Heavenly pastime, or, Pleasant observations on all the most remarkable passages throughout the Holy Bible of the Old and New Testament newly allegoriz'd in several delightful dialogues, poems, similitudes, and divine fancies / by John Dunton, author of The sickmans passing-bell.

CHAP. XI. Giveing a full account of Abrahams depar∣ture out of his Territor••es, and his entri••g into the Fields of Moreth, where he erect∣ed an Altar, and where God appeared to him a second time. (Book 11)

Gen. 12.

Abraham to obey the Lo••ds Command, Forsak••s his na••ive Soyl, for Canaans Land, His Parents leaves lik wise, and takes away With him, Wife, Servants, and Lot without stay.

NOw it was, by the Favour and Splendor of conquering Lights,* 1.1 and Victorious voices, that Abraham

was chosen amongst Men, as the Person who would be the most obedient, most faithfull, and most con∣formable to the will of God. And now it was as we may suppose by means of an Angel cloathed with an humane Body, that Abraham heard distinctly the Voice of God, which said unto him,

Abraham, It is time to leave thy Countrey, and Kindred, and to abandon thy Fathers House.

Follow me then, and repair unto a Land, and under a Clymate, which I will shew thee; every where I will be thy Star, thy Pole, and my Eye shall serve as a Guide, and Torch to conduct thee to thy Haven and Landing-place.

Well then Abraham, get thee out of thine own Count••••y, leave all thy Friends, and break those many tyes, which Bloo•• hath woven in thy Veins and Heart. The Milk thou hast suck'd is from hence forth no other than p••••son, the Nourishment 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hast received from t••y Parents doth but sustain thy Body, and stifle thy Soul: In sine the Light an•• Brightness of Heaven cannot be seen ami••st the Shades and Smoak of thy Countrey.

But what! must poor Abraham leave himself? O my God! why dost thou oblige him to forsake ••is beloved Chaldea, and why woul••st thou have him separate himself from his near Kindre•• and dearest Friends. He wants nothing at home, and it may come to pass, that every thing will sayl him amongst Strangers.

Alas! sai•• Abraham, must I needs ••orgoe Th••se happy Fiel••s where Euphra••es do••h slow: Here I have spen•• the ••••st par•• of my Age: H••re I poss••ss a plenteous 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Here have I ••ot me many Fri••nds and Fame, An•• by my D••e••s att••ind a glorious Name: And must I h••nce, an•• le••ve t••is certain State, To Roam un••ertain (〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Runagate)

O're fearfull Hills, and thorough forreign torrents, That rush down mountains with their roaring currents To seek a countrey (God knows where and whither, Whose unknown Name hath yet scarce sounded hither. With Staff in Hand, and Wallet on our Back: From Town to Town, to beg for all we lack? T' have (briefly) nothing properly our own In all the World; no, not our Grave-place known. Is't possible, I should endure to see The Sighs and Tears my Friends will shed for me: O! can I thus my native Soil forsake? O! with what Words shall I my Farewell take? Farewell Chaldaea, dear delights adue: Friends, Brothers, Sisters, Farewell all of,

But now these were motives too weak to break the Desires, and designs of a Soul which God court∣eth. It is a delicious thing to leave the streams for their source, and to forsake our selves and Friends, to give our selves unto our Maker.

Abraham understood all these veryties from the very morning of his vo••ation; and at the first over∣ture of the savours which God imparted to him, he took a Staff in his Hand, and became a Pilgrm in the World, su••••iciently discovering, that the life of Man is but a Pilgrimage, and that a Man shall first, or last, reach to the Port.

And now methi••k•• the Sun doth not rise, but to present unto him a thousand Portraictures of those whom he hath left behind. The Moon, and the Stars, shew him by Night, and in his sleep, nothing but the Images of those whom he hath abandoned, and he awakes a Thousand times with sighs from his Heart, and tears in his Eyes, to embrace the shadows, and Phantasmes of his dearest Friends.

And now this poor man is not gone a Musket-shot from the City, and scarce hath lost the sight of his steeple, but he presently resumes his former wayes,

and returns with an intent to build his 〈…〉〈…〉 rather his Tomb, on his Chimney's 〈…〉〈…〉

March then Abraham: Carry with 〈…〉〈…〉 Sara, who makes up the moity of 〈…〉〈…〉 till God shall please to give thee 〈…〉〈…〉 be the Son and be thou a Father to 〈…〉〈…〉

Farwell then for ever dear Land of 〈…〉〈…〉 you Lot, Abraham, and Sara go joy 〈…〉〈…〉.

They are already gon, and I see 〈…〉〈…〉 out of the Territories of Sichem to 〈…〉〈…〉 directly unt•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 plains of Moret•• ••••ere God a secon•• time appe••red to Abrah••m, and there also he gave him both 〈…〉〈…〉, and possession of the Land of Ca∣naan for himself and his posterity.

God in Mans shape appear'd to Abraham, As he sought shelter from the Suns hot Flame. Abraham feeds God with what good ••heer he could, That Sara should bring forth a Child, God told.

Is not this a most admirable draught of Gods sage prodigality and illustrious Magnificence, who in ex∣change of a foot of ground gives intire Worlds? He will have the Heart, and for the Heart he gives himself, and in him the Creator of Souls, and the Soul of all Hearts. Alas! what is a corner of the Earth compar∣ed with the Land of promise? What is a Countrey and City in respect of the Firmament? And where shall we find Brethren, Kindred, or Friends, without preten∣sion, interest, or any suspition of deceipt, as are found in Heaven?

It remains then for all thos••, who he hath taken by the hand, as he did Abraham, and led them over the Banks of Iordan, and through the shades of Hermon, ••o build there an Altar on which they might offer Sa••rifices of Love, and Acknowledgments, as Abr••∣••am did.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The calling of Abraham.