Appendix I
It may not be amiss, in illustration of Dr. Doddridge’s remarks on the subject of dreams, to present to the reader the following account of a remarkable dream which occurred to the Doctor himself, and had a beneficial influence on his own mind. — Ed. Pres. Bd. Pub.
dr. doddridge’s dream.
Dr. Doddridge and Dr. Samuel Clark, of St. Alban’s, having been conversing in the evening upon the nature of the separate state, and the probability that the scenes on which the soul would enter, at its first leaving the body, would have some resemblance to those things it had been conversant with while on earth, that it might by degrees be prepared for the more sublime happiness of the heavenly state, this and other conversation of the same kind probable occasioned the following dream.
The Doctor imagined himself dangerously ill at a friend’s house in London, and after remaining in this state for some hours, he thought his soul left his body, and took its flight in some kind of a fine vehicle, though very different from the gross body it had just quitted, but still material. He pursued his course through the air, expecting some celestial messenger to meet him, till he was at some distance from the city, when turning back and viewing the town, he could not forbear saying to himself, “How vain do those affairs in which the inhabitants of this place are so eagerly employed, seem to me a separate spirit!” At length, as he was continuing his progress, though without any certain directions, yet easy and happy in the thoughts of the universal providence and government of God, which extends alike to all states and worlds, he was now met by one who told him he was sent to conduct him to his destined state of abode, from which he concluded it was an angel, though he appeared in the form of an elderly man. They accordingly advanced together, till they came within sight of a large spacious building, which had the air of a palace. Upon his inquiring what it was, his guide replied, it was the place assigned for him at present; upon which the Doctor wondered that he had read on earth, U that eye had not seen, nor ear had heard, the glory laid up for them that love God,” when he could easily have formed an idea of such a building, from others he had seen, though he acknowledged they were greatly inferior to this in elegance and
magnificence. The answer, his guide told him,
was plainly suggested by the conversation of the
evening before, and that the scenes presented to
him were purposely contrived to bear a near
resemblance to those he had been accustomed to
on earth, that his mind might be more easily
and gradually prepared for those glories which
would open upon him hereafter, and which
would at first have quite dazzled and overpowered
him. By this time they came to the palace, and
his guide led him through a kind of saloon into
an inner parlour. The first object that struck
him was a great golden cup which stood upon a
table, on which was embossed the figure of a
vine and clusters of grapes. He asked his guide
the meaning of it; who told him that it was the
cup in which his Saviour drank new wine with
his disciples in his kingdom; and that the
figures carved on it denoted the union between
Christ and his Church, implying, that as the
grapes derived all their beauty and flavour from
the vine, so the saints, even in a state of glory,
were indebted for their establishment in holiness
and happiness, to their union with their common
Head, in whom they are all complete. “While
they were conversing, he heard a tap at the
door, and was informed by the angel that it was
a signal of his Lord’s approach, and was intended
to prepare him for an interview. Accordingly,
in a short time our Saviour entered the room,
and upon his casting himself at his feet, he
graciously raised him up, and with a smile of
inexpressible complacency, assured him of hia favour, and kind acceptance of his faithful services, and as a token of his peculiar regard, and the intimate friendship with which he intended to honour him, he took the cup, and after drinking of it himself, gave it into the Doctor’s hand. The Doctor would have declined it at first, as too great an honour; hut our Lord replied, as to Peter in washing his feet, “If thou drinkest not with me, thou hast no part with me.” This he observed filled him with such a transport of gratitude, love and admiration, that he was ready to sink under it. His master seemed sensible of this, and told him he must leave him for the present, but would not be long before he repeated his visit. As soon as our Lord was retired, and the Doctor’s mind more composed, he observed that the room was hung with pictures, and upon examining them, he found to his great surprise, that they contained all the history of his life; the most remarkable scenes he had passed through, being there represented in a very lively manner — the many temptations and trials he had been exposed to, and the signal instances of the divine goodness in the different periods of his life. It may not be easily imagined how this would strike and affect his mind. It excited in him the strongest emotions of gratitude, especially when he reflected that he was now out of the reach of any future danger, and that all the purposes of divine love towards him were so amply accomplished. The exstacy of joy and gratitude, into which these reflections threw him, was so great that he awoke; but for some time after he awoke the impression continued so lively that tears of joy flowed down his cheeks, and he said that he never, on any occasion, remembered to have had sentiments of devotion and love equal to it.