Pacification touching the doctrinal dissent among our united brethren in London being an answer to Mr. Williams and Mr. Lobb both, who have appealed in one point (collected for an error) to this author, for his determination about it : together with some other more necessary points falling in, as also that case of non-resistance, which hath always been a case of that grand concern to the state, and now more especially, in regard to our loyalty to King William, and association to him, resolved, on that occasion / by Mr. John Humfrey.

The Postscript to the Reader.

THERE are several Pieces, that at several Times, upon several Subjects, I have written, called, The Middle Way. One is the Middle Way of Justification, which I printed in the year 71 or 72, and reprinted lately 95, upon the account of our Brethrens Diffe∣rence about that Point. In that second Edition I have gathered up all Passages that concern that Subject, out of the rest of those Pa∣pers to put them to it, and took advantage from certain Exceptions against Mr. Williams, to add something that I thought wanting in a single Sheet, and have here supplied what was yet in my Mind to say farther upon this Occasion. Now if the Reader shall bid the Bookseller stitch these six Sheets, that one Sheet (so called) and those eight or nine together, and then shall take time to read them, and notice of what he reads (unless he thinks this Point of Justification be such, as is not worthy his Time or Thoughts, which was an Article of so great Concern to our first Reformers,) and does not meet with something or other in them (and that as an Original) which may serve at least Vice cotis to whet his own Understanding upon them, then is it not I my self only, but two of our most eminent Brethren while alive (as appears by their hands put to one of my Papers) are deceived. I will add, that if Mr. W. therefore shall not now set him∣self to peruse them, and finding any such Matter which he can im∣prove, or make out better for me than I have done, if he does it not, then am I farther disappointed in one End of this present Work, as also of my believed Estimation of Mr. Williams. For according to what a Man's Mind is most upon in such Disputes as these, the Investigation of Truth, or the Defence of ones self, such is his value more or less.

Having yet room, the fear of the want whereof made me put those two Paragraphs (p. 29.) into a Marginal Note, that should else have been part of the Book, I will use it to supply one thing lacking in the single Sheet mentioned. The Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ's Death and Life, is that which hath procured Pardon and Salvation to every Believing Sinner, upon the account of that Sa∣tisfaction God as Rector hath received by it; so that being Le∣gislator also (and above Law) he might with Demonstration too of his Righteousness (relax, and hath relaxed or dispensed with) his Law of Works, requiring another Condition to those Benefits in a new one, the Law of Grace, or the Gospel. This Pardon now and Life (or Grant thereof) upon Condition, being the Grand

Fruits of our Redemption, it is a Question between Mr. W. and I, whe∣ther the Condition it self also be a Fruit of Christ's Purchase, which if it be not, derives not yet from our Free Will, but the Grace of Election. It is not agreeable to my Genius to make Christ's Redemption, which I would have One thing and Universal, to be differently insluxive on the Elect and others. I have opened this Apprehension of mine in that single Sheet men∣tioned, and there are two Considerations moreover offered against the re∣ceived Opinion, which I desire Mr. W. to weigh Honestly, and, if he can, to solve me the Difficulty; or if he cannot, to come with me to this Com∣position. The Lord Christ; by Redeeming the World and consequently by his Death, hath obtained a Right of Dominion over it, and by that Right does give that Condition to whom he will, Acts 5.31. But though Faith therefore and Repentance, in this remote way about, may be said to be ob∣tained by Christ's Death (as he hath obtained thereby a Power or Right of giving it,) I deny it to be the immediate Purchase, or direct Fruit of it. I deny that Faith is a Fruit of Christ's Death, in the same manner as Pardon and Life is upon Condition of Faith. I deny that it proceeds from Satis∣faction given to God's Justice (which Christ's Death was) though it may from his Merit, or Redundancy of it, as all other Good does, seeing in his Name it is, or through his Merits, that we ask all things at the Hands of God, (as Health, and Wealth, and the like Blessings) which we cannot say yet Christ died that we should have. Again, Christ came and died to Save Man, by restoring him to Righteousness, from whence he is fallen. Now the Righteousness of Nature, we never can be in this Life restored to, and there is therefore a Righteousness of Grace, which God hath ordained in room of that to Save us, revealed in the Gospel, and it is called the Righteousness of God, because of this his Ordination. By the Obedience of Christ we are said to be made Righteous, and the Righteousness of God in him, or by the Means of him, as one has it. But how by the Means of him? Why, by his Death, but this way about still. Christ died to procure for us a Covenant with another Condition than that of the Old, which per∣forming, we become Righteous that never could be so else; but mark it, when the Condition is purchased, the Performance comes not from thence, but from the Free Gift of God. In the mean time, this Mercy that God hath ordained, and doth accept of such a Condition as we do, or can per∣form, must not pass without Resentment. Blessed be the God of Heaven for some Sense and Knowledge of this in these Sheets. Blessed be God that it is not a Righteousness of the Law required of us, but a Righteousness of the Gospel. Blessed be God it is not by a Righteousness of Works that we are Saved, but a Righteousness, the Failings whereof are pardoned, and the little Done accepted through the alone Merits of Christ Jesus. Which when they had read, they rejoyced for the Consolation.