7. A practise there is among us to determine doubtful matters, by the opening of a book, and letting fall a staff; which notwithstanding are ancient fragments of _Pagan_ divinations. The first an imitation of _Sortes Homericæ_; or _Virgilianæ_, drawing determinations from verses casually occurring. The same was practised by _Severus_, who entertained ominous hopes of the Empire, from that verse in _Virgil_, _Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento_; and _Cordianus_ who reigned but few dayes was discouraged by another, that is, _Ostendunt terris hunc tantum fata, nec ultra esse sinunt._ Nor was this only performed in heathen Authors, but upon the sacred text of Scripture, as _Gregorius Turonensis_ hath left some account, and as the practise of the Emperour _Heraclius_, before his Expedition into _Asia_ minor, is delivered by _Cedrenus_.
As for the Divination or decision from the staff; it is an Augurial relique, and the practise thereof is accused by God himself; [SN: Hosea 4.] My people ask counsel of their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them. Of this kind of Rhabdomancy was that practised by _Nabuchadonozor_ in that _Caldean_ miscellany, delivered by _Ezekiel_[SN: Ezek. 24.]; the king of _Babylon_ stood at the parting of the way, at the head of two wayes to use divination, he made his arrows bright, he consulted with Images, he looked in the Liver; at the right hand were the divinations of _Jerusalem_. That is, as _Estius_ expounded it, the left way leading unto _Rabbah_, the chief City of the _Ammonites_, and the right unto _Jerusalem_, he consulted _Idols_ and entrails, he threw up a bundle of arrows to see which way they would light; and falling on the right hand he marched towards _Jerusalem_. A like way of Belomancy or Divination by arrows hath been in request with _Scythians_, _Alanes_, _Germans_, with the _Africans_ and _Turks_ of _Algier_. But of another nature was that which was practised by _Elisha_[SN: 2 King. 13.15.], when by an arrow shot from an Eastern window, he pre-signified the destruction of _Syria_; or when according unto the three stroaks of _Joash_, with an arrow upon the ground, he foretold the number of his victories. For thereby the spirit of God particular'd the same; and determined the stroaks of the King unto three, which the hopes of the Prophet expected in twice that number.