the Pope himselfe is not exempted from this generality saith Bernard And. God hath made Kings rulers not only over Souldiers but over Priests also saith Pope Gregory In the old Testament Aaron was subiect vnto Moses and Priests and Levites to the Prince in the new Testament Christ himselfe submitted himselfe vnto the secular power and St Paul appealed vnto Caesar at whose iudgement seat hee saith hee ought to be iudged In a word the law of nature requireth Subiection of all the law of Moses requireth the same so doth the Gospell too and therefore let every soule be subiect vnto the higher powers And so much also of the Subiect As touching the Relation or Duty that from the higher Powers to the inferior is Rule Government of which neither was it my purpose neither doth my Text occasion me now to speake but from the inferiour to the superiour it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subiection Yee must bee subiect This Subiection is not a point but hath latitude and includeth within it sundry duties all which notwithstanding as I conceaue may be reduced vnto three answerable vnto those three eminencies and excellencies that are in the Magisâ—rate For there is in the Magistrate first the eminencie of person and degree then the excellency of power and authority and lastly the dignity of his worke and operation and every one of these deserueth accordingly to be requited with a seuerall dutie First then there is in the superior powers an eminencie aboue others in regard of their persons as being the vicegerent and lieutenants of the King of heauen and earth not as other men but after a peculiar manner in maiestie and dominion bearing the image of God the God of heaven as Daniel saith hauing giuen vnto them a Kingdome power strength and glory In which respect they are stiled in Scripture Principalities and Powers Dominations and Dignities the Lords annointed yea Gods Dixi Dij estis I haue said yee are Gods This eminency and excellency in the Magistrate is to be answered with Honour and Reverence from vs. My sonne feare the Lord and the King saith Solomon Feare God honour the King saith Peter Honour thy Father and thy Mother saith the fift commandement not those naturall parents onely which haue begotten vs but Patres patriae the fathers of the country also This Honour and Reverence as I vnderstand includeth within it a triple act first of the minde in a due estimation and valuing of their place and dignity secondly of the will in an humble inclination thereof vnto them because of their excellency thirdly of the body in outward behaviour carriage towards them as rising vp in their presence baring the head bowing the knee reverent speaking vnto them and such like according to the manner of the country where wee liue Neverthelesse of these three the second is the principall and most proper act of Honour for a man may know the worth of a thing and yet bee no whit affected towards it as the Gentiles knew God yet glorified him not as God and outward demeanure comporement what shew of reverence soever it haue yet may proceede of scorne and derision as was that of the Iewes towards Christ. But if vpon apprehension of the Magistrates worth and excellency the heart be inclined and duly affected therewith all externall acts of reverence will surely follow of themselues Such a one will ever set the best construction on all their actions interpreting nothing sinisterly he will conceale their errours and infirmities and with Sem and Iaphet going backward cover them hee will not suffer them either in their persons or actions to bee traduced or dishonoured but will carefully defend or excuse them In a word hee will not somuch as entertaine an evill thought against them so farre is he from saying or doing ought that may detract from them And so much of the first duty Honour and Reverence The second eminencie in the magistrate is the excellency of Power and Authority whereby he enacteth and ordaineth lawes for the well government of the common-wealth commanding that which is good forbidding that which is evill advanceing the well deseruing and punishing those that either transgresse or neglect his commandements briefly hauing the greatest power that can be on earth ius vitae atque necis power of life death Now vnto authority who seeth not that Obedience is due Put them in minde saith Saint Paul to obey Magistrates and indeede to what end is authority and power to command if every man notwithstanding might refuse to obey and doe what he list But here wee are to be advertized that as the Magistrates authority is not infinite so there are bounds set vnto our Obedience Princes though they be soveraignes in regard of their subiects yet are they viceroyes in regard of God Regum timendorum in proprios greges Reges in ipsos imperium est Iovis Kings command their people and God them Omne sub Regno graviore Regnum est every Kingdome is vnder a greater Kingdome If then they command vnder God wee must obey if against God wee must say with the Apostle it is better to obey God then man Hand over head to yeeld a Monkish and blind obedience vnto them is to advance man into the throne of God and to giue vnto another the glory only due to him withall to incurâ—e the fearfull curse threatned vnto Israel for obseruing the wicked statutes of Ahab and Omri True it is wee must giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars and so must wee giue vnto God the things that are Gods If any aske quis prohibet who forbids in such cases to obey Say maior potestas a greater power If they threaten answere with Saint Augustine Da veniam tu carcerem ille gehennam minatur thou threatnest the body with imprisonment hee both body and soule with hell fire Only take heede first that thou be not lead by fancies and imaginations but be sure that they command against God secondly that denying obedience thou doe it in all humility without scandall or contempt lastly that yet thou be content to obey passiuely and whatsoever they shall command within the sphere of their activity and not against God that thou bee ready also to obey actiuely And so much of the second duty Obedience The third and last eminency in the magistrate is the dignity and excellency of his worke which is exceeding great For he is the Minister of God for our wealth saith Saiâ—t Paul and thereunto he applyeth himselfe Hee is custos vtrivsque tabulae the guardian and keeper of both the tables of the law that vnder him wee may lead a godly and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Were it not for him every one would doe what seemed good in his owne eyes and men like wolues would pray one vpon another but now by him every man enioyes his own violence is repressed
Now the power here meant not being that Essential must needs be this Oeconomicall For other power hee hath none and this he hath receiued thereby to giue eternall life But let vs enquire a little farther into the nature of this power There is a double created Power the one Secular and Mundane the other Heavenly and Spirituall Is this Power of Christ Secular and Mundane Surely such a Power the Iewes expected in their Messias and the Apostles themselues were for a while swaied with the like hope concerning Christ. And now also some Papists there are who for the easier advancement of the Pope therevnto would faine haue it so because as here hee saith Power so else where our Saviour saith All power is given vnto me But for these Bellarmine himselfe may suffice to confute them For saith hee every kingdome is acquired by one of these waies either by Inheritance or Election or Conquest or Donation But Hereditary kingdome Christ had none For although he were descended from David and so was of the blood royall yet that he was next of blood vnto the crowne doth not appeare And besides as touching the kingdome the seed of Iecon David had long before determined in Ieconiah neither was any of his race ever after King King also by Election he was none as appeares by that of Iohn that when he perceiued they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed from them into a mountaine himselfe alone And when he was requested to divide the inheritance betweene two brothers he refused for said he Man who made me a iudge or a divider over you Neither was he so by conquest for he neuer made warre vpon any mortall Prince but only on the prince of darkenesse Nor finally by Donation from God for my kingdome saith he is not of this world and againe my kingdome is not from hence as if he should say a King I am but no secular King Neither did he at any time exercise any kingly power but â—ame rather to minister and to be iudged then to iudge to be ministred vnto Furthermore Kingly authority was neither necessary nor profitable vnto him but superfluous and vnprofitable For the end of his comming was the redemption of mankind wherevnto temporall power was not necessary but only spirituall And whereas it was his office to perswade from the loue of worldly glory wealth and pleasures vnto the contempt thereof temporall power would haue beene not only vnprofitable but also a great let and hinderance therevnto Lastly all the Prophets foretell only of a spirituall and eternall kingdome which should be restored to Israell But temporall is not eternall and how can such a kingdome bee said to be restored seeing it continued still in the hands of the Romans vntill by them they were rooted out from being a nation vpon earth Secular and worldly power therefore our Saviour had none What then Heavenly and Spirituall And this appeareth first by the end of Christs comming and the authority bestowed vpon him For this was Spirituall namely to deliver mankind from spirituall Egypt and Babylon the bondage of Sinne and Satan and to bring them vnto the eternall fruition of God wherein standeth everlasting life Secondly by the meanes appointed for the atchieving of this end For the weapons of his warfare are not carnall but spirituall Outwardly hee worketh through the eare by the preaching of the Gospell inwardly vpon the spirit conscience by the power of his divine spirit wherevpoÌ„ saith the Apostle St Paul The kingdome of God is not meat drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost In a word what more frequent in Scripture then to call this power of Christ the kingdome of Heaven Which what other doth it import then that it is no way earthly but altogether heavenly and spirituall But you will say wherein standeth this Spirituall authority of Christ I answere in two things whereof the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enacting of wisdome and good lawes For without lawes no kingdome or state can stand And to him alone it belongs to command lawes who is the soveraigne The soveraigne in this kingdome is Christ. He therefore is Legislator the law maker yea as St Iames saith Vnus legislator the only law maker And by vertue of this power hee prescribeth vnto the subiects of his kingdome both credenda what articles we are by Faith to beleeue facienda what duties we are in life to performe All which least any should pleade ignorance he hath caused publikely to be proclaimed both by word and writing And to perswade the readier obedience to them after the manner of all law-makers he annexeth both promises and threatnings promises of rich and plentifull reward to them that shall be obedient threatnings of rigorous and severe punishment to all that shall be rebellious and disobedient To descend to farther particularity would bee infinite I forbeare therefore and passe to the other part of his power which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous iudgement For lawes without due execution are vaine and to no purpose duly executed they will not be vnlesse there be a superior to looke vnto it As therefore Christ is the Lawmaker so is he also Iudge ordained by God according as we beleeue in the Articles of the Creed to be the Iudge both of quick and dead A soveraigne Iudge from whom lies no appeale A righteous Iudge who accepteth the person or none but pronounceth sentence precisely according to the worke According I say to the worke For herein standeth his power of judicature namely in dispencing rewards and punishments according to the observation of his lawes or the transgression of them which ever he doth vpon due cognizance of the cause and conviction of the party A power farre aboue the reach of any other creature and incident only to him who subsisteth in the person of the sonne and that by vertue of such personall vnion So that as the Priesthood of Christ is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot passe from him vnto another by the same proportion his kingly power is so proper vnto him as it is vncommunicable to any other whatsoever And thus much of the first poynt Quid what is given Whence wee may obserue first seeing the Power of Christ as he is man be farre aboue all created Powers yet is not infinite it makes against all those who either swallow vp the humane nature into the divine and so turne it into God such as were some of the ancient Heretikes and among them the Eutychians or who shed and poure out all the divine attributes and so the omnipotence and infinite power of God into the humanity such as are if yet now adayes such there be some of the rigider divines in Germanie If there be such I say For perhaps all the late quarrell risen betwixt them and vs grew
justice is executed religion is maintained and humane society preserued To procure these things and to attend the publike good as it is a worthy so it is also a difficult worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee may not sleepe all night that hath taken charge of a common-wealth and they that haue worne it haue both felt and confessed that a Diadem is no small burthen so that it is not without cause that in the holy tongue the same word signifieth both an honour and a burden For this worthy worke so difficult vnto the Magistrate so profitable vnto vs what duty are wee to returne Even hearty thankfulnesse and all possible requitall Verball thankes are due yet are they alone too sleight a reward for so great a worke wee are farther to requite him in our liuelodes with tribute and custome as the Apostle chargeth and that not niggardly and only to supply his necessities but bountifully and proportionably vnto his state and dignity Nay because otherwise wee can never make him full satisfaction and were owe even our very selues vnto him even our selues must wee bestow vpon him and bee ready to doe him service with the expence not only of liuelode but of life also Dignus est operarius mercede sua the labourer is worthy of his hire But aboue all wee must ever remember to make our addresses and prayers vnto God for our Kings all that are in authority vnder them that God would giue them to vse the words of Tertullian vitam prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum a long life a secure raigne safety at home valiant armies abroad faithfull counsellors good subiects and a peaceable World And thus haue I finished the first part of my text which is the Duty Subiection The next part followeth which is the necessity thereof for it is not an arbitrary duty nor left indifferent vnto our choice whether wee will be subiect yea or no but necessity is laid vpon vs yee must needs be subiect saith our Apostle or as it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of necessity yee must be subiect But what May not a man refuse to be subiect if he list Doubtlesse he may How then is it necessary as you say not arbitrary For clearing of this point it may please you to remember that there is a double Necessity the one Absolute and Simple the other Hypotheticall and Conditionall Simple Necessity is that which cannot otherwise be being infallibly and immutably determined vnto one and such necessity of subiection is not here meant for it is manifest by experience and the more is the pitty that too many too often refuse to be subiect Conditionall necessity is that which Simply considered may bee otherwise but such or such things being supposed cannot be otherwise and this Necessity is here vnderstood as appeareth by the very text yee must needs be subiect not only for wrath but also for conscience as if he should say if either yee will avoide wrath or else will keepe a good conscience of necessity yee must be subiect So that wee are bound to Subiection by a double tie the first is Humane the second is Divine the Humane is the Wrath of the Magistrate yee must needs bee subiect because of wrath the Divine is Conscience towards God yee must be subiect also because of conscience And of these two briefly Wrath is a passion seated in the Invading part of the soule of man whereby hee desireth to keepe off or to remoue whatsoeuer is nociue hurtfull vnto him that by way of invading and assaulting him who either would doe or hath done vs hurt For as man naturally desireth to preserue and keepe that good whereof hee is possessed and to obtaine that farther good which he seeth to bee convenient for him so if any goe about to bereaue him of the one or to barre him from the other presently the bloud begins to boyle about the heart and anger so inflames him that he cannot let him alone but must needs resist him and set against him with all his might Hence is it that the philosopher calls anger cotem fortitudinis the wheâ—stone of courage and divers define it to be appetitum vindictae desire of revenge How truly and philosophically I despute not sure I am revenge vsually waites vpon wrath and our Apostle ioynes them both together a revenger saith he to execute wrath Now the Magistrates duty is to procure the publike good videre nequid respub detrimenti capiat to provide that the common suffer no detriment or harme If therefore any shall hinder the publike good or shall worke any disadvantage or dammage vnto the state the wrath of the Magistrate ought to burne against such a man And as God when his lawes are broken or himselfe any way dishonoured waxeth angry with man so these Gods on earth these vicegods when men by contemning their authority and denying them due subiection goe about to disturbe and set combustion in the state haue iust cause to be angry and to seeke revenge vpon them But Wrath and desire of revenge in him that wanteth power is vaine and foolish according to that of the Poet Quid stulti proprium non posse velle nocere it is the property of a foole wanting ability to desire to doe hurt but in him who hath not only will but strength and power also to be revenged it is dangerous and terrible Fulmen est vbi cum potestate habitat iracundia it is no lesse then thunder and lightning when anger and power meete together And such is the wrath of the Magistrate the wrath of a Prince is as the roaring of a lyon and the anger of a King is as messengers of death saith Salomon For lawes haue ever beene backed with severe penalties as mults imprisonment banishment dismembring torments death yea cruell kindes of death as appeareth by the lawes of all other nations and those of Moses also whereof God was author The reason is because men are wild beasts and would desperately breake through all lawes were they not so curbed restrained bona est ars terrere ne pecces it is great wisdome to terrify to the end that men sinne not But what are lawes vnlesse they bee duly executed Surely but scarcrows and bugbeares therefore vnto the Magistrate is the due execution of them committed and into his hand is the sword of Iustice put not to let it ly rusting in the sheath but to draw it forth against offendors and that first for the satisfaction of iustice that the party delinquent may receiue condigne punishment and then for the example of others that Israell may see and feare For although paena ad vnum the penalty light but on one yet metus ad omnes it is intended for the terror of all not to walke in those waies which leade vnto so
the best hand Games are but matters of Recreation I answere and first to the Maior negatiuely For although in Extraordinary lots wherein there is an expectation of Gods immediat providence for direction it is fit by prayer to craue the same of God yet in those Ordinary lots wherein it is not materiall which way they fall and no notable inconvenience can ensue thereof it is not necessary so to doe The confirmation which you bring for your Maior is authority negatiuely in point of Fact which is a meere Sophisticall Elench of no validity Wherein also you take for granted that which cannot bee yeelded without much folly nor demanded without much impudence namely that whatsoever the Saints did is recorded in Scripture which wee haue shewed to be farre otherwise Vnto the Minor and the proofe thereof I say no more but this that as all other our actions so our Gaming also is sanctified vnto vs by Prayer Not that at the commencement of every act a man is bound to put himselfe on his knees and to make his particular addresses vnto God for the morning sacrifice through the acceptation of God is sufficient to that end and stretcheth it selâ—e to all the daies actions Although I deny not but as at our meales so also in the beginning and closing vp of our play wee may with short eiaculations both craue a blessing vpon our recreation and praise him for the same But as touching the fall of the lot in our games because it is like hearb Iohn in a pot of broth doing neither good nor harme I hold it as inconvenient to pray for it as it is to pray for good successe at a match of bowles For as for those who adventure at play more then they can well spare without disabling themselues they passe beyond their bounds and offend against the rule of moderation in play Yet if such a one finding his rashnesse and sincerely resoluing not to commit such an errour againe shall in his heart entreat God to free him from the present danger I thinke such prayer should not be vnlawfull to him N. N. Fiftly a Lot is a thing that belongs to the art of Divinity and can be defined no where but there nor handled by any other way Wee may as I thinke sport our selues with any thing that belongs to any other art or recreate our selues in iest by any rules of any other art But thus wee must not doe with any thing or rule that belongs to Divinity we may not meddle with Divine things in light matters the Majesty of God and them requires more respect at the hands of Creatures The King nor any of his Lawes may not bee dallied with by the Subiect how much more is the Creature being but sinfull dust and ashes bound to his Creator being a consuming fire which wicked men make light of yea make sport with oathes vowes prayer the Sabbath the Sacraments and the Word of God For they will sweare vow pray without serious consideration they will for their pleasures sake breake the holy day of the Sabbath they vse the Sacraments as a matter of custome and fashion not of Conscience else the Dog would not so soone turne againe to his vomit And as for the Word of God he is commended for the best wit that can breake the most savory iests in the repeting of some phrase of Scripture We say it is no iesting with edgtooles and all say non est bonum ludere cum Sanctis yet what is wicked mens practise else with any Divine thing To follow whose example is farre vnbeseeming the humility and gravity of Gods professed servants DEFENCE Your reason is to be reduced into this forme or syllogisme That which belongs to the art of Divinity and can no otherwhere bee defined or handled may not bee sported withall or medled with in light matters But a lot belongs to the art of Divinity and can no otherwhere bee handled or defined Ergo it may not be sported withall or medled with in light matters In the proofe of the Maior you enlarge your selfe very much discoursing of the Maiesty of God and divine things and what respect is due to them from the creatures Then with many words you inveigh against all those wicked ones who make a Game of Oaths Vowes Prayer Sacraments Sabbath Scripture and what not In all which I readily joyne with you and had you prest it much farther and with more vehemence you could never haue offended mee The only thing that I dislike is that you bestow so much paines in maintaining that which no man denies and spare it there where it greatly needed I meane vpon the confirmation of your Minor What Did you thinke you should be taken for another Pythagoras Or that your owne bare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would be of sufficient authority Verily either it was great dimnesse of sight if you foresaw not the Assumption would be denied or if you foresaw it extreame negligence or weaknesse that you endeavoured not to proue it Your Assumption therefore I deny That a Lot belongs to the art of Divinity and is there to be defined handled If you aske a reason of the deniall you may know I am not bound to render it your place is not to aske questions but to proue what you affirme Neverthelesse the reason is this because the termes of the definition belong not vnto Divinity Not the Genus which is a Chance or Casuall event for that belongs vnto the Metaphysicks as also doth Necessity Not the Forme which is the applying of the chance to resolue a doubt for that belongs vnto Pollicie or Morality If you foist any other thing into the Definition whatsoever it be it is superfluous and impertinent But why should any man thinke that it pertaines to a Divine to define a lot Is it because there is in them a Divine providence So is there also in Chesse Bowles and all other things whether serious or lusory yet are they not therefore Theologicall Is it because there is in them an immediat providence So indeede you dreame but wee haue already clearly demonstrated the contrary Is it then because they haue beene vsed in holy and religious businesses So is bread and wine and water also vsed yet I hope you will not say that the Definition of these things is proper to Divinity or that wee may not play with them and vse them in light matters Every applying of a creature vnto a holy end is not by and by an appropriating thereof vnto that end neither doth God by his Extraordinary vsing of a thing barre vs ever after from the Ordinary and naturall vse thereof And thus you see that as good reason may be rendred to the contrary so iust reason for it you can render none why the defining of a lot should be so confined to Divinity Yet one word more with you ere I leaue this point For I must entreat leaue to plucke you by the eare
in such ascantling of time there could bee no expounding In the dayes of good King Iosiah the booke of the law which Hilkiah had found in the house of the Lord was read in the eares of all the people but of exposition not a word Ezra also the Priest read the law before the congregation from morning till midday but that his reading was interrupted by interpretation is not so cleare as you are borne in hand For first if any did interpret it was the Levites but that Ezra the Priest and a Scribe so learned should be put to the inferior and baser office of reading and the Levites but pettie ones in comparison advanced vnto the higher and worthier of interpreting seemes altogether improbable Secondly where it is said the Levites caused the people to vnderstand the law that it seemes was done not by way of expounding but by causing the people to stand still in their places and to giue due attention As for that which followes they gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand the reading it is in the originall thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and may fitly be rendred they made attention and vnderstood the reading referring the distinct reading of the law vnto Ezra making of attention to the Levites vnderstanding to the people And thus doe sundry worthy Divines conceiue of this place All which not withstanding because diverse other great clarkes amongst the rest our late translators are of another mind I may not be too peremptorie herein Yet will I be bold to inferre that vnlesse they can proue that sermons were every Sabbath made in evey Synagogue which I thinke they will neuer proue Preaching in this place will be all one with Reading So will it be also vnlesse they can shew that whatsoever was read was expounded for it seemes by the text that whatsoever was read was preached But as with vs the Psalmes and Lessons and Epistles and Gospells with other parcells of Scripture read every Lords day in our Churches are not nor cannot all at once be expounded but only some small portion so the Petaroths or Sections of the law and the Prophets ordained by Ezra of old to be read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day are as they are set downe by the sonne of Maimonie so large that they could not possibly at leastwise conveniently bee interpreted at one time I presume therefore all was not interpreted which was read yet all was preached which was read wherefore Preaching cannot in this place bee interpreted but only Reading Besides these reasons least any should thinke I stand single and by my selfe alone it may please you to know that I am backed with the authority of sundry graue Divines of whom I will name two onlie with either of whom that one to whom we are referred is no way to be compared The one is reverend Whitgift late Archbishop of the See of Canterbury in his defence against Cartwright the other is learned and profound Hooker the hammer of our Schismatickes whose bookes they are afraid to looke vpon least they be confounded in his Ecclesiasticall Politie These both affirme Preaching in this place to be no other then Reading Whitgift addes that all expositors he could meet withall were of the same mind so that in effect I am warranted with a cloud of witnesses Against all which besides confident asseveration I find nothing opposed saue one only passage out of the second tome of Homilies wherein say they our church doth principallie fasten on this text to proue a distinction betweene Preaching and Reading Wherevnto I answere that the intent of the Homilie is to shew the right vse of Churches and that in them the word of God should be both read and interpreted and to this end are alledged sundry passages out of the Acts together with this text all which ioyntly but not severally conclude what was intended For Act. 13.5 speaketh only of Preaching this text only of Reading and Act. 13.14 of both But how soever the Homilie vnderstand this place sure I am both this booke and the Church of England account of Reading as an effectuall Preaching as shall anon in the due place be demonstrated In the meane season I hope I may be bold out of all these premises to inferre this conclusion that if any haue publikely said that whosoever collecteth out of this text Reading to be Preaching is no better then a seducing spirit giues the lye to his mother the Church of England yea to God himselfe and is mad with reason Hee himselfe at that time spake more out of Passion then reason For a seducing Spirit is not every one that erreth and delivereth what he conceiueth to be true but hee who out of the loue of errour endeavoureth to lead others astray from the truth And ô thou glorious Archangell of the Church of England Whitgift wert thou also a seducing Spirit Or was it true of our Church in thy time which the Prophet spake of his Doctores tui Seductores tui thy teachers are thy seducers And thou profound Hooker then whom never any man spake with more reason werst thou also mad with reason And yee both when yee vndertooke the defence of the Politie and government of your Mother did you vnder pretence thereof giue the lye vnto your Mother yea even to God your Father also What shall I say The Lord forgiue these intemperate speeches The best buckler to defend off such venimous arrowes is a good conscience and Christian patience And thus armed I passe to the second part The second Quere is whether Reading be a kinde of Preaching That Reading should be called or counted a kinde of Preaching there is a generation that at no hand can endure Such language they hold to be a foule Solecisme in divinity but the doctrine it selfe a great impeachment vnto Preaching What say they when our Saviour commanded his Apostles to goe into the World and to preach the Gospell vnto all creatures is it not a sottish thing to thinke hee meanes no more then this goe learne to read well then call the people together and read the word vnto them When St Paul saith to the Romans How can they preach except they bee sent doth not this imply that Preaching is more then bare Reading When the Prophet Esay said How beautifull vpon the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace c. Doe you thinke hee spake this of one that should come with a booke in his pocket and read vnto Sion Who saith S. Paul is sufficient for these things Now if Reading be Preaching who is not sufficient for these things Finally When S. Paul chargeth Timothy to preach the word to be instant in season out of season to reproue rebuke exhort withall long suffering and doctrine What meanes he no more then this goe take a care to read well These are their choicest objections out of
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
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
certainly iudge you as he sees you iudge others Remember farther that they are men whose causes yee iudge made of the same stuffe bearing the same image of God redeemed by the same pretious bloud of Christ quickned by the same spirit heires of the same Kingdome with you Oh then tender them as your owne bowels let their bloud and right be deare and pretious in your eyes Remember lastly that though yee be Gods yet yee are men also and shall dye as men In Nabucadnezars image the head was gold the breast and arme siluer the belly and thighs brasse the leggs iron but all â—â—od on feete of clay Oh then when you are in your â—â—â—â—unalls thinke sometime of these feete that when they â—â—all faile you conscience of doing justice may support you Iudge yee therefore now as your selues would be iudged in the last day weigh every cause in even ballance let nothing but right sway you Draw forth the sword of your authority and strike at wickednesse couragiously Never more need the sins of this land are crying and spreading among the rest the pestilence of Drunkennesse infecteth every where There was a street in Rome called Vicus sobrius the sober streete but is there a village in England that may be called Villa sobria the sober village Every house almost is now become an ale-house and they are the very schooles of all rogery and villany yet by our country Magistrates are too much winked at and favoured Against these and the like enormities my Lords there is neede of your greatest severity Qui non vetat peccare cum potest iubet hee bids men sinne who 〈◊〉 power forbids them not Let not your remissenesse eithâ—â— harden the wicked or dishearten the good but rise vp 〈◊〉 with David to destroy all the wicked of the land Iustice requireth it at your hands wisdome requireth it justice that offendors may be cut off wisdome that others may be preserued from contagion and the state from Gods vengeance which otherwise will light vpon it if yee purge it not from such pollutions But your honours are wise and vnto the wise one word had beene sufficient Yet before I conclude I cannot but intreat my brethren of the cleargy also seeing them here so frequent to haue care that Magistracy be not despised As wee are desirous to be assisted by theÌ„ so let vs in our places assist them Let the sword of God Gedeon the sword of the mouth the mouth of the sword goe together while they labour 〈◊〉 make men subiect for wrath let vs endeavour to make them subiect for Conscience Wrath belongs vnto the Magistrate but Conscience is the taske of the Minister Oh theÌ„ let vs apply our selues diligently vnto this taske and speake home vnto the conscience first by our holy life and conversation and then by our powerfull and effectuall preaching Let our end and aime bee in all our Sermons not so much to please as to profit nor to tickle the eare with quaint phrases as to establish the heart with grace that the mind being enlightned the spirit fortified and flesh repressed vice may bee loathed and detested and the way of vertue facilitated and sweetned So shall wee make good subiects indeede such as if there were no wrath to terrify them yet meerely for conscience would submit themselues Yea so shall wee prepare both them and our selues also to bee meete subiects for that glorious Kingdome whose King is Trinity whose law Charity whose reward perfect blessednesse whose measure Eternity FINIS A DEFENCE OF THE LAVVFVLNESSE OF LOTS IN GAMING AGAINST THE Arguments of N. N. OXFORD Printed by I.L. for E. F. 1633. A DEFENCE OF THE LAWFVLNESSE OF LOTS IN GAMING NOT that I hope to purchase any great reputation to my selfe by confuting so slight a Pamphlet nor yet that I desire to afford the least countenance to those irregular Gamesters who loue not to keepe due compasse in their play but for sundry other important and weighty reasons haue I vndertaken this Defence of Lot-games Among the rest first to cleare the truth rightly to informe the vnderstanding that what wee doe or leaue vndone in this case bee not sinne vnto vs. For practice without knowledge is little better then Presumption and abstinence vpon errour is little lesse then Superstition Secondly to arme and settle weake and tender Consciences least happily some honest and religiously affected hearts who haue at times without scruple vsed these Games receiue some wound from these Arguments and be brought into a needlesse labyrinth and perplexity vnlesse they be provided of some buckler against them or threed to disintangle them Thirdly lastly to reforme the affection and to worke those that are contrary minded to a little more Charity that seeing vpon how slender and sandy a ground they haue wronged the people of God in their Christian liberty tying them farre shorter and straiter then God himselfe doth they may be moued hereafter not to censure their brethren with so much superciliousnesse to hold a better correspondence with them These are the cheefest ends I aime at for which I haue chosen rather to adventure my selfe into these lists then out of I know not what imaginary feare of encouraging idle and immoderate Gamesters to forbeare True it is debausht and lewd companions are not to bee humoured in their vanities howbeit it is a very preposterous course because of the abuse to condemne the lawfull vse and to labour the redressing of a misdemeanure in life either by breeding or fomenting an errour in judgement An errour in judgement will you say That is not yet demonstrated neither will it bee accounted so vntill the contrary Arguments bee sufficiently answered Let vs therefore in Gods name trie examine the force and strength of them N. N. Meere Lots vnlawfull in light matters as at play with Cards and Dice and the like exercises DEFENCE A Lot is nothing else but a casualty or casuall event purposely applied to the determination of some doubtfull thing Of Lots some are Meere some are Mixt. Meere Lots are those wherein there is nothing else but a Lot or wherein there is nothing applied to determine the doubt but only meere casualty Mixt Lots are those wherein something else besides casualtie is applied to determine the doubt as namely wit skill industrie the like These termes being thus cleared I answer first that by the tenor of your words you seeme to allow Mixt Lots in Gaming and only disallow Meere Lots Whereas notwithstanding you dispute anon against the vse of all Lots in light matters So that you haue not exprest your selfe distinctly enough and thereby giue iust occasion to suspect that you apprehend of this matter but confusedly Secondly I deny this Proposition affirming the Lots both Mixt and Meer are lawfull even in the lightest matters and consequently that cards and dice and tables and all other Games of the like nature are lawfull and may
and to admonish you of Contradictions which seeme to haue slipt from you at vnawares Tell me I beseech you how these sayings hang together Wee may sport our selues with things that belong to any art but Divinity The King his lawes may not be dallied withall For if Kings lawes belong vnto Policy and not Divinity then may they bee plaid withall but if they may not be plaid with then is your rule false and wee may not sport our selues with all those things that belong to other arts N. N. Wicked men are bold to cast Lots with wicked or vaine minds in wicked things to wicked ends without respect of Gods disposition at all For if they did but thinke that God were so powerfull as from heauen to dispose and so to shew his speciall presence in a Lot or so wise as to vnderstand what they goe about with what intents for what ends and after what manner they durst not be so bold as the wicked souldiers were to cast Lots vpon Christs coat Mat. 27.5 nor as the Iewes were in as vnconsiderate dealing Ioel. 3.3 Obad. 11. nor as our foolish and filthy Gamesters who must haue Games with Lots to make themselues sport and recreation For mine owne part I had rather heare of downeright blasphemy then to heare wise wicked men justify lusorious Lots DEFENCE To what end all this Deolamation against wicked men with wicked mindes in wicked things to wicked ends ferueth I see not Nor yet whether you esteeme all those that vse and allow these Lotgames to be foolish and filthy Gamesters and wise wicked men for certainly your words seeme to incline that way and I feare when you wrote this you gaue too much way to your passion Bee it knowne vnto you that as learned and reverend and religious Divines as this Church yeeldeth and this Church yeeldeth as many as any Church in Christendome besides both vse and approue these Games whom therefore to censure as foolish and wicked men argueth no lesse then extremity of arrogance and fury But where are those wicked men who doubt whether God can dispose from heaven and shew his speciall presence in a Loâ— For that God can doe so not Scripture only but the light of reason also teacheth and few I thinke are growne to that height of impudence to deny it It may be you are angry with some who will not beleeue vpon your bare word that God worketh immediatly in every lot and therefore you lay such imputation vpon them But it is one thing what God doth another thing what God can doe and mee thinkes you should bee ashamed with so much confidence to maintaine a speciall presence hand of God in every casualty and never to make the least shew of an argument to perswade it Heâ—e lies the knot of all demonstrate this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the victory is yours As for the lot which the souldiers cast vpon our Saviours coat it was a Divisory lot and that I trow you doe not disallow It seemes as with vs so amongst them the garment was the executioners fee Christs being seamlesse they would not part it with the rest but draw cuts who should haue the whole In regard whereof if Christ had beene a malefactour the lot had beene lawfull but being an innocent it was no better then robbery Those lots mentioned in Ioel and Obadiah were not as you mistake it cast by the Iewes but by the enimies of God and the Edomits vpon the Iewes and it was vnlawfull because they were wrong doers Had the people of God in a just warre cast the lot vpon the Edomits and other of Gods enimies the case had beene altered and the Lot had beene lawfull That last clause wherein you professe you had rather heare of downeright blasphemy then wise wicked men justifie Lusorious lots argueth more hast then advisednâ—sse and is not the speech of a sober Protestant but of one fraied out of his wits For no man in his right minde will say that that which so many worthies approue and allow is no better then downeright blasphemy which all Christian hearts detest and abhorre Dij mentem tibi dent tuam Philaeni N. N. Sixtly the Lot is one of Gods names by which hee is known The Kings wisdome power and iustice and so his name is made famous by the wise and iust determination of businesse in which others want both justice wisdome and discretion Hence Mr Perkins on the 3d Commandement speaking of Gods name saith wee ought not to vse the Lot but with great reverence in that the disposition of them is only of the Lord and their proper vse is to decide controversies and to make partitions in great matters DEFENCE Thus you reason To prophane Gods name is vnlawfull To vse lots in light matters is to prophane Gods name Ergo to vse lots in light matters is vnlawfull The Maior I grant The Minor you proue first by reason then by authority By reason for that a lot is one of Gods names I deny it for then might wee say God is a casualtie applied to decide a doubt Yea but your meaning is that in a lot Gods name is made famous Soe is it also in every creature froÌ„ the highest Seraphin to the smallest gnat yet some of theÌ„ I hope without prophaning of Gods name bee vsed in light matters That insinuation of Gods iust wise determining businesses in a lot shall anon in due place be answered in the meane season thus I argue ab absurdo Nothing wherein Gods name appeares may be vsed in light matters In every creature Gods name appeares Ergo no creature may be vsed in light matters But this conclusion is false Ergo one of the Propositions Not the Minor for in every creature Gods name appeares Ergo the Maior that nothing wherein Gods name appeares may bee vsed in light matter The authority you presse vpon vs is of M. Perkins who I confesse was a very reverend and worthy Divine yet being a partie in this question little reason haue you to vrge his authoritie and I lesse to be swaied by it Your selfe reject it in mixt Games at Cards and Tables pardon me therfore if I admit not of it here Forcti sanatique idem jus you haue no better privilege for the one then I haue for the other Other authors of as great note are of another minde and what in the passage by you quoted he affirmeth is already confuted N. N. Seventhly wee argue against lusorious Lots from the dignitie and worth of a Lot A Lot doth equall an Oth in any thing a Lot excells an Oth in many things It equalls an Oth thus An Oth is of Gods ordaining so is a Lot An Oth is a meanes to decide controversies so is a Lot An Oth taken settles contentment amongst men for a man will say if such a man will sweare it let him take it so it is or should be in a Lot for God doth it An Oth