From the book
A New Light of Alchemy
Michael Sendivogius · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Divinity, Genesis and natural philosophy — John French
pure Philosophy; true Divinity; Job 38; Gen.; Sandivogius
French uses divinity for theological knowledge and natural philosophy for inquiry into Nature.
Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordFrench uses divinity for theological knowledge and natural philosophy for inquiry into Nature.
- In the workThe proposal that pure philosophy is true divinity is introduced as potentially paradoxical but not heterodox.
- In this editionNote 99 explains the affirmative sense of a rhetorical question whose historical wording includes were not.
- A place to readpure Philosophy is true Divinity: French marks the equation as a potentially surprising but orthodox claim.
Meaning
French uses divinity for theological knowledge and natural philosophy for inquiry into Nature. His commendation argues for their agreement and presents Sendivogius, printed Sandivogius, as an exceptional expositor of scriptural mysteries.
Use in the book
The proposal that pure philosophy is true divinity is introduced as potentially paradoxical but not heterodox. French supports it with Job: God is said to correct ignorance of God and self through nature’s principles. He also invokes Hermes, Plato and Aristotle as natural philosophers whose insight is theological. This is a reception argument, not a claim that the dialogue itself quotes those thinkers on Genesis.
The first two chapters of Genesis become the foundation and sum of divinity and philosophy in French’s account. He then recommends Sendivogius as their best expositor and lists matters he believes the book unfolds: divine light and fire, providence, universal spirit, waters, seed, human creation, mortality and paradise. His list expands the theological frame in which an English purchaser is invited to read.
The same commendation includes gold’s failure to multiply despite its seed and the removal of an obstruction to its highest purity. French says repeated impartial reading will compel belief in the stone’s possibility and places the book next to Scripture in usefulness. These are forceful claims of endorsement and persuasion; the lexicon records their scope without treating the promised transmutation or exegetical authority as independently established.
Places to read
- John French to the Reader · 1650 · Passage 3Historical English · 1650pure Philosophy is true Divinity: French marks the equation as a potentially surprising but orthodox claim.
- John French to the Reader · 1650 · Passage 3Historical English · 1650Job 38: His scriptural example is explicitly identified.
- John French to the Reader · 1650 · Passage 4Historical English · 1650the best Expositor of them: The commendation promotes Sendivogius as interpreter of Genesis.
In this edition
Note 99 explains the affirmative sense of a rhetorical question whose historical wording includes were not. Note 100 assigns the Genesis and transmutation commendation to French, rather than adding it to the Latin text.
From the book
A New Light of Alchemy
Michael Sendivogius · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Genesis 1–2
the two first cha. of Gen.
French identifies the opening two chapters of Genesis as both true divinity and the deepest philosophy, and calls them the foundation and sum of both.
- Useful equivalents
- Genesis 1–2
Meaning
Phrase.
French identifies the opening two chapters of Genesis as both true divinity and the deepest philosophy, and calls them the foundation and sum of both. He then recommends Sendivogius as their expositor. This is a strong exegetical claim made by the English translator, not a new passage added to the Latin source. The abbreviation and modern lookup should remain connected without concealing their different textual layers.
Places to read
- John French to the Reader · 1650 · Passage 3Historical English · 1650the two first cha. of Gen.