Richard Baxter's dying thoughts upon Phil. I, 23 written for his own life and…

Since Man once sinned, God's Justice and Man's Conscience tell us that we are unfit for God's acceptance or communion immediately, but must have a suitable Mediator. O blessed be God for this suitable Mediator. Without him I dare not pray, I cannot hope, I dare not die; God would else frown me away to misery. All the hope of Pardon and Salvation that I have; all the ⟨p. 361⟩access to God, and the Mercies and Deliverances that I have received, have been by this Author and Finisher of our Faith: Into his conducting hands I give my Soul, and into his preserving hands both Soul and Body, and into his receiving hands I commend my departing Soul.

Since Man once sinned, God's Justice and Man's Conscience tell us that we are unfit for God's acceptance or communion immediately, but must have a suitable Mediator. O blessed be God for this suitable Mediator. Without him I dare not pray, I cannot hope, I dare not die; God would else frown me away to misery. All the hope of Pardon and Salva•ion that I have; all the ⟨p. 361⟩access to God, and the Mercies and Deliverances that I have received, have been by this Author and Finisher of our Faith: Into his conducting hands I give my Soul, and into his preserving hands both Soul and Body, and into his receiving hands I commend my departing Soul.

V. v. 2. [By whom we have access by Faith unto this Grace wherein we stand;] That is, into this state of blessed Christianity, Peace with God, and the following Blessings. As it is by Marriage that a Woman hath right to her Husbands Estate and Honours; and by Inheritance that a Child comes to his Father's maintenance and Land: This is no diminution to God's Love. To say, It is all by Christ is not to take it as ever the less from God the Father; it is more to give us Christ and Life in him, than to have given us life without a Christ. Joh. 3. 16