Reader, It gives me satisfaction enough to understand, that this book has already been useful and edifying to some, however it is entertained by others. The gospel itself is to some the savour of life, to others the savour of death; to some wisdom, to others foolishness; 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 or at home, with his blessing to their souls, for their holy recreation and their spiritual edification and comfort and to his care I commend it, in the words of a famous and justly celebrated Scots poet, upon Psalm xxxv. 1.

Which

Rerum sancte Opifex, ades,
Et patrocinio protege me tuo.

may be adapted to the matter in hand thus,

The truth which hell may criticise,
Great God, be near to patroze.

R. ERSKINE.

POEM,

DEDICATED TO THE

REVEREND MR RALPH ERSKINE,

By a LADY in New England, on reading his GOSPEL SONNETS

ERSKINE, thou blessed herald, sound,

Till sin's black empire totter to the ground.
Well hast thou Sinai's awful flames display'd,
And rebels 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 pow'r to charm,
Thy lines are such my nobler passions warm ;
These glorious truths hath set my 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 in 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!

TABLE OF THE GOSPEL-SONNETS.

THE Publisher's Preface to the Poetical Works,

A Defence of rhyme and musical metre,

iii

vii

A general Preface, shewing the Author's intention of writing the

Sonnets, viz. to open up some of the great mysteries of the gospel,

and commend Christ to the soul; to point out some of the special

doctrines he intends to elucidate; to assign rules to be observed,

for reading them with profit and advantage,

A Recommendatory Poem on reading them, wrote by a Lady, xxiv

xii

Preface, containing a pathetic call to read the Espousals with attention,

and displaying the mysterious nature of the spiritual marriage,

CHA P. I.

1

A general account of man's fall in Adam, and the remedy provided

in Christ; and a particular account of man's being naturally wedd-

ed to the law as a covenant of works,

Sect. 1. The fall of Adam,

Sect. 2. Redemption through Christ,

Sect. 3. Man's legal disposition,

2

ib.

3

5

Sect. 4. Man's strict attachment to legal terms, or to the law as a

condition of life,

7

Sect. 5. Men's vain attempt to seek life by Christ's righteousness,

joined with their own; and legal hopes natural to all,

9

CHA P. II.

12

The manner of a sinner's divorce from the law, in a work of humilia-

tion, and of his marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ; or, the way

how a sinner comes to be a believer,

Sect. 1. Of a law-work, and the workings of legal pride under it, ib.

Sect. 2. Conviction of sin and wrath carried on more deeply and ef-

fectually in the heart,

15

Sect. 3. The deeply humbled soul relieved with some saving disco-

veries of Christ the Redeemer,

18

Sect. 4. The workings of the Spirit of faith, in separating the heart

from all self-righteousness, and drawing out its consent to, and de-

sire after Christ, alone and wholly,
20

Sect. 5. Faith's view of the freedom of grace, cordial renunciation of

all its own ragged righteousness, and formal acceptance of, and

closing with the person of glorious Christ,

CHA P.

III.

23

The fruits of the believer's marriage with Christ, particularly gospel-

holiness, and obedience to the law as a rule,

25

Sect. 1. The sweet solemnity of the marriage now over, and the sad

.

effects of the remains of a legal spirit,

C

ib.

Sect. 2. Faith's victories over sin and Satan, through new and further

discoveries of Christ, making believers more fruitful in holiness

than all other pretenders to works,

27

29

Sect. 3. True saving faith magnifying the law, both as a covenant

and a rule. False faith unfruitful and ruining,

Sect. 4. The believer only, being married to Christ, is justified and

sanctified; and the more gospel-freedom from the law as a cove..

nant, the more holy conformity to it as a rule,
31

Sect. 5. Gospel-grace giving no liberty to sin, but to holy service and

pure obedience,

CHA P. IV.

34

A caution to all against a legal spirit, especially to those that have

a profession without power, and learning without grace,

CHA P. V.

35

Arguments and encouragements to gospel-ministers, to avoid a legal

strain of doctrine, and endeavour the sinner's match with Christ

by gospel means,

Sect. 1. A legal spirit the root of damnable errors,

38

ib

39

4L

Sect. 2. A legal strain of doctrine discovered and discarded,

Sect. 3. The hurtfulness of not preaching Christ, and distinguishing

duly between law and gospel,

42

Sect. 4. Damnable pride and self-righteousness, so natural to all men,

have little need to be encouraged by legal preaching,

Sect. 5. The gospel of divine grace the only means of converting

sinners; and therefore should be preached most clearly, fully,

and freely,

CHAP. VI.

45

48

An exhortation to all that are out of Christ, in order to their closing

the match with him; containing also motives and directions,

Sect. 1. Conviction offered to sinners, especially such as are wedded

strictly to the law, or self-righteous; that they may see their need

of Christ's righteousness,

49

Sect. 2. Direction given with reference to the right use of the means,

that we rest not on these instead of Christ the glorious Husband,

in whom alone our help lies,.

51

Sect. 3. A call to believe in Jesus, with some hints, at the act and

object of faith,,
55

Sect. 4. An advice to sinners to apply to the sovereign mercy of

God, as it is discovered, through Christ, to the highest honour of

justice, and other divine attributes, in order to further their faith

in him unto salvation,

57

Sect. 5. The terrible doom of unbelievers that reject the gospel-

match, the offered Saviour and, salvation,

PART IL

THE BELIEVER'S JOINTURE.

CHAP. I.

61

Containing the privileges of the believer that is espoused to Christ

by faith of divine operation,

65

Sect. The believer's perfect beauty, free acceptance, and full se-

curity, through the imputation of Christ's perfect righteousness,

though imparted grace be imperfect,

ib.

Sect. 2. Christ the believer's Friend, Prophet, Priest, King, De-

fence, Guide, Guard, Help, and Healer,

67

69

Sect. 3. Christ the believer's wonderful Physician, and wealthy

Friend,

Sect. 4. The believer's Safety under the covert of Christ's atoning

blood and powerful intercession,

71

Sect. 5. The believer's faith and hope encouraged even in the darkest

nights of desertion and distress,

73

Sect. 6. Benefits accruing to believers from the offices, names, na-

tures, and sufferings of Christ,
75

Sect. 7. Christ's sufferings further improved, and believers called to

live by faith, both when they have and want sensible influences, 77

Sect. 8. Christ the believer's enriching treasure,

Sect. 9. Christ the believer's adorning garment,

Sect. 10. Christ the believer's sweet nourishment,

CHA P. II.

79

80

81,

Containing marks and characters of believers in Christ; together

with some farther privileges and grounds of comfort to the saints, 82

Sect. 1. Doubting believers called to examine themselves by marks

drawn from their love to him and his presence, their view of his

glory, and their being emptied of self-righteousness, &c. ib.

Sect. 2. Believers described from their faith acting by divine aid, and

flying quite out of themselves to Jesus Christ,
84

Sect. 3. Believers characterized by the objects and purity of their

desire, delight, joy, hatred, and love, discovering they have the

Spirit of Christ,

86

Sect. 4. Believers in Christ affect his counsel, word, ordinances, ap-

pearance, full enjoyment in heaven, and sweet presence here, $8

Sect. 5. The true believer's humility, dependence, zeal, growth, ad-

miration of free grace, and knowledge of Christ's voice,
90

Sect. 6. True believers are willing to be tried and examined. Also,

comforts arising to them from Christ's ready supply, real sympa-

thy, and relieving names suiting their needs,

Sect. 7. The believer's experience of Christ's comfortable presence,

or of former comforts, to be improved for his encouragement and

support under darkness and hidings,
94.

92

97

Sect. 8. Comfort to believers from the stability of the promise, not-

withstanding heavy chastisements for sin,

Sect. 9. Comfort to believers from Christ's relations, his dying love,

his glory in heaven, to which he will lead them, through death;

and supply them with all necessaries by the way,
99

Sect. 10. Comfort to believers from the text, Thy Maker is thy

Husband, inverted thus, Thy Husband is thy Maker; and the

conclusion of this subject,

PART III.

100

110

THE BELIEVER'S RIDDLE; OR, THE MYSTERY OF FAITH.
The Preface, shewing the use and design of the Riddle, and how all
fatal errors proceed from ignorance of such mysteries,

Sect. 1. The mystery of the saints' pedigree, and especially of their

relation to Christ's wonderful person,

ib.

Sect. 2. The mysteries of the saints' life, state, and frame,

Sect. 3. Mysteries about the saints' work and warfare, sins, sorrows,

111

and joys,

ib.