By the virtues of this invisible, and yet essential fire, all sorts of
most profitable matters are performed, the which notwithstanding is not
here safe for me to describe, but I am constrained to refer it till
another time, it onely in this place seems worthy my labour, briefly to
shew that this fire performs all those things which the fire of Coals
is otherwise wont to effect.
Truly it is a fire, but it shineth not like the fire of Wood or Coals:
But he that will have it to shine, he must needs add unto it a subtile
or fine Sulphur, that he may extract or allure forth of it a visible
fire.
This fire being defended against the entrance of the Air, remains
occult for many thousands of years, and doth not manifest it self,
unless any one make it manifest.
Truly it is an admirable fire, and most fit for the effecting of many
incredible things, whereof we have spoken many things sufficient for
this time.
XI. _An evident demonstration of such a fire lying hid even in the
Salt of the Kitchin, and that known to every one._
After that _Plato_ and many other Philosophers took notice that nothing
endowed with life did consist without Salt, and that dead Carcasses
themselves were preserved for a long time from putrefaction by the
virtues of the same; they thought and wrote that a certain divine thing
lay hid in it. But after what sort this divine and hidden thing is to
be made visible, they have not taught. But without doubt, those most
wise Philosophers would by this word shew and denote something of a
singular excellency.
Because therefore God himself is a fire, and hath never appeared to his
Saints in any other shape but that of fire, and besides also all Salts
are generated in the moist bowels of the earth from an Astral fire, and
on the contrary, a true fire may by the operation of Art be extracted
and rendred palpable and visible out of all Salts, it being that which
without doubt lay not hid unto them, therefore it is also very likely
that those Philosophers have not without a cause of great moment
written that a certain Divine or fiery Being did secretly lurk in Salt.
But that they have intimated not any thing to be better, or more
noble than that fiery and saltish Spirit may be foreseen by an easie
conjecture; for if a certain divine thing shall lie hid in Salt as
they write, it shall of necessity follow that that divine spark being
freed from all its earthly bonds should be far superiour to all earthly
things in beauty, virtues, efficacy and power; and that next to the
eternal God himself it should remain the chiefest and most precious
Pearl in the World.
But who shall teach us the manner of separating so precious a Pearl
out of the common and Kitchin Salt? none but God alone, or some good
friend; who can make his friend a partaker of the knowledge received
from God?
But since that very few mortals do seek, love, fear and honour God
with sincere hearts, but do much rather cleave fast unto the frail
and unjust Mammon, and attribute divine honour unto the same; its no
wonder that God doth reserve those things to himself, or at least doth
sparingly bestow on us those things which he abundantly supplyed the
Ancients withall from his own bountifull hand: And moreover the same
omnipotent Creatour enlightning some fit subject, with a certain spark
of nature, grants unto him also so much wit that he knows that by a
due silence he is to beware of this wicked dreg or dross of the World.
Whence it is no wonder that the light of nature is at this day made
known to so few mortals.
But before I treat in many particulars of that precious Pearl of Salt,
it seems altogether necessary for me, first to shew the manner and
reason of extracting that fire out of Kitchin Salt; the separation
whereof can be perfected in no other respect than through the violence
of common fire, to wit, whenas the Salt being mixt with a certain
earthly matter that it cannot flow, is urged in a retort with a most
strong fire, that the more pure part of the Salt, which is nothing else
but a sharp spirit, may depart into the Receiver joyned to the Retort,
in which sharp and sweet spirit a most efficacious fire lurketh which
in manner following is to be extracted and concentred.