Book II.

have treated of numbers, and the like operations. And of this fort there are two pentacles of fublime virtue and great power, very ufeful and neceflary to be ufed in the confecration of experiments and fpirits ; one whereof is that in the firft chapter of the Apocalypfe, to wit, a figure of the majefty of God fitting upon a throne, having in his mouth a two-edged fword, as there is defcribed ; about which let there be written, “ I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I am the Firft and the Lafl, who am living, and was dead, and behold I live for ever and ever j and I have the keys of death and hell.” Then there {hall be written about it thefe three verficles :
Munda Deus virtuti tuse, &c. — Give commandment , O God, to thy frength ; confirm , O God, thy jlrength in us. Let them be as dufi befiore the face of the wind : and let the angel of the Lord fcatter them. Let all their ways be dark - nefs and uncertain: and let the angel of the Lord perfecute them.
Moreover, let there be written about it the ten general names, which are El, Elohim , Elohe, Zebaoth , Elion , Efcerchie , Adonay , jab, Letragrammaton ,
There is another pentacle, the figure whereof is like a lamb fain , having feven eyes and feven horns \ and under his feet a book fealed with feven feals, as it is in the fifth chapter of the Apocalypfe. Round about let be written this ver- ficle, behold the lion hath overcome of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. I will open the book and unloofe the feven feals thereof. And another verficle, I faw Satan like lightning fall down from heaven. Behold I have given you power to tread upon ferpents and fcorpions , and over all the power of your enemies , and nothing fall be able to hurt you. And let there be alfo written about it the ten general names as aforefaid.
But thofe pentacles which are thus made of figures and names, let them keep this order j for when any figure is pofited, conformable to any number, to produce any certain effect or virtue, there muft be written thereupon, in all the feveral angles, fome divine name obtaining the force and efficacy of the thing defired ; yet fo neverthelefs, that the name which is of this fort do con- fift of juft fo many letters as the figure may conftitute a number ; or of fo
many
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many letters of a name, as, joined together among themfelves, may make the number of a figure ; or by any number which may be divided without any fiiperfluity or diminution. Now fuch a name being found, whether it be only ©ne name or more, or divers names, it is to be written in all the feveral angles in the figure j but in the middle of the figure, let the revolution ©f the name be wholly and totally placed, or at leaft principally.
We likewife conftitute pentacles by making the revolution of fome kind of name,, in a fquare table, and by drawing about it a fingle or double circle, and writing therein fome holy verficle competent and befitting this name, or from which that name is extracted.. And this is the way of making the pentacles, according to their feveral diftind: forms and fafhions, which we may, if we pleafe, either multiply or commix together by courfe among them- felves,-to work the greater efficacy, extenfion and enlargement of force and virtue-.
As, if a deprecation would be made for the overthrow and deftrudtion of one’s enemies, we are to mind, and call to remembrance how God deftroyed the face of the whole earth in the deluge of waters* and the definition of Sodom and Gomorrah , by raining down fire and brimftone; likewife, how God over- threw Pharoah and his hoft in the Red Sea ; and to call to mind if any other maledidion or curfe be found in holy writ. And thus in things of the like fort. _ So likewife in deprecating and praying againfr perils and dangers of waters, we ought to call to remembrance the faving of Noah in the deluge of waters, the paffing of the children of Ifrael through the Red Sea ; and alfo we are to mind how Chrift walked on the waters, and how he faved the fhip in danger from being caft away by the tempeft ; and how he commanded the winds and the waves, and they obeyed him ; and alfo, that he drew Peter out of the water, being in danger of drowning, and the like.. And, lafily, with thefe we invoke and call upon fome certain holy names of God * to wit, fuch as are fignificative to accomplish our defire, and. accommodated to the defired effedt i as if it be to overthrow enemies, we are to invoke and call upon names of 'wrath, revenge, fear, jujiice, and fortitude of God ; and if we would avoid and i
M 2 efcape

s4 the key to Book IL
efcape any evil or danger, we then call upon the names of mercy, defence, &U vation, fortitude, goodnefs, and fuch like names of God. When likewife we pray to God that he would grant us our defires, we are likewife to inter- mix therewith the name of fome good fpirit, whether one only, or more, whofe office it is to execute our defires; and fometimes alfo we require fome evil fpirit to reftrain or compel, whofe name likewife we intermingle, and that rightly, efpecially if it be to execute any evil work ; as revenge , pu- nifhmcnt , or deflruBion.
Furthermore, if there be any verficle in the Pfalms, or any other part of the holy Scripture that fhall feem congruent and agreeable to our defire, the fame is to be mingled with our prayers. Now, after prayer has been made to God, it is expedient afterwards to make an oration to that executioner, whom, in our precedent prayer to God, we have defired fhould adminifter to us, whether one or more, or whether he be an angel, or ftar, or foul, or any of the noble angels. But this kind of oration ought to be compofed according to the rules which we have delivered in the former part of our work, where we have treated of the manner of the compofition of enchantments* &c.
You may know farther, that thefe kind of bonds have a threefold difference ; for the fir ft bond is when we conjure by natural things ; the fecond is com- pounded of religious myfteries, by facraments, miracles, and things of this fort ; and the third is conftituted by divine names and holy feals. With thefe kind of bonds we may bind not only fpirits, but alfo other creatures whatfoever, as animals , tempejls , burnings, floods of waters , the force and power of arms. Alfo we ufe thefe bonds aforefaid, not only by conjuration, but fometimes alfo ufing the means of deprecation and benediction. Moreover, it conduces much to this purpofe to join fome fentence of holy Scripture, if any (hall be found convenient thereto, as in the conjuration of ferpents, by commemorating the curfe of the ferpent in the earthly paradife, and the fetting up the ferpent in the wildernefs ; and further, adding that verficle, thou float walk upon the aflp and the bafllijk , &c. Superftition is alfo of much prove-
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lancy herein, by the tranflation of fome facramental rites, to bind that which we intend to hinder; as, the rites of excommunication, of fepulchres, funerals, buryings,-and the like fort.
Of the Confecration of all magical Infiruments and Materials which are ufed in.
this Art .
THE virtue of confecrations chiefly conftfts in two things, viz. the power of the perfon confecrating, and the virtue of the prayer by which the confecra- xion is made. ,
For in the perfon confecrating, there is required firmnefs, conftancy, and holinefs of life; and that the confecrator himfelf fhall, with a firm and undubitable faith, believe the virtue, power, and effedt thereof.
Then hvthe prayer by which the confecration is made it derives its virtue either from divineinfpiration, or elfe by compofing it from fundry places in the holy Scriptures, in the commemoration of fome* of the wonderful miracles of God, effedts, promifes, facraments and facramental things, of which we have abundance in hojy writ.
There muft Hkewife be ufed the invocation of divine names, that are figni- ficative of the work in hand ; likewife a fandtifying and expiation which is wrought by fprinkling with holy water, undtions with holy oil, and odoriferous fuffumigations. Therefore in every confecration there is generally ufed a be- nedidtion and confecration of water, earth, oil, fire, and faffumigat-ions, &c. with confecrated wax-lights on lamps burning; for without lights no con- fecration is duly performed. You mull therefore particularly obferve this, that when any thing (which we call prophane) is to be ufed, in which there is any defilement or pollution, it muft, lirft of all, be purified by an Exorcifm compofed folely for that purpofe, which ought to precede the confecration ;
which
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THE KEY TO