Thomas Goodwin

Thomas Goodwin

4 Sermons|1 Images
Thomas Goodwin (October 5, 1600–February 23, 1680) was an English Puritan preacher, theologian, and author, a towering figure among the Independents during the Commonwealth and Restoration periods, renowned for his deep expositions of Scripture and Christ-centered theology. Born in Rollesby, Norfolk, to Richard Goodwin, a prosperous yeoman, and Elizabeth Lynes, he was a precocious child, entering Christ’s College, Cambridge, at 12 in 1613. Initially drawn to Arminianism under John Preston’s influence, he earned a B.A. in 1617 and an M.A. in 1620, becoming a fellow and tutor at St. Catharine’s Hall. A profound conversion in 1620, sparked by a funeral sermon and years of wrestling with sin, shifted him to Calvinism, leading him to resign his fellowship in 1632 over episcopal conformity pressures and take up preaching as an Independent. Goodwin’s preaching career flourished despite persecution. He pastored a separatist congregation in Arnhem, Netherlands, from 1634 to 1639, escaping English crackdowns, then returned to London in 1640 to lead an Independent church in St. Dunstan’s-in-the-East. A key member of the Westminster Assembly (1643–1649), he helped draft its confession, advocating congregational autonomy. During the Commonwealth, he served as chaplain to Oliver Cromwell and president of Magdalen College, Oxford (1650–1660), preaching to scholars and shaping Puritan thought. After the Restoration, he was ejected but continued leading a gathered church in London until his death. His 12-volume Works, including Christ Set Forth and The Heart of Christ in Heaven, reflect his “experimental” preaching—rich, practical divinity that earned him the title “the Atlas of Independency.”
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