fearfull ends And indeede to what end hath God put into the heart of man this passion of feare but to decline and avoid all such euills as would destroy him or afflict him Take away feare and men will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 despise all danger and run headlong into all mischiefe but feare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a preseruing nature as saith the philosopher inclining and perswading man carefully to keepe himselfe from dangers If then to come to an issue yee will not worke mischiefe vnnaturally vnto your owne selues if yee will avoide the Magistrates fury if yee will not incurre the rigour of the law nor fall vpon the edge of the sword of justice yee must needs be subiect But what need will some man say so much to feare the Wrath of the Magistrate May not a man hide his counsells so deepe and carry his actions so cunningly that nor witnesse nor Iudge shall know them If they come to light and bee discouered doth not greatnesse breake through lawes as wasps doe through cobwebs May not judges jury witnesses by friends fauour bribes be corrupted Are pardons impossible to bee obtained from Princes Nay suppose the worst that the penalty of the law can by no meanes be escaped what care they for fines and amercements who are content to beggar themselues to enioy their pleasures What for shame and ignominy who are growne impudent in all wickednesse What for death who count it worse then death not to liue as they list and to bee barred from their desires For there haue beene who haue said moriar modo regnet let mee dye so he may be King and aut Caesar aut nihil an Emperour or nothing To all this I answere briefly first trust not vnto secrecy but remember what wise Solomon saith Curse not the King no not in thy thought neither the great one in thy bedchamber for the foule of the Heaven will carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall declare the matter Secondly hope not for impunity many as great as gratious as wealthy as thou haue failed thereof and how knowest thou but one time or other thou maist meete with one who will accept nor thy person nor thy fee but will say vnto thee with Saint Peter thy mony perish with thee Lastly if any haue so farre put off naturall affection as not to feare Wrath chusing rather to fall into the hands of justice then to be restrained from his wickednesse let such a one know that what Wrath cannot yet Conscience should worke in him For here it must freely bee confessed that Wrath of it selfe is not sufficient it striketh at the branches not the roote and endeavoureth to reforme outward actions but reacheth not vnto the cause which is inward corruption Which remaining in vs Wrath happily may make vs more wary in offending but cannot worke in vs a loue of goodnesse and a desire not to offend at all Wherefore God in his deepe wisdome hath thought it good to binde vs vnto subiection not by a single but double tie and vnto Wrath to adde Conscience Yee must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience Conscience is that facultie or power of the Practicall vnderstanding in man whereby he is priuy to all his actions whether they be immanent and conceaued within as thoughts or emanant and issuing forth as his words and workes This Conscience is then said to be bound when by him who hath power and authority ouer it it is charged to performe its dutie that is to beare witnesse of all our actions vnto God and according to the qualitie of them to excuse or accuse vs for that these are the duties of conscience plainely appeareth by that of S. Paul their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing or excusing This charge is then laid vpon the Conscience after that by the same authority man himselfe is bound for man being free Conscience also is free but man being bound by a law Conscience stands bound also But who is the binder of the conscience God without question He is the Law-giuer saith S. Iames that can both saue and destroy and he as S. Iohn saith is greater then the conscience But can the Magistrate also by his lawes binde the conscience Papists attribute vnto vs the Negatiue that they cannot themselues hold the Affirmatiue that they can and warrant it by this my Text Yee must bee subiect for conscience Vpon this plaine song sundry of them descant very pleasantly but none plaies the wanton more then Doctor Kellison who inferres that we despoile Princes of authority and superiority and giue subjects good leaue to rebell and revolt that we bring Iudges and Tribunall seats and all lawes into contempt that no Prince can rely on his subjects no subjects on their Prince or fellow subjects in a word that wee take away all society and ciuill conversation To all which I answere breefly First suppose the maine ground were true yet neither can they proue it out of my Text nor doe such absurdities follow therevpon Out of my Text they cannot proue it for that only affirmes that the Conscience is bound but determines not that mans lawes bindeth it Neither doe such absurdities follow for albâ—it wee should deny man to be the binder yet doe wee freely professe that the Conscience is bound which is enough But we answer farther that they much abuse vs for we deny not rem that they binde onely wee differ from them in modo maintaining that they binde not in such manner as they teach They hold that mens lawes binde non minùs guà m lex divina equally with Gods lawes so that were there not any law of God binding to Subiection yet mans law of it selfe and of its owne power would binde This we deny teaching contrarily that humane lawes binde the Conscience not immediatly but mediatly not primarily but secundarily not in themselues of their owne power but in the force and vertue of Divine law Divine law I say whether that which is imprinted in the heart by nature or that which is revealed vnto vs by Scripture both which command Subiection This truth in fâ—w words thus I demonstrate First if mans law immediatly binde the Conscience then is euery transgression thereof without farther respect vnto Gods law a mortall sinne But so it is not for according to St Iohns definition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is a transgression of the law meaning not mans but Gods law only in regard whereof St Augustine saith more expresly Sin is dictum factum concupitum any saying doing or coueting against Gods law Besides if man of himselfe without respect vnto Gods law can binde the conscience then either is he Lord of the conscience and may himselfe conuent it examine it take its testimonie and accordingly proceed to sentence either of life or death both vpon body and soule or he hath power to command God to sit in
only vpon misprision as some worthy divines haue obserued not well distinguishing betweene Essence and Subsistence whereof that is finite this infinite For Christs humanity though according to its essence or Naturall being it bee not every where but determined vnto one place yet in respect of his Subsistence or Personall being it is every where and circumscribed in no place For proper Subsistence of its owne and in it selfe it hath none only the Subsistence of the Sonne of God is communicated vnto it which is infinite vnlimited Secondly if this Power of Christ though finite yet be incommunicable and cannot passe from him to any other what presumption what arrogance is it in him who not being Christ yet dares say with Christ Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terrâ all power is given me both in heaven and in earth Who therevpon takes vpon him to forge new Articles of Faith and to obtrude them vpon the Church vnder paine of damnation who also takes authority vnto him to make lawes equally binding the conscience with Gods lawes that without any relation vnto divine law at all Who finally for to reckon vp all the blasphemies of this sort would bee infinite pretends a power to dispence with the law of God to grant indulgences for sin to free men from the punishment inflicted by God vpon them for sinne Certainly whosoever challengeth these things to himselfe can be no lesse then Christi aemulus even Antichrist himselfe whose proud vsurpations vpon the power of Christ shall one day bee recompenced with equall shame and confusion The rather because thirdly whereas the power of Christ is not secular but spirituall hee claymeth both and so assumeth to himselfe more then euer Christ did Ecce in potestate nostrâ imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Lo saith Pope Adrian the empire is in our power to bestow it where we please And hence I suppose it is that insteed of the old style Vicarius Christi the Vicar of Christ they now begin to stile him Vicedeum the Vicar of God for that by this they may perhaps wrench in his temporall power which by the other they could not inasmuch as Christ neuer had it Lastly therefore seeing Christ contented himselfe with his spirituall power only reiecting that which is secular let not vs looke after outward pomp or state in his kingdome nor iudge of the Church by such deceitfull notes Rather let vs iudge of it by the lawes thereof and by the rule of Faith professed therein As the power of Christ is Spirituall so is his kingdome also and therefore by spirituall markes and notes to be discerned But to proceed The second point is in quos ouer whom or how farre his authority extendeth It is saith my text Over all flesh This word Flesh is diuersly vsed in Scripture Among other significations vsually it is put for Mankinde As where it is said that God saw all flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth that is all men And againe All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower in the field And yet againe Except those daies should bee shortned no flesh that is no man should be saued And so is it to bee vnderstood in this place Christ hath power ouer all flesh that is ouer all mankinde Now he that saith all excepts none All men therefore of what age sexe degree condition or qualitie soeuer are vnder the power and iurisdiction of Christ. And as touching the Saints and those that are members of his mysticall body it is questionlesse For to them he is Caput a head to rule and governe them a Husband to order and direct them a Shepheard to feed and ouersee them Hee hath bought them with his most pretious blood he hath conquered them out of the hands of Satan and all that hated them hee rules by the scepter of his word and guides them by the manuduction of his blessed spirit And as he hath many waies made himselfe Lord ouer them and testified his authority and power by his mighty operations in them so haue they freely and voluntarily submitted and resigned themselues vnto him Power therefore hath he over these as over his obedient and louing subiects But question may be made touching reprobate and wicked men whether hee haue any authority and power over them yea or no. For as the Psalmist saith They band themselues and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed saying let vs breake their bands asunder and cast their cords from vs. And our Saviour in the parable Nolumus hunc regnare super nos we will not haue this man raigne ouer vs. But notwithstanding all this reluctation and resistance yet power and authority hath he ouer them still Rebellious subiects they may be yet subiects they are Will they nil they Dominabitur in medio hostium hee shall raigne in the midst of his enimies If they will not submit vnto the gentle scepter of his word he hath an yron rod in his hand wherewith to breake and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell And those his enimies that would not hee should raigne ouer them bring them hither will he say and slay them here before me Authority then he hath though they acknowledge it not and ouerrule them he will resist they neuer so much Overrule them I say either to their salvation by converting them or to their confusion by delivering them vp vnto their owne lusts In a word whether they be good or evill how high or low soeuer they be he is Lord of them all Rex regum dominus dominantium King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea Dominus tum mortuorum tum vivorum Lord both of quicke and dead But what Hath he power only of men and not of other things Yes questionlesse For saith David Omnia subiecisti pedibus eius thou hast put all things vnder his feet And the Apostle applying it vnto Christ addeth In that he put all in subiection vnder him hee left nothing that is not put vnder him Our Saviour Christ also himselfe affirmeth that all things are deliuered him of his Father yea that al power is giuen him both in heauen earth Particularly in heauen ouer the blessed Angels For saith S. Peter he is gone into heauen and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subiect vnto him Hee is vnto them a Head and Mediator though not of Redemption as vnto man yet of Confirmation in the state of grace and though not to deliuer out of misery yet to preuent their falling into misery Hence it is that they are reckoned in the number of those that pertaine vnto the Church that they minister both to the Head thereof and it also reioycing at the conversion of a sinner and desiring throughly to
judgement vpon the Conscience and to be the executioner of his lawes or finally hee bindes the Conscience in vaine and to no purpose To say that man is in such sort Lord of the Conscience is vnreasonable because his knowledge and power reach no farther then the outward man To say that man may command God is sacrilegious aduancing man aboue God Lastly to say that he bindeth in vaine and to no purpose is withall to say that their opinion is vaine and that man hath no such power at all To shut vp all in a word vnlesse a man may with as much security obey man as God man who is subject to error and injustice as God who is free from both vnlesse we be all as deeply bound to study the laws of men and to knowe them as we are Gods and to subject our selues as absolutely vnto them it is altogether vnconceauable how humane lawes can bind the Conscience equally with diuine This point being thus cleared it is euident that by conscience in this place wee are with St Peter to vnderstand Conscientiam Dei conscience towards God and to interpret this of St Paul yee must bee subiect for conscience by that of the same St Peter Submit your selues vnto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake as if he should say because God hath bound you to be subiect For God hath laid this obligation vpon man appeares by the very institution of Magistracie For although St Peter call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a humane creature yet his meaning is not that it is not from man but for man and his benefit otherwise S. Paul expresly affirmeth that it is the ordinance of God and Solomon that by him kings raigne The reason mouing God to institute the same was partly his soueraigne Lordship ouer man by right of creation by which he may order and dispose of him at pleasure partly the great loue he beareth vnto humane society which his infinite wisdome saw could not so well be maintained if euery man should be left to himselfe and orderly gouernment were not setled among them Herevpon hee ordained some to be in authority some to liue in subiection commanding the one to rule according to justice and equitie the other to submit themselues with all lowlinesse and humility as I meane touching subiection hath in the first part which is the Dutie beene sufficiently declared Now man being thus by the commandement and ordinance of God bound Conscience cannot bee free but as man shall either subject or not subject himselfe so is Conscience bound to testifie for or against him and to excuse or to accuse him If then yee breake the commandement of God and refuse to be subject there is one who will surely accuse you and will not spare a witnesse whose testimony is omni exceptio ne majus better then a thousand witnesses that will testifie against you even your Conscience But to whom will it accuse Vnto that great and dreadfull Iudge of the whole world whose wisdome can not be deceaued whose justice cannot be corrupted and the execution of whose sentence cannot be avoided And what will the sentence be Perpetuall imprisonment in the bottomelesse dungeon of hell therein eternall torments both of body and soule which although it be not presently executed vpon you yet the worme of conscience instantly will begin to gnaw vpon your soules fill you so full of vnspeakable horror and anguish that your life shall be but a death and this world a hell vnto you But if on the contrary side yee shall for the Lords sake and in obedience to his ordinance yeeld subjectiō vnto the higher powers and vnder them liue dutifully in all godlinesse and honestie then shall your consciences testifie nothing but good of you and excuse you vnto God he shall justifie and acquit you your soule shall bee replenished with vnspeakable peace and comfort so as yee shal haue a heaven vpon earth and in heauen it selfe in due time such ioyes as nor eye hath seene nor eare heard nor ever entred into the thought of man To conclude and summe vp all if either we will keepe a good conscience that we may both here and ever be blessed or will avoid the sting of an euill conscience and the miseries that attend vpon it wee must of necessity be subject Yee must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience And thus haue I finished the second part also which is the Necesstie of the dutie It only remaineth now to adde a word or two by way of vse and application There is a generation of whom both St Peter and St Iude speake that despiseth all gouernment and speaketh evill of Dignities cleane contrary vnto the doctrine of my Text which commandeth all to be subject and to honour and obey the Magistrate But these are not all of the same kinde for some despise it out of an erronious judgment others out of an euill habit and custome They that despise it vpon errour are either Anabaptists or Papists The Anabaptists a fanatical fantastical sect vtterly mislike all gouernment and subjection among Christians It is not without cause that S. Iude calleth such kind of people Dreamers for so indeed they are and their dreame is this that Sin is the cause of Subjection and although it were ordained and allowed to the Iewes because they were but infants yet fits it not vs Christians that are in the state of perfection Shall I dispute against this dotage and shew that even among those blessed spirits that are free frō sinne still persist in the truth there are Thrones Dominations Powers Principalities Angels and Arch-angels That if man had continued in his integritie yet government should haue beene inasmuch as man naturally is sociable and disciplinable the morall law commands to honour father and mother the end of gouernment is Peace with Pietie and Honestie and one man euen then should haue stood in need of another That finally there is now as great a necessity thereof as was among the Iews and that the new Testament would neuer haue commanded Subjection or to pray for Magistrates if it were a sin for a Christian to be a Magistrate But I will not vouchsafe them the honour to dispute with them let it suffice in this honourable auditory barely to affirme first that a Christian safely may be a Magistrate secondly that none is fitter then he because no man better knowes the dutie of a Magistrate then he Lastly that no man can so compleatly and perfectly performe the office of a Magistrate but hee because no man vnderstands the true religion which he is to maintaine and by which he is to gouerne but he As for Papists although they doe not thus reject all government yet doe they many waies both in doctrine and practise avile and abase it For first they giue vnto the Pope a supremacie ouer Princes euen vnto Deposition and depresse
them so farre as to hold the bason and ewer to him to serue in the first dish at his table to hold his stirrop to lead his horse yea to bee his horses too and to carry him on their shoulders All this I marvell by what right Aaron aduanced not himselfe aboue Moses Christ denied his kingdome to be of this world Peter claimed no such power ancient Popes acknowledged Kings and Emperours to be their good Lords and Masters The first that vsurped it was a mushrom of the last night that brand of hell Hildebrand whom therefore Baronius makes the patterne of a perfect Pope as Machiavel doth that monster Caesar Borgia of a perfect Prince Secondly as they subject all Monarchs to the Bishop of Rome so he exempteth all Clerkes from their jurisdiction etiam vnctos culinae their cookes and skullions too erecting to himselfe a Monarchie in euery state possessing a third part in them affirming that Kings may not punish his Clarkes because they are not their subjects threatning theÌ„ with a thunderbolt from the Vatican if they shall presume so to doe This also I maruell by what law Divine we haue demonstrated the contrary Humane Princes cannot grant such priuileges as derogate from their soueraignty But since the Church of Rome is turned into a Court no maruell if Christian liberty also bee changed into temporall franchises and immunities Finally they teach that if a Prince become a tyrant or be an hereticke or excommunicate it is lawfull then to arme against him to set vpon him with dags kniues poisons yea if need be to vndermine and blow vp whole Parliaments with gunpouder and if any of them for such practises be convented before the Magistrate they may elude their examinations with equivocations and mentall reservations as they tearme it in their canting language but in true and plaine speech hellish lying and perjury Certainely for these traiterous and more then heathenish doctrines yee may be sure in scripture they haue neither precept nor example out of the Scripture the only presidents they can haue are the ancient Pharisees whom Iosephus reporteth to haue beene great enimies vnto kings and Mahumetan Assasins whose profession it was to murther Christian Princes and for cogging and cheating the Priscillian hereticks whose rule was Iura perjura secretum prodere noli sweare forsweare and bewray not in any case the mysteries of our sect and profession But besides Anabaptists and Papists there are others whose doctrines are sound and good yet out of an evill habit and custome yeeld not vnto Magistrates their due honour And are there not among vs too many of this kinde What muttering what whispering what censuring what sinister construction set vpon euery action what discouering what blazing of infirmities what so high but we will reach at what so deep but wee will bee sounding the bottome of Is this the honour is this the obedience is this the thankfulnes wherewith we requite our gouernours You will say they are vnjust tyrants oppressors bribers God forbid yet suppose it were so What if parents wrong their children and husbands bee froward to their wiues shall children therefore dishonour their parents and wiues their husbands As we delight in faire weather so must wee also patiently endure stormes and tempests when they come Hard Rehoboam must haue subjection as well as David and servants must be subject not only to good and courteous but also to froward Masters Happily our sins haue deserued such chastisement and then in wrath God sendeth evill Magistrates A certaine holy man they say expostulated on a time with God why he had permitted Phocas being so cruell a man to bee Emperour to whom a voice answered that if a worse man could haue beene found he should haue beene set over them the wickednesse of the world requiring it In these cases the only weapons of Christians are preces lachrymae fasting and prayer and whatsoeuer Magistrates be stâ—â—l wee must needs be subiect Wee must be subiect for feare of wrath for there is no mocking with princes Durum est scribere contra cos qui possunt proscribere it is dangerous to contest with them that can outlaw vs and turne vs out of all wee haue and to jest with those that can gladio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 returne the iest backe againe with the sword But to be subiect for Wrath only is no pleasing sacrifice vnto God nimis angusta est innocentia ad legem tantùm bonum esse it is but a poore innocence that is forced by law No wee must bee subiect for Conscience for the Lords sake If the heathen man being damned what he had learned by the study of Philosophy could answere to doe that willingly which others doe by compulsion should not a Christian bee ashamed not to learne so much by Christian religion The first lesson that Christian religion teacheth is humility if this be once learned Conscionable subiection will soone follow For where pride raignes Omnes dominari nemo servire vult every one will be a King none will be subiect but Humility is a vertue that fits vs Obedience and to doe the commandements of others As for you my Lords to whom according to your place subiection is due giue mee leaue to addresse my speech vnto you in the words of the Apostle to Titus See that no man despise you Neither let the speech seeme strange vnto you for if you be despised it proceeds mostly from your owne default either you are not such men or such Magistrates as you should be It is a great incongruity to looke for honour while your actions are dishonourable and to bee called and counted Lords being servants vnto base lusts and affections First then if you will haue others to be subiect vnto you bee you subiect vnto God kisse the sonne honour and obey him and God will honour you While man liued in subiection vnto God all the rest of the creatures stood in awe of him but when once he rebelled against God by eating of the forbidden fruit they rebelled against him also In like manner will it be with you if yee honour him men shall honour you if otherwise he knoweth how to poure contempt vpon princes also Next it behooueth you to carry yourselues in your places as becometh you that is as Iudges not as marchants not as marchants to buy and sell mens rights but as just Iudges to giue vnto every man his right And to this end it may please you to remember that the Scripture calleth you Gods and therefore that yee should bee like vnto God not accepting the persons of any nor suffering your selues to bee corrupted by any meanes but in every thing to giue righteous iudgement Remember I beseech you also that God standeth in the congregation of Gods and although in places of judicature an empty throne be not now set for him as it was among the Ethiopians yet be assured that he is alwaies present with you and will
Ad locum communem ignobilem reijci to be rejected vnto a common and base place Lastly say you it is something to bee the King of Englands Porter for the place may be worth better then twenty pounds by the yeare much more to bee a Porter in Gods house Well then now I see that twenty pounds by the yeare is something and I neuer thought till now that a Portership yearely worth so much had been such a worshipfull preferment But is it weightie enough for a lot Yea marry is it and so is a matter of much lesse weight too If so then games and recreations are not vnfit for it neither for there are many Gentlemen of good fashion who value their play in a farre greater summe then that comes vnto Howbeit I must doe you to wit that it was not determined by lots who should be Porters as you say but only who should attend at what gate Eastward Westward Northward or Southward which could bee no great matter N. N. Secondly there is no necessity of Lots in light matters Which being so it may also be otherwise determined And me thinks it is too much boldnesse to presume to trouble the King with every vaine businesse when there be so many petty Courts and Officers to censure in matters of lesse moment DEFENCE A doughtie Argument That whereof there is no necessity may not be vsed But there is no necessity of Lots in light matters Ergo in light matters Lots may not be vsed The Minor which you knew no man would deny you proue because such matters may otherwise be determined but the Maior which is palpably false you proue not at all and I marvell with what forhead a man of vnderstanding can affirme it What Nothing to be done but that is necessary What then shall become of things indifferent May not they be vsed neither For necessary I am sure they are not Why then doe you eat flesh For you may be otherwise fed Why weare you linnen seeing you may bee otherwise clothed And why play you at Chesse at the Philosophers game at Bowles seeing you haue Ouranomachie Metromachie the long Bow where with to recreate you Yea but it is Presumption to trouble the King with every vaine businesse What of that Forsooth it is more so to trouble the King of Kings But how doe wee trouble him By solliciting his Providence What Providence That which is Immediate and Extraordinary Indeed so to doe would be too presumptious But wee doe not so for we consult not with God nor looke we for any Extraordinary worke from him Our businesse is not such as needs so speciall a presence and assistance of God a casual event is sufficient to determine it Wee inquire not what it is that God would haue to be done or not to bee done that without speciall command or instinct were Sorcerie or Divination by Lots But wee doe that which God vnder himselfe hath enabled vs to doe expecting no issue from him saue only by Ordinary meanes which as in other our actions so in this I hope we may doe with out troubling the king as you imagine In a word the maine errour is you fancie in all lots an immediate extraordinary providence which is euer denied and neither is nor even can be proued by you N. N. Thirdly there is no warrant from Gods word to meddle with Lots in sleight matters neither from expresse commād nor from any approued example nor from any reasonable cōsequence from any part of Gods word And whatsoeuer is done not by vertue of one of these warrants is sinne Rom. 14.23 DEFENCE This argument is thus to be formed That which is not warranted from Gods word may not be medled withall Lots in sleight matters are not so warranted Ergo Lots in sleight matters are not to be medled withall The Maior you confirme by that of S. Paul Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The Minor for that it is not warranted nor by expresse command nor approued example nor reasonable consequence To all which I answer and first to the maior by denying it and withall affirming that S. Pauls words proue it not For by Faith he meanes nothing but Plerophorie or certaine assurednesse that what we goe about is lawfull to be done Now this Assurance in many things may be gotten not only by the supernaturall light of revelation contained in the Scriptures but also by the naturall light of reason imprinted in our hearts For the Moral law is naturall vnto vs and was by the finger of God written in our minds before it was grauen in tables of stone And the rule of this law is a sufficient warrant of our actions as for example of honouring our parents and doing the workes of iustice by giuing vnto every one his due although wee never knew the Scriptures Neither need wee to seeke any farther proofe hereof then from our owne Consciences which naturally checke and controle vs whensoever wee swarue and decline from it and also cleare vs when wee yeeld obedience therevnto The Minor also I deny for lots in sleight matters and consequently in Gaming are warranted not only by the law of Nature but also by Scripture How so will you say By expresse commandement Not so for then they should be necessary and if nothing should bee lawfull but that which is so commanded neither should any thing be indifferent and left vnto vs free and arbitrary By any approved example then Nor so for the Scriptures were not written to record the games and playes of men but to a more serious end How then By iust consequence thus That which in Scripture is neither commanded nor forbidden is indifferent and consequently lawfull But lots in light matters as namely in games are neither commanded nor forbidden Ergo they are indifferent and consequently lawfull N. N. Fourthly wee haue no example that ever any good man vsed the Lot about any thing in which it was not lawfull to pray God to direct and dispose of it Now no man will say or thinke that it is lawfull or convenient to pray to God so or so to direct or dispose of the Cards or Dice that such a man may haue such a Card or such a one throw such a cast at Dice it being a matter at the best hand but of Recreation For albeit there be warrant to recreate our selues yet wee haue neither command nor warrant to pray God to direct vs in the determination of any thing about our Recreations by Lot DEFENCE Your fourth Argument standeth thus That lot wherein it is not lawfull nor convenient to pray God to direct it is vnlawfull but in light matters as Cards and Dice it is vnlawfull and inconvenient to pray God to direct the Lot Ergo a lot in such matters is vnlawfull The Maior you proue because we read not of any good man that vsed the lot in any thing wherein hee might not pray for direction of it the Minor because at