HUMBLE, EARNEST, AND AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS TO THE CLERGY. BY WILLIAM LAW, A. M. ........... TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR, NEW-BEDFORD: PRINTED BY BENJAMIN LINDSEY, Sold by Abraham Shearman, jun. New-Bedford ; 1818. SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. “WILLIAM LAW, a learned and pious divine of the church of England, was born at King's-Cliffe, Northamptonshire, Great-Britain, in 1686, and educated at Oxford, where he took his degrees. He entered into holy orders, but it does not appear that he ever had the cure of souls, owing probably to his adherance to non-juring principles, which he maintained to the close of his life. He was some time a private tutor in a gentleman's family at Putney, after which he chiefly resided in a very retired way at the house of Mrs. Hester Gibbon, aunt of the celebrated historian, in Northamptonshire, where he died in 1761. He was author of a great many theological publications, of which the most important is "The Serious Call to a devout and holy life, adapted to the State and Condition of all Orders of Christians." His "Practical Treatise on Christian Perfection," was likewise very much esteemed. He entered the lists against Bishop Hoadley; and was a zealous disciple of the doctrines of Jacob Behmen, whose works he published."-Rees' Cyclopedia. Another of his Biographers says that he was educated at Cambridge, where he was of Emanuel College; and left the University about the year 1712; "after having made great proficiency in every branch of human literature; but taking the advice of our Saviour to the rich young man, he totally renounced the world, and followed Christ, in meekness, humility and self-denial." He lived a single life; was remarkably cheerful in his temper; and with a very |