Matthew Poole and continuators on John 14:23

23 Jesus answered, and said unto him , If a man love me, he will keep my words : and my Father will love him f, and we will come unto him , and make our abode with him .

If any man love Christ, he will keep Christs words; that is, he will study and endeavour to keep the Commandments of Christ; for if nothing evidenced a true love to Christ, but a perfect obedience to his will, none could comfort himself from his obedience, or conclude his love to Christ from it; but he that loveth Christ, will make it his busines[illegible: 1 letter] to be obedient to him in those things that he hath commanded, and are within his power. And my Father will manifest his love to him in further dispensations of his grace; for it cannot be understood of Gods Eternal love, nor yet of [illegible: 1 word] love in Iustification, and Regeneration: for till the man or woman be justified, and regenerated, he will never study and endeavour obedience to the Will of God. This love of God is the cause, not the effect of our obedience; but love in this verse must be expounded by manifesting in the former verse; and this is certain, that the manifestations of Divine love to our Souls, depend upon our walking with God.

This is also meant by God the Father, and Christs coming to those that love him, and keep his commandments; viz. a coming in the sweet influences of Divine grace, suted to the Souls various necessities:

nay, our Lord promiseth, not onely his and his Fathers coming to, but their making an abode with such as love him, and keep his Commandments. Here the abiding of the first and second person in the Trinity with Believers, ver. 16. the abiding of the third person with them is also promised, which all make that presence of God with them, so often promised to them in holy Writ: Thus our Saviour answereth one part of what Iudas said, How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us? because saith our Saviour, you love me and keep my words; for tho no love, no works of ours foreseen or seen, be the cause of eternal love, or the first grace; yet it is so much a cause of further grace, especially in the sensible manifestations of it, that no Soul must expect it that doth not love Christ, and keep his words. He also further gives them a reason, as to the second thing he asked, why he did not manifest himself to the World?

Marginal references: Ver. 19.