John 15

John 15:1

THe true,] Namely hee who in the order of spirituall things have the reall properties, whereof the Vine beares the figure, being immediately as it were wholly engrafted, and rooted in the love, life, and favour of the Father, who is as it were the ground; I am the prop of the subsistency, and the well spring of the spirituall life of my beleevers engrafted in mee by faith; to beare the fruits of the spirit in good workes And my Father,] Namely hee is the first Author of all this order of grace, having ordained his Son to bee the head of salvation and of life, which is correspondent to the planting of the Vin, uniting unto him all his elect, which is as it were the engrasting of the branches: and by his spirit cutting ost and correcting all their vices, and continually sanctifying them, which hath a relation to the manuring and dicssing of the vine.

John 15:2

Every branch,] Namely every exterior member of the Church, which by profession seemes to be ingrafted in mee, though in spirit and truth hee it not, See Romans 11:17; Romans 11:20. 2 Peter 1:8.

John 15:3

Cleane,] Namely sanctified in your persons by my spirit Through the word,]Namely by my word accompanied with the efficacie of my spirit, Ioh. 17. 17. Ephesians 5:26. 1 Peter 1:22. Others according as I have expresly told you, Ioh. 13. 10.

John 15:4

Abide,] persevere in being united with mee by a lively faith; that by this meanes I may likewise tinue in communicating my life and my spirit unto you.

John 15:5

Without me,] being severed and cut off from my communion, Doe nothing,] in spirituall workes truly good, and holy, and pleasing to God.

John 15:8

Herein,] the good workes of believers reound to the glory of God, as being effects of his Grace, representing the holinesse of the heavenly Father, in his Children. See Matth. 5. 16. Ephes. 1. 12. Philippians 1:11 Shall yee be,] you shall shew your selves to be truely such, doing acts worthy of such a Title.

John 15:9

As the Father,] as the Father loving mee most perfectly in the qualitie of Mediatour; I doe eater changeably answer that love of his by my compleate righteousnesse, which causeth that love to bee 〈◊〉 and immutable: so doe you preserve the love which I beare unto you, by a true obedience.

John 15:11

That my,] have a perpetuall and full feeling of my grace, in consolation of my spirit without interruption or diminution.

John 15:14

ee are,] this friendship, shall bee knowne to be true, by the effects of a conformitie of ll, and correspondencie of love in sincere obedience, Ioh. 14. 23.

John 15:15

I call you not,] besides that great tryall of my love, by the benefits which I have conserred upon you in giving my selfe unto you: There is also this second triall, namely, that I have communicated my secrets unto you: wherein consists the application of the said benefits, and the fruition of them.

John 15:16

that yee should goe] that in all the course of your life, and chieflie in your ministerie, you y persevere in bearing of good fruits, the use whereof may be durable to your selves as fruits that are fitt to keep; and a sure provision to nourish your faith and hope to eternall life See Ioh. 4 36. 1 Timothy 6:19 That whatsoever] the profit of these your good works, shall redound to your selves, seeing that by that meanes you shall alwayes have free accesse to God by prayers, to obtaine alwaies increase of grace, and of blessing In my Name,] to shew that howsoever good works do take away the hinderance of prayer, which is sinne, Iohn. 9. 3 1. yet they are not the ground of prayer, which ground is only the orit, and intercession of Christ.

John 15:19

If yee were,] if you were on that side which is contrarie to my Kingdome; of which side the Devill is head, and hath no other end but the world and its owne concupiscence: nor no other sence but that of the flesh, nor no other motion, but earthly and corrupt Hu owne,] Namely united to him by likenesse and conformity which is the naturall cause of love amongst men.

John 15:21

They know not,] they have not, nor will not receave any lively impression of God, concerning the mysterie of redemption by his Son.

John 15:22

They had not had,] they might seem innocent sinning thorow meere ignorance, Ioh. 9. 41. Or their sin would bee nothing in respect of their voluntary rebellion.

John 15:26

But when,] notwithstanding their hatred against my person and doctrine, yet at last the former shall be acknowledged and the other established in the world: by the most efficacious operation of the Holy Ghost, and by your ministerie From the Father,] I my selfe having in the qualitie of Mediatour receaved it in all manner of fulnesse from the Father, who is the well-spring of all grace, to distribute it to all my members, Iohn 3. 34. Acts 2:33 Of truth,] See upon, Iohn 14. 17 Testifie,] by his secret and internall inspirations and perswasions, and by his externall works and miracles.

John 15:27

From the beginning,] wherefore you ought to be fully informed of my doctrine and coversation, 1 Ioh. 1. 1.