rom the style and genius of
the author to be his genuine writings, his manner of thinking and writing
being a talent so peculiar to himself, that it scarcely can be imitated by
any other person.

Had it pleased the Almighty to have spared so valuable a life for some
time longer, he would have vindicated divinity from the many fruitless
questions, unintelligible terms, empty notions, and perplexed subtilties,
wherewith it had been corrupted for a long time by the schoolmen. As he
was excellently fitted for this, so it was much upon his heart to have
reduced divinity to that native simplicity, which had been lost in most
parts of the world. A good specimen of his ability this way he hath given
us in his catechism, and so, though he lived but a short time, he yet
lived long enough to raise the greatest expectation that hath been known
of any of his standing.

Mr. M'Ward assures us, That if Dr. Strang's dictates _De Voluntate Dei
circa peccata_(128) had been published before Mr. Binning's death, Mr.
Binning had an examen of them ready for the press. But this treasure, to
the great loss of the learned world, cannot now be found. As for his
philosophical writings which he taught in the University, I am assured
that his course of philosophy is in the hands of a learned gentleman in
this city, who gives them an high commendation.

There is a book published under his name in 4to, consisting of fifty-one
pages, with this title, "An Useful Case of Conscience, learnedly and
accurately discussed and resolved, concerning associations and
confederacies with idolaters, infidels, heretics, malignants or any other
known enemies of truth and godliness." But it is very much questioned by
the most intelligent, if that book was really Mr. Binning's. The
publisher does indeed put Mr. Binning's name to the title page, but
conceals his own, and he brings no manner of voucher, showing that Mr.
Binning was the author, but sends it abroad into the world in a
clandestine manner. Neither the name of the printer, nor of the place
where it was printed is mentioned in the title page.(129) It was printed
in the year 1693, when the first General Assembly of this church after the
Revolution, which consisted of both Public Resolutioners and Protesters,
had agreed to bury for ever all their differences about the Public
Resolutions, concerning the question of employing malignants in the army,
that was raised against the kingdom of England. It seems that