CALL

TO A

Devout and Holy Life.

Adapted to the State and Condition of

All Orders of CHRISTIANS.

By WILLIAM LAW, A. M.

The FOURTH EDITION.

He that bath ears to bear, let him bear. Luke viii. 8. And bebold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me. Rev. xxii. 12.

LONDON:

Printed for W. IN NYS and R. MAN BY, at the

Weft End of St. Paul's. M DCC XXXIX.

THE

CONTENT S.

C

CHAP. I.

Oncerning the Nature and Extent of Chriftian De-
votion.

CHA P. II.

Page 1

An Enquiry into the Reason, why the generality of Chri-
ftians fall fo far short of the Holiness and Devotion of
Chriftianity.

CHA P. III.

12

Of the great danger and folly of not intending to be as
eminent and exemplary, as we can, in the practice of
all Chriftian virtues.

CHA P. IV.

20

We can please God in no state or condition of life, but by
intending and devoting it all to his honour and glory.

CHAP. V.

33

Perfons that are free from the necessity of labour and em-
ployments, are to confider themfelves as devoted to God
in a higher degree.

A 2

49

CHAP

CHAP. VI.

Containing the great obligations, and the great advan
tages of making a wife and religious ufe of our effates
and fortunes.
Page 57

CHAP. VII.

How the imprudent use of an estate corrupts all the tem-
pers of the mind, and fills the beart with poor and ri-
diculous paffions through the whole courfe of life; re-
prefented in the character of Flavia.

66

How the wife and pious ufe of an eftate, naturally carrieth
us to great perfection in all the virtues of the Chriftian
life; reprefented in the character of Miranda.

CHAP. IX.

74

Containing fome reflections upon the life of Miranda; and
Sewing bow it may, and ought to be imitated by all
ber fex.

CHAP. X.

85

Shewing how all orders and ranks of men and women of all
ages, are obliged to devote themselves unto God. 100

CHAP. XI.

Shewing how great devotion fills our lives with the
greatest peace and happiness that can be enjoy'd in this
world.

CHAP. XII.

117

The happiness of a life wholly devoted unto God, farther
prov'd, from the vanity, the fenfuality, and the ridi-
culous, poor enjoyments, which they are forc'd to take
up with, who live according to their own bumours.
This reprefented in various characters.

134

СНАР.

CHAP. XIII.

That not only a life of vanity, or fenfuality, but even the
moft regular kind of life, that is not govern'd by great
devotion, fufficiently fhews its miferies, its wants, and
emptinefs, to the eyes of all the world. This repre-
Jented in various characters.
Page 149

CHA P. XIV.

Concerning that part of Devotion which relates to times
and hours of Prayer. Of daily early prayer in the
morning. How we are to improve our forms of Prayer,
and bow to increase the spirit of Devotion.

CHAP. XV.

164

Of chanting, or finging of Pfalms in our private devati-
ons. Of the excellency and benefit of this kind of deva
tion. Of the great effects it hath upon our bearts. Of
the means of performing it in the best manner.

CHAP. XVI.

187

Recommending devotion at nine o'clock in the morning,
call'd in Scripture the third hour of the day. The
fubject of thefe prayers is humility.

CHAP. XVII.

206

Shewing how difficult the practice of bumility is made,
by the general spirit and temper of the world. How
Christianity requireth us to live contrary to the world.

CHAP. XVIII,

219

Shewing how the education which men generally receive
in their youth, makes the doctrines of humility difficult
to be practis'd. The Spirit of a better education, re-
prefented in the character of Paternus.

CHA P. XIX.

232

Shewing bow the method of educating daughters, makes
it difficult for them to enter into the spirit of Christian
bumility.