having turned his
thoughts towards the ministry, he carried on his theological studies at
the same time, and made great improvements therein, for his memory was
so retentive, that he scarcely forgot any thing had heard or read. It
was easy and ordinary for him to inscribe any sermon, after he returned
to his chamber, at such a length, that the intelligent and judicious
reader, who had heard it preached, would not find one sentence wanting.

During this period, he gave full proof of his progress and knowledge in
divinity, by a composition from 2 Cor. v. 14 _For the love of Christ
constraineth us_, &c. Which performance he sent to a gentlewoman who had
been some time at Edinburgh, for her private edification, who having
perused the same, judged it to have been a sermon of some eminent
minister in the west of Scotland, and put it into the hands of the then
provost of Edinburgh, who judged of it in the same manner. But when she
returned to Glasgow, she found her mistake by Mr. Binning's asking it at
her:----This was the first discovery he had given of his dexterity and
abilities in explaining the scripture.

At the expiration of three years as a professor of philosophy, the
parish of Govan, which lies adjacent to the city of Glasgow, happened to
be vacant, and before this whoever was principal of the college of
Glasgow was also minister there; but this being attended with
inconveniencies, an alteration was made, and the presbytery having a
view to supply that vacancy with Mr. Binning, they took him upon trials,
in order to be licensed a preacher;--and preaching there to the great
satisfaction of that people, he was some time after called to be
minister of that parish, which call the presbytery approved of, and
entered him upon trials for ordination about the 22d year of his age,
and went through them to the unanimous approbation of the presbytery,
giving their testimony of his fitness to be one of the ministers of the
city upon the first vacancy,----having a view at the same time to bring
him back to the university, whenever the profession of divinity should
be vacant.

He was, considering his age, a prodigy of learning. For before he had
arrived at the 26th year of his life, he had such a large stock of
useful knowledge, as to be _philologus, philosophus et theologus
eximius_, and might well have been an ornament to the most famous and
flourishing university in Europe. This was the more surprising,
considering his weak