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…

3. This is further ro be noted, That this sort of Carnality that lies in Strifes, in Emulations, in Envyings, in Hatred, &c. may come to have it's occasion of being exercised, of working, lusting, and exerting it's self about the Doctrines of the Gospel: Than which nothing is more evident, in that you find that these things are put in Connection with Heresies, which must be understood to be a Corruption of Gospel-Doctrine. Very ⟨p. 24⟩true indeed it is, that that Word Heresy, among the more ancient Philosophers, was used in a more gentle, and no way infamous Sense, signifying only this or that Sect of Philosophers: But the Word coming to be borrowed and transferred by Sacred Writers into the Holy Scriptures, there it is mostly taken in a very ill Sense, (tho' not always) as signifying Error or Corruption in Doctrine, of a very high and destructive Nature, as Tit. 3. 10, 11. 2 Pet. 2. 1. For tho' all Heresy be Error, or carry Error in it. yet all Error is not Heresy; that must be such Error as strikes at the Root, and is conjunct with Heart disaffection and Malignity, (as was noted the last time) standing in opposition to Faith, which is not a merely Mental thing, but lies very principally in the Heart. Doctrinal matters are however here referred unto, even in the very Notion of Heresy, and therefore about those matters these Carnalities may have place. For when the several Passions here mentioned are raised, and do tumultuate in the Breasts of this and that particular Person, they soon and easily ⟨p. 25⟩spread and propagate themselves to others, so as to insect the Community. And then it comes to the forming of it into Parties, or dividing it into two sides, as the Word [Greek or Hebrew], (which we translate Seditions) signifies; the one stated and posited as in an hostile Posture against the other, till at length the matter arrive to that height and pitch of contumacious and fixed Obstinacy, as in matters so important as the Apostles Discourse reflects upon, will complete the Notion of Heresies, viz. on one side, at least; not, perhaps, without great Faultiness on the other, which comes next to be noted.

3. This is further ro be noted, That this sort of Carnality that lies in Strifes, in Emulations, in Envyings, in Hatred, &c. may come to have it's occasion of being exercised, of working, lusting, and exerting it's self about the Doctrines of the Gospel: Than which nothing is more evident, in that you find that these things are put in Connexion with Heresies, which must be understood to be a Corruption of Gospel-Doctrine. Very