did their temple,
and in the mean time we do not care how we walk before God, or with our
neighbours. Well, thus saith the Lord, 'Trust ye not in lying words,
saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings, if ye
throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; if ye oppress
not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent
blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt,' &c. Jer.
vii. 4-6. If drunkenness reign among you, if filthiness, swearing,
oppression, cruelty reign among you, your covenant is but a lie, all your
professions are but lying words, and shall never keep you in your
inheritances and dwellings. The Lord tells you what he requires of you, is
it not to do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with God? Mic. vi. 8.
This is that which the grace of God teaches, to deny 'ungodliness and
worldly lusts,' and to 'live soberly, righteously, and godly,' towards
God, your neighbour, and yourself, Tit. ii. 11, 12, and this he prefers to
your public ordinances, your fasting, covenanting, preaching, and such
like."(112)

When the unhappy distinction betwixt the public Resolutioners and
Protesters(113) took place in this church. Mr. Binning was of the last
denomination. This distinction proved to be of fatal consequences. He saw
some of the evils of it in his own time, and being of a catholic and
healing spirit, with a view to the cementing of differences, he wrote an
excellent Treatise of Christian love,(114) which contains very strong and
pathetic passages, most apposite to this subject, some of which we will
afterwards have occasion to quote. He was no fomenter of faction, but
studious of the public tranquillity. He was a man of moderate principles
and temperate passions. He was far from being confident, or vehement in
the managing of public affairs, never imposing or overbearing upon others,
but willingly hearkened to advice, and yielded to reason.

After he had laboured four years in the ministry, serving God with his
spirit in the gospel of his Son, whom he preached, warning every man and
teaching every man in great ministerial wisdom and freedom, that he might
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus--whereunto he laboured, strong
according to his working, which wrought in him mightily,--;he died of a
consumption, when he was scarce come to the prime and vigour of lif