beneficiall or hurtfull vnto vs. But such is Lotery or the vse of Lots not simply commaunded for that of Salomon before alledged is rather a permission then a precept or not so much a commaundement as an aduice and counsell commending that to vs as a wise and prudent course not enioining or imposing it as a dutie necessarie to be done seeing by other courses beside it such controuersies may without sinne be composed as are there mentioned and that effected oft by other meanes without a Lot for which a Lot by Salomon is there allowed nor againe any where forbidden or condemned as euill in it selfe by the former definition therefore conseuently in different and so lawfull matter of Christian recreation and delight § 9. Sixtly and lastly that the Vse of Lots in game is not against Gods word but hath sufficient warrant from it may appeare by this argument Where the wisedome of God in his word hath not determined the matter and the manner or the other circumstances of a thing lawfull in it selfe there they are least to mans discretion and wisedome Else should wee hang euer in perpetuall suspence hauing no rule at all to direct vs by in them And where they are left thus to mans discretion and wisedome there is warrant sufficient for any circumstance that man shall make choise of the Magistrate publikely to enioyne or priuate persons to practise that shall not be against the generall rules of Gods word concerning the same For the better conceiuing of this point it is to be considered that for the doing of euery act and the doing of it in this or that manner if naturall reason will not of it selfe afford sufficient direction there must be warrant had out of Gods word and a man must know that he hath warrant thence because Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne I say where naturall reason doth not of it selfe afford sufficient direction for the word is giuen vs in morall matters to supply the defects of it caused by our first Parents their fall neither doth it abridge vs of the helpe and vse of it for direction in such actions but adde a further and fuller helpe thereunto First then for the act it selfe in generall that is of it selfe good and lawfull and â—allowable by Gods Law for the doing whereof there is either precept or permission in Gods word and that either direct and expresse or collected by just consequence if a precept it is necessarie and must be done if permission onely it is indifferent and may be done or not done as shall seeme good to the party whom it concerneth Secondly for the subiect matter the manner of it and other such circumstances where they are by Gods word determined there such onely are lawfull as the word of God hath enioyned Where they are not determined there all such are lawfull as the same word doth not forbid In the former that rule holdeth He that is not with me is against me in the latter that other He that is not against me is with me Thus for sacrifice and the place of it before it was determined it was lawfull in any place because no certaine place was designed but after it was once determined it was lawfull in no place but that alone that God had expressely thereunto assigned So for the Passeouer and other offerings and the time and season of either the ordinary sacrifices I meane the voluntary or freewill offerings might be offered at any time because for them was no time determined but the Passeouer might be celebrated onely at one time because the time of it was determined This would the rather be obserued for the readier answering of some friuolous obiections made by some Seperatists What warrant say they haue you to vse this or that forme of praier or to pray vpon a booke I answere It is warrant sufficient that wee are enioyned to vse praier and such kinde of praier confession of sin and supplication for pardon c. no set forme thereof determined therefore any fit forme warrantable this forme that we vse not vnfit otherwise this forme therefore allowable And let a man demaund of one of them when he praieth what warrant he hath to vse that forme that he then vseth he can answer no otherwise or if in effect otherwise he shall answer otherwise then well So for a booke the meanes of helpe are not determined and this one among others this therefore not vnwarrantable And if one of them should be asked how he proueth it warrantable to vse a printed booke to reade on in the Church hee shall not be able to make other answer then as before for neither precept nor practise can be found in the word for the vse of a thing that was not knowne in those times wherein the word of God was written § 10. But to applie this to the present First Recreation in generall is granted by all to haue good warrant from Gods word as a thing both allowed by permission and enioyned by precept if not directly and expresly yet at least by iust consequence and therefore I will not stand vpon the proofe of it Secondly for the matter and manner of it â—or the things wherewith wee may recreate our selues there is nothing determined any meanes therefore of recreation that are not against the generall Rules of comelinesse and decencie of conueniencie and expediencie of religion and pietie and the like are by the word of God allowed and haue from thence sufficient warrant For example If question be whether Boules or Chesse be lawfull or no what can there be said in iustification of them more then this that recreation in generall is by Gods word allowed the matter of it in particular not determined these games not prohibited therefore lawfull and allowable Now the very same may be said of Lots and Lotterie Game in generall is allowed no particular matter or manner of it prescribed any therefore lawfull that is not against the generall rules of Gods word this of Lotterie such and therefore allowable If any shall say that the particular matter or manner of recreation is determined hee must shew where Or if any shall say that this particular by Lots is against the generall rules of Gods word otherwise he must shew which and how Otherwise there is no ciuill action almost that shall be iustifiable as going in doublet and hose wearing band and cuffes carrying a mans purse in his pocket sitting on a stoole at the Table crossing the water in a Boat when one may goe about by the Bridge eating of porke blouddings or ought strangled and the like if it shall be deemed enough to make an action vnwarrantable either because there is no particular precept or precedent for it in Scripture or because it is questioned or condemned by some without any reason
diuers barbarous people in Germanie are recorded some of them by little peices of wood white on the one side blacke on the other and their women by lines drawne at all aduentures in the Ashes as they fel out euen or od and others by little sticks or sprigs marked with seuerall inscriptions first shuffled together and then solemnely drawne the Scythians some of them with bundles of wilow-wands others of them with the rinde or barke of the Teil-tree and the Galls with Lots of Veruen-leaues to haue vsually presaged in their businesses of seuerall natures what successe they were like to haue Among other superstitions practises of this kind to passe by many famous is that example by diuers diuersly reported whereby not Valens the Emperour himselfe as some haue misreported it but some other in his time made inquiriâ— who should succeede him in the Empire which was done say some by an inchanted ring hung by a silken thred in the middest of a basin with an alphabet of letters engrauen round about on the sides of it which letters the ring struck vpon as it was stirred to and fro or as others say by letters drawne in the dust with a corne of some graine wheate or barly laid on each of them and a cocke turned in to them to pick vp of them which he would both herein agree that these foure Greeke letters θ Ε Ο δ were in that order as they here stand either strucke vpon by the ring or picked vpon by the Cocke whereupon they concluded that one Theodorus a noble man of speciall note was the person whom that Oracle of theirs then aimed at which comming by some meanes or other to the Emperours eare was occasion not of the death of that Theodore alone but of many others also whose names began with those letters and yet missed he of Theodosius who afterward did indeed succeed him in the Empire Of speciall note among the Romanes and so famous that Carneades vsed to say of them that he neuer knew Fortune any where so fortunate as there were the Lots at Praeneste whose fabulous originall Tullie reporteth and derideth they were certaine oâ—en pins or the like with seuerall inscriptions which they kept in a box or a cheâ—t wrapped vp seuerally in wooden fillers which Tiâ—erius say some assaying to remoue from thence when the box or chist was brought to Rome the Lote were found wanting and so contâ—nued till the box was brought backe againe to their wonted place of abode These they vsed to draw as at other times so of ordinary course at euery New yeares-tide to fore-tell them what should betide them the yeere following at which time drawne by Domitian the last yeere of his raigâ—e they are said to haue giuen him an heauy and a bloudy Channce that which accordingly fell out afterward whereas they had euer giuen him light some and luckie ones before In steed of these woodden-pins or wands in some other places were dice vsed or buckle-bones of the same vse with dice. For so among others at an Oracle of Hercules his in Achâ—ia they vsed to cast dice with certaine markes vpon them which according as they lighted directed them to a Table wherein they found thereby their Fortunes And so at Padua Tiberius willed by a Lot drawne at an Oracle of Gerâ—ens to cast golden dice into a spring there at hand had the Empire foreshewed him by the fall of the dice affording him the highest Chaunce § 10 But none it seemeth was more vsuall both there and else-where then their booke or verse-Loteries when taking a booke of some famous Poet as Homer or Vergill or of some of the supposed Sibils they either writ out diuers verses into seuerall scroles and afterward drew of them or opening the booke sodainely tooke that which they first lighted on for an answere to their present doubt or demand So Adrian is reported by certaine verses of Virgill to haue had his aduancement by Traian to the Empire foretold him so Clodius Albinus his stay of further tumult vpon the death of Pertinax and his victory against the Galls by the like so Alexander Seuerus yet a childe his vniuersall Soueraignety by certaine Greeke verses confirmed after to him vsing the like consultation at the change of his studies by the like verses of Vergil as also by the same againe when by Heliogabalus laid for hee sought againe to the same courses to be informed what should then betide him and so lastly Claudius the latter is said to haue beene informed of the iust length of his owne raigne of the short continuance of his brother Quintillus his authoritie of his Nephewes succeeding him in place of supreame gouernment and of their continuance therein for many descents Now herein was verified what the Psalmist saith of the Iewes that being mingled among the Heathen they learned their superstitions For this superstitious practise vsed first by the Gentiles grew after to too common a custome not among the Iewes and their Rabbines alone but among Christians also and those many of them of no very euill note otherwise For to passe by that popish practise of casting Lots among the Saints for some of them to bee their speciall Patrones and Protectors to depend principally vpon or to commend themselues or their deare friends vnto in some danger distresse or to performe their daily seruice vnto which though differing from that their manner in circumstance yet for superstition is with it the same To passe I say by that that may seeme farther off and to come neerer home in steed of Poets workes vsed or abused rather by Heathen in this kinde Christians haue done the like by the Bible Gods owne booke and the seuerall parts of it the old and the new Testament the Epistles and the Gospels the Psalmes and the Prophets And hence nor from the Apostles vse of Lots sometime in Ecclesiasticall elections as some haue supposed sprung that tearme of the Apostles Lots and of the Lots of the Saints which we finde in so many Canons and Constitutions condemned Thus the Emperour Andronicus the elder being at jarre with his Nephew and in some doubt what to doe in the busines had recourse to his Psalter and by chance lighting on that verse as the Greeke hath it When the God of heauen disâ—ineth Kings they shall be snowed vpon or ouer-whelmed with snow in Salmon he was thereby perswaded to giue way to a reconcilement Thus Heraclius the Emperour in his war against the Persians being at a stand and in doubt of going backe or staying by it after a three daies publike fast betaking him to the Gospells opened vpon a text which as hee tooke it aduised him to winter in Albanie Thus
euent to a cleane contrary issue and made that day the downefull of him and his and other the enemies of his people which the Lot had assigned for their destruction by them For howsoeuer some graue Authors sticke not to say that some of these latter were done by diuine instinct and it is true indeed that God hath a secret hand and power and prouidence in directing and ordering all proiects and purposes both of good and bad yet we cannot safely say that there was such a speciall and immediate instinct as in some of the one that made their actions warrantable so in the other whose courses were vnwarrantable in them And the difference herein is this that the one speaketh and worketh at randome as Caiphas did sometime not intending or regarding any such diuine motion or direction howsoeuer God secretly direct the busines they deaâ—e in and their actions therein to such euent as he seeth good himselfe whereas in that speciall instinct that maketh an act warrantable the party imployed in it by God knoweth it and vnderstandeth it to bee such and concurreth with God as well in will as in worke as well in intention of his end as in execution of his will Now the former alone will not serue to iustifie an action not so much built on it as accompanied with it no more then Gods secret counsell or purpose his predestination or preordination will acquit the cursed Iewes from sinne in the crucifying of Christ. None of them are at this day lawfull to vs neither doe either of those kindes afford vs warrant for the like the former being to be admired as maruellous the latter to be abhorred as superstitious and neither of them to be now adaies imitated of vs because neither haue wee any such warrant as the one had neither may we doe ought without warrant or against warrant as the other did § 2. So that the point we propound concerning these Extraordinarie and Diuinatorie Lots is this that It is not lawfull without expresse warrant or speciall reuelation from God to vse Lots either for the discouery of any hidden truth or for the foretelling and presaging of any future euent for the discouery of any hidden truth as to tell where treasure lieth hid to discouer a theft to recouer things lost and the like or to foretell things to come as what fortune in generall a man shall haue which by fortunebookes is sought into or what successe he is like to haue in some particular affaires as in matter of mariage in going to warre or to sea iourneying by land or the like vnder which head are comprehended all Consultorie Lots with the rest therefore alike condemned For first God himselfe in his word hath expresly forbidden all such kindes of diuination and this of Sorcery or Lotery for so that word signifieth by name among the rest To passe but lightly by that place in Leuiticus though of great and sufficient weight in this point wherein God inhibiteth his people to vse Sorcerie and some other superstitions like it In the booke of Deuteronomie he reckoneth vp the same amids many other detestable and abominable courses which practised by the Heathen whom he then threw out he prohibiteth his people to haue any dealing withall When thou comest saith he into the land that the Lord thy God giueth thee doe not learne to doe after the abominations of those Nations that God casteth out before thee Let none be found among you that maketh his son or daughter passe through the fire a foolish ceremonie as many take it vsed of Heathen to purifie their children and preserue them from perils of spels and witch-craft as they supposed by making them passe betweene two fires or by drawing them hastily through the flame of the fire though others expound it of burning their children in sacrifice to Idoles and Deuills which in imitation of the Heathen some idolatrous Iewes also did Or that vseth any kinde of diuination for the discouery of hidden truths or the foretelling of future euents without the compasse of mans naturall skill There is the generall the seuerall sorts whereof after ensue this particular that we purposely deale with among the rest and of the same nature and stampe therefore with the rest But let vs view the particulars The first of them is a Regarder or Obseruer of times one â—hat vseth such obseruation of times as hath no ground in nature accounting some daies luckie and some vnluckie or dismall daies as our common Almanack-makers doe and as other superstitious people that haue an idle conceipt of Childermas-day as they tearme it as an vnluckie day to vndertake ought on all that yeere and the like though some expound it of jugling or deceiuing of the sight by casting a mist before mens eyes The second is a Sorcerer or a Coniecturer one that by casting of Lots as Haman did or by drawing arowes out of a quiuer as some thinke the King of Babel did or by a siue as the Gentiles had wont to doe and it is a by-word in their bookes and as many superstitious ones among vs yet doe or by throwing of dice or stones or bones or by opening of bookes or by markes and figures made in the dust or in ashes or the like in writing drawne and done out at aduenture or by stickes or leaues shuffled and seuered or left to the winde or by any other such casuall course vndertaketh to coniecture and guesse at things hidden and secret The third is a Witch one that by hurtfull confections doth mischiefe or by flight and collusion seemeth to alter the nature of the creature and so to worke miracles as those Aegyptian Magitians did Iannes and Iambres and sundry false Prophets in these latter times vnder the kingdome of Antichrist haue attempted to doe for to this head rather would such Iuglers be referred then vnto that former The fourth is a Charmer or an Inchanter for these two be the same one that vseth spels and charmes or characters and ligatures for the inchanting of Serpents preuenting of harmes staunching of bloud asswaging of swellings and the like courses meerely superstitious and such saith the Heathen man as no wise Artist will vse his cure requiring an other course The fift is a Consulter with Spirits or with Familiars one that dealeth directly and immediately with the Deuill as the other all deale indirectly with him or worke mediately from him vsing his helpe either to hurt or to heale to tell or to foretell ought The sixth is a Wisard or a Wise-man as they tearme him a Soothsaier or a Fortune-teller one that by the flight of foules or shreiking of birds or