the works of rev william law vol 3 self-denial, grace (1892)

7/30/2019 The Works of Rev William Law Vol 3 Self-Denial, Grace (1892)

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The Leonard Library

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Prefatory Advertisement.

A Practical Treatiseupon Christian ^Perfection.

Treatise is WILLIAM LAW S fourth Work inthe Order of Publication ; published in the year1726, when he was about forty years of age.MR. WALTON records a Tradition to the effectthat shortly after the publication of the * Christian

Perfection/ when William Law was one day waiting in the Shopof his Publisher, in London, a person, habited as a Gentleman s1 servant, accosted him. inquiring if he were the Rev. Mr. Laiu ;and being answered in the affirmative, placed a letter in hishands and departed. Upon opening the letter, it was found tocontain a Bank-note for 1,000 from some anonymous in-* dividual/ Walton suggests that if this anecdote be true, itwas probably with this donation that William Law endowed theGirls School in his Native place of King s Cliffe : and it isequally probable that the publication of this excellent Treatiseprocured him the appointment of Tutor in the Gibbon family.In the course of William Law s controversial writings hismind may have become impressed with the importance ofsetting forth in a practical manner the True Profession ofChristianity, as the best method of further refuting erroneousdoctrines and opinions ; such as he had already felt called uponin the defence of True Christianity to expose hence thisTreatise.The Christian Perfection has exercised an immense influenceover the lives of many of its readers ; and it may indeed beregarded as a Practical Guide to Christianity. It is the firstWork of William Law s which really, as a Beacon, directsthe Wayfarer through the strait gate into that narrow way,


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iv ^Prefatory ^Advertisement.with its pitfalls and manifold difficulties which he knew so well,and along which he himself has passed. The popularity ofthis Work has however been exceeded by that of the SeriousCall, which was William Law s next work ; but is for themost part merely the Christian Perfection reduced intoa Formula or System of Religion, with Rules for Devotion,appointed Hours for, and Subjects of, Prayer. Hence theextreme but unmerited, popularity of the Serious Call farbeyond William Laws other writings for Man is a bundleof Habits, and the majority of even religious people, from wantof sufficient earnestness, require to be led and instructed by* Rules at every step, as if they were mentally and spirituallyblind.

It is in the Christian Perfection that the following sentencerespecting the Light of Revelation occurs : which, in the infinitecomprehensiveness of its idea, is amongst the most beautiful thatWilliam Law ever wrote :

This Light (of Revelation) has dispersed all the Anxiety ofMan s vain Conjectures. It has brought him acquainted with1 God ; and, by adding Heaven to Earth and Eternity to Time,has opened such a glorious View of Things as makes Man, evenf in his present Condition, full of a Peace of God which passes allUnderstanding/ G. B. M.


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A

PRACTICALTREATISEUPON

CHRISTIANPERFECTION.By WILLIAM LAW, M. A.

as though Ihadalready attained,either were already perfect.

Phil. iii. 12,.

LONDON:Printed for WILLIAM and JOHN INNYS,at the West-End of St. Paul s. 1726,


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The Contents.*The Introduction.CHAPTER I.

C / HE Nature and Design of Christianity, that itsJ[ sole End is to deliver usfrom the Misery and Disorder of this present State, and raise us to a

blissful Enjoyment of the Divine Nature . Page 1 1CHAPTER II.

Christianity requires a Change of Nature : a new Lifeperfectly devoted to God . . . . 2 3

CHAPTER III.Christianity requireth a denunciation of the World, and

all worldly tempers . . . . 36CHAPTER IV.A Continuation of the same Subject . . .48CHAPTER V.Afurther Continuation of the same Subject . .62CHAPTER VI.

Christianity calleth all Men to a State of Self-denial andMortification . . . . . -79

CHAPTER VII.Some further Considerations upon the Reasonableness of

Self-denial ... ... 98


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iv The Contents.CHAPTER VIII.

The Subject of Self-denialfurther continued . Page 1 1 8CHAPTER IX.

Of the Necessity of Divine Grace, and the several Dutiesto which it calleth all Christians . . -134CHAPTER X.

The Necessity of Divine Grace, obligeth all Christians toa constant Purity, and Holiness of Conversation ;wherein is shown, the great Danger, andgreat Impiety,ofreading vain and impertinent Books . -150

CHAPTER XLA further Consideration of that Purity and Holiness ofConversation, to which the Necessity of Divine Grace

calleth all Christians ; wherein is shown, that theEntertainment of the Stage is a corrupt and sinfulEntertainment, contrary to the whole Nature of Christian Piety, and constantly to he avoided by all sincereChristians . . . . . . .170

CHAPTER XII.Christians are called to a constant State of Prayer andDevotion . . . . . . . 195

CHAPTER XIII.AH Christians are required to imitate the Life andExample of Jesus Christ . . . -215

CHAPTER XIV.An Exhortation to Christian Perfection . -232


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APractical Treatise

UPONChristian ^Perfection.

The Introduction.

CHRISTIANPerfection will perhaps seem to thecommon Reader to imply some State of Life which

everyone need not aspire after ; that it is made upof such Strictnesses, Retirements, and Particularitiesof Devotion, as are neither necessary, nor practicable

by the Generality of Christians.But I must answer for myself, that I know of only one commonChristianity, which is to be the common Means of Salvation toall Men.

If the Writers upon Christian Perfection have fancied tothemselves some peculiar Degrees of Piety, or extraordinaryDevotions which they call by that Name, they have not doneReligion much Service, by making Christian Perfection to consist^in anything, but the right Performance of our necessary Duties.This is the Perfection which this Treatise endeavours torecommend ; a Perfection that does not consist in any singularState or Condition of Life, or in any particular Set of Duties,but in the holy and religious Conduct of ourselves in every Stateof Life.

It calls no one to a Cloister, but to a right and full Performance of those Duties, which are necessary for all Christians,and common to all States of Life.I call it Perfection, for two Reasons, first, because I hope itcontains a full Representation of that Height of Holiness andPurity, to which Christianity calls all its Members : Secondly,

that the Title may invite the Reader to peruse it with the moreDiligence, as expecting to find not only a Discourse upon moralVirtues, but a regular Draught of those holy Tempers which arethe perfect Measure and Standard of Christian Piety.Now as Perfection is here placed in the right Performance ofour necessary Duties, in the Exercise of such holy Tempers asare equally necessary and equally practicable in all States of


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upon Christian Perfection. 7Again, are not all People obliged to be equally honest, just, and

true and faithful ? In these Virtues all are to be eminent andexact in the same Degree, there are no Abatements to be madefor any Rank or Order of People.Now as to the external Exercise of these Duties, there may ,be great Difference. One Man may have great Business in theWorld, and be honest and faithful in it all ; another may havesmall Dealings and be honest in them ; but provided that therebe in both of them the same Justice and Integrity of Mind, theyare equally honest, though their Instances of Honesty, as toexternal Acts of it, are as different, as great Things are differentfrom small.

But as it is the Habit of the Mind, which is the Justice whichReligion requires, so in this Respect all People may be equallyjust.Now this may serve to show us in what Respect all People maybe equally virtuous, and in what Respect they cannot.As to the external Instances or Acts of Virtue, in these theymust differ according to the Difference of their Circumstances,and Condition in the World ; but as Virtues are considered asHabits of the Mind, and Principles of the Heart, in this Respectthey may all be equally virtuous, and are all called to the samePerfection.A Man cannot exercise the Spirit of Martyrdom, till he isbrought to the Stake ; he cannot forgive his Enemies till theyhave done him Wrong, till he suffers from them. He cannotbear Poverty and Distress till they are brought upon him. Allthese Acts of Virtue depend upon outward Causes, but yet hemay have a Piety and heroic Spirit equal to those who have diedfor their Religion. He may have that Charity of Mind whichprays for its Enemies, he may have that Meekness and Resignation to the Will of God, as disposes People to bear Poverty andDistress with Patience and humble Submission to the DivineProvidence.So that they are only the external Instances and Acts of Virtue,which depend upon outward Causes and Circumstances of Life ;a Man cannot give till he has something to give ; but the inwardPiety of the Heart and Mind which constitutes the State ofChristian Perfection, depends upon no outward Circumstances.A Man need not want Charity because he has no Riches, nor bedestitute of a forgiving Spirit, because he has no Persecutors toforgive.Although therefore we neither are, nor can be all in the sameCircumstances of Life, yet we are to be all in the same Spirit of

Religion ; though we cannot be all equal in Alms-giving, yet we


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the works of rev william law vol 3 self-denial, grace (1892)

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