Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…

or it may be the Christian after Prayer meets with a Scripture that holdeth out that thing which he hath been praying for, whence he rashly draweth the conclusion that he will obtain it, and is ready to think that therein he walks according to reason, if the thing look rational like to him, and suit the matter of his Prayer; we may see something of this, or very like it in Samuel, if we compare the 15. and 16. Chapters of the first Book of Samuel together; in the end of the 15. Chapter he hath very probably been praying, when he mourned, and chap. 16. v. 1. he is sent by God to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesses sons to be king; and when (vers. 6.) he looketh on Elijah, he presently and somewhat rashly, yet very confidently saith, ⟨p. 64⟩Surely the Lord's anointed is before him; he having been praying, and the thing looking so rational and purpose-like, was persuaded that he was right, but the Lord reproveth him, and saith to him, Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not •s man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. How o•t may a tryst of Providence be mistaken? I was in Prayer and such a word met me, and such a Providence occurred to me, and did cast the balance. A • d. Case is, when a thing representeth it self to the Believer, not only as lawful and honest, but as conducing much to Gods glory and to the good of his work, and he meaneth well in it, how ready is he hence to conclude, that he is certainly called to such a thing, and that it is his duty, when yet it is not so: we may see something of this in David, who 2 Sam. 7. 1; 2, 3, and 4. having a purpose to build a house to God, proposeth the matter to Nathan the Prophet, who without consulting God, off-hand saith to him, Go, do all that is in thine heart, for the Lord is with thee; and yet notwithstanding though God loved the thing, and approved of it in its self as a duty; yet it was not Gods mind that David should perform it, nor that Nathan should have so positively encouraged him to it; hence when a thing considered in it self is pleasing to God, and may be for his honour, some good people may think it to be their duty, whom yet God never called to such a thing;