Matthew Poole and continuators on John 15:16

16 Ye have not chosen me , but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit , and that your fruit should remain : that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name, he may give it you .

You have not chosen me to be your Lord, Master, Saviour,

for this end, to bring forth fruit amongst the Gentiles, turning many to Righteousness, and that they might bring forth the fruit of holiness, in obedience to the Gospel of Christ.

Yea, not onely to bring forth fruit, but that they might persevere in bringing forth fruit;

and that thus doing, they might have a freedom of access to the Throne of Grace, and obtain whatsoever they should ask of the Father, in the Name, for the merits, and through the Mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ. See the notes on Chap. 14.13, 14.

but I have chosen and ordained you: so we have it in our translation: but the Greek is, [non-Latin text not transcribed], I have set you, or placed you in a station What chusing Christ here speaks of, is doubted amongst various Divines. Some think that our Saviour here speaks of his choice of them to the Apostleship, as Luke 6.13. Chap 6. ver. 70. those who thus understand it, understand it by going, and bringing forth fruit; the Apostles going out, Preaching, and Baptizing all Nations, bringing forth fruit amongst the Gentiles. But others understand it, of election to eternal Life, and the means necessary to it; for our Saviour brings this as an argument of his greatest love: Iudas was in the first sense chosen, yet not beloved with any such love; and this seemeth to be favoured by Chap. 13.18. I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen: and certain it is, Augustine, and others of the Ancients from hence proved the freedom of Election, and special Grace. Both senses may be united; for the Eleven ▪ (to whom Christ was now speaking) were chosen in both senses; they were chosen

Marginal references: 1 Jo. 4.10, 19.; Matth. 28.19. Mark 16.15. Colos. 1.6.; Ver. 7.