Of the nature and use of lots a treatise historical and theologicalOf the nature and vse of lots a treatise historicall and theologicall

Again that Lots are not always, nay not at all now Gods Oracles or any such divine sentence, it is evident.

Againe that Lots are not alwaies, nay not at all now Gods Oracles or any such diuine sentence, it is euident.

For first ^sGods Oracles and sentences are certain and constant: for ^this word and sentence is yea and amen as ^uhimself. And so were those Lots whereby God sometime gave sentence, as that which Achan was discovered by, which had it therefore ⟨p. 159⟩either been oft cast, or cast by divers persons at Gods appointment at once, would still constantly have ^*lighted on no Tribe but Jud•, no kindred but the Zarchites, no household but Zabdies, no person but Achan. But then an ordinary Lot ^xthere is nothing more uncertain, ready upon every new shaking of the Lot pot to give out a new sentence. For suppose we that some one Minister of a whole hundred in our head City should by Lot be selected to visit the Pesthouse, would the Lot drawn in this case ¹four or five times together with never so great solemnity light certainly and constantly ever on the same man? Or suppose ²four or five several Companies in several places should, after the business solemnly by prayer commended to God, cast Lots upon the self-same employment among the same parties, were it certain, yea or probable that they should all light upon the same person? Or were it not trivolous, if not impious, therefore to say, that upon every second shaking or drawing GOD altereth his sentence, and so to accuse him of inconstancy; or that to several Companies he giveth a several sentence, and so to charge him with contradiction and contrariety?