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

As for that place, 1 Joh. 1.3.¹ I have answered before: As for the other, 1 Cor. 1.9. Ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ, it is to be considered, that in the Epistles written to Visible Churches, some things are common to all, some proper only to Believers: Those Churches are made up of Believers and Unbelievers, and all things do not quadrate to all: Thus in the quoted Chapter, that touching ⟨p. 220⟩schisms and divisions is an Item to all, ver. 10. but that fellowship of Christ, ver. 9. is proper to Believers; such as shall be confirmed unto the end, ver. 8. This place evinces not, that our Fellowship with Christ is founded on our Fellowship with the Visible Church; all that are in it have not Communion with Christ; those therefore, who walk in darkness, have it not, and if they say that they have it, the Apostle gives them the lye in plain terms, 1 Joh. 1.6. Where by the way, it appears, that the fellowship with Christ mentioned, ver. 3. consists not in Fellowship with a Visible Church; on the other hand all that are out of it want not Communion with Christ: The unbaptized and unjustly excommunicate, if Believers, have it, and yet are not in a Visible Church. But, saith the Author, the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.10. argues from the nature of their Faith in Christ to the obligations of Peace and Unity. To which I answer, that the Apostle argues from the precedent Commendations, that the Grace of God was given to them, ver. 4. that in every thing they were enriched,, ver. 5. that they came behind in no gift, ver. 7. that they had fellowship with Christ, ver. 9. which were only proper ⟨p. 221⟩to the Believers among them; and from thence exhorts all to Unity, ver. 10. Because the Believers among them were really such, and the rest would seem to be such. Afterwards the Author tells us, That the Foundation of [Greek or Hebrew], or Communion, is a likeness of Nature and harmony of Wills. Now if we speak of Communion with a Visible Church made up of Believers and Unbelievers, these have not a likeness of Nature; the one having a divine Nature in them, the other only an humane and that corrupt; nor an harmony of wills, the Will of the one being sanctified, of the other carnal and vicious; which shows that a Visible Church in the whole Complex of it hath only external Ligaments to tie the Members of it together: