a man that doth seriously desire to remove another out of his possession, the course whereby he doth express his affection is this, he is ready to ⟨p. 202⟩hear any report, and hearken to any relation by any man, after any manner, that will bear an action against the party, and he will not only hear it, but record it, and make his advantage of it, that he may remove the man if it be possible out of his possession; so it is with a gracious heart, when the soul of a faithful Saint of God is weary of his inmate, of the sinful body of death that hangs about him, and would dispossess it, and reform it were it in his power, not only the dominion of it, but the presence of it in his heart any longer, he is ready to hearken to the least information, from any occasion, from any speech, from any action of the meanest Saint of God, that appears in his course and conversation, whereby he make it questionable, such a course is sinful, ⟨p. 203⟩and such a practice unlawful, he is very careful to attend, & lay his heart level thereunto; nay, if his enemy out of malice and spleen, and envy, shall cast any thing upon him as a matter unlawful, it mill make his heart shake within him, and he begins to consider, I never thought such a course unlawful, and such a practise unwarrantable, I see such a man dares not do it, if it be a sin, why should not I reform it as well as another, and if it be not a sin, why should he abridge himself of that liberty which is lawful, and the soul will never be quieted, till it get sound information, what is lawful, and may be performed, and what is unlawful, and ought to be avoided: this is an argument, that he is willing to part with his corruptions, because he is willing to know what is evil, that he ⟨p. 204⟩may avoid it, Job 6.24. Teach thou me, and I will hold my tongue, cause me to understand wherein I have erred: He doth not quarrel with the man that counsels him, or wrangle with the man that adviseth him, but teach thou me, and I will hold my tongue; I know not, I perceive not, but cause me to know, inform soundly, reprove me throughly wherein I have done amiss, Nay, Job 34.32. it is a sine passage, What I know not, teach thou me, if I have done amiss I will do so no more:
a man that doth seriously desire to remove another out of his possession, the course whereby hee doth expresse his affection is this, he is ready to ⟨p. 202⟩heare any report, and hearken to any relation by any man, after any manner, that will beare an action against the party, and hee will not onely heare it, but record it, and make his advantage of it, that he may remove the man if it be possible out of his possession; so it is with a gracious heart, when the soule of a faithfull Saint of God is weary of his inmate, of the sinfull body of death that hangs about him, and would dispossesse it, and reforme it were it in his power, not onely the dominion of it, but the presence of it in his heart any longer, hee is ready to hearken to the least information, from any occasion, from any speech, from any action of the meanest Saint of God, that appeares in his course and conversation, whereby he make it questionable, such a course is sinnefull, ⟨p. 203⟩and such a practice unlawful, he is very carefull to attend, & lay his heart levill thereunto; nay, if his enemy out of malice and spleene, and envie, shall cast any thing upon him as a matter unlawfull, it mill make his heart shake within him, and he beginnes to consider, I never thought such a course unlawfull, and such a practise unwarrantable, I see such a man dares not doe it, if it be a sinne, why should not I reforme it as well as another, and if it be not a sinne, why should he abridge himselfe of that liberty which is lawfull, and the soule will never be quieted, till it get sound information, what is lawfull, and may be performed, and what is unlawfull, and ought to be avoided: this is an argument, that hee is willing to part with his corruptions, because hee is willing to know what is evill, that hee ⟨p. 204⟩may avoid it, Iob 6.24. Teach thou me, and I will hold my tongue, cause mee to understand wherein I have erred: He doth not quarrell with the man that counsells him, or wrangle with the man that adviseth him, but teach thou me, and I will hold my tongue; I know not, I perceive not, but cause me to know, informe soundly, reprove mee throughly wherein I have done amisse, Nay, Iob 34.32. it is a sine passage, What I know not, teach thou me, if I have done amisse I will doe so no more:
