A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

Written by William Law in 1728, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life was a powerful work of its time, greatly influencing radical religious leaders including Charles Wesley, a leader of the Methodists, and Henry Venn, a founder of the evangelical Clapham Sect of Anglicans. In A Serious Call, Law argues that devotion must be an omnipresent fixture in every Christian's life. One cannot affect devotion during times of prayer and then forget about it during times of common activity. In essence, he suggests that all aspects of one's life become a kind of prayer, undertaken with the serious attention and regard for God that is often saved only for church attendance. Anyone interested in improving his or her relationship with God will find this an informative and supportive read. English clergyman WILLIAM LAW (1686-1761) was ordained at Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1711 and wrote a number of books, including The Grounds and Reasons of the Christian Regeneration (1731), The Way to Divine Knowledge (1752), and Appeal to all that Doubt and Disbelieve the Truths of Revelation (1740).

A great number of believers do not live the Christian life as they believe it ought to be lived. Simply put, they do not live according to their convictions. Few can face such truths without feeling the sting of conscience.
This book is addressed to Christians, and it is, as its title implies, a serious call to be what they profess. When William Law first wrote A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life in 1728, he set out to show, above all things, that there can be no truth and no wholesome life without perfect sincerity.
As you read the words within this cover, you will be caught by the deep note of absolute sincerity that dominates Law¿s writing. You will also discover the following:

Why the sincere intention to please God is crucial
Imitating God in all your actions
Why you must strive to obtain your salvation
Why you must conduct an earnest examination of your life
How you can be a servant of God through your employment How your money and possessions can become an obstacle to your Christian life
Our responsibilities as rational beings
How money can be a poison to your soul
How the use of your money can corrupt or bless your entire life
Living up to God¿s plan for your life
Why true religion is meant for everyone
Why it is necessary to avoid indulgences in worldly things
What you can do to offer your life as a service to God
Using your money as a gift from God
How you can bring glory to God even if you do not work
Making piety to God the rule and measure of everything you do
Why you should keep certain times of devotion during each day
Why morning devotions are vital to the Christian life
How designated forms of prayer can be useful in times of devotion
The importance of singing psalms and praises to God
Why your life must match your prayers and vice versa
The importance of rising early to pray