Erskine, Ralph. Gospel Sonnets; or, Spiritual Songs. In Six Parts. I. The Believer's Espousals, II. The Believer's Jointure, III. The Believer's Riddle, IV. The Believer's Lodging, V. The Believer's Soliloquy, VI. The Believer's Principles; concerning Creation and Redemption, Law and Gospel, Satisfaction and Sanctification, Faith and Sense, Heaven and Earth. Lansingburgh, [NY]: Penniman & Bliss | O. Penniman and Co., Printers, 1806. [9846]
Full brown leather with black leather spine title label, binding is scuffed and worn yet sturdy with good joints. 17 x 10 cm (6 5/8 x 4 inches). Lacks front and rear free end papers; pencil scribbles on the front paste-down. Title page torn with loss of some words at right margin; pp. 8-10 of preliminaries once stuck together at bottom and now damaged with some loss of words. 322 pp., leaves complete, pages are dark at the edges. Good. Full leather.
Besides the poems, the book includes a brief biography of Erskine, and some sections have extensive footnotes with full scripture passages alluded to, and some theological explanations.
Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), Scottish Presbyterian minister. He was pastor of the church at Dumfirmline. He took part in the “Marrow Controversy” as a companion to Thomas Boston. “His published sermons from the time of the controversy, particularly in the 1720’s, illustrate the doctrines of grace, guard against legalism and proclaim the “Marrow” doctrine in general. His sermons are full of the love of God and offers of Christ in the gospel.” Erskine joined with the Associate Presbytery in the secession. Quotations from Dr. David C. Lachman in Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology.
A recent, edited modern version has been published by Solid Ground Christian Books. Here is your opportunity to purchase an unedited edition as Erskine intended for his readers to enjoy.
"This present Edition, it is hoped, will be found not less worthy of public encouragement, than those that have gone before it, as considerable attention has been paid to the correcting, by comparing it with former editions; and everything is found here that has appeared in the most approved copies of the Gospel Sonnets. Mr. Erskine's Poems, as Dr. Bradbury says, are greatly to be esteemed; and above all, for that which animates the whole, the favour of divine and experimental knowledge." - Advertisement (p. iii).