Patience and Its Perfect Work

by Thomas Goodwin

Thomas Goodwin (Rollesby, Norfolk, 5 October 1600 - 23 February 1680), known as 'the Elder', was an English Puritan theologian and preacher, and an important leader of religious Independents. He served as chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and was imposed by Parliament as President of Magdalen College, Oxford in 1650. Christopher Hill[1] places Goodwin in the ‘main stream of Puritan thought’.

Genres: Theology

56 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 23, 2010

About the author

Thomas Goodwin known as 'the Elder', was an English Puritan theologian and preacher, and an important leader of religious Independents. He served as chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and was imposed by Parliament as President of Magdalen College, Oxford in 1650. Christopher Hill places Goodwin in the ‘main stream of Puritan thought’.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent opening foray into Goodwin for me. As with many of the “worth a read once, but maybe not a re-read” Puritan works, the strength comes in the analysis of the main subject (here, patience), but the closing practical/application exhortation could’ve been copied and pasted from dozens of similar works: “yes, you are perpetually suffering with unbelievable trials...so pray, pray, pray”. Sound, albeit not a very theologically challenging subject matter, so he’d have really needed to sip the Max Lucado Kool-Aid to mess it up. Ebook is inexpensive, but beware the typos that occur from scanned historical works. I had a particularly delightful giggle when “prophet” was rendered “propbot”.

[Andy Sherrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely helpful and encouraging

[Tori Samar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sermon based on the opening portion of James 1. Several encouraging and profitable thoughts, as the Puritans are so apt to give. I especially enjoyed some lines from the closing paragraph. Even when we know we're weak, we can still run with endurance: "[T]he strong God and a weak heart will be too hard for any thing, yea, for the whole world. And therefore, when you think your present trials that are come upon you far greater than you can bear, think withal of the glorious power of God that is at hand to help you. . . . [A]s your trials abound, so this glorious power of God will abound also towards you, for your support. Amen."