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GOODWIN, THOMAS (1600-168o)

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Originally appearing in Volume V12, Page 240 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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GOODWIN, See also:THOMAS (1600-168o) , See also:English See also:Nonconformist divine, was See also:born at Rollesby, See also:Norfolk, on the 5th of See also:October 1600, and was educated at See also:Christ's See also:College, See also:Cambridge, where in 1616 he graduated B.A. In 1619 he removed to Catharine See also:Hall, where in 162o he was elected See also:fellow. In 1625 he was licensed a preacher of the university; and three years afterwards he became lecturer of Trinity See also:Church, to the vicarage of which he was presented by the See also:king in 1632. Worried by his See also:bishop, who was a zealous adherent of See also:Laud, he resigned all his preferments and See also:left the university in 1634. He lived for some See also:time in See also:London, where in 1638 he married the daughter of an See also:alderman; but in the following See also:year he withdrew to See also:Holland, and for some time was pastor of a small See also:congregation of English merchants and refugees at Arnheim. Returning to London soon after Laud'simpeachment by the See also:Long See also:Parliament, he ministered for some years to the See also:Independent congregation See also:meeting at Paved See also:Alley Church, See also:Lime See also:Street, in the See also:parish of St See also:Dunstan's-in-the-See also:East, and rapidly See also:rose to considerable See also:eminence as a preacher; in 1643 he was chosen a member of the See also:Westminster See also:Assembly, and at once identified himself with the Congregational party, generally referred to in contemporary documents as " the dissenting brethren." He frequently preached by See also:appointment before the See also:Commons, and in See also:January 165o his talents and learning were rewarded by the See also:House with the presidentship of Magdalen College, See also:Oxford, a See also:post which he held until the Restoration. He rose into high favour with the See also:protector, and was one of his intimate advisers, attending him on his See also:death-See also:bed. He was also a See also:commissioner for the See also:inventory of the Westminster Assembly, 165o, and for the approbation of preachers, 1653, and together with See also:John See also:Owen (q.v.) See also:drew up an amended Westminster See also:Confession in 1658. From 166o until his death on the 23rd of See also:February 168o he lived in London, and devoted himself exclusively to theological study and to the See also:pastoral See also:charge of the Fetter See also:Lane Independent Church. The See also:works published by Goodwin during his lifetime consist. chiefly of sermons printed by See also:order of the House of Commons; but he was also associated with See also:Philip See also:Nye and others in the preparation of the Apologeticall Narration (1643). His collected writings, which include expositions of the See also:Epistle to the See also:Ephesians and of the See also:Apocalypse, were published in five See also:folio volumes between 1681 and 1704, and were reprinted in twelve 8vo volumes (Edin., 1861-1866). Characterized by abundant yet one-sided See also:reading, remarkable at once for the See also:depth and for the narrowness of theirobservation and spiritual experience, often admirably thorough in their workmanship, yet in See also:style intolerably prolix—they fairly exemplify both the merits and the defects of the See also:special school of religious thought to which they belong.

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Calamy's estimate of Goodwin's qualities may be quoted as both friendly and just. " He was a considerable See also:scholar and an eminent divine, and had a very happy See also:faculty in descanting upon Scripture so as to bring forth surprising remarks, which yet generally tended to See also:illustration." A memoir, derived from his own papers, by his son (Thomas Goodwin, "the younger," 165o?-1716?, Independent See also:minister at London and Pinner, and author of the See also:History of the Reign of See also:Henry.V.) is prefixed to the fifth See also:volume of his collected works; as a "See also:patriarch and See also:Atlas of Independency" he is also noticed by See also:Anthony See also:Wood in the Athenae Oxonienses. An amusing See also:sketch, from See also:Addison's point of view, of the austere and somewhat fanatical See also:president of Magdalen is preserved in No. 494 of the Spectator.

End of Article: GOODWIN, THOMAS (1600-168o)

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