Page:Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy, 1655.djvu/77

 of holy Seals, and things of the like sort, which do conduce to sanctification and expiation; such as are the Sprinkling with Holy-Water, Unctions with holy Oyl, and odoriferous Suffumigations appertaining to holy Worship. And therefore in every Consecration there is chiefly used the Benediction and Consecration of Water, oyl, Fire, and Fumigations, used everywhere with holy Waxlights or Lamps burning: for without Lights no Sacrament is rightly performed. This therefore is to be known and firmly observed, That if any Consecration be to be made of things profane, in which there is any pollution or defilement, then an exorcising and expiation of those things ought to precede the Consecration. Which things being to made pure are more apt to receive the influences of the Divine vertues. We are also to observe, that in the end of every Consecration, after that the prayer is rightly performed, the person consecrating, ought to bless the thing consecrated. by breathing out some words, with divine vertue and power of the present Consecration, with the commemoration of his vertue and authority, that it may be the more duely performed, and with an earnest and intentive minde. And therefore we will here lay down some examples hereof, whereby the way to the whole perfection hereof may the more easily be made to appear unto you.

So then, in the Consecration of water, we ought to Commemorate how that God hath placed the firmament in the midst of the waters, and in what maner that God placed the fountain of waters in the earthly Paradise, from whence sprang four holy rivers, which watered the whole earth. Likewise we are to call to remembrance in what manner God made the water to be the instrument of executing his justice in the destruction of the Gyants in the general deluge over all the earth, and in the overthrow of the host of Pharaoh in the Red-sea; also, how God led his own people thorow the midst of the Sea on dry ground, and through the midst of the river of Jordan; and likewise how marvelously he drew forth water out of the stony rock in the wilderness;