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. |
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... reason why he is to be thus strictly pious in his prayers, and he will find the same as strong a reason to be as strictly pious in all the other parts of his life. For there is not the least shadow of a reason why we should make God the ...
... reason why he is to be thus strictly pious in his prayers, and he will find the same as strong a reason to be as strictly pious in all the other parts of his life. For there is not the least shadow of a reason why we should make God the ...
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... reason why they are the jest and scorn of careless and worldly people; not because they are really devoted to God, but because they appear to have no other devotion but that of occasional prayers. Julius[1] is very fearful of missing ...
... reason why they are the jest and scorn of careless and worldly people; not because they are really devoted to God, but because they appear to have no other devotion but that of occasional prayers. Julius[1] is very fearful of missing ...
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... reason and piety, and yet at the same time neglect all prayer, whether public or private, should we not be amazed at such a man, and wonder how he could have so much folly along with so much religion? Yet this is as reasonable as for ...
... reason and piety, and yet at the same time neglect all prayer, whether public or private, should we not be amazed at such a man, and wonder how he could have so much folly along with so much religion? Yet this is as reasonable as for ...
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... reason why the generality even of the better sort of people live so contrary to Christianity.Nowthe reason of common swearing is this: it is because men have not so much as the intention to please God in all their actions. For let a man ...
... reason why the generality even of the better sort of people live so contrary to Christianity.Nowthe reason of common swearing is this: it is because men have not so much as the intention to please God in all their actions. For let a man ...
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... reason of this difference is not this, that one has strength and power to observe prayer, and the other has not; but the reason is this, that one intends to please God in the duties of devotion, and the other has no intention about it ...
... reason of this difference is not this, that one has strength and power to observe prayer, and the other has not; but the reason is this, that one intends to please God in the duties of devotion, and the other has no intention about it ...
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