Demonology and Theology, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of Divination called Aruſpicie, and Sortilegie.
THESE two we have put together, becauſe joyned together in Scripture, and ſometimes in uſe, Ezek. 21.21, 22. The King of Babylon ſtood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two wayes to uſe divination; he made his Arrows BRIGHT (Hebrew foreign hee SHOTT, or SHOOKE them) he conſulted with Images, hee looked in the liver. At the right hand was the divination for Jeruſalem, to appoint Captaines to open the mouth in the ſlaughter, &c. Should ſeeme by this Text that the World hath been anciently addicted to theſe ſuperſtitious divinations, by Aruſpicie, or Extiſpicie (ſo called, Ab exta inſpiciendo, from looking into the Intrals of Beaſts, Cic. de Divinat.) and by Sortilegie, that is, Lottery. And that the King of Babylon being to goe to Warr did by Aruſpicie, and Sortilegie divine whether he ſhould goe againſt Rabbath of the Ammonites to Warr; or againſt Jeruſalem of the Jewes, Verſ. 20.) Some (as Vatablus) render foreign as tis in our Engliſh, Polivit ſagittas, he made bright his Darts or Arrows; that is, the Iron of them, that it might ſhine; and ſo therein the Diviners might ſee which way He (the King of Babylon) was to goe in his warlike expedition. For the ſuperſtatious World hath alſo uſed (as R. David, R. Solomon, Vatablus, Alapide, &c. tell us) this divination; namely that they call Catoptromanticke; that is, Divination by Looking-glaſſes, or Mirrors, after this manner; the Diviners in the glittering and ſhining of the points of Speares, Swords, &c. or in the ſhining of the Nayle of the Thumb, or in ſome Chryſtall, or, &c. did (by rules learned from the Devill) ſee things paſt, or foreſee what ſhould come to paſſe.
But this is not ſo natural a ſignification of the Hebrew foreign nor the Divination that the King here uſed.
Learned Schindler makes foreign a root, an abſolute word of it ſelfe, rendering it according to the Chaldee uſe of the word, Projecit, to throw forth, or fling out. According to the Arabian uſe, Concuſſit, to ſhake together. But withall the ſame Schindler, as alſo Bnxtorfe, Pagnin. Mercer, and Arias, referr foreign to the roote foreign which ſignifies Levis fuit velox fuit, He or it was light, or ſwift, &c. And in the Conjugation Piel, by doubling of the firſt radicall foreign ſignifieth, He made to fly ſwiftly, or ſhot. The Chaldee Targum renders it foreign He ſhot his Arrowes out of a Bow. The Syriack, He caſt, or hurled, or ſhot his Arrow. The Arabick, by ſhooting his Arrow. The Greek Septuagint render it, foreign that hee might make the Rodd to iſſue forth. Other Greeks, foreign To ſhoot Arrowes; adding, foreign that is, This reading the Hebrew alſo uſeth. Polichron. Hieron, his ancient Latine Tranſlation reads it, Commiſcens ſagittas, mingling Arrowes together. By all that we have ſayd, this in the general doth plainely appeare, that anciently there was a ſuperſtitious art of Divination by Darts, Rods, or Arrowes, for which the Greeks have a particular fit name; calling it foreign or foreign Dart, or Arrow-Magick; or Staffe, or Rod-Magick, or Divination. And not only in uſe among the Chaldeans, as appeares in this Text of Ezek: 21.21. but was ſinfully imitated by the Jewes, as Hieron, Cyril, and Theophilact conclude from that of Hoſ. 4.12. My people aske counſell at their ſtocks (Hebrew foreign in, or by their wood) and their ſtaffe declareth unto them. The word for Staffe both in the Hebrew and Greek ſignifies both a Staffe and Rodd, or Wande, or Branch.
Thus it is plaine in the generall, that anciently they did divine by Arrows, Darts, Staves, Rods; and the Word of God condemnesit, as an Heatheniſh invention, and ſinfully imitated by the Jewes.
In particular, the manner was two wayes (as we have intimated it a little in the various ſignifications of the words.
Firſt, By mingling of Arrows, after the ſeveral names were written upon them of the things concerning which the Lottery was to be made; putting thoſe Arrowes up againe promiſcuouſly into the Quiver, one blindfolded drawes one, and as it is written on the Arrow, ſo is the Divination concluded. For inſtance, The King of Babylon in this 21. of Ezek. Verſ. 21. would divine whether hee ſhould goe to Warre againſt Kabbath of the Ammonites, or againſt Jeruſalem of the Jewes. Theſe two names are written upon two Arrowes, which put up, and drawne againe, in manner aforeſayd, the firſt that came, determined whither hee ſhould goe to Warre. And ſhould ſeeme by the intent of this 21. of Ezekiel, God willing to puniſh Jeruſalem, he permitted that their Lott ſhould fall upon it. So Hieron.
Secondly, By Staves, Rods, Darts, Arrowes, throwne, darted, or ſhot up into the Ayre; and whitherward they tended in their returne and fall, thither the divination (as they conceived) directed them. Of this, &c. Chald, Polichron. Caelius Rhodoginus. l. 7. Antiq. lect. 29.
And this is the moſt likelyeſt way of divination that the King of Babylon uſed at this time, in this 21. of Ezekiel. That balancing two or three Arrowes bolt upright (as we ſay) or ſhooting them upright into the Ayre, according as they fell, as, if they fell (in their returne) towards Jeruſalem, it was a certaine judgement by Divination, that he was to make his expedition againſt Jeruſalem.
So Rabbi Joſeph Kimchi, fecit ſagittas, ac volare fecit in aere, ut videret in quam partem caderent; Et ſi caderent ad latus filiorum Hammon, iret illuc; ſin ad latus filiorum, &c. And ſo the Chaldee Targum afore foreign &c. Hee ſhot out of a Bow his Arrowes, &c. And reaſon tels us that to this ſuperſtition the King of Babylon would rather incline, at this time (as Alap. conceives.) He would not now divine by Books, or other meanes, but by Arrows, with which he was to fight the Battell hee intended. And his ſhooting of them up to Heaven was a faire ſemblance of asking counſel of God. As Gregory Nazianzen expounds Abaris the Scythian his ſhooting of an Arrow from ſome part of Greece into part of Scythia, to ſignifie a minde contemplating his eternall Countrey in Heaven.
All this while we have conſidered but the firſt clauſe of this 21. of Ezekiel, Verſ. 21. Viz. the meaning of the King of Babylons uſe of Arrowes in Divination, in a way of Lottery.
Next, tis ſayd, he Conſulted with Images, or Idols, that is, with Bel, Nebo, and other his Idols.
Thirdly, Hee looked into the Liver: Here is his Aruſpicie, or Extiſpicie, looking into the Exta, the entrals of Beaſts, killed in Sacrifice, after their Heatheniſh manner. Properly the heart and lungs were called Exta ab Extando, becauſe they are placed in the upper part within a man; as alſo the Spleen, the Liver, and the Stomack, were called Exta, becauſe they were placed above the reſt of the Bowells and Inwards.
The Heathens did divine by conſidering in the Sacrifice the Heart, the Liver, and the Stomack, &c.
It followes in this 21. of Ezekiel, At the right hand was the Divination for Jeruſalem (Hebrew foreign &c. In, or at his right hand was the divination of Jeruſalem) to appoint Captaines to open the mouth in the ſlaughter: that is, By his Auſpicie, Imagery, and Lotterie, he concluded a certaine divination that hee muſt goe againſt Jeruſalem, and there open his mouth, exhorting his Captaines and Souldiers to open the mouth of the Sword (as the Scripture phraſe is, the mouth of the Sword, to ſignifie the edge of the Sword) to deſtroy the Jewes.
Having heard the Scriptures concerning Aruſpicie and Sortilegie, that we may the better underſtand the ſinful manifold ſuperſtitions of them, let us heare what Hiſtories, Antiquities, and Cuſtomes can produce concerning the unlawful manner and uſages of them.
Firſt, Of Aruſpicie, or Extiſpicie, the manner in breife was this. The Soothſayer obſerved ſome things before he killed the Beaſt; ſome things in the entrals of him being killed; ſome things after, when to be offered up by fire. Firſt, Before his killing the Beaſt, whether the Beaſt came willingly without drawing, whether hee received the ſtroke without bellowing, and whether he dyed without ſtruggling, and with one blow onelyonly, all which were good ſignes: And whether no unlucky ſignes were ſeene or heard whiles they were ſacrificing. Secondly, When the Beaſt was ript up, he obſerved whether the Bowels were not of an unnatural colour, or were not Exſiccat, impoſtumated, or ulcerous, which were ill ſignes: He divided the Bowels into two parts, the one was called Pars familiaris, from which the Diviner foretold what ſhould befal their owne party; the other was called Pars hoſtilis, from whence hee foretold what ſhould befall their Enemies. Thirdly, After, when the Sacrifice was to be burned, it was diligently obſerved, whether the flame of the fire was ſmoakey, whether the ſmoak rolled and tumbled in the ayre, whether of any continuence or no: For all theſe were unlucky ſignes, as the contrary lucky (as they ſpake.) Thoſe that obſerved theſe tokens of the ſmoake had a peculiar name, Capnomantes, that is, Smoak-diviners. All this ſuperſtition came to the Romans (as the ſtory goes) from the Hetruſci: They had it from a young youth called Tages, and he from the Devil. Of theſe things many touches in Senec. Trag. and Ovid. Metam. And more in Cic. de divinat.
Secondly, For Sortilegie, Divination by Lots. A Lottery, or deciding by Lot in the general is thus deſcribed.
A caſual event purpoſely applyed to the decyding of ſome doubt: The genus, or generall in this deſcription is, ſome caſuall event. And therefore Aquinas, &c. ſpeak too widely, when they ſay it is, Cum aliquid fit, or aliquid agitur ex cujus eventu conſiderato, aliquid occultum innoteſcat: A doing of any thing, or any thing is done by which, being conſidered, a hidden thing may be diſcovered. For a man may leave Money up and downe in the Houſe, to try a ſuſpected Servant, and thereby diſcovers the honeſty, or diſhoneſty of ſuch a one; yet this is no Lot.
The specificall difference to make caſuall events to be Lots, is taken from the intent and uſe of a man, applying caſual events according to his diſpoſall, to that purpoſe of deciding and determining of ſome doubt; Viz. Either ſome doubtfull act to be done, as yet in ſuſpence; or ſome hidden truth to be diſcovered in things already done, or ſuſpected to be done. And therefore for a man to meet ſome notable perſon or thing unexpectedly in the way, intending other buſineſſe, and a thouſand ſuch caſualties incident to a man all his life long, is no Lottery or Lott at all.
Now becauſe ſome Lottery, or caſting of a Lot is lawful; therefore to diſtinguiſh the bad we are to ſpeake of, from the good; were muſt diſtinguiſh of the kinds of Lotts, and that from the Originall of them, which is more proper to the caſe of conſcience in hand, what Lotts are lawfull, and what unlawful. According to the Originall, there are three ſorts.
Firſt, Such as are Divine; namely, have preſcript from the Word of God.
Secondly, Vaine ſporting and fooliſh, invented by the idle braines of men.
Thirdly, Diabolicall for Divinations, hatcht by the traditions of the Devil.
Of the firſt ſort the Scripture makes mention of the allowable uſe of theſe ſorts of Lots.
Firſt, Of Lots in ſacred things that cannot otherwiſe be well determined: As to diſtinguiſh which of the two Goates ſhould be the ſcape Goat, the other to be ſacrificed, Levit. 16.8. And the Brethren chooſing two, it was determined by a Lot, which of them ſhould be an Apoſtle in the room of Judas, Acts. 1.
Secondly, Of Lots in morall things; as to finde out by Lot who is guilty in a multitude, of ſome eminent tranſgreſſion, that hath cauſed a great affliction on the reſt: As in finding out Achan, Joſhua 7. Jonah, Chap. 1. And the Lord did ſo approve of Lots in this kinde, that hee was with them in caſting Lots, 1 Sam. 14. to finde out who had eaten of the Honey contrary to Sauls adjuration; though it appeares by the event, that Gods intent was rather to ſhew Saul his ſin in his raſh adjuration, then to ſhew Jonathan his ſin in eating of the Honey, being ignorant of his Fathers Oath.
Thirdly, Of Lots in politicall and civill things, as to divide eſtates, Goods, Lands, &c. into portions, who ſhal have which part, Joſh. 14. Likewiſe to chooſe Magiſtrates: So Saul was choſen King, 1 Sam. 10. by Lots.
The Scriptures, together with the thing or matter, ſhewes us the manner how wee ſhould uſe Lots in the like caſes.
Firſt, That it muſt be in caſe of neceſſity, that things cannot ſo ſatisfactorily otherwiſe be determined.
Secondly, That Lots ſhould be looked on as an Ordinance of God, in which God hath a ſpecial hand in the determination by them.
Thirdly, That therefore men ſhould in the uſe of them, look up to God in Faith and Prayer, either ſolemne or ſecret ejaculatory, to afford his ſpecial guidance in the thing.
Theſe three conditions are hinted in theſe Scriptures, Prov. 18.18. The Lot cauſeth contentions to ceaſe, &c. Prov. 16.33. The Lot is caſt into the Lapp, but the whole diſpoſing thereof is of the Lord: And therefore, Acts 1. They prayed over the Lot.
That which hath been ſayd of divine Lotts, being particularly and throughly weighed, doth eaſily overthrow ſuch Lots as are vaine, luſory, unneceſſary, and contentionary, and cauſing, or accompanying much iniquity; As in Tables, Cards, Dice, &c.
For Diabolicall Lots, Lots of Divinations, to foretell future arbitrary events, &c. they doe not onelyonly want that aforeſayd which concurrs to divine Lots; or onelyonly have that evill in them that is in luſory unneceſſary Lots (againſt which the godly learned Fathers and Ancients have abundantly inveighed) but there is this ſuperadded, The direction and aſſiſtance of the Devill in them; there being nothing from God, or nature to predict by ſuch kinde of things: The very Name hath no good Omen in it. For we all agree that Sorcery ſignifies a Diabolical Art; and on the other ſide, no man can deny, but that Sorcery is derived, a ſortibus from Lots, which (ſaith Minſh.) "men uſed that wrought by "the help of the Devil.
And that this Divination by Lots was common among the Heathen, and in their Diabolical way, is commonly confeſſed in their owne Writings; as wee might abound with inſtances, Pyndar. Pyth. od. 1. foreign, &c. The Diviner by Birds, and Lots, &c. Upon which the Schooliaſts ſay foreign. &c. i. e. They were wont to divine by Lots, Valer. Max. l. 1. c. 1. Cùm inquirendum; extis vel ſortibus. Cùm ſolemni ritu peragendum; ſacrificio, i. e. When any thing was to be enquired, it was to be done by intrals of Beaſts, or by Lots, &c. And of theſe Heatheniſh Lots, Cic. in his Books de Divinatione, ſpeakes abundantly, mentioning Paleſtine Lots, Dodonean Lots. And Suet. mentions Antiatine Lots, Aponian Lots. And their Oracles were (as Gloſſ. affirmes) foreign, ſortes, Lots. And Feſtus ſaith, Sors a Deis reſponſum ſignificat. And Ovid in his Metamorphoſis, Placuit, Caleſte precari Numen & auxilium per ſacras quaerere ſortes. Mota Dea eſt, ſortemque dedit. Sofforat, Dictae per carmina ſortes. From theſe Lots, ſaith Varro, and others, were Wizards or Soothſayers called Sortilegi, ſortiary. Sorcerers; which name we ſtill give to Witcheries of all kinds.
And beſides all this, the manner of Lots, as caſting of a Dye, opening of a Booke, with names and predictions in it, with a thouſand more ſtrange devices to that end (if I would ſpend time to name them) doe ſmel of the Devils Claw, I meane, they are ſuitable to Diabolieal inventions. And therefore this ſorcery, that is, Divination by Lots (otherwiſe then is allowed in the Word of God, as aforeſayd) is forbidden, as one kinde of thoſe Diabolical Arts, Deut. 18.10, 11. Though I confeſſe ſome learned draw the prohibition from one word, others from another uſed in that place. The Syriack renders the ſecond of thoſe Diabolicall Artiſts, which our new Tranſlation renders, An obſerver of times: I ſay the Syriack, renders it, A Sorcerer, that is, Sortilegus, a Lot-ſorcerer, or Lot-Diviner. Other learned men alſo ſay, that this kinde of ſorcery by Lots is included in the ſame word. But moſt certainely in as much as Lot-ſorcery was uſually adjoyned to moſt of the Diabolicall Arts, as before we have intimated in part; ſo it is forbidden throughout this Text, as the Appendix to the principall. And further in this alſo appeareth the Diabolicalneſſe of this Sorcery, or ſortilegie; that God never giving to ſuch things an inſtinct to predict future things, yet notwithſtanding men caſting ſuch Lots, doe put a confidence in them, that they will certainely divine future things to them. And therefore Maſter Perkins affirmeth, that as men doe put a confidence in theſe things, or elſe cannot attaine to any foreknowledge by them, ſo therein explicitely, or implicitly they had confederacy with the Devil.
Now for a briefe parallel of theſe times with theſe ancient practiſes.
Firſt, It is evident that it is common with Diabolicall Artiſts, to uſe Cataptromancy, to divine by Looking-glaſſes, therein ſhewing to their enquiring Clyents the ſhape of perſons and things which they would know.
Secondly, For foreign, Rabdomancy, divination by a Staffe, this alſo hath been practiſed, Viz. to ſet up a Staffe bolt up right, and which way it fals, thitherward for the owner to goe, as directed by a ſpeciall prediction.
Thirdly, For Extiſpicie, or Aruſpicie, it cannot be ſo much followed in theſe dayes wherein all Sacrifices are exploded; but I ſuſpect there is too much of this Art in the mindes of men in theſe dayes, whiles they ſo much obſerve the birth of Monſters, either of mankinde, or beaſts. But ſuch things heeded of late yeares, as ominous, have preceded onelyonly the ruine of the freinds of that ſuperſtition; ſo that thoſe predictors have but propheſied ill to themſelves.
Fourthly, Imagery Papiſts and Witches, doe much uſe. Of which afore.
Fifthly, For Sorcery properly ſo called, Viz. Divination by Lotts; it is too much apparent how it abounds. For luſory Lots the ſtate groans under the loſſe by them, to the ruine of many men and Families; as the Churches lament under the ſins by them. And for other Lots, by Sieves, Bookes, &c. they abound as Witchery, &c. abounds.
Was it not a ſtrange thing that a man pretending to ſome godlineſſe, and much learning, would caſt Lots to know of what judgement and practiſe hee ſhould be, in matter of Religion? And when that was determined to him, by Lot, then he caſt another Lot to know of what Society he ſhould be, to manifeſt and practice that his judgement.
To conclude this Chapter: let me tel you, It is an ill ſigne when wee are more inquiſitive to know what ſhall be, then to know what wee are, or to indeavour to be what we ought to be: And theſe times wil prompt this to you, that whiles men doe in a Diabolical way inquire after events, they neglect Gods meanes of ſalvation. And in particular, the Word; which is the true Catoptromantia to know our ſelves by a Glaſſe, James 1.23. The true Imagery to repreſent to us God and good by Chriſt, and him crucified, Rom. 8. 29. Heb. 1.3. The true Lottery, Pſalm. 16.6. whiles men heed other things, they are apt to delude themſelves with interpretations, that are not properly Analogical to the ſignes. As Julian the Apoſtate would conclude, that becauſe his Babylonian Horſe with his Trappings fel to the ground, therefore he ſhould have dominion over Babylon. And Caeſar ſtepping on the Affrican ſhore, and falling by the ſlipping of his foot, cryed out, claſping the Sands in his armes, Teneo te Affrica, I poſſeſſe thee O Affrica, though the ſtanders by looked on it as an evil ſigne.