Certain godly and learned treatises written by that worthie minister of Christe, M. Dudley Fenner; for the behoofe and edification of al those, that desire to grovv and increase in true godlines. The titles whereof, are set downe in the page following

4 What things are vnlawfull to be vsed in recreation.

BEcause recreatiō must be in indifferēt things, neither simply commanded nor forbidden, therefore things sanctified to some especiall & holy vse, must not be made a recreation: as we must not pray, vse the word, or such like, for re∣creation, but for necessarie dutie, in that man∣ner which God hath prescribed. Vpon this it commeth, that I think with diuers godlie and learned men, that the vse of a Lot for recreatiō, is vnlawful, because a Lot is an especial meane,

wherby God hath ordained by himselfe from heaven, to end such controversies, as otherwise cannot conveniently be ended, as Pro. 16.23. The Lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposition of it, is of the Lord. So the nature of a Lot lyeth wholy in this, that although the thing be of vs, yet the disposition is wholly of God, that is, hee vseth not here our meanes of cunning, practise, strength, stedines of hand, or such like; but taketh it wholly to himself. And this shew∣eth the nature of the Lot: so Prov. 18.18. The holy Ghost sheweth the onelie lawful vse of it: saying, The Lot remooveth contentions, and maketh partitions amōgst the mightie. So shewing the only lawfull vse of it, is to end controversies, which otherwise cannot convenientlie be ended, for each contender without the Lot, is too migh∣tie to yeeld.

First, because as it is meant of an oath, Heb, 6 16. when he saith, for men verily sweare by him that is greater than themselues, & an oath for confirmation, is amongst them an ende of all strife, that he wold by these words, not so much teach vs that men vse an oath to ende contro∣versies (which everie one knoweth) but that God hath dedicated, & made an oath holie & sure, only for that vse of necessarie deciding of doubts of importance amongst men: so in the like words in this place of the Proverbes, con∣cerning a Lot, must be vnderstoode in the same sence, not so much to teach vs, that a Lot en∣ded

such controversies amongst men (which all knowe) but that God hath ordained it only for that vse.

Secondlie, wee see that the Scripture maketh a Lot, so the sentence of God, as in the most waightie matters of God and man, of life and death, it is the verie. Oracle and declaration of God his will, wherein man must rest without any contradiction or motion to the contrarie. So Act. 1.24.26. Numb. 26.55. Levit. 16.8. for matters of God. So Iosua 14. for the matters of life: yea, the Gentiles themselues knew it to be the verie Oracle of God. Ionas. 1.7. Nowe such Oracles of God, must not be vsed for re∣creation: seeing they are his name, and must not be vainelie vsed.

Thirdlie, all Lottes vsed in recreation, doe either necessarilie drawe or tempt the verie best, to horrible prophaning of Gods name, as to thinke or say, What lucke is this! how croo∣ked? Which in plaine wordes, (vnlesse wee will brutishly giue God his glorie vnto Fortune) is, What a God? what perverse & crooked pro∣vidence of God is this? Neither is the case here as in other pastimes, where our owne infirmity or want of skill may be blamed for all imper∣fection, because in a Lot nothing can be accu∣sed, but Gods immediate direction. From all this I gather, that Dice, dealing of Cardes, or such like, where the matter is laide on hazard (as they call it) or rather God his prouidence,

without vsing any cunning of ours to dispose it, is vpon the same reason of a lot vnlawfull. Neither is it any reason to say, Wee vse it not now, to end controversies, or to so a waighty vse, but only for an honest recreation: for the end for which wee vse it, is not of the nature of the lotte, but onelie of the vse or abuse of it. For when the Iewes cast lottes for our Sa∣viour Christ his garmentes, it was still in the nature of a Lotte, though the good end of a Lotte was laide aside. And seeing in al these, the whole disposition of it to trie the matter (which is, what cast wee shall haue, or what cardes we shall haue towardes a good game) is whollie in the Lorde, and not in anie cun∣ning (vnlesse we cogge, cheate, and play false play, which thing the verie Roisters condemn) it is manifest, that it remaineth in the nature of a lot, to what end soeuer we vse it. It is manifest (I say) not by my collection, but by the expresse declarion of Salomon: yea by the common graunt of all, who say in the lightest matters, Let vs put it to lot, chance hazard. &c.

Lastlie, my hartie desire is in the Lord, that if these reasons cannot perswade my good bre¦thren, to thinke this vnlawfull, (which in my judgement is evidentlie prooued to be so) that they woulde (as I hope thay will) be perswaded vpon the reasons of the holy Ghost following, to abstaine from that which although it were lawfull, yet they may exchange with many o∣ther

recreations, as plesant & of greater praise, as Chesse, Musick, &c. First, because we shall by it offend the church of God, which the Apostle expresly forbiddeth to bee done in ane indiffe∣rent matter. 1. Cor. 10. For the church of God, for the most part, both long ago and in these dayes, hath left it vpon these reasons: and wee cannot be ignorant, that many godly persons with greife will marueill to heare it vsed of vs. For maintenance of this reason, the Apostle saith in the 14. vnto the Romanes: If thy Brother be grieued for thy meate, thou walkest not according to Charitie. Secondly, because we shall contrarie to the like Commandement of the Apostle, of∣fend those which are without. 1. Cor. 10. when they hearing we professe so much zeale in reli∣gion, good order, and other such like, they will say. Yet they vse these vaine pastimes, as well as others: yea when they may haue better. Of which the Apostle saith expresly in the 14. chap to the Romanes, Why should your good be blasphe∣med? that is, euill spoken of. Thirdly, because they shall confirme others, whoe cannot but greatly abuse it, when by vsing others in steede of it, they may draw them to a right and lawe∣full vse of recreation.