of things both Good Evil. First For the prejudice these Dreams do us toward things good 'T is in regard both of the Good they draw us from of the Good they draw from us 1. Such Dreames or sinfull thoughts in sleep they take our minds off from those good watchings and workings as sute to our sleeping times In the time of sleep though a mans outward senses are bound and as servants they cease their ordinary business abroad yet the inward powers of phantasie and memory are then most free and best at liberty for their proper imployments now the soul being of God furnished with such faculties and abilities 't is sad when the Devil seduces them and by sinfull dreamings diverts and pollutes them As God hath created the soul at all times fit for good work so God hath appointed good work for the soul at all times to wit meditation upon his Law day and night Josh 1. 8. Now sinfull Dreames draw us off from this duty 2. Such Dreames they do not onely take our mindes off from good but take good out of our mindes We have not the benefit and comfort of the Word of God and Spirit of God at such times to our thoughts they are as it were taken from us in respect of the stops hereby to their present exercise As when Saul was asleep in the trench David took from his very bolster his spear and a cruse of water 1 Sam. 26. 12. Thus Satan in the night when we are asleep in our beds by bad Dreames gets away our spear and our water the Word of God that should defend us and the Spirit of God that should refresh us Thus of good things are we lamentably left 2. The prejudice these Dreames do us toward things evil This in regard of The evil of Sinne they draw us unto also The evil of Punishment they draw upon us The sinne of such Dreames is against The Commands of God The Mercies of God 1. There be Commands which hereby we transgress God requires that not onely the soul but the body be set free from all ways of defilement Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour 1 Thes 4. 4. Not onely the soul which is in the vessel of the body but the body which is the vessel of the soul must be kept clean from soile We must hate that whereby the garment of the flesh is spotted as we must hate the garment spotted of the flesh Jude 23. therefore not defile the flesh with Dreames 2. There be Mercies which hereby we abuse To have beds to sleep on and to have sleep upon our beds is a double mercy Let us mark that expression of our Saviour Matth. 8. 20. The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air nests but the Sonne of Man hath not where to lay his head It may seem Christ had not here any setled bed to sleep upon 'T is evident Job had his bed but thereon he could not sleep Weary some nights are appointed to me when I lie down I say when shall I arise and the night be gone I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day Job 7. 3 4. Now to have with our beds to sleep on sleep upon our beds are benefits too big to be abused by the interpose of such prejudiciall Dreames The punishment for such Dreames is Present Future The punishments present in this world are Debility of Body Perplexity of Soul 1. Hereby the body is weakened nature wasted corporeall parts as defiled so enfeebled These Dreames do to the sinner as Dalilah to Sampson they bereave him of his strength and leave him in a languishing estate If life be prolonged pains are enlarged aches with age encreased especially if such filthy Dreames be frequent Beside the evil that may run and reach unto posterity 2. Hereby the Soul is wounded The Devil hereupon makes great advantage in life and death to dismay the mind Of such offences he does accuse in a double Court The Court of Heaven the Court of Conscience We read Rev. 12. 10. The accuser of our brethren is cast down who accuseth them before God day and night As the Devil does accuse in the day and night seasons so he does accuse of the day and-night sinnes He accuses in the night for sinfull deeds in the day and he accuses in the day of sinfull Dreames in the night 'T is sad when Satan keeps assizes in our souls and actually arraignes endites and condemns for such dealings as he hath had with us in a way of wicked Dreames 2. The punishment future in the world to come without the prevention of divine mercy is everlasting misery Such Dreames draw to ruine That which hath a defiling power is of a destroying nature And if such Dreames be sinne The wages of every sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. History reports of Nero that monster of men that among the many wayes he sought his Mother Agrippinas death one was in the night when she lay asleep in her bed to kill her with the fall of a heavy beam which was therefore made loose in the roof of the room 'T is our death and utter undoing the Devil our deadly adversary aims at when he lets fall these filthy Dreames while we lie by night asleep in our beds And as 't is that which he desires so 't is that which we

Body The certainty of Death and Judgment 1. A setled considering how excellent man is in soul Hence Bernard thus breaks out O my soul created after the Image of God redeemed with the blood of Christ adorned with the graces of the Spirit capable of the happiness of Heaven c. what hast thou to do with the flesh what hast thou to do night or day with the Devil yea the body of man is a brave and beautifull piece if we observe The Composition of it The Comparisons fr●m it How God hath made it How God doth use it The beauty of the body as it comes out of the hand of God we may gather from Eccles 12. 3 4 5. And as it falls into the hand of God again it abounds in beauty God makes it to be A Temple A Sample 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost And 't is as a sample or pattern the Church of God the most glorious thing in the world is resembled by the body of man yea God borrowes similitudes from mans body to express Himself ascribing to Himself an Eye a Mouth a Hand c. God thus hath honoured the body This pondered may prove a means to preserve our souls and bodies from sinne-defilements 2. A setled considering how sure yea near death and judgment-day draws meditate much of deaths approach Thoughts of sinne may bring on death but thoughts of death will keep off sinne both asleep and awake thus die daily Let us also fix in our mindes the meditation of the day when the Lord shall come in the clouds to judgment We have heard of that saying of St. Jerom Whether I eat or drink whether I wake or sleep me thinks I hear that voice Arise ye dead and come to judgment Hence he had no room for a bad Dreame Bernard on the other side sadly of himself complains Alas what do I mean I eat I drink I play I sleep as if I had gone beyond death and passed over the day of judgment We are in danger to be sadly sinning when we are securely sleeping Such considerations will well setled prevent secure sleep and so arm against evil Dreames these will set the soul upon its watch-tower and while its vigilant it will not be peccant Thus much may suffice for antecedent duties The duties subsequent concern such sinfull Dreames in a double case In case we are not free from them In case from them we are free If by such Dreames we have been defiled our duty is Both to bewail the sinne that hath been with us in the night And to beware we no way encrease the sinne in the day 1. We must take to heart such night miscarriages Augustine in his confessions hereof makes sad complaints and so have others of Gods dear Saints Lament we must That the sinne hath been in us That we have been in the sinne That such a defiling sinne hath fallen upon us must be our grief that while we slept the enemy in our field hath sown such tares As that Mother comes with her complaint to Solomon 1 King 3. 20. While thine handmaid slept this woman came and laid her dead childe in my bosome So let a man make his moan to God O Lord while thy servant slept Satan came and laid this wicked Dreame in my minde But then that we have fallen in with such a sinne is matter of more mourning our corruptions have clapt in with Satans temptations our mindes have been complying our wills consenting fleshly desires raised carnall delights pleased O that that is most bitterly to be bewailed 2. We must take heed we do not in the day make the sinne much worse By mentall recalling of it By actual committing of it 1. Pleasingly to recall it in our minds will augment the sinne 'T is abominable for a man to communicate what communion he hath had with the Devil in the night as a Christian remembers what sweet communion his soul hath had with God in the night Psal 77. 6. says that holy man I call to remembrance my songs in the night That 's very good but for a carnal man to call to remembrance his sins in the night and to solace himself when awake with the renewed thoughts of what he had in his sleep is a sinne exceeding sinfull 2. Actually to fulfill it in deeds is very dangerous 'T is that the Devil indeed drives at to draw us to do when we are awake what we dreamt in our sleep For good things Satan is satisfied we should rest in the apparition and shew thereof and some slight imaginations thereupon to have no more but Dreames of grace and holiness Dreames of glory and happiness but he is not content that men should take up with imaginary supposals of sinne and some bare thoughts thereupon but he would have them to bring forth the further fruits thereof To have more then Dreames of sinne and wickedness of lasciviousness and wantonness more then Dreames of adultery f●rnication and uncleanness That which men think when they are asleep the Devil would have them act when they are awake If by such filthy Dreames we have not been defiled our duty is To be thankfull that God kept us in the night To be carefull in keeping to God in the day In giving thanks to God we have been so kept We must be Early thankfull Gladly thankfull 1. We must not delay our thankfullness Before the body be out of the bed let the heart be up with God yea let body and soul rise and render the Lord praise As Noah as soon as he was come safe out of the Ark Gen. 8. built an Altar and offered burnt offerings to God And the Lord smelled a sweet savour c. So as soon as ever we get safe off our beds offer upon the Altar Christ burnt-offerings of fervent praises unto God the Lord. 2. We must with joy enlarge our thankfullness In the morning when we apprehend what hazards our houses have escaped from fire or thieves in the night with great rejoycing we give glory to God when our selves have been delivered from the danger of these night-pollutions to God with great joy what glory ought we to give 'T is God that hath kept Satan and our sinfull souls asunder The Devil is like the Harlot that goes abroad in the dark and black night soliciting to bed-abominations Prov. 7. 9 10. And how oft would he prevail did not God prevent When the Egyptians pursued the Israelites God by a cloud and a pillar of fire was about his peoples camp that Pharaohs host could not come neer them all the night Exod. 14. 20. Thus God is about our beds and keeps Satan he cannot come neer us all the night O with what gladness of heart ought we to glorifie Gods holy Name 2. Care is required that we all the day keep close to God least we be worse

the heart That saies to every other sinne as Pharaoh to Joseph In the Throne will I be greater then thou 2. This chief-ruling sin in man may be known T is true this sinne may most subtilly seek to conceal it self and as is reported of the Persian Kings to be seldome seen in the day During the day it may suspend its visible acts and not come into any open view 3. In the night time and in the midst of mans sleep may this sin arise and run out in his Dreams That 's a mans wel-beloved which lieth at night betwixt his breasts Cant. 1. 1● That 's a mans Dalilah-lust which leaneth upon his lap in his sleep Judg. 16. 19. 2. Much of Satan in his subtill designes may hereby come to be discovered Ignorance of the Devils artifice is not fit for Christians We are not ignorant of his devices saies the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His thought works or the workings he hath in his thoughts whether men be asleep or awake Satans subtill injections into the minds of men as Tertullian renders the Apostles word 'T is in the plurall signifiing Satan hath severall of this sort How divers the Devil devices are Austin excellently opens having had experimentall knowledg of many And that good man among others does much bemoan what mischief he suffered from Satan in sinfull Dreames 2. By such knowledg of evil Dreames things practicall are promoted For repenting of what is past For preventing of what may follow First Of such evils past men through this knowledg are provoked to repent to humble themselves for these night-sinnes with which very few are affected and upon which scarse any reflect unless with delight Indeed the Recordation of Dreames have sadly distressed some of Gods Saints What amazements of mind What terrible troubles of conscience have come upon some men by this meanes there be that can bear witness in the world Some in their sleep have had a supposed burden dreaming such a load lay upon them as though they strove they could not stirre And such there are who after sleep and when awake have sorely felt a reall burden being pressed down with sorrow in the remembrance of their sinfull Dreames Dream-sinnes the most are ignorant of and so insensible under and sorrowless after Though 't is certain mens sinfull ●usts have no allowance from Gods Law in time of sleep Perhaps some think of the Law of God What Serbidious Scevola said of the Civil Law It was not at all written to restrain sleepers but wakers But both waking and sleeping man hath his bounds set which to transgress is sinne even in a foolish thought Prov 24. 9. Of all which a right knowledg much helps repentance Secondly Against such future Evils hereby man is moved to arm himself by the use of Scripture Meditation and Prayer Luther finding many fan●tick spirits as he termes them who boa●●ing of their Dreames sought to seduce him This ma●e me saith he earnestly pray to God that he would give me the true understanding of his holy Word that I might never be drawn away by such dangerous deviations in Dreames And did but men indeed know the dangerous errors and evils of evil Dreames with holy fear and care would they draw out the day and lie down at night lodging themselves in Christ that Satan may not find them out Necessary is it saies Luther that whether we rise up or lie down we should pray and ruminate upon the Word of God that our enemy may never find us empty or unprepared And saies another Author he that would secure himself from such deceiving Dreames as are Daemonum ludibria must be daily subduing his sinfull and sensitive part purging out present pollutions and elevating his mind above creature-vanities striving beyond his own strength to setle his soul in the sight of God acquainting his soul with the good will of God that therein he may go right towards God when his body lies asleep in his Bed Now a considerable Meanes to incite men to daily diligence in these good duties is to instruct them in the evil of Dreames For who will so soon use the Medicine as he that best knows the Malady ● Good Dreames whereof God is the Authour ought to be known For 1. Such have been 2. Such may yet be 1. Dreames Divine have formerly been in the minds of men Calvin in his Commentaries upon Daniel though he grants divers Dreames have been so falacious and frivolous as did evidence much of the Devil yet some Dreames have been so ponderous and serious as might signifie something of God And he gives some ●nstances out of Antient Authors as the Dream of Julius Caesar's Wife admonishing her about her Husbands death And the Dream of Augustus his Physician who thereupon commanded the Emp●rour in his bed to be carried out of his ●ent and so escaped the cruell enemies hand In such Dreames we may imagine some moving hand of Almighty God Bu● plain proofs we have from holy Scripture of Gods undoubted hand in divers Dreames Gen 20. 3. Gen. ●0 5 Gen 4. 7. Judg. 7. 13. ● King 3. 5. Dan. ● ● Dan. 7. 1. Math. 2. 19 c. 2. Dreames Divine may yet remain From God may come yea shall come good Dreams in these latter times And it shall come to pass in the last daies I will pour out my Spirit and your Sonnes shall Dream Dreames Acts 2. ●7 That excellent Expositor Paraeus in his Commentaries upon Genesis affirms in that place Dreames are not only to be taken in a Metaphoricall sense for those famous Patefactions under Gospel Administrations but also for Dreames properly so taken wherein God under the Kingdom of Christ may make known his mercifull mind unto the sonnes of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Filij vestri somnia somniabunt Your sons shall Dream Dreames Memorable is that of B. Cowper who in the passages of his life reports a Dream he had from God guilding him to the place of his publick Ministry most remarkeably And that the ever living Lord who sleepeth not may thus in these latter times warn the Souls of his Servants when their Bodies be a sleep none ● trust saies he wil● deny the same c. 'T is credibly told of a Native Turk in London lately Baptized into the Christian Faith how by a Dream he was thereunto much drawn As Austin had his Tolle-Lege So he is said to have his Surge Recipe whence without the receit of the Baptismall Sacrament he could not be satisfied Others by such Dreams may be incited So that to seek a due understanding of Divine Dreams is an undoubted Duty in Gospel-daies This will further Profitable Knowledg Sutable Practice 1. Requisite Knowledg may much be promoted by that Communion a good man may thus have both with God and himself during the darkest seasons of the

another forme The whole tide of Interpreters both Protestant and Popish upon that place so runne as to report Dreames to be a frequent forme or mannner of Gods speaking in the text intended Thus God spake In times past to the Fathers that is To David Moses Abraham after the flood To Noah Enoch Adam before the flood as Paraeus expounds it Even to the beginning of the world this was one of Gods wayes Thus God spake by the Prophets that is the Prophets gave out when awake what they received from God in their sleep In sleep God revealed Divine truths to them which they taught to others in their wakeing times and seasons 2. Observe seasons and times more immediate and neerer to us As in the Apostles times And since the times of the Apostles 1. We find in the Apostles times were Heavenly Dreames May we not say that sometimes in Dreames God spake to the Apostles when to them 't is plain God appeared in visions As the Apostle Peter when God would have him go and preach the Gospell to the Gentiles for their conversion to the Christian Faith he fell into a trance and saw Heaven opened and a certain vessell descending c. Acts 10. 10 11 c. And when God would have the Apostle Paul to goe preach the Gospel to the Macedonian people a vision appeared to Paul in the night There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying come over to Macedonia and help us Acts 16. 9. We may imagine 't was a Dreame in his sleep it being a vision in the night Though visions in the day were when men were awake yet visions in the night were ordinary in sleep Thus Eliphaz In thoughts from the visions of the night when deep sleep falleth on men Job 4. 13. so Dan. 2. 19. To the same may suit that place of the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 1 2. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord Whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth His soul was so set awork in sublime converses with God his body was as it were laid by it might lye asleep having little to do His visions were not to the ocular part of his body but to the intellectuall part of his mind His bodily eyes might be shut the eye of his understanding was open Yea to his visions he adds revelations which Theophylact and others distinguish The result of all may be this That as he saw by his understanding so he did understand what he saw his intellect was so acting though his bodily senses were bound So that Apostle in Patmos when he received those celestiall revelations the vision he had as a learned writer observes was Interna Imaginaria Intellectualis His mind was in motion his body lay as asleep he is said to be in the spirit Not supposing as if he were wholly out of the body but because by his body he saw nothing heard nothing felt nothing in such a sence no deep sleep could make him more Bodyless then now he was yet to his mind great mysteries were manifest yea to his Heart was Heaven open 2. Since the Apostles God sometimes sent in Dreames of deep concernment as various and very good Authors evidence Jerome affirmes that Philo Judaeus a famous man that flourished in the Emperour Caligulas time some 40 years since Christ that he wrote five Books of Dreames immitted of God And Cyprian who lived under the Emperour Valerian about 260 yeares since Christ reports that in his time severall things were made known by Dreames redounding much to the glory of God and the good of his Church So Augustine who was found famous in Africa between 4 and 500 yeares since Christ wrote much relating to Dreames Divine and so it might be easily drawn down Visions that use to be co-temporary with Dreames have been in these latter times Inlarge I might easily out of Ecclesiasticall History take only one instance At a time there was in Antioch such a terrible earthquake as many houses fell flat the people possessed with fear forsook the City and with-drawing from their dwellings one had a vision that he saw a man coming to him who bade him write upon every house Christ is with us stay here which accordingly upon houses standing was written and so were preserved Object God we grant in former times spoke by visions and Dreames but in these last dayes he speaks by his Sonne Heb. 1. Answ As in former times when God spoke by Dreames and Visions God then spoke also by his Sonne though not so apparently so in these last dayes when God speaks by his Sonne he may also speak by visions and Dreams though not so frequently By the preaching of the Gospel is Gods usuall speech and ordinary course requiring mens chiefest care yet from God may come Dreames in the latter times 'T is a promise first reported by the Prophet Joel 2. 28. and after repeated in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 2. ver 17. That in the last dayes young men should see visions and old men should dreame Dreames A sound Expositor upon the place observes That to young men who may be more quick and cleare in their apprehensions 't is attributed they shall see visions yet though they are named others are not denyed And to old men who may be more calm and clean in their affections 't is appropriate They shall dream Dreames Yet though they are expressed other men are not excluded Great Articles of Faith concerning Christ incarnate have been signified by Dreames To Joseph Mat. 1. 20 21. was Christ in the truth of his two Natures by a Dreame clearly declared The Lord appeared to him in a Dreame saying Joseph thou sonne of David fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife for shee shall bring forth a Sonne that opened his humane Nature Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his People from their sinnes that evidenced Christs divine Nature for he that saveth from sin must be God as well as Man Let this suffice for the times whereat God hath given out Dreames Secondly See we the Wayes of God in these secret works of sacred Dreames Dreames God hath sent into mens minds Some as with a vision Some as with a voyce 1. With visions representing somethings under similitudes as to the eye In this way was Pharaohs Dreames wherein God admonished him of seven yeares famine in Egypt And Pharaoh said to Joseph I saw in a Dreame and behold seven ears came up in one stalk full and good And behold seven ears I saw come up after them withered and blasted and these devoured the seven good eares And I saw in a Dreame seven kine fat and well favoured And I saw seven other kine poore and leane that did eat up the fat Gen. 41. 17 18 19 20 verses 2. With a voice God not representing any thing as visible to

deserve and must sustain except Gods purging and pardoning grace prevents Amen Thus much for disswasions now for Directions These guid us to divers duties about such Dreames and they are Either Antecedent Or Consequent Duties antecedent are such as serve to prevent these Dreames And they Either look outward upon others Or they look inward upon our selves Duties which we are to discharge towards others are Expectation of Satan Supplication to God 1. The Devil is to be expected to do his endeavours to draw in such Dreames Because he is ever malicious Because he is ever treacherous The Devils malice is such as makes him to do what mischief he may against both good and bad both day and night History writes of a River that passes through some parts of America that not being fed by any spring but caused by snow which the Sunne melts down the mountains it runs strong in the day but hath no streame in the night 'T is not so with Satan such springs of malice and mischief remains in him that the streams of his temptations run strong by night as well as by day he hath his night-works and his night-walks for our perpetuall prejudice 2. Satans treachery is such as we can never be secure He may be as it were bound up in the day and break loose in the night History makes mention of one Cleomenes a Lacedemonian King who making warre against the Argives he took truce with them for seaven days and in the third night while they lay secure and asleep in their tents he broke in upon them and slew them with the edg of the sword saying His truce was for days and not for nights Of such treacherous dealings the Devil is full a truce with him is not to be trusted if he be quiet in the day he may be coming in the night He being a fiend of darkness as they are deeds of darkness he is most busie about so they are times of darkness he is most busie in times both of spirituall and naturall darkness that best suit his designs so that he may soonest be suspected by night Now because he loves to come unlookt for provision may be a good prevention 2. God is to be entreated Prayer to God is a principall means to keep off the Devil in such Dreames because It engages the presence of God with us It accomplishes the promise of God to us Upon Prayer God affords his presence with us this sets the Devil at a distance from us The Wolfe says Austin comes to the sheep-fold by night purposing to prey upon the poor Lambs when they lie asleep but he findes the sheephard awake and walking about the fold which forces him back without shedding blood Thus the Devil he designs to assault by night but God being about our beds he is beaten back He begins to suggest but cannot go on God being by Esth 7. 8. Haman being fallen upon the bed where Esther was the King said Will he force the Queen also before me in the house When Satan falls as it were upon the bed God says Will he force my servant before my face then he flies Upon Prayer God fulfills his promise to us Isa 27. 1. we finde the Devil compared to a piercing and crooked Serpent creeping into Gods vineyard to do it harm Ai but says God of his vineyard I the Lord do keep it lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day In the night the Devil comes but he cannot catch because God keeps nor harm because God helps God hath promised his Angels to defend his Saints to encamp about them which may principally imply night-protection Psal 34. 7. In the day we are more upon our march in the night then we lie still and then the Angel of the Lord encamps round about A guard of Angels can keep off a legion of Devils In this respect we may say of the bed of Gods servants as Cant. 3. 7. 8. Behold his bed which is Solomons threescore valiant men are about it all holding swords such night-safeguards Prayer procures Prayer says One as in the day time 't is the travellers trustiest guide the souldiers safest shield so in the night time 't is the saylers surest safety and the sleepers best keeper Prayer as it ought to be the key of the morning so the lock of the night as in the morning we should not open into the world without Prayer so in the evening we should by prayer shut up our selves in God that the Devil in bad Dreames may not come near us by night As the roaring of the Lion says Chrisostome makes the evening wolves to runne so the prayer of faithfull men makes night-Devils to slee Duties which we are to discharge towards our selves are Sinne-mortification Serious consideration 1. We must be much in mortifying of sinne that Satan may have less suitable matter to make sinfull Dreames out of Sinne It encourages the Devil for to come It accompanies the Devil when he is come 1. Satan would never so boldly come about such works but that he knows he shall finde fuell s●● for his fire Hence he does usually make h●● suggestions to match our corruptions As Nature draws out common Dreames according to the constitution of the body so does the Devil unclean Dreams according to the corruption of the heart 2. Satan could never so freely go on in his work but that he finds somewhat in us that does befriend his filthy designs He meets with that in our hearts that gives him the hand for his help Though he be a spirit yet by the lusts of the flesh he can exceedingly set forward such ways of defilements and thereby fulfill his infernall contrivements The way to disinable Satan is to subdue sinne and the best way to beat him back is to beat that down by a perpetuall battell Lycurgus made a Law among the Lacedemonians that they should never fight with one enemy oft but sinne is an enemy we must oft encounter or never conquer now Satan in the night will get victory over us if we when awake get not victory over sinne Sinne is destroyed By deep humiliations By close applications 1. Deep humblings will destroy sinne Repentance is a Plow which if it cuts deep will rend up sinne by the roots A ready way to put sinne to death is to drown it in the deep waters of godly sorrow as Pharaohs host in the red sea 2. Such close applying as is by faith causes sins death To apply the Word of God and the blood of Christ breaks the strength and draws out the life of sinne with Scripture-nails driven home by the hand of faith to make fast the body of this flesh to the Cross of Christ that it move not hand nor foot in word work or thought but dies by the power of Christs death 2. To resist such sinfull Dreames we must be much in considering seriously The Excellency of Soul and