A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

“A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life” by William Law, first published in 1729, is a powerful and enduring guide to Christian living. Written by a deeply spiritual English theologian, this work calls believers to move beyond mere outward religion and embrace a life of genuine devotion, humility, and moral discipline.
With eloquence and conviction, Law urges readers to align their daily lives—through prayer, simplicity, and selflessness—with the teachings of Christ. He emphasizes that true piety is not reserved for clergy or the secluded, but is the duty of every person, regardless of occupation or status.
Combining reasoned argument with heartfelt appeal, Law’s writing challenges spiritual complacency and invites readers to examine their lives in the light of eternal truths. His message is timeless, inspiring figures like John Wesley and C.S. Lewis, and continues to resonate with modern seekers of authentic faith.
A Serious Call is not just a theological treatise—it is a spiritual wake-up call, offering a practical and profound vision of what it means to live a life wholly devoted to God.

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.