The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

In such a season as this is, upon both the accounts mentioned, those who are spiritually minded will much exercise their Thoughts about the Being and Existence of God. They will say within themselves, Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous, verily he is a God who judgeth in the earth. Hence will follow such apprehensions of the Immensity of his Nature, of his eternal Power and Infinite Wisdom, of his absolute Sovereignty, as will hold their Souls firm and steadfast, in the highest storms of Temptation that may befall them.

In such a season as this is, upon both the accounts mentioned, those who are spiritually minded will much exercise their Thoughts about the Being and Existence of God. They will say within themselves, Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous, verily he is a God who judgeth in the earth. Hence will follow such apprehensions of the Immensity of his Nature, of his eternal Power and Infinite Wisdom, of his absolute Soveraignty, as will hold their Souls firm and stedfast, in the highest storms of Temptation that may befall them.

Yet are there two things that the weaker sort of Believers may be exercised with, in their Thoughts of the Divine Being and Existence, which may occasion them some trouble.

1. Satan knowing the weakness of our Minds in the immediate Contemplation of things infinite and incomprehensible, ⟨p. 153⟩will sometimes take advantage to insinuate blasphemous Imaginations in opposition unto what we would fix upon, and relieve our selves withal. He will take that very time, trusting unto our weakness and his own methods of subtlety, to suggest his Temptations unto Atheism, by ensnaring Enquiries, when we go about to refresh our Souls with Thoughts of the Divine Being and Excellencies. But is there a God indeed? How do you know that there is a God? and may it not be otherwise? will be his language unto our minds. For from his first Temptation by way of an ensnaring Question, Yea, and hath God said it, ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? he proceeds still much in the same methods. So he did with our Saviour himself, If thou be the Son of God: Is there a God? how if there should be none? In such a case the Rule is given us by the Apostle; Above all take the shield of Faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked,