The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 38 – Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXVIII.
His burning of Tables, Cards and Dice.TOuching upon the former point of playing at Cards, and burning of the knaves, he preſently annexeth a note of remembrance, of another the like act of his, almoſt twenty yeares before that time. In like manner (ſaith hee) almoſt twenty yeares before, being in one of my Studies, and ſeeing a paire of Tables under my feet, I took them with the thirty men, and the Dice, and all the Cards I found, and put them into a burning Oven, which was then heating to bake Pies. This I ſuppoſe he did, not to honour them as Martyrs,No…s Martyes. But as malefactors. but to puniſh them all as malefactors, in their kinde. For ſo I find by his other collections which he hath made, that he held Tables, Cards, and Dice, to be all very groſſe offenders, and ſuch as could not have their faults (otherwiſe than by fire, or fornace) purged from them. And to ſpeake herein as the truth is;An atteſtation of the Fathers with him againſt them. he hath the atteſtation of many of the Lords Worthies, who neither held them in better eſtimation for their judgement; nor did beare them any good affection, for any pleaſure or delight they could ever take in them.
Tenul. lib. de ſpectac. cap. 5, & 6 & 14 & 15, 16. & lib. de Pal. c. 5. Cyprian. l. de Alca. Auguſt. l. 1 Retract. ci 1 Aug. Epist. 54 ad Maced. Aug. in Pſal. 31 Epiſt. 5 ad Dioſcorum. Aug. li. 5 de Civit. cap. 1. Hieron in Prov. 18.18. Idem in Zachar. cap. 8, chryſeſt Hom. 48. in Gen. Cap. 24. Hom. 6. in Mat. & Hom. 38. Hom. 56. in Gen. Idem in Mat. cap. 14. Hom. 49. Vid 1 Cir. 4. Hom. 12. p. 414. Ambroſ…ib. de Thobia. cap. 4 idem lib. 1. de Offic. cap. 23. Iaem in Pſalm. 118. aliàs, 119.37. Idem in 1 Cor cap. 10.7. Hilar. in Pſal. 118. alias 119.37.Many of the ancient Fathers are utterly againſt them, and not one of them all, that I know, but hee is well content to let Baal pleade for himſelfe, for they have nothing to ſay in defence of them. Tertullian did ſmite them with a rod of rebuke, in the generall. Cyprian ſtrikes them through, as with a Scorpion bow, writing a whole booke againſt them in particular. Austin and Hierome have not ſpared them as they came in their way, and had occaſion to ſpeake unto them. Chryſoſtome deales with theſe, as hee doth with other ſuch heatheniſh games, he cuts them, and hewes them in peeces, as Samuel did Agag, and grinds them to powder, as Moſes did the golden Calfe, in deteſtaton of them. Ambroſe and Hilary would have all Chriſtians to turne away their eyes, both of body and minde,Lactan. de vero cultul. 6. c. 20. p. 369. Idem Divin. Instit. Epit c. 4. A…nob. adver. Gen…e… lib. 7. p. 720.721. Greg. Nazian. Serm. in Feſt. Nativ. Idem in fest. Pentwoſt from all ſuch worldly and ungodly vanities.
Lactantius and Arnobius are very vehement againſt all playes and games, as having their originall from the Feaſts of the Heathen gods, Ludorum celebrationes, Deorum feſta ſunt.
Gregory Nazian. ſharply rebuketh them that would ſeem to celebrate the Feaſt of Chriſts Nativity and the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, with ſuch like heatheniſh cuſtomes, ſports and games. Gregor. in Moral. cap. 5.
Bernard writing to the Souldiers, of certaine Chriſtians which were at Ieruſalem, ſaith thus of them, Aleas detestantur, mimos & magos, ſcurrileſque cantilenas, tanquam vanitates, Danaeus do Lud. Alcoe pag 54.55 Baſil. horn. de humili. Beda in 1. Tim. cap 5. pag. 281. Bed. in Act. cap 1. de Sortibus.aut inſanias reſpuunt & abominantur.
They deteſt all Dicing (or games of hazzard) all Players, Sorcerers, all ſcurrill ſongs, as vanities, or as frantick madneſſe they renounce and abhor.
Baſil, and Beda, Caſſiodore and Iſidore, Fulgentius, and Salvianus, are all of the ſame mind, either wrapping them up in the generall, together with all other ſuch worldly vanities, and carnall ſports, heatheniſh games, and ſenſuall pleaſures, (and ſo convincing them,Caſſiod. in Pſal. 118. alias 119.37. Idem in Pſal. 21. alias 22.18. Iſidor. lib. 28. Etymol. cap. 16. Iſidor. lib. 18. Etymol. ca. 42, 44.51, 59.68. as ſinfull upon the ſame grounds) or elſe dealing in particular more ſharply againſt them, as they had calling and occaſion ſo to doe.
And ſo doth Oecumenius directly deale againſt Dicing, upon occaſion of that word which the Apoſtle uſeth againſt crafty and deceitfull teaching, [foreign] the word is taken ſaith he [à talorum ludo, cujus proprium eſt hinc atque illinc talos transferre doloſos] from the play at Dice, the property whereof is, by caſting and hurling here and there, to deceive by falſe dealing.
Laſtly,Salvian. de Gubernatione Dei. l. 6. Occumen. in Eph. 4.14. Cyril. in Evang. Jehan. lib. 8. cap. 5. Cyril is very vehement againſt the corrupt manners of ſuch Chriſtians, as are wont to celebrate their Feſtivals with ſuch illiberall playes, and ſports, and vanities of this world; becauſe hereby they grieve God moſt, when they ought to pleaſe him beſt.
Unto this atteſtation of Antiquity, from the Fathers,Iſidor. Etym. cap. 68 Concil. Eliber. can. 79 Concil. Apoſt. can. 41 42. Concil. Constanti. Charanz in 6. Conc. Gener, p. 199. Decret lib. 3. cap. Clerici. Gratian, Diſtinct. 35. cap. Epiſcop. Antonin. 2. par. lit. 1. cap. 23. Justin. in ff. de Aleator. Cicil Fraeter. Juſtin. in Authenticis Tit. do Sac. Epiſc. Alca Legibus vetita. Horat. An. 22. Rich. 2. An. 21. Hen. 4. An. 17. Edvar. 4. An. 11. Hen. 7. An. 3. Hen. 8. & 33. An 14. Eliz. here might well be added the teſtimony of authority from the Councils, Canons Eccleſiaſticall, and Conſtitutions Civill, both Imperiall, and Municipall.
Plato in Phae. Ariſt. Polit. lib. 7 cap. 17. & lib. 8 cap. 1 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Plut. in Conv. lib. 1. cap. 4. Cic. Philip. Orat. 2. Aſcon. Paedian. in Cisero. Orat. Contra Anton. & Catil. p. 118. Senec. Apotheo. Claudii Imperat. Julius Capitol. in Vero Imperat. pag. 852. Suelonius in Auguſto. c. 71.83. Senec. Conſolat. ad Polybium c. 36. Turnch. Adverſ. l. 1 c. 6. Hadrian Iun Adag 62. Cent. 5. Plutarch. deforeign. p. 281. Alex. ab Alexan. Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 21.And if need were, without any great adoe, we can bring in witneſſes enough, more than will make a full Jury, to give evidence againſt theſe malefactors; whereof ſome by the light of nature, and ſome by the light of grace, have ſaid, and ſet down enough to caſt them, condemne them, and hang them up for ever. But wee will be contented for this time, only, digitum ad fontes intendere, to point at the Authors in the Margent, whence, ſo many as have liſt and leaſure, may derive and draw water enough, either to quench their thirſt,Polyd. Vir. de Invent. lib. 2. cap. 13. Pet. Crin. de honest. Diſcip. lib. 24. cap. 14. Ammian. Marcell. lib. 14. pag. 1420.1422. Idem lib. 28. pag. 1773. Calvin. Ep. 347. Bez. in Luc. 1.9. in Act. 1. in Epheſ. 4.14. Bulling. Dec. 3. Serm. 1. Danaeus de ludo Aleae. Hyperius de provid. Dei. p. Mar. Cap. 12. Claſſ. 2. loc. com. after ſuch pleaſures of ſin, or to drowne, and overwhelme (as with a deluge) all their carnall deſires, and delights in ſuch vanities.
And ſo I leave this point,His collections againſt cards and dice. if I may firſt have leave to ſet downe ſome few Obſervations which this Gentleman himſelfe hath collected, to ſtrengthen his judgement, and juſtifie his deteſtation of theſe games.
CHAP. XXXIX.
1 ALL games depending upon hazzard or chance (as many call it) are to be eſchewed.
2 The Prince of Divils firſt invented the ſame, and the place was hell.
3 Such Gamſters were held and accounted for infamous perſons, uncapable of any Office, and unworthy any benefit of Law.
4 Dicers, Har…ots, and Theeves, be of one Hall, and Corporation, and the more cunning in this Art, the more wicked in their lives and manners.
5 All gaine by gaming, is turpe lucrum, Prov. 16.33. & 18 18.plaine theevery, worſe than uſury.
6 All play at Dice is plaine Lottery,Acts 1.26 which to uſeidely or triſlingly, is a ſin againſt the third, and ninth Commandement.Ezek. 22.12.13. Act 16.16 Luk. 6.31.
7 There is no recreation of body or mind in theſe games, unleſſe it be in deſire and hope to gaine, by another mans loſſe, which is unlawfull.
8 Cards and Tables, ſeeme leſſe evill, but neither barrell better Herring, there is ſuch, and ſo much craft in pricking, and packing &c.
9 Theſe are mixt games, conſiſting partly of Lottery, partly of witt, and induſtry, and oftentimes maintained with trickes of couſenage and knavery.
10 The coat Cards were in times paſt the Images of their Idols.Phil. 4.8. 1 Theſ. 5.22. Rom. 13.3, 4, 5. Rich. 2. Hen. 4. Edw. 4. Hen. 7. Hen. 8. Eliz. 14. 1 Cor. 10.31. 1 Cor. 8.13. Mat. 7.12. Luc. 6.31 Dives eram dudum, me feertunt tria nudum: Alea, Vina Venus, tribus this ſum factus egenut.
11 We muſt abſtaine from ſuch games, becauſe,
1. They have never been, nor yet are, of any good report in the Church.
2. There is great appearance of evill in them.
3. The commandement of the Magiſtrate, forbidding them by the name of unlawfull games.
4. They tend not to Gods glory.
5. They are cauſes of much hurt unto our neighbours, and occaſions of many ſinnes, and ſorrowes to the gameſters themſelves, and to their families: for thus many bring a Caſtle into a cap-caſe, and a Lordſhip into a Cottage, and a Fee ſimple into a Fee ſingle, and an eſtate of abundance and ſuperfluity, unto an eſtate of beggary and miſery.
And thus have you heard ſome reaſons, of this godly Gentlemans both practice and judgement, againſt Tables, Cards, and Dice, eſpecially amongſt Chriſtians: wherein I would intreat this favourable conſtruction, at the hands of every good Chriſtian in his behalfe, that they would not cenſure him as too ſingular, or too preciſe in theſe things, ſeeing he hath followed herein, the Doctrine of ſuch worthy Divines, and others,Pet. Mar. in Judg c. 14. Taffin of amendment of Life. in our reformed Churches, as have had their workes approved, printed, and publiſhed many yeares agoe, even in our land, and in our owne language, for our inſtruction and reformation in theſe things.lib 2. c. 19. Perkins in his golden chain on the third Commandement. Dudley Fenner in his Treatiſe of Recreation. Northbrooke againſt Cards and Dice. Eſty in his hiſtory of the Goſpel. Deſtruction of ſmall Vices. Anatomy of Abuſes, pag. 131. Dialogue betwixt Paul and Demas. Sir Thomas Eliot in his Gover. booke 1. chap. 26. Ludovic Vivues in his Inſtitution of a Chriſtian woman. Chap. 3. M. Perkins in his Caſes of Conſcience, Booke 3. Chap 4. Bullinger Decad. 3. Serm 1 in pracept. 8. Biſhop Babington in Com. 8.409. Biſhop Hooper in Com. 8. pag. 75. Canon. Ecoleſ. Anglucan. ann. 1571. pag. 7. & pag. 11. See the Margent.