The Holy Spirit

Works of John Owen #3

by John Owen

The fraud and manipulation, which abounds in the church under the pretence that it is the work of the Holy Spirit, make this book required reading. Things excellent in themselves and acknowledged by all Christians are often counterfeited; the more worthy any thing is, the more destructive is the abuse of it. All believers must “try the spirits” because false prophets and false teachers deprive us of liberty. Some people claim to know the Spirit’s inward enlightenment, but the darkness of Satan fills their imaginations. This false light is of no use to the souls of men; it is in opposition to Christ and his work. The only way to tackle this is by giving a plain and scriptural account of the nature and work of the Holy Spirit. His work did not end at Pentecost, otherwise all faith in Christ would have ceased, and Christianity also. The Spirit continues to work in the hearts of men, convicting of sin; producing godly sorrow and humility; regenerating and sanctifying; supplying grace and helping in prayer. John Newton spoke of Owen’s work as, “An epitome, if not the masterpiece of his writings.” No one who cares about the church in the 21st century can afford to ignore this exhaustive guide.   This is a very lightly edited text with a new layout and is fully subtitled which makes it more accessible to a new generation of readers.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Faith

383 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1674

About the author

John Owen was an English theologian and "was without doubt not only the greatest theologian of the English Puritan movement but also one of the greatest European Reformed theologians of his day, and quite possibly possessed the finest theological mind that England ever produced" ("Owen, John", in Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals, p. 494)

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Owen knew more about the Holy Spirit than every Pentecostal preacher put togetehr.

[Rafael Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful. The latter third of the book focusing on the gospel holiness enacted by the Spirit in the believer is the most convicting and edifying treatment of the subject of holiness I have read so far. It is certainly not light reading, but I would enthusiastically recommend this book to help clarify doctrinal points (obedience/holiness vs. justification/faith) and warm a believer's heart for God.

[Christian Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love John Owen, and this book articulates why he is my favorite Puritan. Owen is consistent in his thinking, practical in his application, and God honoring in his theology. There is no doubt that this theology of the Holy Spirit is biblical and by far the most practical that I have read. Owen walks through the Trinity, the roles of the Spirit, how the Spirit works in believers, and the comfort He provides. The closing portion of the book is focused on the believer mortifying the flesh by the Spirit. Truly a fantastic and convicting book.

[Travis Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. This was my introduction to Owen’s writings and I’m on the hunt for more. I was only a few pages in when I ran and got my pen and notebook, I immediately knew this was a book that needed note taking and meditation to go along with it.

Owen writes on holiness and mortification of sin reminding the Christian of his spiritual disciplines and the work of the Holy Spirit in his spiritual disciplines. I was warned Owen was a hard read, but I am grateful it was made easier to read by the publisher.

[Ronnie Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Owen's discourse on sanctification is an unrivaled masterpiece. I do find the author at times a bit difficult to follow because of sentence structure and syntax, but the treasures to be found within are well worth mining. In my review of Volume 2 I stated that it was his best work, but the more I read the more I am convinced that John Owen is one of the greatest theological minds ever gifted to the body and would be difficult to label his "best work". Looking forward to volume 4!

[Andy Ardern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this abridged classic on the Holy Spirit. The bits about mortification and election were unexpectedly helpful as well.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This abridgment of Owen's Discourse on the Holy Spirit makes for dense reading, and for me, it wasn't a quick, or even continuous, read...as evidenced by the fact that I started it years ago, taking in a little at a time. By now, it's been long enough that I feel the need to go back and try again from the beginning sometime. But the remarkable thing about this work, and my main takeaway, is that Reformed theology is absolutely suffused with the Holy Spirit. You could almost hand this book to someone as a primer of Reformed theology, I think. He is constantly active in believers' lives in his work of regeneration, conversion, and sanctification (the latter taking up the greater part of Owen's discourse)--constantly showing them the excellencies and beauty of God through the face of Christ, increasing their love for Him and conforming them to Christ's likeness by His power. Owen unpacks all of this methodically and often beautifully.

[Rick Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Owen, considered to be the greatest English theologian. In this book, Owen writes about the Holy Spirit. I think he is concise and describes the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Father begins, the Son upholds and the Holy Spirit completes.
The Father created the world, the son died for our salvation, the Holy Spirit brings sinners to faith. Without the Holy Spirit, Spiritual things are blind and would not make sense.

God allows men to fall into great actual sins to awaken their consciences. Men become hardened in sins and lose all sense of shame. God is the author of Holiness. The Holy Spirit stirs grace in us, we are motivated by him. He empowers us. Owen says, Regeneration has nothing to do with Ecstasy. All Men are Unregenerate (or) Regenerate. Overall, it is a great book, I recommend John Owen to every believer.

Deus Vult
Gottfried.

[Justin Andrusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best puritan books I have ever read!

[Chris Land · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on the Holy Spirit

[Logan Almy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is highly-accessible, modernized version of John Owen’s Holy Spirit (Volume 3 of his works). He spends a great deal of time on the role of the HS in our sanctification which Owen describes as “his chief work.” A highlight for me was his treatment of the Spirit’s work in relationship to the human nature of Christ. Highly recommended

[Amanda Bittner · Rating 5 out of 5]

read most of it for a book study. just so good and so refreshing and edifying to read the puritans with their women. so grateful

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read excerpts for doctrine class. I just love Owen's ordered and rich theological explanations. It's easier to understand him now after having read Aristotle.

[Rodrigo Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente livro, um clássico do mestre John Owen. O livro vai abordar como o Espírito Santo é fundamental na caminhada cristã. Boa leitura, esclarecedora em muitos pontos, o autor aborda várias questões concernentes ao Espírito Santo e como precisamos dEle para vivermos em santidade de vida.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exceptional book that exceeded my expectations (even knowing that it was John Owen).
Every sentence was insightful and extremely helpful.
The last few chapters (about practical holiness/sanctification/sin) were fantastic and capped off the earlier chapters about the work of the Spirit.

I would recommend this to anyone. This is by no means academic, and on the other hand is immensely practical. It was a joy to read, and a gold mine.

[Jonathan Laboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why is knowledge of the Holy Spirit so important? Because all Gospel Ministry is Holy Spirit ministry, all Christian growth is the work of the Holy Spirit. We are part of the New Covenant once we are brought to salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ: our Covenant with God is by the Blood of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we have a lot to do with the Holy Spirit if we have any part with God's Covenant of mercy at all. It is important we honor and recognize the place of the Holy Spirit in order to avoid the clutches of superficial religion which is not to be compared to the beauty of living and breathing Communion with almighty God!

This work touches subjects as the Work of the Holy Spirit, New Creature, Regeneration, Sanctification, Holiness, Spiritual Gifts, etc. I think it's essential how we ought to depend on God for everything and I like how we are invited to see in this work our dependence to God and the movements of the Holy Spirit

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Owen was a puritan who obviously had a passion for the doctrines of regeneration and sanctification. This work on the Holy Spirit is not bad, but isn't really well titled. Owen's train of thought goes from Holy Spirit, to Holy Spirit's works to Regeneration to Sanctification.

I sort of wished it had been a different book and found much similar to his "Mortification of Sin." Not bad stuff for anyone interested in the puritan doctrines that formed our nation.

[Joshua Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This says just about everything that needs to be said about the work of the Holy Spirit. This book was written by a man who was very in tune with the mind and heart of God. I pray it is as insightful for you as it was for me. Although it seems a bit repetitive at times, there is much to be gained and gleaned from reading it.

[Junior · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Owen, on the Holy Spirit! What else do you need to know.

[Noel Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. I won't kid; this reads like a handbook or an encyclopedia, not like a good book. But the information is great. Wish I'd had it years ago.

[Peter Clegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book on The trinity I have read. It is one of the major reasons I am a Calvinist.

[John Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading John Owen is like swimming through lead, but always worth the effort.

[Italo Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

livro muito bom.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by Owen. A really good read informing us on The Holy Spirit, His work and living a life of holiness unto God.

[James Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

And there you go. After more than a year(not exactly sure when I started it, but I think it was in 2017??), with gaps where I took time to read other theological works...I have finished Vol 3 of Owen's Works. What a masterpiece of a book. I'm not sure how often I've written of Owen here, so I guess I should be brief. This book was all about the Holy Spirit and His work (mostly in our lives as Christians - but not exclusively!). Apparently this volume was not big enough to contain all of Owen's thoughts on the Spirit though...as Volume 4 is called "The Work of the Spirit"! But this book was very encouraging to my soul. I very much hesitate to recommend Owen, as he's a difficult read at the best of times, and most would probably not get much out of it. I tend to read so quickly though, that when reading many books, I miss out on the truth within because I'm just reading so fast! With Owen though...because of his dense and obtuse writing style, I'm forced to read slower and analyse carefully what he's saying...and so in a weird way, I am more greatly benefited by his Puritan language than I am by more modern authors(like a Keller or a Piper...both of whom for some reason I'm not really either edified or moved by as much...). But reading Owen's words on the Spirit of God - and how He indeed actively works in our lives and how this knowledge should drive us to holiness and dependence on God for all things...indeed humbling and thrilling all at the same time. I'm rambling a bit, I know, so I shall close. But one of my takeaways from this hefty tome is the beauty and sheer necessity of our holiness as Christians. When we sin before God, we show God that we despise Him and His words. Is that what we want? As we know that we are sons and daughters of God...as we know that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit...our driving passion should be to honour our Lord God in every word we speak and every step we take. Be holy, as our Father in heaven is holy. We are God's children, fellow heirs with Christ Himself. Meditate today on what it means to truly abide in Christ. Remain at peace in the love of God, which burns brighter and hotter and more beautifully than anything we can even begin to imagine.

[Ben Chidester · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the Reformed faith has come to be viewed as a Spirit-deficient one, here is an appropriate remedy: a classic and, in Owenian fashion, thorough explication of the work of the Holy Spirit, covering areas including creation, Christ's incarnation and earthly ministry, regeneration, and sanctification. I won't go so far as to say that every Reformed minister ought to read this book (surely others who have produced masterful works on these topics, and I don't expect Owen's doctrine to be unique or controversial), but I do commend them to explore these topics to such depth - surely the church would greatly benefit from it.

Owen's main conversation partners in this work are "enthusiasts" (ex: Quakers) and "moralists" (those who believe that conversion is mere moral persuasion, and not an efficacious work of the Spirit upon the heart of believers). Against these views, Owen sets out to demonstrate the true doctrine of the Spirit's work.

Sections I found particularly helpful were those on regeneration and Christ's incarnation. Both touch on anthropology, a deeper understanding of which would bring much clarity to many significant theological controversies today. Particularly helpful was the explanation of regeneration as the imparting of a gracious habit and the relevance of this to sanctification and the role of good works in the believer's life. A revival of such language would be a great boon to the church, both in theological discussion and in pastoral encouragement to believers as we yet struggle against sin in this world.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first engagement with John Owen beyond pithy quotes that are shared by meme accounts on social media, and I wasn't disappointed. As someone who is Reformed the name John Owen is bandied about but I have never read one of his works before. This was the one that was cited as his most influential work by the editors in Oxford Handbook on Reformed Theology. Though I wonder if this is the case outside of intelligentsia.
I was properly warned by people who have read Owen that he can be quite obtuse, and this was certainly the case, and I wouldn't say that all parts of this work are equal, but it does a good job of picking up on the trends in Reformed theology in the 17th century, and giving an idea of Reformed pneumatology.
Owen has a pretty dry sense of humor and very no-nonsense when he writes things which can be funny from time to time and add some respite to rather laborious reading, but I feel as though Owen's scholarly work is largely irrelevant to his larger ministry and more popular works. I haven't read those, but reading this gave me that impression. As very few people quote anything from this work aside from the first chapter which serves as a summary of the whole work.
I definitely want to read Owen again, but I'm gonna read a more popularly focused work that probably serves as a better distillation of his theology.

[Kaitlyn Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic puritan work on the workings and person of the Holy Spirit brings clarity and emphasis on how we are to glorify God in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The emphasis being first the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration in the heart of a person. And second the outward working of that change of heart in the fruit of obedience and a holy life. Holiness is a much neglected duty today, and if we do not see it as just that, a duty, we are bound to neglect it as well. Believers are called to be holy. If our lives are not marked by a pursuit of this, then we must examine whether or not we have truly been saved. We cannot achieve salvation through the works of obedience and pursuit of holiness, on our own it is impossible. But if we are in Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit with all His power to work in us the obedience and holiness that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in (Eph. 2:10). We dishonor the power and work of God if we are not bearing fruit of His powerful working in our lives. He who began a work in us WILL carry it to completion (Phil. 1:6). If it's not happening, currently and for our lives continually, then we are not in Christ and do not have the Spirit working in us. Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).

[Shawn Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was not a book that could afford me the time to read straight through. It is definitely tough reading, but to those who are willing to put forth the effort there are many gems awaiting to be unearthed in the reading of Owen. Volume 3 intrigued me as Owen has tackled with boldness a topic few today are able to expound upon accurately or desire to write on. So with the reading of Owen on the Holy Spirit it was thoroughly but completely necessary considering the dearth of contemporary materials on the third person of the Trinity.

One quote that emerged in my thinking and brought beneficial meditation to me was from page 403, "In the assaults of temptations and corruptions the soul is wofully ruffled and disordered,--itis leaves of profession are much blasted, and its beginnings of fruit-bearing much broken and retarded; but, in the meantime, it secretly and invisibly cast out its roots of humility, self-abasement, and mourning, in a hidden and continual labouring of faith and love after taht grace, whereby holiness doth really increase, and way is made for future visible fruitfulness;"

[David Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my series of reviews of Owen’s works, we come to volume 3 – which is an absolute delight. After I read it of Owens works this was my footnote:

“a stunning book that fed my soul, challenged me and gave me Christ”

Again this review is the same as those of vol one and two – a general description followed by some of the most helpful quotes.

I now understand why some people call Owen the theologian of the Holy Spirit. I have never read anyone who goes into such depth and with such practical insight as Owen on this subject. Charismatic and Calvinist alike should read this book – if they read only one of Owen’s works. I thought it was beautiful, challenging and incredibly helpful in understanding how the Spirit works in our lives.

I have written a fuller review complete with many quotes here -

https://theweeflea.com/2017/09/16/joh...

"“That the spiritual beauty and comeliness of the soul consists in its conformity unto God. Grace gives beauty.” (P.429)