1. Dreams in opinion, which are very rife now, the *old world is apt to dote: Idle and ungrounded nations how plausible soever, are but the dreams of a misty sleepy brain: to prevent these take these Rules. 1. If you would beware of Dreams, beware of a blind mind, men sleep in the dark, and in sleep fancy gets the start of reason, indistinct thoughts do easily dispose to error; and an half light will certainly abuse you, the simple believeth every word, Prov. 14. 15. 2 Suffer not your selves to be blinded, 1. Not by vile affections: men would fain have that true which is pleasing, and most accommodate to their own interests: vile affection taketh away the light of reason, and leaveth us only the pride of reason: and therefore none so confident and touchy in their opinions, as they that are misled by lusts and interests; how easily do we exasperate our minds, and invent prejudices against an hated truth: if the weights be equal, yet if the balances be not equal, wrong will be done, when the heart is biassed before the search and swayed with some carnal desire or interest, the judgement is obscured and cannot consider of the weight of what is alleged, there is an Idol in the heart, Ezek. 16. 4. 2. By vulgar prejudice, that the Devil may keep the world asleep, 'tis his usual trick to burden the ways of God with clamour, and vulgar prejudice, a dream or lye dareth not combat with truth in open field, and therefore fortifying against it with popular arguments, that the ways of God may be suspected rather then tried; ⟨p. 343⟩and usually it falleth that error is more specious at the first blush; Gods providence suffering his own ways to be under the cross, and the worlds displeasure; now in such a case men keep at a distance, and are loath to search least they meet with trouble of conscience for not obeying the truth, or trouble from the world for crossing their customs and fashions. 3. By personal administration, in spiritual things we learn to dream from one another, Deut 13. 3. Zech 10. 2. No man must be set up in Gods chair, and their dictates followed, as if they were infallible.
1. Dreames in opinion, which are very rife now, the *old world is apt to dote: Idle and ungrounded nations how plausible soever, are but the dreames of a misty sleepy braine: to prevent these take these Rules. 1. If you would beware of Dreams, beware of a blind minde, men sleep in the dark, and in sleep fancy gets the start of reason, indistinct thoughts do easily dispose to error; and an half light will certainly abuse you, the simple believeth every word, Prov. 14. 15. 2 Suffer not your selvs to be blinded, 1. Not by vile affections: men would fain have that true which is pleasing, and most accommodate to their own interests: vile affection taketh away tht light of reason, and leaveth us onely the pride of reason: and therefore none so confident and touchy in their opinions, as they that are misled by lusts and interests; how easily do we exasperate our minds, and invent prejudices against an hated truth: if the weights be equal, yet if the ballances be not equall, wrong will be done, when the heart is biassed before the search and swayed with some carnal desire or interest, the judgement is obscured and cannot consider of the weight of what is alledged, there is an Idol in the heart, Ezek. 16. 4. 2. By vulgar prejudice, that the Divel may keep the world asleep, 'tis his usual trick to burden the wayes of God with clamour, and vulgar prejudice, a dream or lye dareth not combate with truth in open field, and therefore fortifying against it with popular arguments, that the ways of God may be suspected rather then tryed; ⟨p. 343⟩and usually it falleth that error is more specious at the first blush; Gods providence suffering his own wayes to be under the crosse, and the worlds displeasure; now in such a case men keep at a distance, and are loath to search least they meet with trouble of conscience for not obeying the truth, or trouble from the world for crossing their customes and fashions. 3. By personal administration, in spiritual things we learn to dream from one another, Deut 13. 3. Zech 10. 2. No man must be set up in Gods chaire, and their dictates followed, as if they were infalliable.
- *Mundus senes•ens patitur phantasi•s. Gerson.
