Free Presbyterian Publications have just reprinted the six volumes of Ralph Erskine’s Works. Tentmaker Publications have made an excellent job of upgrading the quality substantially from the last printing, back in 1991. These volumes, containing 158 excellent sermons on many gospel subjects, are available from the Free Presbyterian Bookshop.
Whilst the present publishers would not necessarily agree with all that Ralph Erskine said about contemporary events and individuals, these Works are being republished for their spiritual value with the hope that today’s readers will discern in them something of the majesty of the gospel and of God’s free grace to sinners.
To find out more about Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), see the Introduction to the Works, available at this link.
Recommendations
John Brown of Haddington, in conversation with another minister recollected hearing Ralph Erskine preach, said:
Those sermons, I thought, were brought home by the Spirit of God to my heart; at these times I thought I met with the God of Bethel face to face.
Dr John Colquhoun of Leith, who was a great admirer of Ralph Erskine’s sermons, gave a friend the following account of a conversation with a London bookseller:
“Who do you think,” said the bookseller, “is the most popular religious writer at present?” “I cannot tell” answered the Doctor. “It is Ralph Erskine” was the reply; “we sell more of his writings than any other divine, Scotch or English.”
Alexander R MacEwen wrote of Ralph Erskine:
The highest place that can be given him among Scottish writers of his school is next to Thomas Boston. That, however, is a high place.
Robert Chamber’s Lives of Distinguished and Illustrious Scotsmen:
Of Mr. Ralph Erskine’s writings it is scarcely necessary to speak, any more than of his character. They have already stood a century of criticism, and are just as much valued by pious and discerning readers as they were on the day they were first published. Models of composition they are not, but they are rich with the ore of divine truth, and contain many passages that are uncommonly vigorous and happy.