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The Complete Works of John Owen #8
The Holy Spirit-The Comforter
Crossway Introduces the Collected Works of John Owen, Updated for Modern Readers Regarded as one of the greatest theologians in history, 17th-century pastor John Owen remains influential among those interested in Puritan and Reformed theology. The Complete Works of John Owen brings together all of Owen’s original theological writing, including never-before-published work, reformatted for modern readers in 40 user-friendly volumes. Volume 8, The Holy Spirit—The Comforter , includes the treatises “The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer,” “The Holy Spirit as a Comforter,” and “A Discourse of Spiritual Gifts.” Each treatise has been edited by Puritan scholar Andrew Ballitch. Released over a number of years, The Complete Works of John Owen will inspire a new generation of Bible readers and scholars to deeper faith.
- GenresTheologyChristianity
542 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 5, 2023
5 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
John Owen
1,360 books416 followersJohn 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)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 11, 2023
This one contains three more books on the Holy Spirit and his works.
The first one is The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, and it is so good. You cannot not read this if you plan to study the subjects of praying in the Spirit, the place and uses of composed prayer (which Owen's not fond of) and the central place of prayer in the whole Christian experience of God. Don't be afraid of Owen's great mind and intellect : this discourse actually gives us a desire to pray more, more dependently on Spirit and simpler.
Here is a quote from Owen concerning his design : "My design is so to discover the nature of praying in the Spirit in general as that therewith I may declare what is a furtherance thereunto and what is a hindrance thereof. For if there be such ways of praying, which men use or oblige themselves unto, which do not comply with, or are not suited to promote, or are unconcerned in, or do not express those workings of the Holy Ghost which are so directly assigned unto him in the prayers of believers, they are all nothing but means of quenching the Spirit, of disappointing the work of his grace, and rendering the prayers themselves, so used, and as such, unacceptable with God." (p.103)
The second book is The Holy Spirit as a Comforter. It is a really good discourse on the glorious and gracious roles and works of the Spirit for and in us as a Comforter, Advocate, Unction, Seal and Earnest. Owen is pretty convicting in his handling of the texts concerning the Spirit's unction and sealing.
The third and last book is A Discourse of Spiritual Gifts. Owen's great emphasis is for the church and its ministers to always be filled with those marvellous gifts of the Spirit of God ; gifts which are, according to Owen, the glories and only weapons of the Church here on earth. He emphasis quite a lot that churches without spiritual gifts are at best, dead churches or prostitutes ; and that a minister without spiritual gifts is no better. Owen's position on the extraordinary gifts is quite clear and typical of the Post-Reformation Reformed type of Puritanism : they were for the accomplishing of the extraordinary offices (apostles, prophets and evangelists) appointed for the foundational phase of the Church.
The first one is The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, and it is so good. You cannot not read this if you plan to study the subjects of praying in the Spirit, the place and uses of composed prayer (which Owen's not fond of) and the central place of prayer in the whole Christian experience of God. Don't be afraid of Owen's great mind and intellect : this discourse actually gives us a desire to pray more, more dependently on Spirit and simpler.
Here is a quote from Owen concerning his design : "My design is so to discover the nature of praying in the Spirit in general as that therewith I may declare what is a furtherance thereunto and what is a hindrance thereof. For if there be such ways of praying, which men use or oblige themselves unto, which do not comply with, or are not suited to promote, or are unconcerned in, or do not express those workings of the Holy Ghost which are so directly assigned unto him in the prayers of believers, they are all nothing but means of quenching the Spirit, of disappointing the work of his grace, and rendering the prayers themselves, so used, and as such, unacceptable with God." (p.103)
The second book is The Holy Spirit as a Comforter. It is a really good discourse on the glorious and gracious roles and works of the Spirit for and in us as a Comforter, Advocate, Unction, Seal and Earnest. Owen is pretty convicting in his handling of the texts concerning the Spirit's unction and sealing.
The third and last book is A Discourse of Spiritual Gifts. Owen's great emphasis is for the church and its ministers to always be filled with those marvellous gifts of the Spirit of God ; gifts which are, according to Owen, the glories and only weapons of the Church here on earth. He emphasis quite a lot that churches without spiritual gifts are at best, dead churches or prostitutes ; and that a minister without spiritual gifts is no better. Owen's position on the extraordinary gifts is quite clear and typical of the Post-Reformation Reformed type of Puritanism : they were for the accomplishing of the extraordinary offices (apostles, prophets and evangelists) appointed for the foundational phase of the Church.
February 11, 2024
Who is spiritual enough to pray? How can I be sure that I am saved? What does the Spirit do in my life and in the life of the church?
In The Holy Spirit—The Comforter, Owen gives thoughtful responses to these rather personal but perennially relevant questions. This volume is a companion of sorts to Volume 7 (The Holy Spirit—The Helper). In both volumes, Owen fills out his doctrine of the Holy Spirit with discussion of the works of the Spirit that shape the life of a believer. Perhaps because of how closely linked these works are, editor Andrew Ballitch simply reprints the relevant section from volume 7's more extensive historical introduction.
The three works included in this volume are The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer (1682), The Holy Spirit as a Comforter (1693), and A Discourse of Spiritual Gifts (1693). These were written toward the end of Owen's life and ministry. They thus give an interesting window into Owen's mature reflection on the nature of the Christian life.
For example, in his work on prayer, Owen responds to a specific issue in his ecclesial and social context (the re-established mandate that every parish must use the book of common prayer) by marshaling several disciplines (exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic reflection). Owen clarifies several times that he is not opposed to the use of written prayers per se, but rather he is opposed to the requirement for churches to use them and also the indefensible reasons that were given in defense of this practice.
One such reason is Owen's direct target throughout his work: The average Christian lacks the spiritual knowledge and theological skills to pray as they should. Owen responds to this position with a simple but profound rebuttal: Every believer is indwelled by God the Spirit, and this same Spirit supplies everything that is needed to have peace and communion with God himself.
Owen therefore concludes that "God has promised under the NT to give unto believers, in a plentiful manner or measure, the Spirit of grace and of supplications, or his own Holy Spirit, enabling them to pray according to his mind and will."
He anchors this argument in a close reading of Zech 12:10 (the promised Spirit of grace and supplications), Gal 4:6 (the Spirit of Christ who enables prayer to the Father), and Rom 8:26 (the Spirit who prays when we don't know what to say). By the work of God the Spirit, Owen insists, believers in Christ have everything they need to address God in prayer.
This gift of prayer is "an evangelical mercy and privilege."
In the contemporary push to "retrieve" the riches of the great tradition, it's also helpful to remember the cautions and qualifications that accompany some of the doctrines and practices from other eras.
Owen's theological framework for prayer alongside his warnings against a Spirit-less liturgical use of written prayers is worth retrieving as well.
In The Holy Spirit—The Comforter, Owen gives thoughtful responses to these rather personal but perennially relevant questions. This volume is a companion of sorts to Volume 7 (The Holy Spirit—The Helper). In both volumes, Owen fills out his doctrine of the Holy Spirit with discussion of the works of the Spirit that shape the life of a believer. Perhaps because of how closely linked these works are, editor Andrew Ballitch simply reprints the relevant section from volume 7's more extensive historical introduction.
The three works included in this volume are The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer (1682), The Holy Spirit as a Comforter (1693), and A Discourse of Spiritual Gifts (1693). These were written toward the end of Owen's life and ministry. They thus give an interesting window into Owen's mature reflection on the nature of the Christian life.
For example, in his work on prayer, Owen responds to a specific issue in his ecclesial and social context (the re-established mandate that every parish must use the book of common prayer) by marshaling several disciplines (exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic reflection). Owen clarifies several times that he is not opposed to the use of written prayers per se, but rather he is opposed to the requirement for churches to use them and also the indefensible reasons that were given in defense of this practice.
One such reason is Owen's direct target throughout his work: The average Christian lacks the spiritual knowledge and theological skills to pray as they should. Owen responds to this position with a simple but profound rebuttal: Every believer is indwelled by God the Spirit, and this same Spirit supplies everything that is needed to have peace and communion with God himself.
Owen therefore concludes that "God has promised under the NT to give unto believers, in a plentiful manner or measure, the Spirit of grace and of supplications, or his own Holy Spirit, enabling them to pray according to his mind and will."
He anchors this argument in a close reading of Zech 12:10 (the promised Spirit of grace and supplications), Gal 4:6 (the Spirit of Christ who enables prayer to the Father), and Rom 8:26 (the Spirit who prays when we don't know what to say). By the work of God the Spirit, Owen insists, believers in Christ have everything they need to address God in prayer.
This gift of prayer is "an evangelical mercy and privilege."
In the contemporary push to "retrieve" the riches of the great tradition, it's also helpful to remember the cautions and qualifications that accompany some of the doctrines and practices from other eras.
Owen's theological framework for prayer alongside his warnings against a Spirit-less liturgical use of written prayers is worth retrieving as well.
June 21, 2023
“For although we are not capable of the full and perfect estate of the liberty provided for the children of God while we are in this world, conflicting with the remainders of sin, pressed and exercised with temptations, our bodies also being subject unto death and corruption, yet where the Spirit of the Lord is, where we have that firstfruit of the fullness of our redemption, there is liberty in the real beginning of it, and assured consolation, because it shall be consummated in the appointed season.”
December 31, 2025
Rich with Scripture and application. I am thoroughly encouraged by reading this book. Owen has some particularly good insights on the offices of the church, ordinary and extraordinary. John Owen is easily becoming one of my favorite authors to read.
August 3, 2023
First 2/3rds great, the last book on Spiritual Gifts was quite MEH and not very helpful. Disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews