Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 22.djvu/152

 Goodwin Stratagems; or the Devil's Cabinet-Councel discovered,' with recommendatory epistles by himself and (1596–1680) [q. v.] Acontius, whose broad tolerance recommended him to the earlier puritans (see, preface to Puritanismus Anglicanus, 1610), was now stigmatised by such writers as [q. v.] as a 'sneaking Socinian.' Cheynell sought in vain in the Westminster Assembly to obtain a condemnation of Goodwin's book, but printed (1650) his thoughts about it by request. There was a fresh sale for the translation, which was reissued with a new title, 'Darkness Discovered; or the Devil's secret Stratagems laid open' (1651).

Goodwin defended the most extreme measures of the army leaders. In his ' Might and Right Well Met' (1648), which was answered by [q. v.], he applauded the purging of the parliament. He was one of the puritan divines who, in the interval between the sentence and execution of the king, proffered to him their spiritual services. Goodwin tells us in his 'Ύβριστοδίκαι. The Obstrvctovrs of Justice,' pp. 96-7 (30 May 1649), that he had an 'houres discourse or more with' Charles, but was not impressed by his visit. He firmly contended in the same tract for the sovereign rights of the people, quoted approvingly Milton's ' Tenure of Kings and Magistrates' (13 Feb. 1649), and maintained that the proceedings against Charles followed the spirit of the law if not the letter. The pamphlet was cast into the shade by the splendour of Milton's 'Eἰκονοκλάστης' (October 1649). 'Two Hyms or Spiritual Songs' (1651) from his pen, sung in his congregation on 24 Oct. 1651, the thanksgiving day for the victory at Worcester, further illustrate his republican zeal.

Meanwhile he pursued his theological controversies. His magnum opus in defence of general redemption, ' 'ATroAvrpoxrts cmov- rpaxretas, or Redemption Redeemed,' appeared in 1651 (reprinted 1 840) ; his ' Water-Dipping no Firm Footing' (1653) and ' Cata-Baptism ' (1655) were polemics against baptists. The circumstance that Cromwell's ' Triers ' were mostly independents did not reconcile him to the new ecclesiastical despotism ; he arraigned it in his 'Βασανισταί'. Or the Triers [or Tormenters] Tried' (1657).

Calamy remarks that Goodwin ' was a man by himself, was against every man, and had every man against him.' Goodwin speaks of himself as having ' to contend in a manner with the whole earth ' (dedication to Cata-Baptism). His ideas were often ahead of his day. In his ' Divine Authority of the Scriptures Assorted ' (1648), which won the commendation of Baxter, he maintains, anticipating Fox and Barclay, that the word of God ; was extant in the world, nay in the hearts and consciences of men, before there was any copy of the word extant in writing.' In his 'Pagans Debt and Dowry' (1651; 1671, a reply to Barlow), which led to a controversy with [q. v.], he argues that without the letter of the gospel heathens may be saved. His rational temper made him the opponent of seekers and quakers, and gave him some affinity with the Cambridge Platonists. He rejected the distinction allowed by Acontius, between tolerance of error in fundamentals and in other points. Error in fundamentals may be innocent. Toleration he bases on the difficulty of arriving at truth. He would have men 'call more for light and less for fire from heaven' (epistle in Satan's Stratagems, 1648). Even the denial of the Holy Trinity he will not treat as a 'damnable heresy,' for orthodoxy is a doctrine of inference. [q. v.], afterwards bishop of Lincoln, wrote to him (September 1651), 'I always find in the prosecution of your arguments that perspicuity and acuteness, which I often seek and seldom find in the writings of others.'

At the Restoration Goodwin, with Milton, was ordered into custody on 16 June 1660. He kept out of the way, and at length was placed in the indemnity, among eighteen persons perpetually incapacitated for any public trust. His ' 'Ύβριστοδίκαι' was burned (27 Aug.) by the hangman at the Old Bailey. According to Burnet his comparative immunity was due to his Arminian repute. He soon returned to his Coleman Street congregation, though not to the emoluments of St. Stephen's, of which he was deprived and Theophilus Alford admitted as his successor, on 29 May 1661. He wrote strenuously against the Fifth-monarchy enthusiasts in 1654 and 1655 (see passages collected in, p. 210 sq.) But Venner's meeting house, whence the insurrection of 1661 proceeded, was in Swan Alley, Coleman Street, and here also, in 1653, was Goodwin's study (dedication to Exposition of Romans). Hence, doubtless, arose Burnet's fable that Goodwin was one of these enthusiasts. Immediately on Venner's rising, Goodwin's church issued a 'Declaration' (1660, i.e. January 1661) disclaiming all sympathy with this or any attempt 'to propagate religion by the sword,' Jackson ascribes to Goodwin an anonymous publication (which he wrongly describes) entitled 'Prelatique Preachers None of Christ's Teachers,' 1663; internal evidence is strongly against his authorship. He died in the plague year, 1665. From the burial 