An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

1 Joh. 1.3.¹ That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Observe, that our fellowship with the Father and Son is first founded on our fellowship with the Christian Church, 1 Cor. 1.9. God is faithful, by whom ye are called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; where the fellowship of Christ can signify no more, than the fellowship of the Christian Church, whereof Christ is Lord and Head; and therefore the Apostle adds in the next Verse, Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions or schisms among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment: Where he argues from the nature of their Faith in Christ, to the Obligations ⟨p. 219⟩of Peace and Unity; which plainly evinces, that this fellowship with Christ is that relation we stand in to him, as Members of the Christian Church, whereof he is Head: The true Notion of [Greek or Hebrew] is plain, 2 Cor. 6.14. where the Apostle dissuades from fellowship with heathen Idolaters, where we have [Greek or Hebrew], all which Expressions decipher to us the Nature and Foundation of Fellowship; The Nature of it consists in the Union of things, which in Rational Beings consists in mutual Relations and common Interests; and the Foundation of it is a likeness of Nature and Harmony of Wills: And therefore the Apostle explains our fellowship with God by our being the Temple of God, and that God dwells in us, and walks in us, ver. 17.18.

1 Joh. 1.3.¹ That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Observe, that our fellowship with the Father and Son is first founded on our fellowship with the Christian Church,