opportunity,
loose upon us, and a conscience wakened may make much of a little
defilement to keep the soul from approaching to God.

3. This course would be followed with every sin, quickly without delay;
for the longer those spots continue, it will be the more difficult to
get them taken away. The soul will after some time, become the less
troubled about them, and possibly forget them, and so they will remain;
and this may occasion at last a sad distance, and provoke God to hide
his face, which will cause more bitterness and sorrow. It were good,
then, to keep up a spirit of tenderness and fear.

4. Let this be our daily work and exercise; for we are daily contracting
new filth. Yesterday's cleansing will not save us from new filth to-day;
nor will our running to the fountain to-day, serve to take away new
spots to-morrow; new spots call for new washing, so that this must be
our very life and exercise, to be daily and continually running to the
fountain with our souls; and giving Christ, the great purger, much to
do.

5. We must not think to be perfectly washed, so long as we are here; for
we will be contracting new filth daily, our feet will still be to wash,
John xiii. 10. We will not be without spot or wrinkle, till we come home
to that place, wherein entereth nothing that defileth.

6. Let the believer's recourse in this matter be wholly to Jesus Christ
and his blood, and lay no weight on their sorrow, repentance, or tears,
or on any outward means which they are commanded to use; yet would they
not lay aside these means, but go through them to the fountain, to
Jesus, there, and there only to be cleansed.

7. They should not be discouraged or despair when their spots appear
great, and not like the spots of his children; for Christ's blood can
purge from all sin, and wash away all their filth, of how deep soever a
dye it be. Christ's blood is so deep an ocean, that a mountain will be
sunk out of sight in it, as well as a small pebble stone.

8. Though Christ's blood be strong enough to purge from all sin, even
the greatest, yet they should know, that scandalous spots, or a deep
stain, may cost them more frequent running to the fountain, through
humiliation, godly sorrow, prayer, and supplication. David's scandalous
blot cost him more trouble and pains, before he got it purged away, than
many others, as we see, Psalm li.

9. When all this is done, we must think of having on another
righteousness, as our cloth