A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life in a Year:
[John] Owen explains that the [Holy] Spirit does not speak to believers in an outward or inward vocal testimony. In other words, the Spirit does not speak to believers “of the Word, but by the Word.” When the Spirit and the Word accompany each other in the hearts and minds of believers, natural darkness is dispelled and sinful resistance is overcome, so that they are able to see the light and yield to the power of the Word of God. Owen forcefully concludes: “He that would utterly separate the Spirit from the word has as good burn his Bible.
(A Puritan Theology, p. 23)
