most prized by those Christians who have farthest grown in grace” (cited in Johnston, “Treasury of the Scottish Covenant,” p. 477).
McGowan, in the “Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith” (p. 38), also notes,
“Boston was an orthodox federal Calvinist committed to the theology of the Westminster Confession. His federal theology was neither legalistic nor conditional in its understanding of grace.”
On Boston’s notes in the “Marrow of Modern Divinity,” James Henry (author of “Theron and Aspasio”) comments,
“I never read the Marrow, with Mr. Boston’s Notes, until this present time (1755) and I find, by not having read it, I have sustained considerable loss. It is a most valuable book; the doctrines it contains are the life of my soul, and the joy of my heart. Might my tongue or my pen be made instrumental to recommend and illustrate, to support and propagate such precious truths, I should bless the day wherein I was born. Mr. Boston’s Notes on the Marrow are, in my opinion, some of the most judicious and valuable that ever were penned” (cited in Brown’s “Gospel Truth Accurately Stated and Illustrated, by… James Hog, Thomas Boston, Ebenezer and Ralph Erskine, and Others; Occasioned by the Republication of the Marrow of Modern Divinity,” p. 7).
Furthermore, in Brown’s “Gospel Truth” (pages 107-110) we find a very useful sketch of the character and capabilities of Thomas Boston, as drawn by some of his closest friends (the three ministers, Colden, Wilson and Davidson). These pages are an edifying read in themselves; and we will supply you with a few short comments from this section,
“Mr. Boston was… of a strong and faithful genius, of a lively imagination, such as affords what is