Nature and Use of Lots — Thomas Gataker

Nature and Use of Lots · Thomas Gataker

CHAP. VIII. Answere to the Arguments lesse principall against lusorious Lots.

§ 1. THus then wee hauehave dispatched all the principall Arguments, that tend directly to proue Lusorious Lots simply vnlawfull, and so euill in themselues. Wee proceed now to the lesse principall, that tend to proue them inconuenient and inexpedient; or such as hauehave beene generally disallowed and condemned by the most.

These Arguments therefore may be ranked in two rowes: The former sort of them are such as are drawne from the euils and inconueniencies that necessarily or ordinarily attend these lusorious Lots, and the games that consist of them.

The euils that they are charged with are referred to foure heads:

1. Cursing, banning and blaspheming:

2. Losse of time, and decay of health:

3. Vnlawfull gaine, or desire of gaine:

4. And lastly, wasting of wealth.

From the first of these they thus reason:

That which causeth most horrible cursing, banning, and blaspheming, is not to be endured: aDan. de lud. alea c. 9. rat. 7.Dice-play so doth; Therefore not to be endured.

I answer: Lot games, mixt especially (but those this Author impugneth not) doe no more cause these things then Boules, or Chesse, or other like, which many take occasion by of the like outrages.

Secondly, it is not so much the game it selfe ordinarily in either▪ that maketh men thus ouershoot themselues, as bIustinian. Cod. lib 3. tit 43. …ig. …. Et Dan. ipse vbi sup. & Calu. in Epist. ad N.N script.the wasting of their wealth, and losse of money at or by either: which being seuered from the game it selfe, it will neither cause it with the well-disposed otherwise, nor would ordinarily occasion it with others.

These euils therefore (as the rest that follow) arising not from the nature of the game, but either from the immoderate and inordinate vse or rather abuse of it, or from the euill and impious disposition of the gamster otherwise, make it vnlawfull onelyonly to those that so vse it, or are so affected at it, but not simply in it selfe, nor to those that shall vse it with due Caution in that kinde.

Yea but these Lot-plaies, saith one, doe necessarily draw or at least tempt the very best to horrible blaspheming and prophaning of Gods name: and are therefore thus specially charged afresh.

To say, what lucke is this, how crooked? is an horrible blaspheming of Gods name:

But cPennor of recreat. spec. rule 4. reas. 3.Lot-games necessarily draw or tempt the best so to say:

Therefore they necessarily draw or tempt the best to horrible blasphemie.

The Proposition is thus proued:

dIbid.To say, What a God, what peruers and crooked Prouidence of God? is horrible blasphemie.

But to say, what lucke, how crooked, is in plaine words to say so:

Therefore to say, what lucke, how crooked? is horrible blasphemie.

The Assumption is proued; because in Lot-games there is nothing that can be accused (as in other games infirmitie or want of skill may) but Gods immediate direction, vnlesse we will brutishly giuegive Gods glory to Fortune.

To answere hereunto directly and briefly. Neither doe Lot-games necessarily tempt the best to say so; neither is it blasphemie so to say. There is great difference betweene those two speeches rightly conceiued, and as they may be and are of good Christians ordinarily vsed: yea they are nothing alike indeed.

There is somewhat else beside God and his prouidence, as in all other casuall euents, so in Lots, that such speeches may be applied vntounto. I am enforced too oft (I confesse) to repeate what was …aide downe eCap. 2 §. 3.4.at first, (while I tread the maze of sundry mens fancies;) that in casuall euents there are two distinct things, the worke of the Creator and the act of the Creature: the latter whereof may such speeches be well applied vntounto, and so hauehave no tang or taint at all of impiety or blasphemie. They build all vponupon this wrong ground, that there is a meere and immediate prouidence of God in all Lots, which is not true, as hath fCap. 2 §. 5.formerly beene proued, you may conceiue it by examples of like casualtie in other cases: To passe by actions of contingency caried by mans will and fore-cast oft crossing vsus in our lawfull and warrantable courses, (as g2. Sam. 16.21, 22 cum 12.11, 12.in Dauids despitefull wrong done him in the abuse of his Concubines by his owne sonne Absolome,) wherein we vse such like tearmes without any impeachment of or disparagement to the diuine prouidence, which yet extendeth it selfe euen vntounto those actions: Suppose a man riding on the way through the Forest, where a Deere rushing suddainly out of the couert maketh his Horse start and throw him: in this case for a man to say, what lucke was this? or, what a crosse accident was this? is no blasphemie, nor any accusing of Gods prouidence, but a complaining of the Creatures act and the euent of it. Yea for any man to censure such a speech as blasphemous, or to construe it as if he should say, What a God is this? or, what a crosse and crooked prouidence of God? were to make himselfe one of hIam. 3.….those Masters, whom the Apostle Iames reproueth: the rather for that he chargeth that with blasphemie, wherein he cannot shew the least point of impiety.

For that of Fortune; if indeed by Fortune wee vnderstand such a blinde Deity, as the fabulous Poets fained, and idolatrous Infidels adored; it is idle and impious for any man to ascribe ought thereunto. But if by it we vnderstand the casuall and vncertaine motion of the Creature, whereby something beside the scope thereof is further effected; so we hauehave iCap. 2 §. 1.heard that kEccles. 2.14, 15. & 3.19 & 9.2, 3. Ruth 2.3.the holy Ghost vseth the tearme, and lLuk. 10.31, 32.our Sauiour himselfe ascribeth the Preists lighting vponupon the Passenger that lay wounded on the way thereunto; By chaunce, or, by fortune (for the words are all one) a Preist came downe that way, and likewise a Leuite.

For the difference and dissimilitude of games, it is great indeed: but as there are other things that a man may as…be the cause of his losse vntounto in other games b…e Gods prouidence, which yet swaieth also in them: so is there somewhat else here, to wit, the casuall motion, and various disposition of the Creature, a thing in it selfe and of it selfe distinct from Gods prouidence, as we formerly shewed.

§ 2. The second euill attending on or accompanying these Lot-games is losse of time, and decay of health by long sitting at them. The summe of the Argument which the Author cutteth into twaine, but may well be reduced to one, is this:

That which causeth losse of time, which might much better be spent, is vnlawfull: So mDan. de lud. al. c. 9. rat. 4 & Alex. Carpent. destruct vitior. part. 4. c. 23. Non est aliud vspiam quod it a homines quasi visco irretitos impediat, adeò vt totes eorum sensus occupet non secus ac fascino correptos. Caluin. epist. 374. qui, si modus ten…atur, non damnat tamen.doth hazard in play: Its therefore vnlawfull.

The Proposition is confirmed by the nEphes. 5.16. Col. 4.5.Apostles authoritie, who willeth Christian men to redeeme the time, oDan. vbi sup.that is, to spend their spare time in honest and profitable employments, as in reading on Gods word, visiting the sicke, their friends, and such like.

The Assumption is proued by the nature of this kinde of disport thus:

That which neither wearieth the body, nor cutteth of hope of conquest in time and by continuance, that recreation causeth losse of time:

But pDan. de lud. ale… c 9. rat. 5 & rat. 2. & Taff. de emend. vit. l. 2. c. 19. §. 4.this kinde of disport neither wearieth the body: for there is no exercise at all in it: nor cutteth off hope of conquest in time and by continuance; because it dependeth wholy vponupon hazard, wherein the weakest and simplest may *Sic, ne perdiderit, non cessat perdere lus…r: Et reu…cat cupidas (al…, trepidas) alea s…pe manꝰ. Ouid art. l. 1. Qui saepe vincitur, rursus ad intentius studium, Zabulo suadente animatur. Pseudo-Cyprian. de aleat.hope, after neuer so long continued losse, at length to conquer and recouer, the dice changing their course, which they may as well doe as otherwise: and those that hauehave won, hope well to hauehave still the same luck, that before they had.

This kinde of game therefore causeth … losse of time, hauing no stint or end in it: which other games of necessitie must needes hauehave, either the body being ouer-wearied, or the weaker side for want of skill past hope of winning.

This might hauehave done well for a Caution; it doth scarce well for an Argument. For first, for the proposition of the former Syllogisme, if it be vnderstood without limitation, that time ought to be spent alwaies in the best duties simply, it will ouer-throw all kinde of disport whatsoeuer. For it fighteth equally against all, be it of hazard meere or mixt, or of exercise of bodily strength or wit. But that is not sound; neither is it the Apostles meaning or purpose in that place to cut of all kinde of recreation, which Gods word giueth good warrant for; but to cut off that idle and vaine trifling out and mispending of time needlesly, not onelyonly by recreations, but by other worldly occasions,rforeign. Agatho Tr… goed, apud Clemen. Alex. stromat▪ l. 5. whereby men many times ouer-lade themselues, with neglect of those things that doe most principally concerne them, and qMatth. 6 33. Ioan. 6▪27.which our Sauiour therefore would hauehave them to seeke principally and in the first place, vsing the maine as a by-matter, and by-matters as the maine, as one sometime said wittily; and sPr…ter propter vitam viuitur. Enniꝰ apud Gell. l. 19. c. 10. Magna pars vitae elabitur malè agentibus, maxima nihil agentibus, tota aliud agentibus. Senec. epist. 1. foreign. Clem. Alex. p…dag. l. 2. c. 2.liuing rather to any end then what they should liue vntounto. And thus not onelyonly gaming and play, but tLuk. 17.28.buying also and selling, and building and planting, and uMatth. 24.38. Luk. 1….27.eating and drinking, and *Luk 14.20.wiuing and wedding, and xLuk. 14.18, 19.husbandry and tillage may become sinnes against that iniunction of redeeming the time, when yVilla non est pe… catum: & villa tamen pec…atum est, si à Christo … remoretur. Bernard.they shall take vp the due time of other necessarie duties. And yet are both of them warrantable and good taken in their owne time.

For the best workes simply are not euer to bee done; else should eueryevery day be a Sabboth day, (as he sometime said in an other sense) and not any weeke day a worke day; or if the weeke bee for worke (I meane worldly worke) then the whole weeke one worke-day, and no minute or moment left for any kinde of recreation; it being a worse thing then worke,zforeign. Diogen. apud P…ut. de tranquill. foreign. Ibid. since that aforeign. Aristot. Ethic. Nicom. l. 10. c. 6.worke is the end of it, and bforeign. Arist. Topic. l. 3. c. 1. & Physic. l. 2. c. 3. Finis praestantior …is qu… ad finem.the end is euer more excellent then what tendeth thereunto.

cforeign. Synes. Epist. 148.No sinne indeed is euer or any where to be done: but the same good workes are not to be done at all times. dNegatiua ligant ad vbique & semper: affirmatiua ligant vbique & semper, sed non ad vbique n…que ad semper. Gerson. regul. mor.Negatiue commandements binde eueryevery where and to all times: Affirmatiue precepts binde eueryevery where and at all times; but they binde not to eueryevery place, nor vntounto all times. The worke therefore fittest for the time is euer then the best worke; because the best, though not simply, yet in regard of all circumstances at that instant concurring.

For eforeign. Pindar. Pyth. ode 9.the seasonable doing of each thing is a matter of much moment: since fforeign Eccles. 3.1. foreign. Gr g. Naz. ad Eunom. serm. 1.there is a time and season for all lawfull imployments, be they serious or lusorious, ciuill or sacred. And gforeign. Greg. Naz. ibid.neither is a good action good when it is not seasonably done; nor a meaner matter omitted without sinne in his season, though it be to tend a matter in it selfe of more moment. *In ludi defectu potest esse pecca…ū. Thom. sum. par. 2^a 2ae. q. 168. a. 4. Et agenti enim quiescendum, & qui… scenti agendū. Sen. epist. 3. Alter se plus iustocolu; alter se plus iusto negligit. Tam hunc dicam peccare, quàm illum. Senec. epist. 114.It is a sinne for a man sometime not to recreate himselfe: it is not only a hforeign. Marc. leg. spir. 199. foreign. Socrates apud Xenophon…. lib. 3.sinne for him to doe a lesse good when he might and should doe a greater; but iHinc meritò damnati haeretici Mesaliani Syria…è; Euchetae Grae…è dicti, quòd caeteris omnibus omninò neglectis, or…ti…ni soli toti vacarent: vt Epiphan. h…r…s. 60. & August. haeres. 57. mal… vulgò Psalliani▪ quod & Da…. nota….it is a sinne for him to be about something, though a better thing otherwise, when hee is called to tend a meaner matter: as it is sinne for a seruant to be reading on a good booke, yea on the Bible it selfe, when he should be seruing in his Masters supper.

The Apostles speech therefore cutteth not off all recreation, it being in it selfe lawfull and good, and kEccles. 3.4. Zech. 3.10. & 8 5.warranted by Gods word, as that lO…ia corpꝰ alunt, animus quoque pascitur illis: Immodicus contra carpit vt…mque labor. Ouid. de Ponto lib. 1. Eleg. - vir…s instigat, ali…que Tempestiua quies; m…i…r post otia virtus. Stat. Sylu. l. 4.which refresheth both body and minde, and maketh either more fit and better able to goe through with and hold out in more serious imployments, mforeign. Arist. Ethic. Nic…. lib. 10. cap 4. Quod caret altern… requie, durabile non est: Haec reparat vires, membraque fessa leuat. Ouid. Epist. 4. Etsi enim de ignauiae desidi…sa (qualis Vaciae i…a vi…i hominis sepul…ura, S…n. Epis…. 55. & 82) verè sit dictum; foreign. Plut. de sene p…lit. foreign. Diogen. Laert. de Theopl…r Arc…m inten…i… frangit, anim…m remissio. Publ. Syr. nihilo tamen minus verum, quod alij: foreign. Amasis apud Herodot. lib. 2. Arcum ni cesses tendere, molli… erit. Ouid. Epist. 4. Ci…ò rumpes arcum, semper si tensum habu…ris. At si laxaris, cù… vo…es erit vtilis. Sic lusus animo debet aliquando d…ri, Ad cogitandum melior vt redeat tibi. Aesop. apud Phaedrum lib. 3. fab. 53. De Ioanne Euangelista tale quiddam refert Abraham Abb. apud Cassian. colla…. 24. c. 21. & Thom. sum. par. 2^• 2ae. q. 168 …. 2. & Herp. spec. aur. de praec. 3. serm. 2. Sed & de Antonio balista exemplum ad idem vsurpante Antonin. sum. par. 2. tit. 1. c. 23. §. 1. & Guil. Pepin. de conf…ss tract. 2. par. 3. c. 6. ex vit. patr.which would otherwise oppresse either; and that which therefore it is nSapientis esse remittere interdum acie… rebus agendis intent…m. Aug. de music. lib. 2. cap. 14. id quod ludo maximè fit. Martyr. in lud. c. 14. qua remissio fit …t per ludicra verba & facta. Thom. vbisup. Cum pueris Socrates ludere non erubescebat, &c. Sene…. de tranquill. c 15. vt & Augustus Suet. c. 83: & Agesilaus Plut. apoph. Danda est remissio animis: nec in eadem intentione aequaliter retinenda mens est, sed ad ioc…s reuocanda: meliores acrior…sque requieti surgent. V: fertili…us agr… non est imperaendum, citò enim exhauriet illos nunquam intermissa foecunditas; ita aenimorum impetus assiduus labor frangit; vires recipient paulum resoluti & remissi: nascitur enim ex assiduitate laborum, animorum hebetatio quaedam & languor. Senec de tranquill. cap. 15.no wise nor religious part for any man vtterly to neglect. It proueth losse and misse-spending of time to be sinne, as it is questionlesse oforeign. Antiph… apud Plut. Anton. & Theophrastus teste Laertio. Hinc foreign, Sapientum scitum, vt So…iades apud S…ob…um serm. 3. & Cl…m. Alex. strom. l. 1. i. T…mpori parcere, vti legunt apud Cicer. de fin. l. 3. Angelius & Victor. var. lect. l. 11. c. 19.a great and a grieuous, pQuem mihi dabis, qui pr…tium aliquod tempori ponat? Sen. epist. 1. Non exiguum temp…ris habemus, sed …ltum perdimus. Non (…am) accepimus breuem vitam quàm sacimus: non inopes eius, sed prodigi sumu… … astricto sunt homines in continendo patrimonio; simul ad temporis iacturam ventum est, profusissimi in eo, cuius vnius auaritia honesta est. Senec. de breu. vitae c. 1. & 3.though too common a sinne: but it proueth duplicate page duplicate page not that to be sinne or euill in it selfe, wherein some men, yea or many men, misse-spend their time, albeit it be euill then to them.

Secondly the Assumption maketh as well against other games that men may spend much time in, as against those of this kinde. Such are Tables and Cards as well as bare Dice: yea such is Chesse, which some also, as qModus & in h…c seruandus. Fuerunt enim qui posthabitis serijs huic vni haererent. Zuing…de form. adolesc. §. 3.one well obserueth, hauehave sat continually close at, neglecting all serious affaires: neither is there any game ordinarily that taketh vp more time then it, with those that doate on it, especially where two singularly skilfull and somewhat equall concurre.

For the proofe of the Assumption; It is no sound course of arguing to reason rAp…sse ad …sse.from what may be: as to say, What a man may spend much time about without tediousnesse, or despaire of being euer ouerthrowne in, that a man doth mispend, or must needes mispend much time about. That indeed, if he will, hee may mispend much time about, but he need not, vnlesse he will: neither sinneth▪he if he doe not, because he might if he would. Many other things there are that a man may spend time amisse in, and more then he well may; yea wherein many doe, as in pleasant and delightfull discourse sAmi…i sures temporis. Lips. t…mpus nobis surripientes, …t Senec. ep. 1.with such friends whose company a man taketh speciall delight in and could endure to discourse all day withall; or in tFrequens migratio instabilis est animi. Sen. epist. 70. Frequens ac mobilis tra…situs maximū perfecti operis est impedimeut…. Pater…l l. 1.iournying abroad, and in flitting from place to place and u1. Tim. 5.13.from house to house, and the like; which things yet are not therefore simply euill in themselues (I meane, xZech. 3 10. I…d. 11.40. foreign ad confabulandum. Iun.mutuall society, and iournies for pleasure) if they be not euill vsed, though they be euill to them by whom they are so abused.

To this may be annexed that which is alleadged by way of amplification in one of the former Arguments, that by long sitting at this game, while men spend whole daies at it, yDan d… lud. al…ae c. 9. rat. 2.they impaire their bodily health and strength, and get of… the goute. An inconuenience arising from the immoderate vse of it; (and zSoluens membra Venus, s…lue…s & membra Lyaeus, Membra resoluentem progenerant …agram.such as may spring likewise from the immoderate vse of other things, though not euill in themselues:) which as no wise, nor godly man but condemneth and abhorreth; so none of the one will, or the other ought to condemne the thing it selfe so abused, especially where it may otherwise be well vsed, for it.

§ 3. The third euill accompanying it or occasioned by it is Dan. ibid. nat. 6.the feeding of couetous affections. For where is there greedier desire of gaine? where more bVnde foreign p…o v…t…ratori…, Ephes. 4 14.cheating and cony-catching then in these games? cDan. ibid.yea worse are they then vsury, yea then vsurie vponupon vsury: for here is increase without lone or delay of time, in an instant, and that equall all out with the maine principall: dAlex. Carpe…t. destruct. vit. par. 4. c. 23. & Astesan. sum l. 5. tit. 30 q1. similes lusori…ꝰ qui C…ristum exuerunt vestibus mittentes sortem. Io. Gritsch. quadrag. ser. 10.worse then robery by the high-way side: stripping those that they eate and drinke with not of money onelyonly, but of apparell too, euen to the ve ry shirt; that which theeues will scarce doe.

I answere in a word: All this may be holpe easily either by playing for nothing; or if men be of that minde, that they thinke eDicunt no…nu…i se non oblect…ri ludo, nisi pro pe…uniae ludant. Martyri… Iud. c. 14. sine lucro sriget lusus. Balmf. dialog.without gaining cold gaming; fIf play be for a small matter, the losse whereof is no hurt to him that loseth it, and it be applied to a common good, it is lawfull. Perkins Cas. of Conscienc. l 3. c 4. q 3. rule 3.by playing for such trifles as may be won without much losse to the looser, making choise of such to play with as we know able well to spare it, and spending presently what is so won in common betweene the winners and loosers. Neither ought those euills to preiudice the lawfull and honest vse of any exercise that may easily be seuered from it.

Beside that this ground admitted will ouerthrow all playing, euen for victory too, as well as for gaine: since we may as well condemne, and so gSatis ali…qui laboramus cupiditate pecuniae, ambitione vincendi ac excellendi; quid hos morbos ludis ex…itamꝰ? Martyr in Iud. c. 14some doe, the one for feeding and fostering ambitious humors, as we may the other for noursing and nourishing couetous desires: and so all gaming for either shall together go to ground; that which seemeth ouer-harsh, and hFac…ss…t ergo inhumana illa philosophia, quae non tā tum malignè nos priuat licito b…n ficentiae diuinae fructu, sed obtiner… nō potest, nisi hominem cu…ctu s…nsibꝰ spoliatum in stipitem redegerit. Calu instit …ib. 3. c. 10 § 3. Christians are neither Stoicks nor Epicures. Paul disputes against both. Act. 17.18. Greenham par. 2. c. 16 § 7.to sauour rather of Stoicall austeritie, then of Christian seueritie.

§ 4. The fourth euill these games are charged with is the iDan. de lud. al…ae, c. 9. rat. 6. & Ius…inian. C…d. l. 3. …i…. 23 leg. 2. — neque enim loculis comitantibꝰ …itur Ad casum …abulae, posita sed luditur ar…a. Iuuen. sat. 1. Si quis …abet nummos veniens, exibit inanis. Vitalis scholin catalict.wasting of wealth and of mens worldly estates, that which should sustaine and support them and theirs, and wherewith they should be helpfull and beneficiall to others. For there is no game that men spend and wast more vponupon then these, at which many make away Land and liuing, goods and chattels, iewels and plate, and their apparell from their backes. Yea *Cum omnia defec…rint, ex…emo & nouissimo iact… de libertate & de corpore contendunt. Tacit. de mor. German.some when they hauehave plaid all away, hauehave at length staked them selues, if they lost, to be made Slaues: in so much that these games hauehave oft beene the very bane of great personages, and the ruine of great houses.

The same answere must be giuen here, that was oft giuen before. This ariseth not from the nature of the thing itselfe: it cōmeth not frō the spring, but from the filthie chanell that the streame passeth by: it may be taken at the fountaine-head without any of this filth, and it is no more defiled to those that there take it, then if there were no such abuse or defilement at all of it.

Beside that on this ground might boules, and shooting, and tennis, and many other like exercises (yea kProuerb. 21.17▪ Persequi singuloꝰ longum est, quorū aut latrunculi, a… pila, aut exc…quēdi in sole corporis c…ra consumpsere vitam. Sen. de breu. vit. ca. 13. E…iā ludꝰ pilae, si immodicè vel cupi…è …creatur, mortale fit. Alex. de Ales sum. part. 4. q. 48. & Henr. Herp. in decal praecept. 3. s…rm 3.any game) be likewise condemned, because at such also many mispend both their time and their estates. If at these more then at those, it is because they are more vsuall and more obuious: And the difference, being but in degree, may make the one worse then the other, but must of necessitie casheere both, if it condemne either.

I might well here passe by, should I not be suspected to conceal somwhat that were of some weight, what is alleadged out of Lyra, that in his Praeceptorie (a little Treatise of his vponupon the commandements) lEx…at Nicolai Lyrani libellus in qu… ex varij… scriptoribus rationes 9. collegit, propter quas alea ludꝰ inter Christianos minimé tolerandꝰ videatur. Dan. de lud. alea c. 8. he should vponupon diuers good grounds gathered out of sundrie Writers, nine especially, condemne this kinde of game, mBabington on Command. 8.as coueting an other mans goods greatly; being a mightie meanes of deceit; passing vsury; causing lying, swearing, brauling and many idle words; being an offence to the godly; breaking the Lawes; mispending time; and what not? and that thereupon he concludeth nDau vhi sup.that such games are not to be tolerated or indured among Christians.

True it is that oNouē circumstā tias enum…rat Hostiensi… de lud. alea dist. 1. quarū quaelibet est peccatū mortale. Lyra ad praecept. 7. expos. 3. & …asae… ̄ habet Alex. de A…es sum. par. 4. q. 48. mem 5.Lyra out of Hostiensis nameth 9. circumstances, which being all, saith he, deadly sinnes make the game therefore such that is accompanied therewith, as these games oft are. And in steed of those nine he might as well, with pGreg. Tholos. syntag. l. 39. c. 3. §. 10. & I…doc Da…nuder. rerum crimi…. prax. c. 126. §. 15.some others, hauehave reckoned vp 16. for so many hath Hostiensis in certaine qHac cum toxilli… lu…end… crimina fi…nt: Ecclesiae spr…t…, vsuraque, ri…a, rapina, Scandala, tum nuge, blasphemia, tumfaciendi Furti doctri…a, violentia, copia fals…, Et morti… causa, decepti…, perditi…que Tempori…, & desiderium, corruptio que ingens: Isti… praedict… adulati…, vitaq… turpi…. Hostiens. sum. de excess. praelat.verses that he citeth. To which also wee may adde, passing by Alexan. Carpent. destruct. vit. par 4. c 23. Astesan sum. l. 5. tit. 30. q 1. Angel. sum. de Ludo. Henr. Herp. sp…c. aur. ad praec. 2 ser. 3. Ioan. Grusch. quadrag. serm. 10. part 3 Denisegem. praelict. destru…t. tract. 1. consid. 2. Ambros. Taru…s quadrag. serm. 39. consid. 2. conclus. 3. & alij quamplurimi.diuers that alleadge fewer, that Antoninus in his summe, and *Petr. R…en. Alphab. aur. lit. 11. Guil. Pepin. decō fes…tr 2. par. 3….6.some others out of him, raise them to an whole sAmissio temp…ris, Blasph…mia, …ō …umelia, D…ssipatio substantiae, Ecclesiae contemp…ꝰ, Furtū, Gula, Homi…idium, Inuidia, Karistiae rer… ̄, Laudatio mala; Mendacium, Negligentia, Odiū, Participatio sceleris, Quaestio litigiosa, Rapina, Scandalum, Tristitia, Vsura, Xpistianitatis vituperatio▪ Antonin. sum. par 2. tit. 1. c. 23. & Gabr. Bar…let. ser. quadr. serm. hebd. 4. serm. 2. myster. 2 & Serpens antiq. tract. 4. art. 2.Alphabet of euils that vsually accompany these games, euen as many as there be aces or points on the dice: as also that 1Ioan. Aquila… & Dan. Vincent. in quadrag. ser. 5.some other Friers finde in dice-play, as 2R. Parker of the Crosse.one of ours of late in the vse of the Crosse, the breach of the whole Decalogue, and of all the ten Commaundements.

These, I say, I might well passe by, as well the one as the other; partly because in effect they bring no new matter; and partly because these euills are equally common to all games, and doe not so much concerne the nature of this kinde of play, as containe generall abuses of all kinde, though applied more specially to these: they are the faults of the Gamsters not of the games: and as one saith well of Lots writing of this argument of Lotery; so say I of game, and of Lots vsed in game, tLegitimꝰ vsus ab illegitimo abusu distinguendꝰ est. Baro in Ion. c. 1. Nosi…ū est inter vsum legitimū & corruptelā discernere. Caluin. in Act. c. 1. Quod enim Meisner. philos. sobr. par. 1. praefat. Vsus habet landem, (abest culpa, saltem) crimen abusus habet. Iraque quod Petru… à Wel in tract. de vsuri…; Veras in hi… vsus maneat, tollatur abusu….The Lawfull vse of them must be distinguished from the vnlawfull abuse.

Besides that the scope of these Authors both the one and the other (in regard whereof I may well say that they are not so sincerely cited, but forced to say what indeed they doe not) is to condemne onelyonly the games so vsed or rather so abused as too too commonly they are; not to quarrell with the light and lusorious vse of a Lot, nor to passe a peremptory sentence against the vse of all such games in generall, which uSi dispositio ve^l euentus sortis expectatur à fortuna tantùm, (quod in ludo taxillatorio fit, Thom. de sort▪ c. 5.) nullum est vitium. Lyra in Pro. 16. Ludus aleae qui fortunae innititur non est illicitus, vbi seruatur congruitas personae, materiae, mensurae, temporis. Idem ad praecept 7. expos. 3. Ludi docti non prohibentur viris honestis animi causa tantum ludentibus, vel societatis & sola…ij. Damhonder. vbi sup. Ludere ob modicum quid, vt pueri faciunt, vel ob recreationē & moderatè, non videtur mortale. Antonin. vbi sup. § 2. & Barelet. ibid. pro adolescentibus lusus pila, pro inuenibus iactus pali, proviris vsus schaccorū, pro muli…ribus par & dispar. Idem ibid. Licitè potest ludi gratis, volca…sa con…ij vel recreationis. Angel. sum. & sic loan. Aquil Vincent. & caterithemselues both in the same places and else-where doe otherwise allow.

Let me ad but a word or two concerning that clause that to this Argument is annexed; and so I leaue it and passe to the next: 1Babington on Command. 8.The Lord forbiddeth 21. Thess. 5.22.all appearance of euill; and all occasions of euill.

True it is; xSub vitio aliquo prohibite, omnes vitij illius causae & occasiones prohibentur. Perkins arm ll. aur. c. 8. Vitare peccatae est vitare occasiones peacatorum. Melaneh loc com. …2.the Commandements that forbid any sinne, forbid those things also that may be occasions of that sinne. But they inhibit not generally the vse of all things to all, that any doth or may take occasion of euill by. They forbid them to those to whom they are that way dangerous, not to those that may and doe vse them without danger in that kinde.

And no lesse true is it, that Christian men ought to y1. Thess. 5.22. foreign. non tantùm ab omni specie mali, vt Beza, sed specia m…la, vt vulgata. Et malas res & malas pariter species deuitare. Bern. consid. lib. 3. quicquid malè coloratum fuerit. Ibid.abstaine from all appearance of euill: that is, zQuanquam Ambros. & Chrysost. ques & Calui…us sequitur, non tam ad vitaē quàm ad doctrinā restringunt, qua falsitatis sufpicionē habeat. Theophyl. & Oecū virum que adnotant.that they are both to auoid, what they may iustly suspect to be sinfull, though they doe not euidently see it or certainely know it to be such: as also 3Siquid mala specie malū aliquid praetendat, & si malū non sit, ne mala specie malū exemplū d…eis: non enim occasionē mala suspicio…is de vobis dure debetis cùm vos malā conscientiā non habratis. Hiruens in epist. Anselmi nomine editꝰ.to forbeare what may make them suspected to be Sinners, and to liue otherwise then either indeed they doe, or of right they ought to doe by the rules and lawes of Christianity: for further then these two branches, as I take it, that precept extendeth not. But how the vse of any Lot at all in game, or the vse of a Lot simply in this kinde of game, should be brought within compasse of either of these two branches, I see not; especially being so vsed as it is or may bee vsed of those that are godly and religiously disposed, and with such Cautions as *Chap. 9.hereafter shall be giuen.

§ 5. After these arguments fetched from the Euills and inconueniences pretended necessarily or vsually to accompany these games, commeth the last maine argument taken from humane testimonies publike and priuate, of such as hauehave either in iudgement condemned, or by authoritis inhibited these kinde of games. I will endeauour to bring their arguments into some forme that wee may the better iudge of them.

First therefore they seeme to reason on this manner:

aMagistratꝰ edicto interdicuntur hi ludi: sed & ius canonicis seuerissimè detestatur. Siue òffendiculo igitur to modo ludi non potest, postquam de co lex est lata. Dan. de lud al. c. 9. ra…. 3. Dice I vtterly disallow as altogether vnlavvfull: the Councels hauehave condemned it; the Lavves of eueryevery good Cō monweale & our owne specially hauehave most seuerely punished it. Babingt. on Cō mand. 8. - nescit equo rudis Haerere ingenuus puer, Venarique rimet, ludere doctior Seu Graco iubeas trocho, Seu mauis verita legitus alea. Horat. carm. lib. 3. ode 24. Per legem canonicā & ciuilē prehibētur. Augel. Barel & alij. vnde malum hos ludos comitans Ecclesia cō temptus Alex. Carpeut. Astes. Hostieus. & alij vbi sup.That which is forbidden both by the ciuill Magistrate and the spirituall Gouernour, cannot be vsed without offence: But Lot-games are forbidden by both:

Therefore they cannot be vsed without offence.

The Assumption is confirmed by diuers instances, which may be referred all to two heads, ciuill constitutions, and Ecclesiasticall canons.

The Ciuill constitutions are either of the whole Romane Empire; whereof some are said to be generall bC. derelig. sumpt. suner. Cùm antiquitꝰ militibꝰ permissum fuisset extra operas alea ludere, queritur vnper. to tempore omne…ludere, & ludendo patrimanium exhaurire, & blasphemias postremè in deū addere: itaque deceruit nemins licere ludera aut ludentē spectare Martyr in lud. c. 14. vt nulli …ic…at in publicis vel priuatis domibus l…isu… alea ludere, neque inspicere, &c. Dan. de alea c. 7.forbidding the vse of those games to all generally, either in publike or priuate, by being partakers in them or spectators at them; cAscon. in diuin. 2. Cic. setibit ale… tores in quadruplū petuniae esꝰ damnatos quam ludendo amisissent. Dan. ibid.amercing fourefold for the money lost in them; dSi aleator à socio sue iniuria aff…ctus fuerit, non dabo …i iudicium…ff de aleator. Martyr in Ind. c. 14. Pandect. 11. tit. 5. Si quis com apud quem alea lusum esse dicetur, verb…rauerit, damnumne ei dederit, fiue quid eo tē pore domo eim subtractum sit, iudiciū non dabo. Dan. de alea c. 7.denying releife or redresse to any wronged in game; and eSi quis alterum coegerit ad ludum, sumetur de eo supplicium ff. de aleator. Martyr in Iud. c. 14. In eū qui ale… ludendae causa vim at…lerit, vti quaeque res erit, animaduertam. Pand. l. 11. tit. 5. Dan. de alea c 7. i. qui ludere compulit. Vlpian. Digest. l. 11. tit. 5. leg. 1. vel ab initio vel victus dum retinat. Paulus ibid. l. 2. Vise & l. 47. tit. 10. leg. 26. deco qui seruum alienum ad ludum pellexerit.fining such as entice or compell any to play.

Other some are speciall, fIustinian. iu autheut. (collat. 9. tit. 15. & in Cod. l. 1. tit 6. leg. 18.) nominatim prohibet ne Èpiscopus, Presbyter, aut Diaconus, vel ipsi ludant (ad tabulas) vel ludentes aspi…iant; si secus seceriut, in Monasterium ad triennium detrudendi. Martyr ad lud. cap. 14.forbidding some sort of men, to wit, Ecclesiasticall persons onelyonly, the vse of them; or gLege Roscia exili… multabantur, qui supra facultatum suarum modam aliquid alea vel luserant vel amiserant. Dan. de alea cap. 7.condemning some particular abuse of them onelyonly, to wit, wheremen play away more then their abilitie will well beare. Or they are positiue lawes of some particular nations; as hBabington on the eighth Commandement.of the Land wee liue in; wherein i12. Rich. 2.all dicing is said to be generally forbidden; k21. Henr. 4.Dicers taken punished with six daies imprisonment, l11. Henr. 7.and with sitting in the stockes; m17. Edward. 4.Keepers of dicing houses with three yeares, Plaiers there with two yeeres imprisonment: and nBabings. ibid.of the state of Geneua, wherein the very making of dice is condemned and inhibited.

The Ecclesiasticall Canons likewise produced in this point are either generall and vniuersall, as oIn canonibus Apostolorum ludus idem interdicitur. Can. 42. & 43. Dan de lud. alea c. 8.the Canons of the Apostles so commonly tearmed, inserted into pGrat. dist. 35 can. 1.the body of the Decree, qEpiscopus, Presbyter, Diaconus, alea a… que chrietati deseruiens aut desinat aut damuetur. Mart. in Iud. c. 14.depriuing eueryevery Clergie-man giuen to dice or drunkenesse, vnlesse he reforme: according to the tenor whereof rCanonicus quidā aleator esse deprehensus, quodque in ludo pecunias ad vsuram dedisset, vt pro 11. numis 12. reciperet, deposi…us est. De excess. praelat. c. Inter dilect. (decretal. l. 5. t. 31. c. 11.) Martyr in Iud c. 14.a certaine Clerke in the Decretall is found deposed for being a Dicer and a Vsurer: and the Canons of two generall Councells; sDe vita & honest. Cier. c. Clerici. (decretal. l. 3. c. 1. c. 1…) Ad aleas & taxillos non ludant, neo huiusmodi ludis intersint. Mart. ib. & Dan. c. 7. & Gloss. ibid. nec participes erunt ludentibus, ne… spectatores ludi.the one held at Rome vnderunder Innocent the third, forbidding Clergie-men dice and hucklebones, either to play with them, or to be present at such play; the other tNullum omni…ò siue Clericum siue Laicum alea deinceps ludere: qui secus fecerit, excommunicatum i…i. Synod. Constantinop. 6. (non 1. vt Babingt.) c. 50.at Constantinople vnderunder the Emperour Iustinian, inhibiting all in generall, as well Lay-men as Clerkes, to play euer after at dice, vnderunder paine of excommunication.

Or they are Particular Canons of nationall or prouinciall Synodes, as of uSi quis fidelis alea (… tabula) luserit, placuit eum abstinere: & si emē datꝰ cessauerit, p…st annum poterit communione reconciliari. Concil. Elib. c. 79.a Spanish Councell held at Eliberis; suspending eueryevery Christian man from the Lords table, that shall play at dice or tables, for a twelue-month, vponupon promise of amendment to be receiued againe then: and of *Babingt. on Command. 8.two French Synodes held, the one at Rochel, the other at Nimaux, both condemning and inhibiting the vse of these games in generall.

§ 6. For the Proposition of this argument and the conclusion following from it; as it is conceiued, it commeth not neere home to the maine point in question: If it be conceiued as it should, that whatsoeuer is forbidden by the ciuill or canon Law is euill simply in it selfe, it is not true; a thing confessed by xMali sunt ludi isti, quia prohibiti; non prohibiti, quia mali Angel. de Clauas. sum. tit. Ludus. & Briart. quodlibet. 5. & Delrio mag. d…sq. tom. 2. l. 4. c. 4. q. 2. Alea non est prohibita quia per se mala, sed mala facta quia prohibita, & quatenus prohibita. Et causa prohibitionis sunt mala quae communiter ex ipsis sequuntur. Angel. sum.some before alleadged in this very particular wee now deale in. Humane lawes restraine the common vse of things indifferent; which things notwithstanding cease not to be indifferent in themselues and in their owne nature: and so make them vnlawfull so far forth as they binde, and no further. But the maine question here is, not whether the vse of a Lot in game be prohibited by mans law, but whether it be inhibited by Gods law or no. For many things are lawfull by Gods law, that are not lawfull by mans law: as to transport such and such commodities without speciall licence, to trade and trafficke into such and such foraine parts, to eate flesh at certaine times, to bring some sorts of fish into the market for sale, and the like, which things yet are not euill simply, or in themselues.

Yea take the Proposition as it is propounded, that Whatsoeuer is by humane Lawes forbidden, cannot be done without offence; and it is not all out true neither. For how many cases are there wherein the Summists and Casuists both Ciuilians and Canonists with the Schoole-men agre…, that without iust offence giuen that may be done, which by the letter of some positiue law is vnlawfull? Or what is more common then these and the like rules in their writings; that aIntelligentia dictorum est ex causis assumenda dicendi. Hilar de trinit. l 4. Magis attendendū est ad causam quae moxit legislatorem, quàm ad ipsa verba legis. Thom. sum. par. 1² 2 …. q 96. a. 6wee are rather to marke the cause that moued the Law-giuer to make the Law, then the words of the Law it selfe: that, bRatione cessante lex quoque cessat, etiamsi verba non cessarent ff. de iure patron. l. adigere. Et c. cum cessante. de appellat. Na…arr. enchirid c. 4. §. 7.A law ceaseth where the reason of it ceaseth, though the letter of it doe not: that, cLex praecipiens aliquid ob aliqua inconueni…ntia, illis cessantibus nom obligat. Caietan. opuscul. tom. 1. op. 12 q 2. Panorm in c Quoniam contra. de probat. Nauarr. euebir. c 16. §. 37.A law enacting something in regard of some inconueniences, bindeth not, where such inconueniences are not: that, dCausa rationabilis semper excusat transgressor…m legis humanae. Thom. sum par. 2^• 2 ae. q. 147. a 3. Archidiac. d. 76 c. vtinā. Panorm. de obseru. Nauar. en…bir. c. 9. §. 16. &c. 23. § 43A reasonable cause euer excuseth a man, in case hee breake some humane Law: and that eCausa iusta videtur, propter quam legislator, si adess…t, eum pro excusato haberet. Thom. & Nauar. ibid.That cause is a iust and sufficient cause, for which the Law-giuer would himselfe hold the party excused: that, fTò foreign. Aristot. Ethic. l. 5. c. 10. Aequitas praeponderat iuris rigori. Gerson. reg. mor. Ipsae etiam leges cupiuus vt iure regā tur: alecqui summa iustitia summa iniustitia fit. Ibid.Common equitie ought to sway both in exposition of Lawes, and in exaction of things enioyned by Law: that, gFauores ampliandi, od…a restringenda sunt. Gl…ss. ad ff. l. 4. tit. 4. de minor. leg … &c l. 28. tit. 2. de lib. postum leg. 19. Sensus benignior sequendus. Nauar. enchir. c 27. sect 283.Humane constitutions are to admit fauorable constructions: that, hRespiciendum ad sinem quem legislator intendit. Thom. sum. par. 2^a 2 ae. q. 147. a. 3. Non peccat, qui implet legem secundum mē tem autoris, licèt in verba offendat. Nauar. enchit. c. 27 sect. 283.He is no Transgressor, that crosseth not the minde of the Law-maker, though he breake the letter of the Law: and lastly that, iConfuetudo interpretatur legem. Gloss. ad Grat. d. 76. c. Vtinam. Vsus est optimus legum positiuarum interpres. Gerson. regul. moral.Custome interpreteth Lawes: yea that kLoges instituuntur, cùm promulgantar; firmantur, cùm moribus vtentium approbantur. Gratian. d. 4. c. In isto.it giueth strength to them; as on the other side that lMoribus vtentium in contrarium nonnulle leges bodi… abrogata sunt. Grat. Lex abrogata per aliam legem contrariam, aut per consuetuàinem, non obligat. Nauar. enchirid cap. 23. sect. 41. Consentire censendi sunt superiores saltem interpretatinè in abolitionem legum suarum positiuarem, quando passim eac diu non obseruari scire possunt, & nec verbo nec facto reclamant. Ge…son. regul. moral.disuse or Counter-custome is a kinde of abrogation of them. Let me ad that which in the present case sometime may be somewhat, what they say mNon peccat qui legem non seruat, vbi & quando est valdè difficile; neque qui non seruat, vt pro stulto non habeatur. Nauar. euchirid. cap. 27. sect. 283.of him that keepeth not a Law, where it is an hard matter to keepe it, and where he should be but counted a foole if he should, that such a Transgressor is in common equity excused. In some case therefore may that be done without iust cause of scandale, the doing whereof is by humane Lawes inhibited. Neither suppose I is there any man so extreamely censorious, that because flesh on Fridaies is forbidden with vsus by law, he will in that regard hold a man guiltie of sinne, for eueryevery bit of flesh, that being in company with others, or hauing it readier at hand when hee is hungrie, he shall put into his mouth, especially not doing it of any contempt, and being one that is regardfull of the end of that Law otherwise.

§ 7. For the Assumption of the former argument, it would be considered, both what is forbidden, and how it is forbidden.

For the former; neither is all Lotery vsed in game generally condemned: for there might bee vse of it in those games that the ciuill Lawes expresly allow, (to omit that nTertius ludius à Iustiniano probatꝰ foreign dicitur, quando vnus scil. per sortem deligitur ex pluribus qui imperet reliquis, si credamus Pollescil. 9. Gregor. Tolos. syntagin. lib. 39 c. 4.some good Lawiers suppose a Lot game to hauehave beene one of them; for what they were indeed is oVise Gregor. Tolos. ibid. & Alciat. in verb. Lud. Alea.not certaine) for ioyning and leading, and taking of turnes, and the like; as there is vse oft thereof in that kinde in games allowed by our Lawes; as when in shooting by arrowes shuffled and seuered againe, men are sorted into sides, or it is decided who shall leade.

Neither are those games alone prohibited that consist of Lot or depend thereupon, pDubius euentus fortunae contractus illicitos non facit. Iul. Clar. sent l. 5. § Ludu…. Non im fortuna fu…datur aleae prohibitio. Delrio mag. disq. tom. 2. l. 4. c. 4 q. 2.much lesse are they reiected or condemned vponupon that ground; but all games qIn tabulas, & tabula ludere. Authen…. collat. 9 tit. 15. & Cod. lib. 1. tit. 6. leg. 18. Conc. Eliber. c. 79. foreign. Iustin. nouell. Omn…s pariter sunt prohibiti, etiam in quibus est nix…ura ingenij & fortunae. Iul. Clar. sentent. …. 5. §. Ludus. Ioan. Imol. in c. Clerici de vit. & honest. Cleric. & Damh…uder. prax. crim c. 126.at Tables (within which compasse comes euen rTabula luditur pyrgo, calculis, tesserisque. Isid. orig. l. 18. c. 60. In tabula lusoria & alea exercebatur & latrunculorum ludus, ques calculos Martialis appeliat. Volaterr. comment. l. 29. c. 12. Tabula lus…ria. Hîc tib… bisseno numeratur tessera puncto: Calculus …ic gemino discolor hosse perit. Martial. l. 14. Hinc Seneca de Canio latrunculis ludente cùm ad necem au…caretur; Lusisse tu Canium illa tabula putas? illusit. de tranquill. c. 14.Chesse too, whatsoeuer sAccurs. ad Authent. collat. 9 & Iul. Clar. sentent. l. 5. Vise Greg. Tolos. syntag…. l. 39 c. 3. §. 12. &c. 4. § 8.some say to the contrary) which yet, bare dice onelyonly excepted, tMartyr in Iud. c. 14. Danaeus de alea c. 9. Babington on Command. 8.those Authors whom I now deale with doe expresly approue; yea uLudere liceat duntaxat hes quinque ludos. Cod. l. 3. tit. 43. leg. 1.all games whatsoeuer, though *Equi velequestres lignei prohibentur. Ibid. leg. 2. fabrica in medio diuerso habent feramina, per qua globulos emittebant. Balsamo ibid.by slight and skill managed, fiue onelyonly excepted, that are in the Law there by name mentioned.

Againe xLicèt sit prohibitum ludere, non tamen est perpetuò prohibitum; quandoque enim permittitur. G…ss. ad ff. lib. 11. t…t. 4. leg. 4.they condemne not these games simply as euill in themselues, which yAlearum vsus an…iquares est, & extra operas pugnato…l…us con…essa. Cod. lib. 3. tit. 43. leg. 1. Militia ergò alea ludebatur, ne exercitus otio torp…ret. Acro in Horat. carmin. lib. 2. ode 1.they confesse to hauehave beene formerly vsed to good purpose; but restraine the vse of them zQuiadiu noctuque ludendo multi substantias perdūt, Deumq… consequent…r blasphemant. Cod. lib. 3. tit. 43. l…g. 2.in regard of some common abuse; and aSC^um vetuit in pecuniam lud…re, praterquam si qu… certet hasta, pila, iacie…o, currendo, saliendo, luctando vel pugnando,quod virtutis causa fiat. ff. lib. 11. tit. 4. leg. 1.forbid all playing for gaine at them; which yet at some other games bSed nec permittimus in his ludis vlera vnum solidum, &c. Cod. lib. 3. tit. 43. leg. 2.with some kinde of caution, and cQuod in co… uiu…o vescendi causa ponitur, in cam rem famillam ludere permittilu…. Ibid. l. 3. i. vt si pauciora puncta habneris, p…rtem amit…as; fiue vt ex pecunia amissa ematu… quo in commune vescantur. Azo. Conuiu… causa ludere licet. Gloss. ad decretal. l. 5. tit. 31. c. 11.at these also vponupon somewhat stricter tearmes, as for somewhat to be spent priuately in common, they allow.

So that it is not the games themselues that are simply condemned, but dLudus noxius in culpa est. Gloss. ad decretal. ibid. Et Paulus ff. ad Leg. Aquil. lib. 9. tit. 2. leg. 10. imò non est ludus ex quo crimen oritur. Accurs. ibid. ex pr…. Iustin. ad ff.the euill and hurtfull vsage of them, to wit, either eDie noctuque ludend…. Cod. lib. 3. tit. 43 leg. 2. alea deseruiens. Canon. Apost. 4….the immoderate and customary, or fSubstaentias p… dunt. Cod. ibid. foreign. Athen. dipnos. l. 6. foreign. Simocat. Epist. 13.the excessiue and expensiue vse of them; as both by the letter of the law it selfe plainly appeareth, gLudens …molumenti causa, & ex consu…tudine, alite… non socundum Ioan. Gloss. ad ff. lib. 11. tit. 4. leg. 1. & Ios. Mascard. de probat. vol. 2. concl. 997. § 6. Canon Apostolicus de l…di… intelligitu… qui f…unt lucri causa. Alex. Carpent. d…str. vlt. par. 4. c. 23. I…ris vtri…squ… legesintelliguntur d… ludentibus i… pecuniam. Astesa…. s…m. l. 5. tit. 30. §. 1. ex cupiditate, non ex socialitate. Ibid. §. 2.the best Interpreters according therewith; and as the Authors also that cite them doe themselues some of them confesse. hMartyr. ad Iudic. c. 14.A man, well saith one of them, is not to be condemned, if being weakely or euill at ease he recreate himselfe by playing at Hazard, so he hazard not his monies: for it is especially to be obserued, what the scope was of those lawes, that forbad such kinde of games: now that was that men should not wast their estates: to which purpose it is enacted, that no man hazard aboue a shilling: this was the scope and drift of the Law, to prouide that monies might not be mispent. Which if they be not, then the Law is not broken.

§. 8. For the Lawes of our Land how vnfitly they are alleadged to the present purpose, to wit, iSee Babington on Command. 8.to proue dice to bee euill and vtterly to bee condemned, yea or generally prohibited, Cards and Tables being notwithstanding allowed and approued; may appeare by a particular surueigh both of the Lawes to that end cited, as also of others that hauehave since in later times beene enacted.

The k12. Rich. 2. ca. 6first Law wherein dice are said to be generally forbidden, enacteth onelyonly that All seruants of husbandrie, labourers, seruants of any artificer or victualer shall hauehave bow and arrowes, and vse the same on Sundaies and Holidaies; and shall leaue all playing at Tennis, foot-ball, quoites, dice, casting of the stone, kailes, and other such importune games. The l11. Hen. 4. cap. 4.next Act imposing a penalty of 6. daies imprisonment vponupon all offendors against the former. The m17. Edw. 4. ca. 3third of them discouereth the maine scope of these acts, namely, to bring in a more frequent vse of the bow, because the defence of the Land was much then by Archers: and withall giueth diuers other grounds of the former prohibitions then reuiued and renued, to wit, sundry vnlawfull games as closh, kailes, boules, qeckbord &c. newly inuented, gaming houses erected and so commonly imploied; Gamesters thereby impouerished; murthers and roberies occasioned &c. Whereupon it enacteth further a penalty of twenty poundes and three yeares imprisonment against eueryevery one that shall keepe, and of ten pounds and two yeeres imprisonment against eueryevery one that shall haunt, any such house. The n11. Henr. 7. ca. 2.fourth commaundeth that no seruant or labourer play at tables saue for meate and drinke: nor at any other vnlawfull game saue at Christmas, and then in his Masters dwelling house onelyonly: eueryevery one so offending to be set in the stockes, and he that suffereth it in his house to forfeit a noble at least. To which, though not alleadged, may be annexed o19. Hen. 7. ca. 12.another Act of little later date, forbidding the same persons to play at tables, tennis, closh, dice &c. saue as aboue, with the same penalties vponupon persons therein delinquent imposed.

And these are all, yea more then all, the lawes that are particularly cited. But because wee are referred to another work for more matter in this kind;pSee more in Pultons Abridgement. Babington on Command. …. let vsus see also what later Lawes hauehave enacted concerning such games, if we shall not tire out our Reader with proofes so impertinent.

The later lawes therefore q33. Henr. 8. ca. 9. reuiued 2. & 3. Phil. & Mar. ca. 9.forbid keeping any common house, alley, or place of bouling, coiting, closh, cailes, tennis, dieing, tables, or carding for gaine, lucre and liuing, and haunting places so kept, without speciall placard expressing what games, and what persons to vse the same: As also priuate playing at tennis, tables, dice, cards, boules, closh, coiting or logeting by any artificer, husbandman, labourer, apprentice, iourneyman, seruingman &c. out of Christmas, and then also any where saue in his Masters house and presence: And further, playing at boules by any man at any time in open places out of his garden or Orchard; seuerall pecuniary mulcts imposed vponupon the former offences: yet allowing any seruant to play at cards, dice or tables with his Master, or any Gentleman repairing to his house openly in his house and in his presence; and permitting any Nobleman or Gentleman of a hundreth pound lands per annum to licence his seruants at his discretion to play at cards, dice, tables, boules or tennis within his house, garden or orchard, either among themselues, or with others repairing to them: r5. Edw. 6. cap. 25.Victuallers to put in recognisance not to suffer such games in their houses: And lastly s22. Henr. 8. c 12. reuiued 35. Elisab. cap. 7.all wandring persons vsing vnlawfull games to be punished as Rogues and Vagabonds.

By this particular recitall of the seuerall Lawes that either hauehave beene or might further hauehave beene alleadged in this argument, may to any dim eye at the first view plainely appeare, that the Lawes of our Land rather iustifie and approue then condemnne the games questioned.

For first they forbid indeed some vse of them, but withall they forbid as well bouling and coiting and tennis, and logetting, and throwing the stone: some exercises of arte and skill, some of industrie and actiuitie, or of dexteritie and agilitie; yea bouling more strictly and more generally then either carding or dicing; which yet no man that I know doth thereupon condemne or conclude to be vnlawfull.

Againe though they forbid them to be vsed by some persons in some places at some times; yet they allow them to other persons, and those of the best note; as also to the same persons in other places at other times. sSee Dalions Iustice of Peace, title Of games vnlawfull.Whereby it appeareth euidently that they restraine the vse of the games onelyonly, but condemne them not as simply euill in themselues; yea rather that they approue them, in that they appropriate the common and ordinary vse of them to great personages; vnlesse we will say that tN…mque ibi fortunae veniā damus: alea turpis, Turpe & adulterium mediocribus: haec tamen illi Omnia cùm faciant, hilares, nitidique vocātur. Iuuenal. Sa…yr. 11.the lawes licence great ones to sinne more then others, whose greatnesse rather should restraine them from any thing that is simply euill, in regard of the hurt that their euill examples may doe.

The end and scope of the Law is partly to reforme abuses about these games, as mispending of time and coine in common gaming houses or elsewhere; and partly to bring into vse an other kinde of exercise in the roome of them,uIn maxima fortuna minima licentia. Salust. Minimum decet libere, cui multum licet. Senec. Troad. Ab. surdum est enim foreign. vt de Demetr. Phaler. Athen. dipnosop. l 12. Nec vlli panciora licent, quàm cui omnia. which such varietie of games made the more to be neglected; to wit, shooting in the long bow, a matter of much vse, and of great weight then in war.

Now for mine owne part so far am I from misliking these lawes, that, considering the great and generall abuse of the games by them prohibited, committed by such as both wast their pretiousest time, and throw away their wealth and thrift together at these exercises and the like; I wish rather that both the lawes were yet seuerer then they are, and that those that are, were better put in execution then for the most part they be.

For the French States and Synodes with their Canons and Constitutions, hauing not seene them, I can say nothing but this to them; that if they hauehave vtterly abandoned the vse of those games among them; (which I doubt much of) yet neither doth that proue eueryevery lusorious Lo… simply vnlawfull, nor make the games in that regard euill vntounto vsus.

§ 9. For the Canon-law, it condemneth dicing and tabling no otherwise then the Ciuill-law doth, as the Glossers and Summists did before expound either: both more specially in the Clergie; because *2. Tim. 2.4. dum pastoris sensus occupant terrena studia, ecul…s Ecclisiae puluis saecularis ex…oecat. Greg Mag. pastor. par. 2. c. 7. Quid seruilius, indignius Pontifice, quàm litih… insudare, aut litigare, aut litigantes audire… Bern consid. l. 1.many things that are lawfull to others, yet are not so fit for, or so well beseeming men of their rancke: In which regard the same Canons and Councels together with others, that forbid them the vse of these games, forbid them also xClerici officia vel commercia saecularia non exerceant, maximè inhonesta. Innocent. 3. decretal. l. 3. tit. 1. c. 15. Et Conc. M…gunt. 4. c. 74.all secular imployment and trafficke, the baser sort of it especially; yClerici edend… bibendi…e causa tabernas ne intrent, nisi peregrinationis necessitate cōpulsi. Concil. Carth. 3. c. 27. apud Grat. d. 44. Et Synod. Constantin. 6. ibid. Et Concil. Laodic. c. 24. ib. Tabernas prorsus euitent, nisi fort… causae necessitatis in itinere constituti. Innocent. 3. decr. l. 3. t. 1. c. 15.to go into any Tauerne, or to eate and drinke there saue for necessitie in iourney; 1Cl… rici n… in publico pila ludant: à lus…etiam alearum abstineant. Concil Seno…. c. 25.to play openly at tennis; zEpiscopum, Presby…erū au… Diaeconū canes …d venandū, aut accipitres habere non liceat, &c. Conc. Agath. c. 35. & Aurelia…. d. 34. Et in decret. l. 5. t. 24. c. 1. Hinc Laufre dū Episcopū venationi deditum moner… iubet, quat…us ab omni bestiarū …el volucrum venatione alienus penitus existat, & ni abstinuerit excōmunicandum censet Nicolaus Papa apud Grat. d. 34. Hinc & Ioan. Sarisb. polycrat. l. 1. c. 24. De virtut… & veritate ca…onum venatica clientulis suis non modò claudit ascensum, sed s…mmi sa…rdo…ij gradum adimitiam adeptum. Et Petr. Blese…s. Epist. 61. Clerici… onium non anium curā cō missam. Cui… vise & Ep. 56. Et Carol. M. …n constit. l. 5. c. 112. Sacerdotes venationes non exerceāt. …c. 17. Episcopi & Abbates cuplas canū non habeant: ex Sylu…strican. Et ibid. tit. 24. Venationes & syl…atica… vagatione… cū canibꝰ omnibꝰ seruis Dei interdicimꝰ: similiter vt acceptores & falcones non hab…ant. quod & ex Conc. Aurel. resertur in decret. l. 5. t. 24. c. 4.to use hunting and hauking; and the l ike, (as the Statutes of our Vniuersities, and 2Ludos seruiles & indigno…, …rū effectꝰ ini…ria est, & vndecrimina oriantur, Legū studiosis interdi it I…stinia…. pr…m. pand.the Ciuill-lawes likewise restraine Students of many such courses) which things yet at this day neither are simply condemned as vnlawfull to all Christians, nor are generally taxed in Ministers being seasonably and soberly vsed by them, though the abuse in this kinde may be also, and no doubt is ouer-great.

Againe neither were the Canons, it seemeth, of old very precisely kept in this kinde; (aHine in Sidonij A…uernorum Episcopi Epistolis tum venatus, tum aleae & t…ss…rarum crebra mentio: & in ipsis e…iam aedibus Episcopalibus aleatorium, licè… minimè publicum. lib. 2. epist. 2. neither kinde of exercise being wholy forborne by Byshops and Ecclesiasticall persons euen of good note otherwise;) bAleae deseruiens; consuet… dinem indicat. Astesan. s…m. l 5. t 30 § 2. intelligitur sec. g…ss…m, quando ex cupiditate quis ludit. Gabr. Barel s…rm qua…r. h…bd. 4. fer. 2. myst. 2.neither are they commonly vnderstood to inhibite all vse of those games that are by them condemned.

The party reported to hauehave beene deposed for them in the Decretall is said to hauehave beene cPubli…us alcator & vsurarius ma…festus. Decretal. l. 5. t. 31. c. 11.a common Dicer, and an open Vsurer: Whereupon by that Constitution are dLudos voluptuosos, quorum occasione, sub quad…m curialitatis imagine ad dissolutionis materiam de…enitur, penitus improbamus. Ibid.all such voluptuous games condemned in Clergie-men, by occasion whereof affecting a courtly kinde of cariage, they fall into dishonest and dissolute courses. But of that more anone.

§ 10. I passe to the next argument much of the same nature with the former:

That which hath beene generally both by Christians and Heathen condemned as euill, cannot to Christian men be lawfull:

But dicing hath by both beene generally condemned.

It cannot therefore be lawfull to Christians.

The answere to this argument (to omit that it commeth not home to the maine question concerning the generall vse of Lots in disport, which though all here said were granted, still standeth) must consist in a surueigh of the particular allegations, that for proofe of the assumption are produced.*Of all men by generall consent as it were this vile game as most vile is detected & detested: Heathē euer hated it; Christians euer abhorred it. Babington on Command. 8. Adcò vt quodlibe… hominum genus com…ni consens…, tanquamipsius naturae ore grauissi…è semper alcam damnariu…, & ex Christianorum commercio ac c…tu longissim… exploseri…t. Dan. de lud. al…ae c. 7.

To begin with Christian writers, some indeed of them condemne all vse of dice as simply vnlawfull: but those not many, nor till of late daies, as by the former discourse also may partly appeare. Yea they that alleadge these Testimonies themselues allow some vse of them, and such vse as the Authors alleadged by them doe euen as much condemne as that vse that these themselues do disallow.

For *Nec minus patres hoc damnosae & illicitae inertia genus detestantur. Dan. lud. al. c. 8.the Auncients; to omit, that some other exercises, as fOmninò prohibet venationum spectationes fieri Synod 6. c. 51. Vise & quae ex Hieronym. Ambr. & Aug habent Grat. dist. 86. & Ioan. Sar. polycr l. 1. c. 4.hunting and hauking, hauehave beene as commonly, yea are more generally and peremptorily condemned by them, which yet are confessed not to be simply euill or vnlawfull therfore in themselues: The testimonies alleadged are not past two or three beside those that were discussed in the former argument; and those either of no weight at all, or nothing pertinent to the purpose.

gDan. de lud. alca c. 8.Cyprian, saith one, as holy a man as any other in his time, saith that euen the Deuill himselfe was the first Author of this harmefull inuention: in regard whereof that godly man witnesseth that it ought with the whole heart to be accursed and abhorred of vsus, since wee can hauehave no safe or sauing trafficke with the Deuill or any of his deuices. Whereunto it is further added that Cyprian reporteth that the Deuill, saith hDan. ibid. c. 10.one, Mercurie the Heathens God, saith iTassin. de e…end. vita l. 2. c. 19 §. 6.another, hauing inuented both cards and dice, caused his owne image and the images of other Idoles, to be painted on the cards (in steed whereof we hauehave other pictures now vponupon them) to be adored euer by the gamesters, with a cup of wine and a kisse, at the entrance into game.

A man might vponupon better ground argue thus against Physicke and Gold-smiths worke: Tertullian an auncient Father, and one that kDa magistrum, Cyprianus dicere solitus, Tertullianū significans. Paulus Cypriani notarius apud Hieron. in Catalog.Cyprian commonly called his Master, saith that lAngeli desertores metallorum opera nudauerunt, & herbarum ingenia traduxeru…t. Tertull. de habitu mul Et idem habet de cuitu soem.the vse of Hearbs for physicke, and curious working in costly mettals were inuented by euill Angels to please women withall; and that mVt Enoch refert. Ibid.Enoch himselfe saith so in a worke of his nVide longū satis opusculi huius pseudepigraphi foreign apud Scalig. in notis ad Euseb. Chron.yet extant, whereof that authoritie in the oIude 14, 15.Epistle of Iude is a part: But Christians may hauehave no dealing with the Deuill or with any of his deuices: and therefore may not meddle in that kinde either with herbs or with mettals: nor Christian women weare any gold about them: (as Tertullian supposing p1. Tim 2.9. 1. Pet. 3.3. Et Tertull. lsc. praealleg.the Apostles also to speake for him thereupon there concludeth;) nor Christian men or women vse the benefit of physicke; as qMacariꝰ homil. 48. mundanis concedit vsum medicinae, sanctis negat.some other of the Auncients hauehave held. But this argument were too weake: and yet the other is far weaker; being built vponupon the testimony and authoritie of a meere counterfait Author.

There is a worke indeed rDe aleatorilus.of that argument in the sIn edit. Pame ana.late editions of Cyprian, (for in the tIn edit. Er. … alijs antiq.auncienter of them it is not;) the Authour whereof, who euer he were, (uSpuria quae non sunt Cypriani, Liberde aleateribꝰ, &c. Perkins problem. sure Cyprian he was not; the rudenesse of the stile sheweth it to be none of his, *Sole clariora sunt Cypriani opera. Hieron. catalog. B. Cyprianus instar fontis purissimi dulcis incedit & placidꝰ. Idem ad Paulin. Vt discernere nequeas vtrum ornatior in loquendo, an in explicando foelicior fuerit. Lactant. instit. l 5. c. 1. Scripsit elegantissima phrasi, & Ciceroniano candori proxima. Sixt. Sen. Biblioth l. 4. Cùmolim Africa multos ediderit eloquentia doctrinaque celebres, tamen vix vita contigit Romana dictionis germana puritas praterquam Cypriani. Erasm. praefat.who for purity of Latine phrase and finenesse of speech hath speciall commendation of all generally giuen him:) telleth an idle tale in it, how that xEruditum quendam multum meditando tandem Zabuli solius instinctu alcae vsum inuenisse, &c.a certaine learned man after long study inuented the game of dicing by the instinct of the Deuill: and that thereupon he caused his owne picture to be drawne with the dicing tables as his inuention in his armes (for as for Cards or any image painted on them there is no one word in the booke) to be adored by the Gamesters at the beginning of their game. Whereupon he tearmeth yAlcae tabula Diaboli venabulum.the dicing Table the Diuells hunting speare: and saith that zAleae qui ladit, prius auteri cius sacrificare debet: & sacrificio Diaboli manus polluit.who so plaieth at dice, doth first sacrifice to the Deuill the Author of that game, and polluteth his hands with diabolicall sacriledge. If any such custome were in his times, it was impious: but both the story it selfe seemeth idle and friuolous; and 1Testibus non testimonijs credendū esse lex iubet. Petr. Clan epist. 2. lib. 1. Hadrian. Imp apud Callisirat. digest. lib. 22. tit 5. leg. 3.the Author being vncertaine the authority is of no weight.

And the foolish Friers, (out of whose forge this counterfait Cyprian may well seeme to hauehave come, first found cited by aLandulf. ae Celumna in breuiar. histor. Trithem. in catalog. Antonin. sum. histor. Bergom. in supp…. Chron.them) hauehave much idle matter in them to this purpose. bOdo Paris serm. in quinquaeges. Hazard iaē est Astaroth, i. propriū nomen cuiusdā principis daemoniorum.One telleth vsus that Hazard is the same with cIudic. 1.13. 1 Reg. 11.5, 33.Astaroth (or dAstarte Poenis Iuno. Aug. qua. Iud. 16. foreign. Sept Vise Selden de Dijs Syris syntagm. 2. c. 2.Astarte as the Greekes speake) the proper name of one of the principall Deuils: and that eTaxilla diaboli altaria: & quot ibi puncta, tot oculi diaboli. Odo ibid.the dice are therefore the Deuils altars; and the points on them his eyes: at which men call on God and the Deuill together, when they say, God and good Hazard: and that those that play at them, either tables or cards, with fEsai 61.11. foreignthe idolatrous Iewes, gQui ponitis fortunae mensam, & libatis super eam. Vetus Lat. Vise Seld. de Dijs Syr. synt. 1. c. 1.spred a table to Fortune, hPonunt mensam fortunae qui ludunt caponentes se fortunae siue per taxillos ludendo sein per chartas. Antonin sum. par. 2. t. 1. c. 23 § 8.putting themselues in play vponupon her. iGabriel. Barclet. quadrag. hebdom. 4. fer. 2. Diabolus inuenit bibliam suam, i. datos, in quibus posuit 31. puncta, tanquam nigras literas. Et Odo vbi sup. Sunt libri Satanae in quibus tot puncta ques litera.Another saith that as God inuented an Alphabet of 21. letters which make vp the Bible, so the Deuill hath inuented an Alphabet of 21. kTotibi peccata, quot in decijs sunt puncta. Antonin. vbi sup. & Guil. Pepin. de confess. tract. 2. par. 3. c. 6.abuses, and as many points on the dice, which make vp his blacke booke or his Bible. lAutor serpentis antiqui tract. 4. de ludo. taxill. art. 1. cap. 1, 2, 3.A third telleth a long tale of a Parliament held by Lucifer in hell, wherein this game was agreed vponupon, and a Church constituted of those that follow it, whereof Lucifer himselfe should be Pope or chiefe head, the other Deuills his Gardinalls, the common dicing houses the cathedrall Churches, the Tauernes parish Churches, and each familie a priuate Chappell for the 12. daies in Christmas; the dice the Missall or Masse-booke with his 21. blacke letters; and so he goeth on in his apish manner to apply all the Preists Masse-attire, and all the mysteries of their Masse to this diuelish deuice; as indeede well sute they may and sort the one with the other. And of the same stampe with these Frierly fancies, meere poeticall fictions, are that counterfait Cyprians conceipts: both the phrase and the frame of the worke bewray what the Author was.

§ 11. Yea but mAleam inuenit Demon. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 4. Babington on Command. 8.Augustine saith that the Deuill inuented Dice; and that in a worke that is questionlesse his; in his fourth booke of the City of God.

It is true that those words are found in Augustines Index; but with reference to a place not in Augustines fourth booke of the City of God, where there is no such matter, saue that nVarro non in rebus humanis, sed in rebu… diuinis ludos s…enicos posuit, &c. Aug. decinit. Dei l. 4. c. 1.Stageplaies are by Varro esteemed a part of diuine worship, and that the Deuills much delighted in them; but to a place of Lewis Viues his Commentarie vponupon Augustine; where Augustine saith that oSocietas impiorū non secundum Deum, sed secundum hominem viuentiū, & in ipso cultu falsae contemptaque vera diuinitatis doctrinas hominum damonaemue sectā tium. Aug de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 9.there is a Society of vngodly men, who liue not after God but after man, following humane traditions and doctrines of Deuills in the worship of false Gods and contempt of the true God: And Viues on him; pViues ad Aug. ibid. Sunt discipli… quas damones hominibus tradiderunt.There are learnings that Deuills hauehave deliuered vntounto men, as Magicke, Astronomic, and all kinde of diuination except prophesie. qPlato in Phad…o …monem, cui erat nomen Theuth, inuenisse scribit literas, arith. geom. astron. aleam, &c.Plato writeth in Phadrus (a Dialogue of his so intituled) that a Spirit or a Deuill called Theuth inuented letters, Arithmetick, Geometrie, Astronomie, and Dice, and praesented them to Thamus who was then King of Aegypt. rDialectitam qu… que hanc contentiosam & p…rtinacem non dubium est ab ingenio diabolico esse profectā, quòd in verum contra niti semper, & in meli… dicenti nunquā cedere, & falso verum gaudet vincere. Viues ibid.And there is no doubt saith he, but that this wrangling and cauilling Logicke proceeded from some deuilish disposition: it loueth alwaies to striue so against the truth, refusing to yeeld to any that shall speake to better purpose, and by falshood reioicing to ouercome truth. Augustines Index therefore deceiued the Authour of this Argument, and made him father that on Augustine which hee no where saith, but another onelyonly on him, and that not as his owne neither, but as the report of an other. It is a fable of Platoes, sVnde & Aristoteles dixit Plat…nis foreign Laert. Pla…one.whose workes are full of such poeticall fictions, though aiming euer at some morall matter. Among other of that kinde he telleth a tale, and 1foreign. Plato Phadro.he telleth it as a tale, of one tforeign. Plato ibid. Hunc Ph…nicib… & Syri… foreign, Aegyptij… foreign, Alexādrinis foreign, Graecis foreign (quod & Suidas habet) dictū, & literas inuenisse, ex Sanchuniathone Philo Bybliensis apud Eusib. praepar. Euang l. 1. c. 3. quod nomenà foreign Hebr. deducit cum alijs Seldon nostras ad Pur…. & de Dijs Syr. prol…g. c. 3.Theuth a Damon, or a good spirit (for uDamonis enim veteribus nomen honestuns. Rhodigin. antiq. lect l. 1. c. 23. etiamsi in sacris literis semper in peioreus partem sum…tur, vt Aug. de ciu. Dei l. 9. c 19.so they esteemed them; in regard of their singular skill and knowledge giuing that title vntounto them) xforeign, &c. Plato ibid in Phadro.who hauing inuented diuers Arts, of speciall vse, as he deemed, to wit, of Numbring and Counting, and Geometrie and Astronomie, dice also and tables, and the vse of letters, came and presented his deuices vntounto Thamus then King of Aegypt: and when among other of his inuentions yforeign.hee * foreign. Plato in Cratylo. …i foreign. Etymolog.had highly commended the vse of letters and writing as a singular meanes for the encrease of wisedome and help of memory; Thamus made him answere, that it would rather proue zforeign.cleane contrarie, a meanes to make men more carelesse, while they trusted thereto, and so more forgetfull then afore; and to make them selfe-conceited rather then soundly wise, by stuffing their braines more with variety of opinions, then with sufficiencie of matter and soundnesse of iudgement.

For the thing it selfe whether it be true or false, is not greatly materiall. For, not to make stay vponupon the great variety of opinions among Authors concerning the first originall and inuention of these games: some referring them aA Lydis famis tempore inuentos foreign, caeteraque …mnia foreign. Herodot. l. 1. Vise Rhodig. antiq. lect. l. 15. c. 14. & Polydor. de rer. inuēt. l. 2. c. 13.to the Lydians, as Inuentors of the most games and sports, (by the Grammarians therefore supposed, though with small probabilitie, to hauehave bforeign. Dionys Hal. antiq. Rō l. 2. foreign. Hesych. Ludorū praesules Ludios & Lydios antiqui appellabant: ex Varronè de vita P. R. Noniꝰ Mar. Ludi à Lydis quo … primi ad hanc rē adhibuerunt Romani ex Hetruria accitos. Isid. orig. l. 18. c. 16. Lydos Timaeꝰ refert ex Asia transuenas in Hetruria cōsedisse…inde Romani accersitos artifices mutuantur, vt ludià Lydis vocarentur…et si Varro ludos à ludo, i. lusu, interpretatur. Tert. de spectac.their vsuall appellation in Latine from them) others to the Grecians, and they the most cforeign. Pausan. Corinth. foreign. Idem Phocic. Et Gr. Naz stelit. 1. Palamedē inuenisse foreign, &c. quod & Plin. ex part. hist. nat. l. 7. c. 56. Idem & Eustath. Odyss foreign. ex Sophocl. Palamede ineunisse hunc foreign. Et Philostr. in her…icis Et hinc foreign Eustath. et Palamediaci calculi Cassiod. variar. l. 8. ep. 31. Et foreign apud Eùphorionē Et Sidon. car. 23. Hictalos crepitantibꝰ fritillis, Tanquā N…p…ades …eper tor artis. Vise Lyl Gyrald poet. hist. dial. 2. & Raph. Volater. cōment. l. 29. Et Hadr. …in a …i…n…d l. 2. c. …to Palamedes, (one that helpt to furnish Greece also with letters,) onelyonly dforeign. quā Micationē Latini.one kind of them ePtolom. Hephestion Helenae …buit …pud Phot… bibli…th. 190.some ascribing to Helen: For as for fAlea, i. tabulae ludꝰ inuentꝰ à Gracis in ocio belli Troiani à qu…d im milite nomine Alea, à quo & ars nomen accepit. Isidor. orig. l. 18. c. 60.Isidores conceipt of one Alea a souldier at Troy, it is like the learning of his times; and that which gAttalus Asiati cus, si gentiliū historijs creditur, hāc …udendi las…iuiam dicitur inuenisse. Ioan Sarisb polycr. l. 1. c. 5 Ludū t…sserarū & al…ae legitur Attalus Asiaticus inuenisse, qu… longè melius est ignorare quàm scire. Petr. Bles. epist. 74. Sunt qui dicāt Attalū Asiaticū ariē hanc inuenisse, & ab artificio numerandi excogitasse. Agrip de van. sciēt. c. 14.some others hauehave of Attalus King of Asia, hath as little, if not lesse ground; the inuention is far auncienter. To passe, I say, by the maine current of Authors and Writers crossing Plato in this point, wee might as well vponupon this ground condemne Grammar, and Astronomie, and Arithmetike, and Geometrie, and the vse of Letters and Cyphers, as of tables and dice, as diabolicall inuentions; seeing this fable of Plato referreth them all to the same originall and to the same Author: as hVise Tertull. de coron milit.the common vse of the Heathen was to ascribe the inuention of eueryevery Art and matter of moment to some one Idoll or other.

Chrysostome indeede (for I will conceale nothing that may seeme ought to this purpose) speaking in generall tearmes saith, that iNon Deꝰ dat ludere, sed diabolus: noli ergò haec à Deo poscere quae à Diabolo accipis. Chrys. in Matth. hom 9.Play or game is not of God but of the Deuill: and that kChristū sientem frequēter inuenias, ridentē nunquam, sed nec leuiter seltē subridendo gandē tem. Idē ib. Quod et Bern. de ord. vita: Ipsum Dominū fleuisse legimus, ris…sse non l…gimus. Et Basil. quaest. contract. 31. foreign.we reade that Christ *Luk 19.41. Ioan. 11.35.wept oft, but neuer that he laughed, or so much as once smiled: yea that lNec sanctorum vllus, &c. Chrys. ibid.none of the Saints in Scripture are reported euer to hauehave laughed, mSara sol…rifisse legitur, quae & Dei voce illi ò correpta est.saue oGen. 18.12.Sara onelyonly, pGen. 18.13.who is presently thereupon also checked for it. Which yet, saith that reuerend Father, I speake not nforeign. Ib.to abandon laughter, but to bannish loosenesse.

Thus Chrysostome: which yet is not all out sound or true neither: For did not qGen. 17.17. & 18.14. Inde Isaak dictus quasi si Gelasium dixeris.Abraham laugh too as well as Sara? and yet is he not taxed nor rebuked for so doing; nor indeed was Sara simply rebuked for laughing, but for doubting, yea if I may say so, for mocking: rAdmirantis, non dubitantis. Aug. ocut. l. 1. exultatio gandentis, non irris…o diffidentis. Eucher. in Genes. l. 2. c. 26.Abrahams laughter, as the Auncients hauehave well obserued, proceeded from ioy, Saraes sauoured of distrust. Neither is it at all to the present purpose: For howsoeuer sPet. Martyr in Iud. c. 14. Et Guil. Stuck. antiq. cō …iu. l. 3. c 23.some hauehave thought that Chrysostome therein should allude to that fable of Plato before rehearsed and discussed: and 1Ioan. Aquilan. & Dan. Vi…cent. quadrag. serm. 5.others hauehave applied that speech of his to the games here questioned; yet in truth it is apparent that hee had an eye to tExod. 32.6. 1. Cor. 10.6, 7.the Israelites disport, which he there also mentioneth, by them vsed at the worship of the golden Calfe: and that he speaketh onelyonly (as the sequell of his discourse plainely sheweth) of uforeign, &c. Chrysost. ibid.Stageplaies and such like as among the Heathen were celebrated in honour of their Idoles; (as aDe ludis theatralibꝰ l…quitur. Martyr in Iud. c. 14.some also of the same Authors themselues well obserue) which indeed may be well tearmed a diuelish inuention both as they then vsed them, and as they are vsed at this day; as also that graue father to the same purpose further saith, that the xDiabolus in vtbibus theatra extruxit. Chrys. ibid.Deuill was the first Builder and Founder of Theaters. And surely some good ground there was for Chrysostome to fetch the pedigree of Stageplaies from him, yNon tam hominum vitij…, quàm daemonum i…ssis instituti. August. de ciuit. Dei l. 1. c. 32. & Isidor. orig. l. 18. c. 59. Cùm pestilentia esset, pacis D…ûm exposcendae causa lectist…rnium fuit: & cùm vi… … …bi nec humanis consilijs, nec ope diuina leuaretur, victis superstitione animis, ludi quoque scenici, noua res bellicoso populo, inter alia caelestis ira placamenta instituti dicuntur. Liu. hist. l. 7. Ludorum primum initium procurandis religionibus datum: quorum prima …rigo ponenda visa est, vt appareret, quàm ab sano initio res in hanc vix opulentis regnis tolerabilem in saniam venerit. Ibid. Lydi ex Asia transuenae in Hetruria inter caeter…s ri…us superstitionum suarum, sp… ctacula quoque religionis nomine instituunt: … ijs Romani ludos suos …tuati, qu…s diebus fe…i… & templi… & religionibus deputa…ant. Tertu…. despectac. quem vise. Spectacula odire d…bes, Christiane, quorum … tisti autores. Isidor. orig. l. 18. c. 64.for whose honour and at whose commaund at first they came in, who was directly and euidently honoured in them, and who zHinc apud Liuium aliosque toties libris sacris inspectu ludos …uberi.euer and anone in honour of his Idoles enioyned them and called for them. But for dice and tables both Plato and the counterfait Cyprian speake without ground, the one professing but to tell a tale, the other pretending to relate a true story, but an idle one, and one as improbable as the other. Howsoeuer I denie not, but as the Apostle tearmeth some heresies a1. Tim. 4.1.Doctrines of Deuils or diuelish Doctrines: and Viues bDi…lecticam c… …entiosam ab ingenio diabolico profectā. Viues in Aug. vbi sup.wrangling Sophistrie (for so I suppose his meaning is) a Diuelish deuice: so the abuse of these games, in regard of such impieties as accompanie it, may well be tearmed, as some hauehave tearmed it, cHaec ars m…nd… ciorum, …periuriorū, furtorum, litium, iniuri…rum, homicidiorum mater est; verè malorum daemonum inuentum. Agrip. de vanit. scient. c. 14.a Diuelish inuention, and dChaucers pardoner.a seruice of Sathan: and our common eIdem ibid.Dicers may well be marshalled among the flocke of his followers.

§ 12. Thus then hauehave we examined two of the Fathers produced in this point, and hauehave found the one to be a forger and the other forged: the one a counterfait pretending to be him whom he is not; the other hauing that fathered on him that indeede is not to be found in him.

There remaineth one other onelyonly of the auncients, though one not very auncient, and that is Bernard; fPics Christianos Hier…solymis ale… detestari. Bern. &c. Dan. do lud. al. c. 8.reported to write, that the godly Christians at Ierusalem detested the vse of these games.

But let Bernard speake out, and he will speake little to the point. gSca…cos & aleas detestantur: abhorrent vena…ionem: nec ludicra illa auiu… rapina, vt assolet, del…ctantur. Ber…. ad m…lit. templ. c. 4.Chesse and Dice, saith he, they detest: hunting they abhorre: hauking, as the manner is, they take no delight in. And againe, hViuitur planè absque vxoribus & absque liberis in Euangelica perfectione. Bern. ibid.They liue altogether without wines or children, in an Euangelicall, or iAngelos terre…os, imò coeli ciues c…stit…s facit. Bern. de diuers. serm. 3…. & in Cant. ser…. 27.Angelicall perfection, as at other times he tearmeth it. So that he ioyneth Chesse and Dice together, as kPoenitentiam Episcopo ob scaccorū vsum iniunxit Petrus Damian, in Epist. ad Hildebr. quod & à Baronio defenditur annal. tom. 11. ann. 1061. num. 42. Vise Vincent spec. histor. l 6. c. 52. & Guil. Pepin. de conf…ss. tract. 2. par. 3. c. 6.some others also doe passing the same sentence vponupon either: the one whereof the Author that citeth him, approueth, nor doth he vtterly condemne the other. And he saith that as well Hunting and Hauking as gaming are alike abhorred of them. To be briefe he speaketh of the *Ad Milites Tē pli.Knights of the Temple, a company of persons retired from the world and worldly things, addicted to a monkish course of life, restraining themselues from the lawfull vse of the good ordinances of God, and affecting a superstitious and more austere manner of cariage then God or his word hath tied any man vntounto. Their example therefore as it is no precedent to others, so it is no prejudice to any that shall swarne from the same.

§ 13. From the auncient Fathers passe we on to lProfanos homines audiamus, qui verbi Dei luc… destituebantur…à quibus tamen quid de tam turpi rerum gener… sentiendum fit inte…igamus. Dan. de lud al. c. 6.Heathen writers. mBabington on Command. 8.Tully, say they, obiecteth dicing to Catiline and his Complices: nBabingt▪ ibid.Yea when hee would spit fire in Antonies face, oDan. de lud. aleae c. 6.he laieth to his charge that he was a Dicer himselfe, and his house a common receptacle of such.

True indeed: Tully in the sixth rancke of Catilines Companions placeth pAleatores, adulteri, impuri impudicique omnes. Ci…. in Catilin. orat. 2.Dicers and adulterers, and filthy folke of all fashion: as else-where also he noteth diuers of them to hauehave beene qVino & ale… dediti Ibid. 3.Dicers and Drunkards. He taxeth Antonie likewise for a common rVino & epulis retentus & alea, fi epulae potius quàm popinae n…minandae sunt. Cic. Philip. 3.Dicer and a Drunkard: and sLicinium Lenticulam de alea condemnatum collusorem suum restituit, &c. Ibid. 2. Hominem. vero omnium nequissimum, qui non du…itaret vel in foro alea ludere, lege quae est de ale… cond…natum▪ qui i… integrum restituit, i… non apertissimè studium suum ipse profitetur? Ibid.a fauourer and restorer againe of such as for such doings had beene condemned: and among other things describing his running riot and reuelling, he telleth how tNihil erat …lausum, nihil obsignatum. apothecae totae n…quissimi… quibusquam condonabantur. alia mimi rapi…bant, alia mim…. domus erat aleatoribus referta, plena ebriorum. totas dies potabatur, a…que id locis pluribus. suggerebantur etiam saepe damna aleatoria, &c. quamobrem desinite mirari haec tam celeriter consumpta. non m… dò vnius patrimo…ium q…amuis amplum, vt illud fuit, sed vrbes & regna tanta nequitia deu…rare pot…isset. Cic. Philip. 2.by dicing and drinking and other riotous courses he had suddainely wasted and made away all those ample spoiles, that vponupon Pompey the Greats fall had come into his hands; his excesse being such and his prodigalitie so great, that it was able soone to consume the riches of whole realmes. Who so readeth but the places shall easily see, what Tully condemneth in either of them and their crew.

But doth Tully therefore vtterly condemne all vse of Tables or Dice? Nothing lesse. Hee alloweth else-where the vse of them uHomines labore quotidiano assueti, cùm tēpestatis causa opere prohibentur, ad pilam se aut ad talos aut ad tesseras conferunt, aut etiam no…um sibi aliquem excogi an… in otio ludum. Cie. de oratore lib. 3.to men wearied with other ordinary labours, or by weather restrained from other exercises abroad: *At alij, quia praeclarè faciunt, v…hementiu… quàm causa postulat delectantur, vt Titius pila, Brulla talis. Ibid.so that they dote not vponupon them and so grow excessiue in them, as some doe vponupon tennis and other exercises sometimes. But in more speciall manner he deemeth them very fit recreations, as xMartyr in Iud. c. 14.another before for sicke and weakely persons, so hee yHabeant alij sibi arma, equos, hastas, …lauam & pilū, nat…tiones & cu…sus: nobis senibꝰ exlusionibꝰ multis ta…s relinquant & tesser…s▪ Cic. de senect.for old men, growne vnwealdy, and past games of actiuitie. As Sidonius also an auncient French Bishop accordin…ly setteth zM…x biperti…is, erat vt aetas, profertur, his pila, hisg tabula Sidon. l. 5. ep. 17. Et de Ra…enna, vbi peruersa cuncta; Student pila sene…, aleae inuenes. Idem lib. 1. ep. 8. Hinc & Augustus in epist. ad Tiberium: Inter c…nam lusimus foreign. Suet. Aug. c. 71.the young-men to tennis and the old-men to Tables: by whose writings also, as aIo. Sauar. not. ad Sidon.one writing on him well obserueth, it appeareth, that bHinc ad Saloniū, Quamdiu a…tritas tesserarū quondam iactibꝰ manꝰ contra ius fasque sibi vendicant instr…menta Cereali…? Sidon. l. 8. ep. 8. Et de Lampridio rhetore; Aleae, spherae noniuxta deditꝰ, &c. Ib. ep 11. Hinc & in Ferreoli, quē collaudat, aedibus spharisteriū, aleatoriū, bibliotheta, Idēl. 2. …p. 9.learned men, yea and Diuines too, in his time did ordinarily vse such kindes of disport: the Bishop himselfe vsing also both cIn hui… nemori… opacitate, cùm me meꝰ Hecdicius illustrat, pilae vacan.ꝰ; sed hoc donec arborū imago cōtractior aleatorium ill…c l…ssis consumpto sphae…isterio faciat. Sidō l. 2. …p. 2 & ep. 17. l. 5. Pilae primꝰ ego signiferfui, qui mihi, vt nosti, non minus libro c…m… habitur. frater meꝰ Domnicius tesseras …p…at, quatie…atque, quo veint cl…ssico ad pyrgū v…aeb…t alcatores.priuately to play with his familiar friends in his owne house as well at Tennis as at Tables; and bearing the Emperor Theodorike also sometime company at that game; whose ciuill and moderate and courteous demeanour at the same in one of his Epistles hee thus very wittily describeth: dHoris meridlanis vir… tabula cordi est: tesseras colligit rapidè, inspi…it solicitè, volit argu…, mittit instanièr, …oculanter compellat, patienter expe…at; in bonis iactibus tacet, in malis ridet, in neutris irascitur, in vtrisque philosophatur: secundas fastidi… veltim…re vel facere; quarum opportunitates spernit oblatas, transit oppositas: sine motu cuaditur, sine colludio …uadit. Putes illum & in calculis arma tractare: solae est illi curae viucendi. Sidon. lib. 1. epist. 2.At afternoone houres oft hee betaketh himselfe to Tables: the Dice he catcheth vp nim…lie; vieweth warily, shaketh cunningly, casteth speedily; calleth for his chaunce merily, and expecteth it as patiently: in good casts he is silent, at euill ones hee smileth; he is angrie with neither, hee carieth himselfe wisely in either: a good chaunce he scorneth either to feare or to make: the opportunity whereof hee refuseth when it is offered him, he letteth passe when it goeth against him: he is neither moued if he be defeated, nor vseth couine to defeate: he behaueth himselfe at game, as if he were at his weapon; his care is all how to win. eCùm ludendum est, regiam sequestrat tant…sper s…ueritatem. H…rtatur ad ludum, libertatem, communionemque: dicam quod sentio, times ti…eri: denique …bl…ctat…r cammotion… super…i, & tunc demum credit sibi …on cess…sse collegam, cùm f…dem fecerit victoria suae bil… alie…a. Ibid.While he is at play, he setteth aside his royall state: he inuiteth those be plaieth with, to froliknesse, and freedome, and fellowlike behauiour: to speake as I thinke, he is afraid to bee feared: in a word, he loueth to see them moued, whom he hath beaten in play, scarce beleeuing but that they plaid booty, if they be not throughly angry. And hauing told how that oft many obtaine suites at game of him by watching and taking their time; fTunc ego etiam aliquid observaturus f…eliciter vin…or, quando mihi ad h…c tabula perit, vt causa saluetur. Ibid.I my selfe, saith he, also when I hauehave a suite to him, am sometime luckily beaten by him, and am well content to loose my game to him, that I may gaine my suite of him.

§ 14. But to returne to our taske: gBabingt. on Cō mand. 8.Augustus, say they, got by his dicing a reproach neuer dying, euen to be counted a dissolute man: and hS…nius scribit hoc idem pro summo vitio in summo & aliàs op…i… illo principe …abitum fuisse, ad…ò vt magnis illius virtut…bus foed…m aleae labem asperserit. Dam. de l…d. al. c. 7.it was reputed a notorious vice in him who was otherwise both a very great, yea and a very good Emperor; but this infamous blot bleamished all his other great virtues.

Su…tonius indeed reporteth that Augustus was iNota…us est …t … lea indulgens Suet. Aug. c 71.taxed by diuers for his common dicing; and a rime thereupon made of him to this effect;

kPostquam bis classe victus naues perdidit; Aliquando vt vincat, l…dit assiduè al…am.At sea twise beaten, and his ships lost twise;

To win yet once, all day he plaies at dice.

Yet lSuet ibid. Aleae rumorem nullo modo expauit: lusitque simpliciter & palam oblectamenti causa, etiam sene….Suetonius, and so mCasaub. ad Su… ton. & Greg. T…los. syntag. l. 39. c. 3. § 8.others, seeme withall to excuse him in part, alleadging, that hee plaid simply and openly for delight alone, and that euen in his old-age too. But nPrima inuenta …iorum dedecorū infamiam subijt. Su…ton. Aug. c. 68. Cirsa libidines haesit, ad vitiand… virgines promptior. Sueton, ibid. c. 71.he had fouler matters that bleamished his fame, some oEffoeminatu…, cinaedus aua…ijt: vnde in contumeliam eius acceptum illud de Gallo tympanizante pronunciatum, Viden vt cinaed… orbem digi…o temperet. Suet ibid.shrewdly suspected by him, some pAdulteria exercuisse ne amic… quidem negant. Ibid. c. 69.confessed euen by his freinds: and his fault h…rein was twofold; partly that hee was qNosquinquat…ijs satis iucundè egimu…: lusimus enim per omnes dies: ego perdi…i viginti millia num…iûm …o nomi…e: sed cùm eff…sè inlus… liberalis fuissem, vt soleo plaerumque. Augustus apud Sueton. c. 71.somewhat too profuse, and spent more at play then was meete, though rQuadring…nis in punctum H.S. aleam lusit Nero. Suet. Ner. c. 30.nothing to that, that some of them did, that succeeded him: and partly that he vsed game sAc praeterquam Decembri mense, alijs quoque fos…i… professisque dicbus. Suet. Aug c 71 quibus negotia magis tractari solent, quàm ludus talarius exerteri. Phil. Beroaeld.somwhat vnseasonably, as tQuoti…s o…iū esset, alea se obleclabat, etiā profestis di…bu…. &c. Suet. Domitian. c. 21.some other also of his Successors did, in bestowing vsually that time on his sports, that other serious affaires might more iustly hauehave laid claime to. This was taxed in him, not the game it selfe simply.

Againe, uClaudius stolidi ingenij indicium maximè ex eo dedit, quod aleae ludo summè delectaretur. Dan. de lud. al. c. 7.Claudius, say they, was hereby especially noted to be of a dull and sottish disposition, because hee tooke so much delight in Tables and Dice.

Claudius is indeed noted to hauehave beene *Aleam fludiosessimè lusit: de cuius arte librum quoque emisit: solitus euā in gestatorio ludere, …a …ssedo alu…oque a…aptatis, ne lusus confunderetur. Sueton. Claud. c. 33.a very serious Dice-player, in so much that hee wrote a discourse of the game, and vsed to play by the way as he rode in his Coach, hauing the Tables so fastened to the seates, that the men might not mingle and the game be marred: whereupon also Seneca in derision of him relateth how that after his decease he should be put in hell to this penance, xAlea ludere p…rtuso fritillo. Senec. foreign.to take his dice vp with a box that had an hole in the botome, and so made him still loose his labour. But I finde not where his bent and study that way is made a note of his stupidity, neither see I how it should so be, (the game vsed by him requiring yforeign à Palamede in…ntam foreign. Philostratus in …eroicis. Vise quae prius ex Platone, S… ph…cle, Pl…t. Hesych. alijs. Sed & Ouid, trist l. 2. Sunt alijs s…riptae, quibus alea ludit…, artes.Art and dexterity for the manag…g of it) nor if it were, were it any whit materiall to the point that is here questioned of the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the game in it selfe.

§ 15. Yea but aDan. de lud. al…a c. 7. & Babington on Command 8.Gobilo, or bAgripp. de vanscient c 14.Cobilo, or cIoan. Sarisb. polycrat. l. …. c. 5. Et Pe…r Blesens. Epist. 74. ex Sarisb. in vocula vna & alt…ra corrigendas: & Taffin, de emend. vitae l. 2. c. 19 § 7·Chilo, or dChaucers Pardoner.Stilpo, or some Spartan or other (for vponupon his name they cannot accord) comming to Corinth to treate of a league betweene his Countrimen and them, obseruing eDuces & se…i…res populi Indentes in aleae. Sarisb. & Blesens. & Taffin.the Corinthian Gouernours (or fCorinthros ludo …uinsmodi populariter addictos. Danaeus.the people generally) to be commonly giuen to that game, went this way againe gInfecto negotie. Sari…b. & Blesens.without conclusion, yea or hRe etiam non tentata, Dan.treaty of ought; as deeming it a matter both dishonest and dangerous to be in league and amity with such idle persons and gamesters as they. And iR…x Persarum talos ad D…m trium r…gem Asiae misit, ignauiam hominis notans. Dan, de lud. aleae c. 7. & Hadr. Iun. aenimad…er. l. 2. c. 4. & Babington on Cō mand 8.the King of Persia, say some, kRegi Demetrio à rege Partborum tali aur…i sunt da…, vt notaretur in eo leui…as p…erilis qui in maiesiate regia l…uibus intendebat. Ioan Sarisber. l. 1. c. 5. & Pe…r Bl…s. epist 74 & Agrip. c. 14. & Chaucers Pardouer.of Parthia, more truely say othersome, sent Demetrius King of Asia golden Dice for a present, thereby noting his slouth, say some, his childish lightnesse, say others, that in royall estate tended such toies.

All this needeth no long answere. lLuxus Corinthiacus in vasis & supellectile preti…sa, in re item meretr… ciae in adagiū …l…m abierat: vnde & versiculus, foreign. Vise Agell. l. 1 c. 8. Aristoph. Plut. & Suet. Aug. c. 71.The Corinthian loosenesse both in that kinde and otherwise (which no well minded man will either excuse or defend) might well discourage a Spartan of a generous and warlike disposition from proceeding in a busines of such weight as that was: though the story be scarce found in any authentike Author, and the alleadgers of it vary in their reports. But take it for vndoubted, yet neither doth that proue that no Lot in or about game may lawfully be vsed, which mforeign. Pa…san. Lacon.the Spartans, as well as nVise quae suprae.other Greekes, vsed for the ioining of them together, that in certaine Games they had for their youth, were to fight either with other; nor that these kinds of Lot Games were not vsed at all in Sparta, it being noted to hauehave been a common byword with one of their Commanders, that oforeign. Lysander apud Plut. apophth. addit Dion. Chrys. orat. 74. in priore membro, foreign, inpasteriore, foreign, non vt v…lgò foreign. Hoc tamen Dionysio T…yran… tribuit Plutar. dem de fort. Alea. l. 1. Sed & Polycrati alios, alios alijs adscriber… testatur idem sympos. l 9. c. 12. & in vita Lysandri Polycratem ips… hac in re imitatumex Androclide m…morat.Children vse to be co…sened with Balls and Dice (or Hucklebones then vsed as Dice) and men cheated with words and oaths.

For the Dice that the one King is said to hauehave sent to the other; the story is by them much mistaken, much at least misreported. pEx Trogi historia Instinus epi…em. l. 38.The Dice were indeede by Phraartes King of Parthia sent to Demetrius, who had sometime bin King of Syria, and a valiant man, as the Parthians well knew, hauing been qCòm multis congressionibus victor fuisset, repenté circumuentus insidijs aemisso exercitu capitur. Iustin. ibid.oft beaten by him; but then, surprised by a traine, was prisoner in Parthia; where though honourably vsed, yet desirous of liberty, hauing twise attempted to breake away, and being twise brought back againe, he had these Dice sent him, not to tax him of sloth, or for tending such toyes, but rTalis a…eis in exprobrationē leuitatis puerilis donaetur. Iustin ibid.to note, faith mine Author, his childish inconstancy, or rather (thinke I) to shew him what he must wholy tend, without attempting of greater matters, vnlesse he grew weary of his life. But admit one King in derision had sent such a present to another: as we reade in sHolinshead in Henry 5.our owne stories, that the Dolphin of Fraunce sent a tun of Paris-bals sometime to Henry the fift, though without iust cause, and with no great good successe: yet would not that proue the vse of the one to be euill or vnlawfull, no more then this doth the other. It is indeede an vnseemely thing and a great disparagement for a King *Quomodò Socrates Lysiae, foreign. Diogen. Liert. Socrate.to addict himselfe to either of those or any the like sports, though good and honest otherwise in themselues, tPrae…larè Themistocles, Magistratus à ludis & leuioribus arcendos, ne respub. ladere videretur: quod à nostris v…tnam audiretur, vt nugis suis reipub. seria anteferrent, Ioan. Sarisber. poliaraet. l. 1. c. 4.with neglect of State-busines and of serious affaires, or u- uescit equo rudis Haerere ingenuꝰ pu…r, Venarique timet; ludere doctior s…u Graeco iubeas trocho, Seu mauis v…t…a legibus aleae. Hor. can. l. 3. …de 24.of such other exercises as better beseeme his place and person; which hath beene xforeign de Hegosilocho Rhodio Theopomsus hist. l. 16. apud Athenaeum l. 10. quem & l. 12. argum utum hoc copiosiss…mè persequentem vides…s.a foule blemish to diuers Princes and great personages, yforeign; Plus. de aud poet. Et Simocat. epist. 13. foreign.such especially as were sprung from Parents that had taken the cleane contrarie courses: In which regard zIacob. Rex foreign lib 3.our royall Soueraigne right wisely aduiseth that hopefull Prince (that then was, but, to our woe, now is not) his sonne, leauing the ordinarie vse of Dice to deboshed Souldiers to play at on the Drum-head, and tumbling trickes to Plaiers to win their bread with, to make choise rather of riding, and tilting and hunting and the like, such exercises as best beseeme a Prince and 1Idem ibid. Vise & Rob. Valturi…m dere milit. l. 4. c. 4.may further fit him for martiall affaires. But yet the euill practise of the former doth no more preiudice any Prince that shall vse 2Tò foreign. Xenoph. Cyripaed. l. 1. foreign. A…hen lib 1. Venatione ferarum nos exerceri ad similitudin…m bectieae disciplinae. Cic. de nat. deor. l. 2. Vir acer in bellis, & venatu memorabili semper inclytꝰ, &c. quo duratus so, lem & puluerem bellis Persicis tulit. Trebel, in Odenat….the same exercise of Tennis or Tables in sober and seasonable sort; then the riotous courses of luxurious Princes ought to restraine the royall entertainment of others performed vponupon iust occasion, and agreeably to their estate.

§ 16. In the last place are Poets produced for the condemning of dice. And Poets indeed, Satyrists especially, are the common scourges of the vices and abuses of their times. Neither is it my purpose to be either a Pandar to any sinne, or a Proctor to pleade for it, to excuse or extenuate, much lesse to iustifie or acquit any abuse vsed in game: (let my tongue first cleaue to the roofe of my mouth, nay let it rather rot to the very roote in my mouth, then that I should once attempt ought in that kinde;) but to consider onelyonly of these games pared from such abuses, as men may, if they will, and I doubt not but many doe, vse them. But let vsus heare what these Poets say.

aBabington Cō mand. 8.The Poet putteth it among the common Canckers that consume men and make Beggars of them, Dic…, Wine, and Women.

When I first read this, I remembred indeed bforeign. Antholog. l. 1. c. 57.a Greeke Epigram wherein Baths, Wine, and Women, are ioyned together as Canckers corrupting and consuming mens bodies, and making a speedy dispatch of their liues: which cBalnea, vina, Venus corrumpunt corpora nostra: R… stituant (alij, Conseruant) eadem …alnea, vina, Venus.some turning into Latine, to mend the matter, adde withall, that these may as well proue restoratiues or preseruatiues as canckers and corrasiues, being vsed and taken as they ought.

Since I finde in some obscure Authors somewhat neere that which is alleadged, of dice, wine, and women: Which admitted for authenticall, yet doth no more enforce an absolute and generall condemnation of dice, then it doth of the other two, wine and women, that are therein ioyned therewith; which no wise man or in his right wits will therefore vtterly condemne. And yet can there not be more said in that kinde of this one, then (I say not Poets alone, but) the Spirit of God it selfe saith, (not to presse ought out of the dDiues eram dudum, me fecerunt tria m…dum, Alea, vina, venus, tribus his sum factus egenus. Carm. Prouerb & Guil. Pepin. de conf…ss tract. 2. par. 3. c. 6.Apocrypha) of the two other, as well eProu. 2.18, 19. & 6.9, 10, 11, 26. & 7.26, 27 & 9.18. & 12.4. & 22.14. & 20.27, 28. Eccles. 7.28.of women as fProu. 20.1. & 23.21, 29, &c. ad finem.of wine. gSiracid. 26.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, & 25.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. quod cùm in Anglia à ministro Caluinista legeretur, mulierem è coetu exclamasse, Verbum illud non Dei esse, sed Diaboli, refert seriò Bellarm. de verb. De… l. 2. c. 15.Howbeit neither are therefore hforeign. Pla…. de audiend. poet.either the Vines in foraine parts to bee rooted all out, or all vse of wine to be wholy forbidden vsus, who yet might liue well without it, because by many wine is much abused: nor are women therefore to be abandoned, or deemed iforeign. Euripid. foreign. Sophocl. foreign, Menaud. foreign. Eurip. foreign. Menau. apud Stob. par. 2. c. 71. Et idem Menaud. foreign. Sed & tragicè nimis Cancrinus, foreign. apud Athen. l. 13.Euils, though kforeign. Philem. apud Volat…r. l. 30. foreign. Menand. foreign. Susarion apud Stob. par. 2. c. 67.necessaries, if many of them, by the abuse of themselues, or others abuse of them, proue as the Spirit of God speaketh: or yet mariage, being lMatth. 19.4, 5, 6. 1. Tim. 4.1, 4.Gods owne ordinance, in it selfe no lesse mGenes. 2.18. Eccles. 4.9, 10. Prou. 18.22. & 31.12.helpefull, beneficiall and comfortable, then it is n1 Tim. 4.3, 4. Heb. 13.4.holy, honest and honourable, is to be in that respect any whit the lesse regarded; but oVina sitim sedent; g…atis Venus almicreaudis Seruiat: h…s fines transilijsse nocet. Festu… Auien in catalect.the vse of either limited, the abuses stript from them, as the rules both of reason and religion require.

Yea but another pDan. de lud. al. c. 7.graue Author, reckoneth vp this game among those vices that' most grieuously and easily are wont to corrupt a whole familie:

qSi damnosa senē inuat alea, ludit & hares Bullatꝰ, paruoque eadē mouet arma fritillo. Iu…enal. satyr. 14.If wastfull Dice the old man please,

His sonne's sicke of the same disease;

Where father sitteth at cinque and sise,

The childe in side-coates loues the dice.

And rBabingt. on Command. 8.one of our owne Poets sChaucers Pardoner, and the like hath his Parson.Chaucer saith;

Dicing is very mother of leasings,

(And of deceipt and cursed for swearings;)

Blasphemie of God, manslaughter, and wast also,

*Ha…rd. … Of time, of battell, & of other moeOf battle, of naughtinesse, and other moe,

It is a reproofe and contrarie to honour,

uTo be holdē a cōmon hazardour.For to behold a common Dicer.

And euer the higher he is in estate,

The more he is holden desolate.

*If that a prince shall.If thou a Prince doest vse hazardie,

In all gouernaunce and pollicie;

He is by a common opinion,

Holden lesse in reputation.

Lords might finde other manner of play,

Honest enough to driue the day away.

In a word xBabington ibid.it is a wonder taking any Author Christian or Heathen almost in a mans hands, if a man finde not something in him against dicing.

Here is nothing but that which I willingly yeeld to; and indeed nothing at all to the point or the purpose.

For first, doe not all those Authors and all these authorities impugne and condemne zN…w commeth hazardrie with his appurt…nanc…s, as tables and raff…s. Chaucers Parson.Tables and Dice as well as bare bones? How is it then that the Citers of them seuer these games, and allowing the one sort, alleadge these testimonies against the other sort, which equally concerne either?

Againe what one of those Heathen or Christian writers was euer either so scrupulous or so censorious, that either of conscience he vtterly forbare all such games himselfe, or condemned them in all others besides himselfe? Themselues euidently shew what they misliked and condemned in them, (in such places especially where they aEst Alea effre… nata q…aeiam idend… p curiam cupillitas, anim sa credulaqu… spe lucri flagra…s: v. l, est grauis q…aedam & d… manensanimi affectio, quae vi…osa futurie ex ducta sorte boni opinione constans, effraenata quadā & exultante cupidi ate ad ludendum concilatur. Ex quo primum iliad patet, minimè de illis hîc agi, qui immoderatè alea non abutun…ur. Paschas. de alea lib. 1.define that more distinctly, which bEst hic ludus altor otij, magister ignauiae, instrumentum auaritiae, fraudis efficina, rei familiaris euersio, temporis iactura, rixae materia, morū pernicits, d…g…itatis labes, & insignis ignominiae, animi angor, & cruciatus assid…us, &c. Osorius de Regis institut. lib. 7.in generall tearmes they deliuer else where,) to wit, either cforeign de Thessalis Theopompus apud Athen. l. 12. quod de Herculis aedituo Plutar. problem. Rom. foreign. — s… ludi…ur alea pernox. Iunen. sat. 8. Neclus…sse pudet, sed non incidere ludum. Horat. epist. 14 lib. 1.the immoderate vse of them, or dSidamnosa sonem iu…t alea — I…uen. sat. 14. — hunc alea decoquit. Pers. sat. 5. — neque enim loculus comitantibꝰ itur Ad…asim tabulae, posita sed luditur arcae. Iuuen. sat. 1.the wastfulnesse of expence at them; which no man defendeth. But that is nothing to the game it selfe. For for any man to spend more time then is fit about it, or to wast himselfe and his wordly estate at it, it is no way warrantable either in that, or in any other recreation, though neuer so warrantable, allowable, yea or commendable otherwise.

Lastly what booke shall a man lightly lay his hand on, but he shall finde somewhat in it against drinking, as well as against dicing? yea more by much against that then against this, if that be true that one saith, that eAleae vitium à Poetis, Oratoribus, Philosophis neglect…m. Paschas. d… aleal. 1.none euer before himselfe Poet, Orator, or Philosopher did euer directly and professedly deale against dice. Yet doth not the one prooue that all sorts of men condemne drinke: no more then doth the other that all sorts of men detest dice.

To draw neere land at length: fBabint. on Cō mand. 8.A Dicer, saith gAlcator quanto in arte est meli. r, tanto est nequior. Publ. Syrus. Nonne sa…is improbata est artis exercitatio, qua quanto quisque …octior, tanto nequ…or? Ioan. Saruber, policr. l 1. c. 5.the Heathen man, the better the worse. And hBabingt. ibid.if a man, saith iSir Thom. Eliot.one of our Countreymen, heare one to be a Dicer, and know him not, he by and by iudgeth him to bee a light and a vaine person, and of no credit or account.

And no maruell. For to be a Dicer importeth an habite, a profession, a practise, a trade: and to make a trade or a practise, or a mans liuing of any recreation is not commendable, though the recreation it selfe be such. But it is one thing to play at dice or cards, and another thing to be a Dicer or a Carder: as it is one thing to drinke wine, and an other thing to be a kforeign. Matt. 11.19. Vinipotor. Plin. mist. nat l. 14.wine-drinker, or as wee vse to say, a lMultibiba atque Merobiba: quas… lagenam dixeris. Plaut. curcul. act. 1. sc. 1.winebibber. In a word as mNon quicunqoe in aula v…uit, Aulicus est. H. Steph. ep. ad Craton. Laertiopraesixa.they are not all Courtiers that liue in the Court (as we commonly take nCanes aulicos appellet Theobald. Bles. apud Rog. Houeden annal. par. 2. qu…modò Petr. F…rrar publicanosquasi publicos canes dici.Courtiers duplicate page duplicate page in no very good sense, oVt in m…re flumina omnia, sic vitia in magnas aulas i…fluere. P…us 2 Pp. apud Pla…n & de aula Pontificia …rn…ad Eugē. pluresibiscimꝰ defecisse b…n…s, quàm profecisse malosPrinces palaces are so much abused) so pNon omnes qui alea ludunt, aleatores sunt: quod pessimum hominum genus esse inter sapientes constat: ludunt pueri, ludunt & senes: sed simpliciter & oblectamenti causa, non cupiditate lucri. Casaub. in Suet. Aug. c. 71.they are not all Dicers or Carders that at any time vse cards or dice, but such onelyonly as qNe ex lusis quidē aleae compendium spernens. de Caio Sueton. c. 41.make a gaine or rforeign. Arist. Ethic. Nicom l. 4. c. 1. Ars tota infamis, & omnium gentiis legibus interdicta. Agrip. de van. scient. c. 14. Ab hac arte fraus & mendaciū atque periurium nunquam abest: sed & odiū & damna rerum: vnde & aliquando propter hac sc…lera legibus interdicta fuit. Isidor. orig. l. 18. c. 68.a common trade of them; which to doe is most base, and a course not by Christians onelyonly but by Heathens also, indeede generally condemned.

To conclude for this argument, I condemne willingly as much as any of the Authors produced do: But no one of them all condemne that which they doe that alleadge them, and therefore they nothing at all concerne that for which they alleadge them.

Yea to retort the argument applied to the present purpose. Were this probleme propounded, not whether it were lawfull for men to vse dice; but whether it were not as lawfull for children to play at euen and od, as at chery-pit, or at heads and points as at Push-pin, or at crosse and pile as at Spain-counter; I suppose there is none of the Authors formerly alleadged either Heathen or Christian, but would iudge it to be a question moued onelyonly in iest, and scarce worthy to be answered in good earnest. And yet is it not made a question onelyonly whether such childrens sports be lawfull, but it is put out of question that they are vtterly vnlawfull, by those that condemne simply all lusorie Lots, whom we deale with principally in this point. Who had therefore need to see to it, that the grounds be good and sure which they build vponupon in condemning of that which scarce any Heathen or Christian euer made scruple of before them.

§ 17. But yet there is somewhat further pressed and enforced vponupon this last ground: For first, say some, sPhilip. 4.8.All things of euill report are to be banished and abolished. But tAlea turpis. Iuuen. sat. 11. infamis. Gualter. in Matth. c. 27. In aleae ludo m…ribus & legibus veterum infamiam fuisse cō stat. Camer. de praecept. vitae. Aleatores infames censentur. l. 26. de iniur. l. fugitiuus. ff. de verb. sign. Cuiac.ꝰ observ. l. 9. c. 28. ideò Tesserarij appellari ma…u…runt, inter quos tam… tantum differt, quantum inter latrones & fures. Marcellin. lib. 28. ibid.cards and dice, as appeareth, are things of euill report: and therefore ought among Christians to be vtterly abandoned.

I answere: the immoderate vse or abuse of them is of euill report, uVt probes aliquē esse lusorem, non sufficit probare quòd aliquando luse…it, sed requiritur vt sit consuetꝰ. Ios. Mascard. de probat. vol. 2. concl. 997. alioqui aleatoris nomen non meretur. Iac. Menoch. de arbitr. Iud. l. 2. cent. 4. §. 20.the moderate and sober vse of them is not. *See his Maiesties Counterblast: & Syluesters Tabacco battred.To be a Tobacconist or a common Tobacco-taker is a matter of no great good report: yet is not the seasonable and profitable vse of it in that regard therefore to be vtterly abandoned and abolished: nor those reuerend Diuines, that, beside others, finde benefit by it, to be restrained of their Christian libertie in that kinde.

Secondly, xFennor of recreations propè finem, reas 3.We shall confirme others, that abuse them, by our vse of them. Wee ought indeede to be wary that wee giuegive as little aduantage that way as may be. But by a discreete and moderate vsage of them we shall rather teach them how they may vse that well, which they will hardly be wholy weaned from; and shall make it plainely appeare, that yVitia hominum, non rerum. Senec. epist. 51.the faults pretended are not the things but the mens, zRes non sunt in vitio, sed vsus rerum. Ioan. Saruber policrat. l. 5. c. 17.not in the Creature it selfe vsed, but in mans corruption abusing it.

Thirdly, aFennor of recreations, prope fi…em, reas. 1. & 2.It cannot but giuegive scandale to those that condemne these games both within the Church and without it: which bR…m 14.15, 16. 1. Cor. 10.32.in things indifferent ought not to be done.

For those without, there is little feare of offence to be giuen by the sober and seasonable vse of them. Wee heard before what they condemned. For those within the Church, it is true indeed, that cR…m 14.21.it is not good to doe ought whereby a weake brother may be offended; yea dRom. 14.20.to doe ought with offence it is euill. And therefore eRom. 14 13. 1. Cor. 8 9, &c.men shall doe well to forbeare them among those that are diuersly minded, and may therfore be scandalized and greiued therewith. But withall those that are otherwise minded, fRom. 14.2, 3, 4, 15.ought not to be so peremptory in censuring and condemning those that vse them, or that herein differ in iudgement from them: neither ought they to take offence at them for the doing of that which they know to be held lawfull and approued by many others learned and religious; being condemned or questioned but by a few in comparison; especially being no maine point or matter of faith.

§ 18. Yea but lastly, gEastie histor. Gosp. reas. 7.This difference among the learned cannot but make men doubt, and hR…m. 14 23.to vse them doubtingly is a sinne.

I answere: first, this consequence simply and generally granted will inferre greiuous inconueniences, and driue men into strange straights. For if a man may doe nothing about which there is any difference among the learned, how many matters will be vtterly cast and cut off, which yet no man now condemneth other for the doing, being of the same minde and iudgement with himselfe? yea what a troupe of dilemmaes shall men continually be encountred and entangled withall, wherein they shall be at a stand, able to take neither part, when yet they must needes be on some side, some holding it a sinne to doe a thing, others a sinne not to doe the same, as it falleth out in diuers controuersies both betweene the Separatists and our Ministers, and betweene our owne Ministers among themselues.

Secondly, difference among the learned is not generally iust cause of doubt: in two cases especially it is not; First, where a man discouereth euidently the weaknesse of their grounds that defend the aduers part.

Secondly, where a man findeth sure ground for the one side, which hee therefore sticketh close vntounto.

How many maine points are there in the body of Diuinity, which yet many, no doubt, yea the most among vsus, now doubt not of, notwithstanding they finde differences among the learned about them? What iSecunda… nuptias expertis, siue saepius nubentibus, poenitentiae modum a… tempus assignant Coue Nicen. can 8. & Conc. Neccaes…r. c. 3. & 7. quod & apud G…at. caus. 31. q. 1. Etiam liberè & l…gitimè contraben…ibus. Conc. Laodic. 1. c. 1. quorum c…nciliorum confirmantur can…nes in Synodo 6. Coustant. c. 2. damnant etiam exertè iterata coniugia Athenag. in legat. Tertullian. de monogam. & exhort. ad castit. Author operis imperfect. in Matt. hom. 32. & alij.troopes of the auncients hauehave condemned second mariages, which yet no diuine, or other that I know, maketh any doubt of at this day? How kTertull ad vxorem l. 1. Epiphan. haeres. 59. Ambros. Epist. 82. & in osfic. apud Grat. d. 26. Hieron in Tit. c. 1. & in epist. ad Ocean. de Carterio Episc. Innocent. 1. Pp. in epist. ad Rufum c. 2. & ad Concil. Tolet. c. 6. Aug. de bono coniug. c. 18. Chrysost. ad Tit. homil. 2. Canon. Ap…st. c. 17. & apud Grat. d. 33. Concil. Nicen. teste Ambrosio epist. 82. & Concil. Neocaes. c. 8. & alij innumeri; vt Pontificios praeteream.many of them hauehave held, that a man that had beene twise maried, was by l1. Tim. 3.2. Vuius vxoris virum.the Apostles owne constitution vncapable of the ministery? May no man therefore so qualified, without scruple and doubt, vndertake that office, nor execute the same in that regard without sin? Are there not great and many differences about the reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist betweene Papists and Protestants? yea duplicate page duplicate page was there not much difference, and that with eager opposition about the same point mVisantur scriptae vtriusque de re Sacramentaria.betweene Luther and Zwinglius many learned and religious taking part on either side, and continuing the controuersie euen to these times? Cannot a man therefore without wauering, euen a plaine ordinary Christian, adioyne himselfe to either side? yes; doubtlesse hee may, and many questionlesse doe. Difference therefore among the learned giueth good cause of disquisition and discussion, not necessarily iust cause of doubt.

Thirdly, generall Faith may stand with some kinde of doubting, as nMark 9.24.speciall Faith may stand with some kinde of wauering. oVise Ioan. Nider. consol. timor. conscient. par. 3 cap. 1. & 12. & 13.Neither is it eueryevery sodaine iniection, or idle scruple, or snarling obiection, though a man cannot assoile it, that maketh a mans actions vnwarrantable vntounto him, or bringeth him within compasse of that Apostolike censure, pRom. 14.23.He that doubteth is condemned, because hee doth not, what he doth, of Faith: and whatsoeuer is not of Faith, is sinne. qCertitudo moralis compatitur secis vacillationem quā dam animi aut haesitationem, vel suspitionem siue scrupulos, quos conuincere & c…mpescere melius quàm per contemptū nequeas. Gerson. de pollut. nocturn. confid. 3.A man may be certaine of the lawfulnes of a thing, hauing sure or sufficient ground for the same; and yet hauehave some scruple arising in his mind about it otherwaies, which he cannot well auoide: as rVise Matthaeum de Cracon. in rational. diuin. operam apud Nider. consolat. tim. consc. par. 3. c. 19.a man may hold firmly some points of doctrine, as the Articles of his faith, though he be not able to answer eueryevery subtile sophisme that against the same may be obiected. And certainely sIn Moralibꝰ sine ciuilibus non expressè determinatis certitudo probabilis sufficit. Nider. consol. part. 2. c. 13. & 14 & 18. & Gerson de contract.in ciuill actions not precisely and expresly determined in the word, a morall certainety, as some Casuists say well, doth suffice to keepe a Christian man from incurring Gods displeasure, hauing done his best endeauour to enforme himselfe aright, and resting ready to yeeld vntounto any better information. Which morall certaintie, yea and more then it, I see not why it may not be well had in the present point concerning the vse of a lusorious Lot, notwithstanding the difference among those that be both learned and religious. For the ground whereof (to returne that that here is obiected) let thus much alone for the present be considered: that as tW. Bradshaw, qui & id…m habet contra Iohnson. rat. 1.a reuerend Minister of our Church now with the Lord, in conference with certaine Separatists sometime well alleadged, that It was a sufficient argument to proue the truth of our ministery in that such wrangling and cauilling Companions as they were, could not obiect ought against it, but what might well and easily be answered: so uProbatio quandoque fit eo ipso quod contrarium non probatur. Accurs. ad Cod. Iust. l. 4. tit. 7. leg. 1 & ad lib. 7. tit. 23. leg. 11. & ad lib. 9. tit. 22. leg. 4.it may be thought a sufficient warrant for the vse of these Lots, in that the oppugners of them being men so learned, and so well read in Gods word, can say nothing against them (for by that they doe say, when they striue of purpose to doe their best in it, they shew what they can say) but what either hath beene or may be sufficiently answered by others.

Lastly *Vbi dubitatio surgit de aliquo actu an possit licitè fi…ri vel omitti, tutius est omittere quàm facere: praesertim vbi factio generaret scandalū aliorum. Gerson. contrasecta slagellant.if any man want good ground for the vse of them, or hauehave iust cause of doubt, hee were best to forbeare them, xRom. 14.5.till he be better assured of sufficient warrant for the vse of them; yet without censuring of others that vse them with warrant, seeing more, it may be, herein, then he as yet doth.

Nature and Use of Lots, Chapter 8

p. 181CHAP. VIII. Answere to the Arguments lesse principall against lusorious Lots.

CHAP. VIII. Answere to the Arguments lesse principall against lusorious Lots.