JAMES DURHAM.
IN I. Cor. 1, 26, the Apostle Paul observes that “not many noble are called,” which caused one of the excellent of the earth among the nobility to express thankfulness to the Most High that it is not written, “not any noble are called.” As a rule those who are counted by the world as “noble” walk according to the course of this world, and have little or no thought about higher things. There are, however, notable exceptions to this rule, and among them is the subject of this sketch, who was born in the parish of Monifieth in the year 1622. His father was John Durham of Easter Powrie. James Durham received a university education, but left the university before he graduated, and for some time lived as a private gentleman on his own estate without any appearance that the Lord had any work for him in the vineyard. He was sober and moral in his outward life, which was a rare thing with country gentlemen at this time, but he was without God and without hope in the world, and consequently knew not the joy and comfort which accompanies true and vital godliness. Presbyterianism was the established religion in Scotland, but he was, by his education, prejudiced against it, having no doubt like many of his rank, imbibed the view of King James I. that “Presbyterianism was no religion for a gentleman.” Thus we find him biased in his mind toward Episcopacy, which to the godly in Scotland was but a “tooth-less and spirit-less” religion, and which in after years kindled the flame of persecution, shedding the blood of thousands of our country’s martyred sons and daughters.
God moves in a mysterious way in His providence when bringing to pass what He decreed from all eternity, and His footsteps in His providence are very remarkable in the case of the subject of our sketch, both in his being effectually called and in his being called to the work of the ministry. He was married to a daughter of the Laird of Duntervie, who along with her mother were noted for their real piety. Mr. Durham’s mother-in-law resided in the parish of Abercorn, a few miles from Edinburgh, and on one occasion when he and his wife visited her it happened to be the time when the Lord’s Supper was being observed in the place. His mother-in-law, probably knowing the real state of his soul and solicitous for his spiritual and eternal welfare, earnestly desired him to attend the services. Though averse to going, yet in order to please her, he attended the preparation services on Saturday. During the services he was very much struck with the seriousness of the preacher, and much of what was said went deep into his heart, so that on the Sabbath he needed no creature to persuade him to go to the house of God. This Sabbath, which proved to be the day of his espousals, he heard the minister preach from the text, “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious,” I. Peter ii., 7. The Holy Spirit so wrought upon him that through the unfolding of the preciousness of Christ to the believer, He became precious to him, and was enabled to embrace Him as his own personal Saviour, a fact which turned the whole course of his after life.
Whenever this important change took place religion became the chief business of his life. He not only tasted of the sweetness of forgiveness of sins and communion with God, but used every means within his power to drink as deeply as possible of the life-giving fountain from whence it proceeded. He began a diligent and prayerful study of the Scriptures, and so closely did he apply himself to it, that often it was with difficulty he could be prevailed upon to leave it in order to partake of what was necessary to refresh nature. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” This was a truth which was clearly illustrated in the case of James Durham. With sorrow he would look back on the period of his life when he had been a respectable worldling; now his eyes had been opened and he was enabled to see the religion of the worldling and the religion of the child of God in a new light. Desires had been kindled in his soul which Christ alone could satisfy, and the entertainment which Christ gave him in solitary communion with Him only served to increase his desire after more of that fare. His religion, however, was not merely of a private nature but rather a thing which influenced his life in a practical way, in his dealings with his fellow-creatures, more especially in his determination to acknowledge Christ in their presence.
This is clearly revealed some time after his conversion when he was chosen captain of a company of Scottish soldiers who took part against the English in the civil war which had broken out at this time. He always prayed with his company and on one occasion when they were on the eve of going into battle he was thus engaged when the celebrated David Dickson of Irvine, who at this time was chaplain to the Scottish Army drew near. He was so struck with the prayer that he counselled Durham to devote himself to the work of the ministry.
It was about this time that two remarkable providences occurred which constrained him to take David Dickson’s advice. His horse had been shot under him and he escaped unhurt, and afterwards an English soldier had it in his power to kill him, but seeing his grave carriage and how he was attired, asked him if he were a priest. His reply was, “I am one of God’s priests,” upon which the soldier spared his life. Reflecting on these providences and the way being made clear in other respects he resolved to study for the ministry, which resolution he carried out by going to Glasgow to study divinity under David Dickson. In 1646 he was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of Irvine, and in November, 1647, became minister of Blackfriars’ Church, Glasgow, where he carried on a faithful and successful ministry. Shortly after his settlement in Glasgow his wife died—a blow which he felt keenly, but which manifested the reality of his religion, in his Christian resignation to the will of God, and his simple faith in what God has said. Under this trial there is something of the spirit of godly Job in his observation, “Now, who could persuade me that this dispensation of God’s providence was good for me, if the Lord had not said it was so?”
His ministry in Glasgow was far from being uneventful. Our native land was passing through a time of trial in which Christ’s ambassadors required to stand faithfully to what God had committed to them. It is well known that the history of the State and the history of the Church in Scotland are so bound together that they cannot be separated, and on that account men in prominent positions, like James Durham, were brought into conflict with rulers in the State. When Cromwell and his army invaded Scotland Durham publicly preached against the invasion on a day when the Protector himself was hearing him. Cromwell sent for him the next day and told him that he always thought him a wiser and more prudent man than to meddle with matters of public concern in his sermons. With characteristic honesty Durham replied that it was not his practice to bring public matters into the pulpit, but that he judged it both wisdom and prudence to speak his mind upon that head seeing he had the opportunity of doing it in Cromwell’s own hearing. Cromwell, it is recorded, dismissed him very civilly but desired him to speak no more on that subject in public.
Cromwell’s estimate of him as a wise and prudent man was shared by his brethren in the ministry for we find that in 1650 the General Assembly made choice of him, “as most fit, for his gravity, learning, wisdom and piety,” to be chaplain to King Charles II. during that monarch’s residence in Scotland. In this exalted station he behaved himself in a manner so consistent with his profession that none dared to act in a light or profane manner in his presence.
Truly it could be said of him that he was a living epistle known and read of all men, and an example which others might well follow. His gifts and attainments were of such a high order that they might well be a snare to many, but the large measure of grace which he received kept him humble. Readers may be well acquainted with the incident when he and Mr. Andrew Gray were walking together to their respective churches. A large number were going to hear Mr. Gray while only a few individuals were seen going to Mr. Durham’s church. Mr. Durham, on seeing this, remarked, “Brother, I perceive you are like to have a throng church to-day,” to which Mr. Gray answered, “Truly brother, they are fools to leave you and come to me.” To this Mr. Durham replied, “Not so, dear brother, for a minister can receive no such honour and success in his ministry, except it be given from heaven. I rejoice that Christ is preached, and that His kingdom and interest is getting ground, and that His honour and esteem doth increase, though my esteem in people’s hearts should decrease, and be diminished, for I am content to be anything, so that Christ may be all in all.” Surely there was nothing here of that jealousy which is “cruel as the grave.”
In September, 1651, Mr. Durham became minister of what was then known as the inner High Kirk, in Glasgow. Here he continued to labour faithfully and acceptably till the time of his death, which took place on 25th June, 1658, in the thirty-sixth year of his age. On his death-bed he was in great darkness as to his state, and said to his colleague, Mr. John Carstairs, “Brother, for all that I have preached or written there is but one Scripture I can remember or dare to grip unto; tell me if I dare lay the weight of my salvation upon it: ‘Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.'” Carstairs answered, “You may depend upon it, though you would have a thousand salvations at hazard.” The cloud, however, passed away and a short while before breathing his last he triumphantly exclaimed, “Is not the Lord good? Is He not infinitely good? See how He smiles! I do say it, and I do proclaim it.” Thus entered James Durham into the presence and joy of his Lord.
His writings are a treasury of gospel truth where living souls may find rich fare to strengthen them in their wilderness journey. In these writings he dwells much on the sufferings of Christ and the fellowship between Christ and believers in this world. One of his best known works is Christ Crucified, a series of seventy-two sermons on the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. Concerning this work Spurgeon has said, “Whatever Durham has written is very precious. He has the pen of a ready writer, and indites good matter. This is marrow indeed. We need say no more: Durham is a prince among spiritual expositors.” Others of his published works are, A Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments; The Great Gain of True Godliness; An Exposition of the Song of Solomon; The Unsearchable Riches of Christ; A Commentary on the Book of Revelation and A Treatise on Scandal, called forth by the dispute between the Resolutioners and Protesters in his own day. His Commentary on the Book of Revelation is the outcome of a series of lectures which he delivered on that book, and as a proof of the solemn consideration which he gave to the matter it is recorded that while delivering these lectures he spent two days a week in fasting and prayer.—J. C.