Communion with the Triune God

Works of John Owen #2

by John Owen, Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Foreword), Kelly M. Kapic (Editor)

Does it make a difference that the God Christians claim to worship has revealed himself as triune-the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Does this fundamental truth of biblical authority have an effect on a believer's personal fellowship with God? Puritan theologian John Owen recognized the great need for every believer to understand the triune God. Communion with the Triune God revisits the truth presented by John Owen and challenges all believers to truly recognize and appreciate the ministry that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have in their lives. This work of John Owen encourages Christians to enjoy true communion with each person of the triune God.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Nonfiction, Religion, Devotional

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1657

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

[Jennifer Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book left me undone in the presence and goodness of God and gave me new perspectives and a deeper understanding of the essence and beating heart of the Christian life: Communion with God.
I re-read each chapter several times, one I even read six times, just to soak in the truth. I wept for joy and wept for repentance to realize my blessings and misappropriation of the blessedness of communion with the Holy Trinity.

I have never read a book so full of references to the scripture, and to think that this was written 400 years earlier, this man lived and breathed knowledge of the word of God. This book is rich and decadent in the descriptions of the lavish blessings of participating in a love relationship with the most-high. It also has much related doctrinal truths and insights.
This is not a light book, full of empty calories, but is so rich and dense with truth that is meat to the hungry soul.
This truly is a must-read for all believers. This is such a worthy truth to grasp, to sit and soak in the truth of the most important gift that God has given us, the ability to commune with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

[Zach Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly the best book I’ve read. A comforting and enriching book for the soul.

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous. There is some complexity to this work, especially when just compared to 'The Mortification of Sin,' but it is filled with beautiful and poetic writings. The whole point of the book is to show how and in what we have experiential communion with God, and how the doctrine of the Trinity is necessarily connected to piety.
I was somewhat surprised by how allegorically & mystically Owen interprets Song of Songs, but those was actually some of my favorite passages.

[Anna Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two sections on communion with the father and son were probably groundbreaking at some point but are now familiar concepts that have become the foundations of reformed theology and hundreds of books about God and Christ. I’m glad Ortland has revived Owen’s interpretation of communion with Christ since theological study has tended to emphasis his atonement over his intercession. I enjoyed the last section on the Holy Spirit and am disappointed the reformed tradition has failed to preserve theology that is rich in its understanding of providence and justification while also recognizing the working of the Spirit in our lives. I’m looking forward to reading more about how our perception of the trinity affects our perception of human relationships and power dynamics (Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett). In some spaces, there can tend to be a neglect for the workings of the Spirit in favor of the grandiosity of a transcendent God and conquering savior, leading us to value propositional enlightenment and theological rightness above all else. I think there’s something to be said for those who think this imbalance could be leading to neglecting efforts to pursue God through following the Spirit’s work in peacemaking, reconciliation, consoling the vulnerable/sufferers/doubters, and cultivating spaces where members of the body can steward their gifts without hinderance.

[Bambi Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will just leave you undone with a fresh, possibly new, understanding of how we commune with the triune God. Marked more of this book than I left unmarked. Outstanding.

[Purshia Gambles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very educational, but it was also spiritually nourishing and encouraging. Close intimacy with God may feel complex or difficult, and these feelings may be valid. But this book showed me that it’s not complicated. God is offering all of himself to me, each person bringing a necessary pet of relationship, resource and nourishment to my walk with God. This book also made me think about (and desire) consolation from the Holy Spirit more and more with each day.

This book is long, and even with the updated language by Kapic and Taylor, at times it’s still difficult to understand his old English word choices. But even with these things, it’s still a majorly worthy read.

[Jared Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic and a masterpiece, esp. the last part on the Holy Spirit.

[Kathryn Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Owen wrote this book, Communion with the Triune God, in the 1600s. The version that I read was edited by Kapic and Taylor. The editors added a very helpful introduction, explanatory notes, and made small adjustments to the language to help with comprehension. This book took me two months to read, and was so worth it. It impacted many areas of my life and I won’t look back at this time of my life without thinking of this book.

“Let the soul frequently eye the love of the father. Eye it as to receive it. We do not hold communion with him in anything, until the love of the father be received by faith. This then is what I would provoke the saints of God unto: to believe this love of God for themselves and their own part. Act thoughts of faith on God as love to you. Let your mind know it and assent that it is so, let your will embrace it, and let all your affections be filled with it. Set your whole heart to it, let it be bound with the chords of his love. Let it have its proper fruit and efficacy upon your heart in return of love to him again.”

[Michael Philliber · Rating 4 out of 5]

As one of my seminary professors said, decades ago, "John Owen never met a word he didn't like." You get a good dose of this when you dive into "Communion with the Triune God" edited by Kelly M. Kapic, professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain Georgia, and Justin Taylor, executive vice president of book publishing at Crossway. This 448-page paperback was initially penned by John Owen in 1657. Kapic and Taylor have done a wonderful service by (1) updating the language to modern English, (2) smoothing out some of the texture that would seem glitchy to modern-day readers, (3) adding footnotes that define Owen's difficult words and translating his quotations that were in Latin and Greek, (4) a snazzy, helpful introduction that explains what Owen was up to, his key thoughts, and the way he was working out his thinking, and (5) a useful set of notes on how they edited the volume that concludes with a detailed outline of the book. Of all of Owen's works, this edition is likely one of the most readable.



Kapic summarizes the major theme of the book by pointing out that "union is a unilateral action of God, (…) Communion with God, however, is distinct from union. Those who are united to Christ are called to respond to God's loving embrace. While union with Christ is something that does not ebb and flow, one's experience of communion with Christ can fluctuate" (21). A second theme that courses through the book is that communion and worship is trinitarian. Kapic does a solid job explaining how Owen works this out, making distinctions between the persons of the Trinity without devaluing any of them.



The book, written in a time without internet distractions, or 24-hour cable news diversions, is meticulous in it's developments and details. Owen, as he is known to do, trails off into subpoints, sub-subpoints, and digressions. But the work Kapic and Taylor have done helps keep the reader on track. For those of us who are slow readers, I took the book one chapter at a sitting. I was able to make my way through in less than a month.



One of my favorite lines in "Communion with the Triune God" is when Owen observes that God "loves life, grace and holiness into us; he loves us also into covenant; loves us into heaven" (163-4). That sets down the foundation of much that is in the work. I'm glad I read through it, and am deeply grateful for the help Kapic and Taylor gave. I recommend the book.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owen is a master! He lays out the full truth of God's Word with authority and without hesitation.
(But take note: this is the abridged version -- All those in the Puritan Paperbacks collection are abridged.)
I've read this book a couple times now, with great benefit. And I plan to read it again soon, (but this time I will attempt to tackle the unabridged version).

[Jonathan Suggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Hands down, every Christian ought read this book. If you want to have a greater appreciation of the gospel, a deeper love for the triune God, and a better understanding of the communion Christians have with each person of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit), then you need to pick up this classic.

[Matt Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to reread this book every couple years, it's that good. It seems like one of those books that is so rich you lean something new every time you read it.

[Coby Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An articulate and effective piece from the late John Owen. This book serves as an excellent primer to the deep theology of the Trinity.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically 4.5 for the book's sheer density--by the end of the text (at 426 pages), I was a bit overwhelmed with all the good things to absorb. Also the Song of Solomon allegory sections, which I really had to take cautiously to see which claims could still hold. Rounding up because, reading any paragraph on any page, you will find rich food for your soul.

I read this because I wanted to experience more regular communion with God in the day to day. I suppose, in hindsight, I was imagining this book to be something like a Reformed Practicing the Presence of God. Instead, what I found was a book in which Owen expounds on all the things God is for us in the Gospel. Which I loved. Owen so clearly sets forth truth and has such a deep understanding of Scripture's implications.

But I was also baffled: every section on how we actually commune with each person of the Trinity was so small in comparison with the sections about what each person of the Trinity has done for us. On top of that, each section about "our part" seemed to be much the same: "Believe that God has done this for you. Receive this."

About 3/4 of the way through, I thought, "This wasn't really what I was looking for. I wanted to hear more about what *I* can do to encourage my communion with God." The answer flashed in my mind like lightning that this was exactly why Owen wrote this book the way he did. Of course it's only human to assume it's up to me in my strength to pursue God. Owen's point is that communion with God is in reality more about God doing everything required for the relationship, from its inception on through to its glorious destination, and us thankfully receiving from Him. Yes, we have responsibility to deepen our relationship with Him, but the primary way we do that, according to the thrust of this book, is to enjoy and ponder and be thankful for all that He has done. It's a paradigm shift and a burden lifted.

[Dena · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Communion With God" is dense, rich, beautiful, and full of Scripture references. It took me 4 months to read this 213 page book...sometimes I spent half an hour on one page! But it was well worth the effort. "Communion With God", originally published in 1657, might in our current language be described as "fellowship with God." This book helped me to examine each individual member of the Trinity, how they work together, and how the life of the believer is impacted by each one. Here is an excerpt that sums up the main thesis of the book: "All the consolations of the Holy Ghost consist in His acquainting us with, and communicating unto us, the love of the Father and the grace of the Son; nor is there anything in the one or the other but He makes it a matter of consolation to us: so that, indeed, we have our communion with the Father in His love, and the Son in His grace, by the operation of the Holy Ghost." (page 201).

[Austin Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owen masterfully directs the heart to be comforted by the truths of God. Both theologically and pastorally rich in explaining the nature of God and our communion with each Person of the Trinity. This is also an accessible read for those who may be newer to reading John Owen.

[Rafael Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. This book will inform your mind and warm your heart with the knowledge of our Triune God. Maybe the very best book I've read so far. If you're reading this, you should probably go buy a copy right now.

[Liam]

I’ve definitively determined I simply can’t comprehend John Owen via audiobook. I’ll need to return to this one and read it the old fashioned way.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can you say? It's John Owen, a giant among Puritan theologians. All of his books are packed with doctrine and application, and this one is no exception. Not a book you can read once; you should read it several times.

[John Weis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Communion with the Triune God - John Owen

The introduction from Kelly M. Kapic is quite helpful, allowing the reader to map Owen's unique thought and balance of doctrine and application.

Of Communion with the Father

Third, they differ in this also: The love of God is like himself — equal, constant, not capable of augmentation or diminution; our love is like our selves — unequal, increasing, waning, growing, declining. His, like the sun, always the same in its light, though a cloud may sometimes interpose; ours, as the moon, has its enlargements and straitenings.
The love of the Father is equal, etc.; whom he loves, he loves unto the end, and he loves them always alike." "The Strength of Israel is not a man, that he should repent" [1 Sam. 15:29]. On whom he fixes his love, it is immutable; it does not grow to eternity, it is not diminished at any time. It is an eternal love, that had no beginning, that shall have no ending; that cannot be heightened by any act of ours, that cannot be lessened by anything in us.

[Section 1, Chapter 3, pg 120][1]

Of Communion with the Son Jesus Christ

In his extended allegorical interpretation of the Song, he describes the soul's condition and actions when searching for Christ, but unable to find Him as going to the encouragement of the church:

Diligence. "I will now take another course; I will leave no Way unattempted, no means untried, whereby I may possibly recover communion with my Beloved."
This is the condition of a soul that finds not the wonted presence of Christ in its private and more retired inquiries—dull in prayer, wander• ing in meditations, rare in thoughts of him—"I will not bear this frame: whatever way God has appointed, I will, in his strength, vigorously pursue, until this frame be altered and I find my Beloved."
Then the way she puts herself upon is to go about the city. Not to insist upon particulars, nor to strain the parts of the allegory too far, the city here intended is the city of God, the church; and the passing through the broad and narrow streets is the diligent inquiry that the spouse makes in all the paths and ordinances given unto it.

[Section 2, Chapter 4, pg 242][4]

Of Communion with the Holy Ghost

Owen opens this section of the discourse with a wonderful treatment of the Spirit as the Comforter and Advocate, focusing on the Spirit's work in the economy of redemption. Describing the excellency of the sending of the Spirit by Christ:

This is the sum: the presence of the Holy Ghost with believers as a comforter, sent by Christ for those ends and purposes for which he is promised, is better and more profitable for believers than any corporeal presence of Christ can be now [that] he has fulfilled the one sacrifice for sin which he was to offer.

[Section 3, Chapter 1, pg 359][10]

In passing, Owen wonderfully lays out that in which the blasphemy of the Spirit concerns:

Hence is the sin against the Holy Ghost (what it is I do not now dispute) unpardonable, and has that adjunct of rebellion put upon it that no other sin has — namely, because he comes not, he acts not, in his own name only, though in his own also, but in the name and authority of the Father and Son, from and by whom he is sent; and therefore, to sin against him is to sin against all the authority of God, all the love of the Trinity, and the utmost condescension of each person to the work of our salvation. It is, I say, from the authoritative mission of the Spirit that the sin against him is peculiarly unpardonable — it is a sin against the recapitulation of the love of the Father, Son, and Spirit. And from this consideration, were that our present business, might the true nature of the sin against the Holy Ghost be investigated. Certainly it must consist in the contempt of some operation of his, as acting in the name and authority of the whole Trinity, and that in their ineffable condescension to the work of grace.

[Section 3, Chapter 1, pg 363][10]

This last sentence is key here. The blasphemy of the Spirit "must consist in the contempt of some operation of his".

Owen continues, showing the deep need for our individual petition of God for the gifting of the Spirit to us:

On this account we are to pray the Father and the Son to give the Spirit to us. "Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him" (Luke 11:13 ). Now the Holy Ghost, being God, is no less to be invocated, prayed to, and called on than the Father and Son; as elsewhere I have proved. How, then, do we ask the Father for him, as we do in all our supplications, seeing that we also pray that he himself would come to us, visit us, and abide with us? In our prayers that are directed to himself, we consider him as essentially God over all, blessed forevermore; we pray for him from the Father and Son, as under this mission and delegation from them. And, indeed, God having most plentifully revealed himself in the order of this dispensation to us, we are (as Christians generally do) in our communion to abound in answerable addresses [prayers]; that is, not only to the person of the Holy Ghost himself, but properly to the Father and Son for him, which refers to this dispensation

[Section 3, Chapter 1, pg 363-364][11]

Owen is essentially saying that we ought to routinely pray directly to the Father and the Son for the sending of the Spirit into our lives, as we also should pray for and to the Spirit Himself for His coming and assistance.

Owen describes the personal activity of the Spirit, not generally in working regeneration, but specifically in the work of illumination and teaching the believer to savor doctrine, with a warning of the neglect of the use of the Spirit to this end.

We have this, then, by the Spirit: he teaches us of the love of God in Christ; he makes every gospel truth as wine well refined to our souls, and the good things of it to be a feast of fat things — gives us joy and gladness of heart with all that we know of God; which is the great preservative of the soul to keep it close to truth. The apostle speaks of our teaching by this unction, as the means whereby we are preserved from seduction. Indeed, to know any truth in the power, sweetness, joy, and gladness of it, is that great security of the soul's constancy in the preservation and retaining of it. They will readily change truth for error, who find no more sweetness in the one than in the other.

[Section 3, Chapter 3, pg 387][13]

Owen so far has not mentioned any of the particular gifts of the Spirit outside of the general doctrines of the working of repentance, and common actions of comfort, consolation, advocacy, and illumination.

I thought perhaps he was going to specifically avoid them, presuming what is today called cessationism (although the term was not common in his day), but then he begins to issue a series of severe warnings against those who diminish the person and work of the Spirit.

Take a view, then, of the state and condition of them who, professing to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, do yet contemn and despise his Spirit, as to all its operations, gifts, graces, and dispensations to his churches and saints. While Christ was in the world with his disciples, he made them no greater promise, neither in respect of their own good nor of carrying on the work which he had committed to them, than this of giving them the Holy Ghost. Him he instructs them to pray for of the Father, as that which is needful for them, as bread for children (Luke 11:13). Him he promises them, as a well of water springing up in them, for their refreshment, strengthening, and consolation unto everlasting life (John 7:37-39); as also to carry on and accomplish the whole work of the ministry to them committed (John 16:8-11); with all those eminent works and privileges before mentioned. And upon his ascension, this is laid as the bottom of that glorious communication of gifts and graces in his plentiful effusion mentioned (Eph. 4:8, 11, 12) — namely, that he had received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:33); and that in such an eminent manner as thereby to make the greatest and most glorious difference between the administration of the new covenant and old. Especially does the whole work of the ministry relate to the Holy Ghost; though that be not my present business to evince. He calls men to that work, and they are separated unto him (Acts 13:2); he furnishes them with gifts and abilities for that employment (1 Cor. 12:7-10). So that the whole religion we profess, without this administration of the Spirit, is nothing; nor is there any fruit without it of the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
This being the state of things — that in our worship of and obedience to God, in our own consolation, sanctification, and ministerial employment, the Spirit is the principle, the life, soul, the all of the whole; yet so desperate has been the malice of Satan, and wickedness of men, that their great endeavor has been to shut him quite out of all gospel administrations.

[Section 3, Chapter 5, pg 397-398][14]

Owen essentially is saying without the Spirit, there is no Christianity at all whatsoever. He begins to focus on what he is briefly referring to, that there is or was a great despising of the Spirit which did through the entire Church into peril:

First, his gifts and graces were not only decried, but almost excluded from the public worship of the church, by the imposition of an operose [laborious] form of service, to be read by the minister; which to do is neither a peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost to any, nor of the ministry at all. It is marvelous to consider what pleas and pretences were invented and used by learned men — from its antiquity, its composure and approbation by martyrs, the beauty of uniformity in the worship of God, established and pressed thereby, etc. — for the defense and maintenance of it. But the main argument they insisted on, and the chief field wherein they expatiated and laid out all their eloquence, was the vain babbling repetitions and folly of men praying by the Spirit. When once this was fallen upon, all (at least as they supposed) was carried away before them, and their adversaries rendered sufficiently ridiculous: so great is the cunning of Satan, and so unsearchable are the follies of the hearts of men. The sum of all these reasonings amounts to no more but this—"Though the Lord Jesus Christ has promised the Holy Ghost to be with his church to the end of the world, to fit and furnish men with gifts and abilities for the carrying on of that worship which he requires and accepts at our hands, yet the work is not done to the purpose; the gifts he bestows are not sufficient to that end, neither as to invocation nor doctrine: and, therefore, we will not only help men by our directions, but exclude them from their exercise." This, I say, was the sum of all, as I could undeniably evidence, were that my present business, what innumerable evils ensue on this principle, in a formal setting apart of men to the ministry who had never once "tasted of the powers of the world to come" [Heb. 6:5] nor received any gifts from the Holy Ghost to that purpose; of crying up and growing in an outside pompous worship, wholly foreign to the power and simplicity of the gospel; of silencing, destroying, banishing men whose ministry was accompanied with the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit — I shall not need to declare. This is that I aim at, to point out the public contempt of the Holy Ghost, his gifts and graces, with their administration in the church of God, that has been found even where the gospel has been professed.

[Section 3, Chapter 5, pg 398-399][15]

By this I believe Owen to be describing the invention of ornate liturgies, performed by the clergy ("minister"), exempting the common person from the worship service. They made their argument for exclusion based on classical beauty, an appeal to tradition, boxing out the operation of the Spirit in the individual believer. Though they created these arguments, their aim "was the vain babbling repetitons and folly of men praying by the Spirit". By this phrase, although he calls it "vain babbling", I believe Owen intends the gift of tongues as he calls it "folly of men praying by the Spirit". I do not think that he seeks to malign the practice; as he contrasts it to the ornate "beauty" of the high liturgies just previously defined. Again, it is unlikely that Owen is taking actual exception against the practice, but rather is seeking to shame the silencers for he identifies the work of these as "the cunning of Satan". He goes on to caricaturize their doctrine, showing the folly of supplanting the gifts of the Spirit for the ornate words of men. (Perhaps this make sense being that Owen was a Nonconformist?)

In fact, in the last half of the above section, Owen says that ordination of ministers ("formal setting apart of men to the ministry") not acquainted with the giftings of the Spirit brings "innumerable evils". Owen goes on to describe the "silencing, destroying, banishing men whose ministry was accompanied with the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit" is an evil which does not need expounding; it is self-evident. This of course necessarily presupposes that Owen has in mind some particular, public works which could be called "evidence" and a "demonstration" of the Spirit. Though he does not enumerate what these could be, it seems only simply understood as those common charismata of the Scriptures. (More on this later).

Having explained the disdain of those gifts of the Spirit in the context of the public worship of the Church, Owen then immediately moves to the private exaltation of the self over and against those who exercise the gifts:

Again: it is a thing of most sad consideration, once to call to mind the improvement of that principle of contempt of the Spirit in private men and their ways. The name of the Spirit was grown a term of reproach. To plead for, or pretend to pray by, the Spirit was enough to render a man the object of scorn and reproach from all sorts of men, from the pulpit to the stage. "What! you are full of the Spirit; you will pray by the Spirit; you have the gift: let us hear your nonsense" — and yet, perhaps, these men would think themselves wronged not to be accounted Christians. Christians! yea, have not some pretending themselves to be leaders of the flock — yea, mounted a story or two above their brethren, and claiming a rule and government over them — made it their business to scoff at and reproach the gifts of the Spirit of God? And if this were the frame of their spirit, what might be expected from others of professed profaneness? It is not imaginable to what height of blasphemy the process in this kind amounted. The Lord grant there be nothing of this cursed leaven still remaining amongst us! Some bleatings [cries] of ill importance are sometimes heard. Is this the fellowship of the Holy Ghost that believers are called unto? Is this the due entertainment of him whom our Savior promised to send for the supply of his bodily absence, so as we might be no losers thereby? Is it not enough that men should be contented with such a stupid blindness, as, being called Christians, to look no further for their comfort and consolation than moral considerations common to heathens would lead them, when one infinitely holy and blessed person of the Trinity has taken this office upon him to be our comforter, but they must oppose and despise him also? Nothing more discovers how few there are in the world that have interest in that blessed name whereby we are all called. But this is no place to pursue this discourse. The aim of this discourse is to evince the folly and madness of men in general who profess to own the gospel of Christ, and yet contemn and despise his Spirit, in whomsoever he is manifested. Let us be zealous of the gifts of the Spirit, not envious at them.

[Section 3, Chapter 5, pg 399-400][15]

Owen describes the private disdain and scorn which came upon those who sought to exercise the gifts, as being of a lower class or station than the official ministers. Should anyone "plead for ... the Spirit", he would be despised. Clearly, he has those who hold themselves "a story or two above their brethren" in mind for rebuke. Owen goes so far as to call this "blasphemy". By "Is this the fellowship of the Holy Ghost that believers are called unto?", I do not take Owen to be recommending the abstaining of fellowship of those who claim to have the gifts, but rather the contrary, that we ought not to despise them who seek the gifts. Owen describes those who despise the Spirit as those who are concerned only with "moral considerations common to heathens". Finally, the last sentence fully discloses Owen's position: be zealous of the gifts.

Even though his condemnation and rebuke are wonderfully delivered, and rightfully so, it is interesting that his treatment of the gifts is so scarce. After four chapters, this is the first mention of the gifts, and while he does mention them, he only does so very briefly. He names 1 Corinthians 12 only once, and completely ignores 1 Corinthians 14 altogether.

Owen moves on to a discussion of the importance of the Christian's duty to not grieving the Spirit, quench the Spirit, or neglect the Spirit.

He describes the work of each Christian to consider the wonderful joy and recovery that the Spirit grants in the improving of the conditions of temptations and sins, specifically calling for the personal repentance of each sin as considering it's effect in attempting to grieve the Spirit.

Conclusion

While this work is hundreds of years old, the editors have done a wonderful job of making it accessible. I do believe that the manner of discourse used by Owen, (the traditional Ramism so common in Puritan writings), does Him a disservice in some portions. For instance, it seems that Owen described the fundamental aspects of the Spirit as the Comforter nearly a dozen times, sometimes in the very prior page, covering ground already traveled. This is not necessarily bad, however, he does this to the neglect of major aspects of the Spirit's person and work which are distinctly related to personal communion in the Spirit (e.g. 1 Corinthians 14 is completely ignored).

On the whole, the work is excellent and extremely profitable.

[Gannon Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joyful and refreshing book that makes you think of and rejoice in the majesty of our inheritance. John Owen brings you to the truths of our communion with the Godhead, partitions and describes our particular communion with each person of the Godhead, and does it in a way that shows we need communion with all of the Godhead, not just one or another person. Yet even as he brings you to the joys and heights of the communion we experience with God, he leaves you with a dire and necessary warning - "If we profess to be believers, we must seriously examine ourselves to see whether we have truly received the Holy Spirit or not. If the Spirit does not dwell in you, if he is not your Comforter, then God is not your Father and nor is the Son your Redeemer. Nor do you have any part or lot in the riches of the Gospel." Remember the heights of God's love for you, but never forget to rest in His promises, not your strength and effort.

[Jaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Owen does it again. This book is a breathtaking in its depth of biblical exegesis and analysis of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and how we commune with God in the Christian life. Each chapter is just oozing with spiritual truth and insight.

Without a doubt this is one of the best devotionals I’ve read. Highly recommend this for people who just want to learn more about God and know how to commune with Him

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. I was struck by its readability. Yes, it's "abridged and made easy to read" but I was still intimidated because it was John Owen. I'll come back to this book again and again.

[Keller Hackbusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Highly recommended.

[Joshua Chatman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word… amazing!

[Eric Schick · Rating 5 out of 5]

By being rooted and outlined by the 2 Cor 13:14 benediction, this book centers on the Love of the Father, Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Comfort of the Holy Spirit. I didn't expect a fantastic theologian to be so devotional, but then I realized that Owen is devotional because of the very fact that he is a superb theologian. This book is enriched in theological truths that go through the mind and pierce the heart to produce a greater understanding and worship of the Triune God. Now I know why Owen is so renowned!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed analysis rich with piety. The last chapter was even the best.

[Stevie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was doctrinally rich and insightful.

Poignant Quotes:

"The Father knows that his people can bring no greater hurt to his loving heart than to have such hard thoughts of him."

"Sin brought infinite punishment because it was committed against an infinite God. Christ, being the infinite God in human nature, could suffer the infinite punishment that the sinner deserved. An so, by this personal union in Christ we are saved."

"To encourage our hearts to give themselves up more fully to the Lord Jesus Christ, consider his glories and excellences."

"We are too needy to be satisfied by a mere creature."

"From his all-sufficiency, God has power to impart and communicate his goodness and himself so as to satisfy and fill his creatures to their utmost capacity with whatever is good for them and with whatever they desire."

"Sin was allowed entry into the world in order that God's glorious grace may be praised in the pardoning and forgiveness of sin."

"When faith rests in God and in Christ with delight, desire and satisfaction, it is called love."

"Now this freedom of our Father's family which we have as sons and children, being adopted by Christ through the Spirit, is a spiritual largeness of heart by which the children of God freely, willingly, genuinely without fear, terror, bondage or constraint, set out in Christ to live a life of holy obedience. This is our liberty in our Father's family."

"The liberty of sons is in the inward spiritual freedom of their hearts gladly and willingly obeying God in everything."

"No sooner does the soul begin to feel the life of a promise warming his heart, freeing him from fear, worries and troubles, than it may know, and it ought to know, that the Holy Spirit is doing his work. This will add to the believer's joy and lead him into deeper fellowship with the Holy Spirit."

"To persuade a poor, sinful soul that God in Jesus Christ loves him, delights in him, is well pleased with him and only has thoughts of kindness towards him is an inexpressible mercy."

"Without the comfort and strength of the Holy Spirit, we will either despise afflictions or collapse under them and God's purpose in sending them to us will be defeated."

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owen gives us a dense, thorough, yet manageable snapshot, not only of Reformed prolegomena, but of Trinitarian piety as well. Given the current (if overblown) popularity of the YRR crowd--who know not Turretin nor his principia--yet strangely seek Owen, Owen can give them a taste of proper Reformed theologomena. In many ways, this can function as a primer to systematic theology. So here it goes:

Basic definitions:

communion: A mutual communication of such good things grounded upon some union (Owen, II:8). The person of Christ, as head of the Church, communicates grace to us via his Holy Spirit, to the members of his body. Our communion with God is his communication of himself to us, flowing from our union which we have in Christ. Our union with Christ is mystical and spiritual, not hypostatic (313). He is the Head, we the members and he freely communicates “grace, righteousness, and salvation, in the several and distinct ways whereby we are capable to receive them from him.”

Sealing the Union

Any act of sealing always imparts the character of the seal to the thing (242). Owen is clear: The Spirit really communicates the image of God unto us. “To have the stamp of the Holy Ghost...is to be sealed in the Spirit.”

This isn’t the most concise treatment of the issues, but Owen is quite fine in his own way. His writing is only difficult when he gets off topic. Packer and Piper make it seem like Owen is borderline incomprehensible. He isn’t.

[Michael Kraus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible and thorough insight into the relationship the triune God has initiated with His creation, man in particular, and especially His people. Owen is clear-thinking and undistracted (or at least, if he goes on a tangent he lets you know). The language of his arguments is precise and scholarly.

He is quite redundant, which can be both a good and a bad thing. Most of the book is a highly exposited outline while some sections are clearly areas he is more comfortable with and seem to be better edited (namely when he is explaining inter-trinitarian relationship, substitutionary atonement, and limited atonement). Those sections tackle deep theological terrain but somehow are less laborious to read due to (I presume) his comfortability with the subject matter.

This version of the work has been edited to update some of the language for modern readers. The numbered outline (which is visible throughout the original work) has been ripped from the original work and put into another section so you can see the whole thing plainly. At times this was very helpful. At others it was incredibly unhelpful. Often in order to track with Owen's points, sub-points, sub-sub points, and sub-sub-sub-sub-sub-sub points I found myself flipping back and forth like a madman trying to keep up. It would have been best to keep the outline points in the book while also providing the section where you can read through his entire outline.