Chap. 3. sett+ <ltommunton ll>ttf) ~ngel~ Bookll. 119 Indeed, thi; i~ the fure and ind~ita~le ~haract.;;th~ good Angels ~e.ver fpeak ~· 11)' thmg contrary to ,the Word, or wh1ch ts all one, the good Angels arc 1rnployed In uoc hing fave th~ honour ~f God, a~d .the profit and prefervati~n of good rr:en; but evil fpirits aim ail their interprifes af\d endeavours .to derogate from.Gods Worfhip, and < o a!fume it to themi'elves, ~nd by ·iheir flattering deceptions, and oyly iniiuua– iions with man , to work the utter fubverfion both .of body and foul: It is good therefore to try their work upon our fanc)es,andif we find it agreeable to Gods Word, or if it aimat Gods honour and mans profit, we rhay conclude, 'fhi1 w•1 thtJPe•kJng of an Angel of God. · , . . , • ' . . . . . ' . • , But methinks t' ~~" fame ohject, you tell us of awork of Angels upon nur fancte5 day and night; ·and indeed in the night weearl rriore c:ifily obfcrve fnme fuch like im• pi<Oions, or ;\•ork upon us !ti our dreams: But are not thefe things fpoken againfi l Was not rhis the ~ay of falfe Prophets to obfc~ve their dteams, ahd by them to delude the people; faying, I havt dreamed, Il13ve dreanztd? 1er:23 · ~ S• · · • · .,. . I anfwcr, fuch dr~ams as rend to the leading 6( men from tlie holy Word of God 1 •2 3-"r. to wicked Doe\rints ,or Opini6~s, which arepainted over with the pretence or colour of Revelations aird Divine Vi!ions, when they are indeed the ni~er ddufions of Satan, mnst'qrming himfelf into anAHgel of Light, ~;.e not to Be heeded,b~t rejected; and fuch Were the dreams of the ·fllfc Prophets tending to Idolatry, againfi wnom God - ipake; l( there' arifo a~:ong you a Prophtt ;, or ~ dreamer of dreamJ, and giveth th~t .s Duct.I3· 1• 0 •J• Jf.;.n or a v:>ondcr, a>td·tht fign or womkr come to pafi, whtreof be JPafi.! HntD tbu foym~, Let uJ go .[m otbc~· .GodJ ( r#bich ibou !JJjl n't k_nown) and let.ur firoethem; tholt foolt !IJt htdrt:pz to tbe wotdJ Jftbat Pr.phtt, or·tbat drearnir of drearn1, for the Lord y•ur God provcth ) JJt, t• k_now >Phtther Y'" love the Lord your God m thall yo11r btart, •nd with all ]tJJtf, fout. t • • . ':" . -: 1 Yet thi• hinders hot , but fuch drdms as corne Into us;by Gods fpecial, and fame– times extravrdinary work of proyidence, 'which muft deeds be direCled unto feme weighty and good end: As we. mull. conclude, if we either confider the firft-mo-. ver , which i• God, qr the inftrumeim , which arc hi• holy AngelS', futh dream• will challenge our )'try !eriou~cdplideration, and diligent caret<! take notice of; what they oJfcr umo us, and rhe ne6leCl or contempt thereof •arfn<?tl>e ,qmmicred without great impiety; and therefor< \VC have not only a warrant, but atl unavoi~able and inyio!able , > obligJ<iou in poirrt of duty, ro take notice of 'luch dreams, and to oiake.ufe of. them according to their importance 'and purpof<. In~ dream, in~ Vifimof tht night, whtl< Job. 33•rS,I6, d<tp flecp falleth upon mer.,jn Jlnmbringr upon thebed, then heopeneth tht tarJ of men,a!ld Jt~laiJ their ir.ftrufrion. · .. . But becaule dreJms are of fevtral fotts, fome proceeding only from the conftitution of the heavens' or ·fr9m the difpolirion of ·theayr, or from previous cogitations, or from the remper of tne body, or from the :iffeClion of the mind, or from the pro<urati<>n of the devrl, and only fome few from the oporation of good Angels, io is therefme wor– thy our pains to know fome fuch mar)!S or charad:ers, whereby w~ may dillingutfh thefe latHromall others of the former drean:n• · ,. .- , f ,. A kamed Wtirer , in his Book of the Baptized,'tt~rk,, harh laid down mefe.m~rks of Or, VfltTmflr,. thofe dreams procu1ed by Angels. ' · ·'- -. . ,, Whea they -n/""e """ th;i which iuruly aiid t,hinentlj gwl; or from thecmtrary 1:11il, and h•vt nothing in tbtm that JlandJ opp.>jitt tothe lrttth or bolinefi of the word •f God, or fmmJ reafon, nor tb>t addeth anj thing to GodJWord, ar a'!'"' ,way .of righte.oufoefs or Saiv.stion. H : , • : : 2 • When they are of.a wife, fobt/-, juJ1, .and orderly frame aJtd compojitrt, withot~t any tinllure ofUgbtncji. gingling, ofovgnityin them, r. •• <" ' • 1 ,. 3· Wlmttbey 'come""'• m being in an holy teniper.nddifPojition sf JPirit. · - ·. . 4• fYhen they leove both • nholy, •nd bumble, andalfo ajlrong an~certain impreflion ·UJI" ~11. ahe mind, moving it not ttprm carn:JJ? but JPiritual frinciplu andmQtivei ; to whichA'8 mfty add, an holyclearnefi and ton[alation in tht JPirit, an encreafi of vigo11r a!ld rtadineji t• , godly obedienceand holimfi. · ,· · . . · , )· When they a;,ree withfome work.,ih•t God bath in h•nd, and h•vefomtthiHg in tbem~hat /re,mi to be tJbove h~ema.nc invtntionJ, ,and havfin excellent agreement in thefovtral partJ t.here– •f, prcfenting thef,mc, or feveral thing.r. • ' ,: ,:·.: , : '6'.':When they eom< unfought and unexpcaed ~ for if "'"J'ln>n doth purpofily ,{cl)(_ di"' . V! nation bydceamt, ""'P"fing btmfeif ther<HIIIoby fi•perftitions ritu or ceremoRiu, tilu. !f'tTt / S exprtf/.)
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