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The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) · 102 of 175 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite

Page 50 (part 2)

The perfumes are aloes wood and incense for most occasions, and mace for the fumigation of the circle. The Book of True Black Magic omits mace but substitutes benzoin and storax, and any others at choice, without specific distinction as to the circle. The following Prayers, Exorcisms and Benedictions, to be said over the aromatic perfumes, occur in the two Rituals, the first and third being common to both, and borrowed from the Key of Solomon ; the second, also referable to the same source, is not found in the Grimorium Verum . FIRST EXORCISM O God of Abraham ✠, God of Isaac ✠, and God of Jacob ✠, vouchsafe to bless and sanctify these creatures, of whatsoever species they may be, so that they may obtain virtue and Power to discern good spirits from bad, even phantoms and enemies, through Thee, O ADONAY, Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen . SECOND EXORCISM I exorcise thee, O impure Spirit, who art the phantom of the Enemy. In the Name of God Almighty, come out from this kind, with all thy falsehood and wickedness, so that it may become sanctified and exorcised, in the Name of God Almighty; that all virtues may inspire those who partake of this odour; that the Spirit of God may descend, and the virtue of the Lord manifest, in the burning of this species; and that no phantom may dare to accost it. Through the Ineffable Name of God Almighty. Amen . THIRD EXORCISM Deign, O Lord, to sanctify this creature, so that it may become a signal remedy for the human race, and the salvation of our souls and bodies, through the invocation of Thy Most Holy Name, that so all creatures which inhale the smoke of this kind may have health of body and soul. Through that Lord Who hath created the ages of ages. So be it . This done, sprinkle the perfumes with exorcised water, and set them aside in the silken cloth for use as prescribed. When you would fumigate anything, take new coal which has not been kindled, set it alight, and while it is still black, exorcise it, saying: EXORCISM OF THE LIGHTED COAL I exorcise thee, O creature of Fire, by Hint Who hath made all things! Do thou expel from thee all phantoms, so that they may in no wise harm or trouble us in our work, by the invocation of the Most High Creator. Amen. O Saviour, Almighty and merciful, bless Thy creature of this kind, so that no harm may come to him who shall make use of it. Amen . In concluding this portion of its ceremonial, the Book of True Black Magic states that there are occasions on which perfumes of a stinking or malodorous kind must be used. As the first point of their preparation, the operator must say over them: ADONAY, LAZAY, DELMAY, AMAY, SADAY, ELOY, by the invocation, O Saviour, of Thy Most Holy Name, vouchsafe us, through this kind, the help of Thy grace, and may it assist us in all things which we need to fulfil; may all malice pass out herefrom, may it be blessed and sanctified in Thy most powerful Name. Amen . Asperge the stinking perfume with exorcised water, place it in the silken cloth and use it as needed, but always in the name of the Most Holy ADONAY. So doing, thou shalt obtain thy desire, says the "Manuscript discovered at Jerusalem in the Sepulchre of Solomon."
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Themes
Covenanttheology

A binding agreement or relationship between the divine and a people or individual, establishing mutual obligations.

References to 'God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' imply the Abrahamic covenantal relationship underlying the authority of the prayers.

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Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

The text assumes God actively orders outcomes ('vouchsafe us... the help of Thy grace', 'manifest, in the burning of this species').

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

God is addressed as active and responsive ('Who livest and reignest', 'vouchsafe to bless'), indicating a personal deity engaged in the ritual.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

Multiple formal prayers and exorcisms are provided as the core mechanism for consecrating the magical materials.

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Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

The passage includes specific instructions for exorcising and using lighted coal as a medium for fumigation.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

The entire passage focuses on sanctifying perfumes and coals through exorcism and prayer to ensure they are free from harm or phantoms before use.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The passage heavily relies on invoking specific divine names (Adonay, God of Abraham/Isaac/Jacob, Ineffable Name) to sanctify materials and command spirits.

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Spirit Conjurationpraxis

The grimoire-tradition practice of ceremonially commanding or binding a spirit through consecrated seals, circles, divine names, and prescribed instruments, compelling its appearance and obedience. Distinct from theurgy in the direction of the power relationship — theurgy is reverent engagement with the gods on the premise of the operator's own ascent, this is subordination of a lesser spirit to the operator's will — and from word_power_incantation and sacred_names, which name components (verbal force, name-power) this practice deploys rather than the ritual structure itself.

The text details exorcisms to expel impure spirits and phantoms from materials, establishing a ritual framework for commanding spiritual forces.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The practice involves consecrating material objects (perfumes, coal) through divine invocation to facilitate interaction with spiritual realms.

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Word Power Incantationpraxis

The doctrine and practice that spoken or sung word carries causal-magical force — that uttering names, formulas, songs, or incantations alters reality directly rather than merely communicating about it. Vainamoinen's runo-songs that move mountains and command iron, Norse galdr, Vedic mantra, Shinto kotodama, the magician's barbarous names in the Greek Magical Papyri, Iamblichean arcane signatures and inexplicable symbols, biblical creation-by-word. Distinct from sacred_names (the ontological power of names themselves) and prayer (address to the divine); word_power_incantation is the magical-causal efficacy of the spoken word as such.

The text asserts that speaking specific formulas (exorcisms) over materials grants them virtue and power to discern spirits or protect the user.

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Related passages · 9 parallels
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Shared concept: Theurgy — Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone. (derived)
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Shared concept: Prayer — Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward. (derived)
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Shared concept: Prayer — Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward. (derived)
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Shared concept: Ritual Purity — The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine. (derived)