A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy LifeHendrickson Publishers, 2021 M12 14 - 333 páginas Originally published in 1728 at the beginning of the Enlightenment when rational criticism of religious belief was at its peak, William Law’s work succeeded in inspiring the most cynical men of the age with its arguments in favor of a spiritual life. Proclaiming that God does not merely forgive our disobedience, but directly calls us to obedience and to a life completely centered in him, Law declares, “If you will here stop and ask yourself why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but because you never thoroughly intended it.” Law’s prose is packed with vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes that both reveal what it means to lead a Christian life and unmask the perversion of Christian tenets by secular and spiritual establishments. This challenge of conventional piety and emphasis on Christian perfection directly influenced literary critic Samuel Johnson and historian Edward Gibbon, as well as Cardinal John Henry Newman. John Wesley called Law’s work one of three books that accounted for his first “explicit resolve to be all devoted to God.” Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Henry Venn, William Wilberforce, and Thomas Scott each described reading the book as a major turning point in his life. William Law (1686-1761) was educated at Cambridge, took a teaching position there, and was also ordained in the Church of England. He lost his access to university venues and the parish ministry when he was unable to swear allegiance to the Hanoverian dynasty that replaced the Stuarts as the rulers of Great Britain. Although forbidden the use of pulpit and lecture hall, he preached through his books, including Christian Perfection, The Grounds and Reasons of Christian Regeneration, Spirit of Prayer, and Spirit of Love. |
Dentro del libro
Resultados 1-5 de 55
Página
... desires. You see the same fondness for state and equipage [trappings], the same pride and vanity of dress, the same self-love and indulgence, the same foolish friendships, and groundless hatreds, the same levity of mind, and trifling ...
... desires. You see the same fondness for state and equipage [trappings], the same pride and vanity of dress, the same self-love and indulgence, the same foolish friendships, and groundless hatreds, the same levity of mind, and trifling ...
Página
... desire it may also be inquired, how it comes to pass that swearing is so common a vice among Christians? It is indeed not yet so common among women, as it is among men. But among men this sin is so common that perhaps there are more ...
... desire it may also be inquired, how it comes to pass that swearing is so common a vice among Christians? It is indeed not yet so common among women, as it is among men. But among men this sin is so common that perhaps there are more ...
Página
... desire to shine at balls or assemblies, or make a figure among those that are most finely dressed, than she will desire to dance upon a rope to please spectators: she will know, that the one is as far from the wisdom and excellence of ...
... desire to shine at balls or assemblies, or make a figure among those that are most finely dressed, than she will desire to dance upon a rope to please spectators: she will know, that the one is as far from the wisdom and excellence of ...
Página
... desire to be good and perfect, but through the weakness of our nature fall short of it; but it is, because we have not piety enough to intend to be as good as we can, or to please God in all the actions of our life. This we see is ...
... desire to be good and perfect, but through the weakness of our nature fall short of it; but it is, because we have not piety enough to intend to be as good as we can, or to please God in all the actions of our life. This we see is ...
Página
... desires, and covetous tempers, only to satisfy ourselves, we can no more be said to live to the glory of God, than gluttons and drunkards can be said to eat and drink to the glory of God. As the glory of God is one and the same thing ...
... desires, and covetous tempers, only to satisfy ourselves, we can no more be said to live to the glory of God, than gluttons and drunkards can be said to eat and drink to the glory of God. As the glory of God is one and the same thing ...
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life ; The Spirit of Love William Law Vista previa limitada - 1978 |
Términos y frases comunes
according actions affected Angels appear better Blessed body called carry charity Christ Christian clothes common condition consider contrary course creatures death desire devotion Divine doctrines dress drink duty eternal everything excellence exercise eyes follow folly fortune founded friends give glory greater greatest hands happiness heart Heaven heavenly highest holy hour human humility indulgence instances intend kind labor lawful live look Lord manner matter means mind nature necessary necessity neglect never obliged observe ourselves particular passions perfection perform persons piety pious plain pleasures poor practice praise pray prayers pride proper raise reason receive relation religion render repentance requires rules Scripture sense singing sins soul spirit suppose surely tell tempers things thoughts true turn unto vanity virtue whole wisdom wise worldly