Stoicks

STOICKS, a sort of Heathen Philosophers, who took their Name from the Greek Word Stoa, signifying a Porch or Entry, because Zeno, the Head of the Stoicks, kept his School in a Porch of the City of Athens. Diogenes Laertius may be consulted, in his Life of Zeno, and others that have treated of the Sects of the Philosophers. Josephus says,¹ that the Pharisees approach very near to the Sentiments of the Stoicks. They affected the same Stiffness, Patience, Apathy, Austerity, and Insensibility. The Sect of the Stoicks was still considerable at Athens when St. Paul came thither, since he had Conferences with them. The Stoicks placed the supream Happiness of Man in living agreeably to Nature and Reason. They seem’d to look upon God as the Soul of the

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