[f. THEOSOPH(Y, or med.L. theosoph-us (Scotus Erigena, a. 880) THEOSOPH + -ER1: cf. PHILOSOPHER.] = THEOSOPHIST. (Applied spec. to Jakob Böhme, ‘the Teutonic Theosopher,’ and his followers.)
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler (1843), 18. Have an extraordinary care … of the late Theosophers, that teach men to climbe to heaven upon a ladder of lying figments.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal. (1713), 72. Laying down such Conclusions as the Naturalists and Theosophers in all Ages have looked upon as the choicest and most precious.
1755. Amory, Mem. (1766), II. 73, note. Jacob Behemen, the reverend theosopher.
1782. Gentl. Mag., LII. 329/1. The true and infallible ground of what he there advanced was to be found in the Teutonic Theosopher, in his three first Properties of Eternal Nature.
1850. Maurice, Mor. & Met. Philos., I. viii. § 2. 234. These books … which have procured him [Boehme] the name of the Theosopher.
1881. Overton, W. Law, 269. Hitherto Law has been presented to us in this chapter rather as a theosopher than as a mystic proper.
