John 15:9–10

The third argument pressing fruitfulnesse, is, that hereby they continue in his love. For understanding whereof, albeit his love, wherein we are to continue, may be understood of our love to him, as a special effect of communion with him, and of his love to us, which he so much commends, ver. 9. And as a root of fruitfulnesse and obedience, which is enjoyned, ver. 10. And it is true indeed, That love to Christ is one of the fairest fruits of faith and communion with him; That love must be the root of wel-doing, and is never idle, but must be about obedience, Joh. 14.15. That the faith of his love to us cannot but beget love to him; That Christ delights to be loved by us, and therefore exhorts unto it; and, that he requireth constancy and continuance in this love, as, if it be sincere, it will be constant. It is true, I say, these points are sound, and arise from this exhortation and purpose annexed to it, so understood. And it is not sit to restrict the interpretation of Scripture, where it may be taken largely; Yet the purpose and scope in this place, seemes chiefly, if not only, to lead us to understand it of his love toward us, in the assurance and sense whereof we are to continue, and which we are to entertain by tender walking. And so, in the words. 1. He propounds the greatness and matchlesness of his love to them, ver. 9.— 2. Upon this he inferreth, that it was their duty, by all means, to entertain the sense of that his love constantly, and not to forfeit the right, or loose the sight of such a jewel, ver.—9. 3. (To presse the point of fruitfulness) He assureth them there was no way to abide in this love, but by tender walking, which he further confirme, from his own example, who by obedience did continue in his Fathers love, ver. 10.

From ver. 9. Learn, 1. It tends to the advantage and comfort of these who have fled to Christ, to know that he is dearly beloved of the Father, and therefore the Father cannot but be well pleased with them in him; Therefore doth he tell them, the Father hath loved me. 2. Christ, being beloved of the Father, is a storehouse to receive, and a conduit to conveigh that love to his people through him, as his assignes and members, and he doth himselfe love them; for, the Father hath loved me, and I have loved you. 3 The love of Christ toward his own is matchlesse, and can be resembled by no love on earth, but is like the Fathers love to him, as being eternal, sincere and intimate, in comprehensible infinite, and unchangable, as the other is; for, as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you, compareth 10.15. 4. It is not enough, in Christs account, that he hath matchless love toward his own, unlesse they also know of it, and he perswade and assure their hearts thereof, notwithstanding the sense of their own unworthiness; and their mistakes in measuring his love by themselves, who are but shallow creatures; Therefore doth he take pains to assure them, that so have I loved you. 5. Such as are assured of the love of Christ, and are sensible of the matchlesnesse thereof, will be most tender of entertaining the sense of it, and for a world would not provoke him to withdraw it: Therefore, from the former intimation of his love, he inferreth, not only as their duty, but what will be their practice, if they study it rightly, continue ye in my love. And this he premits as a forcible motive to presse them to fruitfulnesse. See Cant. 2.7. and 3.5.

From ver. 10. Learn, 1. Christs matchlesse love to his people ought not to turn them idle, nor doth disingage them from duty; But he hath imposed a yoke upon them, which should be sweet because imposed by him; Therefore, with his love, he intimates that he hath service for them, my commandments. 2. The sense of Christs love begets a love to him, which will not be idle, but very laborious; for, to be beloved, and to keep his commandments, go together. See 1 Thes. 1.3. 3. As obedience is an evidence of our love to Christ, so it is the mean of keeping us in the sense and assurance of his love to us, without which we are but deluded; for, If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. See 1 Joh. 2.5. 4. True fruitfulnesse, and tender walking in the sense of Christs love to us, must appear, not in service of our own devising, but what he prescribes; and in obeying the commands, not out of fear only, but out of love to Christ; for, to bear much fruit, ver. 8. is here explained, to keep the commandments, and, my commandments. 5. Christ hath fully performed all that was enjoyned him to do, and suffer, as the surety of beleevers; for, in this he is a wonderful pattern and mirrour of obedience; I have kept my Fathers commandments. See Chap. 17 4. 6. Christ by his obedience to the Father doth continue in his love, and is not out of Court, but in a capacity to make sinners welcome through him; for, saith he, I abide in his love. 7 Christ, in his great love to his people, hath essayed these duties and means of entertaining the love of God, which he prescribes unto them; That so he may make their way easie by his going before them; may sympathize with them in their hard services, may engage them not to decline to follow such a leader, or the way he took for attaining special favours; and, may by his perfection cover their infirmities, so that through him they may have that successe which he himselfe had: For these ends doth he urge their duty from his own example, even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. And particularly, that they may not seek another way of entertaining the Fathers love, then he walked in, and that he may assure them, their weak endeavours through him should keep them in the Fathers love, as he by his perfect obedience did abide in it. 8. Such as would entertain the love of God, ought to look on Christs example, not only as an engagement to obedience in general; But as a pattern to be imitated particularly, in what is imitable; And namely, in his humility and selfe-denial; his submission to the Fathers will, his meeknesse in suffering, his cheerfulnesse and delight to do the will of God; his universal and constant obedience, &c. for, so much also is imported, that they should keep the commandments, even as I kept, &c. that the practice was not only an engagement, but a pattern to them.