.. -· -- ·--, , . 'Part IC ~ St~lnt lr aBrilte; .. it) and then we may make fomething of our debate. My fecond ~efiionis, [ Wht)it uthat jha/l/g[udge /Jetwun NJ in thu aeb8tt ? or WhBje witnefs it is thM JOU -wilt tak._e for curr.tnt ?] ' I am willing to fiand to the rudgermnt of any that unaerftand the cafe, and are impllrtial. I hope you will confent that we fuall take the moll competent witneffes and Judge. And if fo, I. You know that the Devil u ne competent (udge. It is he that perfwadeth you that prefent delights are the better part, and rather to be chofen then a Holylife. But he is GoJs enmJ), and therefore no wonder if he fpeak againll him: He is JO#r dead!J enemy , and therefore no wonder if he would deceive you : He is cafi out of heaven himfelf, and would not have y~u poffefs the room that he bath loll : He is a wicked lying fpirit : and there– fore is not to be Jbelieved. He is a murderer from the be– ginning, and ther~fore will no~ fpeak for your falvat~on, roh. g, 44· If the Dev~tbe to be beheved, then none are w1fer tlten the ungodly fenfual worldly men ; and none are in a worfe con– dition thtn tbofe that are defpifed by the world for Holinefs»· and that fuffer all things for a Life tmfeen. But the enmity that is planted in your very natures againll the Devil, I hope;' will help you to confefs, that he mufl: not be the Judge. 2. And truly Jgnarant ungfJdlJ men are unmeet 'I udgu. And it is they that baw\e againU: Religion, and fpeak againll they know not what. I. They are Blind by nature, and more blind by cufi:omary fin: And mufi a Blind man be your Jgdge or wit– nefs, in a cafe of everlalling moment ? 2. They are 11nexperi~ mced in the ways of God. How can they judge of a fiate that they were never in, ana of a way that they never went ? They never. tryed t~e work of the new birth, nor never trJtd the holy enrctfe of fa1th, or Love or any Grace; and therefore youmay f!s well rake the Judgement of a fimple man-concerning another counrrey that was never there, or concerning Navigation, t'hat ':ever was ~t fea,or concerning Learning that never r~ad a book, or concern!'ng Mufick that never toucht an Infirument, as the Judgeme~t of .an unfanfrified man concerning Ho\inefs, and Commumon Wtth God: unlefs it be thofe that have a common convincing light, that caufeth them eo approve of that which th.ey negleCt themfelves. . 3. And c~rtainly JM~ own fenfulllft} AndflefhlJ minds are unfit . ! . . ct_ .w . . Judges
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