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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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most honorable the Apostle of Iesus Christ but reioyceth rather in this stile of the prisoner of Iesus Christ preferring it before the title of his Apostleship not onely by this mention of his imprisonment to raise vp pitie in the mind of PHILEMON and so to make a way for his sute that followeth but also hereby to shew that he iudgeth it a far greater matter and more praise-worthy to suffer for the Truth then to preach the Truth for the gift of suffering is preferred before the gift of beleeuing Philip. 1. 23. much more is it then aboue the gift of preaching which being a gift incident to cast-awayes as to IVDAS must needs giue place to the gift of beleeuing proper and peculiar to the Elect. Good cause haue we therefore with the Apostle to reioyce in our sufferings as being not only the cognizance and liueries of true Christians but also of strong and tall Christians Infants and Babes in Christ haue no strength in their backs to beare the burden of Christs Crosse When therefore wee are called forth into the field it is a signe of some strength and Christian manhood wherewith the Lord hath endued vs. Those Christians therefore which haue rest giuen them when many of their Brethren are exercised vnder the Crosse must be so farre from censuring and condemning them in regard of their afflictions that rather they are to conceiue a more honorable opinion of them as being such to whom the Lord hath giuen more strength of grace then to themselues Againe in our sufferings for Christ here is further matter of ioy That the Lord doth vs a special credit in them in that he maketh vs witnesses of his glorious Truth to the whole world In this regard Acts 5. the Apostles being scourged reioyced in that they were counted worthy to suffer any thing for Christ In these and many other respects hauing so great cause of cheerfulnesse in the Crosse let vs according to PAVLS example in this place in a holy kind and manner bragge and boast of them thinking the markes of our Lord Iesus which wee beare about in our bodies Gal. 6. 17. to be no greater deformities to vs then wounds and a disfigured face with the losse of eye or nose are to the valiant Souldier who hauing gotten them fighting in defence of his Countrie accounteth them speciall ornaments witnesses of his valour and manhood Lastly we are to obserue in PAVLS example the Doct. 5 dutie of all the Ministers namely to make good Ministers must be ready to make good their preaching by the prison their preaching by the prison if need be their sayings by their sufferings O base is that libertie yea baser then the basest bondage which is got by flinching from that Truth which wee haue preached and professed True it is that all Christians by vertue of their calling are called to suffering Matth. 16. 24 and 1. Pet. 2. 21. Vnto this are yee called for Christ hath suffered for you he was our prisoner and captiue for our sakes why then should any thinke much to be his prisoner who suffered for vs the losse of libertie and life too But the Ministers in more speciall sort euen by vertue of their ministerie are called to these sufferings Coloss 1. 24. PAVL hauing said that he suffered afflictions for the Churches sake in the 25. Verse addeth as giuing a reason thereof Whereof I am the Minister So 2. Tim. 2. 3. Thou therefore as a good Souldier a good Minister suffer affliction The reason hereof is plaine Euery Minister is the Churches seruant and the end of his ministerie is to build vp the Church in the truth of the Gospel which he cannot doe vnlesse being called thereto he be ready to seale the Truth euen with his bloud If hee will not thus abet and iustifie his owne Doctrine he giueth cause to the Church to doubt whether that be the Truth which he hath taught yea in truth he destroyes that which hee hath built and vndoes all that hee had done formerly But of this point more afterwards Thus much of the first person writing the principall writer PAVL The second and inferior writer is TIMOTHEVS described by the title of PAVLS brother We are not to thinke that TIMOTHY had any hand at all in the writing of this same Epistle but onely because a force vnited is the stronger PAVL takes him into the society of this Petition to PHILEMON together with himselfe So that TIMOTHY did only consent to this Petition of PAVL hee did not helpe him in the penning of it nor no man else onely the holy Ghost This example of TIMOTHY willingly ioyning with PAVL in this so Christian a businesse must teach vs without any sticking freely and frankly to lend our helpe to any that shall demand it for the furtherance of any good and honest cause TIMOTHYES stile here is PAVLS brother Elsewhere he calleth him his sonne as hauing conuerted him here his brother in regard of the communion of the same office with himselfe in preaching the Word Thereby teaching vs how louingly affected each to others the Ministers of the Word should bee whereof more afterward These be the persons writing The persons written to follow First the principall whom this letter more specially concernes the Gouernours of ONESIMVS First his Master PHILEMON Secondly his Mistris APPHIA PHILEMON is described first by the adiunct of PAVLS loue our beloued secondly by his calling our fellow-worker First hee is called beloued an argument that hee was one that loued God Otherwise that of IEHV spoken to IEHOSAPHAT might haue beene applyed to PAVL Wouldest thou loue them that hate the Lord Let vs learne by PAVLS example to haue our hearts inlarged in all true Christian loue towards the children of God Secondly hee is called PAVLS fellow-worker Whence it may probably be gathered that this PHILEMON was a Minister of the Word Though it cannot be denyed but that this title may be giuen not only to men but euen to women themselues as to PRISCILLA Rom. 16. 3. for all Christians are fellow-labourers in seeking GODS glorie and the common good of the Church Though yet in that place PAVL seemeth to respect in that title some speciall seruice which AQVILA and PRISCILLA had done for him Therefore BEZA well translates it My helpers for so the word ioyned with a Genitiue case is oftentimes taken But yet most properly this title belongeth to those that are of the same speciall calling with our selues I will not stand here to shew that the office of a Minister is a worke and that the Minister must be a labourer not a loyterer though I feare there be a number of idle bellies now adayes who may well call one another fellow-loyterers but rather I obserue First the humilitie of PAVL who though an Apostle in the highest degree of the ministerie Ephes Doct. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 12 28. yet disdayneth not to mate and yoke Humility of Ministers himselfe not only
they are nothing but seruants If thou lookest to haue more then other ordinarie seruants thou thy selfe must become more then a seruant Though yet a worldly Master will make thee lesse then a seruant and thy condition with him will be worse then of other seruants not fearing God But this is their sinne If thy seruant be more then a seruant why then hath he lesse at thy hands then hee that is a seruant and a seruant onely Specially vnto me THat which PAVL presses PHILEMON vnto hee vrges from his owne example by an Argument drawne from the lesse to the greater on this wise I desire nothing of thee but what first I doe my selfe I plead but for that affection from thee toward ONESIMVS which I my selfe beare to him If he be deare to me then much more ought hee to bee so to thee for I am tyed to him but in one bond as he is a Christian but thou art bound to him with a twofold cord which cannot be easily broken Onely spirituall and gracious respects challenge affection from mee but together with these doe outward and naturall bonds plead for regard from thee who art bound to him both in the flesh and in the Lord both as he is a seruant and as a Christian seruant Hee is deare to mee onely as a member of the houshold of Faith thou art also bound to him as a member of thine owne houshold If then I vpon this single bond hold him so deare how deare then should he be to thee thus doubly obliged to him The reason may be drawne into this forme If I PAVL thus dearely loue ONESIMVS then oughtest thou PHILEMON to doe the like But I dearely loue him Therefore c. The Consequence of his Argument hee proueth thus Hee that is bound to a man by a double bond ought to regard him more then he that is bound to him by a single bond But thou art bound to ONESIMVS by a double bond I but by a single one Therefore c. First PAVL vrges PHILEMON from his Doct. 1 owne example I loue him Therefore oughtest Ministers should be exemplarie in what they teach thou and what I require at thine hands I doe my selfe I that plead for affection doe shew affection I that call for loue doe shew loue Then a man pleades strongly indeed when hee makes himselfe a precedent Ministers should bee exemplarie in all they vrge and teach Then is there life in their Doctrine when there is Doctrine in their life Men in this case are readier to liue by sense and sight then by Faith Religion hath a Truth and a Power People will neuer beleeue the Truth of a doctrine in our mouthes where they see not the Power of it in our liues The want of sight causes the want of Faith Except with THOMAS in another case they see they will not beleeue Their eyes must be taught as well as their eares Philip. 4. 9. Those things which yee haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me doe As GIDEON to his Souldiers so should Ministers to their people be able to say Looke on me and doe likewise as I doe so shall yee doe Iudg. 7. vers 17. Therefore PAVL wishing TIMOTHY so to carry himselfe in his Ministrie as hee might bee free from contempt and scorne counsels him to be exemplarie 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be thou an example to them that beleeue How many bring contempt both vpon their persons and their doctrine whilest their doctrine condemnes their owne liues or their liues confute their owne doctrine while they stand like way-markes and point out the way to others and yet stirre not themselues It is poore comfort for a Minister to be no further then a Pharise Of the Pharises was our Sauiours caution Matth. 23. 3. Doe yee not after their works for they say and doe not Such as say and doe not doe after their works While wee doe after their works which is to doe no works how shall wee make our peace with that Text Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Wee exceed them not vnlesse wee be practicall they were verball Doctors If dangerous not to goe beyond a Pharise how much more to come short To vsurpe MOSES his Chaire and not to open MOSES his Law is to be worse then a Pharise But yet onely to open the mouth and no more what singular thing is this Did not the Pharises the same And what art thou the better that thou art not worse then a Pharise so long as thou art not better As good neuer a whit as neuer the better Physicians and Ministers that in diuers things doe agree yet herein must disagree Physicians will often prescribe that to others which they will not venture to practise vpon themselues Ministers practice with EZRA should goe before their prescriptions Ezra 7. vers 10. For EZRA had prepared his heart to seeke the Law of the Lord and to doe it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Iudgements Where they faile in this let them make account to bee choked with that prouerbiall speech Physician heale thy selfe And they will bee as ridiculous as LVCIANS Apothecarie who sold Medicine to cure the cough and yet was shrewdly troubled with it himselfe It censures therefore such as haue their tongues of a larger size then their hands hauing indeed in regard of any practice withered hands A Kingdome diuided against it selfe cannot stand No more can a Ministrie diuided against it selfe Such a Ministrie is that whose practice giues the doctrine the lye It is not enough for Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2. vers 15. to diuide aright but they must also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galat. 2. vers 14. Walke aright See how sharpely PAVL takes vp such Rom. 2. vers 21. Specially to mee And yet the bond whereby hee was tied to him was the generall bond of Religion Doct. 2 No bond stricter then that of religion and Christianity Euen this generall calling is a speciall ligament of affection Religion hath it's name from binding As it bindes to God and obedience to him so it bindes the religious in speciall and hearty loue each to other Though Religion and Christianity be our generall calling yet workes it speciall affection Gal. 6. 10. Doe good to all but especially to the Houshold of faith That affection betweene persons that haue the speciall bands of naturall and ciuill relations is not so speciall as that which this generall band causes Nature makes Husband and Wife but one flesh Grace makes them euen one Spirit How often is there no affection where a speciall band Not to instance in the neerer band of naturall brother-hood in the which how generall and superficiall oftentimes are affections how slight and slender is the affection betweene masters and seruants But be it that there is the
Temple to Bacchus in his Celler In too many families Venus hath her Altars in the Chambers Bacchus his Sacrifices in the Butteries which two hauing made their diuident in the family shared their Deuotoes alas what poore thirds wil be left for God Whatsoeuer disorders are in publike they will neuer be redressed so long as families especially great Ones are vnreformed The Family the Common-wealth the Church are Sunt igitur tres coelestes Hierarchiae de quibus Asini Sophistae tam multa nugātur aliud nihil quam vita Oeconomica politica Ecclesiastica Luther in Gene. the three heauenly Hierarchies as Luther termes them But surely the first is not heauenly vnlesse the last be in it If the church be not in it it wil proue but an hellish Hierarchy yea and will poyson both the other If families were Churches and religiously gouerned what great ease would Gouernours of the Church and Common-wealth finde The way to heale the naughty waters is with Elisha 2. King 2. 21. to goe to the spring to cast in the salt there It is but a folly to complaine of misorders else-where while our own families are misordred Now R. H. as you graced and gaue countenance to the first of this Authors works printed since his death so may you be pleased to accept this last as a testimony of all thankefull acknowledgement of your great and vndeserued fauours As it was the Authors desire in the handling of this holy Scripture the first fruits of his constant ministeriall labours to perfect that noble and honourable family of your Fathers where it was opened as in many other points of Christianity so in the knowledge of family-duties that it might be brought to greater perfection so is it my desire by publishing the same to further the common good of all good Christians in awakening stirring them vp to the conscionable discharge of teaching and right ordering their families to the honour of God their owne and the endlesse good of many soules And that by your diligent reading hereof you would be pleased to obserue practise all such rules directions as may any way tend to the bettering of your iudgement and family For it is with Families as with Churches on earth none completely perfect during our pilgrimage here The which while you shall doe you shall bring vpon your selfe Abrahams blessing promised for his wel-ordered house and Philemons honour of a Church in your family and in the end peace and happinesse to your own soule The which vnfainedly wishing you from the God of peace I humbly take my leaue and rest Epping in Essex August 15. 1618. Your Honors to be commanded in all seruice in the Lord IER DYKE A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON VERS 1. 2. PAVL a prisoner of IESVS CHRIST and our brother TIMOTHY vnto our beloued PHILEMON and fellow-worker And to our beloued APPHIA and to ARCHIPPVS our fellow-Souldier and to the Church that is in thy house BEfore wee come to The Argument of the Epistle the words wee will a little consider of the argument of this Epistle and of some generall instructions there arising ONESIMVS a naughty seruant running away from his master PHILEMON lights vpon PAVL by whose meanes and ministery hee being conuerted is returned back to his Master with this letter of PAVL in his behalfe written to his Master for pardoning him his former misdemeanour and receiuing him into fauour againe This Epistle is of another nature then any other written either by PAVL or any of the other Apostles for though sometimes they write to some one particular person as this our Apostle to TIMOTHY and TITVS and IOHN to GAIVS and the elect LADY yet euen then they write of matters concerning the whole Church and the common saluation as IVDE speaketh Iude 3. But here as the person is but a particular man so the matter is a personall matter proper to PHILEMON and his family concerning the entertaynement of a fugitiue seruant into his family and fauour againe One would thinke this were too low and meane an argument for the Spirit of GOD to handle But yet questionlesse PAVL was as well moued by the instinct and assisted with the powerfull presence of the Holy Ghost in the writing of this as any other of his Epistles as besides the common consent of the Church by the holy heauenly and gracious Character of speech agreeable to his other Epistles may easily appeare Obserue therefore How hereby the Lord would confirme our faith 1. The Scriptures written by diuine inspiration in the truth and certainty of other parts of Scripture for if euen this Epistle written to one man of a priuate matter respecting his owne family were yet writen by the inspiration of the Spirit of Truth how much more may we ascertaine our selues that other bookes treating of higher matters were not penned by the will of man but indited by the Spirit of God himselfe If when PAVL writes to PHILEMON of the receiuing of a poore slaue the Spirit of God leadeth his hand in writing how much more when he writeth to whole Churches of Christ and our Redemption by him of Faith Repentance Iustification and such like mysteries Secondly As hereby our assurance of the infallible 2. Gods prouidence in the preseruation of the Bookes of Scripture Truth of the Scriptures is confirmed so likewise of Gods Prouidence and watchfull care in the preseruation of them whole without any losse to this present day Some are of opinion that whole Bookes of Scripture are lost and among the rest some of S. PAVLS Epistles written to whole Churches as to Corinth Laodicea c. But this little Epistle riseth vp as a great witnesse against them for if the prouidence of God hath extended it selfe to the lesser how much more to the greater It is the argument of our Sauiour Matth. 6. God by his prouidence clotheth the grasse of the field how much more will he doe the like to men to his owne Elect Are not they of much greater value then Lillies So here by like proportion was not the Epistle to the Corinthians if there euer were such a one lost of greater worth then this to PHILEMON Whereof yet not the least jot or tittle hath miscarryed though in regard of the obiect and comparatiuely in respect of others it may seeme a meane Epistle for otherwise indeed nothing of the Spirits inditing is to bee counted meane How much more then would the Lord by the eye of his prouidence haue watched ouer other Epistles and Bookes handling matters of greater moment and consequence If any part of the Canon should be lost one would thinke in regard of that speciall care which God hath of his Churches good it should be that which might best be spared as not being of so necessary vse as the rest Now howsoeuer euery parcell of the Canon and so this Epistle be of singular vse yet we cannot imagine how an