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The Sword of Justice awakened against God's Fellow, Page 1 ZECH. xiii. 7. Awake, O Sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts.

After a brief introduction, clear analization, and succinct explication of the words, the following general topics of discourse are treated of, viz.

1. The character of the person against whom the sword doth awake, inquired into,

2. The nature and quality of this sword opened up,

3. The manner how this sword did awake, and the import of it,

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4. The special hand Jehovah had in calling this sword to wake against this glorious person evinced,

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5. The reasons of the doctrine adduced, why the Lord of Hosts ordered the sword of justice to awake against his Shepherd, 32 6. The application of the subject in sundry inferences, (1.) The nature of the sacrament opened, (2.) Who stand debarred from it,

(3.) Who are invited to it,

(4.) In what manner believers should come to it,

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64.

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The Rent Vail of the Temple; or, Access to the Holy of Holies by the death of Christ,

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MAT. xxvii. 15. And, behold the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

The words being analized and explained, and their proper signification being ascertained, the following general heads of method are illustrated viz.

1. What that vail is that interposed between God and us inquired into,

2. How the death of Christ hath rent that vail,

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SERMON III.

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The words being viewed in their connexion and scope, and wrapt up
in a doctrinal proposition, the following general topics are illus-
trated, viz.

1. That there is a marriage-relation betwixt Christ and believers,

proved,

ISA. xlii. 6. I will give thee for a covenant of the people.

The connexion of the words being traced, viewed in their scope, di-
vided, explained, and summed up in a compendious proposition,
the following general heads of method are prosecuted, viz.

1. Some remarks offered concerning the covenant in general, 147

2. How Christ is the covenant, and in what respects he bears that

name, pointed out,

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ISA. viii. 18. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given

me, are for signs and wonders in Israel; from the Lord of Hosts

which dwelleth in mount Zion.

After a copious introduction, in which the scope of the prophet, both
in the preceding and subsequent context, is taken notice of, the
proper sense of the words ascertained, an analization and explica-
tion essayed, and a doctrinal proposition laid down, the following
general topics are handled, viz.

The THIRD doctrine is, That self-conceit is incident to a Multitude of
professors. In the illustration of which proposition, the following
general heads of method are handled, viz.

5. Inferences deduced for the application of the whole,

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The connexion, scope, and explication of the words being discussed,
and a doctrinal observation laid down, the following heads of me-
thod are proposed,

5. The application of the subject in several uses,

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LIRE

OF

MR. RALPH ERSKINE;

WRITTEN

BY THE REVEREND MR BROWN OF WHITBURN,.

EXPRESSLY FOR THIS EDITION OF HIS WORKS.

MR 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 philosohical 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 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 at a sacrament at Ballingray, on John xviii. 37. “ Art thou a king then "

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