I Observe, first, that John Graham takes for his Text, Heb. 13.9. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrine &c. And in his first Page, says, the main Defects of Wit are Error and Ignorance. Answer, I think it would have been much more proper for him to have said, Religion than Wit, seeing his Discourse is concerning Religion, bu [...] I shall let that pass without further Notice, and shall freely own, that Error and Ignorance are both very bad in Reli­gion, and very often are found together, one being, as it were the Effect of the other; for when People are kept in Ig­norance by their Teachers, and are not allowed, (nor do not take the Liberty themselves) to search and try for them­selves, [Page 4] nor to prove all things, that so they may discern Truth from Error, they are often, nay, generally kept in Error as well as Ignorance, and often made be­lieve, that Error is Truth, and Truth Er­ror. Therefore it behoves us all to con­sider well what is Error and what Doctrines are Strange Doctrines, which I conclude all to be, that are contrary to the true Doctrines of Christianity taught by Jesus Christ and his Apostles. And to John Graham goes on preaching against Error and Ignorance, exhorting his hearers to beware of it, and warning them against conversing wi [...] [...]he People called Qua­kers, or reading their Books, pretending they are Guilty thereof, which if it were so, I should allow his Cautions to be need­ful; but if on Tryal and Examination it should prove quite otherwise, and that the Quakers and their Books are Sound and Orthodox, and himself and his Book guilty of Error, Ignorance and strange Doctrines, as I doubt not but I shall plainly prove, and that by the Testimony of Holy Scripture, which he, though im­properly, [Page 5] calls the Word and would have all Spirits tryed by it.

Ans. I am willing that our Doc­trines, Principles and Practices, and his too, should be brought to the Test of Holy Scripture, and that which is not con­sonant and agreeable thereto, should be condemned, and that which is, to be approved; and when that is done, I make no Question, but it will plainly appear that we are clear and himself guilty, so I advise his [...]rers and all others to Search and Try for themselves like as the Noble Bereans did in Days of Old who when Paul preached to them, that which some then called strange Doctrines, as Acts 17.20. for thou bringest certain strange Things to our Ears, &c. They searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so, and did not to take their Teachers Words for it, that all is Error and Heresie that they call so; for that is the way to be kept in Ignorance and Darkness, as some whole Nations are at this Day, by heark­ning unto and following their Blind Guides, who call every Appearance of Light and Truth, by the Name of He­resie [Page 6] and Error, and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the Ditch, Mat. 15.14.

Therefore I desire all to see for them­selves and try whether they be in the true Faith or not, seeing we must all give an Account every one for himself, before God, and then it will not be a sufficient excuse to say, our Teachers told us that the Truth was Error and Heresie, and we took their Words for it, without further Tryal. So I shall pass over the most of the fore part of his Book, which is in general levelled against Error and Heresie, and those that Teach it, seeing we are not such (though by him intended) that I may come to those Particulars that seem chiefly to concern Us, and our Doctorine, and prove them, even all that we Hold and Teach to be neither Error nor Heresie, but Gospel Truths, and that he is Guilty of Ignorance and Error, by opposing and speaking Evil of Truth, and those that profess it, and walk therein, and thereby prove and make appear, that we are none of those that are carried about with divers and strange Doctrines, neither is the Light [Page 7] that is in us Darkness, but the light of Christ, that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, with the light of Life, See John 1. for that is the light that we speak of and bear Testimony of, and the Spirit of Truth that Christ said his Father would send in his Name to lead true believers into all Truth.

IN Page 14. John Graham comes to particularize those strange Doctrines, that he had before preached against in general, and says, he shall mention Eight, the first, he says, is to deny the Morality of the fourth Commandment, and then says, there are a Sort of Creatures arisen up who in open Defiance to God and all good Order, live in the constant Breach of an Express Divine Law, by denying the Morality of the fourth Commandment.

Ans. Barely denying the Morality of the fourth Commandment is not living in a Breach of any Divine Law, for that Law was only given and commanded unto the Children of Israel, as the rest of the Mosaical Law was, and therefore not moral and perpetual, nor binding to us, because then commanded and written on [Page 8] Tables of Stone, and put into the Ark; but was ended in Christ, who is the true believers Rest, and is the Anti-tipe of the Jewish Sabbath; for that was but a Tipe, Signe and Shadow, therefore not Moral and Perpetual, See Ezek 20.12. Coll. 2.17. but John Graham says, that all the Laws given in the Old Testament, are to be distinguished in regard of their continuance, into these two sorts, 1st, Perpetual, bind­ding all Men in all Ages, 2 dly, Tempora­ry, binding only such as lived before the Resurrection of Christ, and then conclu­des this to be of the first Sort; but that I deny; and though he has pretended to prove it, yet falls short in his Proof; for though he says, This Precept was given to Adam in innocency, and for his Proof quotes Gen. 2.2. Yet there he is much not beside the Matter; for that Scripture relates matter of Fact, how that God made all things in Six Days, and rested the Seventh, but is no command at all, neither to Adam, nor any of this Posterity, neither is there any command for the keeping of a Sabbath, to be found in all the Scrip­ture given to any People but only to the [Page 9] Children of Israel, and therefore not binding to any other People; for what the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the [...]aw. Rom. 3.19 but we are not under the Law, but under Grace, Rom. 6.14. But he says, it was one of the Ten Com­mandments, and therefore concluded it must be binding as well as the other Nine &c. To which I say, the other Nine, are not binding to us, because then command­ed to the Children of Israel, &c. but be­cause they are naturally Moral and Righ­teous Precepts, and belong to the Christian Religion, and without the Observance of which we cannot be good Christians, but we may without keeping the Jewish Sabbath or Seventh Day of the Week, which was the Sabbath commanded by that Law or Ten Commandments. Now though J. G. says in Page 15. that it is binding to all Men in all Ages, yet in Page 29. He says, because the Jew [...]sh Sabbaths were then annulled. See how con­tradictory this is, so that now we may say, that he himself has denied the Morality and Perpetuity of the fourth Command­ment, but his Shift for this is, that it was [Page 10] altered from the Seventh to the First Day of the Week after Christs Resurrection, but can prove no such thing, although he strives hard for it, yet when he has done all he can, he only proves, that after Christs Resurrection the Apostles and pr [...] ­mitive Believers met together on the First Day of the Week for the Worship of God, &c. And so do we, and more than that, we refrain from Bodily Labour; and what does J. G. and his Brethren more? So what does he cavil at? we keep the same Day as he does, and to the same Ends, so that he might have spared his Pains and long Stories on that Score from Page 14 to 35. most part of which is not worth reading, so I shall say no more to those two of this strange Doctrines, seeing if they are so, he is guilty as well as we. His 3d strange Doctrine is to deny the Old Testa­ment, the Ten Commandments, &c.

Ans. We do not deny the Ten Com­mandments nor any other Part of the Old or New Testament, but highly esteem them, as the Apostle said, to be profita­ble for Doctrine, Reproof, Correction and Instruction in Righteousness, and we do [Page 11] frequently give good Proof thereof by Quoting them in our Writings and Prea­chings, as will plainly appear by our Friends Books, &c. Therefore this is a wrong charge and Reflection on us, undeserved.

His 4th strange Doctrine is to assert the Spirit or Light within, in Opposition to the Scripture, to be the only Guide.

Ans. We do not so Assert, for we know and Assert that the Scripture proceeded from the Spirit or Light within, for Holy Men of God spake and wrote them as mo­ved by the Holy Spirit, see 2 Pet. 1.20. 21. So they are a good Secondary Rule and Guide, but the Holy Spirit is the first and best, seeing it was before the Scripture, and the Scriptures proceeded from it, therefore must be inferiour to it, but J. G. Argues very strangely in Page 36 where he says, we are enjoyned to try the Spirits by the Word, by which I understand he means the Scriptures, though they are no where so called in the Scripture; but on the contrary, Christ is called the Word in divers Places, as John 1.1.2.3. Rev. 19.13. Is it not ve­ry improper to give the same Name or [Page 12] Title to the Scriptures, as is given to Christ the Son of God, who by way of Excellency is called the Word of God? And though J. G. says, the Light the Heathens had in them was Darkness, yet I cannot agree to that, neither doth Ephes. 4.18. prove any such thing, only that some of the wicked Heathens had their understandings darkned, and that was for want of taking heed to the Light and be­lieving in it, whilst it shined into their Hearts, and would have manifested the Deeds of Darkness; but he says, the Light within is every Mans pretence, and in most a false Light, and in one contrary to an­other.

Ans. The Light of Christ which we pretend to and bear Testimony of is not a false Light in any, but is the Light of life in all and is not in one contrary to what it is in another, but is one and the same in all and in full Unity, and makes manifest the Deeds of darkness in all that take heed unto it; and the Primitive believers did take heed unto it, and were therefore Com­mended by the Apostle, and I desire that we may also take heed unto it when it [Page 13] Shines into our Hearts, which are by Na­ture Dark. His Fifth strange Doctrine is to hold a State of sinless prefection attainable in this Life.

Ans. If this be Strange Doctrine then Christ himself and his Apostles held and taught Strange doctrine as well as we, and so we have good Company, for Christ taught his Disciples Prefection, be ye there­fore perfect as your Father that is in Hea­ven is Perfect Mat. 5.4, and the Disciple is not above his Master, but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master, Luke 6.4. and the Apostles in many Places, exhorted the Believers to be perfect, and declared they were perfect &c. as 1 Cor. 26.2. Cor 13.11. Ephes 4, 12.13. Col. 1.28. and 4.12.2. Tim. 3.17. Heb. [...].19. and 12.23. and 13.21. Jam. 1.4. and 3.2, 1. Pet. 5.10. These with many more Scrip­tures that might be mentioned, do very plainly prove that Christ and his Apostles held the Doctrine of sinless Perfection at­tainable in this Life, and that they did experience it, and yet J G. has the con­fidence, to say, that it is contrary to the daily Experience of the most Holy Men [Page 14] alive, &c. Neither did Paul ever disclaim Perfection, though there was a Time when he had not attained it, nevertheless, he then followed after and did afterwards at­tain it; nor does he declare Perfection to be reserved to a future State, as J. G. says, quoting for his Proof 1 Cor. 13.9, 10, 12. Which Place speaks nothing of any other future State then in this Life.

His 6 th strange Doctrine is to hold total and final Apostacy from true Grace; by which I understand, he means to hold, that good Men that have received true Grace, may fall from it, loose it, and be­come wicked, and so be lost or cast away.

Now if I cannot plainly prove this by plain Scripture Testimony, then I shall be contented to own, that I have hither­to held strange Doctrine, but if I do prove it to be true Christian Doctrine, it will follow, that he holds strange Doctrine, in holding the contrary. The first Scrip­ture that I shall mention, is Ezek. [...].8. where God by his Prophet expostulates largely with his People, and shews the Equality of his ways over and over, by declaring, That the Wicked shall die for [Page 15] his Sin, and the Righteous shall live by his Righteousness, and that the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of his Father, and vers. 24. says but when the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness, and committeth Iniquity, and doeth according to all the Abominations that the wicked Man doth, shall he live? All his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned, in his Tresspass that he hath Tresspassed, and in his Sin that he hath Sinned, in them shall he die, And vers. 26 is to the same purpose. And John 15. Christ calls him­self the true Vine, and his Father the Husband-man, and his Disciples the Bran­ches, and says, Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit, he taketh away. Now certainly those Branches that are in Christ, have true Grace, and when they are taken away, they loose it. This the Apostle Paul also confirms, in the 11th Chap. to the Romans, where he says, vers. 6. For if the first Fruit be Holy, the Lump is also Holy, and if the Root be Holy, So are the Branches. So that those that are Bran­ches in Christ, the heavenly Vine, the Root of David, the bright and Morning [Page 16] Star, are in a State of Grace, or have true Grace; and when they are taken away, they loose it, even by departing from the Faith, and making Shipwreck of it, and of a good Conscience, as Hymeneus and Alexander did, 1 Tim. 1.20. See here is matter of Fact proved, Hymeneus and A­lexander had Faith and a good Conscience, which none can have but by the Grace of God, and they had fallen from it. This appears further by what the Apostle says, in his Comparison concerning the Olive-Tree, and being Grafted into it, and taken away again, and Rom. 11. v. 20. Well because of Ʋnbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by Faith, be not high­minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural Branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee: Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God; to them which fell Se­verity, but towards thee Goodness, if thou con­tinue in his Goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off: And they also, if they bide not still in Unbelief, shall be graffed in; for God is able to graff them in again.

[...]y all which it is very plain that Men may have true Grace, and may fall from [Page 17] and loose it, through Sin, Unbelief and Unwatchfulness, and afterwards may, through Repentance and turning from Evil, and forsaking it, come into a State of Grace and Favour with God again. And this will further appear by Heb. 2.15. 25. Where the Author exhorts to dili­gence lest any Man fail of (or fall from) the Grace of God; therefore he thought it possible to fall from true Grace; for the Grace of God is true Grace; otherwise that Exhortation had been needless And Heb. 6.4, 5.6. and 10.26, 29. with many more Scriptures, hold forth the same Doctrine very plainly. So that it is no strange Doctrine, but a true Christian Doctrine; but the contrary Doctrine, i. e. Once in Grace, and ever in Grace, is in­deed a very strange Doctrine, and quite contrary to the whole Tenour of the Scrip­tures, from one end to the other, and to the Teachings of Christ and his Apostles; for Christ Taught his Disciples to Watch and Pray, least they should enter into Temp­tation, which would have been needless, had there been no danger; he also exhorted them to abide in him, and that his Word [Page 18] might abide in them; and much more to the same Purpose.

But J. G. says, Whom God loves, he loves to the end. Very true, if they con­tinue in his Love, in his Fear, in his Doc­trine, John 15.4.6, 7, and none can pluck them out of his Hand, but if they forsake him, he will forsake them; for it is only those that hold out to the end that shall be saved. Therefore it is good for all to be watchful and careful, even such as have attained to a good Estate in Grace, and in the Love and Favour of God, and not be presumptuous, thinking it is impos­sible to fall away; for the Apostle Paul supposed it possible for him, when he said I keep under my Body, and bring it into Sub­jection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I my self should be a cast away, 1 Cor. 9.27. And undoubtedly he was in or had true Grace,

His 7 th Strange Doctrine, is, to hold that human Learning is not a necessary Qualifi­cation for a Gospel Minister.

Ans. If humane Learning were a neces­sary Qualification for a Gospel Minister, how came Peter and John to be such good [Page 19] Ministers, who had it not? For we read, that they were unlearned and ignorant Men, not only before they were called and sent forth to be Ministers, but also after Christs Resurrection, as we may see Acts 4.13. So that they had not humane Learning in an ordinary, nor extraordinary Way nei­ther; for the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost on them, Acts 2. was not humane Learning. So it is plain, God did not only imploy one Person without it, but many; and I cannot find that it was ever counted necessary by Christ nor his Apostle, did not Christ say, I thank thee O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes, Mat. 11.25. And did not Paul say, that God had made Foolish, the Wisdom of this World, and that the World by Wisdom did not know God. Neither is it any Reflection on the Wisdom of God, but much exalts it; and the contrary is rather a Reflection on the Wisdom of God, as if he could not Quali­fie and fit his Ministers for his Work and Service, by his Holy Spirit, without being beholden to Men to teach them Hu­mane [Page 20] Learning; yet we do not decry Hu­mane Learning altogether, for we know it is good and useful for many things, but not for making of Gospel Ministers, for they must be called, sent forth, qualified and assisted by Christ, or they can do no­thing; for so Paul declares, he was made a Minister; and although he had humane Learning before, yet he slighted and dispi­sed it, Phil. 3 7, 8. Gal. 1.1.

His 8 th strange Doctrine is, for private Persons to hold it Lawful for them to preach and Administer the Sacraments of the New-Testament.

Ans. As to administring the Sacraments, we pretend to no such thing, we not find­ing the Word Sacrament in all the Scrip­ture; neither do we find any command from Christ for his Ministers to Admini­ster that which they now call Sacraments, nor any thing, like them; but for private Persons to preach the Gospel, if by pri­vate Persons he means, such as are not train­ed up in Humane Learning and ordained by Men, (as I suppose he does) then, I say, such may very Lawfully preach the Gospel, provided they are commissionated [Page 21] by Christ; so that we do not deny the necessity of a [...] and Commission from God himself, but hold it to be absolutely necessary, even the Call of Christ by his Grace and Holy Spirit; and this is, in one Sence, no extraordinary call neither, being the same that true Ministers always had. So we have no need to give ex­traordinary Testimonies and Confirmati­ons of it, to gratifie the vain minds of carnal Men, but we are willing to recom­mend our selves to eveey Mans Conscience, in the Sight of God, and to his Witness; and the Measure of his Grace in all Men.

Thus I have briefly answered his Eight particulars, which he calls strange Doctrines, and denied that which we do not hold, believe nor practice, and Justified that which we do hold, by some plain Scripture Proofs; and many more I could produce, if I were minded to Enlarge; but if any are desirous of further Information concerning our Principles and Practices, I refer them to our Friends Books, particularly Robert Barclays Apology, and William Pens Key, yet shall take some Notice of his Appli­cation and Conclusion.

[Page 22]In page 40. he says, that the People of God, have no need to think it strange when Errors and Here [...] spr [...]ng up in the Church.

Ans. I am of the same Mind, and that it was foretold (as he says,) in the Apostles Days, and was then begun, and abundance did spring up in the Time of the Aposta­cy from the true Faith, when the true Church was fled into the Wilderness for 1260 Days or Years, and many of those Errors and Heresies are still held and plead­ed for by the several Sorts of professed Christians, who some of them pretend to much Reformation, and to be come out of the Wilderness, but it is but in part, and I desire that they may come further, even out of Babylon, and her Suburbs, and de­ny all her Merchandize. And I would have it be the great care of Gods People to stand up in Defence of the Truths of the Gospel, and to oppose Error where­ever they meet with it; and it is my concern at this Time, in this undertaking, to oppose, and expose the Errors I find in J. G's Sermon Book, and to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, which gave them the Victory by which [Page 23] they overcame the evil one, and by which their Hearts were purified and were made free from Sin, and became the Servants of Righteousness, and brought forth Fruit un­to Holiness; for if the Son make you free, then shall you be free indeed, John 8.36. but he that committeth Sin, is the Ser­vant of Sin, and so not made free; and no wonder that such plead for Sin and a­gainst Sinless perfection, and call the Doc­trine of Perfection a strange Doctrine.

In page 44. J. G. speaks of the Errors of the Antinomians, who, as he says, look upon themselves above all Ordinances, and free from all Law, &c. But this is nothing to us, we are no Antinomians, neither do we hold any such things as he there sets down, for we submit to all the Or­dinances of God and Christ, though not to the Inventions of Men, falsely called Or­dinances of Christ. We also submit to the Ordinances and Laws of Men, either ac­tively or passively, and always have done so. Neither do we seek to overthrow any Ci­vil or sacred Orders of Men, Magistrates nor Ministers; it is very wrong to charge these things on us, or to apply them to us.

[Page 24]I also would have all People beware of Conversation with such Persons and Books as are Eronious, and then they must b [...]ware of John Graham and his Sermon Book, for some part of it is very Eronious and contrary to the Scriptures, as is above pro­ved.

I desire also that People would not call Truth, Error, nor Light, Darkness, but own and believe in Christ the Light of the World, who enlightens every Man that comes into the World with the Light of Life, and be sure to be diligent in reading and hearing read the Holy Scriptures, and in living up to what they direct to, and what the Grace of God teacheth, even to deny all Ungodliness, and to live Soberly, Righte­ously and Godly; for that is the Way to be Perfect, as Christ commanded his Disciples to be; also, to try false Spirits by the Spirit of Truth, which all true Believers have received.

I observe that at last, J. G. desires that People may be made Perfect; then surely they will not call the Doctrine of Sinless Perfection a strange Doctrine, as he has done.