Thomas Boston: Lessons from God's decrees

The following are my comments on a portion of a work by the Scottish Presbyterian, Thomas Boston (1677-1732).

== Important Lessons Drawn from the Decrees of God

by Thomas Boston

5. There is no reason for people to excuse their sins and failing, from the doctrine of the divine decrees. Wicked men, when they commit some wicked or atrocious crime, might attempt to excuse themselves, saying, "Who can help it? God would have it so; it was appointed for me before I was born, so that I could not avoid it." This is a horrid abuse of the divine decrees, as if they might constrain men to sin. This is impossible. The decree is an immanent act of God, and so can have no influence, physical or moral, upon the wills of men, but leaves them to the liberty and free choice of their own hearts; and what sinners do, they do most freely and of their own choice. ==

Thomas Boston is yet another representative of rebellious potsherd Calvinism. Here again we witness the pot woefully underestimating the power of the Potter with his comment that God's decrees do not "constrain men to sin." Boston further amplifies his mutiny by asserting that since a particular decree of God (e.g., the crucifixion of Christ) "is an immanent act of God" it can therefore "have no influence, physical or moral, upon the wills of men, but leaves them to the liberty and free choice of their own hearts; and what sinners do, they do most freely and of their own choice."  

Certainly "All His works are known to God from eternity" (Acts 15:18). But contrary to Boston's assertions this decree which is an immanent act of God, does not work impotently but works omnipotently in time to do MUCH MORE than "constrain men to sin." God decreed within Himself and then works this decree out in time by powerfully and actively causing certain men to sin that He may justly punish them. God's actively causing men to sin is a demonstration of wrath and of power (see Romans 9:22).

“But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day” (Deuteronomy 2:30; cf. Acts 15:18). 

Is the king of Heshbon being "constrained" to sin? God's decree to harden Sihon was from eternity (Acts 15:18). Now did this decree have any kind of "influence" upon the will of Sihon? Thomas Boston says it's impossible that this could be so. But what saith the Scripture? When God hardened the spirit of Sihon was this akin or tantamount to giving him freedom or liberty from God's sovereign control? Clearly God made Sihon sin by hardening his spirit. Why would God do that? Clearly it was because God desired to destroy him. Sihon was not "constrained" or "coerced" or "forced" to make this obstinate choice. God actively caused Sihon to willingly choose this obstinate path. Sihon could NOT resist God's will to harden and destroy him (cf. Romans 9:18-23).