1 JOHN V. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness
in himself.
After a copious introduction, in which the connection is traced, the
words analized and explained, and a doctrinal proposition laid
down, the following general heads of method are prosecuted, viz.
1. What this faith is, enquired into,
How the Spirit witnesseth, in six respects,
How he witnesseth by blood, in four instances,
How he witnesseth by water,
He doth it in respect of mortification,
Sundry questions propounded and solved,
He doth it by vindication, in five respects,
(3.) Of exhortation, both to Sinners and Saints,
1. To unbelievers,
2. To believers, in four particulars,
2. To speak of the object of faith, viz. Christ as a shadow and shel-
ter,
24.7
3. To speak of the act of faith, as it is a sitting down under this sha-
253
Rom. viii. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors,
through him that loved us..
The scope of the apostle, and connection of the words being consider-
ed, the division and explication essayed, and a doctrinal proposi-
tion expressed, the following topics are handled, viz.
1. Speak a little concerning the Christian conqueror in general, 288
2. Shew in what respects he is more than a conqueror,
3. Enquire into the grounds of the conquest,
4. Deduce inferences for the application,
LUKE xix. 5. Zaccheus, make haste, and come down.
After a copious introduction, containing a large acount of Zaccheus,
with a division and ample explication of the words, and a doctrinal
proposition raised, the following general heads are discoursed, viz.
1. To speak of some of these heights from which people must come
down, that would answer the gospel-call,
2. To shew in what respects they come down,
3. To offer some remarks on the day of effectual calling,
SONG ii. 8. The voice of my Beloved! Behold, he cometh! leaping
upon the mountains, and skipping upon the hills!
The words being viewed in their connection, and both a more general
division, and particular analization and explication essayed, and a
proposition expressed, the following topics of discourse are illus-
trated, viz.
1. Some remarks offered concerning Christ's coming to his peo-
ple,
2. These mountains and hills over which he comes, spoken of, 368
3. The manner of his coming opened up,
4. The strangeness, and yet the certainty of his coming, considered;
with the reasons why nothing shall impede it,
5. The application of the whole subject, in eight inferences,
The discourse before serving the first table,
The discourse at serving the tables,
The discourse at at the conclusion of the solemnity,
The connection of the words, with the preceding context being taken
notice of, the words themselves analized, and a doctrinal observa-
tion laid down, the following heads of method are prosecuted, viz.
1. A few things premised concerning the party invited,
2. The import of the titles here given to the party,
3. The import of the call and invitation,
4. What may be implied in the repetition of these words,
5. Inferences deduced for the application,
Use. (1.) Of information, in eight inferences,
(2.) Of exhortation, both to Saints and Sinners,
1. To Sinners, inforced by six considerations,
2. To Saints, urged by four considerations,
The discourse before serving the tables,
The discourse at serving the first table,
The words being divided and explained, two doctrinal observations
are raised from them. The First is, "That a truly gracious soul
"may sometimes be brought under desponding fears, lest they be
cast out of God's sight." From this proposition the following
plan of method is laid down for the illustration of it, viz.
1. To explain a little the term, "I am cast out of thy sight," 460
2. To offer some remarks concerning the fears the Lord's people
The Second proposition is, "That the surest way of relief, from the
"saddest case the people of God can be in, is faith in the mercy
"of God, through Christ; or, faith's looking a-new unto God's
"holy temple." In discoursing this doctrinal observation, the
following particulars are essayed.
1. Some remarks offered for clearing the doctrine,
2. The import of Jonah's resolution in the text, enquired into, 469
3. Some of the special discouragements mentioned, that faith has
to surmount, when it would look towards God's holy temple, 472
4 Some reasons assigned, why this is the best way of relief from
the greatest difficulties,
5. The subject applied in several uses,
Use 1. Of information, in four particulars,
2. Of trial and examination,
3. Of exhortation, to three sorts of persons,
I. A Ministerial Declaration, on the 6th of June 1742, when an in-
vasion was attempted on Mr Erskine's pulpit, by Mr Hardie, 482
II. A second Warning, offered to the Congregation, on the 22d of
August, 1742, when steps were taken by the Presbytery to mode-
rate a call for another minister in Mr Erskine's room, - 487
III. A third Warning, publicly read on Sabbath the 1st of May,
1742, when the Presbytery had appointed Mr Thomson to be
settled in his Church,
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