and wholly inactive, and the wakeful moment, when reafon refumes its feat, and controls this faculty of the mind.

in his purpofe; but no fooner had flumber clofed his eyes, than the fame perfon, with a countenance more ftern, and in a tone more menacing admonished him of his danger and warned him to desist. This again awaked him. Reflecting upon it ftill as a dream, and

mined to execute his defign at every hazard; but no fooner had fleep locked up his fenfes, than lo! the fame perfonage again appeared before him arrayed in that majefty and terror which filled him with horror and difmay, rebuked, me. naced and addreffed him, with that energy and authority, which compelled him inftantly to abandon his defign-and faved him from ruin.-I know a perfon of credibility who fays, that for many years paft, no new scene hath open

Natural dreams are fuppofed to arife from various caufes-an obftructed perfpiration--a ftomach oppreffed with food hard to digeft -anxiety of mind, &c. &c.-growing more obftinate, he deterThough it be difficult to determine the real caufe of them, yet it is highly probable, that they arife fome from one, others from a part, or the whole of thefe caufes conjointly; yet there are others which, it is fuppofed are the effects of an external influence, which are impreffions made on the imagination by an invifible agency. Thofe which are of this kind only, are the fubjects of present reflection.Though it be impoffible to demonftrate the abfolute truth, or falfity, of this opinion, yet divesting our-ed, nor event occurred, which mafelves of the credulity of igno terially affected him, whether profrance and fuperftition, inftances perous or adverfe, which had not have been produced which bear been prognofticated to him by fome fuch a femblance of truth, that it dream that preceded it; and tho' would be rather incredulous than he could not conjecture from the rational to difpute the juftice of this dream, what the event would be, fuppofition. Of this kind may we except the kind of it, favorable or not confider the inftance in Mr. difagreeable, yet when it existed, Hallock's narrative. A fenfible the coincidence between the event gentlemen gave me the following and the dream excited his admiaccount. In a particular fituation ration. he was violently tempted to commit a very criminal act. He confented, and fixed a time for the purpofe; the next day. The folcy and the views of the agent.lowing night in his fleep a perfon appeared before him in a mein of peculiar gravity and demanded of him, what, have you confented to perpetrate the horrid deed? And warned him againft it with great folemnity. The furprife and confufion produced by this addrefs awaked him from fleep. Confidering it as unworthy of notice, being a dream, he again compofed himself to reft, refolving to perfift

If it be enquired, what is the end of them? It will be replied, various, according to their tenden

Some, accommodated to the corrupt tafte of the heart, by those whofe object it is to entice and deftroy, are defigned to invigorate and confirm finful difpofitions, by impreffing the imagination with ftrong and lively ideas of the pleasure of fenfual gratifications.Some may be monitory, to apprize the fubject that fome important event awaits him, and to excite him to prepare for it.-Others, for

has experienced the impreffion, alized the effect, and the evem,, furprifing him at an unexpec

the purpofe of real piety and Chrif tian comfort, to admonish the fubjects of danger, reftrain from fin, and adminifter inftruction, encour-hour, has compelled him to cry! agement and confolation to the out, this is my dream! He can ne children of God in this dreary more difpute the dream, than h world. Sufpending other remarks, can difpute his own recollection › let us now confider, to what reli- He feels that the dream portended gious purpofes this hypothefis may the event. He is equally confcion be applied.-Admitting the reali that the impreffion could arise from ty of dreams from an external caufe, no natural caufe within, and could or invifible agent, we may infer, be produced by no human cauf without. It must have been pro duced by an invifible agent. Heis as certain therefore, of the exif tence and agency of invifible fpir its, from the effect which he feels, as he is of the existence and influ ence of the fun, by the light and heat of its rays; and he is as cer

1. The infallible certainty of another world, and the existence of immaterial fpirits. That fuch effects are produced, fuch impreffions made, is now fuppofed, but this moft certainly implies a caufe which produced, an agent who made them; and the evidence of fuch an existence which this ex-tain of thefe, as he is of his own hibits, is direct and abfolutely con- perceptions and fenfes and if there clufive. It is impoffible to evade be fuch beings, they must have a it. Some who choose to be fcep- place of refidence, and there muft tical, to deny, and doubt, of every be an invisible, eternal world.thing, will affirm the fuppofition, According to the quality of the that impreffions are made on the dream, its tendency and effect, mind by an external, invifible caufe, good or evil, must be its author, to be wholly chimerical, though as the fountain cannot fend forth the gravity and credibility of the at the fame place sweet water and perfons who relate them, the nu bitter and if dreams are of di merous inftances in which they verfe qualities, the authors of them appear, the endless variety of form must confist of opposite characters. they affume, and the confent of By the medium of dreams or im the event to the impreffion, would preffions, therefore, the fubject of irresistibly obtrude a conviction of them has a kind of direct and intheir reality upon their minds, if tuitive evidence of the certain exthey had not abandoned themselves iftence of invifible agents, or fpir to an obftinate and incurable in its, of oppofite principles and pur credulity. But to those who ad- fuing oppofite ends, inhabiting an mit the reality of fuch dreams, this invifible world-he penetrates the evidence of another world and in- dark recefs-difcovers good and vifible agents, is demonftrative and evil angels-heaven and hell, as inconteftible, The existence of the refpective places of their abode another world and immaterial fpir--and his views ultimately termiits can no more be controverted by nate in the incontrovertibly certain them, than the existence of other exiftence of one only living and Countries and other nations with true God, who is over all bleffed which they have intercourfe. To the forever more. fubject of them efpecially, this evidence is direct and intuitive. He

2. Thefe impreffions demonfrate, that there is a conftant in

the purpose of real piety and Chrif | has experienced the impreffion, retian comfort, to admonifh the fub- alized the effect, and the event, jects of danger, reftrain from fin, furprising him at an unexpected and adminifter inftruction, encour-hour, has compelled him to cry. agement and confolation to the out, this is my dream! He can no children of God in this dreary more difpute the dream, than he world. Sufpending other remarks, can difpute his own recollection. let us now confider, to what reli- He feels that the dream portended gious purpofes this hypothefis may the event. He is equally confcious be applied. Admitting the reali that the impreffion could arife from ty of dreams from an external caufe, no natural caufe within, and could or invifible agent, we may infer, be produced by no human caufe without. It must have been produced by an invifible agent. He is as certain therefore, of the exiftence and agency of invifible fpirits, from the effect which he feels, as he is of the existence and influence of the fun, by the light and heat of its rays; and he is as certain of thefe, as he is of his own perceptions and fenfes : and if there be fuch beings, they must have a place of refidence, and there muft be an invifible, eternal world.According to the quality of the dream, its tendency and effect, good or evil, must be its author, as the fountain cannot fend forth at the fame place sweet water and bitter: and if dreams are of diverfe qualities, the authors of them must confift of opposite characters. By the medium of dreams or impreffions, therefore, the subject of them has a kind of direct and intuitive evidence of the certain exiftence of invifible agents, or fpir

1. The infallible certainty of another world, and the existence of immaterial fpirits. That fuch effects are produced, fuch impreffions made, is now fuppofed, but this moft certainly implies a caufe which produced, an agent who made them; and the evidence of fuch an existence which this exhibits, is direct and abfolutely conclufive. It is impoffible to evade it. Some who choose to be fceptical, to deny, and doubt, of every thing, will affirm the fuppofition, that impreffions are made on the mind by an external, invifible caufe, to be wholly chimerical, though the gravity and credibility of the perfons who relate them, the nu merous inftances in which they appear, the endless variety of form they affume, and the confent of the event to the impreffion, would irrefiftibly obtrude a conviction of their reality upon their minds, if they had not abandoned themselves to an obftinate and incurable in.its, of oppofite principles and purcredulity. But to thofe who ad- fuing oppofite ends, inhabiting an mit the reality of fuch dreams, this invifible world-he penetrates the evidence of another world and in- dark recefs-difcovers good and vifible agents, is demonftrative and evil angels-heaven and hell, as inconteftible, The existence of the refpective places of their abode another world and immaterial fpir--and his views ultimately termiits can no more be controverted by them, than the existence of other countries and other nations with which they have intercourfe. To the fubject of them efpecially, this evidence is direct and intuitive. He

nate in the incontrovertibly certain exiftence of one only living and true God, who is over all blessed forever more.

2. Thefe impreffions demonfrate, that there is a conftant in

tercourse between the inhabitants of the invifible world, and those of this inferior globe. Although we know not the manner of communication, and are infenfible of

thy purfuits and acts !—and what a powerful ftimulus to each, to fill up his place with dignity, propriety and duty! We are taught, 3. The medium by which invif

their prefence, yet we have full ev-ible fpirits operate and produce efidence, that they make frequent fects in men; the imagination. vifits, and if they communicate It is the peculiar prerogative of with us in our flumbering and irra- the bleffed God, the fearcher of tional moments, do they not in hearts to operate on the foul by an our wakeful and fenfible hours, in- immediate and irrefiftable agency. tercfting themselves in all our con- To the rational mind neither ancerns, and as the attendants and gels, nor devils, have immediate fpectators of our ways, are affec. accefs; nor can they excite volited by all our moral conduct ac- tion, nor move the affections, but cording to its nature, the good be- by the medium of the imagination, ing filled with regret, and holy re- that faculty in which ideas are forfentment, by all thofe inftances of med, by the exhibition or imprefit, which are unworthy of the dig- fion of external fenfible objects. nity and relation of man; and As the minifters of God's pleasure, the evil exulting in the effect of according to his direction, they their stratagem, the dark caverns premonith perfons of interesting of hell refounding with fhouts, in fcenes which are before them, by praife of thofe arts of feduction impreffing the imagination, in the which they fo fuccessfully practifed lumbering hour, either with the upon us; or are filled with cha- events themfelves, or thofe extergrin and rage at a virtuous and ef- nal fenfible objects, which typify fectual oppofition to their plots; and reprefent them.-By this avewhile the good, pleased with the nue they have accefs to the mind, rational and pious effort, with joy- and influence or excite acts of will, ful alacrity wing their way, and by impreffing the imagination with by communicating the grateful in- glowing ideas of thofe fubjects telligence, diffufe joy and gladnefs which gratify and please the tafte, thro' all the realms of purity and which ftimulates the will to prefer blifs. In what an inconceivably im- and purfue them, as defirable obportant view does this fet the ways jects.-By this medium evil fpirof men, as having a mighty effect its practife the arts of feduction, on the inhabitants of Heaven and impreffing the imagination, both hell! And in how confpicuous a in the flumbering and wakeful moplace does it fix the individuals of ment, with lively ideas of those the human race! In the open objects which are accommodated to view, and engaging the attention the corrupt depraved taste, and fo of their invifible fpectators who entice, enfnare and destroy.infpect and fcrutinize their conduct, How exceedingly neceffary to and wait, in anxious fufpenfe, the watch and pray, knowing the dedecifions they form refpecting the vices of fatan, left he get advan parts they will act, and affected by tage against us?And do not hotheir conduct according to its kind; ly angels reftrain the pious from acts --how auguft and impreffive the of vice, by fuggesting affecting idea!--What an invincible reviews of the evil and danger of straint fhould it lay on all unwor- them? And excite to pious acts by