ders to recall them,
breasts of consolation for Zion's mourners. And to add no more, here are
most excellent counsels and directions to serious seekers of fellowship
with God, to guide them in their way, and help them forward to the
attainment of that fulness of joy which is to be had in fellowship with
the Father and the Son."

The last treatise that has been printed is, "Heart Humiliation, or
Miscellany Sermons, preached upon some choice texts at several solemn
occasions." These likewise were revised and published by the above A. S.
in the year [1676]. Mr. Binning considering the great confusions and
lamentable divisions that prevailed in the church in his day, and the
abounding immorality and profaneness of the age, was deeply weighed
therewith. His righteous soul was so vexed and grieved on these accounts,
that he vented his mind in a most pathetic and moving manner, when the
days of public humiliation and fasting were observed. With respect to the
many fasts then appointed, and the few good effects they had, he says in
his sermon on Isa. lxiv. 7--"There is none that calleth upon thy name, that
stirreth up himself to take hold of thee,"--"The fasting days of Scotland
will be numbered in the roll of the greatest provocations, because there
is no real and spiritual conviction of sin among us, custom now hath taken
away the solemnity, and there remaineth nothing but the very name."(126)
And in this same sermon, he says, "Doth any of you pray more in private
than ye used? Or what edge is upon your prayers? Alas! the Lord will get
good leave to go from us, it feareth me we would give Christ a testimonial
to go over seas. Hold him, hold him! Nay the multitude would be gladly
quit of him,--they cannot abide his yoke, his work is a burden, his word is
a torment, his discipline is bands and cords, and what heart can ye have
to keep Christ? What violence can ye offer to him to hold him still? All
your entreaties may be fair compliments, but they would never rend his
garment."(127) There are still several manuscripts of Mr. Binning's
carefully preserved, which are in nothing inferior to any of his printed
works. There is a valuable Treatise upon Christian Love, consisting of
several sheets writ in a very small character,--it is divided into
chapters, and several sermons upon very edifying subjects, useful and
profitable for our times,--which are designed to be printed in a separate
volume, which every body may easily discover f