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 frâ—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 fâ—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
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 sâ—â— for his fire Hence he does usually make hâ—â— 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
death as some have asserted considering himself should be thereby destroyed but the Dreame was Divine to withdraw Pilate from his sentence or to aggravate his sin O saies shee Have thou nothing to do against that just man for I have suffered many things in a Dream because of him In such Dreames sinfull men are meerly passive when others are active Dreams that have entered into gratious hearts with pleasure and delight have come into carnall hearts with trouble and pain they have taken such impressions as oppressions Now lastly The reasons for which good Dreames have been given in of God Why to naturall and sinfull men Why to regenerate and sanctified men First Into the minds of sinfull men God hath sent in such Dreames In relation unto others In relation unto themselves 1. 'T is certain God hath sometimes come unto bad men by Dreames for others sakes To restrain them from doing evill against others To encline them towards others to do them good When Laban pursued Jacob and purposed at least to plunder him of all he had Gen. 31. 24. God came to Laban the Syrian by night in a Dreame saying Take heed thou speak not to Jacob either good or evill This so bound up Laban that when he overtook Jacob he did him no hurt but shewed kindnesse to him made a covenant of peace with him and departed from him blessing him and his ver 55. 'T is written of Alexander the Jewes having denied him some help he was so enraged against them that he resolved to ruine them and accordingly with his conquering Army going against Jerusalem Jaddus the High Priest hearing thereof put on his Priestly attire met him in the way whom when Alexander saw he fell off his Horse and offered him peace telling his Nobles that God in a Dreame had shewe'd him the same Man so attired the Night before and so he departed with some expressions of bravery and bounty in obedience to that vision 2. 'T is sure God hath also come to Men bad by Dreames for their own sakes To prevent their sinnesull evil To promote their saving good When Abimelech King of Gerar had sent and took Sarah who was reported to him to be Abrahams sister into his house God admonished him by Night in a Dreame to forbear to take her to wife and to restore her unto Abraham whose wife she was Gen. 20. 2 3 6 7. Thus did the King escape that sad sinne of Adultery And thus hath God sought the salvation of the soules of some That Dream which Pilate's wife had the intent of it was not to deliver Christ from the death of the Cross for that was according to the determinate Counsell of God but as Theophlyact conceives it was to save the womans soul from everlasting death not so much for the clearing of Christ while he was at the barre as for the converting of the woman whose case was bad Secondly Into the minds of sanctified Men God hath sent in Dreames In reference unto others In reference unto themselves God into good Men hath given Dreames for others advantage thereby As to admonish others of evil where of they were in danger So to establish others in good wherein they did waver God hath caused Dreames in the mindes of his Sants that they might warn others of danger 'T is reported of Beza that in the Night having dreamt that Geneva was sadly surprized he pressed the Governours in the morning immediately to search whereupon a desperate plot against the place was discovered the perill prevented and the people preserved Yea and also 1. God hath brought Dreames into the mindes of his Saints that they might help others in doubts Mr Philpot the Martyr having over night received a Letter from his fellow-Prisoner wherein he desires his Judgement concerning the baptisme of Infants made this return Before says he in his Letter back I shew you what for it I have learned from Gods holy Word and the practice of the purest Churches I cannot but declare how the same Night musing upon your Letter I fell asleep and had such a Vision and Dreame which he relates and concludes This Dreame I take to be the working of Gods Spirit that I might the better content your request as he wrought in Peter to satisfie Cornelius Acts 5. 10. 2. God hath made good Men to receive such Dreames for their own advantage As to prepare them for evil which they were to sustain So to assure them of Good which they were to obtain 1. God by Dreames hath signified to his Saints what afflictions they should suffer that so they might the better prepare History reports of Policarpus who in Smyrna suffered martyrdome under Antonius the Emperour about a hundred seventy yeares after Christ that three dayes before he fell into his enemies hands sleeping upon his bed he dreamt that the bolster whereon his head lay was all on a flame and the other bed-cloaths burning about him whereupon when he awoke he told his friends God had declared that he must be burnt quick for Christ for which he much fitted himself and so it soon fell out 2. God by Dreames hath signified to his Saints what mercies they should receive that so he might strengthen their faith and also quicken their obedience Thus Jacob in his journey lying down upon a stone to sleep Gen. 28. 11 12 13. He Dreamed and behold a ladder set upon the earth and the top reached up to Heaven and behold the Angells of God ascending and descending on it And behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the land whereon thou lyest to thee will I give it and to thy seed And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed Behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again to this land and will not leave thee till I have done what I have said The Application to our selves concerning such Dreames now follow This referres to a two-fold case In case we have them not In case we have them Be we without these Dreams then let us observe The grounds why we should desire them The meanes how we may procure them Such Dreames from God are to be desired Because of the excellency that is in them Because of the commodity that is by them These Dreames are in themselves excellent because through them The Soule in sleeping-time is highly Imployed Sleeping-time by the soul is rarely Improved 1. The imployment of Mens soules in such Dreames is high and holy Mans soul we must observe it sleeps not as the body does for as it lives when the body dyes so it wakes when the body sleeps 'T is an Argument some bring to prove the Immortality of the soul that it does not die as
Intelligent and Rationall he may surely be said who even in his sleep hath a ready Use of Reason The Sleeping Man hath indeed some Dreames wherein Reason acts irregularly intricately inconsistently fluctuating and roving up and down that things hang as we say like ropes of sand yet certain in such blurr'd Books some Reason may be read and some foot-steps thereof found But in divers Dreames 't is more discernable Reason acts more regularly and manages matters more methodically so that sometimes Men may finde as effectuall use of Reason in their sleep as when wide awake Whence this may remain a Maxime among us That Man as an Animal creature in Dreaming sleepes And man as a Rational creature in sleeping Dreames Dreames are applicable to Man as Man and so to every Man Though the the Philosopher affirms that some men meet with no such motions of their mindes in sleepe but sleepe without any Dreames of any way or kinde But common experience may much confute True some men may not animadvert discerne or retaine in their memories such movings of their mindes yet that does not evidence that they are not Many a Dreame may possibly pass from a person that he perceives not through a two-fold cause Its Swiftness and His Slowness 1. The Dreame is swift and goes away with a quick foot or as upon the wing rather The wicked shall fly away as a Dreame Job 20. 8. The Ancients hence phancied that a Dreame had wings like a Bird of the aire It may be so considered because of it's celerity and sudden passage through which it is not perceived 2. The Man is slow dull and heavy about reflect acts Often even in a mans waking-time the minde works yet it 's work is not minded A man does not think what he thinks no marvell then if in sleeping-time the minde looks little back upon its own business but much overlooks its own work so that much is done that is not seen much in Dreames transacted that is not observed However man remains the subject of Dreames 2. Man in the condition of this life is likewise considerable as of Dreames the most sutable subject The season we know of Dreames is during the time of sleep now the time of sleep is in the time of this life after this terme of life there is no true sleep Either to Soul Or Body 1. The Soul sleeps not though so some Hereticks have asserted viz. That seperated Souls are cast into a dead sleep not to be awakened till the time the generall Resurrection but such heterodoxe Doctrine hath long since been beaten down by standing Truth plain Scriptures determining two dwelling places The Paradise of Heaven and The Prison of Hell Into one of which all Souls sayes Austin as soon as severed from their Bodies are carried by Angels or Devils to dwell in everlasting weale or woe and indeed the very Scriptures themselves say so much See Dan. 12. 2. Matth. 25. 46. Joh. 5. 29. Luk. 23. 43. Luk. 16. 21 22. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. 1 Pet. 3. 19. Rev. 20. 13 c. 2. The Body sleeps not in any Physicall or Philosophicall sense The Body bereaved of the Soul and lying dead in the Grave is said to be as asleep in the bed Hence burying places have been called sleeping places but this is onely Sleep in a Tropicall and Metaphoricall sense There be no Dreames in this sleep neither do these men thus asleep ever dreame Dreaming is during the time that the reasonable Soul resides and abides in the living Body The Body of man in sleep as a Heathen observes it lies as if it were fallen down by death but the Soul is so active therein as evidences the life thereof And Dreaming 't is one of those life-evidencing acts Though sleep be a plain Image of death yet Dreames in sleep are a clear Index of life Men while alive are the Centers of Dreames and Dreames are the signes of men alive There is no remembrance of thee in death saies David to God Psal 6. 5. That is A man indeed dead hath no commemorative thoughts of God or any other object to wit in that way or after that manner like to men alive in the world as Mollerus well interprets 'T is living men who do commemorate meditate excogitate matters in their minds both awake and asleep Even sleeping their minds are in motion which we call Dreames This casts me upon the next thing to be noted viz. Secondly The Actings or Dreames actually considered in themselves what they are found to be are discernable by Their generall Descriptions and Their generall Divisions 1. Dreames in a more generall way and according to their common Nature considered may be thus described Dreames are the agitations the egressions or Sallyings out of the Soul in thoughts of the mind while the Body lyeth bound by sleep in the bed A Dreame indefinitely and at large is the transacting of the reasonable Soul in the sleeping Body through the coassisting help of those admirable Faculties The Phantasie and The Memory Both which Faculties are found most active in the season of sleep For in sleep the outward Senses as Hearing Seeing c. being bound from their organicall and extrinsecall exercises and ordinary conveyances The inward Senses and Powers of the Soul as the Phantasie and Memory are at the more liberty and freedome from such externall attendances and so being at better leisure they within themselves fall to reflectings to new forming and erecting new frames of things that are vented in Dreames The Phantasie and the Memory are the Souls working Shops wherein strange things be wrought when the Soul as I may say goes not abroad but stayes at home and works within it self strange things it does w ch be drawn out in dreames So we see how Dreames be in generall described Secondly In generall Dreames may be variously divided As into their Parts And into their Sorts 1. The Parts that commonly constitute a Dreame whereof it is compounded and of which it is compacted or made up are mainly these two things An Apparition to the Thoughts And a Dilation of the Thoughts 1. In a Dreame there is somewhat appeares to the thoughts A dreaming Man sayes Austin he thinks he sees the Sun though the Sun he sees not As there may appeare some things to our eyes as Armies in the air fighting-men and flying-Horses which are no realities only apparitions So to a man in a Dream such things persons appear but they are no realities only fictions in his fancy Philo observes that some awake are like to men asleep while they think they perceive such things do but deceive themselves taking the signs of things for the natures of things meer Shadows for Substance In a Dream are thoughts of things not the things thought Secondly In a Dreame the thoughts dilate expand or spread themselves upon things that so appear
heart goes a whoring from God how can it be clean As departure causes defiling so defiling implies departure 2. Satan men herein turn to betaking themselves to his enticing forgeries and hugging his shadowes and bowing down to his Images embracing the representations he tenders Satan makes a sinfull mans bed his nest in which he lays most loathsome eggs which yet the sinner sits over adding his own warmth to brood and bring them forth this his defiling act infolds 2. The effects of sinne are found infolded herein As somewhat privative And somewhat positive 1. Privative or a further depriving themselves of primitive amability and beauty Thus man is made more remote from his first purity glory excellency and immaculate innocency 2. Positive or a further imprinting of deeper deformity and greater impurity through the pollution of Dreames The Schoolmen discoursing of sinne do still â—…eat of two things macula reatus filth and guilt The former is the blackness of sinne that takes away mans lustre the latter is the bondage of sinne that takes away mans liberty hereby he is bound over to death and Hell both follows upon filthy Dreames for whatever casts under filth brings under guilt Every sinne as it stains a man and leaves him under blots so it stabs a man and leaves him in his blood Filthy Dreames that defile though these effects are secret and unseen yet that makes them never the less but the worse The outward sins of waking men lay blots and blows upon them in the eye of the world but these inward sins of sleeping men lay blows and blots upon them in the sight of God who sees in secret Sinfull Dreames leave black blots they be as deep stamps and dirty steps of the Devils foul feet Which foul defilings are further helped forward by filthy Dreamers themselves These filthy Dreamers also defile the flesh And now having walked through these words in their Explication I come to some Application from the words in a double way To wit Of Instruction Of Admonition 1. Instruction These filthy defiling Dreames considered severall lessons many men may learn that do certainly concern Themselves within Others without 1. Men as within themselves reflecting may finde much of their spirituall misery from these fleshly Dreames of which they may be Both Receptive And Productive 1. Of such Dreames to be receptive is sad For a man to be as a noisome sink into which gathers all such filthy mud to be as the Devils center in which he makes his black lines to meet For a mans bed and head to be Satans stage upon which he brings strange disguised persons to play their parts whereupon follows such effects as do defile both head and bed Lev. 15. 26. Deut. 23. 10 11. For a mans head and heart to be the Devils dung-cart into which both day and night he throws his dirt and filth the case of no creature is herein like mans beasts swine and poisonous Toads are not receptacles of such stinking dreggs as filthy Dreames 2. Of such Dreames to be productive is yet much worse when of such sinfull thoughts in sleep Satan may be an assistant but mans own evil heart herein the chief agent and hereof the author Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the whole imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were onely evil continually 'T is not the imaginations thoughts in mans heart quasi ex alio but the imaginations and thoughts of mans heart quasi ex seipso were onely evil continually col-haiom the whole day which being taken in a naturall sense does comprise the night as a part thereof Day and night mans whole time continually the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are some way evil It may be they do not always amount to such monstrous wickedness as the text intends but when hitherto they proceed such sinfull Dreames are the products of mans own evil heart which is always evil but may be worst in the night In the day by reading hearing seeing by means of others company counsell examples exercises others good words and works a wicked man may have many good thoughts moving in his mind but in the sleeping time of the night when he hath no such helps his thoughts may be most notoriously naught Plutarch reports of a River that runs bright and sweet in the morning and so remains the day but it begins to run black and bitter in the evening and so all night with men many times that wickedness which breaks out in the day was formed and framed in the night The Prophet reports of some whose hearts be like a Bakers oven that is heated and made ready in the night and in the morning burns as a flaming fire Hos 7. 6. But suppose it proceeds no further then filthy Dreams in the night yet therein a man may see his heart miserably naught when a man hath not onely a filthy Dream but is a Dreamer in this filthiness found not onely actuall but usuall it manifests much misery such self-pollution being a sad condition And sadly may such a one say of his sinne as David did of his sorrow My sore ranne in the night and ceased not Psal 77. 2. 2. As concerning Satan hereby a man may discern His Knowledg His Diligence 1. The Devils knowledg by this appears to be great and that he is intimately acquainted with mans case Both for Body And for Soul 1. The state of mans body he much understands how that is disposed the parts thereof inclined through its naturall constitution accidentall occasions assiduall transactions contracted imperfections what propensities lubricities imbecillities have seized upon man and under which he suffers He knows which way nature even in corporeal parts is prone to put out it self and so in flinging the bowl he observes the biass beating man upon his own ground and bringing him to much misery 2. Satan sees much into the state of mans soul Though the soul as concerning its immanent and immediate acts of the principall powers is so lockt up as the Devil by a direct intuition cannot look therein or have knowledg thereof yet he can gather much in an arguitive way he can make such animadversions of matters without as to discover much within Mans understanding makes its parelii or likenesses and resemblances and these the fancy being neer hand takes in observes and imitates and while this is at work the Devil may get the key of this shop go in and view the Images that are framed there to set forward his sinfull design though the Devil cannot create or frame in the fancy any new corporeall species yet he can discern such similitudes and shadows of things as are there already framed he can call them up and accordingly conform himself and so fetch forth a suteable draught of Dreames Unto filthy apprehensions he can cause filthy apparitions and pitifully puddle a man in polluting Dreames 2. The Devils diligence is discernable therein
dreading of the Dreames through God and his grace Where the grace of God is not sinfull Dreames are pleasing not perplexing and might Satan have his mind such Dreames should please good men with delight and not possess them with fear from God it is that sinne as defiling is affrighting 'T is from the nature of man to fear death that corrupts the body but 't is from the grace of God to fear sinne that pollutes the soul 2. Suffering evils or evils more purely poenall and painfull and these evil things most properly proceed from God and with such evil Dreames God did most probably afflict Job Job God might dismay in his Dreames with representations of sinne not to sinne Sinnes past God might make to appear What he had done awake God might cause him to see in his sleep with soulamazements But respects to sinne laid aside the Lord in sleep might arrest Job as a Judg. Though towards evils of sinne 't is not fit for God to act any thing he being the purest essence in Heaven yet 't is meet for God to act about matters of pain he being the supream Judg of the earth God is so good that he is not the least actor of sinne but God is so great as he is the chief inflicter of pain and though pain be inflicted of God who is good yet in it self it is evil and though pain to be sure is a less evil than sinne yet still it is evil Sinne is an evil that disturbs Gods quiet in Heaven and pain is an evil that opposes mans peace and rest upon earth How was Job interrupted in his rest and broken in his peace through painfull and dolorous Dreames the dread of which evidences them evil in their nature 2. In their Number considered it seems they were many not Dreame but Dreames in the plurall manifold Dreames and Dreames about manifold matters that might amaze him divers and differing Dreames for degrees and kindes wherewith Job was skared Dreames of fear that like flames of fire flashed fast in his face Dreames of terrors that like troops of Souldiers upon him thrusting thick in his sleep Dreames of horror that like billows of water broke into his chamber and overflowed his bed that he lay as drowned therein enduring many dolorous thoughts Many things may a man suffer from one single Dreame but how many things be suffered when sad Dreames be multiplied this was Jobs case being skared with Dreames 3. The Person from or by whom Job was skared was God himself Thou skarest me Had these Dreames been barely the Devils-darts or as burning brands flung into his bed onely by Satans hellish-hand his heart would not have been so shaked with fear but finding God to have his hand therein and to be the cause thereof this this encreased his skare Thou skarest me As if he had said O Lord thou who in the day of my prosperity wast to me a Paradise of pleasure causing thy joy to shine as a bright Sunne into my soul thou didst comfort ravish me and refresh me oft yet now thou makst me all agast Thou who in the night of my adversity I hoped wouldst have sent into my heart soul-sweet helps from Heaven wouldst have set up cleer candles of comfort about my bed Thou not onely leavest me in the dark but skarest me with Dreames For skares and fears to be from the Devil or this wicked world were no wonder but for a good man to be frighted of God that God will not let him sleep without skaring this is strange and astonishing For fire to come out of the bramble is no such marvell but for fire to come out of the Vine for the brazen Serpent to become a stinging Serpent and for him to wound that should heal to skare that should comfort for the Lord who uses to be to his servants as a Lamb to be like a Lion and to roar upon them in their sleep this is strange indeed Luther hath some such saying If all the men in the world were mustered as Souldiers and all the Devils in Hell gathered as their Commanders and were upon their march against a good man this would not so much dismay him as one God against him Nothing so perplexes a pious man as the appearance of Gods displeasure suppose with Dreames of this God-skaring Job Thou skarest me with Dreames 4. Observe the season when with Dreames was Job thus skared to wit When he found no comfort awake When he looked for comfort in sleep 1. When awake he had no comfort but such painfull dolour as not onely deeply distressed him all the day but wherewith he was wearied whole nights having no sleep Wearisome nights are appointed to me When I lie down I say when shall I arise and the night be gone I am full of tossings to and fro to the dawning of the day ver 3 4. 2. Asleep he could have no quiet Though sometimes after days of dismall distress he looked at night for peaceable repose but even then were his hopes disappointed Skaring Dreames came into his minde when he expected comfortable sleep in his bed When I said my bed shall comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint Then thou skarest me with Dreames c. Commonly good men then finde it worst from God when they expect most from the creature and from the creature finde least when they look for most Scaliger tells of a tree from which when a man departs ramos pandit it spreads the boughs but when a man comes to it ramos constringit it shrinks up the leaves This is the usuall carriage of the creature when men are from it it seems to spread it self into wide promises but when they approach neer it it shrinks up it self from any good performances Thus Jobs bed served him when his expectations towards it were most raised in the day then his perturbations upon it most encreased in the night his bed was so filled with thorns he could lie at no ease even then when he looked for the largest and sweetest rest When I sai dmy bed shall comfort me then thou skarest me with Dreames The further discourse of these skaring Dreames will consist of a double part Explicatory Applicatory In the Explicatory part I shall unfold as referring to Dreames that affright four things 1. The Matter they may be of 2. The Movers they may be from 3. The Persons they may be to 4. The Reasons they may be for First The Matters about which Dreames may be made amazing are of two sorts Matters of Gods Majesty Matters of Mans Misery 1. The Majesty abiding in God may be so represented in sleep as to make Dreames terrible Gen. 15. 12. And when the Sunne was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and loe an horror of great darkness was upon him Diodat observes that such a Majesty of Gods presence did appear to Abraham as set horror upon
the eye but onely speaking so as somewhat seems audible to the eare This was Gods way in Abimelechs Dreames about the businesse of Sarah God came to Abimelech in a Dreame by night and said unto him behold thou art a dead man Gen. 20. 3. And God said unto him in a Dreame yea I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart ver 6. God did not herein use any similitudes Again God in the way of Dreames hath gone with steps More swift or More slow The making of Dreames lyeth in the moving of thoughts Now thoughts their motions are with expeditions Luther when he would set out the Agility of the bodies of Saints after the resurrection saies They shall move as swift in the Heavens as thoughts in the heart Yet the hearts and minds of some men in these notions are more flow dull and heavy then others And so Gods workings upon all are not with the same celerity because they follow not fully the activity of the Agent but according as is the capacity and receptibility of the Subject God in works of mercy nescit tarda molimina He would passe with all speed but mens hearts move heavy and hence thoughts in some both awake and asleep are more slow In all Dreames God does not keep the same space nor does he passe so sudden with some as with others but much varieth his goings so that some herein have found him easier to follow and others harder to trace Again God in this way and work of holy Dreames Hath made use of Instruments Or hath done all himself 1. Instruments God hath sometimes made use of transmitting Dreames into mens minds by the ministery of Angels When Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeared in a Dreame to Joseph in Egypt saying arise Mat. 2. 20. God sends Angels from Heaven in the night and sets them about mens Beds when asleep as to prevent Satan in Dreames that be bad so to convey himself in Dreames very good By bad Dreames would Devils break in but are beat off by Angels An Hystorian tells that when Gainas sent a great multitude in the night to burn the Emperours Palace at Constantinople a multitude of Angels met them in the forme of armed men which forced them with feare to flye back When Satan by night with a sinfull fire brought from Hell would set mens souls on a flame Angels bring a blessed fire from Heaven that burns and heats mens hearts in holy Dreames As God hath sent Angels to watch over some asleep for their protection so to work in some asleep for their instruction God hath appointed his Angels to carry his mind down to some on earth while their bodies have been asleep in their beds as he hath imployed his Angels to carry the soules of some up into Heaven when their bodies have fallen asleep by death 2. Somtimes God hath thus wrought himself alone no Angell administring Austin observes upon that Parable of our Saviour Luk. 11. Which of you shall go to his friend when it 's midnight saying send me three loaves He from within shall answer Trouble me not the doore is shut my Children in bed I cannot rise Yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him Here we see saith he how when the whole family was asleep yet the master of the house was awake and at midnight gave out bread to his friend c. Thus when to men-ward Angels are as if they were asleep yet towards them God is awake and in the night-times gives out good Dreames as severall Scriptures beside the text testifie Thirdly The persons unto whom good Dreames God hath given viz Both Sanctified And Sinfull 1. Into men sanctified God hath sent such Dreames as to Samuel when but a child about the businesse of Eli 1 Sam. 3. So to Solomon about the concernments of his Kingdome 1 Kin. 3. O what a comfortable conference passed betwixt God and him in a Dreame The Lord appeared to Solomon in a Dreame by night saying aske what I shall give thee and Solomon said give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people and to discern betwixt good and bad And the speech pleased the Lord and God said to Solomon behold I have given thee a wise and understanding heart And Solomon awoke and behold it was a Dreame ver 6 7 8 9 10 c. And indeed holy and good men are for such Dreames most meet Having fit matter for them Being free movers in them 1. Matter fit for such Dreames God finds in holy hearts the habits of Heavenly graces such supernaturall principles disposing them to receive further impressions from God We may see in our selves when our hearts are well inclined how quickly do we close with any good motion how readily do we receive sleeping or waking any gracious suggestion When a good fire is found in our wood the breath of the blessed spirit soon blows up such flames even by night in good Dreames A gracious heart is a fit stock for such graftings God takes pleasure to put in such Ciences with his own hand from Heaven A good soul is a fit soyle for such seed 2. The minds of sanctified men move freely so as actually to concurre with what comes from God In sleep their bodily senses are bound but their graces are free so farre as they are found flesh they are sleepie but so farre as they are spirit they are vigilant and wakefull The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Mat. 26. 41. I sleep but my heart waketh saies the Church Cant. 5. 2. Her Heart being awake she soone heard his knock Mat. 25. We find while the Bridegroome stayed the virgins slumbered and slept the wise slumbered and the foolish slept say some but concede they all slept yet the wise were in part awake whence they quickly heard the cry at midnight Behold the Bridegroome cometh Then they being ready went in with him ver 10. Let the Lord come at midnight good men are ready to meet his motions 2. Bad men have had Dreames from God as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar named are notable instances yet such Dreames God hath more rarely immitted They have more hardly admitted 1. Good Dreames into bad men brought seldome Amongst good men such matters have been found more frequent Joseph Jacobs sonne had so many Dreames sent in of God above his brethren-that they scoffingly called him the captain Dreamer Gen. 37. 19. Sinfull men they do so oft resist good motions when they are awake that God seldome visits them when they are asleep They are so much against God in the day that God is but little with them in the night 2. Dreames good men bad do hardly embrace sinfull souls have been afflicted when such were injected therein no way active but passive as appears in Pilates wives Dreame which Dreame was not of the Devill to hinder Christs
the body does because it is not subject so much as to the similitude or shadow of death viz. sleep as the body is Now if not the soul of a man much less does the soul of a Saint sleep If the rationall soul be waking working much more does the regenerate soul wake and worke when the body is bound by sleep And as the soul of a sinnefull Man is by bad Dreames set a worke in an abominable and wicked way so the sanctifyed soul is in good Dreames set a work after an admirable and worthy way we may say of the soul sanctifyed as 't is said of the good house-wife Prov. 31. 18. She perceives her merchandise is good and her candle goes not out by Night she seeks wooll and flax and works willingly with her hands she is like the Merchants ships she bringeth her food from afarre she riseth also while it is Night and makes ready meat for her houshold and prepares a portion for her Maidens c. As while the drowzie Disciples were fast asleep our dear Saviour himself was hard at holy Prayer fixed upon his Fathers will and work so a Saint of God whilst his body lies asleep on bed his soul in a sweet Dreame is bent about blessed business as if in prayer ardent in hearing diligent in Christian conference earnest as if at the Lords Table instant where he thinks he sees Gods Minister giving precious people receiving yea it seemes as if he saw the Lord Christ thereat sitting and thereupon the Spikenard smelling Cant. 1. 12. Oh the rare workings of the soul at such a time how admirably and acceptably did the soul of Solomon work in the time of a Dreame what an excellent prayer did he in the thoughts of his heart make 1 King 3. 6 7 8 9. 2. The Improvement of mens time in such Dreames is rare and precious 'T is a blessed thing for men to make the best of time especially to raise that time towards their eternall good which others idly sleep away We know a very vast part of our time runnes out by night and is spent in sleep of which we must give an account because not onely the day but the night is Gods The day saies David to God is thine the night also is thine Psal 74. 16. Luther hath some such like saying Whether the time be night or day it is of God and ought to be to God He that waketh must wake to God and he that sleepeth must sleep to God Now to God he surely sleeps that thus surely Dreames And as these meet times for man had never been So time would not continue in its order but day and night would be confounded were it not for God As God in the Creation did ordain day and night to be separate one from another and successive one after another Gen. 1. 5 6. So God by a Covenant keeps them asunder to come in their season Jer. 33. 20. 'T is Gods mercy day and night does not mingle together as to marre their order As God is worthy of praise that preserves the night time so it 's praise-worthy in man to improve the time of the night Yea that part of the night wherein he sleeps so as when his body is at rest his soule is at worke when his body lies still his soul is ascending Jacobs ladder This is a marvellous mystery to the most of men 2. Such Dreames are unto good men comodious Thereby the grace of God is evidently discerned Thereby the God of grace is comfortably enjoyed 1. Through these a cleare discovery is made of the grace of God Physicians find out the principall and most predominant humours in the body by Dreames Divines determine the master most prevailing and best beloved sinne in a man by his Dreames And so it may be surely seen and safely said such and such graces are present and potent in man by the spirituall motions of his minde in Dreames God by Dreames hath unloosed the doubts and enlightned the darknesse of divers brought them to the knowledge of what they did not understand One hearing the praise of Basil desired much to know what kinde of man he was whereupon a pillar of fire was presented in a Dreame saies my Author with this motto Talis est Basilius such a one is Basil a burning flame for God Some of Gods Saints desirous to know the beauties of holinesse and to behold the lustre of grace the Spirit of the Lord hath given that light in Dreames that they have learned how illustrious and lovely grace and holinesse in their hearts hath been Augustin tells of one Eulogius a Rhetorician in Carthage who meeting with an obscure place in Cicero's Rhetoricks which he was next day to read to his Scholats being at night troubled he could not understand it fell asleep and by a Dream before morning the dark place was made plaine How God hath cleared intricate Scriptures this way to some I shall forbeare to mention And as obscure places in books so obscure graces in hearts have been admirably opened unto men in their Dreams when they have been troubled with knotty objections they have thus received resolutions what was cloudy in the day hath been cleared in the night Graces in the heart like starres in the heavens have shined in the night that were not seen in the day One writing of the twelve stones in Aarons garment saies of the Rubic that it is a precious stone soonest seen and best found out in the night by a sparkling light it self therein casteth Thus in the night may a man have experience of grace and the spirituall workings thereof that did not so appeare in the day 2. In Dreames a close communion may be held with God a man may have refreshing fellowship with Father Son and Holy Ghost Many a good man as in Dreames he hath had close combatings with Satan his bed hath been as a field wherein many a brave battle hath been fought and victory got gallantly hath his soul beat off the Devill when his body lay bound by sleep So in Dreames he hath had close conversings with God his Bed hath been as a Bethel a place wherein God hath been present and a place wherein he hath made neer approaches to God and God to him Gen. 38. 16 17. And Jacob awaked out of sleep saying surely the Lord is in this place This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of Heaven Why the place was the open field where he had lien amongst the stones ai but he had had such a Dreame as put him into the very gate of Heaven and placed him as in the house of God Hence a Saint may not onely say to God as David Psal 139. 18. Lord when I awake I am still with thee but Lord when I sleep I am still with thee There may be somewhat more in that place of the Apostle then we
1. To discern Dreames the more that come indeed from God Now such are certainly seen by a Double signe Their resemblings of him Their returnings to him 1. Such Dreames they do resemble God There is in them that Truth Holinesse Goodnesse Purenesse Spiritualnesse and such like properties as bear some similitude with God himself We may be sure man was the workmanship of God because he was made after the Image of God The Antients though they much differ in determining wherein the Image of God consisteth in man yet they all agree that in man is so much of Gods Image as proveth his certain subsistence from God In an Image there is not onely a resemblance Analogie or similitude of one thing to another but there is a Deduction derivation impression of that similitude upon the one from the other with relation thereunto Now as man that hath Dreames in him so there be Dreames in man upon which is such an Impresse of the similitude of God such cleer Characters of Gods Image Imprinted as proves them to proceed from God It remains a maxime Whatever is in God is God and whatever is of God is like unto God â— converso 2. Such Dreames they do return to God Eccles 1. 7. All rivers runne into the Sea from whence they come and thither they return again This observed made One say As the Sea is the Mother of Rivers so the Rivers as the Daughters runne into the Womb again Mans reasonable soule is discerned not to be by Traduction from Parents but by its first infusion from God as its Father because separated from the body by death it immediately returns to God that gave it Eccles 12. 7. Things that have God for their Author incline to make God their Center that whence they take their Rise there they may take their Rest Water which being an heavy body bends downward yet is apt to ascend as high as its own spring Such Dreames as are the mountings of the mind and as make the mind to mount 't is manifest their spring-head is in Heaven Did not they come from God they would not so bend back to God again It plainly appeares their originall was from him because their reflects are to him and their contents are in him c. Thus may we discerne Dreames from God and thus should we the rather discerne God in Dreames considering Satans design in Dreames to deceive 2. To desire Dreames the more wherein God is manifest Shall the Devill be industrious to obtrude Dreames upon us that do pretend to God and shall not we endeavour to obtain such Dreames as do proceed from God indeed Luther observes how diligent the Devill is to disperse his deceits how his breast is full of lies and he labours day and night to bring them forth under fair appearances Should not we then the rather begg into our bosomes an abundance of those blessed Dreames that be indeed from God conducting us in the undoubted way of truth 3. To esteem Dreames derived from God the rather The more counterfeit coyne is up and down the more we account and love to receive Silver and Gold that is good When the Devill is night and day day and night scattering among many his guilded money we should the higher prize that precious gold given into our hearts by Gods hand from Heaven Considering the goodnesse of Gods wheat we should saies Luther live the more vigilant to prevent the Devill that in our sleep he may not sow his tares and considering the subtilty of Satan to sow such tares should incite us to set Gods wheat at the higher rate I meane to estimate good Dreames from God at the greater price 3. To retain these Dreames with the stronger hand and faster hold Luther likewise reports of some who did so doat upon their delusive Dreams that from them they would not be drawen by any strength of Reason or Scripture-argument supposing in sacred things themselves only wise and all others ignorant O how in an humble way ought holy hearts to hold Heavenly Dreames and with good care to keep them firme and fast in their remembring-minds 4. Object But we see so many in our times miserably mistaken with their trances strang extasies and raptures visions and revelations as may make as misdoubt all suggestions and be afraid of all unusuall motions c. Answer Unusuall motions suggestions raptures revelations and visions it may well become Christians to question and with care to examine that so they may with the more prudence Eschew the bad Pursue the good 'T is very memorable of the virgin Mary when the Angell of the Lord was sent and said to her Haile thou art highly favoured the Lord is with thee and blessed art thou among women And when she saw him she was troubled at this saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be Luk. 1. 28 29. However this comfortable discovery came from God yet this good woman does not suddenly receive it but seriously considers it Austin and others of the Ancients observe That as she was not wholly suspicious so she would not be rashly credulous Though thus commonly men and women are made by delusive motions deceiving visions and lying revelations The falsenesse of which suggestions whether asleep or awake may be further found out By what they divert men from By what they transport men to 1. They divert turn and take men off from those things that true discoveries from God do keep men to viz. From the publike Ministery From conscience of the Sabbath From the rule of Scripture From relative duties c. 1. They withdraw persons from the publike ministery so that they will not heare the Gospell publikely preached by the most faithfull dispensers though those perhaps which formerly themselves rejoyced in and blessed God for Luther relating the case of some Anabaptists in Germany who by Dreames and such like wayes were deluded saies thus We have now daily experiences of divers who not long since not only willingly but even hungrily heard us preach acknowledged God in us and esteemed us as the Ministers of God are now gone from us and there is none that doe lesse endure our Doctrine or abide our name then they c. 2. They decline men from a conscionall keeping the Lords day Hence though some have entred their names and so are bound to beare armes and ought to fight under the colours of Christ that they may maintain all the concernments of Christ yet they treacherously deliver up this fort-royall of Christ The Christian sabbath The sabbath whereof Christ is the Lord they leave This day they disregard that God from the beginning hath made among dayes the most blessed They pluck and fling away this sabbath flower as not sit to grow within the garden of Christ 3. The Rule of Scripture lying â—evelations lead men from Herebâ—…n
stood up stoutly in the day God hath tumbled and overturned with terrours in the night Job 34. Chap. 25. Ver. On the other side some of Gods Saints who have been down in the deeps of sorrows all day the Lord hath lifted them up by heart-gladding-comforts in the night And God spake to Israel in a Dreame by night saying Jacob Jacob I am God the God of thy father Feare not to goe down into Egypt I will go with thee and I will bring thee up again Gen. 46. 2 3. Much to this purpose see that great Apostle There stood by me this night the Angell of God whose I am and whom I serve saying feare not Paul be of good cheere God hath given thee all that saile with thee Acts 27. 26. O the heart-ravishing cups of comfort that God sometimes brings down for his Saints to drink in in the dark yea O how sometimes by soul-solacing Dreames are their hearts drawn up into Heaven Luther speaking of the Soul of a Saint separated from the body by death saies That it sleeps not but is ever awake walks in Heaven heares the language of Angels sees the visions of God c. The same in some measure may be said of such a Soul while united to the body in this life It sleeps not but being ever awake it even in the night-season ascends up into Heaven and sees the face of God and sings the praises of Christ So that we may say of a Saints sleep in this case as Austin once said of Stevens sleep martyred among the stones O sleep of peace how pleasant and full of delight Quest May not the Devils deluding Dreames have many delighting joys Answ Suppose so yet the joys of Divine Dreames are farre differing and may be discerned by Antecedent preparations Consequent inclinations 1. Before a Christian is penitentially prepared by afflictings of Soul and affrightings for sinne deep humblings and day-tremblings under sense of Gods wrath c. then by night God may represent to the mind his marvellous mercies in the Covenant of grace his favour upon the account of Christ pardon of sinne to the singular joy of the Soul 2. After a Christian is graciously enclined his spirit disposed to the advancing of God the abasing himself the opposing of sin the pursuing holiness of life and the like Such joys in Dreames are more then Dreames of joy One well observeth That all the Devils pleasing power it 's placed in deluding lies He delights to delude and he deludes in his delights He rejoyces to deceive men and he deceives men in their rejoycings Their joys in Dreams be but Dreames of joy They seem to solace but they do not solace as they seem Be such delusive joys examined by things before or after they may be found very vain as in the causes so in their essects whereas the virtuous vigour of true joys that are in and through Dreames Divine we may soon discern as by their good causes so by their excellent effects viz. They engage to truth They enlarge our strength 1. To truth our hearts are hereby engaged obliged more bent and bound to truth-embracements Such a Byas set upon our souls as may carry us the more strait on in obedience to the strictâ—st truths contained in holy Scriptures Yea we are taught not only to retain the truth but to rejoyce in the truth through the truth of joy Whereas false joys that proceed in and through delusive Dreames leave mens minds loose for the letting in most lamentable errors So that the saving truths of God in the Gospel are the sooner very sadly deserted 2. In strength our hearts are hereby enlarged encreased Nehem. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is our strength Such joys as God sends in sleeping or wakeing they strengthen with much spirial might our inward man making us the more apt and able to the holiest duties and for the heaviest difficulties that may severall waies be set before us Whereas false joys from Dreames delusive do rather debilitate enfeeble and weaken mans soul as to hard service or suffering Thus rightly to discriminate these is a lesson very well worth our learning Yea and let us learn likewise not only how to perceive and discern but how to reeive and maintain not only Dreames reall and truly right for delights but also the most rare and ravishing Dreams that can come from Heaven upon our hearts For the more constant compassing of such high night-comforts we ought through our whole daily walkings To beware To be wise 1. Beware of walking from the setled counsels of God Take heed of turning aside to seek uncertain waies to look for new Revelations and so forsake the antient Tracts and leave the long beaten paths of Bible-truths least we not only prevent from our selves such caelestial sweets but on the contrary procure to our selves the sowrest draughts that our minds can drink day or night May not we concurre with Cassian and confidently conclude That those Christians who during the clear day do deviate from Gods wonted waies from Christs the Kings known rode in his Word paved with Propheticall flints and Apostolicall stones and made plain by the footsteps of all the foregoing Saints yea and the Lord himself to seek out unknown waies and to wander into briery and bushy paths may look to lie down at night with legs all scratched garments torn with souls full of sores such wounds and wofull stings as will not well suffer them to sleep Excuse me good Christians if again and again I give this Caution lest men make a wrong Use of this requisite Subject in our monstrously mistaking season 2. Be wise to walk in the most certain comforts of God We may find that this is without doubt our daily duty not only to walk in the fear of the Lord but likewise to walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31. This for pious persons is possible though indeed so difficult that with Bernard the best may say Such soul-solacing daies and houres are very rare and sweet though very seldome and short Yet without question good care might carry us in and keep us to farre more continued waies of comfort than in which commonly Christians are found Were we so exact as we ought might not we make even our extraordinary comforts our much more ordinary Walks Sure we are not only to take some steps into spiritual comforts but we are to take up our daily walks in the comforts of the Spirit And if we thus walk into these comforts while awake what walks may such comforts have into us when asleep If we in our more constant course could converse with God by the most rejoycing thoughts in the day would not God have a more frequent converse with us by most refreshing Dreames from Heaven in the night Did but we afore-hand accustom our selves to be with rejoycings of soul in the service of the Lord how afterward