Category Archives: Thomas Goodwin

The Heart of Christ in Heaven, to Sinners on Earth (Thomas Goodwin) 3

07 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Ascension, Christology, Thomas Goodwin, Uncategorized

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ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO

1447
Fresco
Sant’Apollonia, Florence

As Goodwin explains, John 13 gives us a view into the heart of Christ as prepares to leave his disciples. Next Goodwin considers this aspect of Christ’s “long sermon” on leaving, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away”. John 16:7 Christ will (1) send the comforter (John 16:7), and (2) prepare a place for them. John 14:3. He goes on ahead to prepare a place for them, to make certain it is done. And like the High Priest, he carries their names over his heart when enters into the holiest place.

Goodwin then draws out the implications of this going and coming, sinking deep into the concept of marriage which runs throughout the Scripture:

“I will come to you again and receive you to myself.” He condescends to the very laws of bridegrooms, for notwithstanding all his greatness, no lover shall put him down in any expression of true love. It is the maker of bridegrooms, hen they have made all ready in their father’s house, then to come themselves and fetch their brides, and not to send for them by others, because it is the time of love.

Love descends better than ascends, and so doth the love Christ, who indeed is love itself, and therefore comes down to us himself.

….”Heaven shall not hold me, nor my Father’s company, if I have not you with me, my heart is so set up you; and if I have any glory, you shall have a part of it.”

….He will not stay a minute longer than needs must, he tarries only till he hath throughout all ages by his intercession prepared every room for each saint, that he may entertain them all at once together, and have the all about him.

4 Goodwin, “The Heart of Christ in Heaven”, 100.

The Heart of Christ in Heaven, to Sinners on Earth (Thomas Goodwin) 2

27 Tuesday Feb 2018

Posted by in Ascension, Biblical Counseling, Christology, Thomas Goodwin, Uncategorized

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Goodwin begins his analysis with John 13:1:

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

Goodwin argues that in what follows, John writes to “set open a window into Christ’s heart and give a light into, and put a gloss and interpretation upon all that follows. The scope where is to show what his affections would be to them in heaven”.

Jesus knows that the cross is coming; that “the Father had given all things into his hands” (John 14:3).  What then does Christ think of; what does he do? He washes his disciples feet: Rather than thinking of what he would gain for himself, “he takes more for his own, who were to remain here in this world, a world wherein there is much evil”. The knowledge that he is coming to the end, draws out his compassion towards “his own”: “The elect are Christ’s own, a piece of him .. not as goods…his own children, his own members, his own wife, his own flesh.” (p. 97)

Goodwin explains the purpose of washing their feet as follows:

And what was Christ’s meaning in this, but that, whereas he should be in heaven, he could not make such outward visible demonstrations of his heart, by doing such mean services for them; therefore by doing this in the midst of such thoughts of his glory, he would show what he could be content (as it were) to do for them, when he should be in full possession of it….So you see what his heart was before he went to heaven, even admit the thought of all his glory; and you see what it is after he hath been in heaven, and greatened with all his glory, even content to wash poor sinners’ feet, and to serve them that come to him and wait for him. (p. 98)

And, this washing signifies his willingness to wash away their sin.

The Heart of Christ in Heaven, to Sinners on Earth (Thomas Goodwin) 1

25 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by in Ascension, Thomas Goodwin, Uncategorized

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This is a fascination essay (a long essay, a very short book), divided in three parts. The essay asks the question, what is Jesus Christ like now that he is ascended? What is he like in heaven? How does he now relate to me? And, rather than give a careless answer, Goodwin very carefully considers some important aspects of the Scriptural evidence.

This essay demonstrates a level of exegesis which cannot easily be taught. There is a mechanical sort of analysis which looks at text and explicates the grammar and syntax. That is necessary, but when it comes to Scripture, that sort of analysis goes only part way. The necessary questions are why is this being said? What does this do? How does this part relate to the whole (context is king, but the ultimate context of Scripture is the entirety, not merely the surrounding paragraph)? I remember a line a poem (perhaps it was Stratford, it has been years since I read it, “Everything is telling one big story”.)

There is a goal to this essay:

The scope and use whereof will be this, to hearten and encourage believers to come ore boldly unto the throne of grace, unto such a Savior and High Priest, when the shall know how sweetly and tenderly his heart, though he is now in his glory, is inclined toward them [Collected Works, vol. 4, p. 95].

It ends likes this:

In all the miseries and distresses you may be sure to know where to have a have a friend to help and pity you, even in heaven, Christ;

One who nature, office, interest, relation, all, do engage him to your succor; you will find men, even friends to be oftentimes unto you unreasonable, and their bowels [their compassion] in many cases shut up towards you.

Well, say to them all, If you will not pity me, choose, I know that one that will, one in heaven, whose heart is touched with the feeling of all my infirmities, and I will go and bemoan myself to him.

Come boldly says the text, even with open mouth, to lay open your complaints, and you shall find grace and mercy to help in time of need. Men love to see themselves pitied by friends, though they cannot help them; Christ can and will do both.

Vol. 4, p. 150. In between the aim and the strike, Goodwin provides a tremendous, careful theology of Christ’s Ascension.

Part I will be next.

Infallibility and Inerrancy in the 17th Century

21 Tuesday Mar 2017

Posted by in Biblical Counseling, Bibliology, Scripture, Thomas Goodwin, Uncategorized

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There is a contention that “inerrancy” is a bit of a new doctrine (something post-Hodge and Warfield) and is thus a bit of an invention:

The CSBI [Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy] goes on the defensive in article 16 when it affirms that inerrancy “has been integral to the Church’s faith throughout its history” and denies that it “is a doctrine invented by Scholastic Protestantism, or is a reactionary position postulated in response to negative higher criticism.” There is a grain of truth here, but some palpable problems as well. First, Christian believers over the course of history have repeatedly affirmed that the Holy Scriptures come from God, they are to be read and studied in the churches, they are the inscripturated form of the rule of faith, they emit divine authority, they are without falsehood, and they are true and trustworthy. 8 However, to insist that the CSBI understanding of inerrancy is and always has been normative in church history is a bit of a stretch.

Michael Bird, “Inerrany is not Necessary for Evangelicalism Outside the USA” in Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) Zondervan (2013-12-10) Kindle Locations 2448-2449. In response, I would like to note the following use of “infallibility” and “unerringness” (inerrancy) from the 17th Century Puritan Thomas Goodwin:

There is a contention that “inerrancy” is a bit of a new doctrine (something post-Hodge and Warfield) and is thus a bit of an invention:

The CSBI [Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy] goes on the defensive in article 16 when it affirms that inerrancy “has been integral to the Church’s faith throughout its history” and denies that it “is a doctrine invented by Scholastic Protestantism, or is a reactionary position postulated in response to negative higher criticism.” There is a grain of truth here, but some palpable problems as well. First, Christian believers over the course of history have repeatedly affirmed that the Holy Scriptures come from God, they are to be read and studied in the churches, they are the inscripturated form of the rule of faith, they emit divine authority, they are without falsehood, and they are true and trustworthy. 8 However, to insist that the CSBI understanding of inerrancy is and always has been normative in church history is a bit of a stretch.

Michael Bird, “Inerrany is not Necessary for Evangelicalism Outside the USA” in Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) Zondervan (2013-12-10) Kindle Locations 2448-2449. In response, I would like to note the following use of “infallibility” and “unerringness” (inerrancy) from the 17th Century Puritan Thomas Goodwin:

Apostleship was an office extraordinary in the Church of God, appointed for a time for the first rearing and governing of the Church of the New Testament, and to deliver the faith which was about wants to be given to the Saints (as Jude speaks), and the apostles are therefore entitled the foundation the church is built on, Eph. ii. 20; which office, accordingly, had many extraordinary privileges annexed to it, suited (as all the callings by God and his institutions are) to attain that and which was so extraordinary–as, namely, unlimitedness of commission to teach all nations, Matt. xxvviii.19. They likewise had an infallibility and unerringness, this, whether in their preaching or writing (2 Cor. i. ver. 13 and 18 compared), which was absolutely necessary for them to have, seeing they were to lay the foundation for all ages, although in their personal walking’s they might her, as Peter did, Gal. ii. 10.

Thomas Goodwin, “Exposition of Ephesians 1”, in The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 1,(Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2006), 5.

Thomas Goodwin, “Exposition of Ephesians 1”, in The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 1,(Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2006), 5.

Falling Round About You

03 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by in affliction, James, Submission, temptation, Thomas Goodwin

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When you fall into [trials], as into a pit and snare, and so they falling round about you; so as you have nothing to stand or lean upon, but all about you fails with you and under you, so as in all outward appearance ye are sunk and overwhelmed with the ruins. In this case to ‘count it all joy,’ to shout as men in harvest, or that have gotten great spoils; when their miseries are so great that they cannot be endured, that yet their joy must be so great as more cannot be expressed; this is the hardest duty that ever was required of the distressed hearts of men. And yet God would not require it if it were not attainable; and it is attainable by no other principles but of Christianity. And argues that our Christian religion, which is the only true wisdom, ver. 5, hath so spiritful and sovereign a virtue in it that it is able to raise spirits up unto thus high and glorious a pitch and perfection in this life.

Thomas Goodwin, Patience and Its Perfect Work

There we are most of all sinning

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Love, Thomas Goodwin

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And by the way, so God often orders it, that at when he is in hand with the greatest mercies for us, and bringing about our greatest good, there we are most of all sinning against him; which he does, to magnify his love the more.

Thomas Goodwin,  “The Heart of Christ in Heaven Unto Sinners on Earth”

Suffenus

07 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by in John Owen, Thomas Goodwin

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Because of the internet, and thus the ability to “self-publish”, there are a plethora of “Suffenuses” causing all sorts of trouble for the church. John Owen used the term “Suffenus” to describe young theologians who think they know it all. Suffenus was a poet, a tad incompetent, but in no way lacking confidence in his own abilities. Those (overly) pleased with their intellectual powers were, says Owen, called “Suffenuses.” These types are blind to their own faults but bitterly attack the faults of others.

The Blessed State of the Saints in Glory.5 (Oh what a bottomless sea of God’s love shall we be flung into)

11 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by in Hope, Preaching, Puritan, Thomas Goodwin

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(Your souls have two great gulfs, viz.

the understanding and the will, which must and shall be satisfied.”

 

The will shall be satisfied.

The second gulf of man’s soul is the will. Thou hast a will, and amongst all the affections of it, love is most comfortable.

Now, that shall be fully satisfied;

we shall be satisfied

with God’s loving-kindness. Psalm Ixxiii.

For all other affections bring pain with them,

but love is always comfortable:

Philip, ii. 1, “If there be any consolation of Christ, if any comfort of love.”

We love things here on earth

that cannot love us again,

as money, riches, and the like;

how much more shall we love itself ?

Indeed, as Solomon saith,

the love of friends is very delectable:

Prov. xxvii. 9, ‘ Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart ; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.’

The same testifies David in his lamentation for Jonathan:

2 Sam. i. 26, “I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan : very pleasant hast thou been unto me : thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of a woman.”

But, I say, though the love of friends be great,

Jonathan exceeding lovely,

yet they are not so lovely as God;

for it cannot be affirmed of them that they are love itself, as God is.

Oh, then, how pleasant will it be

when this vast affection of love shall be satisfied!

God will come into us and dwell with us;

and do but think what a pleasant thing it is

to have the great God of heaven and earth

to dwell together with the creature in unity,

to have him who is love itself to dwell in us to all eternity!

It is said, 1 Pet. i. 8, “Whom having not seen

you love;

in whom, though you see him not,

yet believing,

you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and glorious.”

If that be a cause to make you rejoice so unspeakably,

how much more joyful will you be when you enjoy his presence,

not only to kiss him through the lattice,

as here we do,

enjoy only his presence through his ordinances,

but to lie in the bosom of his love,

to be enfolded in those everlasting arms of his mercy;

to be loved of love itself,

to be made partaker of all his goodness.

And God’s love is free,

who loves us without any cause in ourselves.

Why, then, brethren, consider with yourselves

what is the height,

depth,

breadth,

and length

of God’s love,

what it is

to be “filled with all fulness of God,” Eph. iii, 8.

Oh what a bottomless sea of God’s love shall we be flung into,

one drop of which is better than the gold of Ophir,

yea, surpasseth the whole earth ! 

The Blessed State of the Saints in Glory.4 (How Much More Shall the Glory of God Ravish Us)

10 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in Preaching, Puritan, Thomas Goodwin

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(Your souls have two great gulfs, viz.

the understanding and the will, which must and shall be satisfied. )

If the Queen of Sheba,

who had seen so much glory before,

and being a queen had partaken of so much glory in herself,

if she, I say, was so astonished, so amazed,

that she had no spirit in her when she saw Solomon’s wisdom, and his magnificcncy in honour and riches,

how much more shall the glory of God ravish us,

part of which we never saw;

no, not the glimpse of it.

Oh how wilt thou be amazed

with joy -when thou shalt see his glory,

and see him as he is,

when we shall know as we are known,

and God knows us as far as can be !

1 Cor. xiii. 12, ‘ For we now see through a glass, darkly;

but then face to face:

now we know but in part;

but then we shall know even as we are known.’

All our sight of him here,

it is but as in a glass.

Now, what a great difference it is to look upon a man who is behind us, and to turn our face and to look truly and stedfastly upon him!

There is infinitely more difference betwixt

that sight we have of God by faith on earth,

and that perfect sight of him,

and fruition of his glory,

which we shall have in heaven.

Why, the eye of a man’s body is but a small thing, and the apple of it much smaller, and yet by the help of this little sun the body is able to take half the world into it at once;

how much more shall the eye of our understanding

conceive infinite joys (past our apprehension here)

when it hath the light of God’s glory shining about it:

Ps. xxxvi. 8, 9, “They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fullness of thy house ; and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life : in thy light shall we see light.’

Whenas the sun of glory comes to shine about us,

we shall even draw God into our souls;

and thus, you see, the first gulf shall be filled.

The Blessed State of the Saints in Glory.3 (If you could but see God)

10 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in Ministry, Puritan, Thomas Goodwin

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Your souls have two great gulfs, viz.

the understanding and the will, which must and shall be satisfied.

 

The understanding shall be satisfied.

Now, saith Solomon,

the eye of the body is not satisfied with seeing, i

t can comprise half the world in it.

And if the eye of the body be so hard to be satisfied,

much more the eye of the soul.

And yet in heaven this shall be satisfied,

this gulf shall be satisfied:

Ps. xvii. 15, “I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

He was to lay his head in the grave for a while,

but he should arise when the heavens shall be no more.

As Job said,

“I shall see him again”;

so David,

“I shall awake, and then I shall be satisfied with thy likeness.”

“Shew us the Father,” saith Philip, John xiv. 18,

“and it sufficeth us.”

You will say, if you could but see God,

it would suffice ;

and indeed you may well say so,

for the sight of God will suffice you.

Why, you shall see God, John xvii. 24.

For Christ doth desire this especially,

those who are his to make happy,

to be with him,

to behold his face:

“Father, I will that they also that thou hast given me to be with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.”

So Mat. V. 8, :Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,”

they shall be able to behold him.