mself for the relief of all who
asked or stood in need of his assistance, which uncommon talents not
only endeared him to his brethren the clergy, but also to many others
from the one extremity of the lands to the other (that heard or knew any
thing of him) who considered and highly esteemed him as one of the most
able advocates for the propagation and advancement of Christ's kingdom.

His well-known sermons are printed in several small pieces. Those called
his works are bound in one volume octavo. To the eleven sermons printed
sometime ago, are lately published a large collection to the number of
fifty-one, intitled his select sermons, whereof only three, for
connection sake, and his letter to lord Warriston are inserted, which
were before published in his works. So that by this time most (if not
all) of the sermons are now in print that ever were preached by him.

_The Life of Mr. JAMES DURHAM._

Mr. James Durham was born about the year 1622, and lineally descended
from the ancient and honourable family of Grange Durham, in the parish
of Monuseith in the shire of Angus. He was the eldest son of John Durham
of Easter Powrie, Esq; now called Wedderburn after the gentleman's name
who is the present professor thereof.

Having gone through all the parts of useful learning with success and
applause, he left the university before he was graduate, and for
sometime lived as a private gentleman at his own dwelling house in the
country, without any thought then of farther prosecuting his studies
especially for the ministry, and though he was always blameless and
moral in his life, both in the university and when he left it, yet he
was much a stranger to religion in the serious exercise and power of it,
and, through prejudice of education, did not stand well affected to the
presbyterial government. He first married a daughter of the laird of
Duntervie: his wife and her mother were both very pious women.

His conversion to the Lord was very remarkable. For going with his lady
to visit her mother in the parish of Abercorn, some miles west from
Edinburgh,--it happened, that at this time the sacrament was to be
administered in that parish upon Saturday,--his mother-in-law earnestly
pressed them to go with them to church and hear sermon; at first he
shewed much unwillingness, but partly by their persuasion, and partly by
his complaisant disposition, he went along with them. The minister that
preached that day was extremely