he dreaded
the frowns and censure of those worthy and faithful ministers of Jesus
Christ, who had been a long time in the fire of persecution. But if we
further consider, that our late glorious deliverer, King William, was in
the year 1693 engaged in a defensive war with the Emperor of Germany and
the King of Spain, against Louis XIV., the bloody tyrant of France and
terror of Europe, who aimed at the universal monarchy thereof, and to
overturn the happy revolution, the blessed benefits of which we have
enjoyed ever since, it is evident, that the publisher was afraid of the
resentment of the civil powers, especially when the spreading of that
pamphlet might have an unhappy tendency to alienate the affections of his
subjects, when he was carrying on that just and necessary war, for the
preservation of our civil and religious liberties, to which we had been
but lately restored. Nay, it is said, that when this pamphlet was
spreading in the army in Flanders, it was like to have a bad influence on
the soldiers, which made King William take an effectual method to suppress
it. Further, Mr. Binning died in the year 1653, and this pamphlet was not
published till the year 1693, so that, for the space of forty years it was
never heard of nor made public by any of the Protesters themselves in that
period, which would not have been neglected, had they known that Mr.
Binning was the author of it. And lastly, Mr. Binning was of a pacific
temper, and his sentiments with respect to public differences were
healing, which are evident from the accounts already given of his printed
books. And to show that he was a promoter of brotherly love, and of the
peace of the church, I shall set down a few passages taken from his
Treatise of Christian Love, which are as bright and strong for
recommending the same, as any that I have met with in the writings of any
of our divines, so that I can't allow myself to think he could be the
author thereof. In chapter 2d of that Treatise, he says, "There is a
greater moment and weight of Christianity in charity, than in the most
part of those things for which Christians bite and devour one another. It
is the fundamental law of the gospel, to which all positive precepts and
ordinances should stoop. Unity in judgment is very needful for the well
being of Christians. But Christ's last words persuade this, that unity in
affection is more essential and fundamental. This is the badge he left to
his disciples. If we c