To the Major Aldermen, Text
A Dialogue againſt playing at Cardes and Tables.
Profeſſor
SIr howſoeuer I am perſwaded by that which I reade in the common places of Peter Martir, Par. 2. pag. 525. b. that Dice (condemned both by the Ciuill lawes, and by the Fathers) are therfore vnlawfull, becauſe they depend vponupon thaunce: yet not ſatiſfied with that which he writeth of Table-playing, pag. 526. b. I would craue your opinion concerning playing at Tables and Cards.
Preacher.
Sauing the iudgement of ſo excellent a Diuine, ſo far as I can learne out of Gods word, Cards and Tables ſéeme to me no more lawfull (though leſſe offenſiue) the dice. For Table playing is no whit the more lawfull becauſe Plato compares the life of man therunto, then a théefe is the more iuſtifiable, becauſe Chriſt compareth his ſecond comming, to Burglarie in the night, Matt. 24. 43. 44. Againe, if Dice be wholly euill, becauſe they wholly depend vponupon chance, then Tables and Cards muſt néedes bée ſomwhat euill, becauſe they ſomwhat depend vponupon chance. Therfore conſider well this reaſon, which condēneth the one aſwelas ye other: Lots are not to be vſed in ſport, but games cōſiſting in chance, as dice, cards, Tables, are lots, therfore not to be vſed in ſport.
Profeſ.
For my better inſtruction, proue that Lots are not to be vſed in ſport.
Preach.
Conſider with regard theſe thrée things: Firſt, that we read not in the Scriptures that Lots were vſed but only in ſerious matters both by the Iewes.Ioh. 8. 48. 1. Cor. 11. 16 Ioſ. 18. 10. and Gentiles Ion. 1. 7. Secondly, that a Lot in the nature thereof doth as neceſſarily ſuppoſe the ſpeciall prouidence and determining preſence of God as an oth in the nature thereof doth ſuppoſe the teſtifying preſence of God. Yea ſo, that (as in an oth) ſo in a Lot prayer is expreſſed or to be vnderſtood, 1. Sam. 14. 41 Thirdly, that the proper end of a Lot (as of an oth, Heb. 6. 16.) is to end a controuerſie and therefore for your better inſtruction examine theſe reaſons. Whatſoeuer directly, or of it ſelfe, or in a ſpeciall maner, tendeth to the aduancing of the name of God, is to be vſed religiouſly, Mal. 1. 6. 7. and not to be vſed in ſport: as we are not to pray or ſweare in ſport. Exod. 20, 7. Eſa. 29. 13. Ier. 4. 2. but the vſe of Lots, directly of it ſelfe and in a ſpecial maner tendeth to aduancing of the name of God, in attributing to his ſpeciall prouidence in the whole and immediate diſpoſing of the Lot. and expecting the euent, Pro. 16. 33. Act. 1. 24, 26. Therefore the vſe of Lots is not to be in ſport. Againe, we are not to tempt the Almightie by a vaine deſire of manifeſtation of his power and ſpeciall prouidence, Pſal. 78. 18. 19. Eſa. 7. 12 Matt. 4. 6. 7. But by vſing Lots in ſport we tempt the Almighty, vainly deſiring the manifeſtation of his ſpeciall prouidence in his immediate diſpoſing, Therfore, &c. Laſtly, whatſoeuer God hath ſanctified to a proper end, is not to be peruerted to a worſe, Matt. 21. 12 13. But God hath ſanctified Lots to a proper end, namely to end controuerſies, Num. 26. 55. Pro. 18. 18. therefore man is not to peruert them to a worſe: namely to play, and by playing to get away another mans money, which without controuerſie is his owne. For the common ſaying is, Sine lucro friget luſus, no gaining, cold gaining.
Profeſ.
God hath ſanctified Pſalmes to the praiſe of his name, and bread and wine to repreſent the body and bloud of our crucified Sauiour, which be holy ends: and the children of God may ſing Pſalmes to make themſelues merie in the Lord, and feed vponupon bread and wine not onelyonly for neceſſity but to cheare themſelues why then may not Gods Children recreate themſelues by lottery notwithſtanding God hath ſanctified the ſame to end a controuerſie?
Preach.
Becauſe we find not in the ſcriptures any diſpenſation for recreation by lotterie as we do for godly mirth by ſinging. Iam. 5. 13. and for religious and ſober chearing our ſelues by eating and drinking, Deut. 8. 9. 10. And therefore (it being withall conſidered that the ends you ſpeake of, be not proper, though holy) it followeth, that God who only diſpoſeth the Lot touching the euent, and is therefor a principall actor, is not to be ſet on worke by lottery in any caſe but when he diſpenſeth with vsus, or giueth vsus leaue ſo to do: But diſpenſation for recreation by lottery cannot be ſhewed, Therefore, &c.
Profeſ.
Lots may be vſed for profit in a matter of right, Num. 26. 55. why not for pleaſure?
Preach.
Then others may be vſed for pleaſure, for they may for profite, in a matter of truth, Exod. 22. 8. 11. But indéed lots (as othes) are not to be vſed either for profite or pleaſure, but only to end a controuerſie.
Profeſ.
The wit is exerciſed by Tables and Cards, therefore they be no lots.
Preach.
Yet Lotterie is vſed by caſting Dice, and by ſhufling and cutting, before the wit is exerciſed. But how doth this follow? Becauſe Cards & Tables be not naked Lots, conſiſting only in chance (as Dice) they are therefore no lots at all. Although (being vſed without cogging, or packing) they conſiſt principally in chance, from whence they are to receiue denominatiō. In which reſpect a Lot is called in Latin Sors, that is, chance or hazard. And Lyra vponupon Prou. 16. ſaith, To vſe Lots, is, by a variable euent of ſome ſenſible thing, to determine ſome doubtful or vncertaine matter, as to draw cuts, or to caſt Dice. But whether you will call Cards and Tables Lots, or no, you play with chance or vſe Lotterie. Then conſider whether exerciſe of wit doth ſanctifie playing with lotterie, or playing with lotterie make ſuch exerciſing of wit a ſin, Hag. 2. 13. 14. For as calling God to witnes by vaine ſwearing is a ſinne, 2. Cor. 1. 13 ſo making God an vmpier, by playing with lotterie muſt néeds be a ſin: yea, ſuch a ſin as maketh the offender (in ſome reſpects) more blame-worthy. For there be mo occaſions of ſwearing then of lottery. Secondly, vaine othes moſt cōmonly ſlip out at vnawares, whereas Lots cannot be vſed but with deliberation. Thirdly, ſwearing is to ſatiſfie other wheras this kind of lottery is altogether to fulfill our own luſts. Therfore take héed, that you be not guilty of peruerting the ordinance of the Lord, of taking the name of God in vaine, & of tempting the Almighty, by a gameſome putting off things to hazard, and making play of lottery, except you thinke that God hath no gouernment in vaine actions, or hath diſpenſed with ſuch lewd games.
Profeſ.
In ſhooting there is a chaunce by a ſodaine blaſt, yet ſhooting is no lottery.
Preach.
It is true: for that chance commeth by accident, and not of the nature of the game, to be vſed.
Profeſ.
Lots are ſecret, and the whole diſpoſing of them is of God, P…o. 16. 33. but it is otherwiſe in Tables and Cards.
Preach.
Lots are caſt into the …, man, and … ſhould be ſuſpected: but the diſpoſing of the chance is ſecret, that it may be chaunce indeed, and wholly of God, who directeth all things, Pro. 16. 13. 9. 33. So in Tables, man by faire caſting Dice truly made, and in Cards, by ſhuffling and cutting, doth openly diſpoſe the Dice and Cards ſo, as whereby a variable euent may follow: but it is onelyonly and immediatly of God that the Dice be ſo caſt, and the Cards ſo ſhuffled and cut, as that this or that game followeth, except there be cogging and packing. So that in faire play mans wit is not exerciſed in diſpoſing the chance, but in making the beſt of it being paſt.
Profeſ.
The end of our play is recreation and not to make God an vmpire: but recreation (no doubt) is lawfull.
Preach.
It may be the ſouldiers had no ſuch end when they caſt lots for Chriſt his coat, Matt. 27. 25. but this ſhould be your end when you vſe lottery, as the end of an oth ſhould be, to call God to witneſſe. Therfore as ſwaring, ſo lottery, without due reſpect is ſinne. Againe, howſoeuer recreation be your pretended end, yet remember that we muſt not do euill that good may come of it, Rom. 3. 8. And that therefore we are to recreate our ſelues by lawfull recreations. Then ſée how Cards and Tables be lawfull.
Profeſ.
If they be not abuſed by ſwearing or brawling, playing for too long time, or too much money.
Preach.
Though I am perſwaded that it is not lawfull to play for any money, conſidering thanks cannot be giuen in faith for that which is ſo gotten, Deut. 23. 18. Eſa. 61. 8. Gameſters worke not with their hands the thing that is good, to be frée from ſtealing, Ephe. 4. 28. and the looſer hath not an anſwerable benefite for his money ſo loſt, Gen. 29. 15. contrarie to that equitie which Ariſtotle by the light of nature hath taught long ſince, Eth. l. 5. c. 4. yet I grant that Cardes and Tables ſo vſed as you ſpeake, be leſſe ſinfull, but how they be lawfull I ſée not yet.
Profeſ.
Good men and well learned vſe them.
Preach.
We muſt liue by precepts, not by examples, except they be vndoubtedly good. Therefore examine whether they be good, and well learned in ſo doing or no. For euerie man may erre, Rom. 3. 4.
Profeſ.
It is not good to be too iuſt, or too wiſe, Eccl. 7. 18.
Preach.
It is not good to be too wicked or too fooliſh, Eccl. 7. 19. in deſpiſing the word of God. Pro. x. 22. and not regarding the weakneſſe of other, Rom. 14 21. Let vsus therefore beware that we louelove not pleaſure more then Godlineſſe, 2. Tim. 3. 4.
Imprinted at London for Richard Boile.
End of the text · James Balmford, To the Major Aldermen (1600)