PART FIVE – A Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit by John Owen
When I began assembling a library of Puritan books in the early 90’s (yes, I’m that old), Soli Deo Gloria was publishing many great authors. Additionally, living in England I had access to many great bookshops and found many treasures on the shelves. One of the Puritans I never came across back then was George Swinnock. Soli Deo Gloria didn’t publish Swinnock. I think this was because Don Kistler and co took their guidance from C. H. Spurgeon’s Commenting on Commentaries (which is a great resource). Swinnock’s name doesn’t come up in that book. (Btw, I believe there is an untold story of what happened to that ministry which perhaps awaits the Judgment)
However, not too long after I had amassed a large collection of Puritan volumes, I saw that Banner of Truth had published the five volumes of The Works of George Swinnock. I recall standing in front of those volumes at the Metropolitan Tabernacle Bookshop in London and “ooing and aaaring” about whether to get them. In the end I plumbed for better known writers, and to this day I have not purchased Swinnock’s works. This is not because he is inferior to the other Puritans. It’s simply an anomaly. Swiinock belongs alongside such greats as Thomas Watson, John Flavel, and Jeremiah Burroughs. He is quite easy to read and delivers high quality treatments on the subjects he writes on.
And this brings me to his little treatise on The Incomparableness of God, or as it appears in this deftly edited version by J. Stephen Yuille, The Blessed and Boundless God. This book is one of the very best books on the attributes of God I have come across. It would be an excellent book for a weekly Bible Study on God’s attributes, just so long as the Bible teacher took the subject seriously enough to not want to pack it all within 8 weeks.
The book starts with chapters examining God’s incomparable Being and attributes. Swinnock divides being from attributes, which is interesting in itself, but runs through such attributes as independence, perfection, simplicity, holiness, wisdom , power, justice, and patience. This takes up about sixty pages and is excellent. Each attribute is given a few pages of exposition, with adequate scripture proofs and descriptions. The style is devotional yet seriously theological. The author is concerned with accuracy. That his writing style is disarmingly simple yet deep commends this little book to all audiences. An interesting feature for me was how many times the author cited the book of Job!
After this Swinnock moves to consider God’s works and words. As for God’s works, he touches on creation, providence, and redemption before dealing with how He works: irresistibly, arbitrarily (i.e., according to His pleasure), effortlessly, etc. These are all treated capably, although I have to insert here a disagreement with the author’s view that a man is not the master of his own thoughts (75). Scripture always makes us responsible for our thoughts (e.g., Deut. 9:4; Prov. 14:16; 23:19; Matt. 9:4; Col. 3:1-3). The high Calvinist view can sometimes obscure the doctrine of the imago Dei by having God override His own creative work (see also 91-92). That aside, the author continues with many good observations. Here is a great example (with a bit of a swipe at certain Anglican orators of his day) when speaking about the manner of God’s words:
“God speaks accomodatingly. He speaks to the condition of those whom He addresses. He considers the ability and capacity of His hearers and speaks accordingly. He does not speak in an unknown language (as some ministers do) and exceed the understanding of His hearers; instead, He observes their weaknesses and infirmities – their dullness. He teaches them as they are able to hear. There are depths in His Word where elephants can swim, and there are also shallows where lambs can wade.” (96).
The last part of the book is simply entitled “Application.” As one would expect, it is of real benefit. As well as good treatments of sin and pride, one finds edifying short chapters on worship, and grace, plus a set of highly useful thoughts on the knowledge of God. This is terrific stuff. For instance, in chapter 42 (all the chapters are a few pages long) he begins with “If this God is so incomparable, then we must choose Him for our portion and take Him for our happiness (153). We all need to be reminded of this when our hearts wander and seek to be attached to things in the world.
The last chapter, called “Incomparably Blessed,” is a boost for all of us who need to have our minds filled with the wonder of God’s love toward us in Christ. It is a true fillip, especially to those who may be downcast.
This book, published by Reformation Heritage Books, is highly recommended.
