Copy 1, Volume 1
Disquisitions relating to matter and spirit. To which is added the history of the philosophical doctrine concerning the origin of the soul, and the nature of matter; with its influence on Christianity, especially with respect to the doctrine of the pre-existence of Christ / By Joseph Priestley, LL.D. F.R.S.
- Joseph Priestley
- Date:
- 1782
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Disquisitions relating to matter and spirit. To which is added the history of the philosophical doctrine concerning the origin of the soul, and the nature of matter; with its influence on Christianity, especially with respect to the doctrine of the pre-existence of Christ / By Joseph Priestley, LL.D. F.R.S. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![trine of the pre-exiftence offouls (of which the opinion of the pre-exiftence of Chrift was a branch) will be effectually overturned. But I apprehend that, fhould I have failed in the proof of the materiality of man, arguments enow remain, independent of this, to prove the non pre-exiftence of Chrift, and of this doCtrine having been introduced into Chris- tianity from the fyftem of Oriental philo- fophy. Laftly, the doCtrine of necejjity, maintained in the Appendix, is the immediate refult of the doCtrine of the materiality of man ; for mechanifm is the undoubted confequence of materialifm. But whether man be wholly material or not, I apprehend that proof enough is advanced that every human volition is fub- ]eCt to certain fixed laws, and that the pre- tended Jelf-determining power is altogether imaginary and impoffible. In fhort, it is my firm perfuafion, that the„ three doCtrines of materialifm, of that which is commonly called Socinianif?n9 and of philo - fophical necefity, are equally parts of one fyfem, being equally founded on juft obfervations of nature, and fair deductions from the fcrip- iures ; and that whoever fhall duly confider their connection, and dependence on one another, will find no fufficient confiftency in any ge- neral fcheme of principles, that does not com- prehend them all. At the fame time, each of thefe doCtrines Hands on its own independent foundation, and is capable of fuch feparate B 3 demon-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2877114x_0001_0061.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
