Againft fi»{ui 1Jreamr~ PART, VIL 1Jire8ionr againft finful1Jreamr. ~· 1 , DReam1 are neither good nor finful fimply in themfelves, .becaufe ihey are not ra· tional and voluntaty-, nor in our power : But thc_y are often made finful by fame othex voluntary ACl: : They may be finful by participation and con{tquemly. And the acts that make them finful, are either fuch as gobefore, or fuch as follow after. 9· 2· I· The antecedent cau(es are any finful aCl: which difiempereth the body, or any fin which inclineth the fantafie and mind thereto; or the omiffion of \"{hat was necdTuy to prevent them. 2 , The caufes which afterwards make them objcCl:ively finful, are, the ill ufes that men m•ke of them; As when they take their dreams to be Divine Revelations, and trufi to thi!m) or are affrighttd by them as ominous, or as prophetical; and make them the grOund of their adions, and fcducc them· (elves by the phamafms of their own brains. §. 3· DireCl:. 1. Avoid tho[e bodily diflempm at m11ch you '"n which wifi finful dreamt, eJPtciaYy DittU. l• fulmfs of dytt: Afull flomach caufeth uoublcfome dreams, and luftful dreams: and hath its ill etfeCl:s by night and by day. , ' §. 4• D1reCl:. 2. Endeavour the cure of thoJ't finful dif/empm of the mi11d whic/1 eau[< jinfitl dre•ms. Dire[/. 2• The cure of a worldly mind is the bell: way to cure worldly covetous dreams: . And the c~rc of a /14/ful heart is the bell way to cure Iuflful dreams: and fo of the refl: Ck~hfe the fountaid, and the waters will be the fweeter day and night. · 9· 5· Diretf. 3· Sttfftr not your Thoughts, or tongttt, or afrio;u tu rult flnfitUy upon tb:Jt in tbt dtJ.y~ Dirt{f. 3· whlch you would not drtam finfuUy of in tbe night. Common experience tc:lleth us; that our dreams Cogit:uiones are apt to follow cur foregoing thoughts, and wordJ, and deedi. If you think moft frequently and af- f1nGtiorts fe– feCl:ionately of that which is good, you will dream of that which is good. If you r/jin~ of luHfu! q•oun~lr ~~mfilthy bbjeth, or fpeak of them, or meddle with them, you will dream of them : and fo ofco'vccous r;,ade!:&~~~:~. and ambitious dreams. And tHey that make no confcicnce to fin waking, are not like mUch' to fcruplc Jiorin. Grtg~ jinn'i11g in their flt:ep. · Moral. 1 9· 6. Direct. 4· Commend your [elvu to God by prayer before yot< takt J•onr reft, and 'bef!ecb him to Dire[/. 4' fit a guard upon your fantafie when yoU cannot g"ard it. Cafi the cure upon him, and fly to him fdt help by f~ith and pr&yer in the fenfe of your infufficiency. , ' 9· 7· DireCl:. 5• Let your /aft Thoughtt ftiU before your j/«p bt holy, and yet qu'lliitg and con{ola- Dire[/. S· ~ory 1hought~· The drea.ms ~re apt to. follow our laft Thoughu. It yo~ betakc yOur felves' to fleep Iturus in fom.: '"jth worldhnefs or vanuy tn your mmd:, _r<~U cannot expect to be wJfer or bate~ when y'o~ are num ?liquid · afle~p, th~n when you are awake. But 1f you fhut up your dayes thoughts wich God, and fleep ren~nt de~et " find them upon any Holy fubjed, it is like to ufe them as it tinds them. Yet if it be dil.lrufiful, un- in men~on~ believing, fearful thoug~ts which you conclude with, \'our dreams may favour of the fame difictnper. ~ c~l~tt~~~ Frightful and often finful dreamsdo follow tinful doubtS and fears. But if you fWceten your llli :J~~n;i;sn; 1 Thoughts with the Love of Chrifl, and the remembrance of your former merties, or the fordight quo·d eti::m of ctemal joyes, or can confidently cafi them and your felvcs upon fame promi{t, ic will rend , to the r..,m~bre j~~ ~uietn.t:f~ of your flcep, and to the favourindS of your dreams: And if you fhould dye before morn- ;~~·mh~ie~lbJ mg w!ll1t not be matt ddirable that your hfi thoughts be holy? i\lumin:twr, & · in deliciis tu!S placide obdormie~: i:n p1ce quiefces, f:tci!t evigilabis, 8c furgens promptus cris :td redcundum in id, unJc norr tbtus difcrfiifii. ~· 8. Direct. 6. When you bavt f ound any corruption appearing in yow drtamr, nuft~ ufl of ziJeni Din:lJ. 6. for the renewing of your rtprntance, awl. exciting yoUr endeavourI t<J morJifit that corntpti011. A corfup:ion may be p(rceived in dreams, I· When fuch dreams as difcover ic are frequcm-: 2· When' t!Wf are tarneft and violent : ·3· When they arepleafingand delightful to your ianufies : Not that any c&t~:i"?t knowledge can be lercht from them, bur tome conjecture as added to other flgns. As ifyou fhould frequently, tarnejily and delightfully dream of preferments and boitm~TJ, or the faVoUr o~ (;'rc:J.t men~ fufped ambition, and do the more todifcover and mortitie ic: If ic be of rlche~, and gatn;fand<tn.d~ .;..er .to:J .:: ney, fufpeCl: a covetous mind. If it be of revenge or hurt to any man thll you d\fta{k, fufP,o'tli ft>'me malice and qu1ckly m~rtihe it: So if it be of lufr, or featUng, or drinking, or vain lccr~at1or1s; fpprrS and games, do the l1ke. t \ :. • .., ·~"" • • ~~ ~· 9· DireCt. 7·. Laj no grea.ttr ftreJi. ~tpon. yonr drtamr, than thert ~ juft c:zufi. As y, "Yhen you :Vi;&J .. 7 \ Q have fearcht, and hn4 no fuch hn pn:vatlmg m you as your Clreams fecm ro int:mate, do not 'cor.- .• • , elude that.ybu have more than your waki~g evidence ~ifcovers. Pr~fer nd~ your fl.upiitgngns bffpr~ .c;. "' ·- ..... ~our waking figns and f:arch. 2· \Vhen you a~e confCious that you mdUige no corruptiOIJ tb cctafiGn luch a dream, fuppofe 11 not to be faulty of 11 felf, and lay not the blame of your 15odily temj'maJ mtnt, or unknown caufes, upon your {oul, with too heavy and unjull -a chargr. 3. A.bhot rh~ ph'.9 fumptuous fully of thofc that ufc to prognoiticate by their dreams 1 and, rileafure their cxpcdhd7;d1 by them, and ea~ themfdves imo, h?pet or fe~rl ~y _them. Saith Diog~11er, tf/J,ai_ f 11 l:y Mit t:J bt:.cJrc-. lrji of your waltjng thou~ohtr and aflto.nr, and tnq:eijillvt about your dreamJ ? A tnanJ b.~ppinifl tTI- hli· [try lyttb upon what he d.th when h"sawaf<.!, and mt upon whJI he fojferelb m hitjlttp: ' Ggg C,HAP.
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