The Unlawfulness of Playing at Cards or Tables or Any Other Game of Chance, Dialogue
A SHORT AND PLAINE DIALOGVE CONCERNING THE vnlawfulnes of playing at Cards or Tables, or any other game conſiſting of chance.
Profeſſor.
SIR, howſoeuer I am perſwaded by that which I reade in the common places of Peter Martyr, par. 2. pag. 525 b, that Dice (condemned both by the Ciuill lawes, and by the Fathers) are therefore vnlawfull, becauſe they depend vponupon chance: 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 farre as I can learne out of Gods word, Cardes and Tables ſeeme to mee no more lawfull (though leſſe offenſiue) than Dice. For Table-playing is no whit the more lawfull, becauſe Plato compares the life of man thereunto, than a theefe is the more iuſtifiable, becauſe Chriſt compareth his ſecond cōming, to Burglarie in the night, Mat. 24.43.44. Againe, if Dice be wholly euill, becauſe they wholly depend vponupon chance, then Tables and Cards muſt needes be ſomewhat euill, becauſe they ſomewhat depend vponupon chance. Therefore conſider well this reaſon, which condemneth the one as well as the other: Lots are not to bee vſed in ſport; but games conſiſting in chance, as Dice, Cardes, Tables, are lots: therefore not to be vſed in ſport.
Prof.
For my better inſtruction, proue that Lots are not to be vſed in ſport.
Preach.
Conſider with regard theſe three things:Ioh. 8.48. 1. Cor. 11.16. Firſt, that wee reade not in the Scriptures that Lots were vſed but only in ſerious matters both by the Iewes, Ioſ. 18.10. and Gentiles, Ion. 1.7. Secondly, that a Lot in the nature therof doth as neceſſarily ſuppoſe the ſpecial prouidence and determining preſence of God, as an oth in the nature therof doth ſuppoſe the teſtifying preſence of God. Yea ſo, that (as in an oth, ſo) in a lot prayer is expreſſed or to bee vnderſtoode, 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 ſefe, or in a ſpeciall manner, 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 wee 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 ſpeciall manner tendeth to the 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. Matth. 4.6.7. But by vſing Lots in ſport we tempt the Almightie, 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 bee peruerted to a worſe, Matth. 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 gaming.
Profeſ.
God hath ſanctified Pſalmes to the praiſe of his name, and bread and wine to repreſent the bodie and bloud of our crucified Sauiour, which be holie ends: and the children of God may ſing Pſalmes to make themſelues merie in the Lord, and feede vponupon bread and wine not only for neceſſitie but to cheere themſelues; why then may not Gods children recreate themſelues by lotterie notwithſtanding God hath ſanctified the ſame to end a controuerſie?
Preach.
Becauſe we finde not in the Scriptures any diſpenſation for recreation by lotterie, as wee dee for godlie mirth by ſinging, Iam. 5.13. and for religious and ſober chéering 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 therefore a principall actor, is not to bee ſet on worke by lotterie in any caſe but when hee diſpenſeth with vsus, or giueth vsus leaue ſo to doe: But diſpenſation for recreation by lotterie 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 othes may be vſed for pleaſure, for they may for profit, in a matter of truth, Exod. 22.8.11. But indeede lots (as othes) are not to bee vſed either for profit or pleaſure, but onelyonly to end a controuerſie.
Profeſ.
The wit is exerciſed by Table… 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 and Tables bee 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 denomination. 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 doubtfull 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 ſinne, Hag. 2.13.14. For as calling God to witnes by vaine ſwearing is a ſinne, 2. Cor. 1.13. ſo making God an vmpire, by playing with lotterie, muſt needs be a ſinne: yea, ſuch a ſin a… maketh the offender (in ſome reſpects) more blameworthie. For there hee moe occaſions of ſwearing than of lotterie. Secondly, vaine othes moſt commonly ſlip out as vnawares, whereas lots cannot be vſed but with deliberation. Thirdly, ſwearing is to ſatiſfie other, wheras this kind of lotterie is altogether to fulfil our own luſts. Therefore take heede, that you be not guiltie of peruerting the ordinance of the Lord, of taking the name of God in vaine, and of tempting the Almightie, by a gameſome putting off things to hazard, and making play of lotterie, except you thinke that God hath no gouernment in vaine actions, or hath diſpenſed with ſuch lewd games.
Profeſ.
In ſhooting there is a chance. by a ſudden blaſt, yet ſhooting is no lotterie.
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, Pro. 16.33 but it is otherwiſe in Tables and Cards.
Preach.
Lots are caſt into the lap by man, and that openly, leſt conueiance ſhould be ſuſpected: but the diſpoſing of the chance is ſecret, that it may be chāce indeede, and wholly of God, who directeth all things, Prou. 16.13.9.33. So in Tables, man by faire caſting Dice truly made, and in Cardes, by ſhuffling & 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 bee 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.
Preached.
It may be the ſouldiers had no ſuch end whē they caſt lots for Chriſt his coate, Matth. 27.25. but this ſhould be your end when you vſe lotterie, as the end of an oth ſhould be, to call God to witneſſe. Therefore as ſwearing, ſo lotterie, without due reſpect is ſinne. Againe, howſoeuer recreation be your pretended end, yet remember that wee muſt not doe euill that good may come of it, Rom. 3.8. And that therefore wee are to recreate our ſelues by lawfull recreations. Then ſee how Cardes 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 thankes 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 anſwerable benefit 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 Cards and Tables ſo vſed as you ſpeak, be leſſe ſinfull, but how they bee lawfull I ſee not yet.
Profeſ.
Good men and well learned vſe them.
Preach.
Wee muſt liue by precepts, not by examples, except they be vndoubtedly good. Therefore examine whether they bee good, & well learned in ſo doing or no. For eueryevery man may erre, Ro. 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, Prou. 1.22. and not regarding the weakneſſe of other, Rom. 14.21. Let vsus therefore beware that we louelove not pleaſure more than godlineſſe, 2. Tim. 3.4.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Balmford, The Unlawfulness of Playing at Cards or Tables or Any Other Game of Chance (1593)