Part II.

CEREMONIAL MAGIC.
^7
Confecration of Fire.
AND likewlfe, in the confecration of fire, we are to commemorate that God hath created the fire to be an inftrument to execute his juftice, for punifhment, vengeance, and the expiation of fins ; alfo, when God comes to judge the world that he will command a conflagration of fire to go before him; likewife we are to mention that God appeared to Mofes in a burning bufh ; and alfo how he went before the children of Ifrael in a pillar of fire ; and that nothing can be duly offered, fandtified, or facrificed, without fire ; and how that God inftituted fire to be kept in continually in the tabernacle of the covenant ; and how miraculoufly he re-kindled the fame, be- ing extindt, and preferved it elfewhere from going out being hidden under the waters ; and things of this fort ; likewife the names of God are to be called upon which are confonant to this ; as we read in the law and prophets, that God is a comfuming fire ; and likewife if there is any divine names which fig- nify fire, as the glory of God, the^ light of God, the fplendor and brightnefs of God, &c„
The Confecration of Oi l,
AND likewife in the confecration of oil and perfumes we are to men- tion fuch things as are confonant to this purpofe, as of the holy anointing oil, mentioned in Exodus, and divine names fignificant thereunto; fuch as is the name Chrift, which fignifies anointed ; and whatever myfteries there are relative to oil in the Scriptures, as the two olive-trees diftilling holy oil into the lamps that burn before the face of God, mentioned in Reve- lations.
Of the Benediftion ^/'Lights, Lamps, Wax, &c.
NOW, the blefling of the lights, lamps, wax, &c. is taken from the fire, and whatever contains the fubftance of the flame, and whatever fimilitudes" are in the myfteries, as the feven candlefticks which burn before the face of God.
Therefore
88 t THE KEY TO Book XI*
Therefore we have here given the manner of compofing the confecrations, which firft of all are neceflary to be ufed in every kind of ceremony, and ought to precede every experiment or work, and without which nothing in magic rites- can be duly performed.
In the next place, we will fhew thee the confecration of places , inflruments , and the like things.
The Confecration of Places, Ground, Circle, &c.
THEREFORE when you would confecrate any place or circle, you fhoulcL take the prayer of Solomon ufed in the dedication and confecration of the temple ; you muft likewife blefs the place by fprinkling with holy water and with fuffumigations, and commemorate in the benediction holy myfteries $ fuch as thefe, the fanCtification of the throne of God, of Mount Sinai, of the tabernacle of the covenant, of the holy of holies, of the temple of Jerufalem : alio the fandlification of Mount Golgotha, by the crucifixion of Chrift; the fanCtification of the temple of Chrift ; of Mount Tabor, by the transfiguration and afcenfion of Chrift, &c. And by invocating all divine names which are fignificant to this , fuch as the place of God, the throne of God, the chair of God, the tabernacle of God, the altar of God, the habitation of God, and the like divine names of this fort, which are to be written about the circle, or place to be confecrated.
And, in the confecration of inftruments, and every other thing that is ufed in this art, you muft proceed after the fame manner, by fprinkling with holy water the fame, by fumigation, by anointing with holy oil, fealing it with fomfe holy feal, and blefling it with prayer, and by commemorating holy things out of the facred Scriptures, collecting divine names which are agreea- ble to the things to be confecrated ; as for example, in the confecration of the fword we are to remember in the gofpel, “he that hath two coats,” &c. and that in the fecond of the Maccabees, it is faid that a fword was divinely and miraculoufly fent to Judas Maccabeus ; and if there is any thing of the like in the prophets, as “ take unto you two-edged fwords,” &c, And you fhall
alfo*
Tart II.
CEREMONIAL MAGIC.
89
alfo, in the fame manner, confecrate experiments and books, and whatever of the like nature, as writings, pictures, &c. by fprinkling, perfuming, anointing, fealing, bleffing, with holy commemorations, and calling to remembrance the fanCtification of myfteries ; as the table of the ten commandments, which were delivered to Mofes by God in mount Sinai, the fanCtification of the Old and New Teftaments, and likewife of the law, prophets, and Scriptures, which were promulgated by the Holy Ghoft : and again, there are to be men- tioned fuch divine names as are convenient to this ; as thefe are, viz. the teftament of God, the book of God, the book of life, the knowledge of *God, the wifdom of God, and the like. And with fuch kind of rites as thefe is the perfonal confecration performed.
There are befide thefe another rite of confecration of great power and efficacy ; and this is one of the kinds of fuperftition, viz. when the rite of confecration or collection of any facrament in the church is transferred to that thing which we would confecrate.
It muft be noted that vows , oblations , and facrifices , have the power of confecration alfo, as well real as perfonal ; and they are, as it were, certain conventions between thofe names with which they are made and us who make them, ftrongly cleaving to our delire and wilhed effeCts, as when we facrifice with certain names, or things ; as fumigations, unCtions, rings, images, mirrors ; and fome things lefs material, as characters, feals, pentacles, enchantments, orations, pictures. Scriptures, of which we have largely fpoken before.
Of the Invocation of Evil Spirits, and the binding of and conf raining of
them to appear .
NOW, if thou art delirous of binding any fpirit to a ready obedience to thee, we will Ihew you how a certain book may be made by which they may be invoked ; and this book is to be confecrated a book of Evil Spirits, ceremonioully to be compofed in their name and order, whereunto they bind