1First, I answer, By Christs Fan is meant his Word, his holy Gospel, especially the Doctrine thereof; 'tis by this he cleanses, and purges his floor. Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. (Now the unclean person, the Traitor Judas 2is gone out from you:) Through' my Word, i. e. through my Doctrine, you believing in me, and receiving me by Faith for Righteousness and eternal Life. 'Tis said Christ gave himself for his Church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, Eph. 5. 26. Cleansing here imports the means by which it is wrought, or the Instrument, namely the Word of the Gospel, especially the Promise of free Justification and Sanctification by Christ, received through' Faith, which Baptism was a Sign or Symbol of; see 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your selves in obeying the truth through' the Spirit, &c. This was done in subjecting themselves to the Faith of the Gospel, to which the purifying of the heart is ascribed principally in 3Justification, whereby the guilt of Sin is purged away, as appertaining to the conscience; he alludes also to the sanctifying power and virtue of the holy Spirit. Compare this with Psal. 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? that is, the way of his Heart, and also the way of his Life: The answer is, By taking heed thereto according to thy Word; that is, let him take heed according to that holy doctrine taught and held forth in God's Word; so that he attain unto a right knowledge of God, and of the Messiah, promised and typified by the Sacrifices of Aaron, by whose Blood, and through' whose Righteousness only, Justification is to be had: for without Christs Blood there is no cleansing from Sin and filthiness, ⟨p. 10⟩neither of Heart, nor Life, for young nor old. It is not only to direct young Men to reform their Lives and Ways according to the Precepts of God's Word, nor to think by any degree of moral Righteousness or inherent Holiness they could be cleansed; no, no, but to take heed according to the mysterious and sublime Doctrine of God's free grace in Christ: Which was the only way of Salvation, as well under the Law as under the dispensation of the Gospel. Sirs, this was, and still is, Christs Fan, namely the glorious Doctrine of God's Grace through' the Redemption that is in Christ's blood;
1First, I answer, By Christs Fan is meant his Word, his holy Gospel, especially the Doctrine thereof; 'tis by this he cleanses, and purges his floor. Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. (Now the unclean person, the Traytor Judas 2is gone out from you:) Thro' my Word, i. e. through my Doctrine, you believing in me, and receiving me by Faith for Righteousness and eternal Life. 'Tis said Christ gave himself for his Church, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, Eph. 5. 26. Cleansing here imports the means by which it is wrought, or the Instrument, namely the Word of the Gospel, especially the Promise of free Justification and Sanctification by Christ, received thro' Faith, which Baptism was a Sign or Symbol of; see 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your selves in obeying the truth thro' the Spirit, &c. This was done in subjecting themselves to the Faith of the Gospel, to which the purifying of the heart is ascribed principally in 3Justification, whereby the guilt of Sin is purged away, as appertaining to the conscience; he alludes also to the sanctifying power and virtue of the holy Spirit. Compare this with Psal. 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? that is, the way of his Heart, and also the way of his Life: The answer is, By taking heed thereto according to thy Word; that is, let him take heed according to that holy doctrine taught and held forth in God's Word; so that he attain unto a right knowledge of God, and of the Messiah, promised and typified by the Sacrifices of Aaron, by whose Blood, and thro' whose Righteousness only, Justification is to be had: for without Christs Blood there is no cleansing from Sin and silthyness, ⟨p. 10⟩neither of Heart, nor Life, for young nor old. It is not only to direct young Men to reform their Lives and Ways according to the Precepts of God's Word, nor to think by any degree of moral Righteousness or inherent Holiness they could be cleansed; no, no, but to take heed according to the mysterious and sublime Doctrine of God's free grace in Christ: Which was the only way of Salvation, as well under the Law as under the dispensation of the Gospel. Sirs, this was, and still is, Christs Fan, namely the glorious Doctrine of God's Grace thro' the Redemption that is in Christ's blood;
- 1What is meant by Christ's Fan.
- 2John 15. 3.
- 3Act. 15. 9. Annatators.
