This is a study of William Sewen's The True Christian's Faith and Experience Briefly Declared, the first part of the second preface and first part of the third preface, pages 16-23.
The last portion of the second Preface continues with further excerpts from Holy Scripture which are foundational to his distinction between a true and nominal Christian. Shewen also admits how at one time he had been a “titular Christian”, i.e., “a nominal Christian”, a Christian in name only. He misunderstood what he had been reading in Scripture. However, through the power and guidance of the inward Spirit of Christ, he had come to understand and witness what they truly say. As the Apostle Paul says, “the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life (2 Cor. 3:6).
In the third preface, Shewen specifically addresses “titular Christians”, i.e., Christians in name only, who may have come across this book. He cautions and warns them to transform their ways of thinking and acting and begin to seek and follow that inward spirit of Christ which is the divine Light that can enlighten them.
The quote from George Fox in our introduction came from the first Chapter of His Journal, printed in 1831 by Marcus and Hopper.
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