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

In other places the Fullness of Christ ⟨p. 271⟩signifies the Church, Eph. 1.22, 23. the Church is called his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all; the Church makes him (as it were) complete and perfect; for he cannot be a perfect Head without a Body: Hence the Church is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. Beza tells us, That this is the reason of that Phrase, which so frequently occurs in the New Testament, of being in Christ, that is, being Members of the Christian Church. Now the Church is called Christ's fullness, with respect to its extent and universality, that it is not confined to any particular Nation, as the Jewish Church was, but takes in Jews and Gentiles, bond and free: This I take to be the meaning of Col. 1.19. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell. Beza observes, that some Expositors by his fullness, understand the Church; for ver. 18. the Apostle tells us, That he is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence: For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell: Where fullness must be expounded of the Church, that it pleased God to unite his Church unto Christ; for the Apostle assigns this as the ⟨p. 272⟩Reason of Christ's being the Head of the Church. And if you would know, why the Church is called fullness, and all fullness said to dwell in Christ, the Reason follows in 20, 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross, to reconcile all things by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven; and you, who were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled: This is that fullness that dwells in Christ, that he is made the Head of the Universal Church, both in heaven and earth, that Jews and Gentiles are now united in one Body, that Christ is the universal Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, by him to reconcile all things to himself: And this is the meaning of that phrase, The fullness of him who filleth all in all; the Church is his fullness, because he filleth all in all, that is, doth not confine his care and providence, and the influences of his Grace to any one Nation, but extends it to the whole World: Thus the fullness of Christ signifies in