Minutes and Papers
Transcription Project
Translation Project
Bibliography Project
Westminster Standards
Assembly Members
Digital Library
Project Memorabilia

This preliminary bibliography contains works about the clerical members of the Westminster Assembly. Note that this bibliography does not contain works by the Assembly or its members unless it is about one or more divine.

If you are able to correct or supplement this bibliography please email your corrections to the managing editor of bibliographies, Mr Billy McMillan, at BillyM@fpcjackson.org.

Biographical collections

Recent biographical essays on many divines can be found in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OxDNB). The online edition of the OxDNB incorporates updates and corrections to the dictionary articles, including some corrections to the essays on different Westminster divines. Older studies can also be found in the following works:

  • Anonymous, A history of the Westminster Assembly of Divines: embracing an account of its principal transactions, and biographical sketches of its most conspicuous members. Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1841.
  • W. Barker, Puritan Profiles: 54 contemporaries of the Westminster Assembly 1996. Reprint ed. Fearn: Mentor, 1999.
  • B. Brook, The lives of the puritans: containing a biographical account of those divines who distinguished themselves in the cause of religious liberty, from the Reformation under Queen Elizabeth to the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. 1813. Reprint ed., 3 vols, Pittsburgh, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1994.
  • E. Calamy, Abridgment of Mr Baxter’s Narrative. London, 1702 (the 1727 is most complete).
  • Dictionary of national biography, 63 vols.(1885–1900),suppl., 3 vols.(1901); repr. In 22 vols.(1908–9); 10 further suppls.(1912–96); Missing persons(1993)
  • D. W. Hall, Windows on Westminster: a look at the men, the work and the enduring results of the Westminster Assembly. Norcross, GA: Great Commission Publications, 1993.
  • L. J. Holley, “The divines of the Westminster Assembly: a study of puritanism and Parliament.” PhD diss., Yale University, 1979.
  • G. Matthews, Calamy revised. 1934 (this biographical index to Calamy provides corrections; reprint 1988).
  • S. Palmer, Nonconformist’s Memorial. London, 1775 (1802 edition is the most complete but Palmer’s work – and abridgement of Calamy – remains unreliable).
  • J. Reid, Memoirs of the Westminster divines 1811. Reprint ed. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1982.
  • P. J. Smith, “The debates on church government at the Westminster Assembly of divines, 1643-1646.” Ph.D. diss., Boston University Graduate School, 1975.

 

Biographical studies

John Arrowsmith (1602-1659)

  • OxDNB
  • Waideson, R. Accusation of Dr. Arrowsmith, Mr. of Johns Colledge in Cambridge. By petition of Robert Waideson Esquire and doctor in physick of the University in Cambridge. With the grounds thereof. Unto the right honourable the Commons of England assembled in Parliament. 1649.

Simeon Ashe (d. 1662)

  • OxDNB

Theodore Bathurst (c.1587-1652)

  • OxDNB

Thomas Baylie (1581/2-1663)

  • OxDNB

John Bond (1612-1676)

  • OxDNB

Samuel Bolton (1605/6-1654)

  • OxDNB

Oliver Bowles (c. 1577-1644)

William Bridge (1600/01-1671)

  • OxDNB

Anthony Burgess (d. 1664)

  • OxDNB

Cornelius Burges (d. 1665)

  • OxDNB

Jeremiah Burroughs (bap. 1601?, d. 1646)

  • OxDNB
  • Dallison, A. R. “Jeremiah Burroughes (1599-1945) [sic]: a theology of hope.” Evangelical Quarterly 50 (1978): 86-93.

Adoniram Byfield (d. 1660)

  • OxDNB

Richard Byfield (bap. 1598, d. 1664)

  • OxDNB

Edmund Calamy (1600-1666)

  • OxDNB

John Carter (d. 1645/6)

Thomas Carter (b. c. 1585)

William Carter (1605-1658)

  • OxDNB

Joseph Caryl (1602-1673)

  • OxDNB

Thomas Case (bap. 1598- d. 1682)

  • OxDNB

Daniel Cawdrey (1587/8-1664)

  • OxDNB

Humphrey Chambers (bap. 1599?, d. 1662)

  • OxDNB

Francis Cheynell (bap. 1608, d. 1665)

  • OxDNB

Peter Clark (b. c. 1606)

Richard Clayton (1597-1671)

Thomas Coleman (1597/8-1646)

  • OxDNB

John Conant (1608-1694)

  • OxDNB

Edward Corbet (b. 1590/1)

Edward Corbet (1601×3-1658)

  • OxDNB

Robert Crosse (1604/5-1683)

  • OxDNB

Jean de la Marche (1585-1651)

  • OxDNB

Samuel de la Place (1576/7-1658)

  • OxDNB

Philippé Delmé (d. 1653)

John Dury (1596-1680)

  • OxDNB
  • Rae, T. H. H. John Dury and the royal road to piety. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1998.
  • Mandelbrote, S. “John Dury and the practice of Irenicism.” In Religious change in Europe 1650-1914: Essays for John McManners, ed. N. Aston, 41-58. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997.
  • Milton, A. “’The Unchanged Peacemaker’? John Dury and the politics of Irenicism in England, 1628-1643.” In Samuel Hartlib and Universal Reformation: studies in intellectual communication, ed. M. Greengrass, M. Leslie, and T. Raylor, 95-117. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
  • Popkin, R. H. “The End of the Career of a Great 17th Century MillenariN2 - John Dury.” In Pietismus und Neuzeit, ed. M. Brecht, 203-220. ?:?, 1988.
  • Wilensky, M. L. “Thomas Barlow’s and John Dury’s attitude towards the readmission of the Jews to England [Part 2].” The Jewish Quarterly Review 50, no. 1 (1960): 256-268.
  • Wilensky, M. L. “Thomas Barlow’s and John Dury’s attitude towards the readmission of the Jews to England [Part 1].” The Jewish Quarterly Review 50 (1959): 167-175.
  • Minton Batten, J. John Dury: Advocate of Christian reunion. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1944.
  • Minton Batten, J. John Dury: advocate of Christian reunion. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1944.

Daniel Featley (1582-1645)

  • OxDNB
  • Featley, J. Doctor Daniel Featley revived: proving, that the protestant church (and not the Romish) is the onely catholick and true church. In a manual preserved from the hands of the plunderers. With a succinct history of his life and death. London: John Featley for Nath. Brook, 1660.
  • Leo, W. A sermon preached at Lambeth, April 21, 1645, at the funerall of that learned and polemicall divine, Daniel Featley, doctor in divinity, late preacher there, with a short relation of his life and death. For Richard Royston, 1645.

Thomas Ford (1598-1674)

  • OxDNB

John Foxcraft (1595-1662)

Hannibal Gammon (bap. 1582, d. 1650/51)

  • OxDNB

Thomas Gataker (1574-1654)

  • OxDNB
  • Ashe, S. Gray hayres crowned with grace: a sermon preached at Redrith near London, Aug. 1, 1654 at the funerall of that Reverend, eminently learned and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Thomas Gataker. London: A.M., 1655.

John Gibbon (b. c. 1587)

George Gibbs (c. 1590-1654)

Samuel Gibson (b. c. 1580)

William Good (b. 1600)

Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680)

  • OxDNB
  • Lawrence, T. M. “Transmission and transformation: Thomas Goodwin and the puritan project 1600-1704.” Ph.D., University of Cambridge, 2002.
  • Blackham, P. “The pneumatology of Thomas Goodwin.” Ph.D. diss., King’s College, London, 1995.
  • Horton, M. S. “Thomas Goodwin and the puritan doctrine of assurance: continuity and discontinuity in the reformed tradition, 1600-1680.” Ph.D. diss., Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, & Coventry University, 1995.
  • Cha, K-S. “Thomas Goodwin’s view of the Holy Ghost in relation to assurance.” Ph.D. diss., University of Aberdeen, 1989.
  • Dallison, A. R. “The latter-day glory in the thought of Thomas Goodwin.” Evangelical Quarterly 58 (1986): 53-68.
  • Walker, D. J. “Thomas Goodwin and the debate on church government.” Journal of Ecclesiastical History 34, no. 1 (1983): 85-99.
  • Harrison, G. “Thomas Goodwin and independency.” In Diversities of Gifts, ed. B. Freer, 21-43. London: Westminster Conference, 1980.
  • Freer, B. “Thomas Goodwin the peaceable puritan.” In Diversities of gifts, ed. B. Freer, 7-20. London: The Westminster Conference, 1980.
  • Cook, P. E. G. “Thomas Goodwin - mystic?” In Diversities of gifts, ed. B. Freer, 45-56. London: The Westminster Conference, 1980.
  • Fienberg, S. P. “Thomas Goodwin’s Scriptural Hermeneutics and the Dissolution of Puritan Unity.” Journal of Religious History 10 (1978): 32-49.
  • Fienberg, S. P. “Thomas Goodwin, puritan pastor and independent divine.” Ph.D. diss., The University of Chicago, 1974.
  • Fry, J. R. “The grace of election in the writings of Thomas Goodwin.” M.A. diss., 1970.
  • Carter, R. B. “The presbyterian independent controversy with special reference to Dr. Thomas Goodwin and the years 1640-1660.” Ph.D. 2 vol. diss., University of Edinburgh, 1961.
  • Brown, P. E. “The Principle of the Covenant in the Theology of Thomas Goodwin.” Ph.D. diss., Drew University, 1950.

William Gouge (1575-1653)

  • OxDNB
  • East, K. A. “William Gouge: preacher and scholar.” Ph.D. diss., The University of Chicago, 1991.

Stanley Gower (bap. 1600?, d. 1660)

  • OxDNB

John Greene (fl. 1641-1647)

William Greenhill (1597/8-1671)

  • OxDNB

Henry Hall (c. 1604-1644)

Humphrey Hardwick (b. 1602)

Robert Harris (1580/1-1658)

  • OxDNB
  • Passarella, L. J. “Testimony of God: the works of Robert Harris, 1654, a selection and study (puritanism, sermons, theology).” Ph.D. diss., University of Pennsylvania, 1986.
  • Durham, W. The life and death of that judicious and accomplish’d preacher, Robert Harris, D.D. late fellow of Trinity Colledge in Oxon Collected by a joynt-concurrence of some, who knew him well in his strength, visited him often in his sickness, attended him at his death, and still honour his memory. Published at the request of many, for the satisfaction of some, for the silencing of others and for the imitation of all. By W.D. his dear friend and kinsman. London: H. Brome, 1660.
  • Harris, R. Two letters written by Mr Harris in vindication of himselfe from the known slanders of an unknown author. To my reverend friend M. Harris. Sir, it will not (I hope) offend you to see your private letters made publique, it concernes you, and others, to vindicate your selves in the catching age, and the sooner ’tis done the better, chide me if you will, yet I will be yours still, W.T. May 2. 1648. [Oxford]: [Leonard Lichfield], 1648.

Charles Herle (1598-1659)

  • OxDNB

Richard Herrick (1600-1667)

  • OxDNB

Gasper Hickes (1605-1677)

  • OxDNB

Thomas Hill (d. 1653)

  • OxDNB

Thomas Hodges (c. 1600-1672)

  • OxDNB

Joshua Hoyle (bap. 1588, d. 1654)

  • OxDNB

John Jackson (1600-1648)

Robert Johnston (d. 1670)

John Langley (d. 1657)

  • OxDNB

John Ley (1584-1662)

  • OxDNB

John Lightfoot (1602-1675)

  • OxDNB
  • Schertz, C. E. “Christian Hebraism in seventeenth-century England as reflected in the works of John Lightfoot.” Ph.D. diss., New York University, 1977.

Stephen Marshall (1594/5-1655)

  • OxDNB
  • Cain, A. R. “”Reformation and desolation:” the career of Stephen Marshall (1594-1655).” Ph.D., Florida State University, 1999.
  • Webster, T. Stephen Marshall and Finchingfield. Chelmsford: Essex Record Office, 1994.
  • Weinstein, M. F. “Stephen Marshall and the dilemma of the political puritan.” Journal of Presbyterian History 46, no. 1 (1968): 1-25.
  • Hazelip, H. H. “Stephen Marshall: preacher to the Long Parliament.” Ph.D. diss., The University of Iowa, 1968.
  • Vaughan, E. Stephen Marshall: a forgotten Essex puritan. London: Arnold Fairbairns, 1907.
  • Anonymous. The godly man’s legacy to the saints upon earth. 1680.
  • Firmin, G. A brief vindication of Mr. Stephen Marshall. 1680. ?

John Maynard (1600-1665)

  • OxDNB

William Mew (1602-1659)

  • Copenhaver, B. P. “Magus or Pseudomagus: William Mewe’s Pseudomagia and the Reputation of the Occultist Tradition in Early Seventeenth Century England.” In Acta Conventus Neo-Latini Turonensis, ed. J. C. Margolin, 1187-1196. 2d ed. Paris: J. Vrin, 1980.

Thomas Micklethwaite

Matthew Newcomen (d. 1669)

  • OxDNB
  • Fairfax, J. The dead saint speaking. Or, a sermon preached upon occasion of the death of that eminent man, Mr Matthew Newcomen, sometimes minister of the gospel at Dedham in Essex: who dyed at Leyden. Wherein is succinctly discoursed (to a popular auditory in Dedham) what instructions are given and sealed to the living, by the death of the righteous servants of God. By J. F. Minister of the Gospel. London: by A. M. and R. R. for Edward Giles, in Norwich, 1679.

Philip Nye (bap. 1595, d. 1672)

  • OxDNB

Henry Painter (c. 1583-1644)

Herbert Palmer (1601-1647)

  • OxDNB

Edward Peale (1583-1645)

Andrew Perne (c. 1595-1654)

  • OxDNB

John Philips (c. 1585-1663)

Benjamin Pickering (fl. 1620-1649)

William Price (d. 1666)

  • OxDNB

Nicholas Prophet (c. 1599-1669)

William Rathbone (d. 1644)

William Rayner (c. 1595-1666)

Edward Reynolds (1599-1676)

  • OxDNB
  • Jeremiah, J. J. “Edward Reynolds (1599-1676): “Pride of the Presbyterian Party”.” Ph.D. diss., The George Washington University, 1992.

Henry Roborough (d. 1649)

  • OxDNB

Arthur Sallaway (b. 1606)

Henry Scudder (d. 1652)

  • OxDNB

Lazarus Seaman (d. 1675)

  • OxDNB
  • Jenkyn, W. Exodus or, the decease of holy men and ministers considered. London, 1675.

Obadiah Sedgwick (1599/1600-1658)

  • OxDNB

Sidrach Simpson (c. 1600-1655)

  • OxDNB

Peter Smith (1586-1653)

  • OxDNB

William Spurstowe (d. 1666)

  • OxDNB

Edmund Staunton (1600-1671)

  • OxDNB

Peter Sterry (1613-1672)

  • OxDNB
  • Matar, N. I. “Aristotelian tragedy in the theology of Peter Sterry.” Journal of Literature & Theology 6, no. 4 (1992): 310-319.
  • Pinto, V. d. S. Peter Sterry platonist and puritan 1613-1672: a biographical and critical study with passages selected from his writings. New York: Greenwood Press, Publishers, 1968.
  • Nevins, M. A. “Peter Sterry, a platonic independent.” Ph.D. diss., Columbia University, 1954.

John Strickland (bap. 1601?, d. 1670)

  • OxDNB

William Strong (d. 1654)

  • OxDNB
  • Vines, R. ?. 2004.

Matthias Stiles (1591-1652)

Francis Taylor (1589-1656)

Thomas Temple (c. 1601-1661)

Christopher Tisdale (1592-1655)

Thomas Thorowgood (c. 1595-1669)

  • Jowitt. C. “Radical identities? Native Americans, Jews and the English commonwealth.” The Seventeenth-Century Journal (??19): 101-119.

Henry Tozer (c. 1601-1650)

  • OxDNB

Anthony Tuckney (1599-1670)

  • OxDNB

William Twisse (1577/8-1646)

  • OxDNB
  • Boersma, H. A hot pepper corn: Richard Baxter’s doctrine of justification in its seventeenth-century context of controversy. Zoetermeer: Boekencentrum, 1993.
  • Kendall, G. “Twissii vita & victoria.” In De doctrina neopelagiana, 63-140. Oxford: 1657.
  • Pierce, T. Autokatakrisis, or Self-Condemnation exemplified . . . especially on Doctor Twisse, and Master Hobbes. London, 1658.

Thomas Valentine (1586-1665)

Richard Vines (1599/1600-1656)

  • OxDNB
  • Jacombe, T. Enochs walk and change, opened in a sermon at Lawrence-Jury in London, Febr. 7th. 1655. at the funeral of the Reverend Mr. Richard Vines, minister of the Gospel there. With a short account of his life and death. With some elegies, &c. on his death. By Tho. Jacombe, minister of Martins-Ludgate in the city of London. London: T.R. and E.M. for Abel Roper, 1656.
  • Hillin, W. D. “Richard Vines (1600?-1656): a moderate divine in the Westminster Assembly.” Ph.D. diss., The University of Iowa, 1967.

George Walker (bap. 1582?, d. 1651)

  • OxDNB

John Wallis (1616-1703)

  • OxDNB
  • Rampelt, J. M. “Distinctions of reason and reasonable distinctions: the academic life of John Wallis (1616-1703).” Ph.D. diss., University of Cambridge, 2005.
  • Rampelt, J. M. “Three persons in one man: John Wallis on the Trinity.” M.Th. diss., Westminster Theological Seminary, 2002.
  • Jesseph, D. M. Squaring the circle: the war between Hobbes and Wallis. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.
  • Scott, J. F. The mathematical work of John Wallis, D.D., F.R.S. (1616-1703). New York: Chelsea Publishing Company, 1981.
  • Raney, G. W. “The accidence and syntax in John Wallis’ 1653 Grammatica Linguae Anglicanae: a translation and a commentary on its alleged relationship to the 1660 Port-Royal Grammaire Générale et Raisonée.” Ph.D. diss., University of Southern California, 1972.
  • Scriba, J. S. “The autobiography of John Wallis, F.R.S.” Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London 25 (1970): 17-46.

John Ward (d. 1665)

James Welby (fl. 1643-1649)

Thomas Westfield (1573-1644)

  • OxDNB

Jeremiah Whitaker (1599-1654)

  • OxDNB

John White (1575-1648)

  • OxDNB
  • Underdown, D. Fire From Heaven. Life in an English Town in the Seventeenth Century. London: Pimlico, 2003.
  • Ogg, D. New England and New College, Oxford; a link in Anglo-American relations. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1937.
  • Rose-Troup, F. J. John White, the patriarch of Dorchester and the founder of Massachusetts, 1575-1648, with an account of the early settlements in Massachusetts, 1620-1630. New York, London: G. P. Putnam’s sons, 1930.
  • Ackerman, Rev. A. W., D.D. Reverend John White of Dorchester, England and His Participation in Founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Boston Society of the Governor and Co. of Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1929.

Henry Wilkinson Jr (1610-1675)

  • OxDNB

Henry Wilkinson Sr (1566-1647)

Thomas Wilson (c. 1601-1653)

  • OxDNB
  • G., S. The life and death of Mr. Thomas Wilson, minister of Maidstone in the county of Kent. 1672.

John Wincop (c. 1602-1647)

Francis Woodcock (1614-1649×51)

Thomas Young (c. 1587-1655)

  • OxDNB

Church of Scotland ministers

Robert Baillie (1602-1662)

  • OxDNB
  • McCoy, F. N. Robert Baillie and the second Scots Reformation. Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 1974.

George Gillespie (1613-1648)

  • OxDNB
  • McKay, W. D. J. An ecclesiastical republic: church government in the writings of George Gillespie. Edinburgh: Rutherford House, 1997.
  • McKay, W. D. J. “George Gillespie and the Westminster Assembly: the defence of Presbyterianism.” Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology 13 (1995): 51-71.

Alexander Henderson (c.1583-1646)

  • OxDNB
  • Orr, S. R. L. Alexander Henderson: churchman and statesman. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1919.
  • Anonymous. Lives of Alexander Henderson and James Guthrie. With Specimens of their Writings. Edinburgh: John Greig, 1846.

Samuel Rutherford (c. 1600-1661)

  • OxDNB
  • Webb, O. K. “The political thought of Samuel Rutherford.” Ph.D. diss., Duke University, 1964.
  • Strickland, D. “Union with Christ in the theology of Samuel Rutherford: an examination of his doctrine of the Holy Spirit.” Ph.D. diss., University of Edinburgh, 1972.
  • Ross, J. M. “Samuel Rutherford.” Month 236 (1975): 207-211.
  • Rendell, K. G. “Samuel Rutherford: the man and his ministry.” M.A. diss., 1981.
  • Rae, C. E. “The political thought of Samuel Rutherford.” MA. diss., The University of Guelph, 1991.
  • Coffey, J. Politics, religion and the British revolutions: the mind of Samuel Rutherford. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.