small patrimony, was uncommonly charitable, particularly to his poor neighbours, in and about King'sCliffe. In this benevolent disposition he was joined by the two maiden ladies, [Elizabeth Hutchinson and Hester Gibbon,] with whom he resided. Their object was not to encourage the idle and dissolute, but to promote and facilitate the good intentions and endeavours of the industrious. Such was the little value he set on money, that he gave the copies of all his works intended for publication to his booksellers; but for one of them, they insisted upon his acceptance of one hundred guineas.

The following circumstances whereby he was enabled to be extensively useful, are remarkable.Attending the feast of the sons of the clergy at St. Paul's cathedral, a gentleman who was unknown to him came to him and asked his name, to whom he modestly answered, "My name, sir, is William Law." Whereupon the gentleman gave him a letter directed to our author himself, which he, for the present, put into his pocket, and which, upon opening it at a convenient opportunity, he found enclosed a bank note for one thousand pounds sterling; and at another time a bank note for five hundred pounds sterling, was sent him from an unknown hand.

The pious and catholic Doddridge, in a sermon to young persons, has the following passage concerning William Law. It is an awakening saying of one of the most lively and pathetic, as well as most pious writers which our age has produced, "that the condition of man in his natural state, seems to be like that of a person sick of a variety of diseases, knowing neither his distemper nor cure, but unhappily enclosed in a place where he could hear, or see, or taste, or feel nothing, but what tended to inflame his disorder."

The writer of the Life of John Buncle (a noted deist) after having unreasonably censured William Law, as a visionary, enthusiast, &c. was obliged to acknowledge the following excellent character of him and the aforementioned treatises. "The reverend nonjurer,

Mr. William Law, was a man of sense, fine writer, and a fine gentleman. His temper was charming, sweet, and delightful; and his manners quite primitive, and uncommonly pious: He was all charity and goodness, and so soft and gentle in conversation, that have thought myself in company with one of the men of the first church at Jerusalem, while with him. He had likewise the justest notions of Christian temper and practice, and recommended them in so insinuating a manner, that even the dissolute would hear him with pleasure. I have not seen any thing like him among the sons of men in these particulars. He was really a very extraordinary man; and to his honour be it remembered, that he had the great concern of human life at heart, took a deal of pains in the pulpit, and from the press-witness his two fine books on Christian Perfection and a Devout life; to make regn fear God and keep his commandments. He was a good man indeed. These are good books, written in the true spirit of christianity, and well worth the consideration of christians."

Very similar to this was the character given of him and of his writings, by Gibbon, the celebrated historian; of which the following is an extract:

"His manner is lively, his style forcible and clear; and, had not the vigour of his mind been clouded by enthusiasm, he might be ranked with the most agreeable and ingenious writers of the times.

"While the Bangorian controversy was a fashionable theme, he entered the lists. He resumed the contest again with Bishop Hoadley, in which his Nonjuring principles appear, though he approves himself equal to both Prelates.

"On the appearance of the "Fable of the Bees," he drew his pen against the licentiousness of the doctrine of that writer; and Morality and Religion must rejoice in his applause and victory.

"Mr. Law's master-piece, the "Serious Call," is still read as a popular and powerful book of devotion. His precepts are rigid, but they are formed and deriv-,

ed from the Gospel; his satire is sharp, but his wisdom is from the knowledge of human life; and many of his portraits are not unworthy the pen of La Bruyere. If there yet exists a spark of piety in his reader's mind, he will soon kindle it to a flame; and a philosopher must allow that he is more consistent in his principles than any of the tribe of mystic writers. He handles with equal severity and truth the strange contradiction between faith and practice in the Christian world."

The charge of enthusiasm from men of Gibbon's avowed principles, requires no attempt at confutation.

A writer under the signature of Christophilus, in Lloyd's Evening Post, in the year 1772, speaking of William Law, and recommending his writings, says, "Though I had no long acquaintance with him, yet a few months before his decease, I was indulged with an ample and intimate conversation with him, upon the state of religion in our time and nation, and on many other the most interesting subjects. This I regard as a favour of God bestowed on me, and which I would not have been without on any consideration. I only wish to make the best use of it, in all respects. Mr. Law lived as he wrote, and died as he lived. I am pretty credibly informed, that amidst the most excruciating pains of the stone, and at the age of seventy-five years, immediately before his dissolution, rising up in his bed, he said, "Take away these filthy garments; I feel a fire of love within, which has burnt up every thing contrary to itself, and transformed every thing into its own nature." Oh! might every minister, and each of their flocks, of every denomination, live the life, and die the death of this truly righteous man!

"To give a short specimen of the conversation which passed between us-"Sir, says he, I am not fond of religious gossiping. My best thoughts are in my works, and to them I recommend you. If I should seem to you a positive old man, I cannot help it, well knowing the ground from which I write. But, dear

sir, above all things be present with, and attend carefully to your own heart; there you will be sure to meet with all the evil; and there only you can meet with God and all real goodness." Having already reaped benefit from this advice, through God's mercy, I communicate it to the public for the same end; it is needful; and may it prove, together with his other writings, a standard lifted up against that inundation of infidel profligacy and notional faith; against the numberless number of flagrant sinners and hypocritical, false saints, which every where divide a fallen Christendom.”

His Address to the Clergy was his last work, having been finished just prior to his death, in 1761; though it appears to be chiefly directed to the Episcopal Clergy, it is of common concern to all professed Ministers of the Gospel, and to Christians in general.

[In a few particulars, the edition from which this was copied, appears to have been abridged from the early London editions, but in none which affects the object of the work.]

The following list of his works is given in the Introduction to a recent edition of the "Serious Call."

1. A Serious Call to a devout and holy Life, adapted to the State and Condition of all Orders of Christians, 8vo.

2. A Practical Treatise upon Christian Perfection,

8vo.

3. Three Letters to the Bishop of Bangor, 8vo.

4. Remarks upon a late Book, entitled, "The Fable of the Bees; or Private Vices Public Benefits, 8vo.

5. The absolute Unlawfulness of Stage Entertainments fully demonstrated, 8vo.

6. The Case of Reason, or Natural Religion, fairly and fully stated, 8vo.

7. An earnest and serious Answer to Dr. Trapp's Discourse of the Folly, Sin, and Danger, of being righteous over much, 8vo.

8. The Grounds and Reasons of Christian Regeneration, 8vo.

9. A Demonstration of the gross and fundamental Errors of a late Book, called "A plain Account of the Nature and End of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper," affectionately addressed to all Orders of Men, and more especially to all the younger Clergy,

8vo.

10. An Appeal to all that doubt or disbelieve the Truths of the Gospel, 8vo.

11. The Spirit of Prayer; or the Soul rising out of the Vanity of time into the Riches of Eternity. In Two Parts, 8vo.

12. The Spirit of Love. In Two Parts, 8vo.

13. The Way to Divine Knowledge; being several Dialogues between Humanus, Academicus, Rusticus, and Theophilus, as preparatory to a new Edition of the Works of Jacob Behmen, and the right Use of them, 8vo.

14. A short but sufficient Confutation of the Rev. Dr. Warburton's projected Defence (as he calls it) of Christianity, in his Divine Legation of Moses. In a Letter to the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London.

15. A Collection of Letters on the most interesting and important Subjects, and on several Occasions, 8vo. 16. Of Justification by Faith and Works; a Dialogue between a Methodist and a Churchman, 8vo. 17. An humble, earnest, and affectionate Address to the Clergy, 8vo.