Philosophy:Human Nature in Its Fourfold State
Human Nature in its Fourfold State is a 1720 book by Scottish Presbyterian theologian and philosopher Thomas Boston. It was extremely popular and influential in 18th century Scotland.[1]
Thory on human nature
Boston organizes human nature into four aspects: Primitive Integrity, Entire Depravity, Begun Recovery, and Consummate Happiness or Misery. They correspond to Augustine of Hippo's four own figured states: able to sin (posse peccare), not able not to sin (non posse non peccare), able not to sin (posse non peccare), unable to sin (non posse peccare).[2][3]
Impact
Sinclair Ferguson notes that "the book became virtually synonymous with the evangelical tradition in Scotland and could be found in many homes along with a family Bible, the Shorter Catechism, and a copy of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress."[4] Philip Ryken notes that it was "the most frequently published Scottish book of the eighteenth century, going through nearly 60 editions by 1800 and over one hundred editions in all."[5]
References
- ↑ Yeager, Jonathan (2011). Enlightened Evangelicalism: The Life and Thought of John Erskine. Oxford University Press. p. 72. https://books.google.com/books?id=mAJpAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA72. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ https://www.monergism.com/human-nature-its-fourfold-state-ebook M
- ↑ https://hopecollege.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2014/11/Human-Nature-in-its-Fourfold-State.pdf HC
- ↑ Ferguson, Sinclair (2016). The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. Crossway. p. 29.
- ↑ Ryken, Philip. "Thomas Boston (1676-1732) as Preacher of the Fourfold State". p. iv. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/catalog/uuid:21b2a81f-a044-46df-8216-87c977b1c9bb/download_file?file_format=application%2Fpdf&safe_filename=602327138.pdf.
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