Faith applies the promises of the new covenant, and fetches grace from
thence, for obeying the precept of the law. So that faith, as it were,
travels between the precept and the promise: it carries the man from the
precept unto the promise, and from the promise to the precept. As for
instance, when the law says, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind;" faith runs to the promise, where God hath said, "I will circumcise
their hearts to love me." When the law says," Thou shalt fear the Lord thy
God, and make him thy dread;" faith, in that case, runs to the promise for
the grace of fear, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not
depart from me." Does the law say, "Thou shalt know the Lord, and
acknowledge him for thy God?" Well, faith looks to the promise, "I will give
them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord." Does the law oblige us to
keep all his commandments? Faith runs to the promise, and applies it, "I
will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes."
Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754) and his brother Ralph were famous Presbyterian ministers in
Scotland,
and close friends of Thomas Boston. Their father was Henry Erskine, under
whose preaching the youthful Thomas Boston came to Christ.
