262 On the Excellency of the Soul. ' would bee a prevailing means to him to perfwade him not to do; yet all that is in Lóds Word given to perfwade to the contrary, doth not; hee fins wilfully, and if bee perilh, -hee will bee found to perish wilfully. It may bee you will further fay, you are ignorant, and therefore if wee did know better, wee would do better; I anfwer, yet it is wilful, becaufe you are wilfully igno- rant; and therefore your lofs is wilful. The fixth aggravation of the lofs of the foul, it is this , becaufe the eternal lofs of the foul will bee á great lofs for a little matter. For a man to venture the lofs of his foul for the gaining of a Kingdome, hee would think it fomething, but yet the Text tells us hee would bee agreat lofer ; but if fo great a lofer to gain a Kingdome for his foul, O then how great an evil will it bee for a man or woman to lofe their fouls for trifles ! You do not get the world for your fouls, but perhaps you do venture the lofs of your fouls for the getting of a groat, or fixpence, or twopence, or it may bee upon the fear of the difpleafure, or anger of your Matter or Mt= firers; you will venture the lofs of your fouls in telling a lye to excufe you, or it may bee for the fatisfying of a bate lull one quarter of an hóur,thou wilt venture tlse eternal lots of a precious foul, more worth than, ten thoufand worlds. Did you never go into the place where condemned per- Eons were, and ask them what they are there for ? why, it ',may bee .fome of them will fay but for a fmall matter, it may,bee the undue gaining of two or three (billings, and now my life muft'go for it : So many lofe their fouls, even for trifles, for nothing, for a bate lull, which is worfe than nothing ; the confideration of which will make it the more dreadful. Seven_hly, The lofs of the foul will bee very dreadful upon this confideration, becaufe many will lofe their fouls, that are very nigh to the laving of their fouls : I fay, the nearer a man or woman doth come to the laving their fouls, and yet lofe them; the lofs of the foul upon that confidera- tion
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