Letter Showing Error of Book Entitled The Whole Duty of Man, Letter
A LETTER From the Rev. Mr White-field from Georgia, to a Friend in London, ſhewing the Fundamental ERROR OF A BOOK, ENTITULED The Whole Duty of Man.
CHARLES-TOWN, Printed by Peter Timothy 1740.
A Letter from the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, to a Friend in London, ſhewing the Fundamental Error of a Book, entituled, The Whole Duty of Man.
My dear Friend,
SINCE it has pleaſed God to give me a true Knowledge of the Doctrines of Grace, I have frequently thought, that next to the falling away of the Clergy from the Principles of the Reformation, the Books which are in our Church founded on the Arminian Scheme, have been the chief Cauſe why ſo many of our own Communion in particular, have built their Hopes of Salvation on a falſe Bottom. The Authors not only led the People Captive in their own Life Time, but alſo after their Death, like Simon Magus, for a long Seaſon have bewitched the People with their Sorceries; I mean their ſeemingly devout, but at the Bottom Anti-Chriſtian, Compoſitions.
The only Way therefore, to open People's Eyes, I think is this: To ſhew them that the Writings which for ſome Years paſt, have been ſo much admired, are directly contrary to the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt for this Reaſon, I thought it my Duty, to bear a publick Teſtimony againſt the Writings of Archbiſhop Tillotſon▪ And upon the ſame Account, think it my Duty▪ to point out the Fundamental Error of an Author as much admired and read by the more common, as the Archbiſhop by the more learned and polite, ſort of People.
I know you are impatient to hear, who this can be: If you will promiſe me not to be angry, I'll tell you; it is that much admir'd Book called the WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. Methinks, I ſee you ſurprized at the very mentioning of it. But remember, I deſir'd you not to be angry; and if you will throw aſide Prejudice, and are ſincerely deſirons to know and do the divine Will, I am perſuaded we ſhall be both of one Mind concerning this Book, are you lay this Letter down out of your Hand.
But before I ſhew you its Error, to convince you of my Impartiality, I confeſs, that the Devotions of that Book, were once of Service to me: And I believe have been uſeful to many others. The Book in general, is calculated to civilize, but I am perſuaded it never was a Means of converting one ſingle Soul. I have juſt been looking over the Index and general Titles at the End of it, and cannot find the Word Regeneration ſo much as once mentioned; and indeed the whole Treatiſe is built on ſuch a falſe Foundation, as not only proves the Author to be no real Chriſtian at Heart▪ But alſo, that he had not ſo much as a Head-Knowledge of the true Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. To prove this, I need only refer you to part of the Preface, Of the Neceſſity of caring for the Soul, (17th Paragraph) wherein the Author talking of the ſecond Covenant, ſpeaks thus: This ſecond Covenant, ſays he, was made with Adam and us in him, preſently after his Fall, and is briefly contain'd in thoſe Words, Gen. 3d, 15th, where God declares, that the Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpent's Head; and this was made up as the Firſt was, of ſome Mercies to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by us. Who, that is any Way enlighten'd, cannot ſee the falſe Divinity and Fundamental Errors of this Paſſage? For how can it be proved, that the ſecond Covenant was made with Adam; or that God ever entered into any Covenant at all, with Man after he had broken the Firſt? It is true, he did enter into a Covenant, (and that from all Eternity,) with the ſecond Adam▪ the God-Man Chriſt Jeſus, in our Stead. But it cannot be proved that he made any ſecond Covenant at all with Adam himſelf, or any of his Poſterity. But ſays our Author; He did make a ſecond Covenant with Adam, and us in him, preſently after his Fall, and it is briefly contained in theſe Words, Gen. 3d. & 15th, where God declares, that the Seed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpent's Head. But I would ask, where any Covenant is contained in theſe Words? And, how it is made up as the firſt was, of ſome Mercies to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by us? Here is a free Gift and Promiſe of Salvation made to Adam, but no Covenant, not a Word of any Condition mentioned. No, it was the free Gift of God in Chriſt. Adam was now in a State of Condemnation, he was ſo far from being deſirous of entring into Covenant with, that he fled from, God, and was not ſo much as truly convicted of his Sin; as will evidently appear from the Context. For, both he and his Wife laid the Fault not upon themſelves, but one another and the Serpent. The Woman which thou gaveſt me, (therein tacitly reflecting upon God, for giving him that Woman,) ſhe gave me, ſays Adam, and I did eat. Here appears no true Senſe of Sin at all: and to ſhew they had no Notion of a Saviour, we are told they ſewed Fig Leaves together, inſtead of applying to God, to cover their Nakedneſs; and afterwards fled from God, when they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking among the Trees in the Garden. Here then opens the Myſtery of Godlineſs, God manifeſt in the Fleſh. Notwithſtanding our firſt Parents had broken the Covenant, and had their Hearts hardened; yet, out of the Riches of his free Grace, God had provided a Remedy from all Eternity, and now reveals it in Time. The Seed of this Woman, i. e. Jeſus Chriſt, (who in all Probability was ſpiritually conceived that Inſtant in the Heart of Eve) ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's Head, i. e. by his Obedience and Death, ſhall ſatisfy divine Juſtice, fulfill the moral Law in Man's Stead, and thereby deliver him from the Power of the Devil. Here are no Terms mentioned, on Man's Part at all. And ſuppoſing there had been a Covenant made with Man, 'And it had been made up as the firſt was, of ſome Mercies to be afforded by God, and ſome Duties to be performed by us: Alas, we are of all Creatures the moſt miſerable; for then we are not under Grace, but under the Law. And if Adam could not keep the firſt Covenant, tho' in perfect Innocence; how can we, who hate God by Nature, and whoſe Thoughts are only evil continually, keep a ſecond like unto it? Is not this putting Man into a moſt unhappy Condition, and making his poor imperfect Obedience the Cauſe why Jeſus Chriſt is merciful unto him? and if ſo, how is boaſting excluded in the great Work of our Redemption, as the Scriptures every where affirm? And how can Eternal Life be the free Gift of God, thro' Jeſus Chriſt our Lord? But this is agreeable enough to the Divinity of this Author, who in the Twenty-firſt Paragraph of his Preface ſays; The Third Thing that Chriſt was to do for us, was, to enable us, or give us Strength, to do what God requires of us. This he doth, firſt by taking off from the Hardneſs of the Law given to Adam ,which was, never to commit the leaſt Sin upon Pain of Damnation, and requiring of us only an holy and hearty Endeavour to do what we are able, and where we fail accepting of ſincere Repentance. Now, I would fain know, where God has taken off from the Hardneſs of the Law given unto Adam? And required of us only an holy and hearty Endeavour to do what we are able? And, when we fail, accepting of ſincere Repentance? This is all as falſe, as God is true; the whole Law is as much, in Force againſt us, as it was againſt Adam, before we are found in Chriſt. God has been ſo far from taking off from the Hardneſs of the Law given to Adam, that Jeſus Chriſt declares, that he came not to deſtroy, but to fulfil it. And, until convinc'd of the Obligation we lie under to obey the whole moral Law, in Thought, Word, and Deed, how can we ſee the Neceſſity of the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt? God's Law was honourable, Jeſus Chriſt fulfilled it in our Stead, and upon Account of that Righteouſneſs imputed to us, and not on our hearty Endeavours or Repentance, are we accepted by him. What is there in our hearty Endeavour or Repentance, to recommend us to the Favour of God, or render them worthy or being joined with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, as tho' that was not ſufficient in itſelf? Our beſt … are but Splendida peccata, glittering Sins. I cannot pray, ſays the pious Biſhop Beveridge, but I Sin; I cannot hear or preach a Sermon, but I Sin; I cannot give an Alms, or receive the Sacrament, but I Sin; Nay, I cannot confeſs my Sins, but my very Confeſſions are ſtill Aggravations to them: my Repentings need to be repented of; my Tears want waſhing, and the very waſhing of my Tears, need ſtill to be waſhed over again with the Blood of my Redeemer, Jeſus Chriſt, The Lord is our whole Righteouſneſs, we are to go to him as poor Sinners. Beg Salvation of him as his free Gift, and entreat him to give us a living Faith, whereby that Righteouſneſs may be applied to our Hearts; and then that Faith, if true, will work by Love. This, the Author of the WHOLE DUTY OF MAN, was wholly ignorant of, otherwiſe he would not have laid ſuch a Foundation: and if the Foundation be ſo bad, judge you how wretchedly weak, the Surperſtructure muſt be. It would take more Time than I can at preſent ſpare, to point out all the Miſtakes of the whole Book: I will only refer you to what this Author ſays about Recreations, Sunday, 19th, Sec. 7th wherein he ſeems not only to allow of Gaming, by ſaying, if we play at any Game, but directs us when we do it, to let the End of our doing it be meerly to recreate ourſelves. I thought the Glory of God, and not ſelf-pleaſing, had been the Principle from which all Chriſtians ought to act. I ſuppoſe from this Paſſage, a Man whom I reproved lately on the Road, for Gaming in the Chriſtmas Holy-Days, grounded his Authority for ſo doing: He told me, the Whole Duty of Man ſaid, he might do ſo And indeed I believe he is not the firſt by thouſands, who have been miſerably deceived, by this much applauded Book: And therefore I thought myſelf obliged to write this Letter. You may make what Uſe you will of it. I care not if the Contents are publiſhed upon the Houſe Top. Nay, I think it your Duty, if convinced yourſelf, to endeavour to convince others; for there's no Hopes of bringing People to a right Knowledge of the Goſpel, till their Favourite, tho' erroneous, Authors are diſcountenanc'd and laid aſide. Before I ſee England, I hope I ſhall hear that my dear Friends in the Miniſtry, both in preaching and printing have ſeconded my Teſtimony. Future Ages as well as the preſent, will be much beholden to them for it. Their Declarations will ſtand as Records that God did not leave himſelf without Witneſs, even in the Worſt of times. Other Goſpel Miniſters will be much encourag'd thereby; and thouſands, nay, ten thouſands preferved from Infection, which other … perhaps they may not be able avoid. However, whether they ſecond me or not, by the Help of my God, both abroad and at Home, (if it be the Divine Will I ſhould ſee England again) I will perſevere in bearing a more explicite and particular Teſtimony againſt the falſe Writings of our admired Rabbies. Do you and my other Friends watch over me; reprove me ſharply whenever you perceive my Spirit embitter'd. Pray that I may be as meek as a Lamb, and as bold as a Lion; and then whatever befalls me for ſpeaking as I ought to ſpeak, through divine Grace ſhall be chearfully ſubmitted to by
Your affectionate Friend and Servant in Chriſt▪ GEORGE WHITEFIELD.
End of the text · George Whitefield, Letter Showing Error of Book Entitled The Whole Duty of Man (1740)