4.  Of fear; lest God’s goodness be abused, and he provoked who is so gracious to us.

5.  Of sincerity, and godly ingenuity, avoiding all hypocrisy and formality, knowing that we have to do with him, who will not be mocked.

6.  Of holy hatred; loathing and abhorrence of sin, which makes us so filthy and odious in the eyes of the Lord.

Secondly, This course would be followed for the purging away of the least sins; for till they be purged away, we remain in our filth, and cannot expect God’s favourable countenance, nor his warm embracements, nor the hearty intimations of his love and kindness.  And a small inconsiderable like spot may grow greater, and provoke God to let the accuser of the brethren, Satan, who always waits for his 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.