2Sin and Temptation helps us recover the concepts of sin and individual responsibility our world has all but destroyed. John Owen, an English theologian of vast learning, has dealt with the nature of sinful humanity as no writer has done as keenly or thoroughly, arguing that sin is always a self-deceiving, blinding folly. Owen embodied the best of Puritan devotion: the awe of God, humility, wisdom, and an awareness of God's grace. J.I. Packer's introductory essay describes how Owen's writings shaped his own spiritual formation. Dr. James Houston, editor of the Classics of Faith and Devotion series, is a highly acclaimed scholar and pioneer int he field of evangelical spirituality. He came to North America from England in 1968 to lead Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, a worldwide center of spiritual formation.