Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	christian_a	day_n	sabbath_n	12,184	5	9.9778	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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 ● 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 ●evelations lead men from Hereb●…n

night My reines instruct me in the night seasons saies David Psal 16. 7. Even in the seasons of the night the most retired motions of David's mind the most hidden thoughts of his heart did read him as one calls it a Curtein Lecture by which he learned much of himself towards God and much of God towards himself his Faith his Love and such like Graces were so comfortably discovered that he blessed God for it I will bless the Lord that hath given me counsell my reines also instrust me in the night season In the time of the night when good men are awake yea and when asleep also by these secret waies they may certainly discern much concerning The God of grace The grace of God 1. Much of God may by this means be manifest as not only the certainty of his being that he is but the transcendancy of his being what and how great he is in his power prudence providence vigilance omniscience goodness c. are even from these admirable actings evident Aristotle that great Philosopher that he might lift up humane Nature and dash down all Notions of Deity denyed any Dreames to be Divine yet to some Dreames he would grant Divination which may soon seem a contradiction A free concession to and due cognition of Divine Dreames may draw out much of the manifold Knowledg of God 2. Much of Gods sanctifying grace in men may through this be known That near access and close converse that ready recourse and refreshing intercourse which certainly sometims is between a glorious God and a gracious soul in time of sleep does testifie much in man of the grace of God This discovers Gods grace in its true Impress Progress Efficiency Proficiency Plutarch sets down this as a manifest sign of mans stature in Virtue that his Dreames are not of filthy but of honest things So that as to necessary Knowledg there is good use of a due understanding of Divine Dreames 2. As to the effectual furtherance of pious Practice the same is also of singular use This puts on to divers good Duties as relating to Dreames Divine For procuring and encreasing them For improving and pursuing them 1. To procure and encrease good Dreames A knowing Christian herein becomes diligent hereupon and takes paines in Prayer preparing all day for Gods visits in the night Psal 17. ● 2 3. Hear O Lord and attend to my Prayer Th●u hast visited me in the night thou hast proved my heart and shalt find nothing That is saies Mollerus nothing perfidious fallacious but as at other seasons and in other cases so in this my soul hath sincerely complyed with God and readily met him in the visits of the night And for this purpose the Prophet was full of Prayer in the day Luther reports that he on the other side often prayed to God that God would not speak any thing to him in Dreames And that he covenanted with God that in Dreames God would not send to him any of his mind c. But thus might this good man do upon a double occasion To oppose the waies of men To advance the Word of God 1. To oppose the practice of men who in his daies pretended divers things from God in Dreams full of fallacies and falsities therein many were Deluders and many deluded with which he was much affected and oft sore assaulted 2. To advance the Praescripts of God in his written word I am content saies Luther that I have the holy Scripture which teaches me so abundantly and evidently that herein I acquiesce And to Gods setled Word saies he while I adhere I am certain not to be deceived c. But if they be indeed Dreames from God they sute unto his Word and will not deceive us And therefore for such Dreames we ought to pray and to prepare good Matter for them to implore the Spirit poured out to ponder Scripture to hide Gods Word in our hearts to store up the Precepts and precious Promises thereof in our remembring minds and with the word to make meet Animadversions upon Gods marvellous works to hearken to God and to walk with God while we are awake that he may the more meet us in out sleep And why might not the minds of men move and be moved in holy and heavenly as well as in idle and foolish Dreames were diligence used and duties discharged I doubt not but divers of Gods dear Saints in these secret workings of their sanctified souls have many sweet caelestial sights when the eyes of their bodies be close shut upon their sleeping beds and see not 2. To improve and pursue such Dreames is a duty As soon as we are up to begin good deeds in the day that may occomplish the good God gave in the night 'T is said of Jonah his Guord that God made to spring in the night That when the morning arose a worm smote the Guord and it withered When we have a sweet Dream and come out of a good sleep in the night there is saies an Author one among the evil Spirits that out-runnes the rest and in the morning as soon as we awake endeavours to dash good thoughts to divert and to defile to prevent all pious practises and prosecutions But much care is required in this case We ought not only to preserve but to improve good Dreames by a practicall putting forward of our selves in holy Duties all the daies of our lives Now a right knowledg of these Dreames may much incite to such pious practises and profit Gods people both asleep and awake Excuse me then Gentle Reader for the attaining these Ends I have intended this Treatise and trust it may thereto be a good Means through Gods Mercy Amen Amen Decem. 28. 1657. Ph. Goodwin A SYNOPSIS OR Compendium Of the Main Integrall Parts OR A Table Demonstratory Proposing the Principal TEXTS and TRUTHS contained in this TREATISE PART I. Of Mens Dreames more Generall TEXT I. Psal 126. 1. We were like to men that Dream Contents 1. Mens Dreames how meetly they may be called Mysteries p. 2 2. Men the most receptible Subjects of Dreames p. 4 3. Mans Reason variously acting in Dreames how in some less evident and in some more excellent p. 5 4. Why so many Dreames pass from men that are not sensibly discerned p. 6 5. How only in this Life men are lyable to Dreames in sleep p. 7 6. How after Death though men may be said to sleep yet they Dream not p. 8 7. How mens Dreames are generally discribed and severally divided p. 10 8. What faculties of mans soul are in Dreames principally imployed p. 11 9. How in mens Dreames Things have no reall being but are only imaginary p. 7. 10. How mens Dreames lie in their thoughts and how their thoughts are concerned in Dreames p. 11 11. Dreames natural and supernatural how distinguished p. 13 12. How God and the Devil have their certain

are aware of at present 1 Thes 5. 10. Christ died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him If it relates to sleep before mentioned the Apostle speaks of a double viz. A sleep of the Soul in security Let not us sleep as do others ver 6. A sleep of the body for necessity They that sleep sleep in the night ver 7. Now that in the 10. ver cannot be meant of the Soul sleeping in sinfull security For therein is no living with Christ if intended of the body in it's naturall and necessary sleeping then through holy Dreames a man lives with Christ A godly man whether he wakes in the day or sleeps in the night by the thoughts of his mind he meets Christ remaines with Christ Christ and he hath sweet intercourse together O what sweet converse hath the Soule with it's Saviour in the solitudes of the night If thou wouldst solace thy self saies Bernard with thy Saviour mind much the most solitary times o●●●tirements Oh chast and lovely Soul be thou alone thy Heavenly husband who will not croud into thee in the day through the throng of worldly company and earthly imployments may yet give thee gracious visits in the night when the curtaines are drawn the doore lockt and all the world shut out then may he come and finding thee alone there give thee his loves Cant. 7. 11 12. All men saies an obscure Writer while they are awake are together in one common world but when they sleep each man goes into a single world by himself A Saint of God in his sleep goes into a glorious world where he finds comfortable company converses with Angels Apostles Martyrs and holy men Thus God makes good that promise Prov. 3. 24. When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid That 's not all Yea thou shalt lye down and thy sleep shall be sweet in sleep not onely free from what affrights but filled with what refreshes Thus the Prophet when he had Dreamt of the Churches happy estate Upon this saies he I awaked and beheld and my sleep was sweet unto 〈…〉 Jerem. 31. 26. O how have the ●●●forts of God and the God of comforts in time of sleep been sweetly received A Persian Monarch Dreaming that Themistoles the Athenian a man of rare parts was revolted from the Grecians and come in to him being transported with joy he broke out with a loud voice in his sleep I have got Themistocles the Athenian He is mine He is mine wherewith he awaked and so it was Thus a poor Christian who having been for divers dayes in doubts and deep distresse for want of Christ in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledg the Lord at length hath come in a Dreame by night which ●●th made his soul to sing leap saying Christ my Redeemer is come is come I have him I have him which proves more then a Dream Credibly have I heard it reported of a Christian man that lived in Dublin in Ireland who Dreaming he heard the last trumpet sound and that the world was at an end with joy leaped out of his bed and runne out inthe streets saying My Christ is come my Christ is come This I can report of a precious Minister a little before his death slumbering upon his bed in the night and falling into Meditations of the Resurrection at the last day when both body and soul should abide for ever in blisse started up and was ready to rise out of bed being askt what he meant answered Let me go to the pulpit and impart to the people the sweet comforts I have had in my soul this night O that these things might quicken and cause us to seek such Dreames from God From God that such Dreames may be procured preparation for them is to be made First in the day Secondly in the Night Whilest the day lasteth if we woul● prepare for good Dreames we must endevour To do much good To do all good well 1. Much good work we must endeavour in the day to do A dreame comes through the multitude of businesse saies Solomon Eccles 5. 3. He that goes through a multitude of worldly businesse in the day is apt to Dreame of worldly things in the night and in the night he is apt to Dreame of things holy and good who is busie about abundance of good in the day Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. 2. All good work we must endeavour to do well if thereby we would make way for good Dreames to follow We must set our selves in holy and religious duties To do them With strong desires With great delights To do them With hearts fired With hearts fixed We ought to stirre up and put out our selves about holy service so as to take pains thereat and pleasure therein with minds wholly bent thereupon to make the managments of holy matters our meat My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work John 4. 39. yea to esteem the work of God as Job did the word of God more then our appointed food chap. 23. 12. These day-duties to good Dreames are very dispositive and when night is then towards such Dreames there be duties preparative Both at the entrance of the night And in the progresse of the night 1. When Night is begun and we are to lye down in our beds our businesse as introducting to Dreames divine is Prayer to God Prayer as it beats off the Devill that he cannot assault us with Dreames that are bad So it brings on God graciously to visit us with Dreams that are good As we must pray for good sleep in the night So we must pray for good Dreames in our sleep reading the Scripture Hierom exhorted some godly women to whom he wrote to take the Bible to bed and to hold it reading in their hands till they bowed down their heads with sleep so as their lips and the leaves met 'T is to good Dreames a great help Instructing our families and speaking to them about us of the great works and good word of God which we are to relate when we lye down Deut. 11. 18 19. And the same Prov. 6. 21 22. All such means much conduce to Dreames that are good 2. When night goes on and in our beds we are laid to lift up our hearts unto God in holy meditations Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4. 4. The bed is not barely for body-sleeping but for heart-communing and soul-searching Psal 77. 6. In the night saies David I communed with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search David took advantage of the night to looke more narrowly into his own heart to sweep his house In the night likewise to look up in a holy remembrance of God I have remembred

to be also great through that filthiness which he sets forward in the night and those defilements he fastens upon man in his sleep We read of Edward the first who being wounded with a poisoned knife the Lady Elnor his wife while he lay asleep suckt out the poison to preserve his life But the Devil that Abaddon Apollyon that he may destroy while men lie asleep he casts in poison and so pollutes and defiles he seeks in sleep to slay by conveying venemous and vitious Dreames He comes like the Harlot Prov. 7. 9. In the black and dark night saying Let us take our fill of love Poor man follows straight way as a fool to the correction of the stocks as an Ox to the slaughter and as a Bird to the snare The Devil knows he may be interrupted in the day and therefore will not lose the night time 'T is true of Satan which is said of Gideon What he could not do by day that he did by night Judg. 6. 27. Jericho which could not be conquered by day yet was taken by the ambushments laid and assaults made in the night Josh 8. 6 7. Satan is sedulous in his sinfull assaults upon men As in every Place So at every time 1. No place is free He meets man at the Church and at his chamber and is busie about him both at his board and at his bed 2. No time is free If at any time held from sinfull imployment it seems as his punishment Stops in his temptations are his vexations he accounts restraining his destroying Art thou come to destroy us say the devils to Christ when they were cast out of man Mark 1. What is this saith Theophylact to destroy us this is to restrain his temptations from man At all times he loves liberty herein Yet then he is most stirring When man is most still At such times when man moves least then the Devil moves most As when idle in the day And when asleep in the night 1. Idle in the day It hath been ever observed when the Devil finds a man idle he fills him with his foulest temptations cogitations then he immits imaginations the worst and most wicked 2. Asleep in the night O that is a notable time for his temptations to take now a sinfull man lies fit for his motions Indeed day and night the Devils diligence is great As he observes men disposed in the day so he suits his motions at night And if as the Prince of darkness he can command the night he looks as Lucifer to carry the day I shall conclude what relates to Satan onely observing that of Luther who speaking his judgment de Incubis Succubis says That 't is not to be denied but certainly to be beleeved that Satan can ludificari in lecto c. and may permitted of God take upon him such species forms and shapes and so subtilly he may convey himself in time of sleep as to make the phantasies of sinfull men imagin most sordid matters and so says Luther Austin and other men of good repute do assert the same viz. That Satan so cunningly can in such wicked ways and manners deceive the senses of sleeping men as to fall under most defiling Dreames This who will doubt that well considers says he how 't is certain Satan can deceive even waking men in other sorts and parts viz. More Externall and Corporeall More Internall and Intellectuall 1. Parts more corporeall as the more outward senses the eyes and the ears of men even when awake Satan may subtilly make them imagin they hear such sounds and see such sights as indeed they do not 2. Parts incorporeall and intellectuall even such as lie more inward and upward the superiour powers of the soul as the understanding and reason even in mens waking-time Satan can also deceive c. So that we may soon beleeve the lower and inferiour faculties the sensitive carnal and more gross parts may in delusive Dreames be polluted Thus Luther Lastly In relation to God a man may learn very much Both from these Dreames towards him And from himself towards these Dreames Severall things that concern God are considerable hence As the Might of his Power And the Mercy of his Patience 1. Much of Gods power appears as respecting such Dreames In pardoning things that be so bad In preventing things they be no worse 1. Great is Gods pardoning power else were it not possible that such pollutions should have their remissions as yet is manifest they may in that upon repentance God promises pardon to sinnes of all sorts and sizes Isa 55. 7. Jer. 31. 34. Jam. 5. 15. 1 Joh. 1. 9. After this black sinne God may give a white stone Rev. 2. 17. 2. Gods preventing power how mighty is manifest in bounding the Devill in limiting lusts and not letting this Leprosie spread keeping it wholly off in some and causing a comfortable cure in others Our Saviour expressed a work of wonderfull power in healing the woman diseased with a running issue of blood twelve years Matth. 9. 20. 2. Exceeding much of Gods marvellous patience may appear as respecting such Dreames and filthy Dreamers Commonly such men may finde that concerning such Dreames they do Much disposing to them Nothing opposing against them 1. Dispose themselves much to them they do as deeply provoking of God pleasing their lusts and displeasing the Lord. Young years oft paddle and puddle themselves in such pits watering the Devils plants and being wanton in evil on the earth Jam. 5. 5. nourishing their hearts in naughtiness and nourishing naughtiness in their hearts looking on such objects hearing such stories reading Pamphlets with pampering diet as dispose 2. Oppose themselves against such Dreames they do not for which non-performance they are found offensive to God yet God is patient though provoked in that these Dreamers do nothing Before for preventing or After in repenting 1. Before Nothing they are found doing to prevent such Dreames Either in Watching Or in Prayer 1. Watch they do not A good Christian indeed sets his soul to watch while his body sleeps Like the Prophet Isa 21. 8. who cried a Lion my Lord I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day time and I am set in my ward whole nights But with these no Lion is feared no night-warding or watching performed their whole man lies asleep when these night-fires fearfully burn and break out 2. Pray they do not Indeed a godly man cries upon this account against such a sleep of sinne as David against the sleep of death Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten my eyes lest that I sleep the sleep of death and mine enemies say I have prevailed against him Psal 13. 3. That the Devil prevailing may not triumph such a one rather desires to sleep in the dust of the earth than in the lusts of his heart And desires while he lives that rather

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