William Law: The Best Prayer Book
William Law (1686-1761)
“The way to be a man of prayer, and be governed by its spirit, is not to get a book full of prayers; but the best help you can have from a book, is to read one full of such truths, instructions, and awakening informations, as force you to see and know who, and what, and where, you are; that God is your all; and that all is misery, but a heart and life devoted to him. This is the best outward prayer book you can have, as it will turn you to an inward book, and spirit of prayer in your heart, which is a continual longing desire of the heart after God, his divine life, and Holy Spirit. When, for the sake of this inward prayer, you retire at any time of the day, never begin till you know and feel, why and wherefore you are going to pray; and let this why and wherefore, form and direct everything that comes from you, whether it be in thought or in word.”
— William Law, The Spirit of Prayer [1749]
More from this blog
A Discipline of Consecration and Listening
Expecting the Guidance of the Holy Spirit
A Prayer for Today
But, What About the Holy Spirit? – Colossians 1:9-12
An Unstable Nation – Amos 7:7-17
A Prophet at Prayer – Amos 7:1-6
Faith and the “Inward Witness”
Nick Quient: Perfecting Holiness and the Promises of God: A Brief Exegesis of 2 Cor 7:1
The Collapse of the Pannenberg Project?
Pouring Out the Soul Unto God
A House of Prayer for All Nations
Staying Alive
Bob Tuttle, Jr. noted (I forget which book) that true prayer begins in the Father and returns to Him through the Holy Spirit, who gives us the words, sometimes inaudible, sometimes apparently incoherent, sometimes primeval, that our lips and bodies return, in love. All prayer is prayer in the Spirit.
Is there any evidence that Wesley and Law were reconciled after the Aldersgate turmoil?
Wesley & Law never reconciled. There is a good study by John Tyson on their relationship in the 1982 Wesleyan Theological Journal https://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/wesleyjournal/1982-wtj-17-2.pdf
Thanks for the link. Interesting, in light of the Catholic Spirit and “If thine heart is as mine, then give me your hand . . . . ” I’ll read the article.
As Tyson points out, Wesley was giving Law’s writings bad reviews right to the end. Nevertheless, he did recommend Law’s early writings like A Serious Call. And, of course, Law really was a significant influence on his thinking.