The works of the Reverend George Whitefield, M.A., Vol. 6 (of 6)

In Short

This volume serves as a comprehensive repository of sermons, letters, and tracts from one of the most influential figures of the Great Awakening. Through these pieces, readers encounter the relentless, urgent ministry of a man who traveled across England and America, preaching the necessity of a "new birth" and an inward, transformative faith. The work is organized to provide both a theological roadmap and a personal glimpse into the author’s spiritual life. It has endured as a primary historical record of eighteenth-century evangelicalism, reflecting a period of intense religious upheaval. By blending scriptural exegesis with direct, often confrontational appeals to the reader’s conscience, the collection remains a vivid testament to a preacher who viewed his ministry as a battle for the souls of men.

The Story

The arc of the volume is not a chronological biography but a sustained, repeating crescendo of spiritual urgency. It begins with the premise that every reader is in a state of spiritual peril, characterized by a hardened heart or, at best, an "almost Christian" status—someone who maintains outward morality without an inward, vital union with the divine. The author moves through a series of foundational arguments: that the natural human state is one of corruption, that religious rituals and even church attendance are insufficient, and that the only remedy is a radical, supernatural intervention by the Holy Spirit.

As the sermons progress, the narrative focus shifts from the diagnosis of the human condition to the remedy: the "Lamb of God." The author spends a significant portion of the work dismantling the pride of the self-righteous, whom he personifies as Pharisees, and encouraging the "publicans" or the broken-hearted. He uses the stories of biblical figures—Zaccheus in the sycamore tree, the family of Lazarus, and the transformation of Saul of Tarsus—to demonstrate that God’s grace is "sovereign" and "electing." He argues that faith is not a matter of intellectual assent or "moral suasion," but a gift that breaks a person’s resistance.

In the middle sections, the author grapples with the fallout of his preaching. He defends his ministry against "dignified clergymen" and critics who call him a "blasphemer" or a "setter forth of strange doctrines." He frames these attacks as proof of his authenticity, arguing that true godliness must inevitably provoke the world’s enmity. He does not shy away from the harsh realities of his calling; he recounts his own former ignorance and his transition from reading "harmless" books to being consumed by the "good word of life."

The progression reaches its climax in the author’s repeated calls to action. He does not offer a gentle suggestion but a life-or-death ultimatum, frequently weeping over his audience or describing the "chilling" thought of appearing as a "swift witness" against them in the afterlife. The volume concludes by looking toward the "eternal rest" and the "heavenly Jerusalem." The final pages serve as a mirror for the reader, asking them to examine if they have "experimentally known" the power of Christ’s resurrection. The author leaves the reader not with a resolution of comfort, but with a challenge: to choose between the "broad way" of the world and the "strait and narrow way" that leads to a crown which "fadeth not away."

How It Unfolds

The indictment of the soul The opening sermons establish that formal religion and baptism are empty without a radical change of heart. The author insists that many who believe they are saved are merely "almost Christians" who have never truly tasted the Spirit.

The call to the outcast Transitioning to the nature of divine mercy, the author invites the "halt, maimed, and blind" to a gospel supper. He emphasizes that this feast is for the broken, while the proud will find themselves excluded from the kingdom.

The defense of the ministry The author directly confronts his detractors, including fellow clergymen whom he believes are watering down the faith. He argues that being rejected by the world is the hallmark of a true servant of God.

The promise of perseverance Using the imagery of a "golden chain," the author explains how God’s justification of a person is indissolubly linked to their eventual sanctification and glory. He argues that those who are truly in Christ can never be lost, as the work is divine rather than human.

The final appeal The volume closes with a series of urgent, personal exhortations. The author entreats his readers one last time to abandon their "trifling" pursuits and commit their whole hearts to the Redeemer before the "day of grace" ends.

The People

The central figure is the author, George Whitefield, who portrays himself not as a scholar, but as a vessel for the divine. He is a man of intense, often volatile emotions—he moves quickly from tears of sorrow for the unconverted to ecstatic praise. He acts as both a spiritual guide and a combatant, willing to take on the "letter-learned disputers" of his age.

Opposing him is the "almost Christian," a recurring character who serves as a warning. This person is honest and sober, but their goodness is rooted in "false self-love" and a desire to maintain a reputation. The author treats this figure with a mixture of pity and sharp disdain, as they are "hindering" others from entering the kingdom.

The Pharisee represents the religious elite who focus on external rules and "moral persuasion." The author contrasts them with the Publican, the humble sinner who acknowledges their own unworthiness. In the author’s view, the Pharisee is the most dangerous adversary because they are blind to their own need for repentance.

Finally, the Lamb of God is the ultimate protagonist of the text. Whether the author is discussing the "agony and bloody sweat" of the crucifixion or the "King of Glory" inviting souls to sup with him, this figure is the only source of the "spiritual virtue" that transforms the believer. The author’s relationship with this figure is the axis upon which his entire world turns; he frames every success and every trial as a movement toward, or away from, the presence of the Savior.

In Its Own Voice

O! the joy you feel in your own souls, which all the men of this world, and all the devils in hell, though they were to combine together, could not destroy.

This sentence reflects the author’s conviction that spiritual experience provides a security that physical or worldly circumstances cannot touch.

You may reply, How shall we know this? Why, put in practice the precept in the text; search the scripture in the manner that has been recommended, and then you will be convinced of the danger, sinfulness, and unsatisfactoriness of reading any others than the book of GOD.

Here, the author issues a firm directive to his listeners, insisting that their primary source of truth should be scripture alone.

I am sorry such words should come from the mouth and pen of a dignified clergyman of the Church of England.

The author expresses his profound disappointment with a fellow minister whose public statements he views as an affront to the gospel.

What It's Really About

The central preoccupation of this work is the distinction between "nominal" religion and "experimental" Christianity. The author argues that being a member of a church, participating in rituals, or living a moral life is insufficient for salvation. Instead, he posits that true faith must be a transformative, internal experience—a "new birth" wrought by the Holy Spirit.

Beneath this argument lies a deep skepticism regarding human effort. The author contends that the human heart is so deceitful and the "pride of life" so pervasive that individuals are fundamentally incapable of saving themselves. Consequently, the book functions as a plea for absolute surrender to divine sovereignty. It raises the uncomfortable question of whether one’s personal identity, social reputation, and worldly interests are worth clinging to when faced with the prospect of eternity. It is a work concerned with the absolute, stripping away the comforts of social convention to expose the raw, individual confrontation between a soul and its Creator.

Why Read It Today

Reading these works is an immersive experience that requires adjusting to the rhythms of an eighteenth-century pulpit. The prose is ornate, urgent, and relentlessly direct, often feeling like a verbal assault on the reader’s complacency. You will encounter a man who holds nothing back, and his emotional intensity—the "floods" of tears and the "vollies" of prayer—can feel startling or even alien to a modern reader.

The primary difficulty lies in the author’s worldview, which is uncompromisingly binary. He views humanity through a narrow lens of saved versus lost, and his dismissal of "harmless" literature or "polite" entertainment may feel restrictive or judgmental to those who value a broader secular life. Furthermore, the archaic spelling and occasional references to long-forgotten theological disputes may require patience to navigate.

However, the book is essential for anyone interested in the history of religious zeal or the mechanics of public persuasion. The author’s ability to create a sense of immediate, high-stakes drama out of abstract theology is masterful. What stays with you is the sheer conviction of the man; he is entirely absent of irony, fully believing that he is speaking for eternity. If you are looking for a gentle, reflective spiritual guide, this is not it. But if you want to understand the fire of the Great Awakening and the voice of a man who viewed his life’s work as a singular, urgent mission, this collection offers a profound, if challenging, window into the past.