The right use that is to be made of Dreams. [ 922]
THere are many People that find out more mysteries in their sleep,* 1.1 than they can well expound waking; The Abbot of Glassenbury, when Ethel••••ld was Monk there, dreamt of a Tree, whose branches were all covered with Mo••ks cowles, and on the highest branch, one cowle that out-to••t all the rest, which must be expounded the greatnesse of this Ethelwold:* 1.2 If they dream of a green Garden, then they shall hear of a dead corps; if they dream that they shake a dead man by the hand, then there's no way but death: All this is a kind of superstitious folly, to re∣pose any such confidence in Dreams; but if any man desire to make a right use of dreams, let it be this; Let him consider himself in his dreaming, to what inclinati∣on he is mostly carried, and so by his thoughts in the night, he shall learn to know himselfe in the day;* 1.3 Be his dreams lustfull, let him exam••••e himself, whether the ad∣dictions of his heart run not after the byas of Conc••piscence: Is he turbulent in his Dreams, let him consider his own contentious disposition; be his dreams revengefull, they point out his malice; Run they upon gold and silver, they argue his covetous∣nesse: Thus may any Man know what he is by his sleep, for lightly Men answer temptations actually waking, as their thoughts do sleeping.