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.

The Conclusion.

Thus Jacob flying from Stern Esau's Face, Finds Comfort, prospering in every place: God guards his Chosen from the storms of Fate, And Raises those, bad men Conspire to Hate: He gives him Wives and Children, Flocks and Herds,

And saves him from bold Esau's Threatning Swords: Through all Calamities he's safely brought, To'h Heavenly Canaan that he long had sought.

I know not whether the Day were far advanced: but in some part of its course where the Sun may be seen, I am well assur'd that the Eyes of Rach••l did cast sorth a thousand Love Darts and lights into the Soul of Iacob. R••chel was a•• Aurora which marcheth before the Sun, and instantly these two Planets did that whi••h the Sun and Moon could not effect since their Crea••ion. Iacob ki••••ed Ra••hel, and knowing that she was his C••si••, he began s••e••tly to cry out, and presently hi•• Eyes sh••d some 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which ex∣pressed the excess of his cont••ntm••••t. Rach••l would have done the same if her ••yes ha•• been l••nger fix∣ed on I••••ob: but she ran from thenc•• to a••vertise her Father, that not far from the House she had hap∣pily met with one of her Cosen-german••, the Son of Isaack and Re••ecca. Which La••an hearing, went to meet and bring him to his Lo••ging, as also to know the cause of his coming. Iacob freely de∣clared to him what h••d passed; to which Laban an∣swered he was very wel••ome, and that he re••eived him as his d••ar N••phew, and as a part of himself▪ But for the r••st, although he had a desire to enter∣tain him as his own Brother, yet he must resolve to serve and merit some wayes by his labours.

Iacob had no mercenary Spirit, nor Body trained up to labour; Nevertheless of a Master he must be∣come a Servant, and learn by Serving others, more prudently to Command hereafter: He made a con∣tract then with his Uncle, and obliged himself to serve him for the space of seven years, at the end of which Laban promised to Merry him unto Rachel, the youngest but the fairest of his Daughters. The ••ldest which was called Lea, had a Face of Wa••

which melted through herEyes, and rendred her de∣formed & Blare-Eyed: but the youngest had so many beauties and attractives, as the least of her glances had power enough to render her Mistress of Iacobs affections. It was for her sake and for the Love he bore her, that he became a Servant.

Jacobs Love was not of the nature of those petty De∣vils which possess lascivious Souls, it was neither de∣ceitfull nor violent, neither indiscreet nor arogant, nei∣ther irregular nor impious, neither variable nor impu∣dent, neither capricious nor sporting, neither phantastick nor stupid, neither remiss nor unworthy of a vertuous Man: but sincere, moderate, prudent, humble, stayed, constant, respectfull, simple, condescending, equall, provident, couragious, and such as could be desired in a good Man.

Iacobs Courtships were most just and holy; he lived like an Angel incarnate amidst the flames and ar••or•• of a most pure and holy affection; he excited himself to patience ••nd labour by the sight and upon the hopes of Rachel; and he di•• like those who run∣ning at Rings, fix only their Eyes on the prize pro∣posed to them; he found also no weariness at the en•• of his course, and saw himself upon the point of enjoying his reward after seven y••ars Service, which scarce seemed unto him to have lasted so ma∣ny dayes.

But what! as the Hopes we repose in Men very often deceive us, so after the Wedding Night, the day discovered unto Iacob the cheats of Laban, who instead of Rachel gave him Lea. Never was any man more astonished than Iacob, who expected no∣thing less than such a Metamorphosis.

He fails not to complain unto Laban of this deceit, b••t for answer they told him, that it was not the custom to marry the younger Daughter before the Elder; that if he would yet for one week accomplish this Marriage with Lea, Rachel should be given

him for his second Wife, provided that he would again oblige him to serve for the space of seven years.

Behold a lively Image in the person of Laban, of the deceipts and fals••oods of the World, which gives Straws for Gol••, Bri••rs for Roses, Counterfeits for true Dia∣monds, Chains for Liveryes, Bondage for Rewards, and at l••st, fables, errors and lyes, which cause us to spend our lives in a detestable blindness.

Ah! Iacob, Iacob, serve then not only seven dayes, but even seven years more entire, to obtain Rachel. Iacob, it suffi••••th to love her: For in lov∣ing, every thing is animated; every thing lives, every thing prospers, and every thing passeth away most sweetly under the Laws of love▪ and since it is not for a Man, but for a Go••, nor for a mortal beauty, but for an imm••rt••l happiness you capti∣vate your self.

It was no trouble unto Iacob to receive this yoak, seeing himself the posse••••o•• of his dear Rachel; he resumed the Trade he had so happily begun, and he believed that the shackles of his second service, would not be less supportable than the former.

Behold him happy to see himself in a Bondage, where he was a Servant to Laban, and the Master of Rachel. All his misfortune was only because he contemned Lea which pr••ceeded from the excessive love he bore unto Rachel.

But God taking pitty of Lea rendre•• her consider∣able by her Fruitfulness, and by the Birth of four Sons, the first of which was called Ru••en, the second Si••••on, the third Levi, and the fourth Iudas, which were the four principal causes of Rachels envying Lea.

Rachel will dye, she s••ith, if no Children be g••••ven her. What man I beseech you can bestow a sa••vour which God hath reserved to himself? Was 〈…〉〈…〉 then a means to make Iacob dye, seeing that 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Wife asked that which lay not in his power to give her? It was requisit nevertheless that the goodness of God should aleviate the grief of this sad Mother; giving unto her handmaid two Sons, one of which was called Dan and the other Nepthalim.

God immediately after shewed the same favour to the Handmaid of Lea who brought forth G••d and Asher.

After which Lea her self conceived of Issachar, then of Zebulon, and at last of a Daughter called Dinah.

It was by the means of these Generations God began to accomplish the Promise he had made to Abraham, Isaack, and Iacob; And it was out of these first springs issued a thousand and a thousand streams of this blood of Patriarcks, which was to overflow the fairest Lands of the Universe. At that time Ia∣cob saw the time approaching during which he had tyed himself to serve his Father-in-Law Laban. Ra∣chel nevertheless was troubled at her Barrenness: But at length God heard her prayers, and made her the Mother of a Son, whose birth effaced all the marks of her shame and dishonour. This Ioseph, this miraculous Infant, was the delight of his Pa∣rents, the glory of Rachel▪ the love of Iacob, the wish and desire of both, the support of his Family, the King of all his Brethren, the Saviour of his People, an•• the master-piece of the graces and favours of God.