Thomas Goodwin has been described as ''the forgotten man of English theology'' and, though known by some as a pioneer of congregationalism and a prominent member of the Westminster Assembly, the true significance and scope of his life-s work has only recently been discovered. Historical reassessment has uncovered that the majority of Goodwin-s treatises were intended to form a grand project defending Reformed soteriology in the 1650s against new threats as well as traditional opponents. Examining Goodwin-s notion of union with Christ in relation to mystical indwelling, transformation, justification and participation, this study demonstrates the central role of union with Christ in Goodwin-s soteriology. The application of salvation, he contended, must be founded on -real- union with Christ (i.e., mystical union forged by Christ-s indwelling) in order to advance a trinitarian, federal, high Reformed soteriology in which redemption from sin is set within a Reformed scheme of Christocentr
