The Sacred Mystery of the Government of the Thoughts, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Caſe of dreames and nocturnall imaginations, what is the qualitie thereof, how wee are to iudge and determine the ſame.
What vſe to make of the ſame.
AS the Saints of God are in generall troubled with the maruellous preuayling of corruption in their beſt actions, and ſo are not regenerate, becauſe their thoughts are more conuerſant about euill then good, ſo more ſpecially their nightly thoughts & imaginations doe moſt diſtract them herein, as ſeeming to challenge the truth of their conuerſion, becauſe either they repreſent ſuch actions as they doe not at all, and ſo may charge them of hypocriſie, or elſe ofttimes repreſent ſuch things as are monſtrous and fearefull, ſuch as cannot ſtand with a regenerate heart: Very needful therfore is it that ſome ſatisfaction be yeelded vntounto them in this behalfe, that ſo they may not bee caſt from their hold in grace.
To this ende theſe three things are to be reſolued.
1 What is the Nature of Dreames.
2 What are the kindes of them, and ſo.
3 How farre wee are to take notice of them, and take heed thereof.
Concerning the nature of Dreames, they are generally ſuch thoughts and motions of the minde, wherewith it is exerciſed when the bodily ſenſes are bound, as proceeding principally from the condition thereof, which is immortall, and therefore are operatiue, when the bodily faculties are ſuſpended, and are varyed according to the ſeuerall occaſions of them, which are either naturall, as the conſtitution thereof, in regard of it calling, condition of life, of diet, conuerſation, &c.
Or elſe ſupernaturall, and this is threefold, either ordinary, as proceeding frō our ſpirituall calling, exreciſed in the day, Or ſome extraordinary inſpiration from the Lord to foretell things to come, or to bring to minde things paſt.
Or elſe ſome deceitfull iniection of Sathan, affecting the minde with ſome motions of things paſt, or to come: or ſuch as are not competent thereto, and ſo either diſtracting with falſe feare, or elſe puffing vp with conceit of ſuch things as are aboue our compaſſe, that thereby we may deceiue our ſelues and others. Out of which difference of occaſiōs we may determine of the ſecond poynt. Namely, the difference of Dreames.
Which are either natural, ſuch as proceede from complexion, condition, conuerſation, &c.
2 Or ſpiritual ariſing from our generall calling.
3 Or diuine, ſuch as proceed from reuelation.
4 Or Satanicall, ſuch as ariſe from Satans power, iniecting ſtrange imaginations and ſo affecting the minde diuerſly thereby.
And ſo out of this difference of dreames we may alſo be ſatisfied in the laſt point how farre we are to take notice and regard the ſame: and that by theſe conſiderations.
1 By the difference of theſe dreames.
2 By the true iudgement of them, how far they now ſtand in force.
3 By the renuing and multiplying of them.
Concerning the difference of theſe Dreames, whereas ſome are naturall, as ſuch which proceede from naturall cauſes, namely, conſtitution of body, condition of life, conuerſation, &c. Others ſupernaturall.
Here the firſt rule of ſatisfactions is, that though thoſe which proceed frō cōplexiō are inuincible, yet ſeeing this is alterbale by the condition of life, eſpecially by renued conuerſation, therefore they are not altogether to be neglected, as arguing our depraued nature, which euen in the very cōplexion is degenerate from what it was and ſhould be, but wee are to be humbled for them by repentance. Eſpecially ſeeing they often produce ſuch euill actions, euen in our ſleepe, of luſt anger, &c. as are abominable, and though they bee of good things, yet breede diſcontent and confuſion of our happineſſe, in that when we awake, now are an hungrie, Iſa, 28.7. diſappointed of what we dreamt of, and ſo confounded therein.
Yet herein alſo to bee comforted that being but dreames, if they be of euill, wee did not fully conſent to them: if of good, though diſappointed, yet wee may bee recompenced with greater goodneſſe: wee hauehave yet time to procure that waking which in our dreames wee miſſed, or elſe to obtaine a greater good, to turne our dreames into conſtant practiſe of holineſſe, that ſo our dreames may be more pure, and our dayly carriage may bee more ſpirituall and retired in Cōmunion with our God, That our righteouſnes may not be a dreame, and ſo vaniſh acordingly: as knowing that theſe dreams thogh they bee naturall, yet doe conuince natures corruption, and ſo make vsus inexcuſable, if wee will not bee ſchooled by them, as being a part of Gods ordinance, to awaken vsus out of ſinne. Iob. 33, 15. And therfore, as not altogether deſpiſing them: ſo not reſting therein, (as it is the manner of natures Wiſards) but flicking to the Word for the full information of our Eſtate, and ſubmitting to the ſame for Reformation of our liues. Knowing, that howſoeuer formerly it pleaſed God to affoorde vntounto his Church, that extraordinary manner of Teaching by dreames, the…e by inſpiring his wil vntounto men, and warning them of euils to come: yet ſeeing now hee hath beſtowed an ordinarie meanes vponupon vsus t… informe vsus in his will, as wee are not to preſume of ſuch extraordinary meanes: ſo wee are to eſteeme thereof in theſe daies of ordinary light, no better then deluſions to deceiue vnſtable ſoules. Which as it may guid vsus to reiect al ſuch predictions of things to come, as proceede from no better warrant, then our dreames and fancies; becauſe at the beſt they are no better, then the illuſions of Sathan: ſo ſeeing the Lord teacheth vsus as well in the night as in the day, according to what wee hauehave eyther done or hearde in the day: therefore though wee may not reſt vponupon ſuch dreames, as preſume to foretell things to come, otherwiſe then wee hauehave beene informed by the word, becauſe euen a true dreame of thinges that fall out accordingly, may bee a deluſion vntounto vsus, to prouoke vsus to the contempt of the Word; if by the Word wee hauehave not beene enformed thereof: or deſire not to trie the ſame therby; yet muſt we not altogether neglect euē what our dream calleth to mind either paſt or done, or to be heard: ſeing this may be the mercy of God hereby to bring vsus to repentance for ſome euil… cō mitted, or to put vsus in minde of ſome good …ommitted, that ſo wee may pay our vowes in obedience to the Lord, and breake off our ſinnes by ſpeedy repentance.
Eſpecially, if it pleaſe the Lord to multiplie our dreames, that wee often harpe vponupon the ſame ſtring: Here it is beſt to bee more regardfull of them, as being now happily ſome motions of the Spirit, calling vponupon vsus for reformation of ſome actuall euils, or for the performance of ſome neglected good.
Alwayes prouided, that we ſhal meaſure our dreams by the rule of the word, and by that particular calling which God hath ſet vsus in as ſubordinate to our generall calling in the houſe of God, & ſo we ſhal by Gods mercy make good aduantage of them.
So that though wee may not expect ordinarilie any ſuch extraordinary Reuelation by dreames; yet if it pleaſe God (as who can reſtraine his power and goodneſſe herein, to acquaint vsus hereby with ſome occaſions to come, which may tend to our owne, and the generall good, wee may ſo farre ſtand vponupon theſe, as to vſe ordinarie means, by Prayer, the Word, and the like, for the preparing of vsus to the iſſue: and ſo no doubt it may proue comfortable to vsus howſoeuer. Wherin as we may behold the mercy of God in teaching vsus this by dreames in the night: So may wee hauehave hence a liuely euidence of our ſincerity, euen by the holie temper and motion of our minds in the night: and ſo are directed to walke honeſtly in the day, that ſo our mindes may become pure and holy in the night: making a Couenant with our eyes and other ſenſes, that ſo the mind may bee leſſe troubled w…th the repreſentation thereof in the night.
And labouring eſpecially to make euen with our God dayly by repentance, That ſo our ſleepe may bee more comfortable, and our thoughtes peaceable, and holy.
Eſpecially make wee vſe of ſuch dreames as ariſe from the execution of generall callings, as when we dreame that we preach, pray, aduize, grieue for ſin: as not beeing without the motion of Gods ſpirit, to confirme vsus therein, or to humble vsus in the neglect therof, or to trie the ſincerity of the ſame; and ſo to enable vsus the better therevnto. It being apparant that euen in the night our affections hauehave, and may be more powerful in holy duties thē ſometimes in the day.
Concluſion of the whole, WHEREIN Of the ſeuerall Vſes of this Doctrine of Thoughts.
As firſt,
To conuince the Hypocriſie and the Atheiſme, and prophaneſſe of the times.
2 To confirme the weake Chriſtian in the truth of his calling.
And alſo,
To rayſe him vp in all ſuch outward faylings, and inward faintings of the Spirit, which doe ariſe from the ſame.