For the manifesting here of let thus much be considered, that all Impiety may be referred to these htwo heads, either the profaning of hallowed things, or the hallowing of things profane: since it cannot be imagined how any impiety should be ⟨p. 132⟩committed but either by denying holy things their due respect, or by giving the same where it is not due. But lusorious Lots are not of themselves guilty in either of these kinds. In the latter kind even their greatest adversaries will clear them, there being no colour to charge them with the hallowing of ought that is not otherwise holy. And in the former kind they may be cleared also by the grounds of Gods Law, to wit, from the profaning of ought that is holy. For the thing used in them is a Lot: and nothing can be profaned by them but what is used in them: (by Lots, I mean simply as they are Lots, for to make Lots of holy things, as of parcels of Scripture, or of the Elements consecrate in the Sacrament, &c. is not any thing concerning the nature of a Lot, but an abuse cleaving to it in some particular mens practise of it, and such as is to be severed therefore in this our discourse from it.) But a Lot is no holy thing, either of it self and in it own nature, or by virtue of any divine institution. For of these two sorts are all holy things whatsoever, either they are holy of themselves and in their own nature, as iGod himself, and khis titles and attributes are, or else they come to be such, whereas in their own nature they are not, by means of some special divine institution sanctifying and severing them to some holy use, as lthe Ark, mthe Tabernacle, nthe Temple, othe 7. day of the world before Christ, and pthe first day of the week since Christ. Now in neither of these respects can a Lot be said to be holy, not of it self, or in it own nature, for it is nothing else but any ⟨p. 133⟩casual event applied to the determining or deciding of some doubt: Where the matter of it, a mere casualty, as it is a casualty having no holiness at all in it of it self (for qthen should all casualties in like manner be such) can much less gain or procure any holiness to it self by any mans application of it to any end whatsoever, much less by the applying of it to a profane or common end, be it more or less weighty.
For the manifesting here of let thus much be considered, that all Impiety may be referred to these htwo heads, either the prophaning of hallowed things, or the hallowing of things prophane: since it cannot be imagined how any impiety should be ⟨p. 132⟩committed but either by denying holy things their due respect, or by giuing the same where it is not due. But lusorious Lots are not of themselues guilty in either of these kindes. In the latter kinde euen their greatest aduersaries will cleare them, there being no colour to charge them with the hallowing of ought that is not otherwise holy. And in the former kinde they may be cleared also by the grounds of Gods Law, to wit, from the prophaning of ought that is holy. For the thing vsed in them is a Lot: and nothing can bee prophaned by them but what is vsed in them: (by Lots, I meane simply as they are Lots, for to make Lots of holy things, as of parcels of Scripture, or of the Elements consecrate in the Sacrament, &c. is not any thing concerning the nature of a Lot, but an abuse cleauing to it in some particular mens practise of it, and such as is to be seuered therefore in this our discourse from it.) But a Lot is no holy thing, either of it selfe and in it owne nature, or by vertue of any diuine institution. For of these two sorts are all holy things whatsoeuer, either they are holy of themselues and in their owne nature, as iGod himselfe, and khis titles and attributes are, or else they come to be such, whereas in their owne nature they are not, by meanes of some speciall diuine institution sanctifying and seuering them to some holy vse, as lthe Arke, mthe Tabernacle, nthe Temple, othe 7. day of the world before Christ, and pthe first day of the weeke since Christ. Now in neither of these respects can a Lot be said to be holy, not of it selfe, or in it owne nature, for it is nothing else but any ⟨p. 133⟩
