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
and by Dreams and in that secret way of Comunication to reveal unto them many wonderful things insomuch that they did account themselves as it were abandoned or separated from the presence of the Lord and his holy Spirits and Angels when the Lord did with-draw or supercede this method of Nocturnal Illuminations as is evident by the forementioned Complaint of King Saul But in this our Rude and Blind Age instead of complaining for want of the presence of the Lord and his holy powers most people make à Laughing-stock and Derision of Dreams and all things of that nature so great is the Degeneration of Mankind from all sublime Truths and heavenly Converse of good Spirits just as though there were no Angels or Genij or that the blessed God of Truth had not granted any of them to be our Guardians and Assistants in our Necessities and under his supream providence to protect and defend mankind from the many snares and inventions of evil Spirits which continually seek how they may devour and destroy man and lead him captive into perdition But the Word of Truth assures us That the God of all Power and Glory has made his Angels great and powerful ministring Spirits to aid and assist those that fear his Name and advance the Kingdom of Innocency So in former Ages we read That he sent his good Angels as Messengers of his favour and to defend his people from incursions of the evil ones for they do continually fight against the Malicious degraded Legions Thence Abraham when he sent forth his Servant to Mesopotamia to fetch a wife for his Son Isaac did by Faith assure him The Lord should send his Angel before him and prosper what he went about Gen. 24. 7. and 14. So the Lord promises the Children of Israel Exod. 23. 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his Voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in him But if thou shalt indeed obey his Voice and do all that I shall speak then I will be an Enemy to thine Enemies and an Adversary to thine Adversaries for mine Angel shall go before thee in unto the Amorites c. Chapter 23. 24. Therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee Behold mine Angel shall go before thee which is repeated again Chap. 33. 2. I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite the Amorite c. When Balaam went with the Princes of Moab to Curse the Israel of God 't is said The Angel of the Lord stood in the way for an Adversary against him and the Ass saw him and turned away several times but the Prophet could not see him till his Eyes were opened and then he reverenced him and received his message Numb 22. 23. and 31. An Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim to accuse the Israelites of their disobedience and trangression whereupon they repented and humbled themselves Iudges 2. 1. Another Angel appeared to Gideon and encouraged him to deliver the people of Israel out of the hands of the Midianites Chap. 6. 11. So likewise to Manoah the Mother of Samson promising her a Child and directing her how he should be Educated in Abstemiousness and Temperance that he might be fit for those mighty Atchiefments of delivering his people which the Lord had designed him for Iudges 13. 3. As Elijah was in the wilderness and ready to starve an Angel of the Lord brought him provisions and said to him once and again Arise and eat in the strength of which he travelled forty days and forty nights 1 Kings 19. 5. David also teacheth us That the Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Psalm 34. 7. And again Psalm 91. 9 10 11. Because thou hast made the Lord my Refuge even the most high thy Habitation there shall no evi befall thee neither shall any Plague come nigh thy dwelling for he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands Iest thou daiâ—…h thy Foot against a Stone When the Prophet Zachariah had a vision by night from God there was an Angel that talked with him and declared to him the things which he saw The Angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary to acquaint her with the joyful Tydings of her being overshadowed with the holy Ghost and bringing forth a Saviour Luke 1. 26. The pool of Beâ—…hesad had its Senative Vertue communicated to it by the ministry oâ—… an Angel for so the Text expresly tells us John 5. 4. An Angel went down at a certain Season and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever Disease he had When the Apostles were committed to Prison for preaching the Gosple Acts 5. 19. The Angel of the Lord by Night opened the Prison Doors and brought them forth So an Angel of God appeared in a Vision to Cornelius the devout Centurion requiring him to send to Ioppa feâ—… Peter who should teach him what he should do Acts 10. 3. And when afterwards the same Peter was imprisoned by Herod the King behold the Angel of the Lord time upon him and a Light shined in the Prison and he smote Peter on his â—…e and raised him up saying Arise â—…uickly and his Chains fell off from â—…is hands and the Angel said unto him Gird thy self and bind on thy Sandals and so he did And he said unto him Cast thy Garment about thee and follow me and he went out and followed him and wist not that it was true that was done by the Angel but thought he saw a Vision When they were past the first and second ward they came unto the Iron Gate that leadeth unto the City which opened unto them of its own accord and forthwith the Angel departed from him And when Peter was come to himself he said Now I know of a surety That the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me Acts 12. 7 8 9 10 11. And when Paul in his Voyage to Italy was in danger of shipwrack an Angel visited him and assured him That none belonging to the Ship should be drowned for said he There stood by me this Night the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve saying Fear not Paul Thoâ—… must be brought before Caesar And 〈◊〉 God hath given thee all them that sail with thee Acts 27. 23. Thus manifest it is that good Angels both by the appointment of the Soveraign Creator and the excellency of their own Natures are alwayes Sedulous ready and diligent to serve assist succour and illuminate good and vertuous men especially in their distresses or when they are in danger by the malice and subtilty of wicked men And it
and cetainty of the thing Of Pharoh's chief Butler and Baker it is said Gen. 40. 5. That whilst they were in Prison they dreamed a Dream both of them each man his Dream in one Night each man according to the Interpretation of his Dream And when Ioseph their Fellow-Prisoner came unto them in the morning and sound them sad and enquired the reason they told him we have dreamed a Dream and there is no Interpreter thereof To which he did not reply as many of the People that would be counted wise men in our Day would probably have done in such a Case viz. All Dreams are Vanities and Fancies you should never regard them they signifie nothing and therefore never trouble your heads about the Interpretation c. But on the contrary he tells them Do not Interpretations belong to God Tell me your Dreams I pray you verse 8. And having heard them proceeds to give a true Interpretation thereof That the Butler should be Restored and the Baker Hanged in three dayes space which was exactly accomplished In the next place Gen. 14. 1. We read of a Dream that Pharaoh King of Egypt had first of seven fat Kine devoured by seven lean ones And afterwards of seven full ears of Corn devoured by seven thin and blasted ones which the aforesaid illuminated young servant of God Ioseph interpreted to be a Vision from God for saith he verse 25. God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do there shall be seven Years of Plenty and afterwards seven Years of Famine Therefore he advised to lay up the fifth part of all the increase during the seven fruitfull Years by which secret admonition of the good Angels of the Lord King Pharaoh was put into a way to preserve himself and his people and particularly to be a shelter and maintianer of the Patriarks of Iacob and all his off-spring And as well this Dream of Pharaohs as the o. â—…er of Iosehps was doubled or set sorth twice under several representations but still to one and the same purpose for which Ioseph gives the reason vers 32. For that the Dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice it is because the thing is established by God and God will shortly bring it to pass whence we may learn that when Dreams are represented to us under several Forms we ought to take more especial notice of them and may be assured both of a certain and speedy coming to pass of the things thereby signified Dreams and Vision were the usual Wayes whereby the Lord revealed his Councels to his Servants and Prophets to be communicated to his people for which there is a plain express word of promise Numb 12. 6. If there be a prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a Vision and will speak to him in a Dream So Saul Sam. 28. 15. complains to the deceased spirit or soul of Samuel whom he had caused to be raised up when he asked him why he had disturbed him from his stilness and quiet rest Saul answered him saying I am in great distress for the Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answered me no more by prophets nor by Dreams which shews that Dreams were one of the most usual ways whereby God was wont to signifie his pleasure to the Sons of men When Gideon warred with the Amalekites and was somewhat dismayed at their vast multitudes he was incouraged by over hearing one of them relate his Dream and another giving the interpretation as you may read in Iudges 7. in these words And it came to pass the same Night that the Lord said unto Gideon Arise get the down unto the host of the Amalekites for I have deliverd it â—…to thine hands and thou shalt hear hear what they say and afterwards shaâ—… thy hands be strengthened Then hâ—… went down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the Armed men thâ—… were in the Host and the Midianites and Amalekites and all the Childrâ—… of the East lay along in the Valey like Grass-hoppers for multitude and their Camels were without number as the sand by the Sea side And when Gideon was come behold there was a man thâ—… told a dream unto his Fellow and said Behold I dreamed a dream and loâ—… Cake of Barly bread tumbled into the Host of Midian and came into a Tent and smote it that it fell and overturned it that the Tent lay along And his Fellow answered and said This is nothing else save the Sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man of Israel for into his hand hath God delivered Middian and all the Host And it was so when Gideon heard the telling of the Dream and the Interpretation thereof that he worshipped and returned into â—…he host of Israel and said Arise for â—…he Lord hath delivered into your hand â—…he Host of Midian It was in a Dream that God was pleased to Grant Solomon a promise of Wisdom and Understanding 1 King 3. 5. In Gideon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a Dream by Night and God said Ask what I shall give thee And Solomon said Now 〈◊〉 Lord my God thou hast made thy serâ—…ant King instead of David my Father â—…d I am but a young child I know not 〈◊〉 to go out or come in and thy serâ—…ant is in the midst of thy people which â—…ou hast chosen a great people that â—…nnot be numbred or counted for mulâ—…tude Give therefore thy servant an â—…derstanding heart to Iudge thy peoâ—…le that I may discern between Good â—…d Bad for who is able to judge this 〈◊〉 so great people And the speech â—…ased the Lord that Solomon had askâ—… this thing and God said unto him â—…cause thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long Life nor Riches nor the life of thy Enemies but has asked for thy self understanding to discern judgement of things Behold I have done according to thy word loe I have given thee a wise and understanding Heart so that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee and I have also given unto thee that which thou hast not asked both Riches and Honour so that there shall not be any amongst the Kings like unto thee in all thy dayes And if thou wilt walk in my wayes to keep my Statutes and my Commandements as thy Father David did walk then I will lengthen thy days and Solomon awoke and behold it was a Dream Hear we see what a large communication or converse the Lord iâ—… pleased to hold with the Spirit of Soloman in a Dream and as the request was nevertheless real on Solomans part nor less acceptable to God then if it had been made waking nay probable was more acceptable because the more pure free and undisturbed desire of his Soul not then seduced by the senses or beclouded with corporeal objects so what the Lord promised him in this vision was punctually made good and