William Law: A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, The Spirit of Love

The Classics of Western Spirituality

by William Law, Austin Warren (Editor), Paul G. Stanwood (Editor)

The most in-depth and scholarly panorama of Western spirituality ever attempted In one series, the original writings of the universally acknowledged teachers of the Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic and Native American traditions have been critically selected, translated and introduced by internationally recognized scholars and spiritual leaders.

The texts are first-rate, and the introductions are informative and reliable. The books will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf of every literate religious persons". -- The Christian Century

Genres: Christianity, Theology, Classics

544 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1978

About the author

William Law (1686 – 9 April 1761) was a Church of England priest who lost his position at Emmanuel College, Cambridge when his conscience would not allow him to take the required oath of allegiance to the first Hanoverian monarch, George I. Previously William Law had given his allegiance to the House of Stuart and is sometimes considered a second-generation non-juror (an earlier generation of non-jurors included Thomas Ken). Thereafter, Law first continued as a simple priest (curate) and when that too became impossible without the required oath, Law taught privately, as well as wrote extensively. His personal integrity, as well as mystic and theological writing greatly influenced the evangelical movement of his day as well as Enlightenment thinkers such as the writer Dr Samuel Johnson and the historian Edward Gibbon. Law's spiritual writings remain in print today.

Reviews

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ENGLISH MYSTICAL CLERICS

William Law (1686-1761) was a "high Anglican" English cleric and theological writer, as well as one of the greatest post-Reformation English mystics. Discharged from his position for his Jacobitism---after refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance to George I---he participated in a small spiritual community; John and Charles Wesley were among his associates.

He observes that "there is not one command in all the gospel for public worship; and perhaps it is a duty that is least insisted upon in scripture of any other." (Pg. 50-51) He notes, "I don't intend to lessen the true and great value of prayers, either public or private, but only to show him that they are certainly but a very slender part of devotion when compared to a devout life." (Pg. 141)

He suggests that "The history of the gospel is chiefly the history of Christ's conquest over this spirit of the world. And the number of those who, following the Spirit of Christ, have lived contrary to the spirit of this world." (Pg. 237) Christian perfection itself "is tied to no particular form of life but is to be attained, though not with the same ease, in every state of life." (Pg. 341)

He asserts that Deism, "pretending to make man good and happy without Christ... is the greatest of all absurdities." (Pg. 400)

Law's book is a justly famous exposition of a restrained mystical position.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An 18th century Anglican work on Christian living. The author challenges the Christian to put God first and to avoid vain amusements. Law was said to be the prophet to the idle rich, and he certainly fulfills that vocation well. I thought he was sometimes overly harsh on innocent diversions, such as music, but his challenge to put God first in all things hits the mark. I was particularly impressed by his positive assessment of the more religious pagans (Plato, Socrates, etc.).