was rather intuitive certainty than belief. He described the divine nature as if he had seen God: the attributes of celestial spirits, as if he had been an angel; the felicities of a future state as if he had enjoyed them; and the ways of providence as if he had penetrated into all its secrets. He wrote so many books that one man is hardly able to read them, and no one man is able to understand them. He would have written more, if he had composed with less care and accuracy. Such was our immortal Scotus, the most ingenious, acute, and subtile of the sons of men."'[1]
These extracts may suffice to show the estimation, or rather adoration, in which the subtle doctor was once held; and it was not alone among his own disciples that he was venerated; for Julius Caesar Scaliger acknowledges, that in the perusal of John of Dunse, he acquired any subtilty of discussion which he might possess; and Cardan, one of the earliest philosophers who broke the yoke of Aristotle, classes Scotus among his chosen twelve masters of profound and subtile sciences. In comparing the enthusiastic popularity in which Scotus and his works were once held with the undisturbed oblivion which they now enjoy, the mind adverts to the fleeting nature of all, even the most honourable earthly aggrandizement; and a likeness of name and situation suggests the question, Shall another Scotus, who, in our own day, has excited throughout Europe the liveliest admiration, come, in two or three centuries, to be forgotten like John of Dunse, or only remembered, like him, as a curious illustration of the follies of a dark and ignorant age?
DURHAM, James, "that singularly wise and faithful servant of Jesus Christ," was by birth a gentleman. He was descended from the family of Grange-Durham, in the shire of Angus, and was proprietor of the estate of Easter Powrie, now called Wedderburn. From his age at the time of his death, he appears to have been born in 1622. We have but few memorials of his early life. Leaving college before taking any degree, he retired to his paternal estate, where he lived for some years as a country gentleman. At an early period he married a daughter of the laird of Duntarvie;' and soon afterwards, while on a visit to one of her relations, became deeply impressed with religious feelings.[2] On his return home, he devoted himself almost wholly to study, in which he made great proficiency, and we are told, "became not only an experimental Christian, but a learned man." He did not, however, contemplate becoming a clergyman, till the time of the civil wars, in which he served as a captain. On one occasion, before joining battle with the English, he called his company together to prayer. Mr David Dickson riding past, heard some one praying, drew near him, and was much struck with what he heard. After the service was finished, he charged him, that as soon as the action was over, he should de-
- ↑ Brukeii Hist. Philos. tom. iii. p. 828.
- ↑ The following account of his conversion is given in Wodrow's Analecta (MS. Adv. Lib.):
"He was young when he marriecl, and was not for a while concerned about religion. He came with his lady to visit his mother-in-law, the lady Duntarvie, who lived in the parish of the Queensferry. There fell at that time a communion to be in the Queensferry, and soe the lady Duntarvie desired her son-in-law, Mr Durham, to go and hear sermon upon the Saturday, and for some time he would by no means go, till both his lady and his mother-in-law, with much importunity, at last prevailed with him to go. He went that day, and heard very attentively; he seemed to be moved that day by the preacher being very serious in his discourse, so that there was something wrought in Mr Durham that day, but it was like an embryo. When he came home, he said to his mother-in-law, ' Mother, ye had much ado to get me to the church this day: but I will goe to-morrow without your importuning me.' He went away on the Sabbath morning, and heard the minister of the place, worthy Mr Ephraini Melvine, preach the action sermon upon 1 Pet. 2. 7, and Mr Durham had the expressions about his sermon: 'He commended him, he commended him, again and again, till he made my heart and soul commend him;' and soe he immediately closed with Christ, and covenanted, and went down immediately to the table, and took the seal of the covenant; and after that he became a most serious man."
