Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

Author Bio: William Law

William Law (1686–1761), English cleric and theological writer, was born at Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire. The first of Law’s controversial works was “Three Letters to the Bishop of Bangor,” which was considered by friend and foe alike as one of the most powerful contributions to the Bangorian controversy on the high church side. Law’s next controversial work was Remarks on Mandeville’s Fable of the Bees, in which he vindicates morality on the highest grounds; for pure style, caustic wit, and lucid argument this work is remarkable; it was enthusiastically praised by John Sterling and republished by F. D. Maurice. Many of Law’s controversial writings have not received due recognition, partly because they were opposed to the drift of his times and partly because of his success in other fields.