o not reach a very high degree of excellence;[808]
with the single exception of the 'Serious Call,' not one of them can be
compared with the best of the preceding century--with Jeremy Taylor's
'Holy Living and Holy Dying,' for instance, or Baxter's 'Call to the
Unconverted,' or his 'Saint's Everlasting Rest,' or Howe's 'Living
Temple.'

But there is an historical interest in the 'Complete Duty of Man' quite
apart from its intrinsic merits. It may be regarded generally as a sort
of manifesto of the Evangelical party; and specially as a counterblast
against the defective theology of what Whitefield called 'England's
greatest favourite, "The Whole Duty of Man."' The very title of Venn's
work indicates its relationship to that once famous book. The 'Whole
Duty of Man' was written anonymously in the days of the Commonwealth,
when Calvinism had in too many cases degenerated into Antinomianism. It
has been seen how Whitefield with characteristic rashness declared that
its author knew no more of Christianity than Mahomet; and afterwards,
with equally characteristic candour, owned that he had been far too
severe in his condemnation. Cowper called it 'that repository of
self-righteousness and pharisaical lumber.'[809] Berridge equally
condemned it. Much more testimony to the same effect might be given.
There was, then, ample room for a treatise which should aim at the same
purpose as the 'Whole Duty of Man,' but which should enforce its
teaching on different principles. This want the 'Complete Duty'
supplied, and in its day supplied well. It was written from a
Calvinistic point of view; but its Calvinism differed widely from that,
for instance, of Romaine. A comparison between it and the 'Life, Walk,
and Triumph of Faith' marks the decided difference between two types of
Calvinists. Both books, it is presumed, were intended to be practical
treatises; but, whereas the one treats but very little of directly
practical duties, the full half--and the best and most interesting
half--of the other is exclusively concerned with them. Having fully
stated in his opening chapters the distinctive doctrines upon which
alone he thinks sound morality can be based, Venn in the rest of his
treatise enters with the utmost minuteness into the practical duties of
the Christian to God and man. Truthfulness, honesty, meekness, courtesy,
candour, the relative duties in various capacities--of masters towards
their servants and servants towards their mast