A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 115. Of divers and strange Doctrines, and undue Toleration thereof.

TO the foresaid Doctrins of men, the Apostle addeth these two Epithetes, divers, strange.

The first of these a 1.1 divers, hath reference both to the multitude, and also to the various kinds of things, as is shewed Ch. 2. v. 4. §. 34.

Herein lieth a main difference betwixt the doctrine of God, and the doctrins of men. Gods doctrine is the truth it self: and truth is only one, plain, clear, firm, stable: but doctrins of men are erroneous and false; and in that respect various, ambiguous, deceitfull, inconstant, unstable. Man is full of vain inventions. There is no certain rule to be found but in Gods Word.

The advice of the Apostle Iohn about trying the spirits, whether they be of God (1 Joh. 4. 1.) is very behovefull to this purpose.

For this end we must pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, Eph. 1. 17. We are of our selves blinde, and without the spirit of illumina∣tion may soon be drawn into one or other of these divers doctrins.

The other Epithete is b 1.2 strange. That is counted strange, which is not usual, with which men are not acquainted, or, whereof they have not heard before. Thus the Athenians counted the doctrine of Iesus, and of the resurrection, a doctrine of strange gods, Act. 17. 18. For Jesus, and he put to death, and raised again, was such a God as they had not heard of before.

About Religion and matters of faith, that is counted strange in Gods Church, and among Gods people, which is not grounded on Gods Word. For Gods Word is that •…•…whereupon the Church groundeth all her Doctrins, and acknowledgeth none for sound, but that which is thence raised. The fire which Nad•…•…b and Abihu offered before the Lord is called strange, because it had not Gods warrant; but was against his Word. In this sense mention is made of strange incense, Exo. 30. 9. and of strange apparel, Zeph. 1. 8.

Thus the doctrins against which this Apostle fore-warned these Hebrews were such as had no warrant in Gods Word; and which Gods Church had neither ac∣knowledged nor received.

That we be not carried about with strange doctrins, we must be well exercised in Gods Word; and make that a touchstone to try doctrins thereby. There is no better way to discover strange doctrins.

The danger of divers and strange doctrins, giveth proof, That Toleration of* 1.3 divers Religions in one and the same Church and State, is intolerable. This is the root that beareth gall and wormwood, Deut. 29. 18. It is that root of bitternesse which will trouble men, and des•…•…le many, Heb. 12. 15. It makes much against Gods ho∣nour, the good of Church in general, and the particular Members thereof; yea against those that maintain divers doctrins; and against such as are without the Church.

• 1. In regard of God: All divers and strange doctrins impeach some divine truth or other. Now Gods truth is most precious to him. He cannot endure to have it any way impeached.
• 2. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3. 5. The Oracles of God are committed to her; How can she then but be accounted unfaithfull, if she tolerate divers and strange doctrins? Doth she not herein make her self accessory both to the fault and punishment? Christ had a quarrell against Pergamus, because she had there them that held the Doctrine of Balaam, Revel. 2. 19.
• 3. Particular Members of the Church are in great hazard to be carried about with these doctrins, as was shewed §. 114. One scabbed sheep may soon infect a whole flock. False doctrine is like levn, which soon leveneth the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5. 6. Christ therefore is very earnest in disswading from such leven, Mat. 16. 6. An Apo∣stle saith, that false teachers will draw many after them; and that many will follow their pernicious wayes, 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2.
• 4. They that teach divers and strange doctrins, bring upon their souls their own and others bloud: In this respect such doctrins are called damnable; and the the broachers themselves are said to bring upon themselves swift destruction, 2 Pet. 2. 1.
• 5. They who are without the Church, by divers doctrins, and by the divisions that in the Church are raised thereabout, are still kept out; and have the greater dis∣like of Church courses wrought in them.

In this case Eliahs expostulation must take place, How long halt you between two opinions? 1 King. 18. 21. If the Religion which ye professe be the truth, follow it. If the Popish Religion, or any other be the truth, go after it. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrins.

This Admonition discovereth another pernicious conceit; which is, That a* 1.4 man may be saved in any Religion. This conceit will soon carry men about with divers doctrins: But if Christ be the only foundation of salvation, and if that doctrine which is not built on this foundation be divers and strange, sure∣ly a man can be saved in no other Religion then that which is built on this foun∣dation.

If this conceit of being saved in any Religion were sound, what need such care be taken for finding out and maintaining the true Religion? Why do any suffer for the same? As the Apostle implieth concerning the Resurrecti∣on, that if there be no Resurrection, we are of all men the most miserable, (1 Cor. 15. 19.) So I may say in this case, If a man may be saved in any Religi∣on, Martyrs were of all men the greatest fools. But he that hath prepared a

Crown for them, accounteth them the wisest of all.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Toleration of divers religions intolerable.
• * 1.4

  Men cannot be saved in any religion.