Chapter VIII: Part 8

Under these four colours furthermore, which signifie the four Elements, Black the Earth, White the Water, Blew the Air, and Red the fire, are comprised the greatest secrets & mysteries. Otherwise reading in ch. 10. of 35 book _Plinie_, that _Apelles_ had painted _Alexander_ holding lightning in his hand; fingers seemed to hang out, and lightning to be without the Table; but reading they remembred that all those consisted of four colours. I cannot well specifie what those four colours were, which must be principall in nature, till I had learned out of _Zohar_, to consider them in the light: where, that is to be noted, that there are two fastned to the week, namely black, noting the Earth, and red proceeding there from fire, and two to the flame, Blew in the root, over against the black, and white on the top, opposite to red. But let us see how this doth well suit with Chymicall Theorie, which constitutes of these four Elements, two solid and fix’d, which prepare themselves together, the earth, and the fire, which adhere to the week, and the other two liquid volatills and flitting, water, and air, white and blew, as is the flame which is liquid, and in perpetuall motion: And we must not think it strange, that the air, the blew, should be lower then the water, or the white flame which is aloft, because the aereall party which is the oil and fat, separate more hardly, and more difficultly from the composed, then doth the water more opposite to fire. But let us look more mystically thereinto, which the _Zohar_ hath more abundantly run through. The red light, as well in earth as in heaven, is that which destroyes all, dissipates all; for it is the bark of the tree of death, as we may see in a lamp, candle, and other light, whose root is in the earth, namely, this corruptible and corrupting blacknesse which watereth the week; the branches and the boughes are the flames, blew and white. The week with its blacknesse and rednesse is the Elementary world, and the flame the Celestiall. The red colour commands all that is under it, and devoureth it. And if you say that it domineers also in heaven, not as in the inferiour world, wee may answer. And although there be vertues and powers above that are destructive, and dissipate all base subjacent things. All these superiors are anchored in this red light, and not the inferiors, for they are thick, grosse, and obscure; and this red light which is contiguous to that above, gnawes, and devours them; and there is nothing in the low world which shall not be destroyed. It penetrates and enters into stones, it pierceth them, and hollowes them, that waters may passe over them, and drowns all in the depths and hollowes of the earth, where they divide themselves, of the one side, and on the other, till they come to resemble anew in their _Abyssus_, passing crosse the darknesses that are confounded with them; which is the cause that waters rise and fall, (they mount when they come from the sea under earth to their sources, to glide anew above the earth downwards, returning to the place from which they parted.) So that the waters darknesse and light mingling themselves pellmell, there is made within another _Chaos_, which nature comes to unmingle (the heat namely which is therein inclosed) by Ordinance of the Soveraign Dispensator that commands it. And there make lights which men cannot see, because they are dark. Every channell (to be brief) mounts upwards with his voices, whence _Abyssus_ are shaken, and cry to their companion, One depth calleth to another, in the voice of their Catarracts. And who is it that cries? Open thee with thy waters, and I will enter into thee. These are all mysteries uneasy to comprehend, which intend nothing, but to demonstrate the affinity and connexion of the sensible with the intelligible world, and of the Elementary with the Celestiall; for, as it is said in another case, the Universall firmament, called the firmament of heaven, containeth things superiour and inferiour; although after divers manners. This is wel seen in a torch, where blacknesse, that is, the Earth, is the ground of three elements and colours, the red being but an inflammation and heat joined to the blacknesse, without any flame or light; as are the blew and white, which proceed from one very root, all tend a going to unite with the white flame that is above, and more highly elevated then others. Yet it is not therefore so pure and quit of all filthinesse, but that it procreates soot, with black and infected fume, whereof it must be depured by fire, till it hath perfected the consumption of its corruption, and made it a perfect whitenesse, which from that time forwards never alters. And this is that which we said before, that fire leaves two sorts of excrements, not sufficiently depured for the first proof. Ashes below, whence by the same fire is extracted as incorruptible substance of salt; and of glasse at the last, which the _Zohar_ was not ignorant of, when he said upon _Exod._ of the lees of any confected ashes, salt and glasse is drawn. But now for that it was not so said, it is a thing sufficiently common and manifest to those that deal with fire, which Cinerall excrement comes from the adustion and burning of coals, but the soot which is more spirituall, for that mounts and elevates higher, is born of the flame which hath no leasure or power to perfect its mundification, so that the pure and impure mount together. And assuredly nothing can better agree with our souls after their separation from the body, which carries away with them the imapurities which they have attracted from it, during their residence here below, which they must repass by fire, & be perfected by white throughout. _Every man shal be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt._ The weik and ashes representing man, the exterior animal, and his body, and the two flames, blew, and white; the blew the Celestiall and Ethereall body, and the white, souls stript of all Corporeity: which in good men shall be burnt with fire that burns alwaies upon the altar, and salted with salt from the Covenant, the promises namely of his Messiah, into which the Prince of this world, hath but seen, as it hath done in the posterity of _Adam_, which is al filled with ashes whereof it was first built, & with the soot of originall sin, whereunto he fastned by his disobedience, prevarication; So that we are the night where _Moses_ began to reckon the day, for that we are according to the flesh, before the _Messiah_, who being come after, is the enlightned day of this clear sun of Justice, which the Cabballists say is the representation of _Jehovah_, whose sheath (as they call it) is _Adonei_, from whence God must be drawn out: for it is hee, that mundifies the righteous, and burneth the wicked with dark and obscure fire. To which that also beateth, which is said of the Thrones Animalls, there shall descend a Lion enflamed, that shall devour the oblations. There are Angells committed upon every member that sinneth, of whom they constitute themselves the bringers on: for every man that commits any offence, he suddainly delegates to himself an accuser, which will be no more favourable to him then he must be, but will lend him a fire from above, to burn that member that shall have trespassed. But _Jehovah_ intervenes from above, who with his water of mercy, quencheth this fire, after the party Delinquent shall have his spots purged away. And there is but he alone, that is the angel of peace, that make the souls reconcilation with God, to whom she comes by the intercession of this sacred name: there is no other name; all that the _Zohar_ sets down, which is as Christian-like spoken by a Rabbin which was never baptized.

That premised for a ground work of what we shall say hereafter, St. _Marks_ Greek text carries it, πᾶσα θυσία ἁλὶ ἁλιθήσεται, every sacrifice shall be seasoned with salt; where the _Latin_ version which the Church holdeth, for θυσία a sacrifice, as in truth this Greek word signifies, all sorts of sacrifices, _hostia’s_, _victima’s_, and _ceremonies_: But _Porphyrius_ in his second book of sacrifices, doth particularize it to herbs that men offered to the Gods, for from the beginning they did not present them: this he spake of Incense, Myrrhe, Benjamin, Storax, Aloes, Labdanum and other the like odoriferous gums; but only certain green herbs; as certain first fruits of seeds that the earth produced; and trees were procreated from the Earth before Animalls, and the earth was clothed with herbs, before it produced trees. By reason whereof, the gathering certain _pieds_ of herbs all entire with their leaves and rootes, and seeds, they burned them, and sacrificed the odour and fume that proceeded therefrom to the Immortall Gods: and of this exhalation they cast, which the Greeks call θυμίασις _suffitus_, perfumed, whence comes the word θυσία _victima_ sacrifice. Therefore they do not refer them properly to bloody sacrifices, for the _Romans_ for more then 800 years since, by _Numaes_ Ordinance, had no Images of Gods, nor other sacrifices, then dough with salt, which were from thence called ἀνὰιμακτα, that is to say, without blood. Hitherto _Porphyrie_.

It hath been said heretofore that there was nothing more common, nor lesse well known then fire. And as much we may say of salt: wherefore it is that _Moses_ made so great account of it, as to apply it to all sacrifices. Calling it the perpetual Covenant that God made with his people; of which alliance by the _Hebrews_ called _Berith_, they found three or four marks in the Scripture; The bow of heaven, _Gen._ 9. 9. _Gen._ 17. 2. Circumcision to _Abraham_, and the universall paction, _Numb._ 18. 19. Further yet the Paction of the Law received in _Horeb, Deut._ 5. 2, & 3. The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in _Horeb_; which hath been time out of mind in singular and venerable recommendation towards all sorts of people; you bless your tables by putting on of saltsellers (saith _Arnobius_ to the _Gentiles_.) But _Titus Livius_ in his 26. that they may have a saltseller & a dish or platter for Gods cause. And _Fabricius_, that thrice valiant _Roman_ Captain, had never gold nor silver but a little drinking cup, whose foot was of horn, to make his offerings to the Gods, & saltseller to serve for sacrifices forbidding, as _Plinie_ hath it, in his 33. book, 12. ch. to have other Silvery then those two. It was furthermore a marke and symbole of Amity, as was salt: Wherefore the first thing that they served strangers, comming to them, was Salt, to note a firmity of their contracted Amity. And the great Duke of _Muscovie_, as _Sigismund_ puts it down in his Treatise of the affairs of _Muscovie_, he could not do greater honour to those that he favoured then to send them of his salt. _Archilocus_ as _Origen_ alledgeth against _Celsus_, among other things, reproacheth _Lycambas_ to have violated a very holy and sacred Mystery, of the amity conceived betwixt them by the salt & the common table. And upon Saint _Matthew_ speaking of _Judas_, he had not (saith he) any respect either to the remembrance of their common table, or to salt or bread which we did eat together. And _Lycophron_ in a poem of _Alexander_ called salt ἁγνίτης purifying and cleansing; alluding to that of _Euripides_, that the sea washeth away all faults from men, for that the sea which the _Pythagoreans_ because of its bitternesse and saltnesse, call it _Saturnes_ tears, and a fift Element, and is nothing but salt dissolved in water. And certes it is a thing very admirable, the great quantity that there is of salt; sith that we hold it for an infallible maxime, that God & Nature made nothing in vain. For besides that there is found thereof in the earth, part in liquor which they scum off, part in yce, as at _Halle_ in _Saxony_, and at _Barre_ in _Provence_, part in hard rocks, as in _Teplaga_ a land of Negroes, where they carry it more then two hundred miles off upon their heads, and transport from hand to hand by relayes, even to the Kingdome of _Tombur_, serving for money that passeth for currant in all those quarters, as it doth also in the Province of _Caindu_ in East Tartarie. According to _Marc. Pole_ in his 2 book, 38 chap. and also that if they have it not for all purposes in their mouths, their gums rot, because of the extream heats that raign there, accompanied with corrupting Moorish moistures; for which reason they must hold thereof continually moistening it with a thing that doth hinder putrefaction.

I have many times made triall very exactly, that of Sea-water, men make or draw more then halfe of salt, causing the fresh water that is therein, sweetly to evaporate away; what an enormous quantity then would there remaine of salt, if the fresh substance of the Sea were there from extracted? There are no sands or deserts, of what long extenditure soever, that can compare therewith, not by the 2. thousand part; for many men would equall, yea preferre the Sea in quantity and greatness unto the earth. We must not here dwell long on particularities that concerne salt. _Plinie_ in his 35. Book _Chap._ 7. The greatest part depending upon nothing but hearesay, for all tend to no other thing, but in the first place to shew that there are two sorts of salt (as tis true) Naturall, and Artificiall. The Naturall growes in flakes, or in a rock by it selfe, within the earth, as is aforesaid: the Artificiall is made with sea-water, or with liquor, as a pickle drawne out of salt pits, as they doe in _Lorrain_, and the _French_ County of _Burgundie_: which they boyle and congeale upon the fire. He there sheweth many examples, and indeed those which are more difficult to beleeve: let the faith be on the sayers part, and among others of a certaine lake of _Tarentin_ in _Poville_, not deeper then the height of knees where water in summer time by the Suns heat is all converted into salt. And in the Province of _Babylon_, there growes a liquid _Bitumen_, a little thick, which they use in Lamps in stead of oile. This inflamable substance being stripped therefrom, there remaines salt, there under hidden: as indeed wee see it by experience that out of every thing that burns there may be salt extracted, but there doth not appear any thing therein but waterishnesse and inflamable unctuosity which must be taken away by fire, this done salt remains in the ashes. And this salt (saith _Geber_) in his testament retaines alwayes the nature and property of the thing from which it is extracted, if this be done in a close vessell that the spirits may not vapor away, for there would remaine that which the Gospell cals _sal infatuatum_, as we shall say hereafter.

[Sidenote: (_a_) The first receptacle or bond of salt water whereof salt is made.

(_b_)A trunck or pipe of wood through which sea-water passes, one of the last receptacles whereof salt is made.]

[Sidenote: High grounds or little hils raised by mens hands.]

The best salt then that may be, and the wholesomest, is that which is made with sea-water in _Brouage_. And after the example thereof, that the trough throughout, where the salt water is made of clay or glue, as potters earth: and that whereof tiles is made; furthermore you must _courry_ this trough by Artifice that it drink not, nor suck up the water which men draw therefrom, which is done by beating it with a great number of Horses, Asses, and Mullets, tied one to another that they may trample thereon, so long that it be firme and solid, as a certain barns flore to thresh wheate. This done, and having hollowed the channels, to put in the water, then we must have a care that the salt-pans be something lower then the Sea (_Plinie_ in his 2. Book _Chap._ 106. sets downe that salt cannot be made without fresh water) they set in the first place a great receptacle where they draw the water which is called the (_a_) _Jard_: and at the end thereof a sluce by which having applyed thereunto below a hanch with a stopple called the (_b_) _Amezau_, they make the water run from the Jard into _Parquets_, which they cal _Couches_, & of these _Couches_ giving thereto a requisite hanging, by other stopples, 2. in number, called the gate of the _Poelles_, which are therein enchased within other Parquets called soldering or planching with boord, windings and means to make the water turne, by divers windings and channels almost after the manner of a Labyrinth, which it doth for a great way before it come to render it self at last, within the _Parquets_ and hollowes where the salt must be congealed: alwayes diminishing the quantity of water, that the Sun-beames have therein more action, and that it be better warmed before it enter the floores, where it makes its finall congelation. But to come thereunto by certaine degrees, and proportionate measures, there are throughout the _Palles_ which they lift up and downe as those of a mill. All the earth that remaineth, which men draw by the _Parquets_ and the flores they _Arrange_ about them as a _Trench_ or rampart, which is called _Bassis_ of the convenient breadth, to passe two horses a front; which serves as well to retaine the water, as to put upon the heaps of salt, made and congealed, called _Vaches_, and to come and goe as upon a dike, or causway from one marish to another, to lade and carry upon the beasts of carriage of the vessels which attend there neer to the shore: In the winter they content themselves with bulrushes which they sell afterwards very well for the profit they draw from them: and that for fear of rains and snows, and other aereall moistures, that moisten then anew. And all the risings are so oblique, and turning, that for a mile travers of right way, wee must make 7. or 8. so that being therein once cast a little on, one may lose himselfe, which knew not the addresses, or had not a good guide, by reason of the turnings and bridge-ponts, that men must goe to make choice of, to passe from one place to another. And it would be very hard to make thereof a Chart or description, principally in winter, where all is well-nigh covered with water, & yet more to enter in by a strong hand, for conservation of these salt pits every year, after the heats are over, the Sun not being able to make it, but in the Months of _May_, _June_, _July_, and _August_, the salt makers doe use to open certaine _Bonds_, to suffer the sea-water to enter till all the formes and _Parquets_ be covered, otherwise the frosts would destroy them: that if while the salt freezeth or creameth there come any rain, it is so great a retardment (and for fifteen dayes at the least) we must empty al the water out of the _Parquets_, that the rain had altered, and therefore in rainy and cold years, they can very hardly make it.

In this regard, I come to remember an experiment that I have tried more then once, which gave me to think whether it were _Aristotle_, I tooke eight or ten pound of common grosse salt, which I made to dissolve in hot water, scumming the froth which may be there, and being left to settle, I put the clear by inclination in a caldron over the fire, where I made all the water evaporate, so that the salt remained in the bottome, white as snow: then I endeavoured to dry it in a pot, giving it at last a good estret of fire for four or five houres, when it was cold I parted it into four platters of _Beuvais_ to shorten and gain time, in fair weather at a window where the Sunne came not, and did choose a moist time to facilitate the dissolution, recollecting every morning that which was resolved in water, so long, that at the end of seven or eight dayes the salts dissolution was perfected, nothing remaining but I know not what thicknesse or slime, in a small quantity which I set apart, I put all my dissolutions into _Cornues_ & distilled all the water which could mount, being very fresh, for the saltnesse did not ascend, but remained fixt in the bottome of the vessell, and gave at last a good estret of fire, with staves of _Cotteret_, having broken the Cornues: I put the salt that therein remained congealed to dissolve in moisture as before, till there remained nothing but grossenesse and slime as in the former I distilled that which ascended from the water, and reiterated all those Regiments till all my salt was resolved and distilled into salt water, that which came the seven or eight time. The slime I washed well with water, to extract what might bee the Remainder of saltnesse; and so recalcined and washt them till there rested nothing but slime or pure earth without tast. Of this little salt that I had extracted, I did as I had done with others, so that all my salt, without losing any of its substance, went away in sweet water, and in this insensible slime, which came at last to one or two ounces. What then became of the saltnesse of this salt? Certes herein I have lost all my _Latine_, and know not what to say thereof, only it is gone in verity as I say: If any one would untie this knot, would indeed do me a great pleasure: I will leave it to mix with others, to come to the particular praises of salt, without which, saith _Plinie_, we could not live civilly. All the grace, gentility, ornament, pleasures and delights of humane life, cannot bee better expressed then by this word; which extends also to the pleasures of the soul, the sweetnesse and tranquillity of life, and to a Soveraign rejoycing and repose of all troubles and sorrows. It renews the pricks and amorous desires to beget its like, and hath obtained this honorable quality of Souldiers, and of pleasant and witty words, and joyous meetings, without hurt to any; from whence it should be called the Graces. According to which St. _Paul_ saith in the 4 to the _Col._ 6. _Let your speech be alwaies with grace, seasoned with salt._ And in the end it is the seasoning of all our viands, which without it would remain unsavoury and without tast. So that it is said to right sense in the common proverb, there is nothing more profitable then the sun and salt. So _Plinie_ discourseth thereof, in the place alledged, and _Plutarch_ in his book and 4 question of his Symposiacques, without salt we can eat nothing agreeable to the tast, for bread it self is more savoury if it be mingled therewith: therefore ordinarily in Churches and covering of tables, they couple _Neptune_ with _Ceres_, for salt things are as if it were an allurement and a spur to excite appetite: So that before any other nouriture wee take that which is sharp and salt, whereas, if they begin with others they would incontinently prostrate themselves. That which hath no tast can it be eaten without Salt? _Job._ 6. 6. Salt also renders drink more delicious, and it is of infinite other uses and commodities of life, that holds more of man; whereas the privation thereof, makes it brutall. It is furthermore a mark and symbole of Justice, because it guards and conserves that to which it is introduced and fastened. Of Amity also, and Gratitude, sutable to that in the first of _Esdras_ chap. 4. where the Lieutenants of King _Artaxerxes_ writ to him in this manner. _We remember the salt thou gavest us in thy Palace, we would not fail to advertise thee faithfully of what shall come to our knowledg concerning the service of thy highness._

Salt being there put for one of the greatest obligations that can be had, because it is a thing pure, neat, holy and sacred, which men first set on the table. So that _Æschines_ in his prayer of the ill administred Ambassie, makes great account of salt, and a publick table, of one City confederate with another. And indeed there is nothing more permanent nor more fixt in the fire, nor more approaching to its nature, because it is mordicant, sharp, tart, cutting, subtill, penetrative, pure and neat, fragrant, incombustible and incorruptible. Yea, that which preserves all things from corruption, & by its preparations makes it self clear, crystalline, and transparent as Air; for glasse is nothing else then a most fixt salt that may be extracted from all sorts of ashes, and of some nearer then of others; but it is not so dissoluble into moisture as common salt; nor that which is extracted out of ashes by way of lee, which is liquid with it by strong expressions of fire, which are notwithstanding two contrary resolutions, and resisting one the other: chiefly afterward from all liquid humidity, unctuous but inconsumptible. It is moreover the first originall as well of mineralls as of stones, and pretious stones, yea of all other mineralls. Likewise of vegetables and of Animalls, whose blood and urinall humour, and all other substance is salted, to preserve it from putrefaction: and in generall, from all mixed and composed Elements; which is herein verified that they resolve themselves into it, so that it is as the other life of all things; and without it saith the Philosopher _Morien_, nature can no wayes work, nor can any other thing be ingendred, according to _Raimund Lullus_ in his testament. Whereunto all chymicall Philosophers doe adhere; that nothing hath been created here below, in the Elementary part better, nor more pretious then salt.

There is salt then, in every thing, and nothing can subsist but for the salt which is therein mixed; which ties the parts together as a chain, otherwise they would all go into small powder, and give them nourishment; for there are two substances in salt, the one viscous, gluish, and unctuous, of the nature of air, which is sweet; and indeed there is nothing that nourisheth but what is sweet; the bitter and the salt do not. The other is a dust, sharp pricking and biting, of the nature of fire, which is laxative. For all salts are laxative, and nothing doth loose the body, that participates not of the nature of salt: Mark then, wherefore is it that those that drink salt water die speedily of dysenteries? the salt which is mingled therewith causing a gnawing in the bowels; for there is nothing corrosive but salt, or of the nature of salt, fiery of it self, saith _Plinie_, _lib._ 31. _ch._ 9. and yet enemy of actuall fire, for it leaps up and down, it danceth to and fro, and crackles, corroding also all to which it is fastened; and drying it, although it be the strongest and most permanent humidity of all others, and it is a moisture (saith _Geber_) that above all other moistures expects an encounter with fire.

So wee see in metals, which are nothing else but congealed and baked salts, by a long and successive decoction, within the earths entralls, where their humidity is abundantly fixt by the temperate air it meets withall there. And these salts do participate of sulphur and quicksilver, which joined together make a third name Metalline salt, which hath the same fashion and resolution as common salt; which is taken for a symbole of equity and justice; as also are metals, but for another consideration. For melt Gold, Silver, Copper, and other metals together, they wil all mingle equally: So that if upon a hundred parts of silver, yea two hundred you melt one of gold, the least part of this silver, in what regard soever you will take it from the totall masse, shall in respect of it self, take its just and equall portion of gold and no more nor lesse, wherefore they are taken for distributive justice. But salt is for that throughout, where it attacheth flesh, fish, vegetables, it keeps them from corruption, and conserves them in their entire, and makes them durable for many ages. Fire on the contrary, is an evill host, for it stealeth and destroyeth all that lodgeth near it, never ceasing till it hath converted all into ashes, whence salt was extracted, that was before therein contained: So that these two, fire & salt, accord and convene together and also with the ferments in this, that they convert all that whereupon they can exercise their action. _Plutarch_ in his book and 4 question of Symposiaques, extolling salt, sets down, that all flesh and fish that was eat is a dead thing, and proceeds from a dead body; but when the faculty of salt comes to be introduced, it is as a soul that revivifies and gives them grace and favor. And in the 5 book 10. quest. renders a reason why _Homer_ calls salt divine; he puts that salt is as a temperament and fortification of the viands within the body: and that it gives it an agreement with the appetite. But it is rather for the vertue that it hath to preserve dead bodies from putrefaction; which is as to resist death, that which appertains to Divinity. _Thou shalt_ (_not suffer thy holy one to see corruption_,) not permitting that what is deprived of life should perish so suddenly in all kinds: but as the soul, that divine part within us, keeps the body alive (a soul is given to hogs for their safety,) this _Plinie_ sets down after the Stoicks. So salt also takes into its safeguard dead flesh to keep it from putrefaction; whence the fire of lightning is reputed for divine, because those that have been touched therewith remain a great while without corruption; as salt doth on its part, which hath this property and vertue; which sheweth the great affinity and agreement which they have together. Wherefore _Evinus_ was wont to say, that fire was the best sauce in the world, and the very same is also attributed to salt. All which things here above do confirme the occasion for which _Moses_, and after him _Pythagoras_ made so great esteem of salt, to cover under his Allegorie that which they would give to understand by it; that our souls and confidences signified by man in St. _Mark_, namely, the internall man, and our body for the sacrifice ought to be offered up unto God, pure and not soiled with corruption; _That you offer up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy pleasing unto God, &c._ Therein was there (it may be) another reason, that moved _Moses_ to exalt salt so much, that according as _Rabbi Moses_ the _Ægyptian_ discourseth at large in his third book of his _More_, 47 ch. where he renders a particular reason for the most part of Mosaical ceremonies, his principall aim was to overthrow all Idolatries, even those of the _Ægyptians_, where they had a greater vogue then in any other part. He seeing that their Priests so greatly detested salt, that they would not use it in any sort, for that of the sea from whence it proceeded; in the bitternesse whereof, the sweet substance of _Nilus_ went to lose and salt it self; which they held to be for the radicall moisture from whence all things here below do sprout and nourish themselves in despite of them, and contrary to their traditions; he would thereof make a form of alliance & paction from God with the Jewish people, that all their oblations should be accompanied with salt: And in the 2 of _Paralip._ 13. 5 chap. It is said, that God gave to _David_ and his children the Kingdom of _Israel_ by a Covenant of Salt; that is to say, most firm and indissoluble; for that salt hinders corruption. And therefore the Saviour chose his Apostles to be as the salt of men; that is to say, to deliver the pure and incorruptible doctrine of the Gospel; and to confirm them firm persistent faith, as wel by words as deeds. The _Caballists_ penetrating further into the mysteries inclosed therewithin, meditate certain subtilties by a rule of Ghematrie, called _Ghilcal_, which consisteth in equivalencies of Numbers, which the _Hebrewes_ assigne unto Letters. Those of this word _Malach_ which signifieth salt, mounts in their supputation to 78. for _Mem_ valued 40. _Lamed_ 30. and _heth_ 8. or divided in any sort that you will, alwaies there will result a certain number, representing a mystery of Divine names; the half which makes 39. mount to as much as the letters of _Chuzu_, the scabbard or covering of this great Name for _caph. val._ 20. _vau_ 6. _Z._ 7. and the other _vau_ 6. if in 3 parts, each wil mount to 26. which is the number _tetragrammaton Jehovah_, _vau_ making 10. _he_ 5. _vau_ 6. & _he_ 5. In six parts this will be 13. for each, which are equipollent to the number of Piety. In 13. there are 6. which _vau_ is valued at, a letter representing eternall life; besides that six is the first perfect number, because his parts do constitute it, his sixt namely 1. his third 2. and its halfe 3. which perfection hath not any one of the other numbers, and in six dayes the structure of the Universe was perfected.

There are other mysteries in the Scripture; in 26. will be the number of the most holy & sacred Trinitie, for three times 26. makes 78. In 39. twice, which _Beth_ stands for a symbole of a word, where the second person, and the house of _Idea’s_ of the _Archetype_, which _Plato_ hath well acknowledged, _Aristotle_ not. And finally 87. denotes as many unities, whereof each represents the unity of the essence of one God alone. The same is in the _Lechem_ bread, which is an anagram of the former, and consisteth of the same letters. It was therefore some cause of the Proverb, _To eat salt with thy bread_. _Rabbi Solomon_ upon the places aforesaid, of Gods alliance with his people, designed by salt, by which is understood the Eternall paction of the great Priesthood of the Messiah, brings us a form of an Allegory, very strange and phantastick. That the waters here below do mutiny, that they are separated from the supercelestiall, having the firmament set betwixt them; by means whereof, God to appease them, promised that they should be perpetually in his service, in all offerings, sacrifices, as he did afterwards in the Law, which hee gave to the _Jewes_; _Whatsoever thou shalt offer to the Lord, thou shalt season it with salt._

Yet there are divers sorts of salt, that have different properties and vertues, according to the things from which they are extracted; for salt retains a propriety of the thing from whence it came, saith _Geber_ in his Testament, yea as many odors, and sapors as there are, they all do depend upon salt; for where there is no salt, there is no smell nor tast; and yet of all the tasts which _Plutarch_ in his Naturall causes doth limit to eight, _Plinie lib._ 15. _cap._ 27. extends them to 13. there is not one, that is not salt, because tast (as _Plato_ will have it) comes from water, which creep athwart the stalk of every plant, and keeps the saltness that it cannot passe as it is more grosse and terrestriall, as wee see in sea-water when it is distilled; where when they passe it through sand, where it leaves its saltnesse. But it may be said to _Plato_, that the tast doth not only ly in plants, but also in Animalls and mineralls, and all other compounded Elements. It is that which he and _Aristotle_ and other rationall Philosophers, are only satisfied with, that which their arguments and discourse do imprint in their phantasies: esteeming that it cannot be otherwise, then that which their reasons do demonstrate unto them, for the most part false and erroneous; there were if they would penetrate empirickly by the experiments, they might have been shewed by the finger of the eye, the truth of the thing, they might have been better ascertained therein, as the _Arabians_ have since done; and the Chymicall Philosophers, who will assure themselves of nothing, but what they have oftentimes tried without variation to the sense. It is a maxime of all Naturalists, received for Infallible, that the transparence comes from this, when the water in the composition and mixtion superabounds, over the earth, and darkenesse on the contrary, when Terrestreity predominates the water, and it would be accounted an irremissible crime _Læsæ Majestatis_ to doubt thereof, for who is there that doubteth it, will they say, that it is not so? I will reply that it is I, to whom experience shewes the contrary, at least for that the cause of transparence, and opacity, doth not proceed from that which they alledge. Take Crystall and passe it never so little through hot ashes, so long as one would rost a chestnut you wil find it all dark, without any more transparence within or without in the superficies, and that without any losse of its substance, or diminution of its weight. And on the contrary in a strong expression of fire blowing upon the lead, then which nothing can be darker, it will convert into a forme of a hyacinth so transparent, that one may read a small letter through it; though it were an inch thick, and this hyacinth by the same fire returne into lead, and lead into an hyacinth.

If then these profound Contemplators of nature, and her effects, had been willing to accompany their Imaginary discourses, with experience that reveales infinite secrets by fire, they could never have fallen into such absurdities: and had manifestly seen without any vail or obstacle all full of things whereof they remaine in irresolution and doubt not having spoken therein but as blind men and by guesse, for we cannot discover the secrets of things to proceed therein directly, nor come to it by entring on it, after the manner of speech, by the foregate: for nature goeth in her workes rarely and in secret, as by the posterne gate: or by setting ladders against the windowes: The _Greeks_ call that διάλυσις, solution; No man can know the composition of a thing, said _Geber_ very well, that was ignorant of its destruction. And this is done by fire, which separates the parts, as hath been said before. There are then two divers substances of salt, therefore it causeth divers effects, the one is sweet, glutinous and inflamable, of the nature of aire, nourishing, binding. The other sharp, mordicant and separative that begets nothing. The Poets in their mythologies have called this the _Ocean_, and the sweet wherewith the pickle of the Sea is moistened and made liquid _Tethys_ as _Plutarch_ hath it in his _Osiris_ which giveth milk to and nourisheth all things. But simple water of it selfe alone would not be sufficient to nourish, if it were not assisted with things fastened to the earth, the salt therein inclosed and therewith mingled, having a sweet and glutinous unctuosity, for as in the Sea-water there are two substances, sweet and salt, there are subalternately two in salt: But we cannot say that they doe nourish or produce any thing. Therefore is it, that they use to raze Traiters-houses, and sow them with salt as reputed unworthy to produce anymore. Salt indeed produceth nothing as it is, where its sweet substance is so drowned with the salt, that it cannot expresse it selfe in action, so as it is, except it be freed out of prison, for the saltnesse predominates over it, and covers it. But for replication thereunto which was said before, that fresh water alone, doth neither nourish nor produce any thing: which we see to the contrary, by experience in many waterish herbs that grow in the midst of waters, and in flints that it engenders shells, and fishes, and wormes: to be short, that its procreation doth extend to the three composed kinds of Minerals, Vegetables, & Animals: And indeed put little pebbles in a phial, and water thereon, every day, renewing it daily, at the end of certaine time, you will find them so great, and so bigge, that they cannot come out at the neck by which they were put in. But indeed all this proceeds from the slime, which is mingled with the water, as frogs, and other things, which are procreated in the middle Region of the aire of the slime which the Sun beams hath thence raised with the water, for al rains, snowes, and other such impressions participate much of the slime; from thence it comes that the snow doth smoak and fatten the earth, and the water of raine, is more connaturall to trees, herbes, and seeds, chiefly those which fall by stormes and thunders, then those of wels and rivers: whereof _Plutarch_ forceth himselfe to bring forth many reasons in naturall causes, which have no great apparence: There is yet more to say, for that they are better baked and accompanied with more subtle and hot slime, and are of lighter concoction and nourishment then plants; as of meate in the stomach of _Animals_, some more then others, where the waters here below are more raw and indigested: we insist a little in water, because salt is nothing else, but water mingled and setled with dry and burned earth, of the nature of fire which makes it bitter and salt. So that before we passe from this subject of fresh water, we will here touch upon an experiment of more rare things from whence come many fair & secret considerations. Sweet water is a body so homogeneal, that it would seem to the sight so cleare, transparent, and liquid, in all its parts, resembling to it selfe, that there is in it but one only substance: since that by distillations shee passeth all. But yet there is another sound substance, solid, and compact, in the forme of earth, mingled with its liquid homogeneity, which it separates by Artifice, and it is that which _Aristotle_ saith in the swarme of Philosophers. The earth is concreat by the grossenesse of the water. And this may be seene with water agitated and beaten and after redistilled many times, alwayes separating the fift or sixth part which shall passe the first. You must then take a good quantity of wel water, or the same of fountaine, river or rain water, and let it settle twenty or thirty houres untill there be some ordure or slime, it separates it selfe.

[Sidenote: Abundance of fluxes of blood.]

Take of this water as you may say forty pintes, and cause the halfe to vapour away by very easie fire, that it boile not, put these twenty pintes apart, and take new water as above, of which you shall evaporate the moity; and so long continue it, that you may have well a hundred pintes halfe evaporated; from this one hundred, make to evaporate thirty pintes, and of sixty, ten, twenty, of fifty, that shall remain twenty of thirty, ten, and of twenty, ten; and cast away all these slimes that shall reside, for they are nothing worth, and are but immundicity and ordure, unto the seaventh or eighth evaporation or distillation, after which there will appeare in your water infinite little atomes and little bodies; which at last by little and little will be congealed into one solid substance, of a grisly colour, soft as dough: _Of which I have seen such admirable effects that men would hardly beleeve it; in Cankers, Gangrenes, Hemorrhagies, bloody flux, Women newly laid in bed; and at nose, diseases in the stomach, and infinite other such accidents that no_ terra sigillata _nor_ Bolarmoniac _could compare with_. You may make your round pills impasting them with the last waters that were extracted, which are also of great vertue, _to wash wounds, inveterate Maladies of the stomach, and other the like; wherefore you must keepe them well_. You may also calcine it for six or seven houres in a small pot well luted, and casting thereon vinegar distilled, boiling, dissolving one part, nourishing the rest; calcine it againe, and dissolve it till you have all the salt which will be white and of sweet tast, make it dissolve to oile, you may draw from thence great effects even upon Gold. But sea-water is yet of more efficacy then that of wels and rivers, sweet water (I say) which shall be separated from salt by distillation: which would be easie to do near the Sea, having to that end foure or five alembics of leaden earth, and yet more of sweet water which is drawne by distillation of salt resolved in liquor to humidity.

But there is yet another manner of proceeding, in the separation of the substances of common water: and more spirituall then the precedent. Take very clean water out of a well, river or fountain, let it settle twenty foure houres, and take the pure and the cleare, which you shall put in vessels of _Beauvois_ earth: well stopped to putrifie in hot dung fourty dayes, renewing it two or three times every week, filter the water, and give only five or six boylings, scumming off the scurfes that arise thereon with a feather, then put it in _Cornues_ of glasse, not putting therein but the third part, or the moity at most, of that which they may containe and distill of two parts three; then change the Recipient, and accomplish to distill all the water, but with an easie fire. Then strengthen the fire, by little and little, till you see small fumes ascend, continue this degree of fire, with increasing untill it mount no more. Let the fire quench of it selfe and recoole the vessell: then gather the salt which shall be so elevated towards the beck of the _Cornue_, and within the recipient, and keep it in a vessel of earth, very close and sealed in a warm and dry place that it melt not, nor dissolve. Put the _Cornue_ to againe with that which remains in the bottome, and strengthen the fire untill you see a reddish oile; end your distillation, after cease the fire. Take the black feces, that remain in the bottome, stampe them, and put them in a sublimatory of good earth, of an inch thick, and no more, for six houres, first a little fire, then reinforce it for twelve others, till the sublimatory be red, the fire being alwaies in the same degree: let it coole and gather the salt which will be mounted, and keep it as the former. This is the second _sal Armoniac volatill_, which is extracted from the water: and the one, and the other, have great power to the dissolution of gold, carrying no danger with then as your common _sal Armoniac_ may doe; which hath bad qualities in it, there, where this is extracted from a substance so familiar to mans body, which, is sweet water. Now take all the feces & residences, which remain in the bottome of the vessell, bruise them, and make them dissolve in the first water, which you shall have distilled, after you have warmed it a little, that it may dissolve the salt that may be there. Let them repose, then evacuate, and put them to distill with halfe the water: Then change the Recipient, and with a little stronger fire, distill the Surplufage of the water, and keep them each a part, in a cold place. But doe not perfect to congeal all the salt in the bottome of the vessell, but leave therein a little moisture, to create flakes of ice. If it be not white enough, let it calcine for three or foure houres in a pot of earth not leaded, after dissolve it in the second water, filter and congeale it, and keep it in a dry place, for this is salt fix and fusible. If in drawing the first _Salarmoniac_, _volatill_, the foule oile that is nothing worth mounts with it, you must put salt and oile in new water, and depure and putrifie it as before, which was to begin againe, therefore we must goe wisely to worke. There is another manner of proceeding therein, which is shorter, for there are more ways to one intent, and to one end, saith _Geber_. Take raine or fountain water, put it in a _Cornue_, upon the sand with a slow fire; and distill thereof a fourth part, which is more rare and subtill. Continue afterwards the distillation even to the feces, which you cast away. And see that you have good store of this meane substance, with which, you shall reiterate the distillation seaven times, being alwayes the fourth part that will first issue out, which is the phlegme, and the feces are the slime. In the fourth, you shall begin to see the sulphurities of all colours in the forme of _huskes and pieces of gold_. The seaven distillations being perfected put your meane substance in an alembec, to the fire with a soft bath; and draw that which may ascend, which shall be yet of phlegme, then you shall see created little stones, and pieces of all colours which will goe to the bottome; stay your distillation, and let them settle, then evacuate that which remains sweetly with water: and doe so, with all your mean substance, and make there little stones to multiply in the bath. When you shall have enough dry them in the Sun, or before an easie fire, and put them in a glasse-bottle well sealed, with the fire of a lampe or the like, for three or foure months and your matter will be congealed and fixed except a certaine small portion thereof, which will arise along the sides of the vessell: This here is the mean substance, of the first matter of all things, which is water. But that we be not deceived or abused, all these practises, which are but an image and portrait halfe rudely hewen out of the manner which we must hold in the extraction of liquors. From whence they resolve of themselves into moisture, all sorts of salt, as well common, as _Salalkali_, _tartar_, and other the like; the sweet oleaginous substance swimming above the water with the salt and bitter, which there remaineth dissolved, and after the extraction of the water, remaineth a congealed salt in the bottome; that is to say, to separate the oile from salts: which cannot be done without great artifice: But it is not reasonable to discover it, and divulge all openly; but to reserve something therein, for fear of doing wrong to the curious endeavours of some learned men who have taken so much paines and travail, to come to the knowledge of these fine secrets.