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.