of Doctrines ; Cudworth, Intellectual System of the Uni- verse (see Index).
Philosarcee (Gr. <pi\eu>, to love, and aap'l, flesh), a term of reproach used by the Origenists in reference to the orthodox as believers in the resurrection of the body.
Philosopher (<pi\6ao<poc). Of the Greek sects of philosophers existing in the time of the apostles, the Stoics and Epicureans are mentioned in Acts xvii, 18, some of whom disputed witli Paul at Athens. In Col. ii, 8 a warning is given against philosophy itself, as a departure from the knowledge of Christ; and it has been noticed that Paul, who had been a Pharisee, acted in this respect in harmony with the sect in which he had been educated (Grossmann, De Pharisaismo Ju- dceor. Alex, i, 8). At least the rabbins set the divine law above all human wisdom ; yet they do not appear to have given the name of philosophy to their exposi- tions of the law (see Josephus, Ap. ii, 4; 1 Mace, i and v). Paul is speaking in the passage alluded to of the- osophic speculations, which had found an entrance among Christians (v, 16 sq.), and on which Khein- wald (De pseudo doctor. Colos. Bonn, 1834), Neander (Gesch. d. Pflanz. i, 438 sq.), and others have made in- vestigations (see, in brief, De Wette, Br. a. d. Kolos. p. 1 sq.). It is plain from Paul's letters that he denied all worth to human wisdom and philosophy in comparison with that eternal salvation which is only to be obtained through the divine revelation in the Gospel; but it is not necessary to suppose that he was a despiser of sober philosophic investigation, either on the ground of his pharisaic training or of his apostolic principles. For monographs, see Volbeding, Index Programmutum, p. 89 sq. See Philosophy.
Philosophists. a name given to a class of French writers who entered into a combination to overturn the religion of Jesus, and eradicate from the human heart every religious sentiment. The man more particularly to whom this idea first occurred was Voltaire, who, be- ing weary (as he said himself) of hearing people repeat that twelve men were sufficient to establish Christianity, resolved to prove that one might be sufficient to over- turn it. Full of this project, he swore, before the year 1730, to dedicate his life to its accomplishment; and for some time he flattered himself that he should enjoy alone the glory of destroying the Christian religion. He found, however, that associates would be necessary; and, from the numerous tribe of his admirers and disci- ples, he chose D'Alembert and Diderot as the most proper persons to co-operate with him in his designs. But Voltaire was not satisfied with their aid alone. He contrived to embark in the same cause Frederick II, king of Prussia. This royal adept was one of the most zealous of Voltaire's coadjutors, till he discovered that the philosophists were waging war with the throne as well as with the altar. This, indeed, was not originally Voltaire's intention. He was vain; he loved to be ca- ressed by the great; and, in one word, he was from natural disposition an aristocrat, and an admirer of roy- alty. But when he found that almost every sovereign but Frederick disapproved of his impious projects be- cause they perceived the issue, he determined to op- pose all the governments on earth rather than forfeit the glory, with which he had flattered himself, of van- quishing Christ and his apostles in the field of contro- versy. He now set himself, with D'Alembert and Dide- rot, to excite universal discontent with the established order of things. For this purpose they formed secret societies, assumed new names, and employed an enig- matical language. Thus Frederick was called Luc; D'Alembert, Protagoras, and sometimes Bertrand; Vol- taire, Raton ; and Diderot, Platon, or its anagram, Ton- pla; while the generaljerm for the conspirators was Cacoucc. In their secret meetings they professed to celebrate the mysteries of Mythra ; and their great ob- ject, as they professed to one another, was to confound
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the wretch, meaniDg Jesus Christ Hence their secret the distant province*, and instituted an office to supply watchword was Ecrasez Vlnfdme, "Crush the Wretch." all schools with teachers; and thus did they acquire nu- ll" wo look into Bome of the I ks expressly written for precedented dominion over every Bpecies ol literature,
general circulation, we shall there find the following over the minds of all ranks of people, and over the
doctrines; some of them standing alone in all their na- education of youth, without giving any alarm to the
ked horrors, others surrounded by sophistry and mere- world. The "lovers of wit and polite literature were
tricious ornaments, to entice the mind into their nel caught by Voltaire ; them f science were perverted,
before ii perceives their nature: "The Universal Cause, and children corrupted in the tirst rudiment- oflearning,
thai God of the philosophers, of the Jews, and of the by D'Alembert and Diderot: Btronger appetites were
Christians, is bul a chimera and a phantom. The phe- fed by the secret club of baron Holbach; the imagina-
nomena of nature only prove the existence of God to a tions of the higher orders were set dangerously afloat
few prepossessed men: so far from bespeaking a God, by Montesquieu; and the multitude of all ranks were