The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preached at the merchant's lecture in…The carnality of religious contention in two sermons preach'd at the merchant's lecture in…

First, It will be of use to us, more generally, to note these few things:

1. That the several Expressions of it which we find in this Context, in closer Connection with Heresy, as it were guarding it before and behind, viz. Hatred, Variance, Emulation, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Envyings, do all note but one radical Evil, and do all agree in one root: Whereupon it will be the less ⟨p. 22⟩needful to insist upon them severally, or to give you the Criticism of each Word by it self; which it were a great deal more easy to do, than it will be useful, or of any avail to us. What I shall say therefore will be more general; but will however give you the occasion of casting your Eye upon the Particulars, whereby you will have the more distinct account of that Carnality, which is here referred to by the Apostle.

1. That the several Expressions of it which we find in this Context, in closer Connection with Heresie, as it were guarding it before and behind, viz. Hatred, Variance, Emulation, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Envyings, do all note but one radical Evil, and do all agree in one root: Whereupon it will be the less ⟨p. 22⟩needful to insist upon them severally, or to give you the Criticism of each Word by it self; which it were a great deal more easie to do, than it will be useful, or of any avail to us. What I shall say therefore will be more general; but will however give you the occasion of casting your Eye upon the Particulars, whereby you will have the more distinct account of that Carnality, which is here referr'd to by the Apostle.

2. This is needful to be noted too, that this Precept of the Apostle considered as a prescription against fulfilling the lusts of the Flesh, has more immediate and direct reference to this sort of Carnality. This is plain, if you will but again peruse the Words as they lie in their closest connection. For when he had said in the 14th Verse, That all the Law is fulfilled in this one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, (most of all, no doubt, ones Christian Neighbour) he adds, But if you bite and devour one another, take heed ye be not devoured one of another. Then immediately come in the Words of the Text, This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and