On Dice-Players

Contents

1. 1The writer, a bishop who claims the apostolic authority to bind and loose, explains his concern for the dice players in his flock.
2. 2Bishops are the salt of the earth and the shepherds of the faithful, and they will answer to God if they neglect their flock.
3. 3Christ's charge to Peter to feed his sheep, and the Spirit received at ordination, bind bishops to diligent teaching as stewards of the gospel.
4. 4Paul and the teaching of the apostles forbid even eating with sinning brothers, so much more must such sinners be kept from the Eucharist.
5. 5Gambling is one of the devil's snares, and it is monstrous that a hand that receives the Eucharist and makes the sign of the cross should play at dice.
6. 6Gambling breeds perjury, quarrels, and ruin, squanders inherited wealth, and is joined with nights spent with prostitutes.
7. 7The inventor of dice, an adulterer later worshiped as a god, set up his own image with the dice board and required players to sacrifice to him.
8. 8Gambling involves sacrifice to the inventor of dice, so a Christian gambler shares in idolatry and receives the Eucharist unworthily.
9. 9Gamblers rave, perjure themselves, and ruin their inheritance, and in playing they take part in the devil's sacrifice.
10. 10Sin against God has no excuse, as the Gospels, Samuel, Paul, and John show, and the gambler is his own enemy.
11. 11The gambler is urged to give his money to the church and the poor instead, laying up treasure in heaven.