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A21041 Tvvo treatises. The one, a most fruitfull exposition vpon Philemon: the other, the schoole of affliction. Both penned, by the late faithfull minister of Gods Word, Daniel Dyke, Bachelor in Diuinitie: published since his death by his brother, I.D. minister of Gods Word Dyke, Daniel, d. 1614.; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. 1618 (1618) STC 7410; ESTC S100162 203,709 388

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Fathers the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel Thus much of the first person whom this Epistle lesse concernes viz. ARCHIPPVS The second followes in these words And the Church that is in thy house HEre some vnderstand that Company of the Christians that vpon the Sabbath met together for diuine seruice in PHILEMONS house for in those times they had not the libertie of publike meetings but I like their interpretation better who thinke that in these words PAVL more specially meant PHILEMONS owne Family But why should PAVL write to them what had Obiect they to doe with this matter Cannot a Master take a seruant into the Family but hee must call his seruants to counsell this were to make them quarter-masters with himselfe First PAVL knew well enough that whatsoeuer Answ he wrote being penned by the instinct of the Spirit was for the profit and benefit of the whole Church and euery member thereof though written by him to some one particular man or Church Therefore he might well inscribe these his Letters euen to the seruants of PHILEMON that they also together with their Master might reape some good by the reading of them Hence PAVL willeth the Colossians that that Epistle which hee wrote to them should be read in the Church of the Laodiceans And PETER telleth the Iewes 2. Pet. 3. that that which PAVL had written to the Romanes Rom. 2. concerning the long suffering of God hee wrote to them As our beloued brother PAVL wrote to you Secondly another cause may bee this PAVL knew that it was a matter of no small moment for fellow-seruants to be well affected each to other If therefore that former euill opinion which they had iustly conceiued of ONESIMVS did still continue in their minds this Epistle read of them would make them to be of another mind Otherwise the other seruants seeing ONESIMVS a thiefe and fugitiue in fauour with their Master as well if not more then themselues might take it indignely as the prodigals elder brother did the intertaynment which his father gaue him Luk. 16. What saith he Thou neuer didst halfe so much for me that haue liued honestly with thee at home as thou hast done now for this riotous Spend-thrift that hath consumed thy goods vpon whores So. in like manner might the mouthes of PHILEMONS other seruants be opened against him Wee haue beene faithfull seruants vnto thee thus long and neuer broke out into any misdemeanour and yet loe thou preferrest before vs this pilfering Purloyner that hath stolne thy goods and runne away from thee But this Letter of PAVL would not onely stop their mouthes thus opening themselues against PHILEMON but also open both their hearts and mouthes to entertayne and embrace ONESIMVS with all courtesie and kindnes and to performe mutuall duties towards him as to their fellow-seruant hereby it may appeare how carefull PAVL was that the peace should not be broken in one Family How much more studious ought we to be of the publike peace of the whole Church euen pursuing after it in case it flie from vs But here chiefly we are to obserue that PHILEMONS Family hath this honorable name of the Church giuen vnto it Which argueth as the commendable care of PHILEMON in the gouernment of his Family so likewise the Religion and godlinesse of the whole Family Hence then wee learne what kind of Families Doct. Christians should haue namely such as might be little kind of Churches in the which there should Christians Families should be little Churches be that sweet order and comelinesse that in them we may see a liuely image and representation of the Church How may a Family come to deserue this title Quest For this purpose many things are required Answ whereof some are common to all in the Family others proper to some Common to all are these two points First if we 1. A platforme of houshold gouernment would haue our Families Churches then we that are members in Families must labour to become true members of the Church for a company of profane men is not the house of God but a Den and Dungeon of Theeues Adulterers Atheists conspiring together against God The which yet is not so to be vnderstood as if the name of a Church could not be attributed to a Family in which there are some not members of the Church for euen in the Church it selfe there are some in it that are not of it ADAMS house Genes 4. is called the face of God in which CAIN a castaway was borne and brought vp for euery denomination is from the worthier part We call the commixtion of Water and Wine by the name of Wine though haply there be more Water Wherefore if there shall be but two righteous persons found in a Family we will afford it the honor of this name But how much more then may that Family challenge the name of a Church in the which there shall not be so much as one Canaanite and vncircumcised person In which all the members of the Family shine most brightly as Gemmes and Diamonds to the great grace of the whole Family Let therefore euery one of a Family be desirous the house he dwels in should be Bethel Gods house bring one stone to the making of this spirituall house that so hee may bee able to say This house is a holy edifice and I am one of the liuing stones that helpe to the making of it so This is that which DAVID prayeth for in the behalfe of the posteritie of the Israelites that they might be Corner-stones polished and grauen to make a Princely Palace for howsoeuer that houses may be Gods Temple in which there are many vnpolished stones vnfit for the making of GODS Temple yet they as much as in them is depraue it of this honorable stile Neither doth any part of this holy praise of the Church of God in a Family belong to thee who being in the Family art a member of the Church malignant A spot thou art and blot in the Family and being an vngrauen and vncarued stone marrest the grace of the whole building for the grace of a building is a sweet vniformitie and agreeablenesse of one part with another But this vniformitie is quite spoiled by this deformitie who being no other kind of stone then thou wast in the quarry canst not sort nor sute with those stones which the art and skilfull finger of the holy Ghost hath formed and fashioned aright hath fined and fitted to be liuing stones to make a spirituall Temple It is a goodly sight to see a long traine of men all in one liuery but one among them of another liuery dashes all the sightlinesse So the goodly sight that otherwise would be in this building is exceedingly disgraced when these mis-shapen and vnfashioned stones are ioyned with the most artificiall stones whereon God himselfe hath bestowed his most exquisite workmanship If then euery soule in the Family will be one of these stones the Family
that he might haue ministred to me secondly PHILEMONS in thy stead PHILEMON by this meanes had beene freed of a burden which he was bound to vndergoe namely ministring to PAVL The second thing in his Answer is the setting downe of the true cause why he sent him in the 14. Verse But without thy mind I would doe nothing He was ignorant of PHILEMONS mind and so hee might haue kept and vsed his seruant against his liking The which hee sheweth would not haue beene well by the commoditie that thence would haue ensued The benefit of ONESIMVS ministring would haue beene forced and not free where hee implyes thus much That if he were willing to send him back he was not against it yea he would rather haue it so then he should be hardly dealt with at home For the first part of this Answer from thence we learne First With how fast a glue Christians hearts are Doct 1 fastened one to another that they cannot be seuered The vnion of Christian hearts without great sence of griefe and if it were possible they would enioy alwayes the bodily presence each of other liuing and dying together But more especially is this affection betwixt Ministers and the true members of the Church specially those whom they haue conuerted by their Ministerie See this affection in PAVL towards the Romans 1. 10 11. and Thessalonians 1. Thess 2. and Galat. 4. 20. A iust rebuke to such Non-residents that haue not this affection to their Flockes that doe willingly diuorce themselues from them comming onely amongst them sometimes to reape the fruits of the Earth and not those fruits whereof PAVL speaketh Rom. 1. 10. the reaping whereof was that which made him so desirous to see the Romans And as Ministers are thus affected to their people so the people to them See the example of the Ephesians Acts 20. towards PAVL and of LIDIA Acts 16. Of the Demoniacke Luk. 8. 38. And of whole Multitudes Luk. 4. 42. toward our Sauiour of ELISHA to ELIAS readie to be rapt vp and many such like But many in these dayes are rather like the Gadarens louing the Ministers roome better then their companie Secondly From the end whereby PAVL was Doct. 2 moued to desire ONESIMVS companie with him still That he might minister to me in thy stead in the Bonds of the Gospell We learne that it is the dutie of euerie one of vs both in our owne persons and in those that belong vnto vs to be helpefull to the afflicted members of Christ specially for the Truth A verie strong Reason whereof the Apostle layeth downe calling his Bonds the Bonds of the Gospell in a most elegant kind of speech not so much by a Metonymie of the Cause as I take it because the Gospell procured him those Bonds but to signifie a further matter vnto vs namely that in him the Gospell it selfe in a manner was bound though not in it selfe For like a Mightie SAMSON it will breake all Bonds whatsoeuer and the Word of God cannot be bound 2. Timoth. 3. yet in the endeuour of the Aduersaries Therefore let vs not thinke when a Minister of the Gospell is cast into Prison for any Truth of the Gospell that it is onely the Ministers owne Cause nay it is the common Cause of the Church for through his sides they strike at the Gospell it selfe which is to be respected of vs all And therefore if wee be wanting to him wee forsake the Gospell and so Christ himselfe who one day will say vnto vs I was in Prison and yee visited me not For the second part of his Answer in the foureteenth Verse thence we learne First That the authoritie of Masters ouer their Doct. seruants and so by like proportion of Kings ouer Religion abolishes not ciuill gouernment their subiects is not taken away by Christian Religion but still remaines in force confirmed rather then any thing impaired ONESIMVS his conuersion to the Faith gaue him no manumission and libertie from his Masters seruice PAVL here plainly acknowledgeth that PHILEMON was specially interested in ONESIMVS and therefore not knowing his mind hee would not retaine him and the benefit of ONESIMVS his ministring to him is called PHILEMONS That thy benefit might not be c. Seruants then and all inferiors must learne still to acknowledge their Superiours and Gouernours and not vnder the pretence of Religion to shake off that yoke which God hath layed vpon them and which in truth Religion fasteneth most surely vpon them If before Religion Master and Seruant Prince and People were out of ioynt Religion comming sets them in and establisheth both the King in his Throne and the Master of a priuate Family in that his authoritie ouer his Household This was a Doctrine that many seruants in the Apostles dayes could not well brooke alledging That if their Masters were Infidels then it was not fit that they who are Christians should serue such being in regard of their Christian calling aboue them and if they were beleeuers then they were their equalls The Anabaptists likewise at this day oppose this Doctrine who would haue the Gospel crie downe all Ciuill Policie But here we plainely see the distinction betweene Master and Seruant yea such a Seruant as is a Bondslaue whose life is in the hands of his Master to be confirmed and surely euen this kind of Bondage may still stand being vsed with Mercie and Moderation Arguments may be these First If we looke to the first originall it will not seeme vnreasonable Now the first originall was the sauing of those whom they subdued in the Warres Whence comes the Latine word Servus quia in bello seruatus because he was preserued in the Warre taken captiue and his life spared Now that such mens seruice and subiection may be in a farre lower degree then other Seruants who onely we hire for Money may very well stand with equitie Secondly The Iewes being captiued and become NEBVCHADNEZZARS slaues are commanded by God to quiet themselues in that state and willingly to subiect themselues to the Lordship of the Babylonians Thirdly ABRAHAM had such in his house Genes 17. and the Iewes were permitted to haue such Leuit. 25. 45. Fourthly The Apostles in their Epistles impose subiection vpon Seruants most of them then being Bondslaues see 1. Cor. 7. 21. Art thou called being a Bondman Care not for it but euery man abide in that calling wherein he was called But many things are obiected to the contrarie First That in the same place 1. Cor. 7. Be not seruants Obiect of men That is in regard of Conscience which knoweth Answ no other Lord then Christ but not otherwise Secondly Bondage is a fruit of Sinne from Obiect which we are freed that are in Christ Sicknesse Death and all temporall punishments Answ still remaine which also are fruits of Sinne. But as in them so likewise in Bondage the Curse is taken away to Gods children Thirdly Euery man was made to
TWO TREATISES THE ONE A most fruitfull Exposition vpon PHILEMON THE OTHER The Schoole of Affliction Both penned By the late faithfull Minister of Gods Word DANIEL DYKE Bachelor in Diuinitie Published since his death by his Brother I. D. Minister of Gods Word LONDON Printed by G. P. for Robert Mylbourne 1618. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and most vertuous Lady the Lady LVCIE Countesse of BEDFORD Right Honourable NEuer did any time afford so great a multitude of Bookes so great a throng of Writers as these present daies wherin we liue So that no lesse wisedome seemes to be required of a Reader in the choice of his Author then of a Writer in the choice of his matter I would not be so construed as if I taxed any for their writing for what if all the Lords people could prophecie And how were it to be wished that many worthy ones who confine their gifts within their parochiall bounds would giue their labours the liberty of the ayre and walke of the whole Church But if in this great variety any should be puzzeld and at a set where to bestow his time and reading if my poore counsell were worth the giuing I should aduise such whose callings and conditions giues them not the leasure to turne ouer euery mans leaues to make choice of such who may helpe and direct them in the vnderstanding of the Booke of God Like to that of our Sauiour to Martha it may be said to many both Writers Readers They trouble them selues about many bookes but One booke is necessary that Booke which is able to make vs wise to saluation If Luthers loue to this booke and the reading of it made him hate his own Ego odi meos libros et saepe opto cos interne quod metuo ●e morentur lect●●es a lectione ipsius Scripturae quae sola onmis sapientiae sons est Luther in Genes 19. bookes and wish them lost which yet were of so excellent vse and for which the Church stands so much bound to God then how much more would hee not onely haue hated but accursed not onely those bald and base pamphlets the scurse of scald scabby heads but euen a number of Authors who though they haue haply their vse yet their huge voluminous compositions swallow and drink vp either all or too much of that time which were to be redeemed for the Scriptures vse and search Surely if the Scripture be that onely booke vpon vvhich our day and nights studies must be spent Iosh 1. 8. then should such Authors as vnclaspe the same be most welcom to vs and haue the precedency in our choice Of this nature is this booke wherewithall I am bold to present your Honour presuming in that respect vpon so much the greater acceptance In the perusall whereof as you shall meet with diuerse passages not vnprofitable so amongst others with one short one the tedder of the text not giuing larger liberty concerning the right and religious gouernment of a family A point of great consequence and vse for all but for none more then great persons whom God hath betrusted with the gouernment of great families Philemons house is here honoured with the title of a Church To the Church that is in thine house Most great houses haue the ornaments of Chappels but few the honour of Churches So irreligious and irregular are the followers of many great personages that they seeme to metamorphose their Masters houses as the Iewes did the Lords House which should haue been an house of prayer into a den of thieues Yea so prodigiously inordinate are the courses and carriages of some families that a man in regard of their retinue may iudge the Prophets curse to be fallen vpon them Namely That Ziim doe lodge there and that their houses are full of Ochim or of dolefull creatures Ostriches dwell there and Satyres dance there Iim and Dragons are in their pleasant Palaces Esay 13. 21 22. And this plague that great houses are haunted with such vncleane spirits whence comes it but from a double neglect in Gouernours either in the chusing or ordering their seruants In the choice of seruants what is lesse regarded then the Truth and Power of Religion Most chuse as Salomon did Ieroboam 1. King 11. 28. he saw that the young man was meet for the worke and therefore entertained him into his seruice But with what issue He wrought a mischiefe to and against his house It had beene happy for Salomons house that a man of more conscience though of lesse skill had been retained How many scruple not to entertaine very Ieroboams so be it they be meet for their worke though otherwise their religion be either a Popish puppet and calfe-calfe-worship or a flat irreligion The world is not so empty and barren but it is possible if care were had to finde Skill and Conscience Ability and Honestie matcht in one and the same scruant But in the ordering of families is as foule a neglect whilst most masters are of Sallioes faith that matters of faith and religion belong not to their cure Hence is it that they neither constraine them to the true seruice of God nor restraine them from Popery profanenesse dissolute disordered life Ioshuaes resolution I and my house vvill serue the Lord is growne out of credit with the world Let a seruant faile in the carelesse performance of his place in the neglect of his Masters profit nay if but a paltry dog or hawke be vnfed or misdieted oh the tragedies oh the blusters and terrible thunder-cracks of fierce and furious language that ensue But let a seruant be ignorant a neglecter or despiser of Gods worship a swearer a Sabbath-breaker a drunkard an vncleane person yet I will not say against such there is no law but against such there is no anger no rebuke no censure no making the family Church-like in the excommunication and eiection of these Satyres and Ostriches All such Gouernors are as farre from the honour as the practice of Philemon Whose example if happily any great Ones should conceit to be too lowe for their imitation though the meanest of the Scripture-Saints are patternes for the greatest may they be pleased to remember not onely those ancient Precedents Abraham Ioshua and Dauid all three honourable in this particular but to looke a little neerer their owne dayes to a man of their owne ranke I meane that right religious and worthy Prince of Anhalt of whom Melancthon reports That his Chamber Cubiculū eius erat Templum Academia Curia Nam ibi haec fiebant quotidie pre●●●io lectio scriptio et deliberationes de gubernatione Melanct de Georgio Principe Anhaltino in praefat 5. Tomi oper Lutheri was a Church an Vniuersity and a Court. Besides the dispatch of ciuil businesses there was daily praying reading writing yea and Preaching too For so Scultetus reports of him I doe not thinke that this noble Earle hauing a Church for God in his Chamber suffered a
will not only be a Temple but a most glorious and beautifull Temple Now though this dutie be common to all yet in more speciall sort it belongeth to the Heads of the Family who are as it were the corner stone of this little Temple in their owne Family Secondly that a Family may obtayne the commendation of being a Church this is another thing that we require generally of al in the Family namely that looke what kind of men they are or at least would seeme to be in the Church and publike Congregation the same they would shew themselues to be in the Family and priuate conuersement one with another Now all make shew of Religion in the Church therefore if that the markes and footsteps thereof shall be seene also as well within the priuate walls of the Family then shall those walls be the walls also of Gods Temple If our Families should be straightly examined by this rule in many of them yea most of them sooner should we find Satans Court then Gods House For hee that ere-while in the Temple sounded forth with a lowd voice the praises of God in the Church is scarse at the Church doore but hee belcheth forth most beastly and bloudie blasphemies O how much changed from that man which euen now he was in the Church Thus out of the same Fountayne commeth both sowre and sweet sweet in the Church sowre in the house blessing in the Church cursing and cursed swearing in the Family In the Church also what shew of humilitie make wee casting downe our selues at Gods foot-stoole and confessing our owne vilenesse In the Family as though wee had left all matter of humiliation behind vs in the Church how proudly and insolently how scornefully and disdaynfully carry wee our selues one to another In the Church also what semblance make wee of brotherly loue friendly comming together into one place and with one consent ioyning together as one body in Gods seruice But in the Family by daily contentions and brawlings how doe wee rend and teare our selues one from another In the Church by our very comming thither wee make faire pretence of performing obedience to all the Doctrines shall be deliuered but in our priuate life wee euen tread and trample them vnder our feet Thus are they Deuils incarnate in their owne houses which will needs seeme Saints yea petty gods in Gods house When then there is such a discord and jarring betwixt our Church-life and Family-life how can we looke our Families should be called or counted Churches These be things common to all now follow those peculiar to some first to the chiefe secondly the inferiour Those things which respect the chiefe are specially these first As much as in them lyes let them entertayne none into their Family whom God hath not first entertayned into his Let them take none into their house which is not of the houshold of Faith herein shall our Families notably resemble the Church The Church doth not indifferently receiue all and admit into her societie by the Sacrament of Baptisme the children of Turks and Canibals strangers from the Couenant but onely such ordinarily as are of a holy Seede the off-spring of religious Parents So likewise must our Families if we would haue them like Churches be something daintie whō they receiue They must not be common receptacles for euery one that wil offer themselues for we shewed before that if we would haue our Families enioy this name and praise of a Church fully and without spot that all the members thereof for ought we know be true members of the Church Therefore Masters of Families must prouide them of seruants not onely such as may be seruiceable vnto them and fit for their domesticall employments which is that which most doe only regard but especially such as doe truely feare God Otherwise thy house is a cage of vncleane birds yea a Stye and Stable of Swine rather then Gods Temple wherein an Altar is erected to him Therefore DAVIDS example is to be imitated Psal 101. whose eyes were vnto the faithfull of the Land that he might picke euen the choisest of them for his seruice and that so much the rather because farre more easily may wee keepe out then cast such ghests out of our houses Secondly The chiefe in the Family must resemble the chiefe in the Church namely the Pastors c. thereof and that not onely in those things which concerne Gods Seruice but outward Discipline also For the first There are two speciall Duties of the Pastor respecting Gods Seruice Preaching and Praying In both these in some measure should the Gouernours of the Family be like to the Pastors of the Church First therefore they must instruct the whole Family in that Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse This they must doe first in Words which PAVL commandeth Ephes 6. and which God himselfe commendeth in ABRAHAM Gen. 18. And lest any should say ABRAHAM was a Prophet and that his Practice may not be exemplarie to priuate men Deut. 6. 6. all Masters of Families are charged with the same dutie Where also lest they should pretend for excuse the dulnesse of their children and seruants to conceiue the instructions they are commanded to set an edge vpon them and to deliuer them piercingly Married wiues also are bound to the same dutie in the example of BATHSHEBA Prou 31. nurturing yong SALOMON and EVNICE training vp TIMOTHY from a child in the Scriptures For in that excellent character and description of the good Huswife Prou. 31. this is one thing That shee openeth her mouth wisely and the Law of Grace is vnder her lippes Here then is censured that gouernment of the Family which is onely Ciuill not Religious When Masters giue charges to their seruants for their house-hold businesses they can set edges vpon them by often repetitions and threatnings with their children also they can sport and play but not one word of Gods Word They referre them wholly for that to the Ministerie the which profiteth little vnlesse this preparation of priuate instruction goe before So wee read that IAAKOB sanctified his Family before they went to Bethel Gen. 32. and IOB his sonnes before the Sacrifices Therefore PAVL sendeth Women to their Husbands at home to learne whom haply their carelesse Husbands had referred ouer to the Minister Assuredly if the Word of God sound not in thy house as in the Church it is vnworthie the name of a Church Secondly they must teach likewise by example With DAVID walking in the vprightnesse of their hearts in the middest of their house for the eye of the whole Family is vpon the Gouernours thereof as is the eye of the Church vpon their Pastors Secondly As in Preaching so likewise in Praying must they imitate the Pastors for the House of God is called the House of Prayer If therefore this principall part of Gods seruice be wanting in any house how can it be called Gods House These things are not yet so tyed