THAT THE SABBATH WAS NOT KEPT FROM THE FLOUD TO MOSES.
(1) The Sonnes of Noah did not keepe the Sabbath. (2) The Sabbath could not have been kept, in the dispersion of Noahs Sonnes, had it been commanded. (3) Diversitie of Longitudes and Latitudes, must of necessitie make a variation in the Sabbath. (4) Melchisedech, Heber, Lot, did not keepe the Sabbath. (5) Of Abraham and his Sonnes, that they kept not the Sabbath. (6) That Abraham did not keepe the Sabbath, in the confession of the Jewes. (7) Jacob, nor Job, no Sabbath-keepers. (8) That neither Joseph, Moses, nor the Israelites in Egypt, did observe the Sabbath. (9) The Israelites not permitted to offer sacrifice, while they were in Egypt. (10) Particular proofes, that all the Morall Law was both knowne, and kept, amongst the Fathers.
(1) WE are now come unto the hither side of the Flood, to the sons of Noah. To whom, the Hebrew Doctors say, their Father did bequeath seven several Commandments, which they and their Posterity were bound to keep. Septem praecepta acceperunt filii Noah, etc. as Schindler reckoneth them out of Rabbi Maimony. First, That they dealt uprightly with every man; Secondly, That they should bless and magnify the Name of God;
Thirdly, that they abstained from worshiping false gods, and from all Idolatry; Fourthly, That they forbear all unlawful lusts and copulations; The fifth, against shedding blood; The sixth, against theft and robbery: The seventh and last, a prohibition not to eat the flesh, or any member of a beast taken from it when it was alive; whereby all cruelty was forbidden.
These precepts whosoever violated, either of Noah’s sons, or their posterity, was to be smitten with the sword. Yea, these Commandments were reputed so agreeable to nature that all such Heathens as would yield to obey the same, were suffered to remain and dwell amongst the Israelites;
though they received not Circumcision, nor any of the ordinances which were given by Moses. So that amongst the precepts given unto the sons of Noah, we find no footsteps of the Sabbath. And where a Modern Writer, whom I spare to name, hath made the keeping of the Sabbath a member of the second precept, or included in it; it was not so advisedly done; there
being no such thing at all, either in Schindler, whom he cites, nor in Cunaeus, who repeats the self-same precepts, from the self-same Rabbi.
Nay, which is more, the Rabbin out of who they cite it, doth in another place exclude expressly the observation of the Sabbath out of the number of these precepts given the sons of Noah. The man and woman-servant, saith he, which are commanded to keep the Sabbath, are servants that are circumcised, or baptized, etc. But servants not circumcised nor baptised, but only such as have received the seven Commandments given to the sons of Noah, they are as sojourning strangers, and may do work for themselves openly on the Sabbath, as any Israelite may on a working day. So Rabbi Maymony in his Treatise of the Sabbath, Chap.20.Sect.14. So that it seems, that sojourners and servants, in the land of Jewry, however they were bound to observe the seven commandments given to the sons of Noah, were not obliged to keep the Sabbath: unless they had been
circumcised, or otherwise initiated in the Jewish Church, by some kind of washing, as probably were women Proselytes. Which proves sufficiently that the sons of Noah were not bound to observe the Sabbath. If then we find no Sabbath amongst the sons of Noah, whereof some of them were the sons of their Father’s piety, there is no thought of meeting with it in their children, or their children’s children: the builders of the Tower of Babel.
For they being terrified with the late Deluge, as some conjecture, and to procure the name of great undertakers, as the Scripture saith, resolved to build themselves a Tower unto the top whereof the waters should in no wise reach. A work of a most vast extent, if we may credit those reports that are made thereof; and followed by the people, as Josephus tells us, with their utmost industry, there being none amongst them idle. If none amongst them would be idle; as likely that no day was spared from so great an action, as they conceived that work to be: Those that durst bid defiance to the heaven of God, were never like to keep a Sabbath to the God of Heaven. This action was begun and ended, Anno 1940, or thereabouts.
(2) To ruinate these vain attempts, it pleased the Lord first to confound the language of the people, which before was one; and after to disperse them over all the earth. By means of which dispersion, they could not possibly have kept one and the same day for a Sabbath, had it been commanded: the days in places of a different longitude, which is the distance of a place from the first Meridian, beginning at such different times, that no one day could be precisely kept amongst them. The proof and ground whereof, I will make bold to borrow from my late learned friend Nath. Carpenter; that I
may manifest, in some sort, the love I bore him: though probably I might have furnished out this argument from mine own wardrope: at least I have had recourse to many other learned men, who have written of it. For that the difference of time is varied according to the difference of longitudes, in divers places of the earth, may be made manifest to every man’s
understanding, out of these two principles: First, that the earth is spherical:
and secondly, that the Sun doth compass it about in twenty-four hours.
From hence it comes to pass, that places situate Eastward see the Sun sooner than those do that are placed Westward. And that with such a different proportion of time, that unto every hour of the Sun’s motion, there is assigned a certain number of miles upon the Earth: every fifteen degrees, which is the distance of the Meridians, being computed to make one hour; and every fifteen miles upon the earth, correspondent to one minute of that hour. By this we may perceive how soon the noon-tide happeneth in one City before another. For if one City stands Eastward of another the space of three of the aforesaid Meridians, which is 2700 miles;
it is apparent that it will enjoy the noon-tide no less than three hours before the other: and consequently in 10,800 miles, which is half the compass of the earth, there will be found no less than twelve hours difference in the rising and setting of the Sun, as also in the noon and midnight. The reason of which difference of times is, as before we said, the difference of
longitudes, wherein to every hour, Cosmographers have allotted 15
degrees in the Sun’s diurnal motion: so that 15 degrees being multiplied by twenty-four hours, which is the natural day, the product will be 360, which is the number of degrees in the whole circle. Now in these times, wherein the sons of Noah dispersed themselves, in case the Sabbath was to have been kept as simply moral, it must needs follow that the moral Law is subject unto manifold mutations and uncertainties, which must not be granted. For spreading as they did over all the earth, some farther, some at shorter distance; and thereby changing longitudes, with their habitations:
they must of mere necessity alter the difference of times and days, and so could keep no day together. Nor could their issue since their time observe exactly and precisely the self-same day, by reason of the manifold
transportation of Colonies and transmigration of Nations, from one Region to another; whereby the times must of necessity be supposed to vary. The Author of the Practice of Piety, though he plead hard for the “morality of the Sabbath, cannot but confess that in respect of the diversity of the Meridians, and the unequal rising and setting of the Sun, every day varieth in some places a quarter, in some half, in others an whole day: therefore
the Jewish Sabbath cannot (saith he) be precisely kept in the same instant of time, everywhere in the World.” Certainly if it cannot now, then it never could: & then it will be found that some at least of Noah’s posterity, and all that have from them descended, either did keep at all no Sabbath, or not upon the day appointed: which comes all to one. Or else it needs must follow, that God imposed a Law upon his people, which in itself without relation to the frailty, ne dum to the iniquity of poor man, could not in possibility have been observed: Yea, such a Law as could not generally have been kept, had Adam still continued in his perfect innocence.
(3) To make this matter yet more plain, It is a Corollary or conclusion in Geography, that if two men do undertake a journey from the self-same place, round about the earth: the one Eastward, the other Westward, and meet in the same place again: it will appear that he which hath gone East, hath gotten: and that the other going Westward, hath lost a day, in their account. The reason is, because he that from any place assigned doth travel Eastward, moving continually against the proper motion of the Sun, will shorten somewhat of his day: taking so much from it, as his journey in proportion of the distance from the place assigned, hath first opposed, and so anticipated in that time, the diurnal motion of the Sun. So daily gaining something from the length of the day; it will amount in the whole circuit of the Earth, to twenty- four hours, which are a perfect natural day. The other going Westward, and seconding the course of the Sun by his own journey, will by the same reason add as much proportionably, unto his day, as the other lost, and in the end will lose a day in his account. For demonstration of the which, suppose of these two Travelers, that the former for every fifteen miles, should take away one minute from the length of the day: and the latter add as much unto it, in the like proportion of his journey. Now by the Golden Rule, if every fifteen miles subtract or add one minute in the length of the day, then must 21,600 miles, which is the compass of the Earth, add or subtract 1440 minutes, which make up twenty-four hours, a just natural day. To bring this matter home unto the business now in hand, suppose we that a Turk, a Jew, and a Christian should dwell together at Jerusalem, whereof the one doth keep his Sabbath on the Friday; the other, on the Saturday; and the third sanctifieth the Sunday: then, that upon the Saturday, the Turk begin his journey Westward, and the Christian,
Eastward; so as both of them compassing the World, do meet again in the same place; the Jew continuing where they left him. It will fall out, that the Turk by going Westward, having lost a day; and the Christian, going
Eastward, having got a day: one and the self-same day, will be a Friday, to the Turk; a Saturday, unto the Jew; and a Sunday to the Christian; in case they calculate the time exactly, from their departure to their return. To prove this further yet, by a matter of fact. The Hollanders in their Discovery of Fretum le Maire, Anno 1615, found by comparing their account at their coming home, that they had clearly lost a day (for they had traveled Westward in that tedious Voyage); that which was Monday to the one, being the Sunday to the other. And now what should these people do when they were returned? If they are bound by nature, and the moral law, to sanctify precisely one day in seven; they must then sanctify a day apart from their other Countrymen; and like a crew of Schismaticks, divide themselves from the whole body of the Church: or to keep order, and comply with other men, must of necessity be forced to go against the law of nature, or the moral law; which ought not to be violated by any respect whatever. But to return unto Noah’s sons, whom this case concerns; it might, for ought we know, be theirs, in this dispersion, in this removing up and down, and from place to place. What shall we think of those that planted Northwards, or as much extremely Southwards; whose issue now, are to be found, as in part is known, near and within the Polar circles: what Sabbath think we could they keep? Some times a very long one sure, and sometimes none: indeed none at all, taking a Sabbath, as we do, for one day in seven. For near the Polar Circles, as is plainly known, the days are twenty-four hours in length. Between the Circle and the Pole, the day, if so it may be called, increaseth first by weeks, and at last by months; till in the end, there is six months perpetual day, and as long a night. No room in those parts for a Sabbath. But it is time to leave these speculations, and return to practice.
(4) And first we will begin with Melchisedech, King of Salem, the Priest of the most high God, Rex idem hominumque divumque sacerdes; a type and figure of our Savior; whose Priesthood still continueth in the holy Gospel.
With him the rather, because it is most generally conceived that he was Sem the son of Noah. Of him it is affirmed by Justin Martyr, that he was neither circumcised, nor yet kept the Sabbath, and yet most acceptable unto God, *. Tertullian also tells us of him, Incircumcisum nec
sabbatizantem ad sacerdotium Dei allectum esse; that he was called unto the Priesthood, not being circumcised, nor an observer of the Sabbath: and puts him also in his challenge, as one whom none amongst the Jews could ever prove to have kept the Sabbath. Eusebius yet more fully than either of
them: “Moses, saith he, brings in Melchisedech Priest of the most high God, neither being circumcised, nor anointed with the holy Oil, as was afterwards commanded in the Law; *, *, no not so much as knowing that there was a Sabbath; and ignorant altogether of those ordinances, which were imposed upon the Jews, and living most agreeably unto the Gospel.”
Somewhat to that purpose also doth occur, in his seventh de praeparatione.
Melchisedech, whosoever he was, gave meeting unto Abraham, about the year of the World, 2118: and if we may suppose him to be Sem, as I think we may, he lived till Isaac was fifty years of age, which was long after this famous interview. Now what these Fathers say of Sem, if Sem at least was he whom the Scriptures call Melchisedech; the same almost is said of his great grand-child Heber: he being named by Epiphanius for one of those who lived according to the faith of the Christian Church; wherein no Sabbath was observed in that Father’s time. And here we will take Lot in too although a little before his time, as one of the Posterity of Heber, that when we come to Abraham, we may keep ourselves within his Family.
Him, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus both in the places formerly remembered, make to be one of those which without Circumcision and the Sabbath, were acceptable to the Lord, and by him justified. And to Tertullian, that sine legis observatione, de Sodomorum incendio liberatus est: that without keeping of the Law (Sabbaths and circumcision and the like), he was delivered from the fire of Sodom. Therefore not Lot, nor Heber, nor Melchisedech, ever kept the Sabbath.
(5) For Abraham next, the Father of the Faithful, with whom the Covenant was made, and Circumcision, as a seal, annexed unto it: The Scripture is exceeding copious in setting down his life and actions, as also of the lives and actions of his Son, and Nephews, their flittings and removes, their sacrifices, forms of Prayer, and whatsoever else was signal in the whole course of their affairs: but yet no mention of the Sabbath. Though such a memorable thing as sanctifying of a constant day unto the Lord, might probably have been omitted in the former Patriarchs, of whom there is but little left, save their names and ages; as if they had been only brought into the story, to make way for him: yet it is strange that in a punctual and particular relation of his life and piety, there should not be one Item to point out the Sabbath, had it been observed. This is enough to make one think there was no such matter. Et quod non invenis usquam, esse putes nusquam, in the Poets’ language. I grant indeed, that Abraham kept the Christian Sabbath, in righteousness and holiness serving the Lord his God,
all the days of his life: and so did Isaac and Jacob. Sanctificae diem sabbati, saith the Prophet Jeremiah to the Jews, i.e. ut omne tempus vitae nostre in sanctificatione ducamus, sicut fecerus patres nostri, Abraham, Isaac, &
Jacob, as Saint Hierome glosseth it. Our venerable Bede also hath affirmed as much, that Abraham kept indeed the spiritual sabbath, quo semper a servili, i.e. noxia vacabat actione, whereby he always rested from the servile work of sin: but that he kept or sanctified any other Sabbath, the Christian Fathers deny unanimously. Justin the Martyr numbering up the most of those before remembered, concludes; that they *, were justified without the Sabbath: *. & so, saith he, was Abraham after them, & all his children until Moses. And whereas Trypho had exacted a necessary keeping of the Law, Sabbaths, New-moons, & Circumcision: the Martyr makes reply, “that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, and all the other Patriarchs both before and after them, until Moses’ time; yea, and their wives, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Lea, and all the rest of religious women unto Moses’
mother, * neither kept any of them all, nor had commandment so to do, till Circumcision was enjoined to Abraham & his posterity. So Irenaeus, that Abraham, sine Circumcisione & observatione Sabbatorum credidit Deo, etc. without or Circumcision, or the Sabbath did believe in God, which was imputed to him for righteousness. And where the Jews objected in defense of their ancient Ceremonies, that Abraham had been circumcised:
Tertullian makes reply, sed ante placuit Deo quam circumcideretur, nec tamen sabbatizavit; that he was acceptable unto God, before his being circumcised; and yet he never kept the Sabbath. See more unto this
purpose, in Eusebius de Demonstr.l.I c.6; de praeparat.l.7.c.8; (where Isaac and Jacob are remembered too:) as also Epiphanius adv.haeres.l. I.n.5. In all which passages of the Fathers we may still observe how evenly
Circumcision and the Sabbath do keep pace together; both Ceremonies, both to end at our Savior’s passion, both of them special marks and cognizances to discern the Christian from the Jew.
(6) Thus far the ancient Christian Writers have declared of Abraham, that he kept no Sabbath: and this in conference with the Jew, and in Books against them. Which doubtless they had never done, had there been any possibility for the Jews to have proved the contrary. Some of the Jews indeed, not being willing thus to lose their Father Abraham, have said, and written too, that he kept the Sabbath, as they do: and for a proof thereof they ground themselves on that of Genesis, because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my Commandments, my statutes and my