Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords # 4: Heathen Philosophy by Joseph Priestly ©2007

PRIESTLEY, JOSEPH. The Doctrines of Heathen Philosophy, compared with those of Revelation. By Joseph Priestly, L.L.D. F.R.S. Northumberland: Printed by John Binns. 1804. [Copy-right secured] Octavo. Joseph Priestley (1773-1804) Presbyterian and then Unitarian minister and scientist.

Priestley's views are presented for their historical interest, he came to hold Arian views on the Person of Christ, and rejected the doctrine of the atonement, the trinity, and the inspiration of the Bible. While serving as the minister of Mill Hill Chapel, Leeds, (a position to which he was appointed in 1767) he embraced Socinianism. In 1791 he became one of the founders of the Unitarian Society. Following public attacks, he went to America in 1794, "spending the remaining years of his life at Northumberland, Pennsylvania. During this period he adopted the doctrine of the universal restitution and of moral progress in life after death... In the realm of science he is known chiefly for his 'discovery' of oxygen in 1774 and for his great work on Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air (1774-86)." –Cross: Oxford Dict. Christian Church, p1105.

s Plato's account of a future state has such a mixture of fancy and fable, and so little support from argument, his declaration of his belief of it will admit of much doubt, as well as what he says of the immortality of the soul in general. They were Eastern doctrines, to this day firmly believed by the Hindoos and others, though Plato gives no intimation whence he had them. But excepting this doubtful case of Plato himself, they never gained any degree of credit in the West.

How happy, then, should we think ourselves, and thankful to God, for the glorious light of the gospel, which leaves us under no doubt or uncertainty with respect to a future life in general; or the different conditions of the righteous and the wicked in it; and especially for that most satisfactory evidence of it in the death and resurrection of Jesus, as furnishing at the same time a proof, and also a pattern of a future universal resurrection, when all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the son of man and come forth, some to the resurrection of life, and others to that of condemnation; and when all men shall receive according to their works. What weight has the mere opinion of Plato, or that of any heathen philosophers, admitting them to haven been ever so much in earnest, compared to this?

We find nothing in our scriptures concerning the fanciful doctrine of pre-existence, or of the state of souls separate from the body; but are assured that as the man dies, the whole man shall rise again, with a perfect recollection of all that he had done, and therefore satisfied with respect to the state to which he will be sentenced corresponding to it. And this is all that we are at present concerned to know. It follows from this that we shall know our friends as well as ourselves. Jesus assured his apostles, that then they should be with him wherever he should be, and see and partake of his glory, and that this will also be shared by all who believe on him through their word, that is all sincere christians to the end of the world. We are also assured that all those who shall suffer with him shall also reign with him for ever. What ample encouragement is this to a life of virtue, and how will it enable us to bear all the troubles of this life, and the pains of death, be they what they may, with such an expectation. This is such hope and joy set before us, as was set before Jesus himself, and by which he was enabled to bear his cross, and to make no account of the shame of that ignominious, as well as painful death.