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

First I considered that ⁱthere is a fault as well in straitening as in widening of Gods way; and a subtlety of Satan as well in the one as in the other. For ^*in the one he doth as a Juggler that by putting a pair of false spectacles on a mans nose maketh the bridge seem broader then indeed it is, that he is to go over, that so he may without fear step aside and fall in; and so he dealeth with the dissolute: In the other he doth as a Magician that showeth a man the bridge that he is to pass, through a false glass of an other kind, that representeth it as narrow as the edge of a rapier or the point of a needle, that so he may terrify him from attempting to go over it; and thus dealeth he with those that be over-timorous and full of scruple. And that it is not good therefore by possessing of men's minds with unnecessary scruples, either to discourage those that be coming on to some love and liking of the good ways of God, or ^kto cast those that are already come on into snares of mens knitting, ^ltying them in stricter and straiter bonds then God himself hath done, and making more things unlawful then the word of God hath made. Yea that it is in truth a spice and a branch of ^msuperstition, as well for a man to suspect that those things displease God▪ which indeed do ⟨p. 265⟩not, as for a man to suppose that the creature can do that which indeed it cannot do.

First I considered that ⁱthere is a fault as well in streightning as in widening of Gods way; and a subtiltie of Satan as well in the one as in the other. For ^*in the one he doth as a Iugler that by putting a paire of false spectacles on a mans nose maketh the bridge seeme broader then indeed it is, that he is to go ouer, that so he may without feare step aside and fall in; and so he dealeth with the dissolute: In the other he doth as a Magitian that sheweth a man the bridge that he is to passe, through a false glasse of an other kinde, that representeth it as narrow as the edge of a rapier or the point of a needle, that so hee may terrifie him from attempting to go ouer it; and thus dealeth hee with those that be ouer-timerous and full of scruple. And that it is not good therefore by possessing of men's mindes with vnnecessarie scruples, either to discourage those that be comming on to some loue and liking of the good waies of God, or