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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... things, and such ends, as are suitable to His glory. Now let any one but find out 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 ...
... things, and such ends, as are suitable to His glory. Now let any one but find out 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 ...
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... things, that all its virtues which it makes necessary to salvation are only so many ways of living above and contrary to the world, in all the common actions of our life. If our common life is not a common course of humility, self ...
... things, that all its virtues which it makes necessary to salvation are only so many ways of living above and contrary to the world, in all the common actions of our life. If our common life is not a common course of humility, self ...
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... things that are temporal, and the other to be of another world, looking wholly at the things that are eternal? Does the one live in pleasure, delighting herself in show or dress, and the other live in self-denial and mortification ...
... things that are temporal, and the other to be of another world, looking wholly at the things that are eternal? Does the one live in pleasure, delighting herself in show or dress, and the other live in self-denial and mortification ...
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... things, what can we say that it has done for him? For if the doctrines of Christianity were practiced, they would ... thing to know a Christian by his outward course of life, as it is now difficult to find anybody that lives it. For it ...
... things, what can we say that it has done for him? For if the doctrines of Christianity were practiced, they would ... thing to know a Christian by his outward course of life, as it is now difficult to find anybody that lives it. For it ...
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... things do the Gentiles seek)” (Matt. 6:31, 32). But if to be thus affected even with the necessary things of this life, shows that we are not yet of a Christian spirit, but are like the heathens, surely to enjoy the vanity and folly of ...
... things do the Gentiles seek)” (Matt. 6:31, 32). But if to be thus affected even with the necessary things of this life, shows that we are not yet of a Christian spirit, but are like the heathens, surely to enjoy the vanity and folly of ...
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