The Consecration Of Places, Ground, Circle, &c.

The Consecration of PLACES, GROUND, CIRCLE, &c.

THEREFORE when you would consecrate any place or circle, you should take the prayer of Solomon used in the dedication and consecration of the temple; you must likewise bless the place by sprinkling with holy water and with suffumigations, and commemorate in the benediction holy mysteries; such as these, the sanctification of the throne of God, of Mount Sinai, of the tabernacle of the covenant, of the holy of holies, of the temple of Jerusalem; also the sanctification of Mount Golgotha, by the crucifixion of Christ; the sanctification of the temple of Christ; of Mount Tabor, by the transfiguration and ascension of Christ, &c. And by, invocating all divine names which are significant to this; such 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 sort, which are to be written about the circle, or place to be consecrated.

And, in the consecration of instruments, and every other thing that is used in this art, you must proceed after the same manner, by sprinkling with holy water the same, by fumigation, by anointing with holy oil, sealing it with some holy seal, and blessing it with prayer, and by commemorating holy things out of the sacred Scriptures, collecting divine names which are agreeable to the things to be consecrated; as for example, in the consecration of the sword we are to remember in the gospel, "he that hath two coats," &c. and that in the second of the Maccabees, it is said that a sword was divinely and miraculously sent to Judas Maccabeus; and if there is any thing of the like in the prophets, as "take unto you two-edged swords," &c. And you shall

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also, in the same manner, consecrate experiments and books, and whatever of the like nature, as writings, pictures, &c. by sprinkling, perfuming, anointing, scaling, blessing, with holy commemorations, and calling to remembrance the sanctification of mysteries; as the table of the ten commandments, which were delivered to Moses by God in mount Sinai, the sanctification of the Old and New Testaments, and likewise of the law, prophets, and Scriptures, which were promulgated by the Holy Ghost: and again, there are to be mentioned such divine names as are convenient to this; as these are, viz. the testament of God, the book of God, the book of life, the knowledge of God, the wisdom of God, and the like. And with such kind of rites as these is the personal consecration performed.

There are beside these another rite of consecration of great power and efficacy; and this is one of the kinds of superstition, viz. when the rite of consecration or collection of any sacrament in the church is transferred to that thing which we would consecrate.

It must be noted that vows, oblations, and sacrifices, have the power of consecration also, as well real as personal; and they are, as it were, certain conventions between those names with which they are made and us who make them, strongly cleaving to our desire and wished effects, as when we sacrifice with certain names., or things; as fumigations, unctions, rings, images, mirrors; and some things less material, as characters, seals, pentacles, enchantments, orations, pictures, Scriptures, of which we have largely spoken before.