On this Salt we impose the name of, The Universal Salt of Philosophers, respecting those excellent Powers and Virtues, with which it is endowed above any other Salt. We deservedly call it Universal, because it is the highest of those Medicaments which proceed from Minerals, Animals, or Vegetables; as in the following Treatise shall be demonstrated: Of Philosophers is added, because the demonstration of this matter is necessarily grounded on Philosophick foundations.
Of the Virtues of this Universal Salt.
Touching its virtues, they are innumerable, and we judge it impossible to discover them all; for if I should undertake only to write what I know of the virtues thereof, a whole years time, day and night labouring, would scarcely suffice. Perhaps GOD will discover more to others; perhaps they, who are younger than I, may find what is to me unknown. By me the first, by me the Guide is opened to the Searcher an entrance to things more excellent.
My purpose is to communicate to others those things, which the most Bountiful GOD hath largely conferred on me, for His Honour, and the profit of my Neighbour: I intend, I say, to divulge the wonderful Works of GOD, but at this time (by reason of various businesses and hindrances) I shall only make mention of some of the virtues, which I find to be in my Sal Mirabile, or Salt of Art, reserving the more special explanation of all things to a more commodious time.
This Salt is rightly called Universal, because it is the principal Medicament of the three Kingdoms, viz. of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, and hath power to perfect and augment the same. I remember that heretofore I have attributed to Nitre the Dignity of this, and not without reason; yet in many things it is inferiour to this Sal Mirabile, so as it deserves not to be compared with the same. Therefore in no wise correspondent to Verity are those Writings, which teach, That by the help of a certain Corrosive, a transparent Salt may be extracted from a Metal, and that Salt, dissolvable in water, is the true Salt of the Wise. Such Writings are of no other use, than to seduce the Ignorant by Lyes.
For the salt in which a Metal is dissolved, deserves no more to be called or esteemed a simple salt, but receives the condition of a metallick Vitriol, whether that Vitriol is green or yellow, of Sol and Luna, or white, of Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn; or blewish-green, of Mars and Venus; for what is to be an Universal Medicine, extending it self to all Kingdoms, must necessarily have no extraneous thing mixed with it. This is consentaneous even to the Judgment of Rusticks.
The true Universal Salt should be partaker of no metallick matter; but altogether pure, and most easily able to put on the nature of all things contained in the kingdoms of Vegetables, Minerals, and Animals, and so exhibit it self a most excellent Medicine. And since these Properties are most fully found in our Universal salt, there is no reason we should ascribe to it less Honour, or not preferr it before all salts.
Intending to expose the Verity of these sayings to all, we begin first with Vegetables.