most happily
delivered from tyranny and slavery. On November 1st, 1689, Sir James
Dalrymple of Stair, his letter as President of the Session was produced
and recorded, and he was accordingly admitted and restored to his office.
In the year 1690 he was created a Viscount upon account of his great
services and merit. He published, while in Holland, his Institutions of
the law of Scotland, (a more full edition of which came out in 1693,) and
two volumes in folio, of Decisions, from the year 1661, to 1681 inclusive.
He also published a system of physics,(93) valued greatly at the time. And
a book entitled, A Vindication of the divine attributes, was also his, in
which there is discovered great force of argument and knowledge. He was
looked upon before his death, as the living oracle of our law, and at
present his Institutions are appealed to, as containing the true and solid
principles of it.(94)

Mr. Binning, who had lately been his scholar, was determined after much
entreaty, (of which we shall presently give an account,) to stand as a
candidate for that post. The Masters of the college, according to the
usual laudable custom, emitted a programme, and sent it to all the
universities in the kingdom, inviting such as had a mind to dispute for a
profession of philosophy, to sist themselves before them, and offer
themselves to compete for that preferment, giving assurance that without
partiality and respect of persons, the place should be conferred upon him
who should be found _dignior et doctior_.

The Ministers of the city of Glasgow considering how much it was the
interest of the Church, that well qualified persons be put into the
profession of philosophy, and that Universities by this means become most
useful seminaries for the Church; and that such as had served as Regents
in the college, were ordinarily brought out to the ministry, who, as the
Divinity chairs became vacant, were advanced to that honour,--many
instances of which I am able to condescend upon, and they knowing that Mr.
Binning was eminently pious, and one of a solid judgment, as well as of a
bright genius, set upon him to sist himself among the other competitors,
but had great difficulty to overcome his modesty. However, they at last
prevailed with him to declare, before the Masters, his willingness to
undertake the dispute with others.

There were two candidates more, one of them had the advantage of great
interest with Doctor Strang, principal of the c