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

Sometime a Lot hath been used where it was wholly uncertain whether any offence had been committed or no, where both offence, Offenders, and party offended have been altogether uncertain. Thus when there was ⁿa plague upon the Philistines, but they knew not well either from whence or for what it came, ^othey were advised by their Wizards, to send away the Ark of the God of ISRAEL ^ptaken before in fight by them, in a Cart drawn by two new-milch Kine that had calves, which if they drew it toward Bethshemesh, they might thereby know, that it was the GOD of ISRAEL that had plagued them; if any other way, that it was then but some chance that befell them. Which course being accordingly put unto trial, the Kine drew the Cart directly unto Beth-shemesh; and thereby discovered unto them both their offence, and the party offended with them, the Author of the evil that had lately befallen them. Which practise of theirs though I dare not say as some do, that it was undertaken of them ^qby divine instinct, much less by any such instinct that themselves were aware of, (for both these must concur to make such an act as that warrantable to any) it seeming rather to have risen from their wonted magical superstitions; yet was it no doubt accompanied with a special providence of God, as ^rthe same Authors with others have well observed, thereby convincing them as it were by their own evidences, and by ⟨p. 277⟩their wicked courses gaining glory to himself.

Sometime a Lot hath beene vsed where it was wholy vncertaine whether any offence had beene committed or no, where both offence, Offendors, and party offended haue beene altogether vncertaine. Thus when there was ⁿa plague vpon the Philistines, but they knew not well either from whence or for what it came,