Thomas Boston (17 March 167620 May 1732) was a
Scottish Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
church leader, theologian and philosopher. Boston was successively schoolmaster at Glencairn, and minister of Simprin in Berwickshire, and Ettrick in Selkirkshire. In addition to his best-known work, ''The Fourfold State'', one of the religious classics of Scotland, he wrote an original little book, ''The Crook in the Lot'', and a learned treatise on the Hebrew points. He also took a leading part in the Courts of the Church in what was known as the "
Marrow Controversy
The Marrow Controversy was a Scottish ecclesiastical dispute occasioned by the republication in 1718 of ''The Marrow of Modern Divinity'' (originally published in two parts in London in 1645 and 1649 by "E. F.", generally believed to be a pseud ...
," regarding the merits of an English work, ''The Marrow of Modern Divinity'', which he defended against the attacks of the "Moderate" party in the Church. Boston, if unduly introspective, was a man of singular piety and amiability. His autobiography is an interesting record of Scottish life, full of sincerity and tenderness, and not devoid of humorous touches, intentional and otherwise.
Life
He was born at
Duns
Duns may refer to:
* Duns, Scottish Borders, a town in Berwickshire, Scotland
** Duns railway station
** Duns F.C., a football club
** Duns RFC, a rugby football club
** Battle of Duns, an engagement fought in 1372
* Duns Scotus ( 1265/66–1308 ...
. His father, John Boston, and his mother, Alison Trotter, were both
Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
s. He was educated at
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, and licensed in 1697 by the
presbytery of
Chirnside. In 1699 he became minister of the small parish of
Simprin, where there were only 90 examinable persons; previously, he was a schoolmaster in
Glencairn. In 1704 he found, while visiting a member of his flock, a book brought into Scotland by a commonwealth soldier, the ''
Marrow of Modern Divinity'', by
Edward Fisher, a compendium of the opinions of leading
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
divines on the doctrine of grace and the offer of the
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
, which set off the
Marrow Controversy
The Marrow Controversy was a Scottish ecclesiastical dispute occasioned by the republication in 1718 of ''The Marrow of Modern Divinity'' (originally published in two parts in London in 1645 and 1649 by "E. F.", generally believed to be a pseud ...
.
Its object was to demonstrate the unconditional freeness of the Gospel. It cleared away such conditions as repentance, or some degree of outward or inward reformation, and argued that where
Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
is heartily received, full repentance and a new life follow. On Boston's recommendation,
James Hog of Carnock reprinted ''The Marrow'' in 1718; and Boston also published an edition with notes of his own. The book, attacked from the standpoint of high
Calvinism
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Cal ...
, became the standard of a far-reaching movement in Scottish Presbyterianism.
The ''Marrow'' men were marked by the zeal of their service and the effect of their preaching. As they remained Calvinists they could not preach a
universal atonement
Unlimited atonement (sometimes called general atonement or universal atonement) is a doctrine in Protestant Christianity that is normally associated with Amyraldism (four-point Calvinism), as well as Arminianism and other non-Calvinist tradition ...
; rather they were
particular redemptionists.
In 1707 Boston was translated to
Ettrick, Scotland
Ettrick ( gd, Eadaraig, ) is a small village and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is located on the B709, around south-west of the town of Selkirk.
Local area
Ettrick Water is the river which flows through the Ettri ...
. He was the only member of the assembly who entered a protest against the lightness of the sentence passed on
John Simson
John Simson (1667–1740) was a Scottish "New Licht" theologian, involved in a long investigation of alleged heresy. He was suspended from teaching as Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow for his later life.
Life
He was born ...
,
Professor of Divinity at Glasgow, who was accused of heterodox teaching on the
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...
.
He was born in Duns on 17 March 1676, son of John Boston (who suffered imprisonment in the cause of nonconformity) and Alison Trotter. He was educated at the Grammar School of Duns and was later employed by Alexander Cockburn, notary. He graduated with an M.A. (Edinburgh, 9 July 1694),
his whole expenses at college being £10, 14s. 7fd. sterling. He then became schoolmaster of Glencairn in 1695 ; res. 8 February 1696 ; was thereafter tutor to young Andrew Fletcher of Aberlady, and chaplain to his stepfather, Colonel James Bruce of Kennet ; licen. by Presb. of Duns and Chirnside 15 June 1697 ; officiated in vacant parishes in the Presb. of Stirling in 1698; ord. to Simprin 21 September 1699; clerk of Synod in 1701 ; called by the Presb. jure devoluto 24 January 1706 ; adm. to Ettrick 1 May 1707, the day of the Union of Scotland and England ; died 20 May 1732.
He and eleven others gave in a Representation and Petition to the General Assembly of 1721 against an Act passed in the previous year condemning The Marrow of Modern Divinity. The Assembly of 1722 directed that the ministers who had signed the Representation should be rebuked by the Moderator. That was
done, and a protest prepared by Boston was not received, but was subsequently printed by the protesters. Boston's own writings, together with his devout life and exemplary pastoral labours, contributed greatly to the popularity of the doctrines contained in the Marrow. His communions were attended by crowds from all parts, and he was one of the most influential figures in the Church life of
his time. His theology was essentially Calvinistic. A literalism dominated his interpretation of the Scriptures, and he regarded even the Hebrew accents as divinely inspired.
Family life
He married on 17 July 1700, Katherine (died 4 March 1737), fifth daughter of Robert Brown of Barhill, Culross, a medical practitioner, and had children
*Katharine, born 24 May 1701, died in 1702
*John, chamberlain to the Duke of Buccleuch at Langholm, born 29 April 1702, died in 1757
is son became an admiral of the British Navy; for an interesting notice of him, vide Memoir of Caroline Herschel*Robert, born 21 March 1704, died 26 January 1705
*Jane, born 1 November 1705 (married 2 December 1736, James Russell of Ashiestiel), died in 1765
*Ebenezer, born 23 April 1707, died 8 September 1707
*Ebenezer, born 4 August 1708, died 10 October 1708
*Thomas, born 9 February 1710, died 30 April 1712
*Alison, born 8 June 1711 (married James Anderson, farmer, Altrive), died in 1765
*Thomas, his successor in the parish
*Katharine, born 15 July 1715, died 12 March 1716.
Works
Boston's autobiography is a record of Scottish life. His other books include ''Human Nature in Its Fourfold State'', one of the religious classics of Scotland; ''The Crook in the Lot'', a short book noted for its originality; and his ''Body of Divinity'' and ''Miscellanies''. These works had a major influence over the Scottish peasantry. Among his works is a learned treatise on Hebrew points. His ''Memoirs'' were published in 1776 (ed. George D. Low, 1908). An edition of his works in 12 volumes appeared in 1849.
List of works
DNB list:
*'Sermon' (Hos. ii. 19, preached 24 Aug. 1714), 1715, reprinted 1732.
*'Reasons for refusing the Oath of Abjuration,' 1719.
*'Human Nature in its Four-fold Estate,' &c. Edinburgh, 1720, 8vo (often reprinted; transl. into Welsh 1767; into Gaelic 1837, reprinted 1845; edition revised by Rev. Michael Boston, the author's grandson, Falkirk, 1784, 8vo; abridged, with, title 'Submission to the Righteousness of Christ,' Birmingham, 1809)
*'Queries to the Friendly Adviser, to which is prefixed a Letter to a Friend, concerning the affair of the Marrow,' &c., 1722, 8vo.
*'Notes to the Marrow of Modern Divinity,' 1726.
*'The Mystery of Christ in the form of a Servant,' &c. (sacrament sermon, Phil. ii. 7), Edinburgh, 1727, 8vo.
*'A View of the Covenant of Grace,' 1734, 8vo.
*'Thomæ Boston, ecclesiæ Atricensis apud Scotos pastoris, Tractatus Stigmologicus, Hebræo-Biblicus. Quo Accentuum Hebræorum doctrina traditur, variusque eorum, in explananda S. Scripture, usus exponitur. Cum præfatione viri reverendi & clarissimi Davidis Millii,' Amstelædami, 1738, 4to (a handsome volume, with many copper-plates; dedicated by Boston's son, Thomas, to Sir Richard Ellys, bart.; Mill's preface is dated from Utrecht, 6 February 1738; he does not endorse Boston's view, that the Hebrew accents are of divine origin. Boston's work shows very thorough and wide scholarship; he was acquainted with French and Dutch, in addition to the tongues necessary for his purpose. He had prepared for the press 'An Essay on the first twenty-three chapters of the Book of Genesis; in a two-fold version of the original text,' with notes, theological and philological; in this work he showed the utility of his theory of the Hebrew accents, and made use of the elaborate system of punctuation which he had framed to represent them in English).
*'Sermons and Discourses … never before printed,' Edin. 1753, 2 vols. 8vo.
*'Explication of the First Part of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism,' 1755, 8vo.
*'A Collection of Sermons,' Edin. 1772, 12mo.
*'A View of the Covenant of Works, from the Sacred Records, &c., and several Sermons,' Edin. 1772, 12mo.
*'The Distinguishing Characters of true Believers … to which is prefixed a soliloquy on the art of man-fishing,' Edin. 1773, 12mo.
*'An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion … upon the plan of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism,' &c. Edin. 1773, 3 vols. 8vo.
*'Ten Fast Sermons,' 1773, 8vo; 'Worm Jacob threshing the Mountains' (sacrament sermon, Is. xli. 14, 15), Falkirk, 1775, 8vo.
*'The Christian Life delineated,' Edin. 1775, 2 vols. 12mo.
*'Sermons,' 1775, 3 vols. 8vo,
*'A View of this and the other World' (eight sermons), Edin. 1775, 8vo.
*'Sermons on the Nature of Church Communion,' Berwick, 1785, 12mo.
*'A Memorial concerning personal and family Fasting and Humiliation,' Edin. 1849, 12mo. 3rd ed., pref, and app. by Alex. Moody Stuart, A.M.
*'The Crook in the Lot,' Glasgow, 1863, 12mo (with biographical sketch).
*'Whole Works,' edited by Rev. Samuel McMillin, with the 'Marrow of Modern Divinity illustrated,' 1854, 12 vols. 8vo (several of the above collections overlap; the famous sermon on the 'Crook in the Lot' has often been reprinted).
The Crook in The Lot* ''A view of the covenant of grace'' (reprinted by Focus Christian Ministries Trust, )
* ''Hell'' (reprinted by Diggory Press, )
* ''The Art of Man-Fishing'' (reprinted by
Christian Focus Publications
Christian Focus Publications (CFP) is a conservative, evangelical publishing house in the United Kingdom.
CFP was established in the early 1970s, and is located in Fearn, Ross-shire
Ross-shire (; gd, Siorrachd Rois) is a historic county ...
Ltd., )
* ''Memoirs''
* ''Body of Divinity''
* ''Miscellanies''
Biography
* ''Life of the Rev Thomas Boston, Edinburgh: Wm Oliphant,1827''
* ''Thomas Boston: His Life & Times, ''Andrew Thomson, 2004 reprint, Christian Focus Publications'
*Memoirs
*Acts of Ass., 1720, 1722
*Scots Mag., xviii.
*Brown's Gospel Truth
*Middleton's Biographia Evangelica, iv., 254
*Irving's Scot. Writers, ii.
*Jean L. Watson's The Pastor of Ettrick
*Dr Andrew Thomson's Thomas Boston
*Barnett's Makers of the Kirk
*Henderson's Religious Controversies of Scotland
*Morrison's Introduction
*Dict. Nat. Biog.
*A General Account of My Life, by Thomas Boston, A.M., Minister at Simprin, and at Ettrick (London, 1908), edited by George D. Low, M.A., has a lengthy bibliography of Boston's writings, and of works on the Marrow controversy
In literature
*Boston is referenced in one of
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
' poems ("Letter to James Tail of Glenconner", lines 19–22.):
::For now I'm grown sae cursed douce,
::I pray an' ponder butt the house;
::My shins, my lane, I there sit roastin'
::Perusing
Bunyan,
Brown
Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model used ...
, an' Boston.
*In
Alice Munro
Alice Ann Munro (; ; born 10 July 1931) is a Canadian short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. Munro's work has been described as revolutionizing the architecture of short stories, especially in its tendency to move f ...
's short story, "No Advantages (''The View from Castle Rock'', 2006), Boston is described briefly. Munro writes, "In his autobiography he speaks of his own recurring miseries, his dry spells, his sense of unworthiness and dullness even in the act of preaching the Gospel, or while praying in his study..." (pp. 14–15)
References
Sources
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External links
Works of Thomas BostonArchive.org
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Boston, Thomas
1676 births
1732 deaths
18th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland
People from Duns, Scottish Borders
Scottish Calvinist and Reformed theologians
18th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Scottish evangelicals