LIFE OF RALPH ERSKINE, WRITTTEN BY THE REVEREND MR. BROWN OF WHITBURN. RALPH ERSKINE, was the son of the Rev. Henry Erskine, Cornhill, Northumberland. This excellent servant of Jesus was, along with other faithful brethren in England, ejected in 1662. He preached some years in a Meeting-house in the parish of Whitsome, Scotland, where he was the instrument of the conversion of Mr Boston of Etterick, when a boy of eleven years of age. At the Revolution he was settled in the parish of Chirnside, and died there. Mr. Ralph was born at Monilaws, Northumberland, March 18th, 1685. He gave early proofs of a thoughtful and pious disposition. Having experienced the grace of God himself, he thought it his duty, with the allowance of his parents, to give himself to the work of the ministry, that he might be a happy instrument to bring others to the obedience of faith. He went through the ordinary course of philosophical and theological studies in the University of Edinburgh. Lodging at this time in the Parliament Square, when it was almost wholly burnt down, he met with a singularly providential deliverance, as he narrowly escaped being burned to death, running through the flames with some books. He was for a considerable time tutor and chaplain in the family of Colonel Erskine, near Culross, where he enjoyed the evangelical ministry, and edifying pleasant conversation, of the Rev. Mr Cuthbert, minister of that parish. While here, he occasionally paid visits to his brother at Portmoak, and staid some time with him. Upon one of these occasions, he enjoyed the following pleasant experience, which he relates in a letter to the M71847. Rev. Mr. Shaw, Leith. -" It is now, I reckon, more than twenty-five years since I staid some time in Portmoak; and being under deep concern about eternal salvation, I had occasion of hearing you preach ata sacrament at Ballingray, on John xviii. 37, 'Art thou a king then?' &c., by means of which, some of the beams of King Jesus shone on my heart, to the darkening of all mundane glory, and to the drawing out of my soul in insatiable breathings after him. And although I would fain hope, he has since from time to time allowed further and clearer views of himself, and his glorious mystery of salvation from sin and wrath by free grace, running in the channel of the Mediator's blood, and of grace reigning through his righteousness unto eternal life, Rom. v. 21, yet that being among the very first views that he remarkably vouchsafed, it is what I can never altogether forget. Some of the saving fruits and effects of that forementioned sermon of yours upon the Monday, I think the mountains at the back of my brother's house will bear witness to, but oh! many hills and mountains of another kind have I seen in my way since that, and yet grace coming skipping over them. Of late the Lord has brought me into deep waters of affliction, and yet I think he hath made me see some of his wonders in the deep." About this time he proposed to attend a sacramental occasion at Libberton, by Edinburgh; being in a hurry to get over the Firth of Forth, he neglected his morning secret devotion. In his way between Leith and Edinburgh he met with an object of charity, to whom, without any solicitation, he gave alms. The poor man seemed much affected with Mr. Erskine's benevolence, and sincerely thanked him for his kindness, intimating he was the more obliged to him as it was unasked; these words immediately occured to Mr. Erskine, "I am found of them that sought me not," Isa. lxv. 1., and while he was musing upon them he thought, what a mercy will it be if the Lord meet with me at Libberton, notwithstanding my neglect of secret duty this morning, this reflection stirred up his soul to wrestle in prayer for the divine presence, which he obtained in a remarkable degree on that occasion. In his sermons he at times modestly details his Christian experience; "I think, if my heart deceive me not, the great thing I was helped to seek some time before this solemnity, was not only assistance to ministers, and to myself, so as to be carried through the work, for I thought that would soon come to little account; but I would fain have had a day of power among you the people."" -" I have been led without any design in me, but only as the text was pleasant to my own soul, to speak of the very sum and centre of ecclesiastical government, (1) Christ the People's Covenant. the Lamb in the midst of the throne. -I hope I can say, ever since the time I began to think upon this text, John xvi. 13, that now and then the Lord hath breathed upon my soul. It is in the fear of God, to whom I am accountable, I desire to preach the truths of the gospel." -"And now, what shall I say to God, when I go back to my closet, where I was pleading the last week, that he would show his glory, and draw some of you to himself? Now, if the whole building of your faith were upon the unchangeable Rock, you would see no more cause of doubting, when the changeable feeling is gone, than when it is present; and therefore I fear it be your fault, as well as mine, that many times we lay too much weight upon that thawing ice, and make sense and feeling the ground of our faith." We have also his experience in his Gospel Sonnets: And again, "And though in words I seem to shew "I long to share the happiness Of that triumphant throng, That swim in seas of boundless bliss, "Sweet was the hour I freedom felt, The following anecdotes discover his serious devotional feelings. A man was executed for robbery in Dunfermline; while in prison he was often visited by Mr. Erskine, who seriously conversed and prayed with him. Along with the Magistrates he attended him on the scaffold, and addressed both the multitude and the criminal. It is said, when he had finished, he laid his hand on his own breast, using these words; "But for restraining or saving grace, I had been brought by this corrupt heart to the same condition as this poor unhappy man." The late Rev. Mr. Shirra of Kirkaldy, was delivering trials for ordination, Mr. Erskine, who was present as a member of Presbytery, being asked his opinion of the discourse, answered in a tone and with a look of pleasure, "what is that Moderator, I forgot that it was upon trials, I was hearing for the edification of my soul;" this indeed manifested in a high degree a spiritual frame and temper of mind. (1) The Lamb in the midst of the Throne. Residing in the bounds of the Presbytery of Dunfermline, he was licensed by them to preach the gospel, June 8, 1709. In the station of a probationer he continued not long, having received an unanimous call from the parish of Dunfermline, to be colleague with the Rev. Mr Buchanan. His friend the Rev. Mr Cuthbert presiding, he was ordained there, August 1711. Though Mr Erskine's natural and acquired abilities were very considerable, he endeavoured to make all his learning subservient to his theological studies. He was sensible his ministry was a work of great labour, and therefore exercised himself in a course of unwearied study. He carefully searched the scriptures, and had ever at hand the best commentators on the Bible. This desire of improvement continued to the last, and he was never seemingly more happy, than when without interruption he enjoyed himself in his study. In the character of a minister, he determined not to know anything, save Christ and him crucified. He was truly evangelical, strongly opposing the legal doctrine, which threatened in his time to come in like a flood. We have instances of this in the following words: "It is possible, some serious persons make a covenant with God, and think they do it with all their heart, and in the strength of promised grace, but then their dependence is more upon their covenant they made with God, than upon the covenant made with Christ, -more upon their promises made to God, than upon God's promise to them through Christ; and so, upon every failure, they plunge themselves into a mire of discouragement, disorder, and confusion. Legal ways of covenanting have been the ruin of many souls; as the old covenant is a broken covenant, so all legal covenants, influenced by the old legal spirit, will be broken covenants; they are a bed too short for any to stretch himself upon, and a covering too narrow to wrap himself in." From 1 Cor. xv. 56, he infers, "The dangerous and damnable influence of legal doctrine, that tends to keep sinners under the law; for thus they are under the power of sin. The text says "The strength of sin is the law." The legal strain, under covert of zeal for the law, hath a native tendency to mar true holiness, and all acceptable obedience to the law, insomuch that the greatest legalist is the greatest Antinomian, or enemy to the law."- " If I have obtained any favour and grace from the Lord, to be faithful to the souls of people in my ministerial station, I must testify and declare to you all that hear me, in the awful name and authority of the great and eternal God, who will call you and me to answer for what we do, before his dreadful tribunal, that whoever think to stand in judgment, upon the rotten foundation of any legal righteousness, good works, duties, or performances of their own, they |