The writing and teaching of John Owen, a 17th century pastor and theologian, continues to serve the church. Daily communion with God characterized his life and equipped him for both ministry and persecution. In this addition to the A Long Line of Godly Men Profile series, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson offers careful reflection and insight for Christians today as he highlights Owen’s faith in the triune God of Scripture. We’re reminded that regardless of our circumstances we can know God, enjoy Him, and encourage others.
Sinclair B. Ferguson is Associate Preacher at St Peter's Free Church in Dundee and also Distinguished Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, South Carolina and prior to that, he was minister of St. George's-Tron Church in Glasgow.
This work is a double dip of Trinitarian theological joy peering into the heart and mind of the giant Owen through the eyes of Sinclair Ferguson.
"To be a Christian is, first and foremost, to belong to the triune God and to be named for Him. This is the heart and core of the privileges of the gospel" p. 27
"To suggest that the Trinity is an irrational doctrine is to be guilty of making man and his reason the measure of all things. It makes the common but false philosophical assumption that God is like man, so that whenever we speak or think about Him, we are simply attributing to Him larger versions of what is true of ourselves. But, as Karl Barth once wittingly remarked, "One can not speak of God simply by speaking of man in a loud voice." p. 31
The book has some rugged peaks in it, but the climb to the summit is worth it.
This is a brief introduction to John Owen by a man who has spent his life studying him. In the preface, Ferguson even remarks that he first began reading Owen the same year he met his wife, and that "wherever we have gone, Owen has come with us." The personal familiarity shines through—and if you're familiar with Ferguson's other books, you'll detect many places where Owen has influenced his theology.
Because Owen has a reputation for being difficult to read, and because he stands as such a large figure in Christian history, he can be intimidating. If so, this book may be the perfect place to begin.
What a beautiful and useful book! If you’d like to meet John Owen, let Sinclair Ferguson introduce you.
He answers a question I’ve had for years and never been fully satisfied with my answer. “How do we distinguish between the spirits prompting of the spirit of grace in his guiding and governing of our lives from the delusions of the spirit of the world and of our own sinful hearts?”
The first three portions of his answer are good but it’s the last one I find especially comforting: 1) is it according to scripture; 2) the commands of the spirit don’t crush you and aren’t grievous, instead the Christian finds pleasure when obeying God; 3) restlessness is not a mark of communion with the spirit. 4) He pours into our hearts the profound sense of the love of God and he glorifies the Savior.
The devil is our accuser and wants us to doubt God as he tempted Eve to do. But the spirit assures us of the love of God!
Ferguson, Sinclair. Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen. Reformation Trust.
This book unites what never should have been divided: piety and scholastic rigor (and if you don’t like scholasticism, then John Owen isn’t for you. Keep moving). Lawson’s preface is a bit on the nose in terms of the “long line of godly men.” It reads like bedtime stories for the Young, Restless, and Reformed. Notwithstanding, Sinclair Ferguson brings rigor and warmth to his subject.
We are treated with some crucial terminology regarding the Trinity and the Divine decree.
Opera trinitatis: the works of the Trinity, particularly that there is one external work. As there is one divine will in the Trinity, all the persons are in the working.
Appropriationes personae: each person expresses his specific personhood both internally and externally. As Ferguson points out, “There is a deep relationship between the dispositions and actions of each person of the Trinity and the nature of the Christian’s knowledge of and fellowship with that person. Our experience of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is shaped by the specific role that each plays in relationship to our lives and especially to our salvation.”
Communion with the Father
Scholastic methodology allows us to make distinctions concerning the phrase “God is love.” This ties in with the divine decree. Love of benevolence: God’s plan for our lives. Love of beneficence: the love displayed in history that does good to all people. the love of complacency: the love planned in Christ that we experience.
Conclusion: “Christ died for us because the Father loves us.”
Communion with the Son
Grace isn’t a substance. It’s Jesus. The medievals said we have sacramental grace infused in us at baptism. Our faith is later formed by perfect love, and this makes us justifiable. Owen, as Ferguson says, combats this: “Through the work of the Spirit, the heavenly Father gives you to Jesus and gives Jesus to you.”
Conclusion: “It does indeed involve our understanding of who Christ is and what He has done; it also includes a willingness to give ourselves unreservedly to Him. But our communion with Him also enlivens and transforms the Christian’s affections.”
Communion with the Spirit
The same Spirit who kept Christ from corruption of sin in the Virgin’s womb also kept him from corruption in the tomb.
This is a nice primer on deep theology. It can be read by a layman in one or two sittings.
Wow! a phenomenal little book about the theological passion of John Owen, namely understanding the relationships within the Trinity and the implications of that in the lives of Christ's followers. I learned alot in this first reading and already I look forward to re-reading this book next year.
5 stars - John Owen was the man. The choreography of the internal life of the one God as triune persons is amazing and John Owen knew it. I really enjoyed how he taught on the remedy of the Father’s love to the Christians soul - often I’m tempted to think that it is only the Son who loves, and he bargains with a harsh and demanding Father, but that is far from the truth (cf Eph 1:5).
Ferguson provides a wonderful summary of John Owen's On Communion with God. How can a believer have communion with each member of the Trinity? Owen explores how we can experience the love of the Father, the grace of Jesus, and the communion of the Spirit. This book is short but theologically deep.
Sinclair Ferguson does a fantastic job of introducing not only John Owen's theology and life but also his heart for the Triune God of the Bible. Cleary the author has read most if not all of Owen's works and refers to them frequently. Particularly admirable is the way the book was written, it is very devotional. It reads in a manner that makes a Christian want to return to the place of communing with God to experience more of His glory and love.
This is a fantastic primer to Owen's life and thought, but is not sufficient to really bring us into his thoughts on many subjects. Such as the Savoy Declaration, Congregationalism, etc,. It's too short to dive into these things (I read this book in about two hours) but does touch on them quickly.
This is a pretty good book for a high level explanation of our relationship to the Trinity and it's persons. For that, I'm grateful for this book as an enjoyable read and an encouragement.
But as an overview of what John Owen believed our relationship to the trinity to be? Not the best. It gets better, and there is nothing wrong in there, but I wish it was more explicitly Owen's thoughts and much fewer of Sinclair's.
Not a bad book by any stretch, but not what I was expecting.
"The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen" by Sinclair B. Ferguson would not have been my choice of a theological book to read had it not been for our local church. We were assigned this book as our study book for our small group meetings. Although I found the book to be a bit of a challenge for our small group discussion, it did cause me to spend additional time reading and considering the truths as presented in the book. As a result, I found much blessing in the consideration of the love of the Father, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. I will not attempt to communicate all that was written but suffice it to say that it contained plenty of good, spiritual food especially as I read and reread the text.
A couple of notes is that I did appreciate the chapter that gave an overview of the life of John Owen. It was a helpful beginning to the rest of the book. I also appreciated the division of the chapters with a focus on each of the three persons of the Trinity. This was helpful in allowing me to better focus. Overall, this was a very beneficial book with some good practical applications. I would certainly recommend it for those who desire to walk in closer communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In every act performed by one member of the Trinity, the other two are at work as well. The church would do well to recognize the work of all three Persons within the Godhead. That was John Owen’s desire in his ministry, and it is on full display in his written works. Ferguson does an excellent job summarizing Owen’s work and showing his passion that the church know God as fully as possible, for this is the most practical thing a Christian could do. Only by knowing God can we know how we ought to live, because it is perfectly emulated in God Himself. May more people come into contact with Owen’s works and seek the Lord thoroughly—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Very heartwarming, and very readable. Owen's combination of passion and intellect cannot help but stir your affections for fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Sinclair Ferguson is also very pastoral and devotional in his middleman role between John Owen and us. Probably my one complaint is simply that I would have liked to see more of John Owen's own words. Ferguson often paraphrases and summarizes, but in doing so it can at times be difficult to tell whether it is Owen speaking in Ferguson's words or just Ferguson speaking. I have often considered the doctrine of the Trinity to be one of the most important doctrines, if not the sine qua non of Christian theology. Owen manages to help you love this doctrine more, even when it remains utterly mysterious.
This was quite an enjoyable read, and I appreciated getting to know more about John Owen as I must admit I knew very little. This short book does include biographical coverage as well as good like at Owen's Trinitarian Spirituality - which I could quite relate to.
Highly recommended introduction to Owen, and will hopefully increase the desire to learn more about him and his time period.
This is a short introduction to one big aspect of John Owen's theology: Communion with the Triune God. Ferguson does a great job summarizing Owen's views on the subject, which are probably the most influential of any theologian since Calvin. This is an easily accessible introduction to Owen's thought and theology which should lead to further study, particularly reading Owen yourself.
I have always found John Owen very difficult to read, so I was a bit concerned about reading this book. Not to worry, Sinclair Ferguson, one of my favorite authors, offers a very readable book on the great Puritan. The book is a part of The Long Line of Godly Men Profiles, which highlights key figures in the age long procession of these sovereign-grace men. Other books in the series have covered John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon and others. Many of the books have been written by the series editor Steven Lawson. Lawson writes: “The purpose of this series is to explore how these figures used their God-given gifts and abilities to impact their times and further the kingdom of heaven. Because they were wholly devoted followers of Christ, their examples are worthy of emulation today.” Ferguson begins the book with his personal connection to Owen. He writes that Owen’s style is usually regarded as notoriously difficult. Latin was virtually his first language. But in God’s Providence he writes: “There was no discussion, as far as I can remember, about whether we would study Latin. It was a key to further education, and therefore nonnegotiable. Little could my father and mother have imagined that the guidance they gave their eleven-year-old son would make it much easier for him, some six years later, to read the greatest, if possibly the most difficult, of all the seventeenth-century English theologians.” He goes on to write: “Owen stretched my mind, analyzed my soul, taught me theological devotion, and prescribed spiritual medicine. Theologically and pastorally, he helped shape what I thought a minister of the gospel should know, believe, and preach. He showed me how to think through the gospel and its application. Thus, this seventeenth-century Oxford academic and minister has been one of the most significant influences on my life.” Ferguson writes of the privilege of introducing Owen to some who may never have heard his name, much less read his works. He writes: “In particular, it provides an opportunity to say something about the enormous importance and relevance of a central theme in his theology. This theme can, I think, be summed up in the following way. There is nothing in all the world more important to you than these truths: (1) God is Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (2) If you are a Christian, it is because of the loving thought and action of each person of the Trinity. (3) The greatest privilege any of us can have is this: we can know God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We can enjoy fellowship—what Owen calls “communion”—with God.” Ferguson then provides us with a brief biographical sketch of Owens, who he states in his own time was England’s greatest living theologian. He died in 1683, leaving behind him a legacy of writings that now occupy twenty-four large volumes averaging around six hundred pages each. I highly recommend that you read this book. I highlighted a number of passages in the book and would like to share 15 of them with you below: 1. To be a Christian is, first and foremost, to belong to the triune God and to be named for Him. This is the heart and core of the privileges of the gospel. 2. For far from seeing the Trinity as an impractical and abstract doctrine, it is for him—by necessity—the most practical of all doctrines, simply because knowing God is eternal life. 3. The more we reflect on the way Scripture details the activities of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, the correspondingly fuller and richer our communion with God will become. It will no longer be communion with an undifferentiated being, but fellowship with a deeply personal, indeed three-personal, Being in all that He is in His three persons, each one in the undivided Three making Himself known to us in special and distinct ways. 4. There are Christians who are not deeply convinced of the love that their heavenly Father has for them. They may grasp the love of Christ, but there seems to be a cognitive gap or a dissonance between their trust in Him and their trust in the Father. 5. There is no gap between the love of the Father and that of the Son. Christ died for us because the Father loves us, not in order to induce or persuade a reluctant Father to love us. 6. The New Testament’s most frequent, and indeed most basic, description of the believer is that he or she is a person “in Christ.” 7. We cannot spread our sin further than He can spread His grace. 8. We have come to delight in Christ only when we have begun to live for Christ and a new sensitivity to and distaste for sin has been produced in us by His delight in us and ours in Him. 9. Our true worth is found in the value Christ has placed upon us, not in the valuation of our self-assessment. It is what He has done (and who He is as the One who has done it) that gives us real value and creates a sense of worth in us. 10. Christians find both stability and assurance in the application to themselves of our Lord’s words: “I have prayed for you.” 11. Those who enjoy communion with Him are reassured there is no lack in them that He cannot meet, no emptiness He cannot fill, no sin He cannot forgive, no enemy that can withstand the fact that the Christ who died for them lives forever for them at God’s right hand. Having died to win our inheritance in the presence of God, He stands in that very presence to secure us for its full and final enjoyment. 12. This—the highest privilege of all—is adoption into the family of God with all the rights and privileges of knowing Him as our heavenly Father. 13. It is one of the chief distinctions between Christians and unbelievers. The latter seek but do not find any ultimate meaning in their suffering; as a result, unbelievers must attempt to create meaning. But not so Christians. For Scripture teaches them that, in Christ, trials have a goal. God is treating His people as sons by training them. 14. More than that, suffering in the Christian life is the training ground of the soul. The Father is equipping His children through adversity. 15. The immediate fruit of the Spirit’s coming to us is the bond of our union with Christ. From this union flows all our communion with Him. As He comes to indwell us, He enlivens us, leads us, supports and strengthens us, and produces in us Christlike character and qualities. He both restrains us from sin and sanctifies us more and more.
This is not a long book, nor is it a traditional biography. What it is is a fascinating and enjoyable read.
There are five chapters. The first is a relatively brief summary of the life of John Owen. Since Owen is not particularly well known figure today even in evangelicalism, this summary should be interesting to anyone who enjoys church history or Cromwell-era English history.
The remaining chapters summarize and reflect on Owen's teaching and writings on the trinity generally, with individual chapters on each member of the trinity. Specifically, these chapters center around communion with the trinity.
While I very much liked the book, one warning I would give is this: it isn't always an easy read and one might be best served to read it in smaller doses as more of a devotional book. I would recommend that anyone thinking of reading it makes sure to engage both their mind and heart.
To read it shallowly would bring either boredom or cause one to miss most of what is being said; on the other hand, to read it academically without engaging one's heart would make reading it more or less a waste of time.
I very much enjoyed this book, despite the difficulty. Would recommend to any who are serious about reading it. Casual readers may not enjoy it, though.
Uma das melhores leituras do ano! Sim, eu sei que ainda é cedo, mas apesar de se tratar de um livro biográfico e bibliográfico, The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen tem a capacidade aquecer o coração, ao expor o modo como o príncipe dos puritanos entendia a comunhão que desfrutamos com a Santíssima Trindade. De modo especial, o capítulo sobre a comunhão com Deus o Pai é impressionante!
Finished this last night as I sat in Boomtown enjoying drinking my coffee in the slowly fading evening light. And what an encouraging and comforting (and yes, enlightening!) book this has been. I received it from Dad this past Christmas. This book is part of the "A Long Line of Godly Men" series edited by Steve Lawson...and I think this is the first book in the series I've read that's not also written by Steve Lawson. Of course it's not my first book I've read by Sinclair Ferguson (I've also had the pleasure of hearing him preach at Ligonier conference back in the day!), and knowing Ferguson, I knew this would be a good one. Actually - I had no doubt of that, as Owen is one of my favourite authors...so learning more about him? How could that go wrong?? And sure enough, it's a simply wonderful book. As these books go, the first few chapters are a brief biographical sketch, and it was most enjoyable in this case, as I've never read a biography on Owen before, so I learned a lot. He was truly a man of God, used much in his life (he lived in the 17th century, for anyone that was wondering). He was associated with some of the principle characters in the English Civil War (Cromwell et al) but his primary allegiance was not to any political character, but to God Himself. And so of course, I enjoyed learning more about the life of Owen (I love biographies!). But my favourite part of this book was Ferguson's discussion on Owen's theology. He cited from many different volumes of Owen's Works, and I was excited to realize that some of his citations were from volumes I've already read! Ferguson spent multiple chapters discussing the Trinity, which is such a rich subject worthy of much meditation. Owen spilled much ink discussing the roles of the Persons of the Trinity and hence Ferguson felt it was worthwhile (I am definitely in agreement) to highlight some of Owen's teachings on the subject. So by far the highlight of this book was reading more about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So encouraging to my soul. Oh how I long for greater communion with God. Any book that stirs such desire is truly praiseworthy. Also this book caused me to want to read more Owen...but I am holding off. Not yet!! Once I start another Owen volume, it will be months before I complete it, so probably going to read a few more books before I dive into Volume 4. Soon though. Maybe I'll target mid-April or so. It will be my summertime reading and it shall be glorious. Anyways, to conclude - this book is highly recommended and it's super short (less than 130 pages and it's a very small - in dimensions - book). Most readable and incredibly encouraging.
Ryle wrote that the Puritan John Owens has “more learning and sound knowledge of Scripture in his little finger than many who depreciate him have in their whole bodies.”
This book is a great summary by Ferguson on Owen’s view of the Trinity and it’s practical application to our sanctification. I’ve always viewed the doctrine of the Trinity more in its mystery than in its practical application to my spiritual growth. Owens describes the Trinity as the most “practical” of all doctrines.
Owens’ premise it that there is a distinct “flavor” about our fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and with the Holy Spirit. He writes that 2 Cor 13:14 “farther drives on the truth that lies under demonstration; there being such a distinct communication of grace from the several persons of the Diety, the saints must needs have distinct communion with them” (42).
Hence, in order to worship and experience His grace more fully we must understand the unique unity and distinct roles of these three members of the God head.
God: “What for we need? We need to take daily doses of the Father’s love and reflect on the Hugh privilege of being His adopted children. Jesus is the beam, but the Father Himself is the sun of eternal love. Christ is the stream, but through Him we are led to the Father, who is the fountain of all grace and kindness” (57).
Christ: “being a Christian involves a deep affection for Christ. He is a person to be known, admired, and loved. Fellowship with Christ, therefore, involves a ‘mutual resignation’ or self-giving between ourselves and Him … this threefold distinction involves our ‘understanding’ or who Christ is and what He has done; a ‘willingness’ to give ourselves unreservedly to Him … and a transformation of the Christian’s ‘affections’” (69, 72).
Holy Spirit: “His Spirit helps us. He prays when we have no words to pray. Thus, one of the features of the spiritually minded is that his desires are greater than his words” (73).
Since it’s a summary of Owens own writings it’s 4/5 stars. Most of Fergusons direct quotation comes from “The Works of John Owens” which is undoubtably 5 stars! Yet given the length of this volume, Ferguson’s primer is a great appetizer for someone unfamiliar with John Owens and his incredibly sanctifying writings.
I received this book from a friend of mine for my birthday. This book one from a series of 12 books appropriately titled 'A Long Line of Godly Men.' My friend specifically chose Owen of the lot because he deemed it to be pertinent to my stage of life at present. I recently heard Trinitarian theologian Dr. Fred Sanders comment that Sinclair B. Ferguson is the author to read if one wishes to delve into the depths of acknowledging and better understanding the Trinity throughout scripture and in application to our lives.
Not only is Ferguson an accessible author, but the way he explains things are quite easy to understand without their substance being watered down. This book, albeit 128 pages, was deeply spiritually edifying as I learned from John Owen in relation to the economic Trinity and how I can have communion with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It is hard to capture the depth of Owen's writing, and one is better off interacting with Owen on their own accord. However, through reading this book I began to grasp intellectually and emotionally how God's perfect communion with Adam in a covenantal love relationship was destroyed in the fall is restored to us through the person of Christ Jesus, the significance of each person of the Trinity in our communion with God, the love of the Father, and the significance of imagery in the Old and New Testaments concerning our being the bride of Christ.
I'm thankful for having been introduced to John Owen through Ferguson's writing and look forward to reading 'Communion with God,' 'Communion with the Triune God,' by John Owen in addition to 'The Holy Spirit' by Sinclair Ferguson.
This book is not exactly what it claims to be, but man-oh-man, how glad I am that it is what it is! It is billed as a biography in the "Long Line of Godly Men Profile" series, but it is really a short book of theology of the Trinity, with an introductory biography in the first chapter. I did not realize this when I picked it up, but I am so grateful for Sinclair Ferguson's clear communication of two very difficult things: (1) the beautiful doctrine of the Trinity, and (2) the brilliant-but-opaque writings of John Owen!
I admire Owen's writings and have read a little bit of them, but they require a lot of work and brainpower. Ferguson takes the reader by the hand and helps us understand the wonder and depth of understanding of God hidden in the works of Owen, and he does so on the most important doctrine of all: the doctrine of who God is.
In four chapters (after the biography) Ferguson explains the doctrine of the Trinity as a whole, and then speaks theologically and devotionally about how to enjoy fellowship with each Person of the Godhead. I found that it warmed my heart and challenged my brain -- the best type of writing. But this book does not devolve into speculation; it stops where it must, preserving the mystery of God where Scripture leaves Him a mystery.
Every Christian should read a book like this, that reveals to us the deep and rich wonders of who God is and leaves us panting for more.
5/5- Clear, Concise & Informative. An essential read for any Protestant in my mind.
My perception of Puritans has been very wrong. I have typically understood them as rigid, fear-monguring, Bible thumpers and have been pleasently surprised at how wrong I have been. It is unfortunate theologians like Edwards and Owen are only associated with "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". Though Owen and Edwards never shyed away from the realities of hell, they also were so rich in their Trinitarian understanding.
God's Triune reality is the source of all beauty and actually changes everything about our Christian faith. The way we prioritize relationships, how we think of "love", anthropology, the majesty of creation, salvation and more! Owen (and Edwards) need to be "dug up" and brought back to the forefront as I fear Karl Raher was right when he said, "We must be willing to admit that, should the doctrine of the Trinity have to be dropped as false, the major part of religious literature could well remain virtually unchanged.”
I love the "Long Line of Godly Men Profile" series by P&R Trust. Sinclair Ferguson pens another good offering in this series.
Ferguson's task is nearly impossible; John Owen was so incredibly prolific in his lifetime. How do you condense his work into a survey? Ferguson locks onto Owen's devotion to a trinitarian theology. This is a reasonable conclusion considering that Owen authored the best treatise on the Holy Spirit of his age (of all time???).
I thought chapter two in this book punched above its weight. Ferguson does an amazing job of dealing with why the doctrine of the Trinity is practical. In short, he argues that the doctrine of the trinity changes absolutely everything for the follower of Christ. And I find his argument to be inspiring.
This book is written for a both clergy and laity, but beware: Ferguson leans into latin often and doesn't shy away from advanced theological terms. His writing is clear and snappy. This book is a helpful tool.
This is an excellent book. Ferguson plums the depths of Owens Trinitarian thought with great clarity and simplicity-all the while losing nothing of the mystery and profundity that come with doctrines of such magnitude. Through each section, he quickly penetrates the surface and holds the reader there with him while he explores the riches of this great puritan mind. Throughout he demonstrates the practical necessity of this doctrine for the Christian life. Polemical at times, but more often devotional, leading the reader to glorious doxological contemplations. This book will serve as a warm and stimulating introduction to those who have not read Owen. Those who have begun to enjoy Owen will find in this book a means to increase and improve that enjoyment.
Good basic introduction to the thought and theology of John Owen on Trinitarian fellowship with God. Owen can be rather dense in his 17th century Anglicized Latin writing style. Therefore, Ferguson gives us a good analysis of Owen's work, Communion with God, helping us to understand the key points and discussions. My only critique would be in his chapter on the Holy Spirit in which Ferguson takes the opportunity to advocate cessationism, the belief that the vocal gifts of the Spirit ceased with the establishment of the church. Otherwise, not only be intellectually stimulated, but devotionally enriched with Ferguson's breakdown of Owen's thought.
A short but still book length advert for the works of John Owen - in particular his work "Communion with the Triune God".
The material is brilliant but not that compellingly arranged or structured. I've listened through to this twice - the first time made no distinct impression on me, hence the second listen.
The second time around a few brilliant nuggets stood out but still the overall conclusion I'm left with is "John Owen's work is great you should read it yourself" -> that may be a good conclusion but with this as a book in it's own right I was hoping for a bit more.
I am a sucker for history and theology. Ferguson is a master at putting them together. This book is a great introduction to the life and thought of John Owen. Owen is notoriously difficult to read and Ferguson does a fine job in helping the reader to see this intellectual giant as a man devoted to God. Further, this book is a wonderful distillation of doctrine concerning the Trinity. Every Christian would do well to read this book.
“Just as we have been baptized into the name of the Trinity, we enjoy fellowship with each person in His distinctive expressions of grace toward us. As we do so, the frequently sung words of the “Doxology,” now better understood, give expression to our affections. For we have been loved by the Father, reconciled through the Son, and are being transformed “from one degree of glory to another” by the Spirit.” -Ferguson