CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

In the second place, Though Christ be in us invisibly and spiritually, yet he is truly, and really, and operatively in us, So that we are not to look upon this as a fancy or delusion, as some non-entity or mere notions of melancholy men; No, as Christ is a real Christ, so he doth really live and dwell in us; if nothing were real but what is corporeal, then our souls should be no real substances; Then the soul of a man would be thought to be a mere fancy and notion likewise: But as Christ is real and the soul is real so is Christs dwelling and living in it real, yea, it is so real that corporal things are said to have no reality at all comparatively; Thus Christ Joh. 15.1. I am the true Vine, and Joh. 6.55, 56. My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him; Now why doth Christ say, his body is meat indeed, he doth not mean corporally but oppositely to corporal food; The very food we eat is not meat comparatively to Christ, for our bodies feed on that, and yet perish, they have not life always abiding in them, but who so hath Christ in him, he can no more perish then Christ himself; Christ is meat indeed, and life indeed; The godly then find and know this life and dwelling of Christ to be a real, solid thing, and therefore do though not corporally yet spiritually perceive it, and know it to be more real then their bodily life and actions; It's not less real and true because spiritual and mystical; Therefore that which on Christs part maketh him to be in us, viz. his spirit, that is real, and that which on our part receiveth Christ, and whereby he dwelleth in us, viz. faith, that is, also a lively grace; Therefore though we walk not by bodily sense but by faith, yet the things of Faith have as real and lively subsistence in the soul as bodily objects can affect the body.

In the second place, Though Christ be in us invisibly and spiritually, yet he is truly, and really, and operatively in us, So that we are not to look upon this as a fancy or delusion, as some non-entity or meer notions of melancholy men; No, as Christ is a reall Christ, so he doth really live and dwell in us; if nothing were reall but what is corporeall, then our souls should be no reall substances; Then the soul of a man would be thought to be a meer fancy and notion likewise: But as Christ is reall and the soul is reall so is Christs dwelling and living in it reall, yea, it is so reall that corporal things are said to have no reality at all comparatively; Thus Christ