On Reading John Owen
Spurgeon once referred to Owen as “the prince of divines,” JI Packer called him “Puritanism’s theological Everest,” and perhaps the pinnacle of compliments described him as “the genius of English Puritanism – its preeminent thinker.”[1] It’s obvious something was different about John Owen. He stood out in a crowd of incredible pastors and theologians. He provided leadership at the highest levels. He preached to parliament multiple times. He led Oxford University. He pastored flocks. He wrote prolifically. He was a giant amongst giants.
Yet, compared to his Puritan counterparts, Owen’s writings can be challenging to read. Because of this, we think it’s important to offer a bit of guidance when approaching a work by Owen. While there are innumerable spiritual treasures to be unearthed by reading Owen, you must approach him differently than other Puritans.
To formulate an effective plan, it is best to first understand why the problem exists. Let’s start by discussing why his writing is difficult. First, while Owen did spend time pastoring local congregations, he was an academic at heart. When you read many Puritans, they will briefly exposit the text and quickly transition to the application where they will spend considerable time. They were preaching to their people. They were exhorting them. They were pleading with them. They were shepherds at heart.
In contrast, Owen’s writings are long, elaborate arguments. He will spend an entire book arguing a point that another Puritan would do in a short chapter. His arguments include much repetition as well. He wants to ensure the logic is comprehensive. Because of this level of detail, it can be easy to get lost in the argument. If you do, you may arrive at the end of the book and not even remember his thesis. Second, he was highly educated in classical languages, particularly Latin. He uses what some have referred to as Latinate English prose. This means he uses unnecessarily fancy words, and his sentence arrangement veers toward a Latin structure. When translated to English, it isn’t always natural to read. Here’s an example taken from his book on the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer:
Owen’s prose: “The first thing we ascribe unto the Spirit herein is, that he supplies and furnishes the mind with a due comprehension of the matter of prayer, or what ought, both in general and as unto all our particular occasions, to be prayed for.”
How we might say it today: “The first thing we gain from the Spirit is that he fills our minds with what ought to be prayed for.”
Both of these sentences say the same thing. Owen’s syntax is just different. If you come across a sentence like this, try separating the clauses to isolate what is necessary to make the point. In the above example, the point is that we pray for what we ought to because of the Spirit’s guidance. We don’t need a duplicate verb (supplies and furnishes is the same thing) to make that point. The clause “both in general and as unto all our particular occasions” basically means “in all cases.” Because it means this, it is unnecessary in making the point of the sentence. If you leave it out, it’s implied.
Third, many of the Puritan books are transcribed sermons. This is why they often come across as very pastoral, swimming directly against the accusation that they were rigid and unloving. As an aside, if you hear someone making this accusation, it’s the clearest sign they’ve never actually read the Puritans. That being said, Owen often sounds pedantic because he was crafting an academic argument, not a sermon. His arguments are not only long but complex and very difficult to track at times. Adding further complication is the fact that he infers much of his argument. If I write a logical argument that includes a chain of propositions leading to a conclusion you could probably follow it, especially if I state all of the propositions. If the chain includes scores of propositions, which Owen’s often do, and many are left unsaid because the author assumes you have that information already, you might get lost. Many of Owen’s arguments embody the latter.
So, what are we to do with this giant of Puritan theology? Dr. Al Mohler’s advice would be to lean in and read Owen, even if you don’t fully understand him yet. He considers that a “romance with books” now will inevitably lead to understanding later; even if it takes up to 30 years.[2]
While we wholeheartedly agree with Mohler, we’d like to give you some advice to help you on your journey with Owen. We trust these few tips will lead to a beautiful partnership with this “prince of divines” as you unlock the treasures of God’s word.
1. Don’t start with Owen.
· If you’ve never read the Puritans before, start with something easier to follow and more pastoral. We have an excellent reading list curated with this in mind at Read the Puritans . This will familiarize you with their general style and acquaint you with an older version of English.
2. Choose the right book.
· Thankfully, you have options when it comes to choosing a version to read. Crossway has published a couple of great versions that have modernized the English. Reformation Heritage also has a couple of Owen’s works in their Puritan Treasures for Today series which has been edited and modernized with today’s reader in mind. Moving up the difficulty ladder, Banner of Truth’s Puritan Paperbacks series has quite a few Owen books. The Glory of Christ is one of these treasures that made it onto our Top 10 list. Also, Crossway is in the process of publishing all of Owen’s works in what will become 40 volumes (at time of writing they have published 9 of them). The great thing about these volumes, aside from the high quality, is that they come with robust introductions and comments on each book. The introductions are written by highly respected scholars and they generally go chapter by chapter and break down the argument in digestible pieces. This is invaluable, we just wouldn’t start here. At the time of writing, the Puritan Treasure for Today series published by Reformation Heritage contains three books by Owen. When you’re ready to start your Owen journey, Read the Puritans recommends starting with these as they are shorter and specifically designed with the modern reader in mind:
· Rules for Walking in Fellowship – 91 pgs
· Gospel Evidences of Saving Faith – 126 pgs
· Freedom from Sin’s Dominion – 150 pgs
3. If there is an introduction to the book, read it first.
· This will help you get a grasp on where Owen is going with the book. It’ll help you stay out of the weeds and keep you from getting bogged down. As you read, we would recommend you refer back to the introduction often. This is especially true of the previously mentioned Crossway series where we would recommend you go back at the end of each chapter and read that chapter’s comments. You’ll gain so much more by doing this.
4. Use a notecard as your bookmark.
· This seems an odd recommendation at first but let me explain. It’s easy to get lost in Owen’s arguments and to forget what he is trying to prove. As you read the introduction, look for the thesis and purpose statement. If we have a review of the book at Read the Puritans, we will give you this information. Write those down on your notecard. Then, as you read, it will be handy to remind you what he is arguing for. You’ll be surprised how useful that will be.
5. Don’t stop for things you don’t understand.
· You will go through sentences, sometimes pages, where you have no idea what he is saying. If this happens, write down a question mark or an actual question in the margin or in a notebook and keep going. Sometimes, he’ll answer your question shortly after. When you finish each chapter, go back and see which sections you didn’t understand. Reread those if you need to.
6. Be methodical.
· We’ve created a How to Read the Puritans checklist for you on our website. This checklist is one page and will walk you through the entire process of reading a Puritan work. Print it out (we provide the pdf version for you) and walk through the checklist step by step as you work through a book. It’ll take you a bit longer but we promise, when you finish the book/checklist, you will know what the book is about.
7. Slow down.
· Finally, we tend to skim over difficult sections of books. Don’t do it. Slow your pace down to less than your norm. Limit yourself to a chapter or section a day and meditate on what he has said for a time before picking it back up. These are not quick reads.
8. Know that Owen was not inerrant nor infallible.
· You should still test everything you read against the scriptures. This goes for Owen or anything else outside the bible that your read or hear. You will come across things that you disagree with. That’s ok. If you are reading something and the hair on your neck stands up it is likely because you know it doesn’t line up with scripture. When this happens, stop and get your bible out. In fact, we recommend you already have it out as you read. Rectify the dissonance before moving on or make a note about it in the margin.
9. Persevere.
· Reading difficult texts does get easier. In Owen’s case, and many other older English writings, there’s a cadence that your mind adapts to. If you keep reading, you’ll find yourself reading just a touch quicker and your mind tracking what is being said. When you finish a book and flip back through the pages, you’ll see far fewer question marks in the margins at the end of the book than the beginning. So, when you want to quit, don’t. Slow down when you need to but don’t stop reading.
John Owen can be downright intimidating to read. Don’t be deterred. As your body benefits from the effort put into physical exercise, your mind and spirit will benefit even more from putting effort into reading Owen. Now that you understand the problem and have a methodical plan, we believe you have the tools required for success. God used him in a profound way to edify His church then and now. Don’t miss out on that.
