Code name E9

The only way one can get right with God is through the intercessory work of Christ and His ministry.

“Christ himself will not communicate himself to the proud and self-conceited. He is wisdom, but not to them that are wise in their own eyes already. He is righteousness, but not to them that justify themselves. He is sanctification, but not to those that never found their own uncleanness. He is redemption, but to none but those that feel themselves condemned. He hath the white raiment, and the treasures of grace and glory; but it is only for those that penitently feel that they are poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked. Truly sirs, though I have no mind to trouble the well-grounded peace or comfort of any of your souls, yet I would advise you, if you have never so good thoughts of yourselves, suspect lest it should be the fruit of self-conceitedness; and if you should have never so much peace and joy, look well whether it come from God or self-conceit! And if it come not in against self, it is ten to one but it comes from self. If your peace and comfort be not won from Christ, in a way of self-denial, and as the spoils of the flesh, you have it not in the ordinary way of God. Did you come to your joy and peace by humility, and self-denial, and patience, and mortification, and by becoming little children, and the servants of all, and by learning of Christ to be meek and lowly? If not, take heed lest you nourish a changeling, an imp of hell, and a selfish brat, instead of the fruit of the Spirit, the peace and joy of the Holy Ghost” ~ Richard Baxter, Treatise on Self Denial, ch. XIV

“Imagine that all the world was turned into a mass or lump of gold, the stones of the streets into precious pearls, and the sea and rivers all flowing with liquid streams of most pure gold—they would not satisfy the wrath of God for the least sin (Mic. 6:7). If all the angels and creatures in heaven and earth had joined together, and made one fervent prayer for man’s sin; even if they had offered themselves to have been annihilated, it could never have been effected. Nay, if the Son of God Himself should have supplicated His Father with most earnest entreaties, He could not have been heard unless He had taken our flesh upon Him, and suffered all that devils and men could imagine to inflict upon Him. Which, well considered, is infinite cause to bring us to a sense of God’s wrath—that He should lay such infinite torments to be on Jesus, that He cried out unto God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!” Though He loved Him infinitely as Himself, yet He would have His justice satisfied.” ~ Robert Bolton, Heart Surgery (Sermon on Acts 2:32)

“Christ offereth to help you out: he reacheth out his hand to you, and, if you perish, it is for refusing his help. "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man open to me, I will come in." What though you are poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked! Christ offereth a cure for your blindness, a covering for your nakedness, a remedy for thy poverty; he tenders you his righteousness, his grace. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed; anoint thy eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. Do you say, the condition is impossible; for I have not wherewith to buy? You must know that this buying is " without money and without price." This buying is by begging and seeking with diligence and constancy in the use of God's means. God commandeth thee to know him, and to fear him. Dost thou say, Yea, but my mind is blinded, and my heart is hardened, from his fear? I answer, God doth offer to enlighten thy mind, and to teach thee this fear, that is presented to thy choice. "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord." So, that now, if men live in ignorance and estrangement from the Lord, it is because they " will not understand and desire the knowledge of his ways." " If thou eriest after knowledge, if thou seekest her as silver, &c. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." Is not here a fair offer? "Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you." Though of yourselves you can do nothing, yet you may do all through his Spirit enabling you, and he doth offer assistance to you. God bids you " wash and make you clean." You say you are unable, as much as the leopard to wash out his spots. Yea, but the Lord doth offer to purge you; so that, if you be filthy still, it is through your own wilfulness.” ~ Joseph Alleine, Alarm to the Unconverted, ch. VII

“What good is much discussion of involved and obscure matters when our ignorance of them will not be held against us on Judgment Day? Neglect of things which are profitable and necessary and undue concern with those which are irrelevant and harmful, are great folly. [...] Every perfection in this life has some imperfection mixed with it and no learning of ours is without some darkness. Humble knowledge of self is a surer path to God than the ardent pursuit of learning. Not that learning is to be considered evil, or knowledge, which is good in itself and so ordained by God; but a clean conscience and virtuous life ought always to be preferred. Many often err and accomplish little or nothing because they try to become learned rather than to live well. If men used as much care in uprooting vices and implanting virtues as they do in discussing problems, there would not be so much evil and scandal in the world, or such laxity in religious organizations. On the day of judgment, surely, we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done; not how well we have spoken but how well we have lived. ” ~ Thomas Kempis, Imitation of Christ, bk. 1. Ch. 3

“The art of theology, without the POWER, (consisting in holy life, and light, and love,) is the make of the hypocrite.” ~ Richard Baxter, Compassionate Counsel to all Young Men, ch. 9. §27

"The sins of the wicked pierce Christ’s side. The sins of the godly go to his heart." ~ Thomas Watson, Doctrine of Repentance, ch. 5

“For in every covenant there is ratio dati et accepti, -there is "something promised and given, and something required:" and usually the promise consists of somewhat which the party is willing of, and the duty or condition required of that to which he is more backward and loath to submit. So in the covenant of grace, in the promise God respects man's want, in the duty his own honour. Every man would have pardon, and be saved from hell; but God will have subjection. Even corrupt nature is not against desires of happiness; these God makes use of to gain us to holiness. All men readily catch at felicity, and would have impunity, peace, comfort, glory; but are unwilling to deny the flesh, to renounce the credit, profit, or pleasure of sin, or to grow dead to the world and worldly things. Now God promiseth what we desire, on condition that we will submit to those things that we are against. As we sweeten bitter pills to children, that they may swallow then the better; they love the sugar, though they loathe the aloes : so doth God invite us to our duty by our interest. Therefore, whosoever would enter into the gospel-state, must resolve to take the blessings and benefits oftered for his happiness, and the duties required for his work. Indeed, accepting of the benefits is a part of the condition, because we treat with an invisible God about a happiness that lieth in another world : but it is but part; there are other terms, and therefore we must "draw nigh with a true heart in full assurance of faith." (Heb. x. 22.). With a true heart - Resolving upon the duties of the covenant. In full assurance of faith- Depending upon God's word, that he will give us the blessings.” ~ Thomas Manton, Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, vol. 2. Serm. X

“Since the words, “Take, eat, this is my body” etc. are the words of the Lord who gives –and not bread only, but also his body, which was handed over for us–and since Christ says these things through us, his ministers, he uses us as the stewards of his mysteries, so that we might believe and confess that the very body of the Lord is given in the sacred Supper together with the bread (that is, the exhibitive sign), just as regeneration is given together with the water of baptism, and in former times communion in the divine covenant was given through circumcision, the Holy Spirit was given together with the breath of the Lord, and the blessing of the Lord and various gifts were given together with the laying on of hands.” ~ Martin Bucer, Letter to Heinrich Bullinger (1535)

“An unsanctified soul, that hath lived here but to the flesh and the world, will be but fuel for the fire of hell, and the wrathful justice of the most holy God. And though in the course of undisturbed nature, young men may live longer than the old, yet nature hath so many disturbance and crosses, that our lives are still like a candle in a broken lantern, which a blast of wind may soon blow out. To tell you that you are not certain in an unsanctified state to be one day or hour more out of hell, I expect, will not move you so much as the weight of the case deserves, because mere possibility of the greatest hurt doth not affect men when they think there is no probability of it. You have long been well, and long you hope to be so: but did you think how many hundred veins, arteries, nerves, must be kept constantly in order, and all the blood and humors in due temper; and how the stopping of one vein, or distemper of the blood, may quickly end you; it would rather teach you to admire the merciful providence of God, that such a body should be kept alive one year.” ~ Richard Baxter, Counsel to all Young Men, ch. 2