affectionate and serious in his
delivery, and though the sermon was a plain familiar discourse, yet his
seriousness fixed Mr. Durham's attention very closely, and he was much
affected therewith. But the change was reserved till the morrow. When he
came home, he said to his mother-in-law, The minister hath preached very
seriously this day, I shall not need to be pressed to go to church
to-morrow. Accordingly on Sabbath morning, rising early, he went to
church, where Mr. Melvil preached from 2 Pet. ii. 7. _To you that
believe he is precious_, &c. where he so sweetly and seriously opened up
the preciousness of Christ, and the Spirit of God wrought so effectually
upon his spirit, that in hearing of this sermon, he first closed with
Christ, and then went to the Lord's table, and took the seal of God's
covenant. After this he ordinarily called Mr. Melvil father when he
spoke of him.

Afterward he made serious religion his business both in secret and in
his family, and in all places and companies where he came, and did
cordially embrace the interest of Christ and his church as then
established, and gave himself much up to reading; for which reason, that
he might be free of all disturbance, &c. he caused build a study for
himself; in which little chamber, he gave himself to prayer, reading and
meditation, and was so close a student there, that he often forgot to
eat his bread, being sometimes so intent upon his studies, that servants
who were sent to call him down, often returned without answer, yea, his
lady frequently called on him with tears, before he would come:--Such
sweet communion he had with the Lord sometimes in that place.

He made great proficiency in his studies, and not only became an
experimental Christian, but also a very learned man. One evidence of
which he gave in a short dispute with one of the then ministers of
Dundee, while he was in that town: He met (in a house where he was
occasionally) with the parson of the parish (for so the ministers were
then called), who knew not Mr. Durham. After some discourse he fell upon
the Popish controversy with him, and so put him to silence, that he
could not answer a word but went sneakingly out of the room from Mr.
Durham to the provost, craving his assistance to apprehend Mr. Durham as
a Jesuit, assuring the provost, that if ever there was a jesuit in Rome
he was one, and that if he were suffered to remain in the town or
country, he might pervert many from the faith.