John Owen on the Holy Spirit: Pneumatologia

John Owens is considered one of the greatest Puritan scholars (b. 1616 and died in 1683) and his work is still widely read by modern Reformed Christians. Owens warns that the most excellent things are frequently counterfeited by heretics and the fleshly; the more precious and the more pernicious is the misuse of the counterfeit. Thus the faithful are called to test the spirits inasmuch as many false prophets and false teachers have come to mislead. Owen warns that the church must be vigilant to expose and reject false light and false notions of the Spirit; the Elect must be alert for many have come to misinform concerning the character and work of the Holy Spirit. Owen teaches: "The Spirit works on the Head of the New Creation, Jesus Christ, and thus creates the source, cause, and pattern of his working throughout the new creation, in believers." Owen's expositions include: - The work of the Spirit post-Pentecost - How the Spirit persists in His work within the hearts of men - How the Spirit convicts men of sin as He brings about godly sorrow and humble disposition in the souls of the Elect - How the Holy Spirit regenerates and sanctifies believers and the tools God provides for such. Owen writes: "In the representation then, of things anew to the human nature of Christ, the wisdom and knowledge of [his human nature] was objectively increased and in new trials and temptations he experimentally learned the new exercise of grace. And this was the constant work of the Holy Spirit on the human nature of Christ. He dwelt in him in fullness, for he received not him by measure. And continually, upon all occasions he gave out of his unsearchable treasures grace for exercise in all duties and instances of it. From hence was he habitually holy, and from hence did he exercise holiness entirely and universally in all things." Owens advocates: - The source of the Spirit's ministry to us is Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ became the Bearer of the Spirit, in order to be the Bestower of the Spirit (John 14:17: 'The Spirit dwells with you, by his presence in Christ who is with them, and will be in you (i.e. when he was sent at Pentecost to indwell them as the Spirit of the ascended Lord). That is why, in the New Testament, Pentecost is not seen as a separate event from Calvary and the Resurrection. Rather, it is the public manifestation of their significance: Jesus has received and borne the Spirit for his people. Now, the last monumental act takes place--overwhelming and epoch-making in its significance (as the first disciples realized): Jesus gives his own Spirit to his own people (John 14:18)! - The example of the Spirit's ministry in us is Jesus Christ. The Spirit was in Christ in order to create the master copy of the life-style he would reproduce in all those who belong to Christ. (2 Cor. 3:18). - The means of the Spirit's ministry in us is the work of Christ. He was the life-long companion of our Lord Jesus Christ. As such, he now takes what is

Owen rocks. I am thrilled I bought this book. I want to find the original language edition, as this one is abridged, but it is quite easy to read.