THE Resurrection OF The same Body ASSERTED FROM The Traditions of the Heathens the Ancient Jews and the Primitive Church WITH An ANSWER to the OBJECTIONS brought against it By HUMPHRY HODY D. D. Fellow of Wadham College in Oxford and Chaplain to His Grace JOHN Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Non enim levia sunt illa de quibus contendimus sed ejusmodi ut illa scire praestantius sit ignorare turpissimum St. Methodius de Resurrectione LONDON Printed for Awnsham and John Churchill at the Black-Swan in Pater-Noster-Row 1694. REVERENDO ADMODUM IN CHRISTO PATRI AC PRAESULI Edvardo Stillingfleet Grandi Nomini HISTORIAM HANC Resurrectionis Corporis Sacellanus nuper semper Cultor Ejus Devotissimus HUMFREDUS HODY D. D. C. TO THE READER THis Treatise contains a History of the Resurrection of the Body The Grand Design of it is to prove the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the same Humane Body to be the Doctrine of the Gospel If that be prov'd the Truth of it is sufficiently demonstrated and that is all the Author desires should be granted him What he lays down concerning the Heathens and Jews and that which he advances concerning the Resurrection its being once a General Doctrine deriv'd down from Noah and the Ante-diluvian Patriarchs all that is ex abundanti and design'd only for the more Curious There is one thing more which he bad me say and that is this That he treads not in any Man's Steps but the Entertainment which he has here prepared for thee is wholly and in all its Parts new at least his own May â—…6 1694. THE CONTENTS PART I. Concerning the Opinions of the Heathens That they held many Opinions which were grounded on a Tradition concerning the Resurrection and that some of them hold the Resurrection in the true Christian Sense THeir gross Notions concerning the Soul in its state of separation that it has all the same Parts that the Body has p. 3. A Mistake of St. Justin Martyr p. 4. Their Opinion concerning the Transmigration of Souls p. 6. Their Opinion concerning the duration of the Soul as long as the Body lasted and its adherence to the Body after Death p. 11. They believe thâ—… some Men have aâ—…cended up into Heaven in their Bodies there to live for ever p. 13. That others have done so even after Death upon a Re union of their Souls and Bodies p. 15. The Opinion of the Pythagoreans and Platonists c. concerning the Restitution of our Bodies and of all other things in the World to their former state after the revolution of maâ—…y Ages by a new Birth or production p. 16. The Opinion of some of the Genethliacal Writers that the Soul returns and is united to the same Body in the space of 440 Years p. 20. The Opinion of the Stoicks concerning the reproduction of all the same Men c. after the general Conflagration p. 20. That Democritus asserted the Resurrection Epicurus's Opinion concerning the restauration of the very same Bodies after a great space of time p. 26. Merick Casaubon's Mistake concerning the Opinion of the Emperor M. Antoninus p. 23. The Resurrection asserted in the same sense as we understand it by the ancient Magi and by the present Heathen Gaurs of Persia the Relicts of the ancient Magi p. 29. By some of the ancient Arabians p. 31. By some of the Banians of India p. 33. By the present Inhabitants of the Island of Ceylon p. 36. Of Java p. 37. Of Pegu p. 37. Of Transiana p. 37. By some amongst the Chinese p. 37. By the Arderians in Guinnee p. 45. And by the ancient Prussians p. 45. These Traditions concerning the Resurrection not receiv'd from the Jews but transmitted down from Noah and the Ante-diluvian Patriarohs p. 49. PART II. Concerning the Opinions of the ancient Jews p. 53. to 107. THE Doctrine of the Resurrection no Article of Faith or Term of Communion among them 'till about 100 Years after Christ p. 53. c. Not own'd by the Essens p. 54. nor by Philo p. 56. yet the common and general Doctrine long before that time p. 64. Their not making it a Term of Communion no Argument against the certainty of it The Soul's Immortality it self no Term of the Jewish Communion in those times The Sadduces own'd as true Jews p. 89. The Opinion of Josephus p. 66. Of the Sapientes Mecar p. 60. the Hemero-Baptists p. 61. and the Samaritans p. 62. They that held the Resurrection understood it to be of the same Humane Body The Opinion of some of the Jews concerning the passing of their Bodies under-ground to the Holy Land and their Custom of carrying the Bones of their Dead thither p. 70. The Transmigration of Souls held by many of the Jews p. 78. and by some of the Pharisees in the time of Josephus p. 81. Whether held by any in our Saviour's time p. 82. They that own the Transmigration acknowledge withal a Resurrection p. 87. Testimonies for the Resurrection out of the Old Testament p. 96. PART III. Concerning the Doctrine of the Primitive Church THE Resurrection of the same Humane Body demonstrated from the New Testament p. 107 c. and from the Doctrine of the Primitive Writers which flourish'd before the time of Origen such as St. Clement of Rome p. 133. Justin M. p. 141. Irenaeus p. 142. Athenagoras p. 143. Theophilus of Antioch p. 144. The Churches of Lions and Vienna p. 144. Clemens Alex. p. 145. Tertullian p. 145. and others And from the Creeds of the Primitive Church and others in several Ages p. 171. The Inconsistences and Contradictions of Origen p. 108 109 152 to 168. That he himself in some places of his Works own'd the Resurrâ—…ction of the same Humane Body p. 152. That the Primitive Fathers would never have embraced the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the same humane Body if it had not been evidently Apostolical 180. PART IV. Objections answer'd The Qualities of the Body in the Resurrection The Reason why it is to rise p. 184 c. The principal Errata are these PAge 9. Line 17. for their Souls read the Soul p. 23. l. 22. r. Merick p. 30. l. 12. r. Years which Ibid l. 9. r. Guebres p. 53. l. 8. r. of the number p. 58. l. 25. r. will free p. 59. l. 9. r. dissolution p. 93. l. 12. for Rights 〈◊〉 Rites p. 100. l. 9. r. unwilling Ibid l. 15. r. do not conâ—…in p. 109. l. 1. r. represent p. 171. l. 24. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from St. Austin The Resurrection of the same Body asserted THE Resurrection is defin'd by Maimonides to be The return of the Soul into the same Body from which it had been separated and agreeable to this Definition the Catholick Faith spread throughout the whole Christian World is this That the same Body which died consisting of the same Particles shall rise again out of its Grave in the Day of Judgment and be re-united to the Soul But
the Body to propose it as a thing to be wonder'd at why the Bodies of good Men are not to be rais'd again And the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which Casaubon lays a great Stress and which seems to be the Foundation of his Error signifies not only again as he renders it but amplius or in posterum So in Philo Judaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the time to come in Isocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Posterity In the same Sense it is used by Plato and others I might here observe that the Philosopher Heraclitus more ancient than the Stoicks speaks not only of the general Conflagration but says that they that have lived ill in this Life shall be purged by that Fire I might likewise observe that both he and Anaximenes and Diogenes Apolloniates believ'd That after the destruction of this World there will be another Created and so on to all Eternity But I rather chuse to entertain you with some thing that I think will be more surprizing and more to our Purpose Should I tell you that those two great Atomical Philosophers Democritus and Epicurus believ'd that our Bodies will hereafter be restor'd again and be made up of the very same Particles should I tell you thus much you would take me perhaps to be rather pleasant than serious But how strange soever you may think it it is nevertheless true at least if my Authors were not mistaken They believ'd that this will happen after a vast distance of time and aâ—…ter innumerable changes by a Second fortuitous concourse of the very same Particles Democritus as I suppose form'd this Notion from what he had learnt concerning the Instauration of all Things by conversing with the Egyptians among whom we know he lived many Years to be instructed in their Philosophy And from him it is likely Epicurus receiv'd it But how does it appear that those two great Corporealists who believ'd that the Soul and Body diâ—… both together asserted this kind of Resurrection For Democritus Pliny is my Author for Epicurus St. Jerom. Pliny in his Nat. Hist. opposes and derides this Opinion of Democritus so he does also the Immortality of the Soul Similis est de asservandis corporibus hominum ac reviviscendi promissa Democrito vanitas qui non revixit ipse Quae malum ista dementia est iterari vitani morte S. Jerom's Words concerning Epicuruâ—… aâ—…e these Vide hoc novum est jam faâ—…um est in seculo quod fuit ante nos Cum superioribus autem congruit quod niâ—…il novum in mundo fiat nec sit aliquis qui possit existere dicere ecce hoc novum est siquidem omne quod se putaverit novum ostendere jam in prioribus seculis fuit Nec putemus signa atque prodigia multa quae arbitrio Dei nova in Mundo fiunt in prioribus seculis esse jam facta locum invenire Epicurum qui asserit per innumerabiles periodos EADEM eisdem in locis per â—…osdem fieri There is no reason we should change the Reading and for Epicurus read Chrysippus as a learned Man suspects we ought since as has been shewn Democritus himself whose Philosophy Epicurus follow'd and from whom the Ancients tell us he borrow'd a great many of his Notions maintain'd either the same or a like Opinion I shall conclude these Opinions with those receiv'd among some of the Ancient Arabians The Harbanists an ancient Sect among the Heathen Arabians held That after the space of 36425 Years all the Species of Living Creatures that are in the World shall be destroy'd and the Nature of the Universe shall again produce Two Pair of every Species for every Climate of the Earth And after this manner the World is to continue by several Revolutions to Eternity There were others among the Arabians that agreed with the Pythagoreans and Platonists or rather came up more home to the Christian Doctrine than they did They believ'd that after certain Circulations of the Heavenly Bodies the Soul will return and will constitute the same Individual Man and that the Man thus constituted anew will remember what had past in the former Life Abrahamus Ecchellensis mentions this as the Opinion of some Ancient Hereticks amongst the Mahometans in Egypt and elsewhere And you know the Mahometans of Egypt were originally Arabians We have made I think by this time a pretty tolerable Progress and from the View we have already taken I believe you begin to be convinced that the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body was known and generally embrac'd in the first Ages of the World We will now extend our View and look a little farther abroad into the World and shew that the Heathens had not only some Opinions amongst 'em which were built on a Tradition concerning the Resurrection and that carry with 'em a very great resemblance of our Doctrine but that many of 'em in several parts of the World have held the same Doctrine with us and do to this day believe it in the same sense as we understand it I mean that they hold That the Particles of the Body which died will be rais'd again and without a new Birth be united to the Soul and constitute the very same Man I shall not here take any notice of those Greek Verses which are extant under the Name of Phocylides that they plainly assert the Resurrection in regard those Verses are by all learned Men attributed not to the Ancient Phocylides but to some Jewish or Christian Author The First Instance which I shall present you with is that of the Persian Magi. I need not tell you that the Magi were the Priests and Philosophers of the Ancient Persians Theopompus and Eudemus Rhodius two very Ancient Authors in D. Laertius tell us that the Magi taught That Men shall revive and be Immortal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Plutarch assures us out of the Books of Zoroastres that according to their Doctrine there will be a time when the Earth shall be made plain and level and all Mankind shall live blessedly together on Earth in one common Society and shall speak but one Language This is almost expresly the Millennarian Doctrine of the Resurrection They add according to Theopompus that this shall happen after the term of 6000 Years Which is the same number of Years that the Ancient Jews and most of the Christian Fathers allow for the duration of the World before the Resurrection And that the Bodies of Men in that State will not have need of Food but will be pure and pellucid or as he expresses it will cast no Shadow Thus Aeneas Gazaeus affirms that Zoroastres foretold that there will come a time when there shall be a Resurrection of all the Dead And this says he Theopompus attests To this I shall add what is also very remarkable
'em unsearchable to us and as Job tells us he giveth not account of any of his Matters 'T is his part to act ours to admire and submit and as long as our Reason and our Senses are not plainly contradicted we are only to enquire What not How or Why I would fain know of those who deny the Resurrection of the same Humane Body because they do not know what use we can have of the particular Parts of such a Body in the life to come whether they deny or doubt of the Existence of all other things the Reason of which they cannot comprehend I should undertake to quiet all the Scruples of those Men and to satisfie all their queries if they would be but pleas'd to undertake to answer a few Questions of mine I could ask 'em the Reason of a hundred Things both in Nature and Divinity but to bring my Questions home to the Case before us If they will not believe that in the Life to come we shall have Humane Bodies because they cannot see to what uses our several Parts can then serve let 'em tell me to what real Uses all the Parts of our Bodies serve here in this Life By that time they are able to do that I believe I may be able to assign them the uses of the several Parts of our Bodies in the Life to come If they please to cast their Eyes down on their own Bodies they may there see certain Parts of which there is no real Use such as were bestowed on their Bodies for Resemblance Sake only Why therefore might not God give us Humane Bodies in the next Life meerly for this Reason Suppose if you please that there is no other that they that Rise may Resemble or be like those that Died or be such as they were I would ask the Etherealist a Question or two more Let him tell me for what Reason God gave us a Body here in this Life why he made us Corporeal Beings since only to have created so many Souls or Spirits might have conduced as much or for ought we can see more to His Glory and our Happiness than to make us as he has done of Body and Soul Let him tell me for what Reason we shall have in the Life to come any Body at all as he himself grants we shall have an Ethereal one since the Soul is in its own Nature and without any sort of Body Capable of Rewards and Punishments In a Word the same Reason God had for making us what we are the same he will have for making us what we shall be viz. His good Pleasure â—…om readest thou Go learn to be modest Enquire first what God has promis'd then judge of his Wisdom by his Promises I fansie my-self talking Philalethes to a bold Refiner on the Promises and Decrees of God Almighty one of those little Dothings that call themselves Philosophers who first form to themselves Notions and Idea's then deal with Revelation as the Tyrant did with the poor Innocents on his Bed either violently stretch it beyond its natural Reach or chop off a Part to make it commensurate to their Inventions This I know is what You are not guilty of You pursue the quite contrary Method As a real Lover of Truth and as becomes a true Christian Philosopher you first search the Scriptures and then the Traditions of the Primitive Church and on these agreeing together as on a sure and certain Foundation you raise and build the System of your Belief Those Doctrines which you find clearly reveal'd you do not endeavour to puzle with nice Objections and Scruples nor pervert with anyp rivate Glosses and Conceits of your own But as you find 'em so you embrace ' em You firmly believe and humbly acquiesce and leave the Contrivance and the Reasons to God Concerning the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the same Humane Body which in Obedience to your Commands I have endeavour'd to confirm and establish I shall here for the close of all add That among all the Doctrines of Christianity you understand me of such as are grounded only on Revelation there is not any one either more plainly deliver'd in Scripture or more clearly convey'd down to us by the Traditions of the Primitive Fathers or more universally receiv'd by the Catholick Church than this is 'T is indeed so clearly deliver'd down to us and so universally receiv'd that to deny it and yet at the same time profess the Christian Faith seems to imply a Contradiction He that would preach the one must likewise maintain the other We must do as St. Paul did at Athens Preach Jesus and not only the but This Resurrection FINIS * Cohort ad Grac. p. 26. * De Provid Fatâ—… ap Phot. Cod. CCXIV. a Bel. Gal. 〈◊〉 6. c. 14. b Bel. Celtico * l. 2. c. 123. †Sir Paul Ricaut of the Turkish Empire l. 2. c. 12. p. 133. * Aen. 6. v. 751. †De tempore Serm. 139 142. a De Resur c. 1. Sed Platonici immortalem animam 〈◊〉 contrario reclamant immo adhuc proxime etiam in Corpora remeabilem affirmant etsi non in eadem etsi non in humà na tantummodo ut Euphorbus in Pythagoram Homerus in Pavum recenseantur Certè recidivatum animae corporalem pronunciaverunt tolerabilius mutatâ quà m negatâ qualitate pulsatâ saltem licet non aditâ veritate Ita saeculum resurrectionem morcuorum nec quum errat ignorat b Sic etiam conditionem renascendi sapientium clariores Pythagoras primus praecipuus Plato corruptâ dimidiatâ fide tradiderunt Nam corporibus dissolutis solas animas volunt perpetuò manere in alia nova corpora saepius commeare Addunt istis illa ad retorquendam verjtatem in pecudes aves belluas hominum animas redire Non Philosophi sane studio sed mimico vitio digna ista sententia est Sed ad propositum satis est etiam in hoc sapientes vestros in aliquem modum nobiscum consonare c L. 7. c. 23. Quâ de anastasi Philosophi quoque dicere aliquid conatâ—… sunt tam corruptè quà m Poetae Nam Pythagoras transire animas in nova Corpora disputavit c. * Observ. de locis memorab in Asiâ c. †De Luctu * Orat. 5. p. 312. Orat. 7. p. 408 409. a Orat. 4. p. 289. †De praetermissis ab Homero * In Romulo * Vitâ Apollonii l. 8. c. 12. †Plutarch in Romulo Herodotus l. 4. c. 13 14 15. * l. c. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. * Contra Celsum l. 5. p. 245. a Vita Pythag. p. 188. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ap. Pecock Not. in Portam Mosis p. 146. †Ap. S. Aug. de Civ XXII 28. a C. Celsum l. 5. p. 245. †P. 208. He says it was the Opinion of the Stoicks not that things should be numerically the same but only in likeness not