The common places of the most famous and renowmed diuine Doctor Peter Martyr diuided into foure principall parts: with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses, some neuer extant before. Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten, one of the sewers of hir Maiesties most honourable chamber.

The eight Chapter. Of Lots, whereby Gods counsell was as∣ked: and first of Vrim and Thumim; which were so called, of charitie and perfection.

AN olde expositor of the scriptures, called Kimhi, * 1.1 vpon the twentie chapter of the booke of Iudges, verse the 26, noted ma∣nie things, not vnprofi∣table for the vnderstan∣ding of other places of the scripture by questions and oracles. He saith, that It was the maner among the Hebrues, to aske questions of God: and he that would de∣mand anie thing, touching either publike or weightie matters, he came to the préest, who be∣ing apparelled with his Ephod garment, stood before the arke of the Lord. And vpon his Ephod were set twelue pretious stones, wherein the names of the twelue tribes were ingrauen, to∣gither with the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob; and also all the letters of the Hebrue al∣phabet. It behooued him that asked a question, to turne his face towards the préest; and his spéech should neither be so lowd, as hée might plainlie

be heard; nor yet so lowe, as if he had onlie prai∣ed with his inward cogitations: but euen in such wise, as Anna praied in the first booke of Samuel, where it is said, * 1.2 that She onelie mooued hir lips, & said nothing that might be heard. After this, the oracle was shewed to the préest in this ma∣ner. By the power of the holie Ghost, certeine letters appéered foorth, or shined vpon the breast, wherin the préest did read the oracle or wil of God. And this was that Vrim and Thumim, which is spoken of. These be the words of Kimhi. But what credit should be giuen vnto him, I knowe not. For it might be, that the spirit of God gaue out his pleasure by the mouth of the préest, with∣out those letters.

* 1.3 2 Touching lots, we haue an example in the first of Samuel, the 10. verse; for there Samuel willeth that all the people should stand by tribes. He himselfe would pronounce nothing, least the thing should séeme to be doone by his owne ap∣pointment: therefore God pronounced Saule to be king, doubtlesse not through his owne merit, but for the people sake, least they should striue among themselues for the choosing of him. * 1.4 The matter was permitted vnto lots, to the intent that dissention might be auoided. For if Samuel had chosen the king vpon his owne liking, they might haue thought him to be led by fauour & af∣fection. Againe, if the voices of the people should haue taken place; no doubt but euerie one would haue fauoured his owne tribe: and béeing so ma∣nie tribes as there were, they would hardlie haue agréed all vpon one man. And wheras Saule was of the least tribe, of lowe degrée, & of base paren∣tage; if he should haue béene chosen by anie other means, the matter might haue béen greatlie sto∣mached of all sorts. * 1.5 Core, Dathan, Abiram, and o∣thers of their felowes; stirred vp sedition against Moses and Aaron; bicause they supposed them to haue vsurped the principalitie and preesthood by fraud and collusion.

Sundrie waies were the lots in old time. Kim∣hi thinketh, that all the people stood before the Lord; for in deliberation and counsell of great matters, it behooued the magistrate or prince to stand before the high préest. So we sée in the book of Numbers, * 1.6 that when Iosua was appointed to be captaine of the people, he stood before Elea∣zar, and the préest vsed to make answere through Vrim and Thumim. So dooth Kimhi thinke that Samuel stood before the high préest, and receiued the oracle of Vrim and Thumim; that is to saie, by those letters which were ingrauen in the preti∣ous stones of the Ephod. He saith moreouer, that the arke perhaps was brought thither: howbeit these things be vncertaine. For there is here no mention made, either of the préest, or yet of the arke. Rab. Shelomo thinketh, that such was the maner of lots, as that the names of euerie of the tribes were written in seuerall scrols; which béeing throwne into a pot, were afterward drawne by the chéefe préest. It maketh for Kim∣hi, that there is no mention made of lots. She∣lomo followeth the common opinion, which is, that Saules election was doone by lots: which thing was not strange from the vse & custome of the Iewes. For of two hée goats, * 1.7 it was chosen by lots, which of them should scape. By lots the land of Canaan was diuided among the tribes; by lots the préesthood was appointed; by lots Io∣nas & Ionathas were found out; and by lots Mat∣thias was taken into the apostleship; as we read in the first of the Acts. Wherfore séeing lots were in such sort vsed, commonlie among the Iewes, it should appeare that Shelomo did not thinke amisse, in saieng that Saule was chosen by lots.

And whereas Kimhi saith, that the high préest, the arke of the Lord, and the Ephod were pre∣sent; me thinketh it is not agréeable to truth; For the arke at that time was in Kiriathiarim. And if so be that the Ephod were there, yet it fol∣loweth not of necessitie, that therefore the arke was also there; for we may sée how often those things were a sunder. * 1.8 For when Dauid fled and came to Ceila, he had Abiathar the préest to put on the Ephod, and yet the arke was not carried with him in that flight. The same thing was af∣terward doone in Siceleg, when as yet the arke was present with him. But thou wilt saie that in the text, lots are not named: I grant, but yet there is another word there of the same significa∣tion. For Lachad signifieth, To get, to laie hold on, and to attaine by coniecture.

3 But what lots those were I knowe not; for (as I said) there were manie kinds of lots. Ci∣cero in his booke De diuinatione saith, * 1.9 that When one Numerius Suffecius had cut in sunder a flint stone, the lots made in an oke leaped out; & that at the same time an Oliue trée bid sweat honie; and that therefore a little chest was made of the same trée, into which the lots were cast: these were called Praenestine lots, which were verie fa∣mous in times past. In Plautus we read of lots made of firre and poplar trées, which were cast into a vessell of water; and according as euerie lot arose, first or last from the bottom, so the mat∣ter was decréed. Pausanias saith, that lots were woont to be doone out of a pot made of claie; and that one Cresphon, in the diuision that was made of Peloponnesus, to handle the matter that the field of Missena might fall out to his share, he corrupted the préest Temenus; for he dried others lots by the sun, but Cresphons by the fier: and therefore Cresphons lots béeing longer, before they were made wet, he obtained the féeld of Missena. Darius the king of Persia, in stead of lots, vsed the neighing of a horsse. And some haue obserued the first arising of the sun.

To vse lots is nothing else, * 1.10 but to doo something, through which we may come by the knowledge of a thing that we knowe not.

* 1.11 But all kinds of lots may be reduced to thrée sorts. For either we doubt to whom a thing should be adiudged, as in the diuision that is made of féelds and possessions; (these lots are called lots of diuision:) either we doubt what is to be doone; and such be called consulting lots: or else we would faine knowe, what should come to passe; and this is called diuination by lots. But it behooueth verie much to knowe, * 1.12 vpon what principle lots doo depend. For, to saie that they be ordered by fortune; that were a vaine thing: by diuels, that is superstitious: by hea∣uen, and the stars; that is plaine ridiculous: wherefore they are ruled by God. For (as saith Salomon) Lots are put into the bosome, * 1.13 but they are tempered by the Lord. And Augustine vpon the 30. psalme sheweth, that lots are nothing else but a signifieng of Gods will, when man standeth in doubt. And digressing from hence, he saith, * 1.14 that predestination and grace may be called lots; bicause they depend not vpon our merits, but vpon the mercies of God. For with God, predestination is eternall and certaine, though it séeme to come to passe by lots. And to Honoratus he saith, that In a great persecution, all ministers ought not to flie awaie; nor yet all abandon themselues vnto perill; but those must be retained, which shall be sufficient for the pre∣sent vse; and the rest to be sent awaie, that they may be reserued till a better season. But here what maner of choosing shall be had? Those must be retained (saith he) whom we shall thinke to be the more profitable, and better for the people which remaine. But if all shall be alike, and all shall saie, that they would tarie and die; then saith he the matter must be committed vnto lots. And in his booke De doctrina christiana, he saith; If there happen to méet with thée two poore men, whose néed presentlie is alike, and thou hast not then wherewith to helpe them both; but one thou canst helpe, there is no better waie than to deale by lots.

* 1.15 4 But we must beware, that we come not to the triall of lots too vnaduisedly. [ 1] For we must first vse other meanes and gifts of God; name∣lie, the spirit, the word, reason, and discretion; and not to deale by lots, except when necessitie shall require. And it is to be counted necessitie, whensoeuer any thing happeneth, that may tend to the glorie of God, and to the edifieng of his church, which thou canst not reach vnto by mans wisedome: or if thou canst, yet not without in∣curring of enuie and suspicion: and so doo bre∣thren diuide betwéene them the inheritances. And the Romans, in times past, vsed to decide controuersies by casting of lots. [ 2] Secondlie, we must beware, that nothing be doone rashlie: for we must come vnto lots with great reue∣rence and religion. [ 3] Thirdlie, we must auoid superstition. [ 4] Fourthlie, there must be no fraud nor deceit. [ 5] Fiftlie, about lots we must not vse the gospell, or word of God. But bicause we cannot easilie beware of all these things, Ierom vpon the prophet Ionas, denieth that it is lawfull in anie wise to vse lots. Howbeit, there be some which conster his meaning to be onlie of super∣stitious lots: but he plainelie condemneth all, and saith, that Whatsoeuer is read in the holie scriptures as touching lots, must not be drawne to an example: and yet the opinion of Augu∣stine was otherwise, (as I said before.) And there is no danger why wée should séeme to tempt God; for it is he that ordereth the lots. But thou wilt saie; The Israelites had an oracle and Ephod, therefore what néed had they of lots? In déede they had so; and so had they Samuel for their prophet, who willed them in the name of God to cast lots.

Beda vpon the Acts saith, * 1.16 that The election of Matthias into the apostleship by lots, must not be laid hold on for an example. For he saith, that as yet they had not receiued the holie ghost; which when they had receiued, they vsed no more lots in the choosing of deacons. Neuerthelesse, I doubt not, but that both sorts of election were approoued, and holie alike. And although they had not as yet receiued the gifts of the holie Ghost, yet in their harts they had him. Neither tooke they lots in hand, till they had first tried all other ordinarie meanes; for they sawe that there were two men of equall godlines, iudge∣ment, and woorthines, wherby no danger might insue vpon the choise of anie of them. But in ap∣pointing of deacons, there was no néed of lots; seuen were brought foorth, and they did choose them all. But if so be that some part onlie of that number should haue béene chosen, I doubt not but they might haue chosen them by lots. But this in the example of Samuel must be followed: * 1.17 they, while lots were casting, praied the Lord. And Samuel saith, that the people stood before the Lord; that is, they reuerentlie expected what the Lord would appoint. And we must note, that in the text it is written; They still asked the Lord, when as yet they had not found Saule. He said, (still:) for they had first asked the Lord by way of lots, but were rebuked of Samuel, both to the intent they might repent, and that they might stand deuoutlie before the Lord: which to doo accordinglie, they asked the Lord by praier. But when they sought whether Saule was come, they tried not that by lots: for how could they haue found him out by lots, who was hidden among the cariages? But at the praier of Samuel, God shewed where he was. And here is to be noted

the woonderfull faith of Samuel, who knowing assuredlie, that God had appointed Saule to be king, yet doubted not to commit the matter vn∣to lots. An other perhaps would haue said; It shall not be so, perhaps the lots will fall out otherwise, and so will exclude this man.

Of forespeaking or foretel∣ling; called Omen.

* 1.18 5 Ionathas, in the first booke of Samuel the 14. chapter, verse the 19, desired to haue a signe or token to be shewed him of the Lord; * 1.19 the He∣brues interpret this signe or token to be on this sort. If they had said; Let vs come vnto you, that would haue béene a signe of mind, both vali∣ant and readie to fight: but contrariwise, if they had said; Come ye vnto vs, that would haue béene a signe, that they were alreadie discoura∣ged, and faint harted. And Ben Gerson saith, that The beginning of persecutions coms from con∣querours. Howbeit this is onlie a coniecture: for sometime it happeneth otherwise. But this is no new kind of vnderstanding the will of God. For so in the booke of Genesis, Eleazar the seruant of Abraham made this to be his signe; The maid which shall saie to me; * 1.20 Drinke thou, and after∣ward I will giue thy camels to drinke: the same is she, whom the Lord hath assigned to be the wife of my masters sonne. The Philistines also decréed with themselues, that If the arke should be carried by wild and vntamed cattle, directlie to the Iewes, * 1.21 they would take that as a signe of euill sent by God: but if it happened otherwise, they would impute it but to fortune and chance. And this is to aske a signe, * 1.22 euen that a mans faith may be confirmed. But what faith doo I meane? Not the faith of Moses lawe, or the truth of the prophets; for that hath béene sufficientlie confirmed before: but there is sometime a cer∣teine particular faith of some thing not expressed in the word of God; and therein confirmation by signes is often requisite. This we sée happened in the historie of Gedeon; * 1.23 for hée doubted not, but that GOD would deliuer his people from their enimies; but he knew not that he himselfe should be the deliuerer: wherefore he was to bée confirmed by miracle. That Messias would com, all men were sufficientlie persuaded; but that Marie the virgin should be his mother, that, God had not speciallie promised: herevpon a signe was requisite to be had; Behold Elizabeth thy cosin hath in hir old age conceiued. * 1.24 Wherefore miracles are otherwhile of force to confirme the faith, be it general or particular. And none ought to thinke, that Ionathas did tempt God, in ap∣pointing such a signe vnto himself. * 1.25 For to tempt God, is to make a triall of his power, wisedome, and will; and that, when there is no necessitie of the case. Wherein the offense is double; first, * 1.26 bi∣cause faith is wanting: secondlie, for that it is doone curiouslie; when as neither necessitie, nor anie profit dooth require.

Augustine in his booke of confessions, the 36. chapter, hath these words; When signes (saith he) are craued, not for saluation sake; but to make a proofe or triall, God is tempted. And in his book De vera religione, the 38. chapter, hée saith, that There was no cause, why Christ should cast him∣selfe downe hedlong from the pinacle of the tem∣ple, except for triall sake, which had béen to tempt God. But it fared not thus with Ionathas; for first, he wanted not faith; secondlie, he was led through necessitie, and great profit; namelie, that he might vnderstand the will of God: he belée∣ued that all those things were ruled by his migh∣tie power, and that the toongs euen of vngodlie men were stirred vp to speake by him. And ther∣fore it followeth, * 1.27 that The Philistines voice was heard, as an oracle of God. For the gouernment of God is not restrained to the elect onelie; but the affections, saiengs, and dooings euen of wic∣ked men, are directed by him, to serue his glorie. Doubtles the Aegyptians were naughtie peo∣ple; * 1.28 yet GOD wan their goodwill towards the Iewes, at their departure out of Aegypt; so as they were content to lend them both garments, plate, and iewels, as well gold as siluer. * 1.29 God tur∣ned the hart of Absolom, that he should not har∣ken vnto the most craftie counsell of Achito∣phel. God stirred vp Roboam, * 1.30 that he should not hearken vnto the counsell of the wise and sage men. * 1.31 For (as Salomon saith) The harts of kings are in the hand of God. To conclude, all our af∣fections, thoughts, and spéeches are directed by his power: wherein, if Ionathas had not persua∣ded himselfe, how could he haue sought or taken a signe at the mouthes of wicked men? Certein∣lie, others knowe not to what end God will direct the saiengs and dooings of men: Ionathas did vnderstand it by the inspiration of God.

6 This is not that kind of diuination, * 1.32 which the scripture forbiddeth, when it is commanded; Let there be no soothsaiers among you. Ierom saith, that the word (diuination) in the holie scrip∣ture, is alwaies taken in the woorser part. For whereas men be ouer gréedie to knowe things to come, therefore manie guiles and illusions are ministred vnto them. * 1.33 But séeing that things to come doo depend vpon certeine and necessarie causes; therefore they appertaine not vnto that kind of diuination which is forbidden. For the eclipse of the moone and sunne; and the traiecti∣on, opposition, and méeting togither of stars is knowne to learned men, how they shall be ma∣nie yéeres to come, by reason of the certeintie of causes going before. Also things that common∣lie

change, may be foreséene by probable signes: as a disease or death may be perceiued by a phy∣sician. * 1.34 But things contingent, which are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and which swaie equally as wel one waie as another, are not foreséene but of God on∣lie. For he alone knoweth to what end and pur∣pose euerie thing tendeth: wherefore they that professe such skill doo commit sacriledge. Manie such deuises did the diuell teach the heathen peo∣ple; as to obserue matters, by the entrails of beasts, by the singing, looking, & féeding of birds. Wherefore they were charmers, soothsaiers, and obseruers of such things. Moreouer, they had among them from the same schoolmaster, diui∣ning vpon dreames, lots, prophesies, and oracles. Cicero in his booke of diuination, * 1.35 reduceth all these to two sorts. For some he saith are natu∣rall, and some artificiall: and that those be arti∣ficiall, when as knowledge is gathered by the marking and obseruing of certeine things, as in entrails, and soothsaiengs, and such like: but that naturall be those, which happen as vnto soothsai∣ers, furious persons, and dreamers. All these things are naught, bicause that part which belon∣geth onlie vnto God, is ascribed onlie vnto men. But to come againe to the matter. This part of diuination, * 1.36 which Ionathas followed, is called in Latine Omen, which (as Festus thinketh) is as it were Oremen. For it is a certeine foretelling, which slippeth out of a mans mouth with some furie. So the Romans, when they were minded to flie, and leaue their citie; and that the stan∣derd-bearer had fixed their banner in the mar∣ket place, and had said; Here will it be best for vs, that spéech was taken for a signe of good luck, and a forespeaking of that, which should be in∣déed. So did Ionathas, by the Philistines words, which they spake vnaduisedlie, gather; that God would giue him the victorie, and deliuer them into his hands. And certeinlie the Ethnikes in vsing this meanes were to be condemned; but Ionathas not so: for he was stirred therevnto by God, but so were not they. So Gedeon follow∣ed a forespéech, * 1.37 when he fought against the Ma∣dianites. * 1.38 But wée must followe neither Iona∣thas, nor Gedeon; vnlesse wée knowe for a cer∣teintie, that we be mooued with the same spirit that they were. For if we will by the reasons and arts of men, foretell things contingent, or that may happen afterward; wée shall iustlie and dulie be blamed. If examples be agréeable with the common lawe, they should prouoke vs to followe them; but if they be not, we must rather woonder at them, than followe them. This cau∣tion must be vsed in ex∣amples.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Out of the booke of Iudges, 20, 27. The maner of giuing out oracles by Drim and Thu∣mim. Looke In Iudg. 1, verse. 1.
• * 1.2

  1. Sam. 1, 13
• * 1.3

  In 1. Sam. 10, vers. 19.
• * 1.4

  Saule was chosen by lots. The cause of lotting.
• * 1.5

  Num. 16, 2.
• * 1.6

  Num. 27, 22
• * 1.7

  Looke in Iudg. 20, 8. Much vse of lots a∣mong the Iewes. Leuit. 16, 8. Iosua. 13, 6. 1. Par. 24, 31 1 Sam. 14, 41 Ionas. 1, 7. Acts. 1, 26.
• * 1.8

  1. Sam. 30••
• * 1.9

  Many kinds of lots.
• * 1.10

  What is to vse lots.
• * 1.11

  Three kinds of lots.
• * 1.12

  Vpon what principle lots de∣pend.
• * 1.13

  Pro. 16, 33.
• * 1.14

  Lots a to∣ken of the will of God.
• * 1.15

  How and when lots must be v∣sed.
• * 1.16

  Beda. Acts. 1, 26. The exam∣ple of lots in Matthi∣as must not be followed.
• * 1.17

  In vsing lots they praied vn∣to God.
• * 1.18

  In 1. Sam. 14, 9.
• * 1.19

  Sometime a man may prescribe vnto him∣selfe a signe.
• * 1.20

  Gen. 24, 14.
• * 1.21

  1. Sam. 6, 9.
• * 1.22

  What ma∣ner of faith is to be con∣firmed by signes.
• * 1.23

  Iudg. 6, 15.
• * 1.24

  Luke. 1, 36.
• * 1.25

  To tempt God what it is.
• * 1.26

  After chap. 8, art. 117, and part. 2, ch. 4, art. 54.
• * 1.27

  How it hap∣pened that God tooke the Phili∣stines word for an ora∣cle.
• * 1.28

  Exod. 12, 3••
• * 1.29

  1. Sa. 17, 14▪
• * 1.30

  1. Kin. 12, 15
• * 1.31

  Prou. 21, 1.
• * 1.32

  This kind of diuina∣tion is not forbidden. Deut. 18, 10
• * 1.33

  To diuine things com∣ming of ne∣cessary cau∣ses, is not forbidden.
• * 1.34

  Things contingent are fore∣seene onlie of God.
• * 1.35

  Two prin∣cipall sorts of supersti∣tious diui∣nation.
• * 1.36

  Looke in 1. Kin. 20, 31.
• * 1.37

  Iudg, 6, 36.
• * 1.38

  When it may be lawfull to imitate Io∣nathas.