Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. It doth more debase him to set up a sin, a lust, a carnal affection, as our chief end. To steal away the Honour due to God, and appropriate it to that which is no work of his hands, to that which is loathsome in his sight, hath disturbed his rest, and wrung out his just breath to kindle a Hell for its Eternal lodging, a God dishonouring and a Soul Murdering lust, is worse than to prefer Barabbas before Christ. The baser the thing, the worse is the injury to him with whom we would associate it. If it were some generous principle, a thing useful to the world, that we place in an equality with, or a superiority above him; tho it were a vile usage, yet it were not altogether so Criminal: But to gratify some unworthy appetite, with the displeasure of the Creator, something below the rational nature of Man, much more infinitely below the excellent Majesty of God, is a more unworthy usage of him. To advance one of the most virtuous Nobles in a Kingdom as a mark of our service and subjection, is not so dishonourable to a despised Prince, as to take a Scabby Beggar, or a rotten Carcass to place in his throne. Creeping things, abominable beasts, the Egyptian Idols, Cats and Crocodiles, were greater abominations, and a greater despite done to God, than the Image of Jealousy at the gate of the Altar.^*

2. It doth more debase him to set up a sin, a lust, a carnal affection, as our chief end. To steal away the Honour due to God, and appropriate it to that which is no work of his hands, to that which is loathsome in his sight, hath disturbed his rest, and wrung out his just breath to kindle a Hell for its Eternal lodging, a God dishonouring and a Soul Murdering lust, is worse than to prefer Barabbas before Christ. The baser the thing, the worse is the injury to him with whom we would associate it. If it were some generous principle, a thing useful to the world, that we place in an equality with, or a superiority above him; tho it were a vile usage, yet it were not altogether so Criminal: But to gratifie some unworthy appetite, with the displeasure of the Creator, something below the rational nature of Man, much more infinitely below the excellent Majesty of God, is a more unworthy usage of him. To advance one of the most vertuous Nobles in a Kingdom as a mark of our service and subjection, is not so dishonourable to a despised Prince, as to take a Scabby Begger, or a rotten Carcass to place in his throne. Creeping things, abominable beasts, the Egyptian Idols, Cats and Crocodiles, were greater abominations, and a greater despite done to God, than the Image of Jealousy at the gate of the Altar.