A Just Defense of Certain Passages, Part 2 · Argument 1
The first Argument.
FIrst, that which may be ordinarily vsed in otherT. G. of Lots, Cap. 4. Sect. 4. Argument. 1. ciuil affairs, be they more weighty or of lesse weight, that may also be vsed for matter of duplicate page duplicate page recreation and delight. But a Lot may be ordinarily vsed in other ciuill affaires, as, by the expresse uProv. 18. 18.authoritie of Gods spirit speaking by Salomon, for the ending of contentions, and matters in suit or strife, be they weightier or of lesse weight: For the words in the text are indefinite, neither is there ought to restraine the ordinarie vse of them in that kinde either there or else-where. The word vsed there, though in its originall propriety it signifie *foreign ▪ sive -foreign à foreign vel foreign iudicare.Law-suits; yet in the ordinarie xProv. 6. 14. 19. & 10. 12. & 15. 18. & 16. 28. & 17. 14. & 18. 19. & 19. 13. & 21. 9. 19. & 22. 10. & 23. 29. & 25. 24. & 26. 20, 21. & 27. 15. & 28. 25. & 29. 22.vse of it, it extendeth it selfe to contentions of all kindes. And the practise of Gods people recorded in Scripture sheweth that euen meane matters hauehave beene decided and determined vsually by Lot: as in matter of Tithe, though it were not much material, which Lambe the Leuite had, so that he had one of ten, two of twenty, &c. yet was it decided yLevit. 27. 32. & Iun. in annot.by Lot. It was a matter of no great weight what gate of the Temple such or such Leuites should wait at; I say not, that it was a meane matter to be a Porter in Gods house, (though zPsalm. 84. 10. foreign ad limen residere. Leo Iud. Limen frequē tare. Iun. objectus Vulg. ad locū communem & ignobilem rejici. Calvin. be a doore-keeper. Angl. constant. Serum esse perpetuus, postiaffixus, ut Exod. 21. 6. i. vilissima conditione ibi agere, foreign quàm alibi liberè agentem commorari. Inde enim foreign liber…as. Leyfield.it seeme to be mentioned as one of the meanest places of imployment there;) but whether companie should wait at this gate, and whether at that other gate, (as who should stand at the North doore of the Church, and who at the South, to receiue peoples beneuolence, vponupon occasion of some collection) was no matter of great moment, and yet was that also decided *1 Paral. 26. 13, 14, &c.by Lot. Neither was it greatly materiall which of the Priests offered Incense, or which dressed the Lamps, &c. so it were done by some one of them: yet that also went aLuk. 1. 9.by Lot. Since that Lots therefore may lawfully be vsed in other ordinary affaires, Gods word indefinitely warranting it, the same else-where not restraining it, and the practise of the godly, carrying it euen to meane matters (for bParum itaque cautè Martyr ad 1 Sam. c. 10. sortibus designabantur Sacerdo…a.the offices themselues were not put by them to Lot, but the distribution of particular duties or stations among those of the same office) I see not what should banish them out of our disports, more than out of other our (though serious, yet) ciuill affaires.
The Argument collected with all faithfulnesseI. B. Answer. (as the rest, and his answers be) is this.
That which may be ordinarily vsed in other ciuill affaires, be they more or lesse weighty, may also be vsed for matter of recreation and delight. But a Lot may be ordinarily vsed in other Ciuill affaires. Therefore I see not what should banish it out of our disports, more than of other (though serious, yet) ciuill affaires.
How faithfully Mr. B. hath related mine Argument, T. G. Reply.any eye that compareth this his relation and it, may soone see. I say, A Lot may be vsed ordinarily in other ciuill affaires, be they weighty or of lesse weight, as my Proposition required that I should, and Mr. B. dealing as aMatth. 4. 6.the Deuill did with Scripture, when he tempted our Sauiour, clippeth away those last words (for what purpose shall after appeare) and relateth thus mine Assumption, But a Lot may be ordinarily vsed in other Ciuill affaires. If this be all faithfulnesse, I know not what faithfulnesse is. Here is but a bad beginning againe, I am sure; and bGrauius enim sub pietatis professione peccatur. Salv. de provid. l. 4. c. 8.the worse, because the contrary is so solemnly and so seriously professed. But let vsus heare his Answer.
I. B.
Is not this a fearefull conclusion like the Tenent?
T. G.
How timorous the Tenent is, hath before been discussed. And if the Conclusion here be no more timorous, it mattereth not much.
I. B.
Why doth not Mr. G. conclude positiuely thus? Therefore a Lot may be vsed for matter of recreation and delight.
T. G.
It is enough if the premises necessarily inferre the Conclusion. Which, what had it mattered, if it had wholly beene omitted? as cMatth. 22. 32.it is sometime with our Sauiour himselfe in his disputes. But it is dforeign. Plut. de adulat.the part of a bad pleader, as the Heathen man well obserueth, to leaue the maine matter, and trifle thus about termes.
I. B.
He, forsooth, seeth not. Can a blind man goe stoutly on his way? But (blessed be God) Mr. G. seeth well, though not in this point. Bernardus non vidit omnia.
T. G.
A little ouer flowing of the gall, I feare, troubled Mr. B. when he was about this imployment. But what I see not, I hope, eNamque homo, qui erranti comiter ostendit viam, Quasi lumen de suo lumine accendit, facit: Nihilo ut minus ipsi luceat, cùm illi accenderit. Enn…us. Cic. offic l. 1.he will shew me, that seeth better than I doe in this businesse.
I. B.
For if God had opened his eyes, he might hauehave seene plainely, what should banish a Lot out of disports more than out of other Ciuill affaires; to wit, because God alloweth a Lot to be vsed in them, but not in these: and it is presumption of set purpose to imploy God but as it may stand with his pleasure.
T. G.
1. I maruell then why many others sharper sighted than Mr. G. and whose eyes I doubt not but that God hath opened as well as Mr. Bs, doe not see it.
2. That God hath allowed the one and not the other, will not for begging be thus had. But what answer is there in all this to mine Argument? vnlesse the denying of the Conclusion be a legall kinde of Answer.
I. B.
Hereof more hereafter. In meane while, in further answer to this Argument, I denie the Proposition thereof. For an Oath may be ordinarily vsed in other Ciuill matters, yet not for matter of recreation. Whereof also more hereafter.
Here Mr. B. sheweth why he curtailed andT. G. cut off part of mine Assumption before, as fPlutarch. in These….Procrustes did those that were too long for his bed; It was too long to serue his turne, and that being cut off, he thought no more was said of a Lot in it, than might well be said of an Oath. Now therefore for further Answer (hauing giuen none at all before) either he denieth, not my Proposition, but an other of his owne forging correspondent to the Assumption that before he had framed; or else he bringeth an instance nothing at all to the purpose. My Proposition is this as himselfe relateth it, That which may be ordinarily vsed in other Ciuill affaires, be thèy more or lesse weighty, may also be vsed for matter of recreation and delight. This thus conceiued Mr. B. denieth, and that he may seeme to hauehave some shew of reason for this his deniall, he addeth, that an Oath may be ordinarily vsed in other Ciuill matters, yet not for recreation. To let passe a large liberty giuen here for Oaths, which if it had in such termes slipt Mr. Gs. pen, he should soone hauehave heard of it with a witnesse, as a patron of, and a pleader for ordinarie swearers; as if those places gMatth. 5. 34.of our Sauiour and hIam. 5. 12.S. Iames well knowne, did not precisely condemne iSit sermo vester, Matt. 5. 37. i. sermo familiaris & quotidianus, Piscat. sermo cōmunis▪ Chemnit.ordinarie swearing. To let that passe, hoping that Mr. B. meant not amisse, howsoeuer his words seeme to sound. Vnlesse he put in, be those ciuill affaires weighty or lesse weighty, wherein he saith an oath may be vsed, he saith nothing at all that concerneth my Proposition: If he doe, he directly crosseth iQuod rectè sic expressit Chemnit. harmon. c. 51. Pharisaeorum traditio erat, in quibusvi… casibus, in familiari sermone, & in cō munibus negotijs, rectè & sin… peccato posse nomen Dei ad Iuramentum assumi. Contra Christus in qu…tidianis & communibus colloquijs, negotijs & commercijs, &c. vult omninò non esse nomen Dei ad juramentum assumendum: utpote quod …am sacro-sanctum nobis esse debeat, ut illud non nisi in regra…issima in testimonium adhibeamus. Nam in re levine magnū qu. dem virum in testem vocare auderemus.the doctrine of our Sauiour; and his owne assertious else-where. Neither doe I beleeue that Mr. B. can giuegive instance of any one particular that may be vsed ordinarily in Ciuill affaires, be they more or lesse weighty, that may not be vsed also in disport. If he or any other can produce any, I will relinquish this Argument.