Nov
2
The Glorious Wisdom of God
Filed Under Puritans, Thomas Boston | Leave a Comment
I was reading Thomas Boston this morning on the wisdom of God. Reflecting on the different ways that God’s wisdom is expressed, Boston pauses to point out the particular divine wisdom of the plan of redemption. He explains this wisdom by the wonder of apparent contradictions. I was awed again at the tremendous wisdom and love of God in sending the Lord Jesus Christ as mediator. I certainly would not have written a plan of redemption like the glorious one recorded in the pages of the Bible. Boston describes it this way:
“Thus eternal life springs from death, glory from ignominy, and blessedness from a curse. We are healed by stripes, quickened by death, purchased by blood, crowned by a cross, advanced to the highest honor by the lowest humility, comforted by sorrows, glorified by disgrace, absolved by condemnation, and made rich by poverty. Thus the wisdom of God shines with a radiant brightness in the work of redemption.” -Thomas Boston, Works: Vol 1, 88.
Jan
12
Joy
Filed Under Christian Living, Holiness, Puritans, Thomas Boston, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
One of the more prevalent critiques of Christianity is that it is simply drab and boring. In preparing for my Sunday School lesson on Westminster Shorter Catechism question 36, I ran across this Thomas Boston quote, on the subject of Christian joy.
Most groundless is the prejudice against religion, that it is a melancholy thing (Proverbs 3:17, ‘Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.’) None have such reason to rejoice as the believer has. If the poor wretched and condemned creature has more ground to rejoice than he that is pardoned and enriched with his prince’s favor, then the wicked has as much ground to rejoice as the believer who is justified by grace. Oh! if the ungodly saw their state, they would never rejoice; and if the godly saw theirs, they would never despond.