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

for all which passion and precipitation he allegeth a regard to the great concern of Gods glory, as if by that dispensation his truth and faithfulness would be reflected on, while yet in the mean time, respect to his own reputation that he thought would run a considerable risk and hazard, had thereby for the time a prevalent influence on him; and the great impatience for the withering of his Gourd, says plainly that his own interest lay there, and his being so very cankered and impatient o• so small an occasion, and where so inconsiderable an interest of his own was touched, might have down-right told him that he had need to suspect his impatience in a ⟨p. 66⟩greater matter; Thus it was manifestly with godly Baruch, Jer. 45. where regard to his own interest had too great a stroke on his fainting and sighing, for which he is sharply checked, Seeks thou great things for thy self? seek them not; though no doubt he wanted not respect to the public interest that was now going to ruin in all appearance. A▪ 5th Case is, when Believers seem to have or indeed have greater manifestations of God then ordinary, whereby while it may be he is only approving and encouraging them, as to the main, they are then in hazard to conclude that he is approving them in some particular thing that was never in his mind. As we may see in Peter, who Matth. 17. at the transfiguration being trysted with a glorious manifestation, draweth this conclusion, It is good to be here, let us build three tabernacles: it might have been thought that he would not have mistaken and gone wrong then, by any time, and yet even then he doth so: There is a very common ground of mistake amongst Believers, who if they win at liberty in Prayer about such or such a thing, and get as they think Gods countenance in the duty, they are then very ready to conclude that God certainly approveth of the thing, when yet it may be otherways; but suppose it be so that thou art indeed countenanced in thy duty, yea though thou wert upon the mount with Christ, it will not prove that God alloweth the thing, though he thus manifest his respect to thy self. The reason is that which is said of Peter, This he spoke not knowing what he said. A 6th Case is, when Believers impulse of Conscience proceedeth from zeal without light, or when their light is not proportional to their zeal;