By Thomas Goodwin, D.D.
The Works of Thomas Goodwin, D.D.
Volume 6: The Work of the Holy Ghost in our Salvatiion.
By Thomas Goodwin, D.D.
About the sixth volume, taken from the banner of truth:
The chapters in the sixth volume to which I oftenest turn are those on True Spirituality; on true and pure scriptural and evangelical spirituality; what it is; and why and how it is what it is; on spiritual persons and spiritual things; and on the supreme blessedness of the truly spiritual mind.
The chapters on conscience in the sixth volume are simply masterly, even to this day. Neither Sanderson, nor Taylor, nor Butler, nor Chalmers, nor Maurice, nor all of them taken together, have superseded Goodwin. I speak only of the authors I know somewhat well when I say that none of them comes near Goodwin for powerfulness, for subtlety, for finality, and best of all, for evangelical impressiveness and for pulpit fruitfulness.
I know what I say, and you may believe me-Butler on conscience, and Chalmers on Butler, and then Goodwin after them, these three masters will furnish out a young preacher with a doctrine and a homiletic of conscience that will be like iron in his own blood and in the blood of all who sit under him.
A CATALOGUE of the Manuscripts in the Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in our Salvation, directing in what part of the volume the several MSS. are printed.
1. A general and brief scheme of the whole work committed to the Holy Spirit in bringing us to salvation, in an enumeration of all particulars, and what is the glory due to him for it, is contained in Book I., Chap. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
2. Of the gift of the Holy Ghost to us.—How he is at first given to the elect when called, and what is his indwelling within us for ever. Chap. 8, 9, 10.
3. How the work of regeneration, or the first application of salvation to us, is in a peculiar manner attributed to the Holy Ghost. Chap. 7.
4. That there are two states and conditions God carries the elect through—1. The state of nature. 2. The state of grace.—And how the new birth is the passage between these two states, from which the necessity of regeneration is demonstrated. Book II., Chap. 1, 2, 3.
5. That God, for holy and just ends, permits the generality of his elect that live to riper years, to abide some time in that estate of nature, and then renews and turns them. Chap. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
6. The necessity of regeneration demonstrated by arguments drawn from the nature of reconciliation with God.— That all which God and Christ have done towards their reconciliation to us, will not benefit us unless we be reconciled to God.—This work of regeneration set forth under the notion of reconciliation to God, and some differences of a counterfeit work and a saving work discovered thereby, with an exhortation to be reconciled to God. Book III. throughout.
7. The necessity of the new birth, and some brief explication of the nature of the thing begotten in it, as the similitude of begetting again imports. Book IV., Chap. 1.
8. The eminency of mercy and grace discovered in this work, comparatively with other works wrought in us. Book IX., Chap. 1, 2, 3.
9. The divine power put forth by God in a saving work of regeneration. Chap. 4, 5.
10. Of the new creature, or the thing begotten in us by the Spirit; that beside his indwelling in us, and his acting of our spirits, there are permanent or abiding principles inwrought in the soul; that is, spiritual habiliments, or dispositions so to act. Book V., Chap. 1, 2.
11. The nature or kind of the thing begotten in us, as it is set forth under the notion of Spirit; that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, Joh 3:6. Book IV., Chap. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
12. That this new creature is a change of the heart. Book V., Chap. 4.
13. That it is a different and higher principle than natural conscience, in its greatest elevation of light. Book VI. throughout.
14. That this new creature is peculiar only to the elect, and is a thing specially different from the common work of the Spirit in temporaries. Book VI., Chap 13, and Book VII. throughout.
15. That the virtual cause of regeneration, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Book IX., Chap. 6.
16. Of the three parts of regeneration, and the new creature. 1. Humiliation for sin, and the necessity thereof. 2. Faith in Christ for justification. 3. Turning from sin unto God. Book VIII.
throughout.
17. The nature and way of conversion illustrated from an instance of what it was in Job’s time, Job 33, and in the instance of Paul’s conversion. Chap. 3.
18. Of one eminent disposition of a man born again, which is to desire and endeavour to convert others to God. Book X., Chap. 7.
19. Of the distinguishing character of this new creature, or of a man born again: which is for a man to make God his chiefest good, and God’s glory his utmost end. Chap. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
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