THE

SERMONS,

AND OTHER

PRACTICAL WORKS,

Of the Late REVEREND and LEARNED

MR RALPH ERSKINE,

Minifter of the Gospel in DUNFERMLINE.

CONSISTING OF

Above One Hundred and Fifty SERMONS,

befides his POETICAL PIECES.

4

IN TEN LARGE VOLUMES OCTAVO.

To which is prefixed,

An ACCOUNT of the AUTHOR'S LIFE and WRITINGS,
with an ELEGIAC POEM, and large CONTENTS.

Mark the perfect Man, and bebold the upright; for the End
of that Min is Peace. PSALM Xxxvii. 37.

VOL. II.

FALKIRK;

PRINTED BY PATRICK MAIR,

For the Rev JOHN STEWART, PETER MUIRHEAD, Merchant,
and HUGH MITCHELL, Bookseller, the Publishers.

M.DCC.XCV.

t

THE

CONTENTS.

SERMON XVIII.

PREVENTING Love;

or, God's Love to us,

the Cause of our Love to him,

I JOHN iv. 19. We love bim, because be first loved us.

Page I

After an introduction to an analization and explication of the words, and their sense given in a doctrinal observation, the following topics are difcoursed, viz.

1. God's love to his people evinced,

4

2. The saints love to God opened,

18

3. The influence his love hath upon ours, as the cause of it, illustrated, 30

PSALM CI. I. I will fing of mercy and judgment; unto thee, O Lord,

will I fing.

Here, after an introduction unto the subject, and an analization of the text, four general topics are handled, viz. 1. What mercies the people of God meet with, and what it is in these

that afford matter of a fong,

61

2. What judgments the people of God meet with, and what it is in them that may be matter of a fong of praise,

74

3. What this singing imports; and how we are to sing of mercy

and judgment,

4. The reasons why it is so ordered by the Lord, that his people should have ground to fing both of mercy and judgment,

100

5. The application of the whole, in a variety of inferences,

104

The Harmony of the Divine Attributes displayed, in the Redemption and Salvation of Sinners,

by Jesus Chrift,

1

121

PSALM XXXV. 10. Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

After the introduction and explanation of the words, four general heads of method are profecuted, viz.

1. Who are members of the meeting; or, what are these attributes of God which do harmoniously confpire together, propofing their various claims,

128

2. When and where these parties did meet together, 3. How, and after what manner, they meet together and kiss each

133

other,

142

4. Why, or for what reasons, they have met together, and embraced each other,

148

5. The application of the subject, in sundry inferences,

160

SERMON XXI, XXII.

Carnal Confultation unfolded; or, the great Evil of being actuated, by Carnal Principles, in the Matters

of God, evinced,

180

GAL. i. 16. Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.

The connection being traced, the scope of the apostle consulted, his principal intention viewed, the words themselves confidered, several propositions natively deduced from them, a comprehensive one laid down for profecution, the following general heads are illustrated,

viz.

1. What is to be understood by flesh and blood, and conferring there

with,

183

2. The truth of the doctrine confirmed by scriptural examples, 3. The reasons affigned why we ought not to confult with fiesh and

186

blood,

188

4. The application of the subject, in fundry uses,

190

SERMON XXIII, XXVII.

Law-Death, Gospel-Life; or, the Death of Legal Righteousness, the Life of Gofpel Holiness, 245

GAL. ii. 19. I through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live

unto God.

The scope of the apostle being observed, the words analized and explained, and a compendious proposition laid down, the following topics of difcourse are illustrated, viz.

1. The doctrine cleared and confirmed,

251

275

2. The believer's mortification, or death to the law, opened up, 256 3. The believer's vivification, or living to God, enquired into, 4. The neceffity of this death, in order to this life; or, the influence that our being dead to the law, hath upon our living to God, 289

5. The application of the subject, in four distinct uses,

304

358

The Best Bond; or, the surest Engagement,

JER. XXX. 21. For, who is this that engaged his heart to approach

unto me, faith the Lord.

The scope of the prophet being noticed, and the words viewed in their connexion, analized, and explained, the doctrine laid down and

confirmed, the following general heads are difcoursed, viz.

1. Who this wonderful Person is, that engaged his heart to approach

unto God,

364

2. The nature of the work he engaged himself in, confidered,

368

3. The fingularity of the fact pointed out,

380

4. The reasons of the doctrine assigned, wiz. why Christ came under

this engagement, &c.

388

5. Some inferences deduced for the application of the doctrine,

394