Gospel Sonnets: or, Spiritual songs, in six parts ... The twenty-fifth edition. In which the Holy Scriptures are fully extended. To which is prefixed an account of the author's life and writings

Preface

. \l II ATE VER apologies this book has formerly been preficed, with, (as to the manner in Which many lines in it are written), shall be here altogether dropt and forborn. I now dismiss it as it is, under the conduct of divine providence, to take its hazard in the world; since it has already served its apprenticeship under several impressions, and both gone through kind and hard usage, through, good report and bad report. It never promised much to them that seek nothing but Pleasure and Satisfaction to their fancy ; but I have heard, that it has done some service, (and I hope, through the blessing of Heaven, it may yet do more) to them that seek Profit aud Edifi cation to their souls. In the Sd part of the book, and part 6. chap. ?. sect. 1, that which comes under the name of Riddles or Mysteries, I thought fit to confirm by scripture texts cited at the bottom of the page, for the benefit of those that are weak in knowledge, and unacquainted with the scripture.* I have directed them by a letter of the alphabet at every branch of the sentence that is either seemingly or really opposite to the other, unto some scriptural text, one or more; for evincing the truth thereof: by which means the weakest that is wilg Jing may come to understand the most difficult paradox or mystery mentioned in thig work ; at least so far as to see, that every part of f TJie Scriptures are op-w exten44<t. VI

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. it is founded on the word of God, either directly, er by plain and necessary consequence. Only this general rule is to be observed, viz. That the reader al frays consider what is the subject treated in every section or stania; and this for the sake of the more illiterate, I shall illustrate by two examples, the one concerning the lawj the other concerning the believer. The former you see, in part 3. sec. 6. where it is said, I'm not oblig'd to keep it more, Yet more oblig'd than e'er before. Here you are to remark, that as the subject spoke of is the law; so the law in scripture is considered two ways, viz. both as a covenant of works, and as a rule of duty. Now, tbat the believer is un der no obligation to the law as it is a covenant of works, or to per form obedience to it as aground of justification, (which is also the subject treated in that section), is confirmed in the foot-notes by by the following scriptures,, (to which you are directed by the let ter), Rom. vi. 14.

Gal. t. 1, — 1. AVhere you may see believers are said to " be not under the law, but under grace ;" and exhor ted to " stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free ;" and assured, that " Christ is become of no effect to them, whosoever of them are justified by the law; they are fallen from grace." Again that the believer is under more obligation than ever before he was justified, to vield obedience to the law as it is a rule of life (which is the other branch of that paradox), is confirmed by these following texts of scripture, (to which you are directed by the other letter) Rom. vi. 1, 2, 15, where it is said " Shall we continue in sin, that gTace may abound? God forbid: how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein ; What then ? shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace?

God forbid." From which texts, together with their contexts, it is evident that the believer's freedom from the law as a covenant, does not at all free him from obligation to it as a rule, but superadds to the natural obligation, that of grace, which both argumentatively and affective ly teaches what the law does authoritively and preceptively, viz. 4ito deny ungodliness and wordly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world," Tit. ii. 11, 12<

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. VII The other example I adduce, you may read in part 3. sect. 10^ where the words are, To good and evil equal bent, I'm both a de-yil and a saint. Here the reader may notice, that the subject spoken of is the be liever, or the saints old and new man described (which is part of the title of that section,) or considered as to his regenerate and unregen erate part ; in which view he is frequently spoken of in scripture; ex. gr. i John iii. 6, 9. it is said of a believer, or the person born of God, that " he sinneth not," and that, " he cannot sin, because he is born of God :" there he is spoken of as to his new nature, or regenerate part. But i John i. 8. the words are, " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us:1* where the apostle speaks of believers unregenerate and corrupt part.

Now, this being the scriptual representation of the believer, the foresaid paradox is easily proved from scripture. The 1st branch is, That he is equally bent to good and evil. For the proof of this, you are directed in the foot note to Rom. vii. 21. where the apostle Paul, speaking both of his corrupt and renewed part says, " I find a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me." And if you read the proceeding and following context, you will find him complaining how corruption bends him as far one vay as grace another. The other part of the same paradox is, That the believer is on these accounts both a devil and a saint. Now, that the believer is by nature and corruption a devil, is one branch of this position here to be confirmed. That he is so by Nature, is proved by the following scriptures in the forecited page at the bottom.

John vi. TO. and viii. 24. compared; where Christ speaking of some that were in a natural state, viz. of Judas and the Jews, discoverswh.it is the state of all men by nature, that " they are of their father the devil, since the lusts of their father they will do," and therefore may be called devils, as our Lord called Judas, saying, " I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil." And such are believers also naturally, as descendents of the first Adam, being " children of disobedience, and children of wrath by nature, even as others," Eph. ii. 2, 3. And that the believer is so, not only by nature, but also by reason of remaining Corruption, is proved at the foot of the sam«

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. page, from James iii. 15. where that apostle, speaking of strife and envy, that may be even among the children of God, (which indeed has taken too much place in all ages,) says " This wisdom descend eth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." Again, that tho' the believer be by nature and corruption a devil, yet he is by grace and regeneration a saint, is documented also in the page from i Cor. vi. 11. "Such were some of you: but ye are sanctified," Szc. In this manner you may go over all the rest of the paradoxes, riddles, or mysteries, contained is this book, and find them evi dently confirmed by the scriptures of truth, the word of God. This might be no unprofitable exercise, but tend to lead you in to th« true knowledge of the gospel, to which mysteries are so essential, that it is designed by them, and called " the wisdom of God in a mystery, i Cor. ii. 7. and the knowledge of which is so essential to Christianity, and so absolutely necessary to salvation, that the same apostle declares, that, " if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost : in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Again, if you search the scriptures, you will see many more proofs for every point than I have adduced, and perhaps many Kiuch more opposite ; for these only are set down at the bottom of the page that first occured to me : yet I suppose, though sometimes but one and sometime more, scriptures are pointed out, they are such as sufficiently confirm the positions they relate to. But that other scriptures might have been adduced in plenty, I shall give one instance in the paradox just now mentioned, viz. That every be liever while in this world, is both a Devil and a Saint. The lat ter clause is what none will deny, viz. That every true believer is a saint; for further proof of which, you might see Acts xv. 9. and xxvi. 18. &c. But because the first clause may seem more harsh, it may by scripture be also further evinced two Mays : 1st, In respect of the daily commission of sin he has to challenge himself with ; for the scripture says, Eccl. vii. 20, "there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." and with this compare I John iii. S. " lie that committed siu is of the devil." Hence it i-i plain there is not a just man upon earth, but may hi j-espect of the

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. U tomroission of sin, be called a Devil. 2d, In respect of prevalent temptations, by which he may be hurried into those things that favour not of God, but of men; on which account Christ says to Peter, Matth. xvi. 23. " Get the behind me, Satan." And if Christ calls Peter a devil, whom he had described as a saint of the first magnitude, verse 17. one divinely blessed and enlightened; what occasion may every believer have to call himself a devil ! Yea, it is part of his faith and santity, to see and acknowledge with shame before the Lord his own devilish and desperately wicked heart and nature: which a blind, self-conceited world are ignorant of, being neither acquainted with themselves, nor with God and his word. However, so it is, that the more any shall search the scripture, the more I hope they will discern, not only by the texts I have quoted, but from many others also, the truth and evidence of every part of this book, however mysterious some passage of it may seem to many.

Though some of these lines may want the politeness that can please the curious age, yet, while they stand firm upon a scriptual foundation, none of them want authority, and that of the highest nature except in the account of mockers, and those (of whom their are too many in our day) that are cither Deists, who undervalue the scripture, or Atheists, who deride it; and it is sadly to be regretted that those people are hardened in their wicked principles and practices, by sorne that perhaps have a higher profession. For I have seen two prints, one called the Groan, and the other the Laugh,- wherein some lines pricked out among others, have been exposed to ridicule : but however such gentlemen may laugh at their own sport, and wickedly divert themselves with serious matters for a time, I fear their laughing will issue in weeping for ever : if God by giving them repentance do not make them groan to purpose, for the evidences they thus give of either their grievious ignorance of the scripture, or their grose profanity; and of their tediness to yield themselves instruments of the devil, to promote the Atheistical spirit of the age, which is bent enough (without any isuch provocations) to laugh at every thing serious, sacred, and scriptual.

This is so palpable without my observations upon it, and so self-evident to all that fear God, and have had the patience \o read Such prints, that I would not have thought them worth

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. I noticing so far as to make this bare mention of them, ha.& nat Providence put the pen in my hand to rite the preface to that part of the book wherein scriptual proofs are added. Header, it gives me satisfaction enough to understand, that this book has already been useful and edifying to some, however it is enter tained by others. The gospel itself is to some the savour of life, to others the savour of death; to some wisdom, to others fool ishness; to some matter of faith, love, and comfort, to others matter of mockery and scorn. I shall be far from thinking it any discredit or disparagement to this book, if it meet with the like entertainment. May the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who over-rules all things, accompany it in its journies abroad and at home*, with his blessing to many Souls ; and to his care I com mend it, in the words of a famous scots poet, upon Psalm XXXV.

I. Rerum sancte Oprfex, ades, Et patrocinio protege me tuo-. Which may be adapted to the matter in hand thus: The truth which hell may criticise, Great God, be near to patronize. A POE M , BY A LADY OF NEW ENGLAND, on reading Mr. Euskine's Gosple Sonnets. ERSKINE, thou blessed herald sound*, Till sin's black empire totter to 'he ground. Well hast thou Sinai's awful flames display'd And rebel's doom before their conscience laid: From sin, from self, from trust in duty fly, Commit thy naked soul to Christ, or die. Go on and prosper in the name of God, Seraphic preacher, through the thorny road; The gracious Christ thy labours will reward: His angel bands be thy perpetual guard ; Though hell's dark regions at the present hiss, The God of glory thy strong refuge is. Mere moral preachers have no power to c'larm Thy lines are such my nobler passions warm; These glorious truths have set roy soul on fire, And while I read, I'm love and pure desire.

May the black train of errors hatch'd in hell No longer on this globe in quiet dwell ; May more like you be rais'd to show their shame, And call them by their diabolic name. Exalt the Lamb in lovely white and red, Angels and saints his lasting honours spread; My trembling soul shall bear her feeble part, 'Tis he hath charm'd my soul and won my heart, Bless'd be the Father for electing love, Bless'd be the Son who does my guilt remove, Bless'd be the Dove who does his grace apply, Oh ! may I praising live, and praising die 1 s AN ACCOUNT OF TnE jLIFE and waitings, OF THE Rev. RALPH ERSKINE. THE Rev. RALPH ERSKINE descended of very respectable an cestors; his father, the Rev. Henry Erskine, being one of the thirty-three children of Ralph Erskine, of Shieldfieltl, a family of considerable repute, and long standing in the county of Merse, originally descended from the ancient house of Mar.

Our Author, and his brother, the Reverend Ebenezer Erskine, late minister of the gosple at Sterling, were two children of the said Reverend Henry Erskine, who was sometime minister of the gospel at Cornwall, afterwards at Chirnside; a man eminent in his day, and justly distinguished for his piety and firm attachment to Presbyterian principles : for his stedfast adherence to which, he was subjected to many considerable hardships in the latter part of the last century, during the persecuting period of Charles II. and James VII. See Calamy's Life of Baxter. Our Author was born at Monilaws, in the county of Northum berland, the 15.'h of March 1685, and baptized at Chirnside, on the 5th of April, by the Rev. William Violand. He gave pretty early proofs of a great genius, and sever.il instances of a pious disposition, aud solid way of reflecting on matters.

On this account he was, by his parents, early destined for the ministry; accordingly they gave him a regular and liberal education, in order to qualify him for that important work. When he had acquired a competent degree os grammatical learning, and other introductory parts of education, he went to the University of Edinburgh, to complete his studies; where he went through the ordinary courses of erudition, making a considerable progress in all the different branches of liturature : for he soon be came a sine Grecian, an excellent logician, and an accomplished scholar. Having acquired a competent measure of knowledge; *n these various branches of erudition, he gave himself up to the study of Divinity, his now darling and beloved theme; in which he made great progress, as this present production d j • ■ h ab da y evidence.

The ordinary course of studies being gone throng1*, at the Col lege of Edinburgh, with success ; he was, in the providence of Godj called forth to appear in a public character; and being well report* od of by all who knew him, for a conversation becoming the gospel' he was accordingly called upon trial, by the presbytery of Dunferm line; and having passed through the usual pieces, to the entire satisfaction of the presbytery, he was by them licensed to preach, as a probationer, on the 8th of June 1709. In which capacity he exercised the talents which the Lord had graciously conferred on him, both in vacancies and settled congregations, to the great satisfaction of both ministers and people. After this, Providence soon opened another door for him ; and he got an unanimous call from the parishioners of Dunfermline, on the 1st of May 1711, to exercise his ministerial talents and abilities amongst them.

Being approved by the presbytery, they set him apart to the office of the holy ministry, in the collegiate charge of Dunfermline, on Aug. 7, 1711. Under the public character of a minister of the gospel, having now a pastoral relation to a particular flock, in the church univer sal, he seemed determined not to know any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified: he was instant in season and out of season, in all parts of his ministeral labours, and gave himself wholy thereunto exorting the people under his trust, from house to house, in the way of family visitation ; examining them more publickly upon the principles of the gospel; visiting the sick, when called; and preach ing the everlasting gospel, in which he had a very pleasant and edifying gift, labouring by turns with his colleague, every Sabbath and Thursday through the year; and afterwards, when he had n" assistant for seveial years before his death, he officiated alone, punctually, both on Sabbath and week-days.

He was blessed with a rich and fertile gift, as appears in the agreeable aud entertaining divershy, wherewhh his heads of doctrine are every where adorned. The poetical genius, with which he wns happily endowed, contributed not a little to the embelish ment rf his discourses, -with a variety of pertinent epithets and striking metaphors. H;^ gift of preaching was both instructing and searching. Few outshone him in the nervous and convincing manner, whereby he confirmed the truth of the doctrines he insisted on; and fewer still in the warm address, in which he enforced the practice and power of them. He peculiarly excelled in the ample and free manner of exalting Christ, teaching them to rest on him alone for their salvation, as freely and fully exibited unto them in the gospel. On all which accounts he was justly esteemed, and much followed, as one of the most popular and powerful preachers of his day. — During his time sacramental solemnities, at Dunfermline, were very much crowded; numbers of people from all parts of the kingdom, resorted unto them; the Lord being pleased to countenance these communions^ with single evidences of his gracious presence and influence, to the sweet refreshment of many drooping souls.

It will easily appear to the judicious and experienced reader, in perusing this bork, that he had a singular faculty in describing the plague of the heart, and the diversified circumstances of tempted and exercised souls; it seemed as if they ha<j communicated their several doub's and cases unto him; while in the mean time, he was only unfculding the inward experience of his own soul, it being no more than what he himself felt of the workings of corruption and unbelief, against the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit, in opposition thereunto; v*ihich cannot but agree with the same expe rience in others; for, as in -water face answereth face, so do the heart of man to man. This eminent servant of Christ, being early exercised in godli THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 15 ness even from his youth, became by grace, a scribe well instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, whom our Lord compares to an househeilder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure, things new and old: Old truths, newly experienced, and old experiences, newly confirmed in him, so that it may be said, that there are few perplexities or temptations which the saint are exercised with, that were not in some measure or other solved and elucidated by him.

At the importunity of many of his acquaintance, ministers, and people, he published a number of his sermons, on the most interes ting subjects, which were well relished by truely godly souls. They, with several others, were collected together after his death, and published along with his poems, in two volumes folio in tho years 1764 and 1765; and, since that time, reprinted in ten vo lumes octavo. But the Sonnets have by far exreeded all his other works, as is evident by the number of editions they have gone through. The words of the late justly celebrated and pious Mr. Hervey are truly expressive of the high esteem he had for Mr. Erskin's works: " Was I to read with a single view to the edification of my heart, in true faith, solid comfort, and evangelical holiness ; I would have recourse to Mr. Erskine, for my guide, my companion, and my own familiar friend."

Dr. Bradbury speaks of his works thus:-" These have no need of my recommendation ; the reader will find in them a faithful adherence to the design of the gospel, a clear defence of those doctrines that are the pillar and ground cf truth, a large compass of thought, a strong force of argument, and a happy flow of words, which are both judicious and familiar; and they have been greatly blessed to the edification of many, especially the poor of the flock." To proceed : He was not only esteemed a judicious Divine, but also considered as a Poet. His talent was employed chiefly on divine subjects, having no relish and taste for any others. In his younger years, at his leisure hours, ne composed the Gospel Sonnets. The usefulness of this poetical compendium of the gospel, for pro moting the life of faith in the soul, holiness and happiness in the heart, will be experienced by many of the saints of God, to the atest posterity.

THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 16 About the year 1738, he sent into the world his poetical p-ra phrase upon the whole book of the Song of Solomon : Which indeed is as evangelical comment, done in a strain adapted to the i>ew Testament dispensation, upon that allegorical or figurative part of holy writ. — That performance has been acceptable, and undergone some editions. By the above poetical essays and some smaller performances, our Author's abilities as a poet came to be known; and induced tne Reverend Synod, of which he was a member, to importune him to employ his vacant hours, in turning the poetical passages of sacred writ into ccmmon metre, of the same kind with the Psalms of David. These requisitions he in part complied with, and his pro ductions made their appearance, under the title of Scripture Songs, selected frcm several passages in the Old and New Testa ments, which ha*e undergone some editions, but are not esteemed equal with the Sonnets.

Our Author, besides his sermons and poems published several tracls. on some poimts of controversy, in which he displayed his abilities as a writer, particularly an elaborate treatise, intituled, Faith no Fancy ; ar, A Treatise of Mental Images: a book singu larly valuable, for the clear and perspicuous manner in which he hath handled and ?siablished that important point, every way wor thy of our Autho r. It reflected great honour on him, by giving a display of his al lilities, as a divine and philosopher, and shewed how capable he wa.s of handling any point when ho sot himself to it even in a most abstract way of reasoning: — this book effectually silenced all his opponents. As a faithful se rvant of Jesus Christ, ho laboured successfully in the work of tbd ministcry, and continued publicly useful in his Master's work, t'lll within a few days of his departure; for he preached in his o<rn pulpit on Sunday the 29th of October 1752, and was afterwards seized, (at the end of the same month,) with a nervous fever, wlierein he enjoyed the exercise of his judgment and senses; it lasted only for a few days, and was then the hasty mes senger to free lam from the incumbrances of a mortal body, and leading him to the regions of eternal felicity; for, on the eighth day of the fevt/r, he fell asleep in the Lord, being Monday, No. vember Gth, 1752, in the 6Sth year of his age, after having laboured unweariedly and successfully in the work of the ministry (among his fleck in Dunfermline) for the space of forty-two years.

Mr. Erskine, as an author and a divine, affords room for large commendations, were we disposed to give them ; and his complete character is truly great, and his disposition exceedingly amiable. If he his considered as to his natural endowments, he possessed many excellent qualities; having a good temper, a clear head, a rich invention, a lively imagination, and a great memory. If he is viewed as to his acquired abilities; he was well acquainted with all the useful branches of liturature, necessary to adorn the scholar and the minister. If he is considered as to his office, he was a great and judicious divine, a pious evangelical preacher, and an able casuist. Iu short, he was not only a learned man, an able. divine, an affectionate familar friend, and a socia| companion, but, that which exceeds it all, he was made rich in the grace of Christ.

By his death the Church lost a great light, a heroic champion, for the truth, and a bold contender for the faith ; — the congrega tion he laboured among lost an able faithful minister; — his family and relatives, a true friend; — and his aquaintance and intimates, a sympathising companion. Mr. Erskine was twice married; first to Margaret Dewar, a daughter of the Laird of Lassodie; which commenced the 15th of July 1714. She lived with him about sixteen years, during which time she bore ten children, five sons and five daughters : Three of these sons were Ministers.in the association, viz. the Rev. Henry, John, and James; the first ordained Minister at Falkirk, the second at Lesslie, and the third at Stirling. All of them died in the prime of life, even after they had given the world" just ground to conceive high expectations of their usefulness in the church. — His second marriage was with Margaret Simson, a daugh ter of Mr. Simson writer to the Signet at 'vdinburgh, which took place February 24, 1732; she bore him four sons, and survived him some few years.

It appears, from what our Author has published, that he wr*s an able, close and clear reasoner; and could handle a subject in a mas terly manner. His style was of a medium, between the lofty and simple, being natural, unaffected, manly, and scriptural ; and free, from meanness and lowness, though indeed he studied much to adapt himself to the capacity of his auditory. There centered in him gravity without dulness, and smartness without frothiness, not chusing to come to his hearer3, with the inticing words of man's uisdom; but to preach the truths of the everlasting gospel in their genuine purity and naked simplicity. He was possessed of excel lent talents for the pulpit, having a pleasant voice, free of any disagreeable tone or false pathos : and every unprejudiced person will readily grant, who has a relish for substantial matter, and for that doctrine which is according to godliness, delivered in an unaf fected manner, that he was an agreeable, as well as a faithful, judicious, evangelical preacher.

His ministry was very trying and searching, he had a peculiar way of addressing himself te the conscience, could easily delineate the soul, and represent the sinner in his native colors. Being a close and hard student to his old age ; he took a great deal of pains in the composition of his sermons, and digested them well. When he preached occasionally in other places, abroad from his fixed charge, his ministrations were very acceptable, and often left a deep impression on the minds of the hearers. He was a wise, pru dent, learned, and accomplished minister ; well understood, con stantly inculcated, and strenuously defended the truth as it is in Jesus. In short, he had the testimony of those who had a true relish for the glorious gospel of the ever blessed Redeemer. His conversation was simple, savory, and refreshing, yet warm and edifying, Every one, who had opportunity to mark his actions could attest, that he lived up to the truths he preached.