The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 19
Of games of Chance and Hazard, as Cards and Dice. Chap. 19.
AS concerning games in generall, we are to reſolue that there is none lawful, vnleſſe it both bring profite to man and tend to the glorie of God. And this is it that Saint Paul teacheth,1. Cor. 10.31. Ephe. 5.16. Mat. 12, 36. ſaying. Whether we eate or drinke, or whatſoeuer we doe, let all bee to the honour and glory of God. And indeede as he warneth vsus to Redeeme the time, So doth Ieſus Chriſt affirme, That in the day of iudgement we muſt render accompt of eueryevery Idle word. Much more then of Idle deedes. EueryEvery one confeſſeth that Idlenes is to be condemned: but Idlenes cōſiſteth not only in doing nothing, but alſo in doing ſuch works as be Idle and vnprofitable. This once laide for a foundation, we are to note that ther are ſome paſtimes which conſiſt in the exerciſe of the body, as ſhooting, either in the long bow or caliuer &c. Fence, leaping and other ſuch like: Others in dexteritie of the mind, as Cheſte and Draughts. Theſe games and paſtimes, and ſuch like are, as things indifferent, lawfull & tollerable among Chriſtians, ſo long as they be practiſed for this profit, namely to recreate the mind weried with ordinary buſines, to the end afterward to return more cheerfully to the ſame. As alſo are ſuch bodily exerciſes as breed dexteritie & ſtrength for the better employment in the ſeruice of the common wealth. But heere wee are to reſpect three points. Firſt that we do not ſo exceede in them as thereby to neglect the dutie of our vocation: for ſo in liew of redeeming time we ſhould both looſe and abuſe it. Secondly that we refraine ſuch exerciſe and play for money. For play is no meanes alowed by the lawes either of God or man, to get or to ſpend mony in, which God deliuereth into our hands to be faithfully diſpoſed or poſſeſſed in a good conſcience. Laſtly it is another caſe, when the Maieſtrate propoundeth ſome price or reward for bodily exerciſes, to the end thereto to inuite his ſubiects, and to make them more willingly to accomodate themſelues to the ſeruice of the common wealth.
2 There be other games which depend vponupon Lots, chance, and hazard, as Dice and Cardes, ſignified by the Latine word Alea. As for ſuch games, we ſay it is meete for Chriſtians to forbeare them. Firſt, it may bee implyed that they are forbidden in the third cō mandement of the law.Act 1. Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine. For indeede the vſe of lots or hazard is to referre to the wiſedome, prouidence and power of God, whatſoeuer is acted among men. As the lot whereby Matthias was choſen to bee an Apoſtle was a demonſtration that God who knoweth the hartes, had choſen him, as we may alſo inferre by the praier of the Apoſtles before the lot was call.Prou. 16.33. And this did wiſe Salomon note, ſaying The lot is cast in the boſome, but the iudgement is in the Lord. We may therefore lawfully vſe lots in matter of conſequence, wherein the will of God is extraordinarily to be ſought, either to auoide quarels & controuerſies, or to preuent ſubornations or vnderminings, as in elections of Magiſtrates,Prou, 18.18. ſharing of goods, and ſuch like. And this doth Salomon alſo meane where hee ſayth. The lot endeth ſtrife and maketh particion among the mightie. But to applie the lot and conſequently Gods prouidence to our vaine and friuolous pleaſures, manie times in matters of offence to God we may well ſay that ſo we doe abuſe them and take the name of God in vaine.
3 Secondly. Paſtime permi ted and by God alowed among men, muſt hauehave relation to ſome profit either of body or of mind: otherwiſe it is but Idleneſſe and time loſt for the which wee muſt render accompt vntounto God. But theſe paſtimes of Cardes and Dice, as all men know, doe imply no exerciſe of the bodie: Neither do they containe any recreation of the mind: For as it appeareth, the euent of the chance that they expect doeth driue either ſide into the like griefe & heauineſſe, ſo as for the moſt part therin is no farther content or recreation of minde, then as may grow of couetouſneſſe, if a man winne the money, or of an imagination of God, fauour, directing the chance in ſuch vaine and friuolous occaſions. If they be ſuch games as together conſiſt of chance, and induſtrie or agilitie of witte: yet as chance doe therein eſpecially gouerne: So is it the onelyonly chance of the caſt which if it be good, reioyceth vsus, if bad, driueth vsus into griefe and ſorrow. Thus may eueryevery man vnderſtand that theſe games which tend to no profit either of body or mind are both Idle and hurtfull workes.
4 Thirdly the occaſion of theſe games at hazard is vſually a couetous deſire by play to get into our hands other mens goods And indeede experience teacheth that all our play is for money. And hereof ariſeth an infinit nūber of moſt pernitious miſchiefes. Firſt the looſer, thinking that his loſſe groweth not of the mans induſtry but of chance and hazard, hopeth for change of chance, with recouerie of his loſſe: and this cauſeth him obſtinately to continue the game in hope of gaine: & conſequently great loſſe of goods, if the chance run againſt him: ſometime of all that himſelfe hath, or they that will lend vntounto him: and hereof came the ſaying: Dice & Cards hauehave beggered me: But wher exerciſe of the body or induſtry of mind without chance, do beare ſway, the game is more moderate. For either the body can beare no more labour: or the minde finding the aduerſe partie more skilful and readie in the game, baniſhing all hope of winning, cauſeth vsus to abſtaine from play. Who then will not confeſſe it to bee euill doone to waſt all the night and daie in play? To bee great crueltie, to waſt and ſo wretchedly to conſume the goods wherewith the wife and children ſhould bee nouriſhed and ſuſtained? That the Article of expence of ſo much goods in play wil neuer be alowed in the accompts of the day of iudgemēt? That he which wineth mony at play hath no more right to keep it than a theefe? That if it be not lawfull for the looſer to looſe it, it is not lawfull for the winner to retaine it? And indeede no vſurie is ſo exceſsiue and hurtfull, as the gaine made by gaming, wherein without loane or labour, a man ſometime winneth all his neighbours goods.
5 Moreouer. As the pleaſure of gaine and the ſorrow for loſſe in play are mightie paſsions to moue the harts: ſo what a number of brauſes, quarrels and controuerſies doe ariſe of play? What ſwearing, curſing & blaſpheming of God? Or who will not adiudge the tree that bringeth forth ſuch fruit, to be naught and worthie to be cut down or rooted vp? For in this conſideration hauehave ſuch games bin euer more deteſted, euen among the heathen. There is among the Pandects a law that ſaith.Digeſt. lib. 1 … Tit 5. lib. 1. If a man beat him in whoſe houſe he hath played at Dice or Cardes, ſaith the Pretor, or that others hauehave doone him iniurie or ſtollen his goods, whiles any playd at Cardes in his houſe, I will doe him no iuſtice. Likewiſe, him that forceth or induceth another to play, I wil puniſh according to the exigence of the caſe. Aſconius Pedianus vponupon the ſecond booke of Cicero of diuination, ſaith, that in olde time ſuch gameſters were at Rome condemned in fower times ſo much as they played. And the law Roſcia baniſhed out of the land all ſuch as had loſt more then the condition of their perſon & eſtate could beare. Chriſtian Emperours hauehave alſo very ſtraightly forbidden theſe games: Among the reſt, Iuſtinian, Reſpecting, ſaith he, the good of our ſubiects,Cod. lib. 3, Tit. 43. Leg. Alearum vſus. we doe by this law forbid all men, and in all places all play, namely that either in common houſes or priuate, there bee no gaming at Cardes or Dice, neither any looking thereupon. Which is more, in the ſame law he chargeth Biſhops & Paſtors diligently to looke thereto: And enioyneth them in reformation of this inconuenience to employ the power and authoritie of the iudges and gouernours of their prouinces. Yea, he ordaineth that no man ſhal be forced to pay any thing that hee hath loſt at play: Alſo that if any hath ſo paide, he ſuffereth him to redemande it, and commandeth that it be reſtored, except vponupon the preſcription of 50. yeres. In the Canon theſe games are alſo forbidden,C. Epiſt. diſt. 35. c. 42. & 43 vnderunder paine of excommunication: as likewiſe the ſame prohibition was made by the Canons, intituled of the Apoſtles.
Cyprian of dycing and dicers.6 As concerning the Doctors of the Church. Among the reſt, Saint Cyprian hath written a treatiſe expreſly to ſhew in what deteſtation and abhomination Chriſtians ſhould holde theſe games of Chance and Hazard. Among other things he ſaith, that gaming is a ſnare & inuention of the Deuil, which he purpoſedly forged to maintaine Idolatrie in greater vſe & commendation among men. And indeed as ſom are of opinion that Mercury a God of the heathen inuented Dice and Cards: ſo S. Cyprian ſayth, that he cauſed himſelfe to be painted vponupon thē, willing that at the beginning of their play they ſhould ſacrifice vntounto him: And this ſacrifice or homage conſiſteth in kiſsing the Card or the Die, or in pouring forth of wine in honor of this painting, or in ſome ſuch like ceremonie. That Chriſtians retaining the game hauehave onelyonly changed the Images, and in ſtead of Mercurie pictured a King, a Queene, and a varlet. What elſe is it then to play at Cardes and Dice, but to delight in the workes of the Deuill, deuiſed for our deſtruction, and to refreſh the memorie of & in part to confirme the auncient Idolatrie, which wee ought to aboliſh out of all memorie among vsus? The Deuill, ſaith Cyprian, is preſent at our play, and lurketh to catch vsus, and hauing taken vsus, to triumph ouer vsus. And indeed in theſe games we finde nothing but deceite, lying, folly, rage, periurie, wrath, diſſention, redineſſe to iniurie, cruel boldneſſe, fellonious, and fretting minds, waſting of goods, time and honour, yea ſometimes ſtripes and murder. Thou player at Dice & Cardes, ſaith he, that tearmeſt thy ſelfe a Chriſtian, thou art none indeede: for thou art too much addicted to worldly pleaſure, and canſt not be a friend to Chriſt, ſo long as thou delighteſt in the inuentions of his enemie, the Deuill. O daungerous hand, and tormenter of his maſter, which can neuer forbeare playe, either winning or looſing.
7 An other Doctor named Nicholas Lira in a ſmall tract called Preceptorium aledgeth nine reaſons, by the which hee maintaineth that playes are not to be admitted among Chriſtians, but are to be baniſhed out of the Church of God. Likewiſe Lambert Daneus a profeſſor of deuinitie, and a learned and godly man did lately publiſh a declaration concerning the games of Chance or Hazard, where out I hauehave taken part of this here written, wherein at large he declareth them to be vnlawfull. The reaſon therefore, before conſidered, the authority of the word of God: of the Doctors of the Church: of the lawes both ciuill and canon, & the iudgements of the very heathen, ought to make vsus to abhorre and deteſt ſuch games, as matters vnworthy of Chriſtians, euen of men created to farre better purpoſe. And indeede when Chylon was ſent from Lacedemonia to Corinth, to conclude aliance betweene the two nations, finding the gouernours playing at Dice, hee returned without any ſpeech of his charge, ſaying: He would not defame the Lacedemonians, with ſo great a reproch as to enter ſocietie with Dicers. How much leſſe ought Chriſtians then to abſtaine frō defiling their glory with Dicers,Cic. Phil. 2. ſo farre ſhould they bee from being themſelues gameſters? We alſo reade that Cicero as one of his greteſt offences,Sueton, in the life of Auguſtus. c. 17. obiected vntounto Marc Anthonie that hee played at games that conſiſted in chance and hazard. Suetonius writeth that the only report that Auguſtus vſed ſuch games, redounded greatly to his reproch: & indeed he was much addicted therto, as himſelfe teſtifieth by two Epiſtles rehearſed by the ſame author: yea this brute rūning of him made him to be reputed among vnthrifts notwithſtanding many great vertues wherewith hee was endued.Aurel. vict. in the life of Auguſtus, Sueton. in the life of Claudi. As alſo another author repeating his vices, among the reſt ſayth expreſſely that hee vſed much to play at Dice. Claudius Caeſar, an Emperor of Rome as the ſame Suetonius doth note, witneſſed him ſelfe to be a foole, not only in reſpect of his other vices, but alſo becauſe he ſo gaue himſelfe to Cards & Dice, that he wrote a booke of the Art of play, which bred him great obloquy. How much rather then ſhould we Chriſtians accompt theſe games of chance & hazard to be pernitious, and vtterly to be abhorred.
8 If any reply that in this caſe we ſhew too much rigour, we will aunſwere with Chriſoſtome: That the cutting off of ſuperfluitie in the life of the faithful,Chriſoſt. in a Serm. againſt the exceſſe of time. is no bringing of them into too much auſterity of life. But theſe games are not only ſuperfluous, but alſo hurtfull & pernitious. Likewiſe albeit we might accompt them among things indiferent, yet ſhould Chriſtian libertie bee ſubiect to ſuch politicke laws as forbid them, and without conſideration hereof, to practiſe the ſame which S. Paul proteſteth of things indifferent, namely Neuer to play at Cards & Dice, ſo long as we liue, rather then to be occaſion of offence to our neighbors, 1. Cor. 8.13.& by our pleſures to bring deſtruction vponupon thoſe for whom Ieſus Christ hath dyed. And as to the end to repreſent the corrupt world as it were in a table, we hauehave alredy ſhadowed out men and women dancing: ſo by inſerting thereinto players and gameſters at Cardes & Dice, we ſhall more liuely demonſtrate the world and ſhew that ſuch as giuegive themſelues to gaming are indeed of the world & not truly of the church of Chriſt. And as by lots the ſouldiers parted the garments of Ieſus Chriſt, ſo may we wel ſay that theſe games at Dice & Cards are the meanes to part between the world & the Deuil many of thoſe who profeſſing reformed religion are addicted thereunto.
9 But in as much as Ieſus Chriſt admoniſheth vsus to Amend our liues and to repent our former tranſgreſsions, let vsus ſtedfaſtly reſolue hereafter to abſtaine, and not to bee carried awaie with the taunts of gameſters that ſcorne our ſimplicitie becauſe we will not play with them. Let vsus remember the aunſwere of a heathen,Xenophanes. who at a feaſt being called daſterd for that he would not play at Dice, wiſely replyed: I am indeede a daſterd and fearefull in all diſhoneſt cauſes. Let therefore his cenſure who tearmed theſe thinges diſhoneſt, together with his conſtancie againſt the taunts of gameſters, be vntounto vsus Chriſtians an inſtruction and example conſtantly to refraine from ſuch games: And the better to confirme vsus herein, let vsus alſo thinke vponupon the wordes of Saint Cyprian. Let vsus, ſayth he, be Chriſtians, not players at Cardes and Dice. Let vsus poure forth our mony vponupon the table of the Lord, wher Chriſt ſitteth as preſident, and the Angels do ſee vsus. In hew of looſing them foliſhly, let vsus diſtribute our goods to the poor. Yea let vsus commit them to the cuſtodie of Ieſus Chriſt. For theſe games, ſaith he, are daungerous, worthie of death, and repleniſhed with folly. They containe no truth, but a quagu…yre of all falſehood & periurie. Let vsus pull away our hands from ſuch paſtimes and in our harts turne off and take away the darkeneſſe wherewith Satan blindeth vsus: let our hands be cleane and not defiled in doing honour to the Deuil. Let vsus flie from the enemie that purſueth vsus, and ſpend our time in the learning of true wiſdome and inſtruction in the doctrine of the Goſpell: Yea let vsus lift vp pure hands to C…riſt: and to the ende wee may pleaſe God, let vsus neuer looke vponupon Cardes or Dice. So beit. Thus doth Saint Cyprian conclude his treatiſe againſt players at Cardes and Dice.