X111 AUTHOR'S PREFACE. cumstances do render necessary to be attended to in a peculiar manner, are the things which I would princi- pally apply myself to in the work of teaching others. For as in the work of the ministry in general, the whole counsel of God, concerning the salvation of the church by Jesus Christ, is to be declared-so in particular, we are not to fight uncertainly, as men beating the air, nor shoot our arrows at random, with -` out a certain scope and design. Knowledge of the flock whereofwe are overseers, with à due considera- tion of their wants, their graces, their temptations, their light, their strength, and weakness, are required herein. And when, in pursuance of that design, the preparation of the word to be dispensed proceeds from zeal to the glory of God, and compassion to the souls of men; when it is delivered with the demonstration of a due reverence to God; whose word it is, and of authority towards them to whom it is dispensed, with a deep sense of that great account, which both they that preach, and they that hear the word preached, must shortly give before the judgment seat of Christ, there may be a comfortable expectation of a blessed issue of thewhole work. But mypresent design is, only to declare, inparticular, the reasons why I judged the preaching and publishing of this small and plain dis- course concerning the grace and duty of being spiritu- ally minded not to be altogether unseasonable at this time, in the present circumstances of most Christians. And-the first thingwhich I would observe to this end is, the present importunity of the world to impose itself on the minds of men, and the various ways of in- sinuation, whereby it possesseth and filleth them. If it attain hereto, if it can fill the minds, the thoughts and affections of men with itself, it will, to some, for
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