Common Places, Part 1 · Chapter 5
The fift Chapter. Of Dreames; chieflie out of the booke of Iudges, the 7. chapter, verſ. 13.
THe Iewes ſéem to make thrée ſorts of dreams. Three ſorts of dreames. Out of Gen 28, verſe. 10.The firſt they account altogether naturall. The ſecond méer diuine, as when one is caſt into a ſléepe by God, and in the ſame is warned of things ſecret and hidden: as we knowe was doone in the firſt man Adam, Gen. 2, 18.when Eue was framed out of his ſide. For the Lord caſt him into a ſlumber, and (therein) inſtructed him of the coniunction betwéene Chriſt and his Church. The ſame wée knowe was doone to Abraham, when as GOD caſt him into a ſléepe, in the midſt, Gen. 15, 12.betwéene the péeces of fleſh, and told him what ſhould happen vntounto his ſéed manie yéeres after. The third ſort of dreames is mixt of them both, and is common with the prophets, when naturall ſléepe commeth vponupon them: but yet God is preſent with them in their ſléepe, and inſtructeth them of things to come; of which ſort was that of Iacob, Gen. 28, 11.about the viſion of the ladder.
And ſéeing we purpoſe to ſpeake ſomewhat largelie of dreames, In Iudg. 7, verſe. 13. Looke In 1. Sam. 28, verſe. 15.we will firſt ſée what may be ſaid of them by naturall reaſon; and ſecondlie, how much muſt be attributed vntounto them by the word of God. Concerning the firſt, Ariſtotle, Hippocrates, Galen, Ethnicke authors.and diuers other famous philoſophers hauehave written much; and among others, Ariſtotle in his little booke De diuinatione per ſommium, (if that were his, and yet no doubt but it is both learnedlie and clarklie written) firſt ſaith, that this kind of diuination by dreames, is not vtterlie to be reiected, bicauſe commonlie verie much is attributed thervnto: and thoſe things which be receiued in a maner of all men, are neuer altogither falſe. And he ſaith moreouer, that there be manie dreames, whereof there may bée yéelded a verie fit and conuenient reaſon, which (as experience teacheth) deceiue not men, but fall out true: therefore it were not well to deſpiſe all maner of diuination by dreames. Yet we muſt take héed, that we be well aduiſed in admitting of them; ſéeing it is a verie hard matter to ſhew the cauſes of them; for that nature on this behalfe worketh moſt obſcurelie.
And Ariſtotle dooth not thinke, Ariſtotle did not think that dreames are ſent by God.that viſions are ſent by GOD: ſaieng, that If they were ſent by him, he would giuegive them to ſuch as are good and wiſe men; but wée ſée by experience that it is otherwiſe. For the fooliſh and ſimple doo manie times preuaile in this facultie. Moreouer, the brute beaſts hauehave their dreames; but who will ſaie that God giueth them the power of diuination? Neither are viſions occupied about the phantaſie of men in their ſléepes, to this end, that therby they ſhould prognoſticate things to com. And beſides, if God did ſend ſuch viſions, he would rather doo it in the daie time, that men might with more diligence conſider of them: neither can we eaſilie iudge, why he hath choſen the night for ſuch a purpoſe.
And to conclude, ſéeing God is not enuious, he would not ſo obſcurelie warne them, whom hée would hauehave to be inſtructed in the things to com; but he would ſhew thoſe things cléerelie & plainlie: but dreames are ſo darke and obſcure, that for the interpretation of them, men muſt repaire to prophets and ſoothſaiers. Theſe things are gathered in a maner out of Ariſtotle, whereby hée wholie tranſferreth this thing from God vntounto nature: as though the cauſes of dreames ſhould be drawne from thence. But of thoſe things I will intreate more, when I come to ſpeake of dreames, according to Diuinitie. I will now declare what he hath of this matter.
2 Dreames (ſaith he) are either ſignes, or cauſes; or elſe they are chanceablie, and by fortune applied to thoſe things, wherevnto they are referred. And euerie one of theſe thrée kinds is thus expounded. A peripateticall explication of dreames.He ſaith, that dreames are ſomtimes ſignes of the affections of the bodie or mind. For by them is declared verie manie times, what humors doo abound, beare rule, & doo moſt of all offend in mans bodie. According to the diuerſitie of humors, ſo are likeneſſes moued.For ſhewes & likeneſſes of things are raiſed according to the qualitie of nature, & temperature of humors preuailing in the bodie. Where choler aboundeth, there flames, fire, coles, lightening, brallings, and ſuch like are ſéene. If that melancholie hauehave the vpper hand, then ſmoke, great darknes, all blacke and ill fauored things, dead corſes, and ſuch like, preſent themſelues. But flegme raiſeth vp the likenes of ſhowers, raines, fluds, waters, haile, iſe, & whatſoeuer elſe hath plentie of moiſture ioined with coldnes. By bloud are ſtirred vp goodlie ſights, cléere, white, and fragrant, and ſuch as reſemble the common purenes, and vſuall forme or face of things. Neither are theſe things neglected of the phyſicians. For euen they themſelues (as Hippocrates and Galen report) doo verie diligentlie examine their patients touching them: bicauſe thereby they can find out the temperature of thoſe humors, which lie hidden within the bodie.
But the cauſe why men doo perceiue the nature of theſe motions by viſion, when they are aſléepe, and not waking, is this; for that they are alwaies but ſmall, and the ſenſe of them vaniſheth as ſoone as we awake. For outward things which are ſtill in our eies, drawe vsus to ſtronger motions another waies; but being quiet from outward buſines, we ſurceaſe, and are frée from the groſſer things, which occupied our ſenſes. Wherefore our phantaſie dooth apprehend thoſe ſights and likeneſſes of things, Likeneſſes are rather perceiued in ſleepe, than waking.which humors alwaies raiſe in vsus, rather while we are aſléepe, than when we are waking. And that we perceiue ſmall things far better, when we be aſléepe, than when we be awake, it appéereth hereby; in that we iudge euerie ſmal noiſe to be great thunders. And if there happen but a little ſwéet flegme, to remaine vponupon the toong or roofe of the mouth, we thinke that wée taſte either honie, or ſugar, or ſwéet wine, or ſome daintie meates: and ſometime that wée eate and drinke verie liberallie. Wherefore, thoſe that be but ſmall motions of humors, doo appéere in the time of ſléepe to be excéeding great. For which cauſe the phyſicians may hereby knowe the beginnings and occaſions of verie manie diſeaſes.
Dreames alſo are certeine ſignes of the affections of the mind; as of deſires, hope, ioie, Dreames be ſignes of the affections of the mind.and mirth, and alſo of perfect qualities. Wherefore fearfull men doo ſée other maner of things, than men of courage; couetous men other things, than they which be in hope; alſo the learned are woont to hauehave far other maner of dreames, than the countrie man, or crafts-man hath. For euen when we ſléepe, the mind is occupied about thoſe things, which we are continuallie or commonlie dooing. There is alſo another thing to be conſidered, as we are well admoniſhed by Galen: Galen.that there be certeine kinds of meats, which being naturallie cholerike, flegmatike, or melancholike, doo by reaſon of their qualitie ſtir vp about the phantaſie of men in their ſléepe, The qualitie of meate and drinke dooth alter the ſimilitudes of dreames,as it were ſhapes and ſimilitudes of things agréeable to thoſe humors; although the temperature of the bodies of ſuch, doo not of it ſelfe offend by thoſe humors. Which thing alſo a phyſician muſt obſerue in dreames; namelie to ſée what maner of meate the ſicke man vſed. Yea and wine (as teacheth Ariſtotle) being immoderatelie taken, dooth in the time of ſléepe make manie deformed ſhapes of things.
When a dreame is a ſigne, it is referred to the cauſe, namely to thoſe ſuperfluous humors which it betokeneth. And then it may alſo be called a ſigne of ſome euent to followe; for that from the ſelfe-ſame cauſe, that is, from the humors which are betokened, either health or ſicknes may bée deriued. Wherefore a dreame, as it is a ſigne of the humor; ſo it giueth alſo a token of the effect that ſhall ariſe of it. For of the ſame cauſe, to wit, of the humor, ariſeth as well the diſeaſe, as the dreame. But yet hauehave they not relation ſemblablie one of another. For ſicknes or health be no tokens of dreames.
3 But now let vsus ſée how dreames may ſomtimes be called cauſes: that happeneth, Dreames are ſometimes the cauſes of thoſe things that we do.when one is mooued by a dreame, either to doo or to make triall of anie thing. As when one is cured of the ſplene, bicauſe he bled vponupon the back of his hand: for ſo he was taught to doo in his dreame. And ſomtimes it comes to paſſe in learned men, that they find out thoſe things, which they be in doubt of, in ſuch bookes, where they ſawe themſelues in their dreame both to find and to read them. But let vsus conſider the third part of the diſtinction, which we brought: Somtimes dreames happilie betoken thoſe things which com to paſſe.namelie, when dreames doo happilie or by chance, betoken things which afterward fall out. That takes place in ſuch matters, the cauſe whereof conſiſteth not in our ſelues, but is rather diſtant & far remooued. As if we ſhould ſée a victorie, or an ouerthrowe giuen in a campe, a great waie off from him; or elſe one that is abſent, to be aduanced to excéeding great honour. Theſe things are ioined togither (as the Peripateticks ſaie) by chance, and cannot be compared togither, either as cauſes, or as ſignes. Euen as when we talke of anie man, if happilie the ſame partie come in the meane while, we ſaie Lupus in fabula, The woolfe is in preſence. And yet the talking with him was neither cauſe, nor token of his comming. So therefore, theſe things are ſaid to be ioined by chance, and alſo ſeldome hauehave ſucceſſe. For this is the nature of things that come by chance; to happen but ſeldome.
Who do naturallie for the moſte part ſee true dreames.4 Moreouer, Ariſtotle hath taught, who they be, that before others knowe manie things aforehand by dreames, and this he aſcribeth chéeflie vntounto ſuch as are idle and full of words: next to melancholike and phrentike perſons, alienated both from their mind and ſenſes. Somewhat alſo he ſéemeth to grant vntounto kinſfolke and fréends. For theſe kinds of men dreame verie much in their ſléepe. Pratlers in verie déed and idle perſons be altogither in their muſes, whereby they are fraughted inwardly with phantaſies and viſions. And thoſe which are troubled much with melancholie, doo, by reaſon of the ſtrength & nature of that humor, dreame of verie manie things, and moreouer are woont to be much giuen to priuate cogitations. The phrentike ſort alſo, bicauſe their mind is void both of the knowledge of the outward ſenſes, and eke of the vſe of reaſon, therefore they be wholie giuen vp to idle imaginations. Laſtlie, fréends doo therfore in their dreames ſée manie things of their fréends, bicauſe they be full of thought and care for them. All theſe now rehearſed are woont to foretell ſundrie things by their dreames, bicauſe in ſuch a diuers, and in a maner infinite ſort of dreames and viſions, it is not poſſible, but that ſome things ſhould otherwhile happen true. A ſimilitude.They that exerciſe themſelues all daie long in ſhooting, oftener hit the marke, than others which doo ſhoote but now and then: and they which ſpend the whole daie in plaieng at tables or dice, caſt manie more happie chances, than they which ſeldome or little ſport themſelues in that kind of paſtime.
But it is to be vnderſtood, that thoſe ſignes, The neceſſitie of effects muſt not be gathered of dreames which be ſignes. A ſimilitude.which be attributed vntounto dreames, as touching the firſt ſort alreadie declared, are not of neceſſitie, bicauſe they may be hindered: and yet this prooueth not, but that they may be ſignes. For this alſo commeth to paſſe in the clouds, which vndoubtedlie be tokens of raine; when as neuertheles they be ſometime ſcattered with the wind before it raine. Alſo vrine hath tokens both of ſicknes and health, when as yet the effect may be hindred by more vehement cauſes. And the ſame likewiſe happeneth in the pulſes. Yea & euen the counſels, which we hauehave purpoſed and determined of with great deliberation, are oftentimes ſtaied, bicauſe of things that fall betwixt, by the occaſion whereof we cannot procéed anie further. Therefore no maruell, if the ſame thing come to paſſe in dreames, ſéeing they be ſignes of things not fullie perfected, but rather new begun: and the weake and féeble motions of humors may eaſilie be ſtaied by manie other cauſes.
5 Democritus dooth on this wiſe expound thoſe kind of dreams, Democritus.which repreſent things comming by chance, and are far diſtant. There is ſomewhat (ſaith he) euer flowing frō the things themſelues, and carried euen vntounto the bodies of them that ſléepe, affecting them with the qualitie and ſimilitude which they bring with them: and he affirmeth that in twoo reſpects it is more eaſilie perceiued rather in ſléepe than waking. Firſt, A ſimilitude.bicauſe the aire is moſt eaſilie mooued in the night, as we ſée it falleth out in the water: when it is ſtriken with a ſtone, a great manie circles are made with that ſtroke, and driuen a great compaſſe about, except there be ſome contrarie motion to let. But the aire is quieter in the night than in the daie, bicauſe it is not driuen into diuers parts by the confluence of creatures moouing themſelues. Another cauſe is, for that euerie little ſtir & noiſe is verie eaſilie perceiued by them that be aſléepe. And to conclude; this author alſo dooth not refer the cauſes of dreames vntounto God, no more than Ariſtotle dooth. Galen.But Galen in his booke which he wrote of diuining by dreams, teacheth thus much aboue others: when as we ſée in our dreames, thoſe things which we neither did nor thought of, they are not to be referred either vntounto arts or habits, or cuſtome of ſuch things as came to paſſe while we were waking, but vntounto humors.
This rule ſéemeth to tend to this end, that wée may vnderſtand, of what things dreames are to be counted ſignes. And hée granteth, that theſe things are better knowne by night than by daie, bicauſe then the ſoule deſcendeth to the loweſt and déepeſt things in a mans hart, where it perceiueth the more eaſilie what is there. And he tels of a certeine man, A certeine mans dreame.who being aſléepe, imagined that his leg became a ſtone; which when manie thought that it pertained to his ſeruants, the ſame leg of his within a few daies fell into a palſie. Another thought with himſelfe that hée was ſunke vp to the throte in a ceſterne full of blood, out of which he could no maner of waie eſcape: but that ſhewed that blood verie much abounded in him, and that it was néedfull for him to hauehave it abated. Hée maketh mention alſo of another, which dreamed on his ſicke daie, that he ſawe himſelfe waſhed in a hothouſe; who ſhortlie after fell into an excéeding great ſweate. Moreouer (ſaith he) men when they are aſléepe, imagine themſelues ſometimes to hauehave ſo great a burthen vponupon them, that they are not able to beare the weight of it: and at another time, that they are ſo light and ſo nimble, as if they were running, and after a maner, flieng. All theſe things (ſaith he) are tokens either of the exceſſe or the want of humors.
Hippocrates.Hippocrates as concerning theſe things writeth in a maner the ſelfe-ſame; namelie, that the mind in the daie time dooth diſtribute his powers into the ſenſes and other faculties; but that in the night it draweth them into the inward parts, and for that cauſe dooth knowe them the better. Yet he ſaith, that there be certeine diuine dreams whereby are foretokened calamities vntounto cities, peoples, and ſome certeine great men. For the expounding of which dreames, ſome there be that profeſſe certeine arts, to the which yet, he himſelfe ſéemeth to attribute verie little. And when by dreames it is noted, that the humors offend or annoie vsus, then (ſaith he) they are to be holpen by good diet, by exerciſe and medicines. And whether they be good dreames or bad, he would hauehave vsus to vſe praier. When helth is ſignified, we muſt then praie (ſaith he) to the ſunne, to Iupiter of heauen, to Iupiter poſſeſſor, to Minerua, to rich Mercurie, and to Apollo. But if they be vnluckie dreames, praie then (ſaith he) to the gods, which turne euils from men: as to the gods of the earth, and other petie gods. Wherefore Hippocrates, either was or elſe would ſéeme to be ſuperſtitious: but trulie for my part, as touching true religion I miſlike not, (naie rather I verie well allow of it) that if wée be troubled at anie time with fearefull dreames, we ſhould repaire to God, praieng him to returne from vsus thoſe euils, if there be anie, that doo hang ouer our heads.
What is the outward cauſe of dreames.6 There is another kind of dreames, which proceedeth from an outward cauſe: namelie, of the power, or (as they commonlie ſpeake) of the influence of the heauen, which changeth the aire: and this once touching our bodies, maketh them of a new kind of qualitie; whervpon ariſe diuers appéerances and forms of things to men aſléepe. Wherfore there be manie effects that come from heauen, wherof it bringeth foorth ſome in the phantaſie, and in the facultie or power of imagination, The power of the imagination.and other ſome in the things themſelues: and this may be eaſilie ſhewed by an example. The raine vndoubtedlie hangeth in the aire or clouds, and before the raine fall, there is ſuch a change in a crowes imagination, that by and by he beginneth to call. Wherfore the effects that be in the phantaſie of dreamers, & in the thing, doo vndoubtedlie come both of one cauſe: yet hauehave they great diuerſitie, by reaſon of the ſubiects, in which they fall out. And no doubt, but there is a little kind of liknes betwéene theſe effects: but it is verie hard to ſée the maner of this proportion or analogie. And if it be agréed vponupon, that the cauſe of ſuch effects or affections is in the ſtars, who yet can refer theſe ſignes to their owne proper cauſe, that is, vntounto ſome ſtars rather than to others? Surelie I thinke verie few. I will not ſaie none are able to doo it. And yet beſides, if they ſhould be referred to their proper ſtarres, what can we iudge will come to paſſe by them, eſpeciallie as touching things contingent, ſéeing iudiciall aſtrologie was euer accounted a moſt vncerteine art?
And to conclude; the forms and ſimilitudes, Why diuination by dreames is hard & vncerteine.which are ſaid to foretoken the euents of things to come, are ſo doubtfull and vncerteine, as it ſéemeth, that nothing can be ſurelie determined by them. Herevnto moreouer is to be added, that ſéeing dreames (as it hath béen declared) may come, not of one cauſe, but of manie; we ſhall eaſilie fall into error, if among thoſe manie cauſes, we hold vsus to anie one. Wherefore we are to ſuſpend our iudgment, and not lightlie to diuine of anie thing vponupon dreames, ſéeing that they may more eaſilie be iudged of by the euents, than the euents can be coniectured of by them. Now then, there remaineth onelie a certaine ſuſpicion to be had by dreames, and which alſo muſt be but verie ſlender. Thoſe two moſt famous poets (I meane Homer and Virgil) fained two ſundrie gates of dreames: the one of horne, and the other of iuorie; Gates of horne and iuorie.the horne they attribute to true dreames, but the iuorie to falſe dreames: and (as they ſaie) there paſſed a greater number of dreames through the iuorie gate, than through the horne gate. Wherefore in iudging of naturall dreames, let vsus not paſſe the meaſure of ſuſpicion; neither let vsus cleaue too much vntounto viſions. For it is not the part of chriſtian men to leane vntounto perilous and vncerteine coniectures, more than is méete. For while they be ouer-earneſt about theſe, they omit things of more importance: beſides that, the diuell dooth oftentimes intermeddle theſe things of purpoſe, Looke In 1 King. 3, verſe 15.either to driue vsus to doo that which is euill, or to withdrawe vsus from that which is good.
7 But now let vsus ſée what we muſt determine concerning dreames put into vsus either by God, Of dreames ſent by God or by the diuell.or by the diuell. Whenſoeuer anie thing is foreſéene in dreames by the helpe of God, or his angels, In diuining anie thing by viſions or dreames, two things are required.two things are required. The firſt is, that certeine marks or images of the things which are ſhewed, doo print ſome kind of forme in our phantaſie or imagination. Secondly, that there be added iudgement, whereby we may be able to knowe what theſe things doo import. Touching the firſt, we muſt vnderſtand, that theſe tokens and images are manie times caſt into our ſenſes, by reaſon of thoſe things, which God maketh outwardlie to appéere: as when Baltazar, that ſuccéeded Nabuchadnezar, ſawe the fingers of a hand writing vponupon the wall; as we reade in Daniel. Dan. 5, 5.And ſomtimes images and likeneſſes are deſcribed in the verie imagination or phantaſie, without anie externall ſight: and this happeneth two waies. For either the forms or ſimilitudes laid vp in the mind, are called for backe againe by God, to ſuch vſe as liketh him (as when to Ieremie was ſhewed a ſéething pot turned toward the north) or elſe new forms are ſhewed, Ier. 1, 13.which were neuer knowne before to the ſenſes: as if the forms and likeneſſes of colours ſhould bée ſhewed to a man blind from his natiuitie. And in this kind of diuination, Images or formes inſtead of letters.the images or forms are in ſtead of letters. For euen as they be ordered and diſpoſed, ſo are the oracles diuerſlie giuen: like as by the diuers changing of letters, our ſpéeches and ſentences are manie waies varied.
Teachers which inſtruct ſchollers, may by their paines and diligence in teaching, print ſundrie kinds of images in the minds of their hearers; God otherwhile in dreames giueth not both forms and the vnderſtanding of them to one and the ſame man. Gen. 40, 9. and 41, 1. They which onelie hauehave the ſignes are not abſolutelie called prophets. Iohn. 11, 49.although it be not in their power to giuegive them iudgement, and the verie right vnderſtanding of things. But God giueth both, yet not alwaies indéed at once. For into ſome, he otherwhile inſtilleth onelie forms of things, as he did vntounto Pharao, vntounto his butler, and to his baker, and likewiſe to the king of Babylon; all which had néede of an interpretour to expound their dreames; as Ioſeph and Daniel. And verelie, thoſe to whom are ſhewed onelie the ſignes of things to come, are not in verie déed accounted prophets; forſomuch as they hauehave onelie a certeine degrée and entrance, and as it were a ſtep vntounto propheſieng: euen as Caiphas the high prieſt is not to be accounted for a prophet, ſéeing hée vnderſtood not what he ſpake.
8 But why God would otherwhile open by dreames vntounto kings and princes, Why God would by dreams open things vntounto princes.things afterward to followe, there are (as I now remember) two reaſons. The one, bicauſe he had a regard vntounto the people and nations which they gouerned. For if the great derth, which was approching, had not béene ſignified vntounto Pharao, Aegypt had vtterlie periſhed with famine. Secondlie, it was the counſell of the Lord, by the interpretation of theſe dreames, to make thoſe prophets and holie men knowne to the world, which laie hidden before: which thing the holie ſcriptures teſtifie came to paſſe in Ioſeph. And the Ethnike hiſtoriographers alſo write manie things of the dreames, which princes ſometimes hauehave had. Some of the which Tertullian mentioneth in his booke De anima; Tertullian.as of Aſtiages dreme, concerning his daughter Mandane; likewiſe of Philip of Macedonia, and of Iulius Octauius, whom Marcus Cicero ſawe in a dreame, being but a child, & afterwards méeting with him, knew him by that dreame: and diuers ſuch like things are recited by the ſame father.
9 But theſe things being omitted, Dreames ſent by God.let vsus confirme by teſtimonie of the ſcripture (which is eaſie to be doon) that ſome dreames are ſent by God. Matthew teſtifieth, Matth. 1, 20.that Ioſeph the huſband of Marie was thriſe warned by the angel. Pilats wife alſo by a dreame vnderſtood, Matt. 27, 19.and cauſed hir huſband to be told, that he ſhould not condemne innocent Chriſt. And in the 16. of the acts, Acts. 16, 9.a man of Macedonia appéered vntounto Paule in a dreame, Acts. 18, 9.and mooued him to go into Macedonia. And the Lord commanded the ſame Paule in a dreame, that he ſhould not depart from Corinth, bicauſe he had an excéeding great number of people in that citie. I could recite manie mo places both of the old and new teſtament, but that the time will not permit. Philo Iudaeus.Philo Iudaeus (as Ierom in his booke De viris illustribus teſtifieth) wrote fiue bookes of dreames, immitted by God. Cyprian.Cyprian alſo reporteth, that in his time certeine things were ſhewed in ſléepes, which made to the edifieng of the congregation: and it was not a little, but rather a great deale of credit that he gaue vntounto them.
But Auguſtine in his 12. De geneſi ad litteram, Auguſtine.the third chapter ſaith, there are thrée kinds of viſions. The firſt (hée ſaith) pertaineth to the outward ſenſes, Thrée kinds of viſions.which he calleth corporall: againe, another ſort he calleth ſpirituall, which conſiſteth of ſhewes or images, and hauehave place about the phantaſie or power imaginatiue: & the laſt kind he nameth intellectuall, bicauſe they be onelie comprehended by reaſon and iudgement of the mind. But thoſe which he maketh imaginatiue; namelie, the ſecond ſort, he ſheweth (as we alſo declared a little before) that they doo not make prophets: and ſaith, that Ioſeph was a far truer prophet than Pharao. And the ſelfe-ſame thing may we ſaie of the ſouldier, Iudg. 17, 4.that in Gedeons hearing interpreted the dreame of his fellowe-ſouldier, to wit, that he rather was the prophet, than he that had the viſion. But in this order or degrée of prophets, Daniel excéeded all others. Dan. 2, 29.For hée not onlie interpreted the kings viſions, but euen when the king had forgotten what he had ſéene in his ſléepe, he was able to call it to his remembrance. Moreouer, he not onelie interpreted what viſions other men had, but alſo was inſtructed from God in things that he himſelfe had ſéene.
10 Sometimes alſo dreams come of the diuell. For Auguſtine in his booke before alleged De geneſi ad litteram, telleth of one poſſeſſed with a diuell, which by a viſion told the verie houre that the préeſt ſhould come vntounto him, & by what places he paſſed. And we are not ignorant, that among the Ethnicks, Somtimes the Oracles of the Ethnicks made anſwere by dreames.there were oracles, where men abode all the night, to obteine the interpretation of their viſions and dreams: ſuch was the oracle of Amphiarias, Amphilocus, Trophonius, and Aeſculapius. In thoſe places, an euill ſpirit ſhewed them that were a ſléepe, medicines & remedies to heale their ſicke folks; at which time alſo they gaue anſwere as touching other matters. And for the obteining of ſuch dreams & viſions, they which came to inquire of anie thing, were inioined to vſe certeine choiſe of meates, to lie apart from others, and to hauehave certeine daies of clenſing. And it is ſaid, that the Pythagorians abſtained from eating of beanes, Pythagorians.bicauſe they bred troubleſome dreames. But our God, to the intent he would declare himſelfe not to be bound to ſuch things, ſhewed Daniel the kings dreame, after that he and his fellowes had beſought God for the ſame by praier.
But that the diuell can put himſelfe among mens dreames, there is no doubt; ſince by his helpe there hauehave béene and yet are many falſe prophets. Auguſtine.Wherevpon Auguſtine in his booke now before recited, the 19. chapter, ſaith, that If an euill ſpirit doo poſſeſſe men, he maketh them either demoniaks, or out of their wits, or elſe falſe prophets: and contrariwiſe, a good ſpirit maketh faithfull prophets, vttering myſteries to the edifieng of others. He alſo demandeth in the 11. chapter of the ſame booke, To diſcerne betweene the viſions of a good ſpirit and an euill.how the difference betwéene the reuelations of good and euill ſpirits may be diſcerned the one from the other? And he anſwereth, that the ſame cannot be doone without the gift of diſcerning of ſpirits. But he addeth, that an euill ſpirit dooth alwaies at the laſt, lead men to wicked opinions, and naughtineſſe of maners, although that at the beginning the difference cannot be perceiued without the gift of the holie Ghoſt. In his 100. Epiſtle to Euodius, when he had aſked the ſame queſtion, he ſaith; I would to God I could perceiue the difference betwéene viſions, which are giuen to deceiue me; and thoſe which are giuen to ſaluation. But yet we muſt be of good chéere, bicauſe God ſuffereth his children ſometime to be tempted, but not to periſh.
Ariſtotle held that God ſendeth not dreames.11 But what anſwere ſhall we make Ariſtotle, who denieth that dreames come of God; for this cauſe ſpecially, bicauſe he would then giuegive the power of diuination to the good and wiſe; not to the fooliſh and wicked men. We may anſwere, that for the moſt part the true prophets which are lightened by God in their dreams and viſions, are both good and godlie. But yet, that it may not be thought that the power of God is tied to the wiſedome and maners of men, God will ſometime vſe the miniſterie of the vngodlie in ſuch things, Why God doth ſometime vſe the euill prophets.to the intent the great and woonderfull ſtrength of his prouidence may be declared, which is able to vſe all kind of meanes. Furder (as Tertullian writeth in his booke De anima) ſéeing he diſtributed his ſunne and raine to the iuſt and vniuſt alike, it ought to be no maruell, if he impart theſe gifts alſo (eſpeciallie which are of force vntounto mans erudition) aſwell to the bad as to the good. And leaſt we ſhould be ignorant of his faſhion, the holie hiſtorie declares, that the verie Ethniks were oftentimes warned and corrected by God in their ſléepe. Gen. 12, 17.So was Pharao the king of Aegypt commanded to reſtore Abraham his wife againe. And in the like ſort was Abimelech king of Gerar warned of the ſame matter. Gen. 20, 6.And Tertullian addeth; that Euen as God, Tertullian.when he inſtructeth the wicked in their dreams, dooth it to make them good; ſo the diuell contrariwiſe inuadeth the godlie in their ſléepe, that in their dreams he may ſeduce them from the waie of righteouſneſſe. Ariſtotle thought that God, in diſpoſing of his gifts, ſhould ſpeciallie hauehave reſpect to the wiſe, and to the philoſophers: whereas Chriſt our ſauiour taught a quite contrarie leſſon, ſaieng; I thanke thee, ô father, Matt. 11, 25.that hiding theſe things from the wiſe & prudent, thou haſt reuealed them vntounto little ones. And Paule ſaid, God rather reuealeth myſteries vntounto the ſimple than to the wiſe.that the calling of God did chéeflie appertain to the poore, to the vnlearned, & to the weaker ſort.
And other argument was, that the verie brute beaſts doo dreame in their ſléepes: when as yet no man will ſaie, 1 Cor. 1, 26.that their dreams are diſpoſed or miniſtred by God. That ſame philoſopher is deceiued, in thinking, that if God ſend ſome dreams vntounto men, he muſt therefore be the author of all dreams: God ſendeth ſome dreams, but not all.which without doubt is farre from our ſenſe. For we refer not all naturall things to GOD himſelfe, as peculiar effects whereby he inſtructeth men immediatlie (as the ſchoolemen ſpeake) of things to come. Of what cauſes dreams ariſe in brut beaſts, we hauehave ſufficientlie ſhewed before. And to ſpeake Logikelike, it is no good argument, that is taken from the particular to the vniuerſall affirmatiuelie. So that if God ſuggeſt ſome dreams, we muſt not therevpon gather, that all dreams, aſwell in beaſts as in men, doo come of him. For otherwiſe brute beaſts hauehave the power of hearing; neither doo they want eares: yet, bicauſe God dooth not ſend prophets to ſpeake vntounto them, we may not conclude, that he dooth neuer ſend any of his ſaints vntounto men, to admoniſh and inſtruct them.
12 He ſaid moreouer, If God were the author of dreams, it ſéemeth that he ſhould worke ſuch things no leſſe in the daie time, God may vſe both night and day.than in the night. But I ſaie, that it is in Gods frée choiſe, to vſe whether time he thinketh good, ſéeing he is Lord aſwell of the night, as of the daie, and of ſléeping, He ſendeth viſions both ſleeping & waking.aſwell as of watching. And in verie truth the ſcriptures doo teſtifie, that he ſhewed viſions to the prophets, ſometime ſléeping, and ſometimes waking; as he thought it moſt conuenient. Furder, what abſurditie is it, though he doo often vſe the conueniencie of reſt, ſéeing the philoſophers themſelues, and the phyſicians, doo grant, that men in that time are verie apt to diſcerne the ſmalleſt ſtirring or noiſe that is? Shall this commoditie of the time ſerue the phyſician, to knowe the humors of mans body by; & may it not ſerue God, to the ſauing of ſoules? In the 33. chapter of Iob, there is a goodlie place, and fit vntounto this purpoſe: Iob. 33, 15.When ſleepe is fallen vponupon men, and that they are at reſt in their beds, then the Lord openeth the eare, and confirmeth his chaſtiſements.
Laſtlie it was obiected, that if God would admoniſh men, he would doo it openlie and plainelie, and not couertlie by darke ſpeaches. I anſwere, that the true prophets, and ſuch as were inſpired by God, vnderſtood verie well thoſe things which God ſpake to them in their ſléepe: wherefore they had no néed of ſoothſaiers. And if at anie time that happened vntounto Ethnicke princes (as it did vntounto Pharao and Nabuchadnezar) God did it, to the intent that his prophets, Gen. 41, 1. Dan. 2, 29.as were Ioſeph and Daniel, which were hidden & vnknowen, might be made famous: otherwiſe, he gaue vntounto his prophets iudgement, and cléere intelligence of ſuch viſions as he caſt vponupon them. Why Ariſtotle was deceiued.But Ariſtotle was herein deceiued, bicauſe he looked onelie to coniurers, which profeſſing diuination, beſotted the people; as though they had béene able to expound all ſorts of dreames, and to ſhew what they ſignified. But we may not vnderſtand thoſe things which are now alledged, of all kinds of dreams, nor of all ſorts of prophets. For they pertaine onelie vntounto thoſe, which infalliblie are ſent in by God. Wherefore the coniectures of coniurers, and ſoothſaiers, are not within the compaſſe of this matter.
Neither is there any cauſe why the authoritie of ſo great a philoſopher ſhould much mooue vsus, Epicurus.though Epicurus be of his part; who to eaſe his gods from troubling themſelues about dreames, affirmed, as he did all other things, that they come by fortune and chance. But contrariwiſe Plato aſcribed much vntounto dreames that come of God; Plato. The Stoicks.& the Stoicks taught, that the dreames which we hauehave by night, are as it were a familiar and domeſticall oracle, wherby mankind is prouided for by God. This I will not omit, Auguſtine.that Auguſtine in the place now alledged, Super geneſin ad litteram, Whether ye ſoule hath power of it ſelfe to knowe things to come.cap. 15. demandeth, whether the ſoule hauehave naturallie of it ſelfe the power to foreknow things to come? He ſaith that in his opinion it hath not: bicauſe (ſaith he) it would then vſe that power, ſéeing all men ſo greatlie deſire to knowe things to come. Wherfore the viſions and dreames of prophets obtaine not their truth from nature, but from God.
13 But if ſo be that dreames be ſuggeſted by God and his angels, Looke In Gen. chap 40. at the beginning.let vsus ſée for what cauſe we are forbidden to make any account of them. For if the matter be thus, dreames are not to be contemned, but diligentlie to be obſerued. All regard vntounto dreames is not forbidden.I anſwere, that all maner of regarding of dreams is not forbidden, but that onlie which is procured by naughtie and vaine arts; and that is woont to be gotten by worſhipping of diuels: otherwiſe nothing letteth, but that one may iudge of humors by them; or if they be of God, and are perceiued to come from him, then to followe them. Moreouer, it is forbidden to extend naturall dreames beyond that, which nature will ſuffer. And this doo they, which applie their dreames to changeable euents of things, about which they hauehave no maner of conſideration, either of the cauſe, or of the effect. And this ſuperſtitious obſeruation of dreames, is not onelie condemned of chriſtians, but alſo of long time ſince, was diſſanulled by the Romane lawes. Romane lawes againſt coniecturers of dreames.For in the 9. booke of the Code De maledicis & mathematicis; in the lawe, Et ſi accepta, it is decréed, that ſuch diuinours ſhould be extreamlie puniſhed; ſo as, although they were euen in ſome high office, yea & of Caeſars retinue, they were to be puniſhed: which otherwiſe was not lawfull to be doone vntounto noble men. And by theſe words they be expreſſed; Aut narrandis ſomnijs occult am artem aliquam diuinandi, &c. that is, Or anie ſecret art of diuination, inuented for the interpretation of dreames, &c.
And the difference aſſigned for the lawfull & vnlawfull obſeruation of dreames, An obſeruation of dreames lawfull & vnlawfull. Iere. 23, 25. and 28. Deut. 18, 7. 10.is notablie deſcribed in the 23. of Ieremie. For there God deteſteth vaine & fooliſh dreames, but commendeth thoſe that are diuine and true. In the 18. of Deuteronomie, all obſeruers of dreames ſéeme generallie to be reprooued. But we muſt vnderſtand, that according to the true Hebrue text, there is no mention made of them. Verelie, other ſuperſtitions and idolatries are there condemned, but neuer a word of dreames, although that elſe where the wicked obſeruation of them is reprooued. We may praie to be admoniſhed by dreams.Therefore the good & lawfull obſeruation of dreames is not to be forbidden; yea it is permitted vntounto godlie men to praie, that they may be admoniſhed euen in their dreames, eſpeciallie of thoſe things, which they thinke to be méet, and which they cannot diſcuſſe of themſelues. Monica the mother of Auguſtine.Monica the mother of Auguſtine being deſirous that hir ſonne ſhould marrie, for the auoiding of fornication, deſired God, that euen in ſléepe he would reueale vntounto hir ſome thing as touching that matter: and ſhe teſtified that ſhée obtained of God ſome taſte, whereby ſhe diſcerned the thing, which in ſléepe the ſawe of hirſelfe, from thoſe things, which were ſhewed by inſpiration from God: Auguſtine.which thing Auguſtine writeth in his ſixt booke of Confeſſions, the 13. chapter. And we knowe aſſuredlie, that Daniel praied for the vnderſtanding of Nabuchadnezars dreame; Dan. 2, 18.and this is without controuerſie to be holden, that it is the part of godlie men to praie to GOD, that euen in our ſléepe we may be preſerued pure, and chaſte, both in bodie and ſpirit. For thoſe night viſions, by the which either the mind is troubled, or the bodie defiled, are certeine puniſhments of ſinne: eſpeciallie of that which hath béene drawne from our firſt creation. For ſo it ſhould not hauehave béene in paradiſe, if Adam had abidden in that truth, wherein he was made: as Auguſtine wrote in his fift booke, and eight chapter againſt Iulian. Looke In Gen. chapter 20, verſe 3.