Nature and Use of Lots, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of Chance or Casualtie, and of casuall Euents.
§ 1. NOw because Chance or Casualty beareth much sway in Lotery; Casuall Euents being the subiect matter of Lots; the due consideration thereof will help not a litle to the clearing of the nature of Lots and Lotery, and those Questions that are moued concerning the same.
Concerning Chance therefore or Casualtie we will consider foure things.
1. The name of it.
2. The nature of the thing so named.
3. Two distinct Acts concurring in it.
4. And lastly, certaine conclusions or aphorisms concerning it.
First for the name or terme of Chance or Casualtie, albeit it be by some vtterly condemned, and held foolish and heathenish; yet is it a terme according to the iust analogie & proportion of Tongues and Languages, vsed by the Holy Ghost himselfe in Gods booke both in the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament by the pen of b1 Reg. 3.12. 2 Chron. 1.12.Salomon, the wisest (of a meere man) that euer was since Adam, where he saith, that cEccles 9.11. foreign quod Plato de leg: l. 4 foreign.Time and Chance befalleth all men, or all things: as also oft dEccles. 9.2, 3. foreign & 3.19. ter. & 2.14, 15 foreign casus acc…dit, vel conting…t.els-where in that booke. In the New Testament by the mouth of one infinitely eMatth. 12.42.greater and wiser than Salomon, f1 Cor. 1.24the very power and wisdome of God, our Sauiour Christ himselfe, in the parable of the Iew that journeying to Iericho fell among theeues, who as he lay wounded halfe aliue and halfe dead, a Priest is said to hauehave gLuk. 10.31. foreign.come by Chance that way: where the Euangelist Luke to expresse in Greeke what our Sauiour spake in Syriack, vseth a word precisely answering hforeign euenire, contingere: vnde Gracī … foreign: sed & Lati…um curro, & occurro. Avenar. & Guichard. & inde nomen foreign.an other vsed by Salomon, and springing (as may be probably surmised) from the same roote. I might adde diuers other places, where this terme is i1 King. 5.4. foreign occursus malus Vet: & Vatab: mali Trem: & Iun: Ruth 2.3. foreign ac cidit autem. Vet: euenit euentus. Vatab: casu accidit. Iun: forte fortuna inciderat. Leo Iud: her hap was to light on. &c. Reg: Bibl: Ang:elsewhere vsed in holy writ, but these two shall suffice. Augustine therefore, though kNon mihi pla…es toties me …ppellass… Fortunam. Aug: retract. l. 1. c. 1. Poenitet me sic illam nominasse Fortunam, cum videam homines habere in p…ssima consuetudine, & vbidici debet, Hoc Deus veluit, dicere, Hoc voluit Fortuna. ibid.he repent himselfe in his Retractations that he named Chance or Fortune rather so oft in his writings; and it liked him not so well in regard of the abuse of that name among the Heathen, who held Fortune for a blinde Goddesse, and ascribed vntounto her what they should hauehave giuen vntounto God; yet withall he explaineth himselfe that lQuamuis non Deam aliquam hoc nomine volnerim intelligi, sed fortuitum rerum euentum. ibid.he ment nothing thereby but the casuall euent of things; in which sense he acknowledgeth that it may be well vsed, and granteth that mVnde & illa ver b… sunt, quae nulla religio dicere prohibet, forte, forsā, forsitan, fortuitè. Ibid.Religion condemneth not, nor inhibiteth such kinde of speeches, as to say, Peraduenture such a thing shall be, or, Perchance it may be, or, Such a thing came to passe by chance or casualtie.
§ 2. Secondly for the nature of the thing so named, albeit some say that nFortuna quid est… nihil est. Fors nihil est; ne nomen quidem, tanquam rem quampiam, cam decuit habere. Scalig: de subtil: exere: 307. § 25.it is nothing, as oM…litiae nihil est. Ambr. fuga sec: Malum nihil est. Aug: s…lil…q. l. 1. cap. 1. & Isid: de sum: bono l. 1. c. 11. Mal…m nihil est aliud nisi boni priuatio. Aug: Enchir: 11. Peccatum nihil est; & nihili f…unt cum peccan… homines; sicut idolum nihil est. Idem in Ioan: tract… 1. foreign. Basil ho…. 8. Nemo quarat efficientem causam malae voluntatis: non enim est efficiens sed deficiens; quia nec illa effectio est sed defectio. Aug: de Ciuit: Dei l. 12. c. 7.the same is said of sin, and therefore deserueth no name, saue that Nothing it selfe must needs hauehave some name, to expresse not so much what it is, as what it is not. Yet *Est aliquid: nec enim serm… communis inan…. Gerson super Magnif. foreign. Philo de cons…i…: Prine:Chance and Casualty is indeed something, & may be defined a Contingencie or vncertainty seuered from fore-cast & fore-sight. Contingencie or vncertainty I terme it, to seclude it from necessitie & certainty. For where necessitie is or certainty, there can be no Casualty; "Casualty & Certainty euer expelling either other. I adde, senered from fore-cast and fore-sight, to distinguish casualty from such contingency, as is accompanied with either of these twaine, either directed by fore-cast, or determined by foresight, which either of them both ioyntly & seuerally exclude casualty. Chance or casualty thus conceiued is an affection or adiunct both of efficients and of effects. In regard of the former, it is by the pforeign. Epicur: foreign. Anaxag: & St…ici. foreign.Plato. foreign. Aristot: Vise Plutare: de philos: placit: l. 1. c. 29. & Aristot: physic: l. 2. c. 4, 5. & Stob: l. 1. c. 10.ancient Philosophers marshalled cōmonly among the causes in the ranke of Efficients, though some qAdiunctum potius quam efficien… dicenda videtur. Tal…us in Ram: l. 1. c. 5. quod de Fat… Aristot: foreign. Stob: l. 1. c. 10.later ones going more exactly to worke, acknowledge it to be rather an Affection of an Efficient, or an Adjunct manner of Efficiency than an efficient cause of or in it selfe. In regard of the latter, Chance or Casualtie is by a Trope ordinarily vsed to signifie the Effect it selfe so affected: And so take I it here, and consider it in the matter of a Lot, as the vse of Authors well warranteth it, and as rFortunā intellig… fortuitū rerū euentū, Aug. retract: l. 1. c. 1. Casus est euentꝰ inopinatꝰ. Boeth: consol: lib. 5. pros. 1. foreign nō est cansa, sed euentus inexpectatꝰ. Aret: probl: part: 1. loc: 57. Casus significat interdum motū naturalem ad quem euentꝰ sequitur, sed non ex ordinatione naturae, & sic dicitur causa per accidens; vel ponitur pro qua…is causa non intendente cum quem producit effectū, & sic etiam fortunā complectitur: interdum ver… significat ili… it sum fortuitum euentum ab illa causa per accidens manantem. Keckerm: system: Log. l. 1. c. 15.Christian Writers in these Questions most vsually vnderstand it, for a Casuall Euent, that is, an Euent contingent, not directed or determined by any fore-cast or fore-sight. A Contingent, I say, that is, an vncertaine or variable Euent, as all grant it to be: And that againe so vncertaine as the vncertainty of it is not directed or determined by the skill, counsell, or fore-cast of him to whom it is casuall; not that it is not effected and produced by knowne naturall causes, but that neither his skill or counsell hath any hand in the directing of those causes in the producing of that effect, nor his fore-cast can determine what the effect will be in particular but by meere conjecture onelyonly.
For the better conceiuing hereof all Euents may be referred to three heads: sforeign. Anaxagor: apud Plut: piac: phil: l. 1. c. 29. foreign (m…lè vulg…) foreign foreign. Amphion apud Aristot: rhetor: l 2. c. 19. foreign. Plato de i…g: l. 10. Est causa fortuita, est naturalis, est v…lunturia. Aug: ciu: l. 5. c. 10.They are either Necessary, Contingent but not Casuall, or Contingent and Casuall.
tNecessarium est quod aliter se habere non po…st. Kecker: system: l. 2. c. 3. Hinc Thales, foreign. Laert: vit: philos: & Flut: plac: l. 1. c. 25. foreign. …'ut. conviu: 7. Sap: & Grammatici foreign. Etymol. & Eustath.Necessary are such as fall out naturally alwaies alike in a certaine and constant course, and cannot doe otherwise, vnlesse some supernaturall power countermand and ouer-rule them, and the causes producing them: Such kind of euents are the motion of the Heauens, the course of the Sunne, for the fire to burne combustible matter cast into it, and the like. uforeign. Aristot: analyt: pr: l. 1. c. 12. Contingens quod vel esse, vel non esse potest. Kecker: system: l. 2. c. 3.Contingent and not casuall are such as are so done one way, as they may or might hauehave bene done some other way, but that vncertainty is determined by the knowledge, art, fore-cast, and skill, or by the aduice, counsell, deliberation, or free election of those whom they concerne or befall: as for a man on his way to go on or stand still, to go forward or backward, it being in his power & determinable by his owne will and aduice to do the one or the other. Contingent and casuall are such xQuid est aliud sors, quid fortuna, quid c…sus, quid euentus, nisi cam sic aliquid cecidit, sic euenit, vt vel nō … cadere at que euenire, vel aliter cadere aetque euenire potuerit? Cic: de diuin: l. 2.as might fall out in like sort diuersly, and are yforeign. Aristot. analy…: pr: l. 1. c. 12. foreign. Aristot: physic: l 2. c. 5, 6. & 3.5 foreign. Menād. apud Stob: l. 1. c. 10.not determined by any art or fore-cast, counsell or skill in regard of the person to whom they are casuall, or whom they casually befall. Thus for a man trauailing on the way, without fore-cast of ought in that kind, to espie the Eclipse of the Sunne falling out at that instant in the riuer where he rideth in to water his horse: the Eclipse of the Sunne here is naturall and necessary, his seeing or not seeing of it is contingent or voluntary, his espying it in that place going in for no such end is meerely casuall and accidentary. Thus he that slew Achab by casualtie, is said to hauehave drawne his bow a1 King. 32.34. foreign in integritate, siue in simplicitate sua, nihil minus cogitans quam Achab… percutere. I…n.in simplicitie, intending, it seemeth, nothing lesse than that his arrow should there light where it did, being shot out at all aduenture by him, the vncertaine motion not directed or determined by the will or skill of the shooter to the marke that it hit. So the slaughter of the person that is casually slaine, is said to be done bNum: 35.22. foreign derepente. foreign absque inimic…t…a. foreign non … insidijs, siue de industria. Iun:sodainly, inconsiderately, not out of enmitie, not of set purpose or by a traine, the party that did it cforeign cum non videret eum: inconsideratè. Iun: foreign nec malum eius quaereret. Num. 35.23.not eying or seeing him, nor seeking his hurt whom he slew: all which termes and phrases vsed by the Spirit of God in that case, tend not onelyonly to expresse the vncertainty of the euent, but to remoue also all knowledge and counsell, all fore-sight and fore-cast, whereby that vncertainty might be determined by the party that was agent in that act.
§ 3. Now in these casuall euents there are two things concurring, as generally in all acts & euents whatsoeuer. The one an act of the creature either reasonable or vnreasonable; of the reasonable either led meerely by guesse and conjecture, as in drawing of cuts; or roauing at all aduenture, as in taking out of tickets shuffled and so blended togither, that there is no place at all left for guess; of the vnreasonable either mouing it selfe naturally but vncertainly in regard of particular circumstances, as in diuination by the flight of Fowles, and by their feeding or refusing their food, or moued by some other at all aduenture, (for so far forth as any art or skill is vsed, so far forth it is not casuall) and that so as it may take diuers courses, or light diuersly, if it be but one, as when a blind man or one blindfolded shooteth a shaft at random; or when boyes play at crosse and pile; or they must of necessitie fall diuersly though vncertaine how, if they be many or more than one,as where diuers dice or pawnes are cast out of the same box or hand, sundry balls or bowles out of the same lap or arme. The other is an act of the Creator, a prouidence or assistance either in generall or speciall; and that for the most part generall and mediate in ordinary casualties, sometime speciall and immediate in extraordinary euents. A generall prouidence, I say, ordinarily, as in all other things: For the prescience and prouidence, or, if you will, rather the will, pleasure, and omniscience of God extendeth it selfe in generall vntounto all things, euen to dMatth. 10.29. Luk: 12.6.the lighting of a sparrow, eMatth: 10.30. Act: 27.34. Luk. 12.7. & 21.18. Possum dicer… porcorum qu…que se: as apud Deum numeratas, nedum capillos sanctorum. Tertull: de fuga.to the shedding of an haire. fDeus omnium & fortuitorum & non fortuitorum. autor est. Mar…in: in Ram: dial: l. 1. c. 5. Aeterna lege cuncta decuerunt. Sen: prouid: c. 5.God (saith one well) is the author of all things, be they casuall or other: gAug: confess: l. 1. c. 10. Domine D …, ordinator & creator rerum omni…m naturalium, p…c…atorū autem tantum ordinator, nō creator. Sic enim legendum, quod in vulgatu perperā, Peccatorū autem tantúm non ordinator: Prout idem alibi: de Ciuit: Det l. 5. c 9. Creator creatorum spirituum volunta…es bonas adiuvat, malas iudicat, omnes ordinat. Et ibid: l. 14. c. 26. Omnipotenti D…o summo a… summè bono, creatori emnium naturarū, voluntatū autem bonarū adiutori ac remuneratori, malarū relictori & damnatori; vtrarum… ordinatori &c. Nisi fortè cum Gomaro de prouid: c. 12. leg…re lubeat, Tantamm…do ordinator.author, I say, as an other well distingnisheth, of the action, though disposer onelyonly not author of the euill, where any is, in it. If a prouidence of God therefore in all things, then in casuall euents also: and as in all things, so in casuall euents ordinarily, and no otherwise. If a hMatth: 10.29.Sparrow fall not without Gods permission, much lesse is any man slaine without Gods prouidence, who is therefore said to iExod: 21.13.offer the man that is casually slaine, vntounto the hand of him by whom he is slaine. In this regard well saith Augustine, that kQuae vulgò Fortuna appellatur, occul…o quodam ordine regitur. Aug: retract: l. 1. c. 1.That which is commonly called Chance, is yet by a certaine course secretly guided: and that lHoc totum, quód Forte, fortuitò &c. d…cimus, ad diu…ā prouidentiam revocate debemus. Idem ibid:Euen in those things that we say come by chance or by aduenture, respect ought to be had to a diuine disposition. Yea in regard of this prouidence by casualties oft checking mens counsels, is it said by Salomon, that mEccles: 9.11.The race goeth not alwaies with the swiftest, nor the battell with the strongest, nor bread to the wisest, nor wealth to the skilfullest, nor grace to the cunningest; but Time and Chance befalleth them all. That which the Heathen man it may be saw when he said, that nNōmuliū oportet consilio credere; quia suam habet for…una rationem quod non expectas ex trans…erso fit; & suam super no… fortuna negotium curat. P…trō. satyr▪Men ought not to rely ouermuch on their counsell or forecast; for that oforeign. Me…and: Hypobol: foreign. Ch…rem: Achil: Thersiticid: apud S…ob: lib. 1. cap. 10. & Plut: de Fortun: Vitā regit fortuna non sapi…ntia. A Callisthene dictum laudat Theophrastꝰ Cicer: Tuscul: l 3.fortune, as saith he, or pforeign. Plat… de leg: l. 4. foreign. Tyrius M…x: serm: 3.Gods prouidence by fortune, as much better another jumping almost in precise termes with Salomon saith, striketh a great stroke, and oft carieth things acrosse to that we expect. Which as it is so in other casuall euents, so in Lots among others; of which Salomon saith therefore that qProu: 16.33.The Lot is cast into the lap, but each disposition of it is of God. In which speech the spirit of God by Salomon, as diuers rIun: No sortem quidem ipsam caesu fortuito con…ingere, sed Deum prouidentia sua, qui…quid sor…e accid…t, sigillatim disponere; quam & in infinitum rebus omnibus singulariter adhibet. Lavat: V…iuersa & singula, etiam quae temerè accidere videntur, arcana Dei prouidentia gulernari. Malder: ad 22.2…. Thom: de superstit. tract: 10. c. 7. dub. 9. H… solum dicitur, sortes non ita esse fortuitas, quin etiam temerè in s…num missae, magna Dei pro…identia temperentur. Rhodolph: B…in: in Prov. Nihil in rebus humanis ger… sine nutu & dispensati…ne diuina: ne sortes quidem a'iter cade…e quam moderatione diuina.Diuines of great, yea of good note expound him, implieth but thus much, that though nothing seeme to be, or indeed is more casuall than a Lot, where it is caried as it ought, yet there is a diuine prouidence in the disposition of it; as there is the like also in all other euents, of what nature and quality soeuer they be. And therefore looke what is said by Salomon of a Lot in that place, the selfe-same is said sProv. 19.21. & 16.1, 9. & 20.24. & 21.30, 31.elsewhere of all mens thoughts, and wayes, and words, and works, and counsels, and courses, that they are disposed by God, and are tIer: 10.23.not absolutely in our power to giuegive issue to them as we will. Thus is it true that A…gustine saith, that uSolent, quae sorte dantur, diuinitum dari Aug: de Ge…: ad lit: l. 10. c. 18.Those things that fall to vsus by Lot, are giuen vsus from God: according to that of the Psalmist, *Psal. 16.6, 7.The lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place, and I hauehave a faire heritage: I praise the Lord for it. (Though that be spoken metaphorically not properly, as the former words shew, xIbid: vers: 5.The Lord is the portion of my part and of my cup; and the maintainer of my Lot.) But withall in like manner yProu: 10.22.all wealth whatsoeuer, be it zFrou: 19.14.left by decease of friends, or got by aDeut. 8.18.trauaile and industry, or attained otherwise, and bPsal: 127.2.rest or sleepe, and cProu: 19.14.a good wife, and dPsal: 127.3. Gen: 30.1, 2. Iosh: 24.3, 4.children are said to be Gods gifts, and to come all from him, who eAct: 17.…5. 1 Tim: 6.17.giueth all things to all, and fEsai. 26.12.worketh all things for all, and gEph: 1.11. Hebr. 13.21in all.
Yet sometime there is a more speciall and immediate prouidence in extraordinary cases and vponupon extraordinary occasions in these casuall euents, as in the h2 King: 13.21.casting of the man sodainly for feare of the enemie into the sepulchre of Elisha, who by Gods admirable worke to grace the blessed memory of his faithfull seruant deceased, reviued therevpon: as in the iIon. 1.7.Lot whereby Ionas was sometime discouered; done, as Hierome well saith, kDeprehendebatur Ionas non viribus sortium, & maximé sortibus Ethnicorū, sed voluntate eius qui sortes regebat inceri…. Hieron. in Ion: c. 1.not by vertue of the Lot it selfe, much lesse of a Lot vsed by Heathen and Infidels, but by his will and prouidence that ruled, or rather ouer-ruled the vncertainty of it. And in this case is that true, which Bernard saith, that lQui nobi… casus videtur, serm… qu… dam Dei est, suam nobi… indicans voluntat…m. …ern. de diuers: …erm. 26.That which seemes Chance to vsus, is as a word of God acquainting vsus with his will. That which is true indeed in generall, if we consider Gods decreeing will of whatsoeuer commeth to passe: for we know that it was Gods will it should be so, when we see it once fallen out so, and his will is manifested by his work, either for the doing of the thing it selfe, or for the permitting of it to be done. Otherwise if it be further vnderstood of the manifestation of Gods approuing will concerning somewhat to be done or left vndone of vsus, it is not true in the generall. For what word of God is there shewing his will in this kind and this sense, when an Hare starteth out before a man in the way, or a Fowle flieth beside him, or he treadeth in some vncleane thing vnawares, and the like, more than in any other act whatsoeuer? vnlesse we will giuegive way to their lDe quibu… latissi…ié I…an: Sarisber: in policrat: siue de nugis Curial: l. 1. c. 12.superstitious and friuolous conceits, that make such accidents ominous. Howbeit of extraordinary Lots cast by speciall instinct or expresse appointment of God, it is most true, and of such may well be vnderstood those speeches of other of the Auncients, who call Lotery mSors veluti diuino pendet examine. Ambr: de Tob: c. 20.a diuine tryall, and nElecti sunt duo iudicio humano, & electus de duobus vnꝰ iudicio diuino. Aug: in Psal: 30. de Matthia Act: 1.26.a diuine sentence: and say that oQuae Dei voluntas continet in occulto sors homin…bꝰ declaraet in manifesto. Origeu: in Iosh: hom: 23.a Lot discouereth to men Gods hidden will; and pDei iudicium, quod est in occulto, sors pandit in publico. Ibid.maketh it knowne openly what God iudgeth secretly: as also that qSors res est in dubitatione humana diuinā indicans voluntat…m. Aug: in Psal: 30.A Lot is a matter in mans doubting manifesting Gods will. Which sayings all, if they be vnderstood of Gods approuing will what he would hauehave done or not done of vsus, must of necessitie be restrained to such Lots alone as God himself shal by some speciall meanes appoint to be vsed to that purpose.
§ 4. From that which hath bene said, and already laid as a ground, may certaine conclusions be deduced concerning casuall Euents.
The first conclusion: It is idle in matter of Casualty, and so of Lotery, to confound the act of the Creator with the worke of the creature; they being two seuerall things distinct in themselues, which ought not therefore to be confounded in casuall euents more than in any other whatsoeuer. Yet thus many seeme to do, and those men of some note, when they say, that rFors fiue fortuna idem est quod foreign; sed differun… ratione significandi. Scalig: de subtil: exerc. 307. § 25.Fortune or Chance is the same with Gods prouidence, and that they differ onelyonly in respect: as also, that sTriae ha…, Prouidentia, Fatum, Fortuna idem sunt reipsa: ratione tamen ita disting…untur, vt prouidentiae quasi t…tum videatur, reliqua verò… dua partes, nam prouidentia omniū causa est qua fiunt; cadē autem respectu corum quae necessarió fiun…, …Fatum, respectu veró corū quae fortuitó fieri videntur, Fortuna appellatur. D…unam: in R…m: dial: l. 1. c. 5.Prouidence, Fate or Destinie, and Fortune or Casualtie are in truth the same; yet so to be distinguished, that the first includes the two latter: For that Prouidence is the cause of all things that are done; which Prouidence in respect of things done necessarily is called Fate or Destinie, in respect of things done casually is called Fortune or Casualtie. And therefore tQuod sapientibꝰ & pijs singulari… Dei prouid…ntia est, id ins…pientibus & prophanis Fortuna dicitur. Ibid.That (say they) which to the wise and godly is Gods singular Prouidence, to the foolish and prophane is Fortune or Chance. The very like herevnto saith Lactaentius of nature, (as before him uQuid aliud est Nae…ura quam Deus, & diuina ratio toti mundo & paertib… eiu… inserta. Sen: de benef: l. 4. c. 7. Ne… Natura sine Deo est, nec Deus sine Natura, sed id … est virumque; nec distat Natura, Faetum, Fortunae: omnia eiusdem Dei sunt nomina varié vtenti… suae potestate. Ibid. c. 8. Ioui nome… omne convenis. vis illum Fatum vocare? non errabis. hi… est ex quo s…spensae sunt omnia; causa ca…sarum. Vis illum prouidentiam dicere? recté di…es. est enim cuiu… consilio huic mundo prouidetur, vt inconcussus …at &c. Vis illum Naturam vocare? no… peccabū est enim ex quo nata sunt omnia; tuius spiritu vinimus. Vis illum vocare Mundum? non faelleris, ipse enim est totum quod vides; totus suis partibus inditus, & se sustinens vi sua, Idem quest: n…tur: lib. 2. cap. 45.Seneca,) which he confoundeth also with God. *Stultitia, & error, & ca…itas, & vt Cicero ait (Academ: quest: l. 1.) ignoratio causarum Natura ac Fortuna nomina ind…xit, Lactant: instil: l. 3. c. 29.Folly and error and blindnes, saith he, and, as Cicero confesseth, the ignorance of causes brought in the names of Nature and Fortune. And againe, xHae… Religionis euers… Natura nomen invenit. &c. Ibid. c. 28.This ouerthrow of piety brought in Natures name: For when men knew not by whom the world was made, or would perswade men that nothing was made by the Deity; they said that yNaturam esse rerum omnium matrem, quasi sua sponte nata sint. Ibid.Nature was the mother of all things, as if they should say that all things had sprung vp naturally of themselues; which word while they vse, they confesse their owne folly: Since zNatura (remotae prouidentia & potestate diuina) prorsu… nihil est. Lactant. ibid.Nature, seuered from the diuine power and prouidence, is iust nothing. And the like error commit they when they define “Fortunam D… ā quaendam vo… humanas varijs casibus illudentem. &c. Ibid.Fortune a certaine Goddesse which by sundry casualties sporteth her selfe with defeating of mens purposes, because they vnderstand not from whom those good or euill things come that befall them. It is true indeed, (as a aMornae: de verit: relig: Christ: c. 13.worthy man saith answering that obiection of Atheists and Epicures, what will become of Fortune if there be a diuine Prouidence in all things?) that if we speake of Fortune, as the bFortunā insanā esse & cacam & brutam perhibent Philosophi, saxo que illam instare globoso praedicant volubili. Ideò quo saxū impulerit fors, cadere eo fortunam autumant. Caecam ob cam rem esse iterant, quia nihil cernit quo sese applicet. Insaenā autem ai…nt, quia atrox, incerta, instabilis que fit. B…utam, quiae dignum atque indignum nequeae… internoscere. Pacuv: apud Cornif: ad Heren: l. 2. § 41.Poets paint her, blind, standing on a globe, turned about like a weathercock with eueryevery puff of winde &c. it is but either a poeticall figment cTam facilè deleri quam pingi potest. Ibid. quemadmodum de Homero Aristot: Tò foreign. Strab: georg: l. 13. Murum Poeta, qui finxit, deleuit., that dforeign. Philemon Com: apud Clem: Alex: Strom: l. 5.may as easily be done out by vsus as it is drawne by them: or else at the best a symbolicall embleme deciphering out the great vncertainty of casuall euents, of which we shall say more anon. And againe it is no lesse true that the same eMorn: ibid: vói sup:Author saith, that if by Fortune with Proclus, we vnderstand a diuine power coupling causes togither which would of tiarre otherwise, that they may worke to one and the same end; then are we to acknowledge such a power and prouidence not in fNon in vagi… tantum incertisqua quibusdam, sed in ce…tissimis, & in omnibus.casuall things and such as are vncertaine alone, but in all other whatsoeuer, euen those that be most certaine. For gDeus ipse est ali… nomine designatus. Ibid.Fortune is no other than but God nicnamed. But if we consider the terme of Nature, and so of Fortune or Chance, as the Holy Ghost vseth them; as Nature is a power or facultie in the creature distinct from Gods prouidence guiding and ruling, yea and oft ouer-ruling the same to such ends as he seeth good: so is Fortune or Chance also an affection or action of the creature distinct from the same prouidence whereby God likewise guideth and disposeth the same at his pleasure. As in naturall effects therefore there is the worke of the creature, which might be albeit there were no prouidence disposing it, but the creature for matter of direction were left wholy to it selfe: so is there the like also in casuall euents; which as they do now fall out, and yet are ordered, as all other things, by Gods prouidence either generall or speciall; so would no doubt fall out the same oft-times that now they do, were there no prouidence at all, but the creature left to it owne worke and will. In regard whereof the Scholeman not vnfitly saith, that hDiuisoria Sor… locū habere posset, etiamsi res humana fortuitò agerentur. Thom: de sortib: c. 5.there might be some vse of some kind of Lot, although there were no prouidence at all to guide it, for that iConting…t aliquē diuisoria Sorte vti, non quas… requirat iudicium diuinum, sed quasi committens fortunae; quod maximè videtur in lud… taxillatori…. Thom: ibid.in the same, the decision of the matter in question is referred wholy, as we shall see after, to the casuall motion of the creature, without any speciall prouidence of the Creator required therevnto. In a word, if in casuall euents we consider ought beside the …ature and the vncertaine motion thereof, (vncertaine (I say) to vsus, because not determinable by vsus, though determined ordinarily duplicate page duplicate page by some naturall cause or other:) there is nothing guiding them but Gods prouidence: which two things, the act of the creature, and Gods prouidence accompanying it, though neuer sundred or seuered, yet are to be distinguished and distinctly considered, and not to be confounded the one with the other.
§ 5. A second conclusion: The casualtie of an euent doth not simply of it selfe make it a worke of Gods speciall or immediate prouidence. It is apparant: for there is oft-times a more speciall prouidence in many things that are not casuall but contingent only, then in the most things that are casuall. How many casuall euents daily befall vsus, euen as many almost as we meete with men, or tread steps on our way, when eueryevery cast of our eye ministreth new variety of casualtie, and eueryevery vnexpected obiect bringeth a casuall euent with it; which yet no man will be so senselesse as to account so many seuerall works of speciall or immediate prouidence? And yet some one contingent euent onelyonly among many other meerely casuall may be so, when they are not. For example; for a man on his way to be crossed oft by an Hare, to meete with many vnknowne, finde a peece of old yron, spie a couey of Partridges, hauehave his hat blowne of his head, and the like, may well befall a man and be all meerely casuall. But for a mans frend out of suspition of danger and fore-cast of distresse that his frend may incurre, to inforce his com…any vponupon him, whereas otherwise he should trauaile alone and is desirous so to doe, and being in company with him to be a meanes of sauing his life by recouery vponupon a fall, or by rescue vponupon assault, were an euent contingent rather than casuall. And yet who would not acknowledge a more speciall prouidence of God in the latter that is lesse casuall, or rather not casuall at all but contingent onelyonly, deliberatory and voluntary, vndertaken vponupon mature counsell and forecast, than in the former, that are or may be meerely casuall, and fall out beyond all expectation, without any forcecast at all?
It is true indeed that Gods prouidence is more manifested in things casually befalling vsus for good or euill, than in things that befall vsus contingently by meanes of men and their forecast and affection to vsus, or their hatred and malice; as more in things that fall out contingently, than in things that are necessarie. Howbeit the prouidence of God ordinarily extendeth it selfe to all of them alike, and is more speciall sometime in some things not casuall than in others that are such. Yea in the same euent either casuall or other may a more speciall prouidence of God be iustly deemed to be at some time than at other in regard of circumstances concurring: as for a man trauelling ouer Salisbury plaine to finde a pitcher of water left occasionally there, hauing no neede of it or vse for it, no man, I suppose, would expound as a speciall prouidence of God: But for a man exceedingly vexed with thirst, extremely distressed, as hIudg: 15.1….Sampson sometime, and ready to die for want of water to drinke, to light on the like booty casually, as iGenes. 21.19.Hagar was directed by Gods Angell to a Well, he would hauehave iust cause to esteeme it to hauehave a special prouidence of God in it, and might well terme the place where he should so finde it, as shee did an other place where Gods Angell found her, kforeign puteus viuentis (Dei) videntis me. Genes. 16.14.Beer lachai roi, or the Well of the liuing God that looked after me when I was neere lost. No man not fondly superstitious would account so of the one; and no man not grossely impious but would iudge so of the other: yet both equally casuall: the casualtie of euents therefore doth not of it selfe simply adjudge them to either.
§ 6. A third conclusion: That may be casuall to one that is not casuall to another; where there is forecast and fore-knowledge and counsell foreseeing or directing and disposing it in the one, and not in the other: and that may seeme such, which indeed is not. For the better conceiuing hereof we are to consider that in casuall euents two things do concurre, lforeign Aristot: physic: l. 2. c 4. Fort…ita quae sunt, …ulla nec arte nec sapientia praevideri p…ssunt. Cic. diuinat: l. 2.ignorance or want of fore-knowledg foreseeing them, and inconsideratenes, or want of fore-cast directing them: for these things make the euent of them vncertain to vsus: & vncertainty breedeth casualty. Yet is not that all out true here that some say, that mIgnoratio …ausarum confinxit fortunā. Lactant: instit: l. 3. c. 29. & Ram: dialect: lib. 1. c. 5. ex Cicer: quast. Academ: l. 1.Ignorance of causes forged the terme of Chance or Fortune: and that nNihil aliud in rebus casum vocamus, nisi cuius ratio & causa secreta est. Aug: contra Academ: l. 1. …. 1.Chance is nothing but that, the cause whereof, or meanes whereby it is effected, is hid from vsus. For many things we know not the cause of, which yet we ascribe not to chance, neither indeed are they casuall; but some of them are necessarie, as that the Load-stone should attract yron and steele, and direct the needle touched with it Northward, &c. no knowne cause or certaine reason can be rendred of either; and yet are they necessary and naturall, not casuall euents: some onelyonly contingent, as the returne of Ague fits in an ordinarie course is not casuall, to speake properly, but contingent on…ly at the most, euen to such a one as out of ignorance of the true cause and ground of its recourse in that manner, suspecteth it to be some kind of spirit. Againe many things there are and come to passe daily, which we know the causes of, and yet are they casuall to vsus, because they were not foreseene by vsus: as when an Hare started by hounds crosseth a man tra…ailing on some other occasion; though he be neither ignorant of the cause of his owne journey that way, nor of the cause of the Hares crossing the way at that instant, yet may it be casuall to him that an Hare then and there should crosse him: whereas if a man knew before-hand what would fall out or befall him on the way, nothing then that did betide him should be casuall vntounto him. Thus then may the same thing be casuall to one, that is not so to another; because it was foreseene and fore-knowne by the one and not by the other: as o1 Sam. 10.2, 3▪ …, 10.Sauls meeting them that Samuel had foretold him of before, was casuall to them he met, not casuall to Samuel and Saul himselfe, the one that foresaw it by reuelation from God, the other that fore-knew by relation from him.
Againe, all counsell and fore-cast is excluded from casuall euents. Nothing that is done by aduice, counsell or fore-cast, is done casually in regard of him that so doth it. pQuiequid cas… fit, te…rè fit. Aug: 83 q…st. 24.What is done casually is done vnaduisedly, saith Augustine. And qIn cas… temeritas, non ratio … consiliu… vali…, C…: diuin: l. 2.Temeritie swaieth in casualty, not reason or aduice, as we hauehave formerly shewed. In regard whereof we vse to say of those that speake inconsiderately and deale vnaduisedly and vnconstantly, that rReliqua sic à me aguntur & agentur, vt noncommittamus vt …a quae gessimus, fortuitò gessif…e videamur. Ci…: ad Attic: l. 1. ep. 15. Non c…mmittam, vt quae gessi, casu m…gu & foelicitate quam virtute & consilio gesta videantur. Idem pro Sylla. Et And…cid: de myster: foreign.they deale as if they dealt by casualtie, sforeign. Xenoph. paed l. 1.or went by Lotery; that they speak… as tHoc no… est confiderare, sed quasi sortiri quid loquare. Cic: de nat: De…r: l. 1.if they drew cuts what they should say. And thus againe may that be casuall to one that is not so to another, because it is beside the intent and purpose of the one and not of the other. Thus was u1 King. 21.20.Ahabs meeting Elias casuall to Ahab, but not casuall to Elias, who went of purpose to meete Ahab: thus *Iudg. 11.34Iephtaes meeting his daughter and shee him, was casuall to him who expected her not, not casuall to her whose purpose was to meete him.
Yea thus many things seeme casuall when indeed they are not; xforeign. de Crespbont… Polyae…. stratag: l. 1. vt tectè legit Casa…b:being thought to come by aduenture, when they are done by art and aduice: as Plato counselleth the rulers of his imaginary yforeign. Plato de repub: l. 5. Id…m & in Timaeo.state to couple persons togither by a slight and semblance of lotery, that they might seeme to light either on other by lot or by chance, when indeed it was done by their cunning and slight. Thus Darius his horses neighing after the mare which he had bene with lately before in that place, seemed casuall to his competitors, who before zforeign. Herodot: l. 3. Viam invenerunt, qua de se iudicium Religioni & For…un… committerent: p…cti inter se, cuius equ… ant… solis ortum (an… regiam couveni… tium) hinni…um pri…us e…idissit, is Rex esse… Iustin: …ist: l. 1.had agreed to settle the Empire on him whose horse should first neigh at their next meeting in that place; but neither was so indeed, nor seemed so to himselfe, or at least aHin… statu… … Dario in rei ges…ae monimentū er…ct… epigraphe, foreign. Heredot: ibid.to his groome who had laid the traine before for it. bA…etius problē: cl…s. 1. loc. 57.Thus a man sendeth his seruant on an errand through such a lane, where he knoweth that he shall meete his mistres comming from market laden with meat; they meete accordingly the one not expecting the other, and suppose they meete casually, when indeed it is no casualty, but the good mans care forecasting it for the ease of his wife. cMorna: de verit: relig: Christ: c. 13.Thus the seruant lighteth on money, that his master hath laid of purpose as a bait to try his honestie withall, whether he will restore it or retaine it, and thinketh it came there casually, where it was purposely disposed. And of this kind, in a word, is all co…en and cunning conueyance vsed in Lots to make that seeme casuall that indeed is not, but is caried by slight; a thing so common in such courses, that among the Dutch it is reported to be growne to a by-word, In Lotery is Bouery, that is, knauery or cosenage. Now howsoeuer in such cases the ignorance of causes maketh those things seeme casuall that indeed are not so; yet to speake properly, it is rather the ignorance of euents, as in the former cases, that maketh things indeed casuall vntounto any; by meanes whereof it commeth oft to passe, that the same euents are casuall to some that foresaw them not, and yet not casuall to others that foresaw them before: and so it is true, that dFortuna in ignorantia nostra fu… datur. Mor…: de verit: rel: Chr: c▪ 13. Tolle ignorantia… è personis, fortunā à reb…s, é que reru… natura t…ll…. Ibid.Casualtie dependeth vponupon our ignorance; which therefore eQu… mi… scimus, … plus fortuna; quo plus, … fortun… minus. Morn: ibid. Quippe intellectus vbi maior inest, minus illuc est de fortuna. Gerson super Magnif.the more we know, the lesse we are subiect vntounto.
§ 7. And hence followeth the fourth and last Conclusion: That there is fDeo nihil fortuitum. Gerson super Magnif: (Deo) vt…iunt cuncta, no… incidunt. Sen: d… prouid: c. 5.no casualty with God; because no ignorance in God. There is nothing, I say, casuall vntounto him; yea nothing commeth contingently, but gDeus necessariò & immutabiliter nouit & praenouit vniuersa, …tiam futura contingentia. Lomb: s…ntent: l. 1. d. 38. & 39. Thom sum: part: 1. q. 14. art: 13. Scot: super 1. d. 29. q. 5. & …oeth: cons…l: philos: l. 5. pros. 6.all things necessarily in regard of him and his decree. If we respect indeed the creature, and its manner of working, some things come to passe necessarily, some contingently, some casually. But if we respect Gods will and purpose, his praescience and prouidence, nothing falleth out contingently or casually, but all things come to passe necessarily. Nothing contingently: for in contingency is vncertainty: but hApud Deum quippe iam factam est, quod ei… dispositione futur…m est, qui fecit quae futura sunt. Aug: in Psal. 104. In D…i dispositione iam facta sunt, quaecun que , futura sunt, qui nō aliter nouit facienda quā facta. Id…m de ciuit: Dei l. 10. …. 12. Omnia enim quaecunque voluit, non solum praeterita, vel praesentiae, sed etiam futura iam fecit. Ibid. l. 22. c. 2. Et ideò tanquā praeterita dicuntur quae futura sunt, quia Deo & futura tam certa sunt, tamquā praeterita sint. Id … in Psal. 43.all things are certaine with him, who hath done already what he will do or will hauehave done; and with whom whatsoeuer euer shall be, is as sure as if it were done already. For iProu. 21.3….There is no wisdome, nor vnderstanding, nor counsell against God. kPsal. 33.10, 11.He disanulleth the deuices of Nations, and defeateth peoples purposes: But his counsell shall euer stand, and his purposes shall alwaies take place. Nothing casually; because he lProu. 15.3 foreign. Hesiod. oper. l 1. foreign. Eurip: apud Clement: pr…otrept.seeth all, and mIoan 2.24, 25. & 16.30. 1 Ioan. 3.20.knoweth all; yea nforeign. Xenoph: Cyr: ped: l. 1. Deus omniae deprehe…dit antequam …ant. Ambr: epist: 12. Futura omnia diuinus prae…urrit intuitus. Boeth: consol: lib. 5. pros. 6.he foreseeth and foreknoweth all that euer shall be. For oAct: 15.18. Nota ergò fetit, non facta cognouit. Aug: de Gen: ad lit: l. 5. c. 1….from the beginning of the world, yea from all eternitie, God knew all his works; his fore-knowledge and praescience being coeternall with himselfe and his owne essence: and all the thoughts, and words, and works of all his creatures are as well knowne to him as his owne are. For pPsal. 139.2, 4.There is not a word in my tongue, but thou, Lord, wholy knowest it, saith Dauid: and thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before. And q1 King. 8 39. Act: 1.24.Thou alone knowest all mens hearts, saith Salomon. And againe, rHeb. 4 12.All things are naked and broken vp to him with whom we hauehave to doe. Yea as he foreseeth and foreknoweth all things ere they are; so sDeo in cousp…ctu praesto simul sunt vniuersa, praes…ntia, praeterita, futura Aug: de triui…: lib. 15. cap. 7. Nec sigill…tim videt o…, sed simul. Ibid. cap. 14. Simul, non luccessiuè omniae vi…et. Thom. sum: part: 1. q. 14. a. 7.he seeth and knoweth all things past, present and future at once. tThom: sum: part. 1. quaest: 14 a. 13. Iun: de peccato Adae q. 1. cap. 4. Huic ex alto cuncta tuenti, Nulla terra mole resistun…; Nō nox atris nubibu… obstat. Vu… menti… cernit in ictu, Qua sint, quae fu…riut, veniantque Quem, quia respicit o…nia soiu…, Ver…m possis dicere Solē. Boeth: consol: l. 5. me…r. 2. Itaque si praescientiam pen…r… velis, qua cuncta dinos…t, non esse praescientiam quas… futuri, sed scientiam nunquam de fi…ientis instantiae r…ctius existima…s. …nde non praeuidentia, s…d prouidentia potius d…citur, quòd porrò à re… infimi… constituta, quasi ab excels… rerum cacumine c…ncta pro▪ spitiat. Ibid. pros: 6.We are as men on the way, that see who go before them or with them, but see not who come behind them: God is as one standing aloft on a sentinell, that seeth all both before and behind vnderunder one view at one instant. That which the Psalmist seemeth to allude vntounto when he saith, that uPsal: 33.13, 14, 15. foreign. Soph…l: Electr.God looketh downe from heauen and seeth all Adams sonnes; from his place of abode he viewes all the inhabitants of the world: and as he framed and fashioned the hearts of each of them, so he taketh notice of all their works. God therefore foreseeing all things ere any of them are, there can none of them fall out casually in regard of his Maiesty. But needs must he foresee all things euen ere they are, when there is nothing that he doth not euer see: and *Omni… fi… videt, quorum nullum est quod non semper vid…t. Aug: trinit: l. 15. c. 14. Deus omnia semp… videt & simul. Lomb: sent: l. 1. d. 39. D.there is nothing but he euer seeth it, that seeth all things at once.
Againe, in regard of God can nothing come casually, because by his prouidence and eternall counsell all things are guided and gouerned, and ordered by him to such ends as he seeth best himselfe. So duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page that euen xApud Deum ordinata sunt, eti…m quae in se maximè inordinata vide… tur. Vise Aug: de ordin: l. 1. c. 4, 5. & 83. quaest. 27.those things that seeme most disorderly in themselues, yet are ordred with him. For not only yEph: 1.11. Heb: 13.2….the best things are all effected and wrought by him; but euen zAct: 2.23. & 3.18. & 4 27, 28.the worst and the wickedest are all so ordered and disposed by his eternall counsell and vnsearchable wisdome, that 1Per candē creaturae voluntatem qua factū est quod creator noluir, impleuit ipse quod voluit. Aug: enchir: c. 100. Deus de eis qui faciunt quae nō vult, facit ipse quae vult. Idem de corrept: & grat: c 14.euen by those that do what he willeth not but forbiddeth, he fulfilleth what he willeth. Nothing therefore comming to passe but what God foreseeth, what God foredecreeth, what he hath foreknowne, and what he hath fore-ordained, there can nothing come casually in regard of God; casualty necessarily excluding all fore-knowledge and forecast. That which the Heathen man of old foresaw when he said, that 2foreign Hippocr; apud Stob: Omnia Deo certa, nobis multa fortui…a. 1 Caluin: instit: lib. 1. cap. 16. § 9. Respectu Dei ordinisque diuini necessariò fiunt vniuersa, respectu verò nostricontinge…tia, casu, fort…na eueniunt infinita. Zanch: de natur: Dei l. 5 c. 1. Thes. 2. § 4. rat: 3, 4.Nothing was casuall with God, though many things were with man. In which sense are we to take Augustine, where he reasoneth thus against casualty; 3Qaicquid casu fit, temerè fit. quicquid temerè fit, non fit prouidentia. si ergo casu aliqua fiunt in mundo, non prouideniia vniuersus mundus administratur. Aug: 83. quaest. 24.whatsoeuer is done by casualtie, is done vnaduisedly: whatsoeuer is done vnaduisedly, is done without forecast or foresight: if ought therefore in the world come to passe casually, the whole world is not administred by forecast or foresight. Which argument or ground of his simply considered 4Tam contingentiam q…àm cas…m excludit. Caluin: iustit: l. …. c. 16. § 9.might exclude as well all contingencie in regard of vncertainty, as all casualty in euents, but must of necessitie be vnderstood of the euents of things onelyonly as they regard God; with whom, because he fore-seeth all things before they fall out, and fore-determineth all things how they shall fall out, none of those euents are casuall, that are most casuall vntounto vsus, none contingent of those many that are contingent vntounto vsus.