A collection of the works of that holy man and profound divine, Thomas Iackson ... containing his comments upon the Apostles Creed, &c. : with the life of the author and an index annexed.

CHAP. IX.

Observations out of Poets in general, and of Dreams in particular.

1 THe most exquisite Poems are but a kinde of pleasant waking dream, and the art of Poetrie a lively imitation of some delightful visions. And as nothing comes into a mans Fancie by night in dreams, but the parts or matters of it have been formerly in his outward senses (for even when we dream of golden Mountains or Chimeras, the several ingredients have a real and sensible truth in them; onely the frame or proportion is such, as hath no sensible example in the works of nature:) so in Ancient Poems, which were not made in imi∣tation of former, as pictures drawn from pictures, but immediately devised (as we now suppose) from the sensible experiments of those times (as pictures drawn from a living face) many parts and lims have a real and sen∣ble truth, onely the composition or frame is Artificial and fained, such as can∣not perhaps be parallel'd in every circumstance, with any real events in the course of times. And albeit the events which the most Ancient Poets relate) through long distance of time, seem most strange to us, yet is the ground (of their Devises especially) Such, as upon better search may alwaies be refer∣red to some Historical truth, which yielded stuff to Poetical structure, as daies spectacles do unto nights visions. This Aristotle had observed out of the practise of the best Ancient Poets and prescribes it as a rule to Poets, to have alwaies an Historical truth for their ground. Nor durst Poets have been so audacious in their fictions at the first, seeing their profession was but either to imitate nature, or adorn a known truth; not to disparage any truth by prodi∣gious or monstrous fictions, without any ground of like experience. For this is a fundamental law of their Art;

* 1.1Curandum, ut quando non semper Vera profamur, Fingentes, saltem sint illa Simillima Veri.

Though alls not true that faining Poets sing▪ Yet nought on Stage but in truths likeness bring.

None, I think, will be so foolish as to take Homer in the literal sence, when he tels us how Iris by day, and Sleep by night, run Errands for the greater Gods, and come with these and the like messages unto Kings chambers:

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Why will by counsel guide a State, Must early rise, and lie down late.

Yet with such Artificial and painted plumes oftentimes are covered true and natural bodies, though the messengers be Poetical and fained; yet these kindes of night-messages had an Historical truth: for not the Poets onely, but many great Philosophers of the old world, have taken Nocturnal presages for no dreams or fancies. Hence did Homer usurpe his libertie, in faining his Kings and Heroicks, so often admonished of their future estate by the gods: he presumed at least, that these fictions might carrie a shew of truth in that age, wherein such admonitions by night were not unusual. And his conceit is not dissonant unto the sacred storie, which bears record of like effects in Ancient times, and gives the true cause of their expiration in later.

2 So usual were dreams among the Patriarchs, and their interpretati∣ons so well known, that Jacob could at the first hearing interpret his young son Josephs dream, Gen. 37. 10, 11. What is this dream that thou hast dream•…•… Shall I, and thy mother and thy brethren come indeed, and fall on the ground be∣fore * 1.2 thee? Nor did he take it onely for a Fable, no more then his brethren had done his former for a Fancie; for, as the Text saith, his brethren envied him, * 1.3 but his father noted the saying. And Joseph himself coming to riper year, was as expert in interpreting Pharaohs and his servants dreams, Gen. 40. ver•…•… 12, 13. Then Joseph said unto him, this is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three dayes; within three dayes shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and resiore thee unto thine office, and thou shalt give Pharoahs cup into his hand, after the old manner when thou wast his Eutler. And verse 19. Within three dayes sh•…•… Pharaoh take thine head from thee, and shall hang thee on a tree, and the bir•…•… shall eat thy flesh from off thee. These considerations will not suffer me mistrust divers Ancient Historiographers, making report, how Princes and Fathers of Families have had fore-warnings of future events, either concerning them∣selves, their Kingdoms or Posteritie. Nor were all dreams among the Heathens illusions of wicked spirits: for Elihu spake, out of the common ex∣perience * 1.4 of those Ancient times wherein he lived; God speaketh once or twice, (that is, usually) and one seeth it not. In dreams and visions of the night, when sleep falleth upon men, and they sleep upon their beds, then he openeth the ears of men, even by their corrections, which he had sealed, that he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise, and that he might hide the pride of man and keep back his soul from the pit, and that his life should not passe by the sword. A lively experiment of El••hu his observation we have, Gen. 20. 3. When Abimelech King of Ge••ar had taken Sarah, Abrahams wife, God came to him in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but dead, because of the woman which thou haji taken; for she is a mans wife. And again, verse 6, 7. God said unto him by a dream, I know that thou didst this even with an upright minde, and I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sin against me, therefore suffered I not thee to touch her: Now then deliver the man his wife again; for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee, that thou mayest live: but if thou deliver her not again, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast. And Moses witnesseth the ordi∣narie Prophecie of Ancient times to have consisted of dreams and visions,

Numb. 12. 6, 7. If there be a Prophet of the Lord amongst you, I will be known un∣to him by a vision, and will speak unto him by a dream. My servant Moses is not so that is, he is no ordinary Prophet) unto him will I speak mouth to mouth, and by vision, and not in dark words, but he shall see the similitude of the Lord.

3 These allegations sufficiently prove, that night-dreams and visions were frequent, and their observation (if taken in sobriety) to good use, in Ancient times even amongst the Nations, until they forgot, as Joseph said, * 1.5 That interpretations were from God, and sought to finde out an Art of interpre∣ting them: Then night-visions did either cease, or were so mixt with delusi∣ons, that they could not be discerned; or, if their events were in some sort fore seen, yet men being ignorant of Gods providence, commonly made choice of such means for their avoidance, as proved the necessary occasions or provocations of the events they feared.

4 Much better was the temper of the Nations before Homers time: They, amongst other kindes of prophecyings and Sooth-sayings, held dreams and their interpretations (as all other good gifts) to be from God. As no evil was done in the Grecian Camp, which the Gods, in their opinion, did not cause, so Homer brings in Achilles, advising Agamemnon to consult their Gods interpreters with all speed for what offence committed against them they had sent the Pestilence into their Camp.

* 1.6〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

But to what Priest, or Prophet shall we wend, Or Dreamer? for even Dreams from Jove descend.

All those kindes of Predictions had been in use amongst the Heathens, as they were amongst the Israelites; albeit in later times they grew rare in both: for the encrease of wickednesse throughout the World the multiplicity of bu∣sinesse and solicitude of Humane affairs, and mens too much minding of politick means, and other second causes of their own good, did cause the defect of true dreams and other divine admonitions for the welfare of mankinde.

5 This cause the Scriptures give us, 1 Sam. 28. 6. Saul (who had followed the Fashions of other Nations not the prescripts of Gods Word) asked coun∣sel of the Lord, but the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by * 1.7 Urim, nor by Prophets His sins had made a separation between him and the God of Israel, who for this cause will not afford his presence to his Priests or Pro∣phets, that came as mediators betwixt Saul and him; much lesse would he vouchsafe his Spirit unto such Priests or Prophets as were carnally minded themselves. This was a rule so well known to the people of God that Strabo * 1.8 from the tradition of it (for Moses his story he had not read) reckons up this as a special point of Moses his doctrine, concerning the worship of the God of Israel; his words are to this effect: Moses taught, that such as lived chastly and uprightly should be inspired with true visions by night, and such men it was meet, should consult the Divine Powers in the Temple by night-visions: but others, who were not so well minded, ought not to intrude themselves into this sacred busi∣nesse; or, if they would, they were to expect no true visions, but Illusions or idle Dreams; from God they were not to expect any. Yet may it not be denied, but that the Heathens, were oft-times, by Gods permission, truly resolved by Dreams or Oracles (though ministred by Devils) of events that should come; but seldome were such resolutions for their good: So the Witch, which Saul most Heathen-like consulted, when God had cast him off, did procure him a true prediction of his fearful end. This is a point wherein I could be large,

but I will conclude. As the Heathens relations of sundry events usual in An∣cient times, confirm the truth of the like, recorded in Scripture; so the Scriptures give the true causes of their Being, Ceasing, or Alteration: which the corrupt and Polypragmatical disposition of later Ages, without revelati∣on from the cause of causes and disposer of times, could never have dreamed of; as may partly appear from what hath been said of Dreams; more fully from that, which follows next of Oracles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hieron. Vida, Lib. 2. Poet.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 37. 10.
• * 1.3

  Ver••. 11.
• * 1.4

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.5

  Gen. 40. 8.
• * 1.6

  Homer Il. 1.
• * 1.7

  i. by Priests.
• * 1.8

  See Strabo. Casaubons Edit. l. 16. p. 761.