John 15:1

CHAP. XV.

IN this Chapter Christ continueth his farewell-Sermon to the disciples; Pressing upon them that they would study communion with him by saith, whereby they might not only enjoy his presence (which they so much desired) in a spiritual manner; but also might be made fruitful, which is so acceptable to him: And more particularly insisting that they should love one another, as he had loved them; and that so much the rather, as they should meet with much hatred in the world.

So the Chapter may be taken up in three parts. The first part contains an exhortation to communion with him and fruitfulnesse in obedience. For which end. 1. In borrowed expressions, from a vine, husbandman, and branches, he premits a general doctrine, pointing out the order of divine dispensation of spiritual things, for enabling professours to fructifie, and Gods answerable dealing, with them, according as they declare themselves, ver. 1, 2. 2. He makes application of this to the disciples; declaring what sort of branches they were, ver. 3. and, exhorting them, partly, to perseverance in communion with him, as the root and cause; from the consideration of their barrennesse without him, and their fruitfulnesse being in him, ver. 4, 5. From their danger, if they neglect it, ver. 6. and, from the advantage of accesse to God, if they be in him, ver. 7. And partly, unto fruitfulnesse; as the effect, (the exhortation to which is only implyed) as honouring God, and evidencing their good condition, ver. 8. and as a mean to keep them in Christs love, ver. 9, 10. 3. By way of conclusion to this part of the Capter, he shews that his scope in all this doctrine was, not to discourage them, but, to promove their constant and full joy, ver. 11.

In the second part of the Chapter, having pressed fruitfulnesse in general, he singles out one peculiar fruit, of mutual love, as most necessary for them in his absence: And presseth it from his own example, ver. 12. And to enforce this. 1. He giveth evidences of his love to them, in his dying for them, ver. 13. (which is a friendship, in which they should assure themselves of an interest, ver. 14.) in communicating secrets with them, ver. 15. and, in preventing them by his grace, and furnishing them with ability, in their persons and callings, to glorifie him, and giving them accesse unto God for any thing they wanted, ver. 16. 2. Upon this he repeats and enforceth the exhortation by way of conclusion, ver. 17. In the third part of the Chapter, he forewarns them of the hatred and persecution they were to meet with in the world, and armeth them against the same, by several arguments of consolation and encouragement. Some whereof do guard them against stumbling at their own afflicted condition: And are taken: From his own example and lot, ver. 18. From their good condition, which their trouble from the world evidenceth, and the inevitablenesse of trouble, considering they are not of the world, ver. 19. From the equity that was in exercising them with that lot, and the inevitablenesse thereof, considering their relation to Christ, ver. 20 and, from the goodness of their cause, ver. 21. Some of them do yet further vindicate the former arguments from any exception might be made against them. For whereas in them it is supposed, that Christ was unknown and hated in the world, and they would be hated for his sake, at which his weak followers might stumble; Therefore Christ propounds arguments not only to encourage them under their sad lot, but to obviate all scandal and offence at his being hated in the world, and his followers for so good a cause: Namely, That this hatred of him did evidence the miserable condition of persecutors, as being inexcusable, and haters of the Fathers also, ver. 22, 23, 24. That this their unjust hatred was foretold in Scripture, ver. 25. and, that all these unjust aspersions against him should be wiped off by the testimony of the holy Ghost concurring with, and assisting them in their ministerial testimony concerning him, ver. 26, 27.

Christ being in the first part of this Chapter to recommend communion with himselfe, and fruitfulness, to his disciples; He doth (in this and the next verse) premit a general doctrine thereunto, in borrowed tearmes, consisting of two branches; Whereof the first (in this verse) points out the order of divine dispensation for enabling professours to fructifie; That himself resembles a vine, being the vine-stock into which the branches are engrassed, and he and his members a vine with many branches; That the Father resembleth an husbandman, in his care about this vine: and, That professours are as branches engraffed into him the vine, that so they may fructifie, as is here supposed, and is further intimate in the next verse. Now we need not insist on the occasion or rise of this discourse, whether it was upon seeing a vine from the window of the roome, or because this Metaphor is very frequent in Scripture, or was fit for his present purpose; Nor is it convenient to insist on these borrowed expressions and comparisons further then may set out Christs present scope; which is, That Christ is the root and fountain of his peoples spiritual subsistence and fruitfulnesse, and that the Father hath a special hand and care about him and them, for that end. Doctrine 1. Figurative expressions are neither unusual, nor obscure, in Scripture language; whereby one thing is said to be another, though distinct in their nature and kinde; And that without any transmutation of the one into the other, or annihilation of either: But because of some mystical representation and signification, or because of similitude of properties and effects: Therefore doth Christ say here, I am the Vine, accounting that expression nothing obscure to his rude disciples, although he and a vine were very different things, only because it did resemble him in some respects 2 Spiritual minds may and ought to profit much, by the observation of common things, and by improving of them to spiritual use and advantage; Therefore doth Christ use these borrowed termes, to teach them, whenever they observed vines, (which were plentiful in that countrey) to be put in minde thereby of somewhat in Christ. And to this scope do his other parables, taken from common things, tend. 3. Christ, in his offices and relations to his people, doth most fitly resemble a vine; as being but small and weak in outward appearance in the state of his humiliation, as vines are especially in winter; As being planted in the fat soile of the love, life and favour of the Father, the fulnesse of the Godhead, and the Spirit without measure, that he may have influence in abundance for all his members: As vines are planted in a fruitful soile, Isa. 5.2. as spending himself in fruitfulnesse to his people, as vines are only useful for fruit-bearing; as yielding refreshful and sweet fruit, to cheer up the hearts of his people; as the vine doth for the use of man, Psal. 104.15. as submitting to be trod in the wine presse of Gods anger, that thereby fruit might redound to his people, as the fruit of the vine is pressed, that it may be drink unto men; and, as being the root in which all his members must subsist, and the fountain of all their spiritual life and furniture, as the vine is to all its branches. For these, among other causes, doth Christ resemble himself unto a vine in Scripture: And here especially for the last cause, I am the Vine. 4. What Christ is unto his people, that he truly and really is, whatever they look to beside for spiritual support and influence, will but deceive them: And whatever excellencie there be in good and necessarie things for the use of man, it is all but a shadow of that perfection which is in him for the good of his people, and what they are in their kinde weakly, that he is in a more excellent way in his kinde; Therefore, saith he, I am the true Vine: not that he really is a vine, or that a vine is not true in its own kinde; but that he, and he only, is that fountain of grace and life unto his people, which is pointed at under this similitude; and that in his fulnesse in this kinde, he far outstrips the excellencie of the vine in its kinde. 5. As Christ, in his relations to his people, resembles the vine; so the Father in this matter resembleth an husbandman; As being the planter of this vine, and appointer of Christ to be the Head of the Elect, and endowing him with sufficiencie and fulnesse for that effect; As being also the engraffer of the branches in the stock, by bringing the Elect to Christ, and giving them faith whereby they are united to him: And, As, testifying his love and delight in this new plantation, by caring for it, visiting, supporting, protecting, pruning and purging it, that it may be fruitful; for these causes saith he also, my Father is the husbandman. By which we are taught that both the Father and the Son do concurre in procuring and promoving the prosperity of beleevers.