The Twelfth Chapter. How One Should Keep Oneself in Order to Carry Out This Operation Well

THE TWELFTH CHAPTER.

HOW ONE SHOULD KEEP ONESELF IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT THIS OPERATION WELL.

HIS Operation being truly Divine, it is necessary once more to treat of and distinguish the present Consecration into different periods of time.

You shall then understand that during the two first and two second Moons, no other Consecration must be performed, than that of which we have already spoken in the Seventh and Eighth foregoing

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[paragraph continues] Chapters, ¹ unto the which I refer you, so as not to be too prolix. And I only say unto you, that during the course of the two first and two second Moons, every Saturday when ye perform the Orison, ye shall also burn the Perfume as well in the morning as in the evening; and in the two third and last Moons ye shall make the Prayer and the Perfume thrice daily.

Now here hath the last part of the time arrived here therefore open ye your eyes and be attentive, and govern yourselves in everything and every place in the way which I have written unto you. Have confidence in God, because if even until then ye have faithfully observed mine instructions which I have given unto you, and if your Orisons shall have been made with a righteous heart and with devotion, there is no manner of doubt that all things will appear easy unto you, and your own spirit and your understanding will teach you the manner in which you should conduct yourself in all points; because your Guardian Angel is already about you, though Invisible, and conducteth and governeth your heart, so that you shall not err. The two Moons being finished, in the morning ye shall commence all that is commanded in the Ninth Chapter, ² and further observe this present Chapter.

When first ye shall enter into the Oratory, leave your shoes without, ³ and having opened the window, ⁴ ye shall place the lighted coals in the Censer which ⁵ you shall have brought with you, you shall light the Lamp, and take from the Cupboard of the Altar your two Vestments,

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the Crown, the Girdle and the Wand, placing them upon the Altar. Then take the Sacred Oil in your left hand, cast some of the Perfume upon the Fire, and place yourself upon your knees, ¹ praying unto the Lord with fervour.

THE ORISON.

O LORD GOD of Mercy; God, Patient, Most Benign and Liberal; Who grantest Thy Grace in a thousand ways, and unto a thousand generations; Who forgettest the iniquities, the sins, and the transgressions of men; in Whose Presence none is found innocent; Who visitest the transgressions of the father upon the children and nephews unto the third and fourth generation; I know my wretchedness, and that I am not worthy to appear before Thy Divine Majesty, nor even to implore and beseech Thy Goodness and Mercy for the least Grace. But, O Lord of Lords, the Source of Thy Bounty is so great, that of Itself It calleth those who are ashamed by reason of their sins and dare not approach, and inviteth them to drink of Thy Grace. Wherefore, O Lord my God, have pity upon me, and take away from me all iniquity and malice; cleanse my soul from all the uncleanness of sin; renew within me my Spirit, and comfort it, so that it may become strong and able to comprehend the Mystery of Thy Grace, and the Treasures of Thy Divine Wisdom. Sanctify me also with the Oil of Thy Sanctification, wherewith Thou hast sanctified all Thy Prophets; and purify in me therewith all that appertaineth unto me, so that I may become worthy of the Conversation of Thy Holy Angels and of Thy Divine Wisdom, and grant unto me the Power which Thou

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hast given unto Thy Prophets over all the Evil Spirits. Amen. Amen."

This is the Prayer which I myself made use of in my Consecration; the which I give not here to confine you (to a certain form), nor to oblige you to employ the same, nor to tell it you over as I would to a parrot whom I should wish to teach to talk; but only and solely to give unto you an idea of the manner in which we should pray.

Having finished your Orison, rise from your knees, and anoint the centre ¹ of your forehead with a little of the Sacred Oil; after this dip your finger into the same Oil, and anoint therewith the four upper corners of the Altar. Touch also with this Holy Oil the Vestments, the Girdle, the Crown, and the Wand, on both sides. You shall also touch the Doors and the Windows of the Oratory. Then with your finger dipped in the Oil you shall write upon the four sides of the Altar these words, so that they may be perfectly clearly written on each side:--

"In whatever place it may be wherein Commemoration of My Name shall be made, I will come unto you and I will bless you."

This being done the Consecration is finished, and then ye shall put the White Tunic and all the other things into the Cupboard of the Altar. Then kneel down and make your ordinary prayer, as is laid down in the Third Chapter; ² and be well ware to take no consecrated thing out of the Oratory; and during the whole of the ensuing period ye shall enter the Oratory and celebrate the Office with naked feet.

Footnotes

78:1 Which give the instructions for these periods.

78:2 Concerning the two last Moons.

78:3 "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."

78:4 It will be remarked how this point is insisted on.

78:5 "Which," apparently, should refer to the coals, and not to the censer.

79:1 Preferably I should advise upon the Western side of the Altar, and facing therefore the East; also I would have the cupboard opening upon the Western side, for certain mystical reasons.

80:1 The place of the third eye in the Indian figures of Gods.

80:2 This is apparently a slip for "the Seventh Chapter"; as the Third Chapter is only a short one regarding those who are fitted to undertake the Operation.