Book III, chapters 57–61: Expiations, adorations and vows, sacrifices and oblations

CHAP. LVII. Of those things which being outwardly administred conduce to Expiation.

IT is believed, and it is delivered by them that are skilful in sacred things, that the mind also may be expiated with certain institutions, and sacraments ministred outwardly, as by sacrifices, baptismes, and adjurations, benedictions, consecrations, sprinklings of holy water, by anoyntings, and fumes, not so much consecrated to this, as having a naturall power thus to do; upon this account sulphur hath a place in Religions, to expiate ill Demons with the fume thereof. An egge also was wont to be used in Purgations; hence eggs are called holy, whence Ovid,

Let the old woman come, and purge the bed,
And place, and bring sulphure and eggs sacred
In her trembling hand—

Proclus also writes, that the priests in purifyings were wont to use sulphur, and bitumen, or the washing of sea water: For sulphur purifies by the sharpness of its odour, and sea water by reason of its fiery part; In like manner the hearb Cinquefoil: wherefore by reason of its purity the ancient priests did use it in purifications, also the boughs of Olives. For these are said to be of so great purity, that they report that an olive tree planted by an harlot is thereby for ever made unfruitfull, or else withers. In like manner, frankincense, myrrhe, vervain, valerian, and the hearb called Phu conduce to expiation. Also the blessed Clove flower; and the gall of a black dog being fumed is said to be very powerfull in these, as well for expiating of ill spirits, as any bewitchings: also the feathers of a lapwing being fumed, drives away Phantasmes. It is wonderfull, and scarce credible, but that that grave and worthy Author Josephus relates it in his history of Jerusalem, of a root of Baaras, so called from a place neer Machernus a Town of Judea, being of a yellow colour, that in the night it did shine, and was hard to be taken, that it did oftentimes deceive the hands of them that went to take it, and go out of their sight, never stood still, till the urine of a menstrous woman was sprinkled on it. Neither yet being thus retained, is it pulled up without danger, but suddain death fals upon him that drawes it up, unless he were fortified with an amulet of the said root; which they that want, sacrificing about the earth do bind the root to a dog by a cord, and presently depart: at length the dog with a great deal of pains drawes up the root, and as it were supplying the place of his master presently dies, after which any one may handle the root without danger; the power of which is much excellent in expiations, as is manifest for the delivery of those that are vexed with unclean spirits; now that these kind of waters should act upon spirituall substances by putting them to flight, or by alluring them, or mitigating them, or by inciting them, they are of no other opinion then that the fire of Sicilia acts upon souls: which (William of Paris being witness) not hurting the bodies, doth most intolerably torment the souls of them that are neer. But of those in part we have treated before.

CHAP. LVIII. Of Adorations, and vowes.

ADorations, and vowes, sacrifices, and oblations are certain degrees in sacred […] things find out God, and those things which principally provoke the divine pleasure, and procure a sacred and indissolvible communion of God with souls; for by prayers which we utter with true and sacred words, sensibly, and affectionately, we obtain a great power, when by the application of them to any diety we do so far move it, that he may direct his speech and answer by a divine way, by which (as saith Dionysius) God speaks with men, but so occultly that very few perceive it. But oftentimes that King and Prophet David perceives it, when he saith, I will hear what the Lord will speak in me. Adoration therefore being a long time continued, and often frequented, perfects the intellect, and makes the soul more large for the receiving of divine lights, inflaming divine love, producing faith, hope, and sacred manners, purifieth the soul from all contrariety, and what is any away adverse to it, and doth also repell divers evils, which would otherwise naturally fall out. Hence Ovia sings,

—With prayers mov'd is Jove;
I oftentimes have seen when from above—
He would send dreadfull lightnings, him to be
Appeas[…]d with frankincense—

Now man is returned to God by prayers, by which coming he (saith Plato in Phedrus) stops horses, and enters into the chambers of repose, where he feeds upon Ambrosia, and drinks Nectar. Therefore they that desire to enjoy any vertue, must pray, and supplicate often to him who hath all vertue in himself Now that is the best prayer, which is not uttered in words, but that which with a Religious silence and sincere cogitation is offered to God, and that which with the voice of the mind and words of the intellectuall world is offered to him. Now a vow is an ardent affection of a chast mind given up to God, which by vowing wisheth that which seems good. This affection (as Jamblicus, and Proclus testifie) doth so joyn the soul to God, that the operation of the mind and of God is one; viz. of God as an artificer, of the mind as a divine instrument: all antiquity testifies that by vowes sometimes miracles are done, diseases are cured, tempests are diverted, and such like. Hence we read that the most excellent, and wise in all nations, the Bragmanni of the Indians the Magicians of the Persians, the Gymnosopists of the Aegyptians, the divines of the Greeks, and Caldeans which did excell in divine secrets, did apply themselves to divine vowes, and prayers, and thereby did effect many wonderfull things. Now to the perfection of a vow, and adoration (for a vow cannot be perfect without an adoration, nor an adoration without a vow) there are two things especially required, viz. First the knowledge of the thing to be adored, and to which we must vow, and in what manner, and order, and by what Mediums it must be worshipped; for there are various cooperators and instruments of God, viz The heavens, Stars, and ministring spirits, the celestiall souls, and Heroes, which we must implore as porters, interpreters, administrators, mediators, but first of all him, who goeth to the Archetype God, who only is the utmost term of adoration; the others dieties are as it were passages to that very God. Know therefore that adorations and vowes must with a pure and pious mind be principally made to that one only God, the highest father, King and Lords of all the god. But when they shall come before to the inferiour gods, let the intention of the administration be terminated in them; therefore to adorations, and vowes, when they be directed to the inferiour dieties, Zoroastes and Orpheus thought fitting that suffumigations and characters should be used; But when they are erected to the majesty of the supream God, they must not in any wise; which also Hermes, and Plato forbid to be done. Whence Hermes to Tatius; This (saith he) is like to sacriledge when thou prayest to God to be willing to kindle frankincense, and such like; For (saith Porphyrie) they are not agreeable to piety. For there is not any materiall thing can be found, which to the immateriall God is not unclean. Therefore neither is that prayer which is uttered by words agreeable to him, nor that prayer which is mentall, if the mind be polluted with vice; Secondly there is also required a certain assimilation of our life to the divine life, in purity, chastity and holiness, with a lawfull desire of that which we wish for; for by this means we especially obtain the divine benevolence, and are subjected to the divine bounty; for unlesse we, having our minds purged, be worthy to be heard; and also those things which we desire, be worthy to be done, it is manifest that the gods will not hearken to our prayers; whence divine Plato saith that God cannot be bound by our prayers or gifts to do unjust things; therefore let us desire nothing of God, which we think uncomely to wish fore for by this means only, we see that very many are frustrated of their prayers and vowes, because that neither they themselves are Religiously disposed, nor are their desires and prayers made for those things which are well pleasing to God, neither do they know to discern in what order they ought to pray, and through what mediatours they ought to go to God; the ignorance of which doth very oft reduce our prayers and supplications to nothing, and causeth our desires and wishes to be denied.

CHAP. LIX. Of sacrifices and oblations, and their kinds and manners.

ASacrifice is an oblation which is both holy by offering, and sanctifieth and maketh Holy the offerer, unless either Irreverence or some other sin be an impediment to him; therefore these sacrifices and oblations do yeld us much hope, and make us of the family of God, and do repel from us many evils hanging over our heads, which the doctors of the Hebrews do especially confirm, saying by this that we kill our living creatures, and dissipate our wealth by sacrifice, we turn away mischiefes which do hang over us: for as this mortall priest sacrificeth in this inferior world the soul of irrational creatures to God, by the separating of the body from the soul: so Michael the Archangel the priest of the higher world, sacrificeth the souls of men, and this by the separation of the soul from the body, and not of the body from the soul, unless perchance, as it happeneth in fury, Rapture, Extasie and sleep, and such like vacations of the soul, which the Hebrews call the death of the body. But sacrifices & oblations are first of all and principally to be offered up to the most high God; but when they are to be directed to the secondary divine powers, this ought to be done even as we have spoken concerning prayers and vows: but there are many kinds of sacrifices: one kind is called a burnt offering, when the thing sacrificed was consumed by fire; another, is an offering for the effusion of blood; moreover there are salutiferous sacrifices which are made for the obtaining of health, others pacifying for obtaining peace, others praising for the freeing from some evill, and for the bestowing of some good thing; others Gratulatory, for divine worship and thanksgiving; but some sacrifices are made neither for the honor of God, nor out of good will, of which sort was that amongst the Hebrews, called the sacrifice of Jealousie, which was made only for the detecting of occult adultery. There was in times past amongst the Gentiles the sacrifice of expiation, by the which cities were purged from famine, pestilence, or some horrible calamity; whose rites were to search out the most wicked man in that city, and to lead him to the place appointed carrying in his hands a cheese and wafers and dry figs; afterwards to whip him seven times with Rods, and then to burn him to ashes with the same rods, and to cast the ashes into the sea; of these Lycophron and Hipponax make mention; neither doth Philostratus relate things much different from these, concerning Apollonius of Tiana while he chased away the Pestilence from Ephesus. Moreover there were many kind of sacrifices and offeringsas Agonalia, Dapsa, Farreationes, Hecatombe, Hostia, Hyacinthia, Armilustra, Janualia, Lucalia, Lupercalia, Munychia, Novendinalia, Nyctiluca, Palatialia, Pastillaria, Popularia, Protervia, Scenopegia, Solitaurilia, Stata, Rubigalia, Fontanalia, Ormia, Parentalia, Inferiae, Consualia, Lampteria, Amburbia, Ambarvalia, Vivalta, Thyia, Holocaustomata, Orgia, Latialia, Dianetaurica, Bacchanalia, Trieterica, Liberalia, Cocytia, Cerealia, Thesmophoria, Adonia, Teonia, Laurentalia, Opalia, Palilia, Quirinalia, Vertumnalia, Gynaecia, Panathenea, Quinquatria, Diapalia, Diasia, Horma, Hormea, Nemea, Mytriaca, Palogygia. And the offerings of these were proper and diverse; for a Goat and an Ass were sacrificed to Bacchus, a Sow to Ceres, an horse to the Sun, an hart and dogs to Diana, an Ass to Priaapus, a Goose to Isis, a dunghil-cock to the Night, a she-Goate to Faunus, a Bull to Neptune, a she-Goate to Minerva, a Bull to Hercules, a child to Saturn, a Sow with piggs to Maja, a Cock to Aesculapius: moreover they did sacrifice to Hercules Gnidius with scoulding and railings; there were also diverse orders of Priests, as high priests, Flamines, Archislamines, Phylades, Salians, Hierophantes & diverse names of religions, and superstitions, and sacrifices, ceremonies, feasts, consecrations, dedications, vowes, devotions, expiations, oathes, offerings, satisfactory works; by the which the seduced gentiles did sacrifice to false Gods and devils; but the true sacrifice, which purgeth any man, and uniteth him to God, is twofold; one which the high priest Christ offered for the remission of sins, purifying all things by the blood of his cross; the other, by the which a man offereth up himself clean unspotted, for a living sacrifice to God, as Christ the high priest offered himself, and taught us to be offered together with him, as he was offered, saying of the sacrament of his body, and blood, Do this in remembrance of me; viz. that we should offer our selves together, being mortified by the passion of his mortal body, and quickned in spirit; of the which Porphyry saith, Let us labor to offer up holines of life for a sacrifice; for no man can be a good priest of God, but he which bringeth forth himself for a sacrifice, and buildeth up his own soul, as it were for an Image, and doth constitute both his mind, and understanding for a Temple in the which he may receive the divine light; but eternal sacrifices (as Heraclitus saith) are certain cures of the soul, instituted by the most High Physitian; for the evill spirit possesseth a man (as Proclus saith) even untill he be expiated by sacrifices; therefore sacrifices are required to pacifie God and the Heavenly powers, and to expiate a man, who beareth the Image both of God and the world; But our Lord Jesus Christ the true high priest concluded all sacrifices in bread and wine only, as in the primary substance of mans meat, needing further the offering up of no animals, nor other things, or the effusion of blood, in which we may be cleansed, being perfectly cleansed in his blood. There were also amongst the Aegyptians sixhundred sixty six kinds of sacrifices; for they did appoynt divine honors, and holy sacrifices to each star, and planet, because they were divine animals partaking of an intellectual soul and a divine mind; whence they say that the stars being humbly prayed unto, do hear our prayer, and bestow celestial gifts, not so much by any natural agreement, as by their own free will. And this is that which Jamblicus saith, that celestial bodies, and the dieties of the world have certain divine and superior powers in themselves, as also natural and inferior, which Orpheus calls the keyes to open and shut; and that by those we are bound to the fatall influencies, but by these to loose us from fate. Whence if any misfortune hang over any one from Saturn, or from Mars, the Magicians command that he must not forthwith fly to Jupiter, or Venus, but to Saturn or Mars themselves. So that Apuleian Psyche who was persecuted by Venus for equalling her in beauty, was forced to importune for favor, not from Ceres, or Juno, but from Venus her self. Now they did sacrifice to each star with things belonging to them; to the Sun with solary things, and its animals, as a Laurel tree, a Cock, a Swan, a Bull; to Venus with her animals, as a Dove, or turtle, and by her plants, as Vervain; as Virgil sings,

—Water bring out
With garlands soft, the altar round about
Compass, and burn fat boughs and frankincense
Thats strong and pure—

Moreover the Magicians when they made any confection either natural, or artificial, belonging to any star, this did they afterward religiously offer, and sacrifice to the same star, receiving not so much a natural vertue from the influence thereof being oppottunly received, as by that religious oblation receiving it divinely confirmed and stronger. For the oblation of any thing, when it is offered to God after aright manner, that thing is sanctified by God by the oblation as is a sacrifice, and is made part thereof. Moreover to the celestial and etherial Gods white sacrifices were offered; but to the terrestial or infernal, black: but to the terrestial upon the altars, but to the infernal in ditches; to the aerial and watery flying things: But to these white, to these black. Finally, to all the Gods and Demons besides terrestial and infernal, flying things were offered, but to those only four-footed animals, for like rejoyceth in like. Of these only which were offered to the celestial, and etherial, it is lawfull to eat, the extream parts being reserved for God, but of the other not. Now all these the Oracle of Apollo hath expressed in these verses,

A threefold sacrifice to th' Gods above,
White must be slain for them; for them below
Threefold also, but black for them; withall
With open altars Gods celestiall
Are taken, when th' infernal Gods require
Pits embru'd with black blood, and fill'd with mire,
And are not pleas'd but with a sacrifice
That's buried; but of th' aire the dieties
Delight in honey, and in wines most clear,
And that on altars kindled be the fire,
Require, with flying sacrifice, and white:
But of the earth the dieties delight
That earthly bodies should with frankinsense
And wafers offered be in reverence.
But for the Gods that rule the sea thou must
Thy sacrifices lay on the sea coasts,
And on the waves cast the whole animal.
But to the dieties celestial
Give th, extream parts, and them consume with fire;
What then remains thou maist if thon desire
Eat up, and let the air with vapors thick
And sweet smelling drop—

These doth Porphyry make mention of in his book of answers, to whom the rest assent. For they say that these sacrifices are certain natural Mediums betwixt the Gods and men; which Aristotle affirming saith, that to sacrifice to God is in a man naturally. They are therefore they say, Mediums, which savor of the nature of both, and represent divine things analogically, and have with the diety to whom they are offered, certain convenient anlogies, but so occult that a mans understanding can scarce conceive of them, which God, and the Dieties require in particular for our expiation with which the celestial vertues are pleased, and withhold themselves from execution of the punishment which our sins deserve. And these are (as Orpheus calls them) keys which open the gate of the elements and the heavens, that by them a man may ascend to the supercelestials; and the intelligences of the heavens, and the demons of the elements may descend to him. Now men that are perfect, and truly Religious need them not, but only they, who (saith Trismegistus) being fallen into disorder, are made the servants of the heavens and creatures; who because they are subjected to the heavens, therefore think they may be corroborated by the favour of the celestiall vertue, untill they flying higher be acquitted from their presidency, and become more sublime then they.

CHAP. LX. What imprecations, and rites the ancients were wont to use in sacrifices, and oblations.

NOw let us see what imprecations they did joyn to oblations, and sacrifices; For he that did offer any sacrifice to God, did say these, or the like things: I thy servant do offer and sacrifice these things to thee; I confesse that thou art the author of all sanctity, and I call upon thee to sanctifie this oblation, that thou wouldst pour upon it the vertue of thy high and excellent spirit, that by it we may obtain what we ask for. Moreover also as this thing present by any oblations is made thine, as to live, or die to thee, so also let me be made thine who by this oblation, and communion, by this thing which I come to offer, and sacrifice to thee, profess to be one of thy family, and worshippers. Besides in offerings it was said, As that animal is in my power to be slain, if I pleased, or to be saved: so it is in thy power to take away in wrath, or to give in love that which we desire. Lastly, when for expiation, or the avoyding of any evil, any sacrifice was to be made, it was said, As that animall dies in my hand, so die all vice in me, also all uncleanness, or so let die and be annihilated such or such an evil, or discommodity. Also, As the blood of this animal is poured forth out of its body, so let all vice and uncleanness flow out from me. In sacrifices laid on the altarto be burnt, it was said, as this oblation is consumed by this present fire, so that nothing remains of it; so let all evil be consumed in me, or let such or such an evil which we would repell and avoyd be consumed. It was also a custom when imprecation was made, to touch the altar with the hands of all those for whom such a sacrifice was made, or of them who did desire to be partakers of it, because prayer only cannot prevail, unless he that prayes toucheth the altar with his hands; whence in Uirgil,

Those that in these words pray, and altar touch
Th' omnipotent doth hear—

And elswhere,

I touch the altars, and the middle fires,
And the Dieties beseech.

CHAP. LXI. How these things must be performed, as to God, so to inferiour dieties.

EVery Adoration therefore, oblation, or sacrifice, deprecation, invocation, are differenced thus, viz. either because they are made to God only, or to inferiour dieties, as angels, Stars, Heroes. In these therefore such rules are to be observed, that when any prayer is to be offered to God alone for the obtaining of any effect, it must be done with the commemoration of some work, miracle, sacrament, or promise, taken somewhere out of scripture; as if there be a deprecation made for the destruction of enemies, let it be commemorated that God destroyed the Giants in the deluge of waters, and the builders of Babel in the confusion of tongues, Sodom, and Gomorrha in raining of fire, the host of Pharoah in the Red-sea, and the like; adding to those some malediction out of the Psalms, or such as may be gathered out of other places of scripture. In like manner when we are to deprecate against dangers of waters, let us commemorate the saving of Noah in the flood; the passing of the children of Israel through the Red-sea, and Christ walking dryshod upon the waters, and saving a ship from shipwrack, commanding the winds and waves, and lifting up Peter sinking in the waters of the sea, and such like. But if a prayer be necessary for obtaining Oracles, or dreames, whether it be to God, Angels, or Heroes, there are many places offer themselves out of the old testament, where God is said to talk with men, promising in very many places Presages, and Revelations, besides the propheticall dreams of Jacob, Joseph, Pharoah, Daniel, Nebuchadnezzer, in the old Testament, and the Revelation of John, Paul, in the new; also of holy Magicians, as Helen, Constantine and Charles; also of later Prophets, as Methedius, Cyrillus, Joachim, Merlin, Brigitta, Mechtindis, Hildegardis, the dieties of whom being piously invocated, render us oftentimes partakers of divine Revelations. Moreover we must invocate the sacred names of God, but those especially, which are significative of the thing desired, or any way applicable to it; as for the destruction of enemies we must invocate the name of Gods wrath, of the revenge of God, fear of God, justice of God, fortitude of God: but for the avoiding of any danger we must invocate the names of pity, defence, salvation, goodness, and the like. Moreover we must petition for and to the effecters of the thing desired, viz. such an Angel, Star or Heroe on whom that office lies; but observing that our invocation on them must be made with due number, weight, and measure, and according to the rules delivered concerning inchantments. For betwixt these there is no difference, but that inchantments are such as affect our mind, disposing the Passions thereof into a conformity to certain dieties; but prayers are such as are exhibited to any diety by way of worship, and veneration; and from the same root also may the manner of consecrations be taken, of which we shall in the next place speak.