The Evil of Evils

Answ. For that I Answer, 1 That every Sin comes from the same root, and look what venom there is in any one sin, for the nature of it, it is in every sin, though not for its degree: 'Tis true, one sin may have a higher degree of evil in it than another, but every sin is envenomed with the same evil: That which is the venom of any one sin, is the venom of all; all comes from the same root. As in a Tree, there is more Sap in an Arm of the Tree, than in a little Sprig; but the Sprig hath the same Sap for kind that the Arm of the Tree hath, and it all comes from the same root. So though there be more venom in some gross, crying sins, than in some others; yet there is no sin but hath the same Sap, and the same venom, for the kind, that every sin hath, that the worst sin hath.

Answ. For that I Answer, 1 That every Sin comes from the same root, and look what venom there is in any one sin, for the nature of it, it is in every sin, though not for its degree: 'Tis true, one sin may have a higher degree of evil in it than another, but every sin is invenomed with the same evil: That which is the venom of any one sin, is the venom of all; all comes from the same root. As in a Tree, there is more Sap in an Arm of the Tree, than in a little Sprig; but the Sprig hath the same Sap for kind that the Arm of the Tree hath, and it al comes from the same root. So though there be more venom in some gross, crying sins, than in some others; yet there is no sin but hath the same Sap, and the same venom, for the kind, that every sin hath, that the worst sin hath.

2 Yea, Consider further, That God doth not account sin only according to mans intentions in sinning; what man intends, but what the nature of the sin tends unto, not what I do aim at in my ⟨p. 44⟩sinning, but what my sin doth aim at. There is the end of the agent, and the end of the act, now tis true though the end of a Sinner be not always to strive against God, and fight with God, yet the end of his Sin is so, though not of the Sinner; I beseech you observe how God may lay grievous Sins to their charge, and that he doth not account of a mans Sins according to his intentions, but according to that which is in the nature of his Sin as now, you would think it a strange Sin, to charge any man in the world with hating of God, come to any man though the greatest Sinner in the world, the most notorious villain, and charge him thus, Thou art a vile wretch thou hatest the living God; he would revile you and be ready to to spit in your face: and yet it is said, He hates God: In the 1 Rom. the Apostle in the catalogue of Sins (when he would show the state of all men by Nature, for the first Seven Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans are to show the nature of the Jews and Gentiles) and among others, he tells them there were those that were haters of God, among other notorious Sins haters of God is one: But I will show it in a more plainer way, in the Second Commandment; the veriest villain in the Nation would spit in your face if you should say he hates God: What say you to him that will seem devout, and worship God in a more glorious way then he hath appointed; the Scripture saith, he hates God: See the Second Commandment, Thou shalt not make unto thy self an, graven image, nor &c. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor worship