short of any performance of this kind that
has since appeared in public.

This treatise, with a great number of excellent sermons, preached by this
able minister of the gospel, many of which have never been printed, in a
manuscript in folio, was found in the late Rev. Mr. Robert Wodrow,
minister at Eastwood, his library, and all care has been taken to publish
it faithfully, without any alteration either by adding or diminishing any
thing from it.

This divine subject of Christian love he lays a great stress upon; he
shows that there is a greater moment and weight in Christian charity, than
in the most part of those things for which some 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 judgement is very
necessary for the well being of Christians, and Christ's last words
persuade this, that unity in affection is most essential and fundamental.
This is the badge that he left to his disciples; if we cast away this upon
every different apprehension of mind, we disown our Master, and disclaim
his token and badge.

Mr. Binning treats of this subject in a most sublime and pathetic strain;
he explains the nature of this grace, discourses of the excellent
properties and blessed effect and fruits of it, in a ravishing and
captivating manner. There is such a variety of beauties in this treatise,
that they deserve to be noticed in this preface, and particularly, his
admirable commentary on the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the
Corinthians, wherein he outstrips all that went before him and, in fine,
he enforces the exercise of this grace with the most convincing argument
and the most powerful motives. And now, not to detain the reader from the
perusal, it is earnestly wished that the end of the publication may, by
the blessing of God, be obtained, which is, that Christians in our days
may be as the primitive ones,--of one mind and of one heart, and that they
may love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Chapter I.

The beauty and excellency of this world consists, not only in the
perfection and comeliness of each part in it, but especially in the wise
and wonderful proportion and union of these several parts. It is not the
lineaments and colours that make the image or complete beauty, but the
proportion and harmony of these, though different severally. And truly
that is the wonder, that such repugnant natures,