gered the next; and foon alarmed with whatever encroachments were made on the last. This natively led him, at different periods of his life-time, to be engaged in feveral controverfies, both theological and political: In all which, he conducted the matter with that folidity of judgment peculiar to himself, and with a ftrength of argument becoming his great mind, and acquit himfelf in fuch a masterly manner, as not only to filence his opponents, but procure himself the character of a strong reafoner, an able difputant, and a valiant and heroic champion for the truth. We find our Author accordingly making several public appearances of this nature. In the year 1720. when the General Affembly injured many gofpel truths, by their fifth act condemning a book, intitled, The Marrow of Modern Divinity, he appeared undauntedly on the fide of those who made a feasonable and commendable ftand for these precious truths which were condemned and buried by the Affembly's act. And he not only turned the edge of feveral of his fermons, preached about that time, against this act, but compofed a particular difcourfe on that fubject, wherein he afferted and defended the peculiar doctrines condemned thereby, and clearly red up marches between the law and the gofpel*. Our Author did not fatisfy himself with this, but also joined himself with several other brethren, who gave in to the general affembly 1721, a Representation, fetting forth the pernicious nature of faid act, condefcending on the particular doctrines wounded by it; which, indeed, had no other effect upon the Affembly, but to induce them to corroborate their act 1720, by another in the year 1722. When Mr. Simfon, profeffor of divinity in the univerfity of Glasgow, came to be fifted, in a fecond procefs before the Affembly, anno 1727, for having vented and taught several propofitions repugnant to the fupreme deity of the eternal Son of God, our Author was mightily alarmed thereat, and fo took part with thofe • Several of thefe paffages may be feen by confulting Vol. I. p. 238. Vol. II. p. 304, 305, 395.-The difcourfe compofed on this fubject, may be feen Vol II. p. 245. intitled, Law death, Gufpel-life. who who made a laudable oppofition to that pernicious fcheme of doctrine; and alfo teftified against it in feve ral of his difcourfes, preached and published at that time *. About the year 1732, when the Church of Scotland became infected with many grofs errors and pernicious doctrines, together with her arbitrary conduct, which gave birth to that memorable event, the SECESSION †, our Author did not at first formally adhere to these minifters who were honoured to be the happy instruments of it; yet he joined with those who favoured their teftimony, was of the number of the protefters against any fentence that was paffed against them, and kept communion with them. He did not, for fome years after the Seceffion came to be ftated, relinquifh communion with the prefent judicatories: but after all means were used to reclaim them, to no purpofe, and all expectations failing of their fetting about reformation-work, he at laft declined them, and formally joined himfelf, (with fome others) to the four Brethren, who had, by this time, formed themselves into a Presbytery, under the name of THE ASSOCIATE PRESBYTERY. This body greatly increased; and were much countenanced by vaft multitudes of people, and honoured of the Lord to bring relief to many oppreffed congregations, and to publish the important and interefting doctrines of the everlasting gospel to many who heard little or nothing of them. By this means, our Author had an opportunity put See Vol. II. p. 466, 477.-Whoever has a mind to fee Mr. Simfon's pernicious and dangerous fcheme of doctrine, contained both in the first and fecond procefs, and its inconfiftency with the fcriptures and our standards, may confult the Act and Teftimony, p. (mihi) 53,-60. The grounds on which the Scceffion was ftated, were principally thefe, viz. the prevailing party's carrying on a courfe of defection from our reformed principles, and refufing to be reclaimed; the prevelancy of error in doctrine, partiality in difcipline, tyranny in government; restricting ministerial freedom and faithfulness, in teftifying against their backflidings; oppreffing the heritage of God; impofing finful terms of communion; and inflicting cenfures upon ministers for testifying against these courfes.-The reader may fee a more full account of the commencement of the Seceffion, by confulting fome notes on that fermon, intitled, The Law of God's Houfe, inferted in Vol. V. The minifters who first constituted the Seceffion were, the Rev. Mr. EBEN. ERSKINE, brother to our Author, with Mefirs. WILSON, MONCRIEF, and FISHER, into his hand, in adorable providence, to preach the gofpel to many oppreffed congregations, to diffufe his wholesome doctrine more extenfively, to bear his Master's meffage to greater numbers, and spread the fame of the bleffed Redeemer among mankind finners; and brought relief to many poisoned with unwholefome doctrine, who were entertained with little or nothing but harangues on the principles of morality. In the beginning of the year 1742, a very extraordinary commotion took place at Cambuflang, and fome other parts in the weft of Scotland, occafioned by Mr. Whitefield's perfonal miniftrations amongst them, and perufing his journals: This affair was looked upon by many, and attested by not a few, as a work of God, and a remarkable down-pouring of the Spirit.-The genuine nature of this work was, however, by many fufpected; and they affigned their reafons for doing fo, in feveral printed papers published at that time *. Among other reafons for questioning this work, this was one, "That "it had a direct tendency to lead off perfons from build❝ing their falvation on Chrift in the word, to build on fomething wrought in themselves; and to form an imaginary idea of Christ, as MAN, in the mind; affirm ing it belonged to, and a great article of faving faith." Concerning the above propofition, of affirming an imaginary idea of Chrift, AS MAN, was helpful to the faith of bis being GOD-MAN, and an effential article of faving faith, our Author wrote an elaborate treatise, intitled, FAITH NO FANCY; or, a Treatife of Mental Images: a book fingularly valuable, for the clear and perfpicuous manner in which he hath handled and established this important point; every way worthy of our Author, and reflected the greatest honour upon him; in regard it hath given the greatest display of his abilities, both as a divine and philofopher, and how capable he was to exhaust any point, when he fet himself to it, even in an abstract way of reafoning a book that effectually fi Whoever inclines to fee thefe, may confult Mr. Fisher's REVIEW of a Preface to a Narrative of the extraordinary Work at Kilfyth, &c.-See alfo Our Author's Appendix to Fraud and Falfhood difcovered; and his Sermon, intitled, The true Chrift no new Chrift, in Vol. VII. VOL. I. B lenced lenced all his opponents; and stands to this day unanfwered. The Affociate Body, with whom our Author had now connected himself, were become very numerous, both in ministers and people; and were fpreading their influence to a confiderable diftance: the greatest harmony and unanimity fubfifted amongst them, until about the year 1746. when an unhappy debate at last came in among them, concerning the lawfulness of a religious claufe in fome burgess oaths; which, in the iffue, terminated in a rent and feparation of that refpectable body, to the no fmall grief of the truly religiously difpofed. Our Author was of the number of thofe who maintained the LAWFULNESS of faid religious claufe; and accordingly wrote feveral tracts in defence thereof*. In the whole of this difpute, he managed the affair with such strength of argument, and force of reafoning, as at once both puzzled and galled his adverfaries: and finding themfelves unable to answer his arguments, at last pretended to draw forth the fword of Church difcipline against him. This he entirely defpifed, as being improperly inflicted; and ufed only as a ftratagem to ftrengthen their party. So much may ferve as a few fhort hints concerning the public tranfactions in which our Author was engaged. We cannot difmifs this account of our Author, without taking notice of another particular concerning him, which conftitutes a very material branch of his charac He was not only defervedly esteemed, as a judicious DIVINE; but also much refpected as a good POET: And he hath favoured the world with feveral excellent productions of that nature, which have all met with a very favourable reception. His poetical talent was em ployed chiefly on divine fubjects; he had no relish and tafte for any other. In his younger years, at his leisure * Such as, The lawfulness of the religious claufe of fome Burgess baths afferted:-Fancy no faith; or, a feafonable warning to Seccders, against the finful conftitution of fome brethren, &c:-Obfervations on the conduct of the feparating brethren, in two parts :Fancy fill no faith;-with feveral other pamphlets. hours, hours, he compofed a piece, which is now intitled, GOSPEL-SONNETS; or, Spiritual Songs, in fix parts. The usefulness of this poetical compend of the revealed principles of our holy religion, for promoting, the life of faith, comfort, and holiness, will be experienced, it is hoped, by many of the faints of God, to the latest pofterity. This piece was fo well relished, that it hath undergone a multitude of impreffions; and the demand for it is as great as ever. - About the year 1738, he emitted into the world his poetical paraphrafe upon the whole book of the SONG OF SOLOMON; which indeed is an evangelical comment, done in a strain adapted to the New-Teftament difpenfation, upon that allegorical or figurative part of holy writ. This performance has likewise been very acceptable, and undergone a variety of editions. By emitting the above effays, and fome fmaller poems into the world, our Author's abilities, as a poet, came to be established: And he accordingly had several recommendations of Synod given him, to employ fome of his vacant hours in turning all the fcripture fongs into common metre, of the fame kind with the pfalms of David. Having complied with his recommendation, he published, in the year 1750, as a specimen of the whole, an intire verfion of the book of the LAMENTATIONS, with the fcripture text on the margin, that the reader might fee how clofs he kept to the original. To this piece he fubjoined a two-fold verfion of David's last words; with a paraphrase on the first gospel promise and great gospel mystery.-Some time after this he published a fhort verfion of the SONG OF SOLOMON, adapted to the pfalm tunes, along with a new edition of his large paraphrase thereof. To this piece he fubjoined two fhort poems; the first on the ten plagues of Egypt; and the next on the ten commandments.-JOB'S HYMNS made their next appearance in the world, confifting of an hundred fhort poems, on as many felect paffages in that book. This piece was prepared for the prefs by the Author's own hand; but not publifhed till after his deceafe.The reft of the SCRIPTURE SONGS, in three parts, completed our Author's undertaking. They were tranf B 2 cribed |