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.

INTRODUCTION To this Book, by way of Question and Answer.

Quest. WHat is the Chief end of Writing Books?

Answ. For instruction and information; where∣as i••le Books are no other than corrupted Tales in Ink and Paper; or indeed Vice sent abroad with a Li••ense, wherein two are guilty of evil, he that Writes them, and he that Reads th••m; being in effect like the brutish sin of Adultery, wherein two are concerned in the same sin; and therefore his Resolution was good who said, That for bad Books he would write none, least he should thereby hurt others in the Reading of them; nor would he Read any of them, for fear the Author should answer for his sin, by being co••rupted by them.

Quest. What Book of all others is the best?

Answ. The Holy Scriptures, contained in the Old and New Testament, wherein the Mysteries of our Saviour are contained▪ being the Book of all books, and in comparison of whi••h no book is Com∣parable.

Quest. Of how many Chapters doth this Bo••k consist?

Answ. In the Old Testament or Bible, there are 777. In the New Testament 260. In the Books of Apocrypha 173. The total being 1210. And fo•• thenumber of Verses in the Old Testament, the ••ew∣ish Rabbins have computed them thus: In the Books of the Law, Verses 5845. In the Prophets, 9294. And in Haggai 8064. Total 23203.

Quest. Are there no other Books mentioned in the Old Testament, but those which we have now at this day?

Ans. Yes, there were the Books of Iddo and G••d the Seers; besides, Solomon wrote three thousand

Parables, and five thousand Songs, with a Book of the Nature of all Herbs, Trees, and Plants, from the Cedar to the Hysop upon the wall. Samuel also writ a Book of the Office and Institution of a King. There were also Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and Israel, besides those we have in the Scripture, being, as is judged, written far larger; all which were supposed to be lost in the Jewish Captivity at Babylon.

Q. What was St. Augustine's answer to one who de∣manded what Go•• did before he made the World?

A. That he was ordaining a Hell for such kind of Enquirers. Wh••re the S••ripture hath not a Mouth to speak, we ought not to have a Tongue to ask.

Q. What was th•• greatest Love that ever was shor•••• in the World?

A. The love of God to poor Sinners, who gave his only begotten Son to dye for us; of which one thus writeth.

God is my gif••, himself he freely gave me, Gods gift am I, and none ••ut God shall have me.

Q. Wh••t Bo••k next to the Holy Scripture would you chi••fly d••sire, t••e rest being taken away?

A. Th••o••ore Beza being a••ked this question, an∣swered Plu••arch, an excell••nt Author for his Lives and Morals. Another said Seneca, whose divine ••entences in his Book are so squared by the Rules of Christianity; that St. Hi••rom concluded him amongst the Catalogue of Divine Writers. Another preferr∣ed the Thesaurus Histori••rum, being a Compendi∣um of most Histories and worthy Examples; and that Ornament of History, a worthy Person gives the preheminency to Sir Walter Rawleigh's History of the World, which he calls Primus in Historia.