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which may be seen in his life, prefixed by his son to the 1st vol. of his works. The substance of it is as follows:

He had strong impressions of religion upon his mind from the time he was six years old, which led him to the performance of common duties; in which he was at times so zealous, and felt his affections so strongly excited, especially at the Lord's supper, (which he attended when he first went to college) as to think himself possessed of the grace of God in truth, and even to rejoice in the assurance of his title to heayen. But his good motions were often abated, and followed by relapses into sin; so that he sometimes suspected them to be counterfeit, and afterwards found that they were nothing more than the violent workings of nature; by which however (as he says) God the more advanced the power of his grace in him. Having one time made uncommon preparation for the sacrament at Whitsuntide, expecting to be thereby so confirmed that he should never fall away any more, his tutor seeing him coming to receive, sent to him to forbid him; being then very young, and very little of his age. This was such a disappointment to him, as to discourage him from attending the ministry of Dr. Sibbs and other Puritans; and from that time he left off prayer, and gave himself to such studies as might enable him to preach after the mode which was then highly applauded in the university, and adapted only to display the preacher's wit and learning. His convictions however were sometimes renewed, but they quickly wore off, till at length he was given over to the strength of his lusts, and was resolved to follow the world, and by any means in his power to acquire the applause and preferment of it.

But going one day (Oct. 16, 1620.) to Kath. Hall to be merry with his former companions at Christ's College, hearing a bell toll at St. Edmund's for a funeral, one of his companions said there was to be a serinon, and pressed him to hear it. He was extremely loth to go in, being then averse to preaching, and especially that of the serious kind. But seeing many scholars enter the church, he followed them, and finding that Dr. Bambridge was to preach, who was a witty man, he staid to hear him. The Dr. preached on Luke xix. 41, 42.; a sermon which Mr. Goodwin had heard before, but not in the same manner. The introduction engaged his attention. The observations the preacher made were "That every man has bis day; or a time in which grace is offered him ;-that if he neglects it, God is just in hiding it from his eyes;-and that it behoves every man to pray against blindness of mind, and

hardness

hardness of heart, &c." The sermon was closed with a warm exhortation to an immediate repentance and return to God. Though these things were far from being uncommon, Mr. Goodwin was so much affected that he told his companion, he hoped he should be the better for that sermon as long as he lived. Instead of going to spend the evening in mirth, as he had intended, he went back to his own college and retired. He found himself struck with a most powerful sense of sin; first of the grosser sins of his life, and then of the iniquities of his heart, and of the depravity of the human nature, as the source of all; so that he was constrained to rise from his bed in the night to prostrate himself before God in the humblest confessions of his guilt. He now saw the vanity of his former religion, and the deficiency there was in the root of all his devotion, the flowers of which had withered because they wanted moisture in the heart to nourish them.

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His mind was now greatly oppressed under a sense of the wrath of God, and in the view of a miserable eternity. But it pleased God, in a little time, gently to speak peace to his soul. He mentions several considerations which led him to conclude that the change now wrought in him was effectual and saving; particularly that it was attended with the happiest effects. He now found the disposition of his soul entirely changed, and his spirit clothed with a new nature, inclining him to what was good; and experienced an habitual principle of opposition to, and hatred of, indwelling sin in general, and the practice of all known iniquity. He had one peculiar evidence of a true conversion; which was, that he was led to search out his most beloved lusts, and was enabled to gain the victory over them. These he found to be entertaining corrupt ends in what he did, especially vain-glory, and the love of academic praise. "That (says he) which I most of all affected in my foolish fancy, was to have preached in that way in which Dr. (afterwards Bp.) Senhouse excelled all men; whose sermons are a farrago of all sorts of flowers of wit that are found in any of the fathers, poets, and historiHe accordingly set himself to make large collections of these. This way the good Dr. Preston had opposed as vain and unedifying; "but (says he) his sermons moved me not to alter my studies, nor would all the world have persuaded me to have done it." But the grace of God did in this respect effect in him an happy change; so that he proposed the glory of God as the end of all his actions. He then soon discovered the unprofitableness of his former design, and

ans."

came.

came to this resolution; that he would preach wholly and altogether sound wholesome words, without affectation of wit, and vanity of eloquence." And in the end, says he, this project of wit and vain-glory was wholly sunk in my heart, and I left all, and have continued in that purpose and practise these threescore years; and I never was so much as tempted to put into a sermon my own withered flowers that I had gathered, and valued more than diamonds, but have preached what I thought was truly edifying, either for conversion of souls, or bringing them up to eternal life.”

In 1628 he was chosen to the lectureship at Trinitychurch, Cambridge, though not without opposition from Bp. Buckridge [It also appears that in 1632, he was presented by his Majesty to this vicarage. Ex Regist. Archidiac. Elien.] In 1634, being in his conscience dissatisfied with the terms of conformity, he left the university and his preferments. As herein he acted with sincerity, and contrary to his worldly interest, he often expressed great joy and thankfulness in the accomplishment of that promise, Luke xviii. 29, 30. There is no man that hath left house, &c. for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting; and he had special encouragement in the acceptableness and success of his ministry, which was the means of conversion and comfort to many souls.

The persecution growing hot in England, he went into Holland, in 1639, to enjoy liberty of conscience, and settled as pastor of the English church at Arnheim. He returned at the beginning of the long parliament, and became pastor of a church in London. Being chosen one of the Assembly of divines, he procured the esteem of that venerable body by his modesty and meekness, though he was one of the Dissenting brethren. He took notes of their transactions, which he left in 14 or 15 volumes. He married first Mrs. Eliz. daughter of alderman Prescot, 1638; and afterwards Mrs. Mary Hammond, in 1649, who was then but in her 17th year; and he was happy in both. In the same year, being in favour with Oliver Cromwell, he was made one of the Triers of ministers, and likewise president of Magd. Col. where he made it his business to promote piety and learning. He here formed a church upon the Independent plan, of which, among others, Mr. T. Owen, Mr. F. Howel, Mr. Th. Gale, and Mr. Stephen Charnock were members.

[Mr. Howe was at this time a student in this college. As

he

he had an established reputation there, but did not offer to join with them, Dr. Goodwin took occasion to speak to him privately about it, expressing his concern and surprize at his neglect. Mr. Howe told him very frankly "The only reason was, He understood that they laid a great stress upon some peculiarities for which he had no fondness, though he could give others their liberty, without any unkind thoughts of them; but that if they would admit him into their society upon catholic terms, he would readily become one of them." The Dr. embraced him, and told him, he would do it with all his heart, and that he knew it would be much to the satisfaction and edification of the rest. He was accordingly admitted. A proof that Dr. Goodwin was not so narrow-minded as some have represented him.]*

Soon after the Restoration, he was dismissed from his presidentship, when he removed to London, whither many of his church followed him; and he continued in the faithful discharge of his ministry there till his death, which was in Feb. 1679, when he was in a few days carried off by a fever, in the 80th year of his age, in the fullest assurance of faith, and with such expressions of joy, thankfulness, and admiration of God's free grace, as extremely affected all that heard him."

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Dr. Goodwin was a very considerable scholar, and an eminent divine. In the common register of the university, he is said to be in scriptis in re theologica quamplurimis orbi notus. It is evident from his writings, that he studied not words, but things. His stile is plain and familiar; but very diffuse, homely, and tedious. In sentiment he was a Calvinist of the supra-lapsarian cast; but he put not doctrinal sentiments into the place of practical holiness, but inculcated them upon his own and his people's minds, as the most powerful incitements to purity of heart and life. He had a remarkable talent at exposition; in which he made good use of his critical learning. He delighted to search into abstruse and difficult texts, and was very successful in his attempts. The least particles of speech came under his notice, and in numer ous instances he has made it appear, how much depends upon little words in the scripture, which are too generally overlooked. In the Fire of London he lost above half his library to the value of 500l. upon which he said, God had struck him in a very sensible part, and acknowledged it as a rebuke of providence, as he had loved his library too much; but was + Memoirs of Mr. Hore, by Dr. Calamy, p. 10, 11.

thankful

thankful that the loss fell upon the books of human learning only, those on divinity being preserved, though they were ap parently exposed to the greatest danger. His character at large may be seen in the preface to the 5th vol. of his works by Mr. Th. Owen. He was buried at Bunhill-fields, where, upon a low altar tombstone, there is a long Latin inscription. (See this in Cal. Contin. p. 90.) His son Mr. T. Goodwin, a person of good learning and an excellent temper, was pastor of a Dissenting congregation at Pinner in Middlesex, where he kept a private academy many years.

WORKS. Several occasional Sermons.-[One upon the death of the Rev. and learned Mr. Stephen Lobb.]-The Child of Light walking in Darkness.-Return of Prayers. Trial of a Christian's Growth.-Vanity of the Thoughts.-Aggravation of Sin.-Christ set forth.-The Heart of Christ in Heaven towards Sinners on Earth.-Patience and its perfect Work; [written upon his Loss by the Fire of London.]—After his Death; A Treatise on the Punishment of Sin in Hell, published by Mr. Th. Owen and Mr. Barron; which was followed by 5 vols. in folio.

JOSHUA CROSS, LL. D. Fellow, and Reader of Natural Philosophy in the University. He was turned out by the commissioners of Charles II. and afterwards lived privately at Oxford, where he died May 9, 1676. He was a gentleman. much respected for the propriety of his deportment.

HENRY WILKINSON, sen. D. D. He was a noted preacher in Oxford in the year 1638. In 1643, he was rector of St. Dunstan's in the East. Going afterwards to Oxford with the parliamentary visitors, he was made Canon of Christ Church, Sen. Fellow of Magd. Col. and Margaret's Professor of the University. He was ejected by king Charles's commissioners, and then returned to London, in Alhallows, Lombard-street. He spent the latter part of his life at Clapham, where he kept an open meeting after the Indulgence in 1671; and died there in June 1675. Wood owns him to have been a good scholar, a close student, and an excellent preacher." He was a member of the Westminster Assembly.

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WORKS. Several Sermons before the Long Parliament, and upon other public Occasions.-And three Sermons in the Morning Exercise.

HENRY WILKINSON, junior, D. D. A celebrated tutor in Magd. Hall, of which he was afterwards Principal, till he was cast out by the Bartholomew-act in 1662. Upon which,

VOL. I. NO. 6.

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