9.  When all this is done, we must think of having on another righteousness, as our clothing and covering, in the day of our appearance before our Judge—­even the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which only is perfect, and able to save us from the wrath of God.  Let us be never so washed in the matter of sanctification, and cleansed from our spots, we cannot for all that be accounted righteous before God; nor will that satisfy justice, or take away the guilt so much as of one transgression before God.  Christ’s righteousness will be our upper garment for all eternity.  This is the fine linen wherewith his bride is busked in heaven.

10.  At every time we run to the fountain with our daily contracted filth, we would not forget to carry along with us the mother corruption, which is the sink and puddle of all filthiness; I mean our natural corrupted rottenness and pollution, from whence flow all our other actual pollutions.  We would do well to carry mother and daughter both together to the fountain.  David prayed to be washed and purged, as well from his original filthiness, wherein he was conceived and born, as from his blood-guiltiness.  Psalm li. 5, 7.

11.  Let not this occasion our carelessness in watching against sin; for that would be, to turn his grace into wantonness; but rather let it sharpen our diligence in watching against all occasions of sin, lest we again defile our soul.

12.  Not only must we have our bodies, or our outward conversation washed, but our soul within, the frame of our heart, our understanding, will, affections, and conscience, sprinkled with that blood.  The blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit “offered himself without spot to God,” must purge our Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God, Heb. ix. 14. and we must “have our hearts, sprinkled from an evil conscience,” Heb. x. 22.

Finally, If the believer fear that he shall not be able to remember all these particular duties, let him remember this, viz. to put a foul soul, defiled with original and actual pollutions, in Christ’s hand daily, and leave it to him to wash by his blood and Spirit; and yet remember to lay the weight of his acceptance before God, upon the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, and not upon his own cleanness, when thus sanctified and washen, which is but imperfect.

QUESTIONS OR OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.

But, alas! some may object, and say, that their very faith, which must carry the rest of their filth to the fountain of Christ’s blood, is defiled.  How, then, can they expect to be made clean? Answer. The blood of Jesus Christ is sufficiently able to wash all our filth away; and the filth of faith, as well as of other actions.  Therefore, when faith, as a hand, is carrying the filth of the soul away to Christ to be washed in his blood, let the foul hand go with the foul handful; give Christ faith and all to wash.