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5. The fift Chapter. Of Dreames; chieflie out of the booke of Iudge

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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. 1 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, 2 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, 3 betwéene the péeces of flesh, and told him what should happen vnto 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 vpon 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, 4 about the vision of the ladder.

And séeing we purpose to speake somewhat largelie of dreames, 5 we will first sée what may be said of them by naturall reason; and secondlie, how much must be attributed vnto them by the word of God. Concerning the first, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Galen, 6 and diuers other famous philosophers haue 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, 7 that visions are sent by GOD: saieng, that If they were sent by him, he would giue 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 haue 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 haue 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 vnto 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. 8 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. 9 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 haue 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 vs 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, 10 which humors alwaies raise in vs, 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 vpon 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, 11 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 haue 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: 12 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, 13 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 haue they not relation semblablie one of another. For sicknes or health be no tokens of dreames.

3 But now let vs sée how dreames may somtimes be called causes: that happeneth, 14 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 vpon 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 vs consider the third part of the distinction, which we brought: 15 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 haue successe. For this is the nature of things that come by chance; to happen but seldome.

16 4 Moreouer, Aristotle hath taught, who they be, that before others knowe manie things aforehand by dreames, and this he ascribeth chéeflie vnto 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 vnto 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. 17 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, 18 which be attributed vnto 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 haue 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, 19 which represent things comming by chance, and are far distant. There is somewhat (saith he) euer flowing fro~ the things themselues, and carried euen vnto 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, 20 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 vnto God, no more than Aristotle dooth. 21 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 vnto arts or habits, or custome of such things as came to passe while we were waking, but vnto 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, 22 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 haue 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 haue so great a burthen vpon 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.

23 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 vnto 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 vs, 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 haue vs 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 vs those euils, if there be anie, that doo hang ouer our heads.

24 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, 25 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 haue 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 vpon, 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, vnto 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, 26 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 vs to anie one. Wherefore we are to suspend our iudgment, and not lightlie to diuine of anie thing vpon 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; 27 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 vs not passe the measure of suspicion; neither let vs cleaue too much vnto visions. For it is not the part of christian men to leane vnto 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, 28 either to driue vs to doo that which is euill, or to withdrawe vs from that which is good.

7 But now let vs sée what we must determine concerning dreames put into vs either by God, 29 or by the diuell. Whensoeuer anie thing is foreséene in dreames by the helpe of God, or his angels, 30 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 vpon the wall; as we reade in Daniel. 31 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, 32 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, 33 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; 34 although it be not in their power to giue 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 vnto Pharao, vnto 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 haue onelie a certeine degrée and entrance, and as it were a step vnto 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 vnto kings and princes, 35 things afterward to followe, there are (as I now remember) two reasons. The one, bicause he had a regard vnto the people and nations which they gouerned. For if the great derth, which was approching, had not béene signified vnto 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 haue had. Some of the which Tertullian mentioneth in his booke De anima; 36 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, 37 let vs confirme by testimonie of the scripture (which is easie to be doon) that some dreames are sent by God. Matthew testifieth, 38 that Ioseph the husband of Marie was thrise warned by the angel. Pilats wife also by a dreame vnderstood, 39 and caused hir husband to be told, that he should not condemne innocent Christ. And in the 16. of the acts, 40 a man of Macedonia appéered vnto Paule in a dreame, 41 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. 42 Philo Iudaeus (as Ierom in his booke De viris illustribus testifieth) wrote fiue bookes of dreames, immitted by God. 43 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 vnto them.

But Augustine in his 12. De genesi ad litteram, 44 the third chapter saith, there are thrée kinds of visions. The first (hée saith) pertaineth to the outward senses, 45 which he calleth corporall: againe, another sort he calleth spirituall, which consisteth of shewes or images, and haue 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, 46 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. 47 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 vnto him, & by what places he passed. And we are not ignorant, that among the Ethnicks, 48 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 haue certeine daies of clensing. And it is said, that the Pythagorians abstained from eating of beanes, 49 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 haue béene and yet are many false prophets. 50 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, 51 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.

52 11 But what answere shall we make Aristotle, who denieth that dreames come of God; for this cause specially, bicause he would then giue 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, 53 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 vnto 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. 54 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. 55 And Tertullian addeth; that Euen as God, 56 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 haue respect to the wise, and to the philosophers: whereas Christ our sauiour taught a quite contrarie lesson, saieng; I thanke thee, ô father, 57 that hiding these things from the wise & prudent, thou hast reuealed them vnto little ones. And Paule said, 58 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, 59 that their dreams are disposed or ministred by God. That same philosopher is deceiued, in thinking, that if God send some dreams vnto men, he must therefore be the author of all dreams: 60 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 haue 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 haue the power of hearing; neither doo they want eares: yet, bicause God dooth not send prophets to speake vnto them, we may not conclude, that he dooth neuer send any of his saints vnto 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, 61 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, 62 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 vnto this purpose: 63 When sleepe is fallen vpon 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 vnto Ethnicke princes (as it did vnto Pharao and Nabuchadnezar ) God did it, to the intent that his prophets, 64 as were Ioseph and Daniel, which were hidden & vnknowen, might be made famous: otherwise, he gaue vnto his prophets iudgement, and cléere intelligence of such visions as he cast vpon them. 65 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 vnto 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 vs, 66 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 vnto dreames that come of God; 67 & the Stoicks taught, that the dreames which we haue by night, are as it were a familiar and domesticall oracle, wherby mankind is prouided for by God. This I will not omit, 68 that Augustine in the place now alledged, Super genesin ad litteram, 69 cap. 15. demandeth, whether the soule haue 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, 70 let vs 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. 71 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 haue 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. 72 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 vnto 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, 73 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. 74 Therefore the good & lawfull obseruation of dreames is not to be forbidden; yea it is permitted vnto 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. 75 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 vnto 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: 76 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; 77 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 haue 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.

← 4. The fourth Chapter. Of Visions; and · Contents · 6. The sixt Chapter. Of the holie →

Footnotes

  1. Three sorts of dreames. Out of Gen 28, verse. 10. ↩

  2. Gen. 2, 18. ↩

  3. Gen. 15, 12. ↩

  4. Gen. 28, 11. ↩

  5. In Iudg. 7, verse. 13. Looke In 1. Sam. 28, verse. 15. ↩

  6. Ethnicke authors. ↩

  7. Aristotle did not think that dreames are sent by God. ↩

  8. A peripateticall explication of dreames. ↩

  9. According to the diuersitie of humors, so are likenesses moued. ↩

  10. Likenesses are rather perceiued in sleepe, than waking. ↩

  11. Dreames be signes of the affections of the mind. ↩

  12. Galen. ↩

  13. The qualitie of meate and drinke dooth alter the similitudes of dreames, ↩

  14. Dreames are sometimes the causes of those things that we do. ↩

  15. Somtimes dreames happilie betoken those things which com to passe. ↩

  16. Who do naturallie for the moste part see true dreames. ↩

  17. A similitude. ↩

  18. The necessitie of effects must not be gathered of dreames which be signes. A similitude. ↩

  19. Democritus. ↩

  20. A similitude. ↩

  21. Galen. ↩

  22. A certeine mans dreame. ↩

  23. Hippocrates. ↩

  24. What is the outward cause of dreames. ↩

  25. The power of the imagination. ↩

  26. Why diuination by dreames is hard & vncerteine. ↩

  27. Gates of horne and iuorie. ↩

  28. Looke In 1 King. 3, verse 15. ↩

  29. Of dreames sent by God or by the diuell. ↩

  30. In diuining anie thing by visions or dreames, two things are required. ↩

  31. Dan. 5, 5. ↩

  32. Ier. 1, 13. ↩

  33. Images or formes instead of letters. ↩

  34. 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 haue the signes are not absolutelie called prophets. Iohn. 11, 49. ↩

  35. Why God would by dreams open things vnto princes. ↩

  36. Tertullian. ↩

  37. Dreames sent by God. ↩

  38. Matth. 1, 20. ↩

  39. Matt. 27, 19. ↩

  40. Acts. 16, 9. ↩

  41. Acts. 18, 9. ↩

  42. Philo Iudaeus. ↩

  43. Cyprian. ↩

  44. Augustine. ↩

  45. Thrée kinds of visions. ↩

  46. Iudg. 17, 4. ↩

  47. Dan. 2, 29. ↩

  48. Somtimes the Oracles of the Ethnicks made answere by dreames. ↩

  49. Pythagorians. ↩

  50. Augustine. ↩

  51. To discerne betweene the visions of a good spirit and an euill. ↩

  52. Aristotle held that God sendeth not dreames. ↩

  53. Why God doth sometime vse the euill prophets. ↩

  54. Gen. 12, 17. ↩

  55. Gen. 20, 6. ↩

  56. Tertullian. ↩

  57. Matt. 11, 25. ↩

  58. God rather reuealeth mysteries vnto the simple than to the wise. ↩

  59. 1 Cor. 1, 26. ↩

  60. God sendeth some dreams, but not all. ↩

  61. God may vse both night and day. ↩

  62. He sendeth visions both sleeping & waking. ↩

  63. Iob. 33, 15. ↩

  64. Gen. 41, 1. Dan. 2, 29. ↩

  65. Why Aristotle was deceiued. ↩

  66. Epicurus. ↩

  67. Plato. The Stoicks. ↩

  68. Augustine. ↩

  69. Whether y e soule hath power of it selfe to knowe things to come. ↩

  70. Looke In Gen. chap 40. at the beginning. ↩

  71. All regard vnto dreames is not forbidden. ↩

  72. Romane lawes against coniecturers of dreames. ↩

  73. An obseruation of dreames lawfull & vnlawfull. Iere. 23, 25. and 28. Deut. 18, 7. 10. ↩

  74. We may praie to be admonished by dreams. ↩

  75. Monica the mother of Augustine. ↩

  76. Augustine. ↩

  77. Dan. 2, 18. ↩

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