TO THE

READER.

CHRISTIAN READER,

T

HE boly and learned Author of this little Book, baving out-run his Years, haftened to a Maturity before the or· dinary Seafon, infomuch that ripe Summer Fruit was found with him by the first of the Spring: Fon before he bad lived twenty five Years complete, he had got to be Philologus,. Philofophus, Theologus eximius, whereof be gave fuitable Proofs, by his Labours, having firft profeffed in Philofophy three Years, with bigh Approbation, in the University of Glasgow, and thence was tranflated to the Ministry of the Gospel in a Congregation adjacent, where he laboured in the Work of the Gospel near four Years, leaving an Epiftle of Commendation upon the Hearts of his Hearers: But as few burning and shining Lights have been of long Countinuance bere; fo he (after he had ferved his own Generation by the Will of God, and many had rejoiced in his Light for a Seafon) was quickly tranfported to the Land of Promife, in the 26th Year of his Age. He lived defervedly esteemed and beloved, and died much lamented, by all difcerning Chriftians who knew him. And, indeed, the Lofs which the Church of Chrift, in thefe Parts fuftained in his Death, was the greater upon a double Account: First, That he was a Perfon fitted with Dexterity to vindicate School Divinity, and Practical Theologie, from the Superfluity of vain and fruitless perplexing Queftions, wherewith latter Times have corrupted both, and had it upon his Spirit in all his Way to reduce that native Gospel-fimplicity, which (in moft Parts of the World, where Literature is in Efteem, and where the Gospel is preached) is almoft exiled from the School, and from the Pulpit, a Specimen whereof the judicious Reader may find in this little Treatife. Befides, he was a Perfon of eminent Moderation, and Sobriety of Spirit, (a rare Grace in this Generation)

говоре

bofe Heart was much drawn forth in the Study of healing Ways, and Condefcenfions of Love among Brethren; one who longed for the recovering of the Humanity of Chriftianity, which bath been well near loft in the bitter Divifions of thefe Times, and the Animofities which have followed thereupon.

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That which gave the Rife to the publishing of this Part of bis Manufcripts, was partly the longing of many (who knew him) after fome Fruit of bis Labours, for the Ufe of the Church; and partly the exceeding great Ufefulness of the Treatife, wherein, I am bold to fay, that fome Fundamentals of the Chriftian Religion, and great Myfteries of Faith, are handled with the greatest Gospel-fimplicity, and moft dexterous Plainnefs; and are brought down to the meanest Capacity, and vulgar Understanding, with abundant Evidences of great height and reach of useful Knowledge in the Author. Whe, bad he lived to have perfected the Explication of the Grounds of Religion in this Manner, as he intended, in his opening the Catechifm. unto his particular Congregation; he had been, upon this fingle Account, famous in the Churches of Chrift: But now, by this imperfect opus pofthumum, thou art left to judge ex ungue leonent,

.

The Author's Method was his peculiar Gift, who being no Stranger to the Rules of Art, knew well how to make his Method fubferve the Matter which be handled (for tho' he tells not always that his Dif courfe bath fo many Parts, thou mayeft not think it wants Method, it being maximum artis celare artem.) That the fame Spirit, which enabled him to conceive, and communicate to others, thefe /weet Myfteries of Salvation, may help thee with Profit to read and perufe skem, is the Defire of him who is,

Thine in the Service of the Gofpel,

Patrick Gillespie.

The

C

THE

LIFE

OF

Mr. HUGH BINNING, fometime Minifter of the Gospel at Govan.

T

HERE being a great Demand for the feveral Books that are printed under Mr. Burning's Name, it was judged proper to undertake a new and correct Impreffion of them in one Volume: This being done the Publishers were much concerned to have the Life of fuch an useful and eminent Minister of Chrift written in Juftice to his Memory, and his great Services in the Work of the Gospel, that it might go along with this Impreffion. We living now at fo great Distance from the Time where in he made a Figure in the World must be at a confiderable Lofs in giving an exact and particular Relation however, his pious and exemplary Life, may in fome Measure be known from his Writings; and for this End, a great many bright Paffages might be gathered out of them, which would raise his Character highly in the Eyes of all good Men, for the Reverend Mr. Robert M'Ward Minifter in Glasgow obferved," That bis Life was his Sermons put in Print, by which Means they who did “forget what he had faid in the Pulpit by seeing what he did in his Con

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"verfation might remember what they had forgot; he lived as he spoke "and spoke as he lived." All due Pains have been taken to procure proper Materials, and good Vouchers of the following Narration: Some few Things are learned from the Prefaces prefix'd to his feveral Pieces, by worthy and able Divines who revifed and published them more Accounts of him were furnished by Perfons of great Credit, on whofe Veracity we can fafely rely; but the most remarkable Pallages of his Life are happily preferved, in a Letter written by Mr. M'Ward, to the Reverend Mr James Coleman, fometime Minister at Sluys in Flanders. The Writer of his Life, muft in the Entry confefs, that his Part is fo fmall, that he can Searce affume any Thing to himself, but the procuring of the Materials from others, the copying out of thofe Things that were of any Moment, and difpofing them in the best and most natural Order he could think of, having ftudied the Strictnefs of a fevere Hiftorian, without helping out Things with his Invention, or fetting them off by a rhetorical Stile of Language; nay, all that is contained in Mr. M Ward's large Letter concerning him, is told almost in his very Words, with a little Variation of the Order wherein he had placed the fame, omitting the many long Digreffions on feeral Subjects, which that worthy Perfon judged fit to infift upon, taking Occafion from what he had noticed concerning Mr. Binning, to enlarge on the fame.

John Binning of Dalvennan was married to Margaret M'Kell a Daughter of Mr. Matthew M'Kell Minister at Bothwel, and Sifter to Mr Hugh MKell one of the Minifters of Edinburghs; he had by her Mr. Hugh and Alexander. The Father was pofleft of no inconfiderable Eftate in the Shire-of-Ais, for Mr. Hugh having died before his Father, John the only Son of Mr. Hugh, was ferved Heir to his Grandfather in the Lands of Dalvennan: Alexander the fecond Son, who died about ten Years ago, got the Lands of Machrimore, and was married to a Daughter of Alexander Crawfurd of Kerle, and is fucceeded therein by his Son John Binning, at prent a Writer in Edinburgh.

The worldly Circumstances of the Grandfather being fo good, he was thereby enabled to give his Son Hugh a liberal Education The good and defireable Effects of which appeared very early upon him; the Greatness of bis Spirit and Capacity, gave his Parents good Ground to conceive the pleafant Hope of his being a promising, Child. When he was at the Grammar-fchool, he made fo great Proficiency in the Knowledge of the Latin Tongue, and Roman-Ausborry that he outstrip'd his Condifeipless even

fuch

Juch as were fome Years older than himself. When his Fellow School-boys went to their Play and Diverfion, he declined obeir Society, and choffed-10 employ himself, either in fecret Duty with God, or Conference with religi ous Leople, bise Pafime way to recreate himself in this Manner, be breed an Averfion to Sports, Games and other Diverfions, not from any Morolenefs or Melancholly of Temper, being rather of an affable, chearful and debonair Difpofition, thinking that Time was too precious to be lavished • away in these Things; Religion and religious Exercifes were his Choice, and the Time he had to fpare from his Studies he spent that Way. He began to have sweet Familiarity with God, and to live in near Com munion with him, before others began feriously to lay to Heart their loft and undone Condition by Nature, and that additional Mifery they ex< pofe themselves to, by walking in a wicked Way and funfurt Courfer When he arrived at the 13th or 14th Year of his Age, he had even then at tained fo much Experience in the Ways of God, that the most judicious and exercifed Chriftians in the Place confeffed they were much edified, ftrengthned and comforted by him; nay, that he provoked them to Diligence in the Duties of Religion, being abundantly fenfible, that they were much cutrun by a Youth.

Before he was fourteen Years old, he entered upon the Study of Philofophy in the Univerfity of Glasgow, wherein he made very confiderable Progrefs, and with as much Facility out strip'd his fellow Students, as he had done his ethanciples in the Latin School, by which theans, he came to be taken Notice of the College by the Professors and Students; and at the fame Time, that he made Proficiency in the liberal Sciences, he advanced remark ably in Religion. The abftrufe Depths of Philofophy, which are the Torture of flow Inginer antiweak Capacities, he dived into without any Trouble Pain And notwithstanding of his furprifing Attainments and Improvements, his great Acumen and ready Apprehenfion of Things, whereby he was able to do more in one Hour, than others in fome Days, by hard Study and-clofoedpplications and the on thefe Accounts he was much refpected by the eminent Minifters of the City, and learned Profeffors of the Uni exfity; yet was he ever bumble, never exalted above Measure, nor fwel led with the Tympany of Pride and Self-conceit, the common Frible-andDifeafe of young Men of any Greatness of Spirit!

So foon as he had finished his Course of Philofophy, he was made Mafter of Arts with great Applause; and having furnished his Mind with an uncommon Measure of the ancillary Knowledge of Letters, he began the

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Study