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

§ 5. Thirdly those that thus use Lottery stand guilty of Idolatry. For what is it but Idolatry to ascribe that to the Creature that is proper to the Creator? But ^rin such cases is that ascribed to the creature that is proper to the Creator, namely ^sto foretell ⟨p. 312⟩tell things future without the causes or grounds or natural signs of them, such as the Lot whereby they are foretold hath no connection or congruity at all with. For ^twhereas we sorted Events before into three ranks; some necessary, that keep in a constant course naturally; some contingent and not casual, that fall out for the most part alike, though they vary now and then; some Contingent and Casual, that are altogether uncertain, as the causes also are, whereupon they depend: The first sort, as the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon may be certainly foreknown and foretold, because the causes of them are constant and certainly known of us; the second sort also, as disease and death in some cases may with some good probability be preconiectured and guessed at by those that are well seen and experienced in the signs and causes of either: but the third sort depending upon causes utterly uncertain and unknown unto us, cannot be foreseen or foreknown, and therefore not foretold certainly but by God himself alone. And ^uin this third sort of Events alone is this kind of Lot conversant, which no wit or skill of man is able to foredetermine or foresee. This kind therefore of Lot Divinatory and Divination by Lottery is not only, as the Canon justly chargeth it, ^*a step to Idolatry, but even ^xa spice also of Idolatry and sacrilege it self, ⟨p. 313⟩robbing God of that that is his proper due, and attributing that unto the creature that is peculiar to the Creator.