treats of a Faith that will no avail to fuftification and Sal vation, and of that also whick will. The one is the Faith which is alone or by it felf, verse 15. which has not yet purified the beart from earthly affections, and flefbly lufts, nor brought forth the fruit of the Spirit, but is dead, and remains barren. But the other Faith which will avail to Juftifi cation, is operative and vigorous, producing internal and external acts of Chriftian Obedience, by which its made perfect, ver.22. that is, it is thereby made to attain its end in the Juftification of the person that bath it. This Faith worketh by Love, and is thereby confummate or made perfect. Gal. 5. For the Greek word according

THE

PREFACE

ΤΟ ΤΗΕ

READER.

ONE

NE would think any thing fbould be acceptable to dissenting Brethren, which has a true tendency to deliver them from those mistaken notions of things which do expose them to much trouble from Men, and from the Laws themselves, and by means of which they are an occasion of trouble and danger to the Nation. And it is but reasonable to expect A λ

that

1

that things of this nature should be confider'd by them now at fuch a time as this, tho' neglected during the time in which thofe Opinions put them to no trouble. The hope of which and the forrow to fee Chriftian Brethren to fuffer great inconveniencies to themfelves needlefly, has been a motive to me to make thefe sheets publick at this time; as not doubting but that if judiciously and impartially weighed, they with other writings of like nature, may be of good use to difcover to them their mistakes.

Their Separation from parochial Communion which does expofe them to trouble, does proceed principally from their mistakes (as I conceive them to be) either about

that

that which makes men members of the vifible Church, or that which gives them Right to the external Priviledges thereof, or about the external manner of publick worship. There are many of the Diffenters whofe notion of the vifible Church, and of Mens Right to Communion in the external Priviledge of it, feems much narrower than the Scriptures reprefent thofe things to be. They make that to be necessary to visible Church-member-fhip and Communion, which is but necessary to Invifible Church-Communion. And then they make this qualification neceffary not only by way of Duty, but of Condition also, without which in humane judgement perfons ought not to be admitted into A 3 Church

Church fellowship, or unto Communion in

ledges of the external privi

Church, no

tion and correfpondent practice of theirs, I have endeavored to dif cover to be plainly contrary to the whole current of the Scriptures touching these matters, both of the Old Testament and of the New, both as to doctrine and matters of fact.

That which hath betrayed them into this mistake, feems to have been the want of distinguishing between the internal and external State of the Church; for want of which they confound them, and make that which is but necessary. to the Being of the Church as inwifible, to be fo likewife to the Being of it as it is vifible. The

Church