An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

And I may give you five reasons why God used to apply himself to man in dreams: First, because in sleep man is, as I may say, at best leisure for God to deal with him; he is not distracted with business, nor hurried with the labours of this life, but is at rest. Secondly, when we are awake we are very ready to debate and discuss what we receive by our own reason, we are ready to Logic it with God; but in sleep we take things barely as offered without discussions or disputes. Thirdly, in sleep when all is quiet, that which God represents, takes and leaves a deeper impression upon the mind of man. Common experience teacheth us how dreams stick, and how those apprehensions which we have in our sleep dwell & abide with us when awake. Fourthly, I conceive the Lord doth this chiefly that he may show his divine skill in teaching & instructing man, or that he hath a peculiar art in teaching; he teaches so, as none of the masters of learning were ever able to teach and instruct their Scholars. There was never any man could teach another when he was asleep; they that are taught must at lest be awake, yea they must not only be awake but watchful; but now God is such a teacher, such an instructor, that when we are asleep he can convey instruction and teach us his lessons; this (I say) doth wonderfully magnify the divine skill and power of God, who is able to make us hear and understand doctrine even when we are asleep and cannot hear. There may be also a fifth consideration moving God to this. Possibly God would hereby assure us, that the soul is a distinct essence, and hath its distinct operations from the body; and that even death it self cannot deprive the soul of man of its working. For what is sleep but a kind of death? sleep is a short death, and death is along sleep. Now when the body is (upon the matter) laid aside, the soul can go to work; when the body lies like a block and stirs not, the soul can bestir it self about many matters, and run its thoughts to the utmost ends of the earth, yea and raise them up to the highest heavens, in blessed intercourses with God himself. There's no need to prove the matter of fact that 'tis so; what night, with reference to some or other, doth not utter this point of knowledge?

And I may give you five reasons why God used to apply himself to man in dreams: First, because in sleep man is, as I may say, at best leisure for God to deal with him; he is not distracted with businesse, nor hurried with the labours of this life, but is at rest. Secondly, when we are awake we are very ready to debate and discusse what we receive by our own reason, we are ready to Logick it with God; but in sleep we take things barely as offered without discussions or disputes. Thirdly, in sleepe when all is quiet, that which God represents, takes and leaves a deeper impression upon the mind of man. Common experience teacheth us how dreams stick, and how those apprehensions which we have in our sleep dwell & abide with us when awake. Fourthly, I conceive the Lord doth this chiefly that he may shew his divine skill in teaching & instructing man, or that he hath a peculiar art in teaching; he teaches so, as none of the masters of learning were ever able to teach and instruct their Schollars. There was never any man could teach another when he was asleep; they that are taught must at lest be awake, yea they must not only be awake but watchfull; but now God is such a teacher, such an instructor, that when we are asleep he can convay instruction and teach us his lessons; this (I say) doth wonderfully magnifie the divine skill and power of God, who is able to make us heare and understand doctrine even when we are asleep and cannot heare. There may be also a fifth consideration moving God to this. Possibly God would hereby assure us, that the soul is a distinct essence, and hath its distinct operations from the body; and that even death it self cannot deprive the soul of man of its working. For what is sleep but a kind of death? sleep is a short death, and death is along sleepe. Now when the body is (upon the matter) laid aside, the soul can goe to work; when the body lyes like a block and stirs not, the soul can bestir it self about many matters, and run its thoughts to the utmost ends of the earth, yea and raise them up to the highest heavens, in blessed intercourses with God himself. There's no need to prove the matter of fact that 'tis so; what night, with reference to some or other, doth not utter this poynt of knowledg?