A01545:295
Of the nature and use of lots a treatise historical and theologicalOf the nature and vse of lots a treatise historicall and theologicall
Of the nature and use of lots a treatise historical and theological; written by Thomas Gataker B. of D. sometime preacher at Lincolns Inn, and now pastor of Rotherhith.Of the nature and vse of lots a treatise historicall and theologicall; written by Thomas Gataker B. of D. sometime preacher at Lincolnes Inne, and now pastor of Rotherhith.
London: printed by Edward Griffin, 1619
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First if in every Lot there be necessarily an immediate work and providence of God, then is it in the natural power of man to make God work immediately at his pleasure: for it is in mans power naturally to cast Lots at his pleasure. But to say that it is in mans power naturally to set God on working immediately at his pleasure, is absurd. There is not therefore an immediate work and providence necessarily in every Lot.
First if in euery Lot there be necessarily an immediate worke and prouidence of God, then is it in the naturall power of man to make God worke immediately at his pleasure: for it is in mans power naturally to cast Lots at his pleasure. But to say that it is in mans power naturally to set God on working immediately at his pleasure, is absurd. There is not therefore an immediate worke and prouidence necessarily in euery Lot.
Again who seeth it not that the lighting of Lots in this or that manner ordinarily cometh immediately from the act of the Creature? For example: In the blending of scrolls or tickets together, the motion of the vessel wherein they are blended (no regard had to the end for which it is done) causeth some to lie this way and some to lie that way, (every new shaking thereof causing a new sorting) and so some to lie higher and nearer at hand, if a man will draw of the next, some lower and further of, not likely to be drawn so soon, unless he dive deeper. Neither can any man say certainly that there is ordinarily any special hand of God, in the shuffling and sorting of them, crossing the course of nature, or the natural motion of the creature, and so causing those to lie higher and so nearer at hand, that would otherwise have lien lower, and those to lie lower and so further from hand that would otherwise have lien higher. So in the shuffling of Cards, the hand of him that shuffleth them is it that disposeth them, and that diversly as he listeth either to stay or to continue that act of his. In the casting of dice the violence of the Caster causeth the Creature ⟨p. 147⟩cast to move, till either that force failing, or some opposite body hindering it, it cease to move further, and so determine the chance.