Boston, Thomas

BOSTON, THOMAS: Church of Scotland; b. at Dunse (13 m. w. of Berwick-upon-Tweed), Berwickshire, Mar. 17, 1677; d. at Ettrick (40 m. s. of Edinburgh), Selkirkshire, May 20, 1732. He studied at the University of Edinburgh; became minister at Simprin, Berwickshire, 1699; at Ettrick, 1707. By circulating the Marrow of Modern Divinity among his friends he started the Marrow Controversy. He wrote much and has exercised great influence in the Presbyterian Churches both of Scotland and England. The works by which he is now best known are Human Nature in its Fourfold State of Primitive Integrity, Entire Depravation, Begun Recovery, and Consummate Happiness or Misery (Edinburgh, 1720), commonly called "Boston's Fourfold State"; The Sovereignty and Wisdom of God Displayed in the Afflictions of Men (1737; reprinted as The Crook in the Lot, with memoir, Glasgow, 1863). He left an autobiography published as Memoirs (Edinburgh, 1776; ed. G. H. Morrison, 1899), and printed from Boston's manuscript, with introduction, notes, and bibliography by G. L. Low, under the title General Account of my Life (Edinburgh, 1907). His Whole Works edited by S. McMillan were published in twelve volumes at Aberdeen in 1848–52.

Bibliography: Besides the autobiography mentioned above, consult: A. à Wood, Athenæ Oxonienses, ed. P. Bliss, iii, 407–409, 4 vols., Oxford, London, 1813–20; Jean L. Watson, Life and Times of Thomas Boston, Edinburgh, 1883; A. Thomson, Thomas Boston, London, 1895; DNB, v, 424–426.