Jeremy Taylor

tumbled out of his mothers womb into the lap of the muses at Cambridge, was educated in Gonvill and Caius Coll. there till he was M. of A. Afterwards entring into holy orders, he supplied for a time the Divinity Lecturers place in the Cath. of S. Paul in London, where behaving himself with great credit and applause far above his years, came to the cognisance of that great encourager of learning, ingenuity, and virtue, Dr. Laud Archb. of Cant. who thinking it for the advantage of the world that such mighty parts should be afforded better opportunities of study and improvement, than a course or constant preaching would allow of, he caused him to be elected Fellow of Alls. Coll. an. 1636: Where being setled, love and admiration still waited upon him; while he improved himself much in Books. But this the Reader is to know that tho he came in meerly by the paramount interest of the said Archb, yet it was done against the statutes of the Coll, in these two respects. First because he had exceeded the age, with in which the said statutes make Candidates capable of being elected, and secondly that he had not been of three years standing in the University of Oxon, only a week or two before he was put in. However he being a Person of most wonderful parts and like to be an ornament thereunto, he was dispenced with, and thereby obtained in that house much of that learning, wherewith he was enabled to write casuistically. About the same time he was in a ready way to be confirmed a member of the Church of Rome, as many of that perswasion have said, but upon a Sermon delivered in S. Maries Church in Oxon on the 5. of Nov. (Gun-powder-treason day) an. 1638, wherein several things were put in against the Papists by the then Vicechanc, he was afterwards rejected with scorn by those of that party, particularly by Fr. à S. Clara his intimate acquaintance; to whom afterwards he expressed some sorrow for those things he had said against them, as the said S. Clara hath several times told me. About that time, he became one of the Chaplains to the said Archb. of Cant, who bestowed upon him the rectory of Uppingham in Rutlandshire, and other matters he would have done for him in order to his advance in the Church, had not the rebellion unluckily broke out. In the year 1642 he was with others, by virtue of his Maj. letters sent to this University, actually created D. of D. in that noted Convocation held on the first day of Nov. the same year, he being then Chaplain in Ord. to his said Majesty, and a frequent Preacher before him and the Court in Oxon. Afterwards he attended in his Majesties Army in the condition of a Chaplain; where tho he had not a command of his time and books. yet he laid the foundation of several Treatises in defence of Episcopacy, the Liturgy, Ministry, and Church of England. Upon the declining of the Kings cause, he retired into Wales, where he was suffer’d under the Loyal Earl of Carbury of the Golden Grove in Caermerthenshire to officiat, and keep School, to maintain him and his Children. From which, tho it continued but a few years, were several youths most loyally educated, and afterwards sent to the Universities. In this solitude he began to write his excellent discourses, which are enough of themselves to furnish a Library, and will be famous to all succeeding generations for the exactness of wit, profoundness of judgment, richness of fancy, clearness of expression, copiousness of invention, and general usefulness to all the purposes of a Christian. By which he soon after got a great reputation among all Persons of judgment and indifferences, and his name grew greater still, as the world grew better and wiser. When he had spent some years in this retirement, in a private corner, as ’twere, of the world, his family was visited with sickness, and thereby lost the dear pledges or Gods favour, three sons of great hopes, within the space ((a))((a)) See Dr. Geo. Rusts Sermon at Bish. Taylors funeral. of two or three months. And tho he had learned a quiet submission unto the divine will, yet the affliction touched him so sensibly, that it made him desirous to leave the Country: And going to London, he there for a time officiated in a private Congregation of Loyalists to his great hazard and danger. At length meeting with Edward Lord Conway a Person of great honour and generosity, that Lord, after he had understood his condition, made him a kind profer; which our author Taylor embracing, it carried him over into Ireland, and setled him at Portmore, a place made for study and contemplation; which he therefore dearly loved. And there he wrot his Cases of conscience, a book that is able alone to give its author immortality. By this time the wheel of providence brought about the Kings happy restauration, and out of a confused Chaos beauty and order began to appear: Whereupon our loyal Author went over to congratulate the Prince and Peoples happiness, and bear a part in the universal triumph. It was not long after his sacred Majesty began the settlement of the Church, and Dr. Taylor being resolved upon for the Bishoprick of Downe and Connor, was consecrated thereunto at Dublin on the 27. of January 1660, and on the 21. of June 1661, he had the administration of the See of Dromore granted to him by his Majesty, in consideration, that he had been the Churches Champion, and that he had suffer’d much in defence of its cause. With what care and faithfulness he discharged his office, all upon the place knew well, and what good rules and directions he gave to his Clergy, and how he taught them the practice of them by his own example. Upon his being made Bishop, he was constituted a Privy Counsellor, and the University of Dublin gave him their testimony, by recommending him for their Vicechancellor, which honorable office he kept to his dying day. He was esteemed by the generality of persons a compleat Artist, accurate Logician, exquisite, quick and acute in his reasonings, a Person of great fluency in his language and of prodigious readiness in his learning. A noted ((b))((b)) Hen. Jeanes in his Epist. to the reader before Certain letters between him and Jer. Taylor. Lond. 1660. Presbyterian also (his Antagonist) doth ingeniously confess that Dr. Taylor is a man of admirable wit, great parts, hath a quick and elegant pen, is of abilities in critical learning and of profound skill in antiquity, &c. and another ((c))((c)) G. Rust ut sup. who knew him well tells us, that he was a rare Humanist, and hugely vers’d in all the polite parts of learning, and had throughly concocted all the antient Moralists, Greek, and Roman Poets, and Orators; and was not unacquainted with the refined wits of the later ages, whether French or Italian, &c. But he had not only the accomplishments of a Gentleman, but so universal were his parts, that they were proportion’d to every thing. And tho his spirit and humour were made up of smoothness and gentleness, yet he could bear with the harshness and roughness of the Schools, and was not unseen in their subtilities and spinosities. His skill was great both in the civil and canon Law and casuistical Divinity: And he was a rare conductor of Souls, and knew how to counsel, and to advise; to solve difficulties and determine cases, and quiet consciences. To these may be added his great acquaintance with the Fathers and ecclesiastical Writers, and the Doctors of the first and purest ages both of the Greek and Lat. Church; which he hath made use of against the Rom. Catholicks, to vindicate the Church of England from the challenge of innovation, and to prove Her Antient, Catholick, and Apostolical. Add to all these, he was a Person of great humility, had nothing in him of pride and humour, but was courteous and affable and of easie access. He was withal a Person of great charity and hospitality: And whosoever compares his plentiful incomes with the inconsiderable estate he left at his death, will be easily convinc’d that Charity was steward for a great proportion of his revenue. To sum up all in a few words of another ((*))((*)) Ibid. author, this great Prelate had the good humour of a Gentleman, the eloquence of an Orator, the fancy of a Poet, the acuteness of a Schoolman, the profoundness of a Philosopher, the wisdom of a Chancellour, the sagacity of a Prophet, the reason of an Angel, and the piety of a Saint. He had devotion enough for a Cloister, learning enough for an University, and wit enough for a Coll. of Virtuosi: And had his parts and endowments been parcel’d out among his poor Clergy that he left behind him, it would perhaps have made one of the best Diocese in the world. His works of learning are very many, and all that he hath written, are, I conceive, set down in the following Catalogue.

The Golden Grove: or a manual of dayly prayers and letanies, fitted to the days of the week, &c.—This is sometimes called The Guide of Infant devotion, and was composed at the Golden Grove in the County of Caermerthen before mention’d. Several impressions have been made of it, mostly in the Vol. called twelves, one of which was made at Lond. 1656 or thereabouts, and the fourteenth impression came out in 1683.

Festival Hymns according to the manner of the antient Church.

An Apologie for authorized and set forms of Liturgy, against the pretence of the spirit. &c. Lond. 1649. qu.

Of the sacred order and offices of Episcopacy by divine institution, Apostolical tradition and Catholick practice. Or thus, Episcopacy stated. &c. Oxon. 1642. qu.

The real presence and spiritual of Christ in the blessed Sacrament, proved against the doctrine of Transubstantiation. Lond. 1654. oct.

Discourse of the liberty of prophecying. Lond. 1647. qu. In the writing of which book the author made use of a like stratagem (as Hales did in writing his book of Schisme) to break the Presbyterian power, and so countenance divisions between the factions, which were too much united against the loyal Clergy. For in the said book (as a certain ((d))((d)) Tho. Long in his Preface to the book entit. Mr. Hales his Treatise of Schisme, &c. author saith) he insists on the same Topicks of schisme and heresie, of the incompetency of Councils and Fathers to determine our Ecclesiastical controversies, and of scrupulous consciences; and urgeth far more cogent arguments, than Hales did, but still he had prepared his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an antidote to prevent any dangerous effect of his discourse. For the judicious reader may perceive such a reserve (tho it lay in ambuscado, and is compacted in a narrow compass) as may easily rout those Troops, which began too soon to cry victoria, and thought of nothing else but of dividing the spoil. And if the learned author did this and was blameless, the goodness of the end in such cases denominating the action, I see no cause ((e))((e)) Ibid. See also in Responsio Roberti Grovii ad lib. qui inscrib. Celeusma, &c. Lond. 1680. qu. p. 80. why our author, whose ends were for the restoring of peace, seeing he represented the causes of the war so frivolous and inconsiderable, ought to be represented as a Criminal or Adversary. This book of Liberty of prophecying was animadverted upon by Sam. Rutherford Prof. of Divinity in the University of S. Andrew in his Free disputation against pretended liberty of conscience, &c. Lond. 1649. qu.

Vindication of the Glory of the divine attributes, in the question of original sin. Lond. 1656. in tw.

Measures and offices of Friendship; in a letter to the most ingenious and excellent Mrs. K. P. Lond. 1657. 2d. edit. in tw. By this K. P. is to be understood Katherine Philipps the Wife of Jam. Philipps of the Priory of Cardigan Esq. daughter of John Fowler of Bucklesbury in Lond. Merchant, by Katherine his Wife, daughter of Dan. Oxenbridge Doctor of Physick. Which Kath. Fowler alias Philipps (by the way it must be observed) was born in the Parish of S. Mary Wool-church in Lond, and baptized there on the eleventh of Januar. 1631, bred up in a School at Hackney under Mrs. ... Salmon, where she then much delighted in Poetry, notwithstanding brought up in the Presbyterian way. After her marriage with Ja. Philipps, she went into Ireland with the Vicountess of Dungannon (Trevor) and at Dublin she translated from French into Engl. the Tragedy called Pompey, which was several times acted in the new Theater there, with great applause, an. 1663. and 64. in which last year it was made publick. While she was young, she was very forward in English learning, by the blessedness of a quick and happy memory: At riper years she was esteemed the most applauded Poetess of our Nation, and not without reason, since her name is of a fresh and lively date from a publish’d Vol. in fol. of her poetical Works, bearing this title. Poems by the most deservedly admired Mrs. Katherine Philipps the matchless Orinda. To which is added Monsier Corneille’s Pompey and Horace’s Tragedies; with several other translations out of French. Lond. 1667. fol, with her picture, a shoulder piece, before them standing on a pedestal, and underneath written Orinda. These Poems which were first printed in oct. an. 1664, without the translations, are commended to the world by the Poems of Abr. Cowley, Tho Flatman, Jam. Tyrrell Esq. &c. At length she being overtaken with the small pox, died of it in Fleet-street, and was buried 22 June 1664, in the Church of S. Bennet Sherehog (at the end of Syths-lane) in London, under a great gravestone, where her Father, Grand-father, and Gr. mother were before buried. Dr. Taylor hath also published

Sermon at S. Maries in Oxon upon the 5 or Nov. 1638. on Luke 9.54. Oxon. 1638. qu.

All which books, and sermon before mention’d, were printed in one Vol. under this title. A collection of polemical and moral discourses. Lond. 1657. fol. To a third Edition of which collection, wherein are omitted The Golden Grove, and the Sermon at S. Maries, are added (1) A disswasive from Popery, the first and second part; written while he was B. of Downe and Connor and received with so general approbation, that several impressions of them were made in qu. and oct. This Disswasive from popery was answered first by a book bearing this title. Truth will out: or a discovery of some untruths smoothly told by Dr. Jer. Taylor in his Disswasive from popery, &c.—Printed 1665. qu. written by his friendly Adversary Edward Worsely a Jesuit, of the Family of Worseley in Lancashire: And secondly by John Sargeant a Sec. Priest, in one of his Appendices to Sure footing in Christianity, as I shall elsewhere tell you. (2) Unum necessarium: or the doctrine and practice of repentance rescued from popular errors, &c. Lond. 1655. oct. (3) Two answers to the Bishop of Rochesters (Warner) two letters, concerning the chapter of original sin in the Unum necessarium. Lond. 1656. in tw. (4) A discourse of confirmation. (5) Two letters to Persons changed in their religion. This was first Pr. at Lond. 1657 in tw. and put at the end of the second edit. of Measures and offices of friendship. (6) Three letters to a Gentlewoman that was tempted to the communion of the Romish Church. The said edit. containing the said six Treatises or Books, bears this general title 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Or a collection of Polemical discourses; wherein the Church of England is defended in many material points, &c. Lond. 1674. in a large fol. The other books that our author Dr. Taylor hath written and go under his name are these.

New and easie institution of Grammar, for the use of the youth of Wales. Lond. 1647. oct. This is commonly said to be his, yet there have not been wanting some that have said that it was written by Dr. Taylors Usher or Assistant named Will. Wyatt. See more in the Fasti, an. 1661. among the created Bachelaurs of Div.

Twenty five Sermons preached at Golden Grove; being for the Winter half year; beginning on Advent Sunday and continuing till Whitsunday. Lond. 1678. fol. the fifth edit. with his picture before them, as before many of his other books.

Twenty seven sermons preached at Golden Grove; being for the Summer half year, beginning on Whitsunday and ending on the 25 Sunday after Trinity. Lond. 1678 fol. sixth edit.

A supplement of eleven Sermons, preached since his Maj. restauration. Lond. 1678. fol. seven of them were before printed at Lond. 1664. fol. To which, three more being added, were printed again at the same place an. 1667. fol. The ninth Sermon of the said eleven, is that preached at S. Maries in Oxon before mention’d. The general title set before the said twenty five, twenty seven, and the supplement of eleven, Sermons, with other things contained in the said Vol. runs thus. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . A course of Sermons for all the Sundays in the year, &c. with a supplement of eleven Sermons preached since his Maj. restauration. Whereunto is adjoyned, A discourse of the divine institution, necessity, sacredness and separation of the office Ministerial, &c. written by the special command of K. Ch. 1. with Rules and advices to the Clergy, &c. This great vol. is closed with a Sermon on 1. Joh. 3.2. preached at the authors (Dr. Taylor) funeral by George Rust, who succeeded him in the See of Dromore, as I shall anon tell you.

A short Catechisme for the institution of young persons in the christian religion. Lond. 1652. oct. or tw.

An explication of the Apostolical Creed—Printed with the Short Cat. and both composed for the use of the Schools in Wales.

A discourse of Baptisme, its institution and efficacy upon all believers. Lond. 1652. qu.

A consideration of the practice of the Church in baptizing infants of believing parents, and the practice justified—Printed with the former Discourse.

The great exemplar of sanctity and holy life, according to the christian institution, described in the life and death of Jesus Christ. In three parts. Lond. 1653. fol. sec. edit. Lond. 1667. fol. 4th. edit. The sixth edit. of which book bearing the title of Antiquitates Christianae, &c. is printed together with another book entit. Antiquitates Apostolicae. Or the Lives, Acts and Martyrdoms of the holy Apostles of our Saviour, &c. Written by Will. Cave D. D. Chapl. in ord. to K. Ch. 2. sometimes of S. Johns Coll. in Cambr. since Minister of Islington near Lond, Canon of Windsore, and author of several books.

Clerus Domini: or, a discourse of the divine institution, necessity, sacredness and separation, of the office Ministerial, &c. Lond. 1655 in a thin fol. This is mention’d before, but not so full.

A farther explication of the doctrine of original sin. Lond. 1656. oct. The first explication is in his Unum necessarium before mention’d, cap. 7. Both which explications, being very heterodox, were generally condemned.

A collection of Offices, or forms of Prayer, in cases ordinary and extraordinary, &c. Lond. 1658. oct.

The Psalter or Psalmes of David, after the Kings translation, with arguments to every psalme.—Pr. with the Collection of Offices. See before in the first Vol. in Christoph. Hatton, an. 1591. p. 223.

The Ephesian Matron. Lond. 1659. in tw.

Certain letters to Hen. Jeanes concerning a passage of his (Jeanes) in the explication of original sin. Oxon. 1660. published by the said H. Jeanes.

The worthy Communicant: or, a discourse of the nature, effects and blessings, subsequent to the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper, &c. Lond. 1660. 67. &c. octavo.

Cases of conscience, occurring in the duty of him that ministers, and him that communicates.—Pr. with the Worthy Com.

Letter concerning praying with the spirit, &c. Lond. 1660. qu. set before Hen. Leslie B. of Downe and Connor his Discourse of praying with the spirit and with understanding, in two serm. preached at Hillsborough, an. 1659, on 1 Cor. 14. ver. 15. Lond. 1660. qu.

Rule and exercise of holy living, &c. together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, &c. Lond. 1668, eighth edit. The twelfth edit. came out in 1680. and all printed in tw. and oct.

Rule and exercise of holy dying, &c. Lond. 1668. eighth edit. The twelfth came out in 1680, and all printed in tw. and oct.

Ductor Dubitantium: or, the rule of conscience in all her general measures, serving as a great instrument for the determination of cases of conscience. In four books. Lond. 1660. fol. which was the first edit. I think. There again 1676. third edit.

Rules and advices to the Clergy of the dioc. of Downe and Connor, &c. Dubl. 1661. oct. Lond. 1663, &c. See before.

Discourse of artificial beauty in point of Conscience, between two Ladies.—Pr. 1662. oct.

A disswasive from Popery to the people of Ireland. Lond. 1664. qu. This seems to be different from the two parts of the Disswasive before mention’d. Qu.

Succinct narrative of the life of Dr. Jo. Bramhall Archb. of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland.—This is in, or at the end of, the Sermon preached at his funeral 16 Jul. 1663 by our Author Dr. Jer. Taylor. Which sermon is numbred among those before mention’d.

Discourse upon the Beatitudes.—Left by the Author unfinish’d.

Christian consolation taught from five heads. 1. Faith. 2. Hope. 3. Holy Spirit. 4. Prayer. 5. The Sacraments. Lond. 1671. oct.

Contemplations of the state of Man in this life, and in that which is to come. Lond. 1684. oct.

Moral demonstration proving that the Religion of Jesus Christ is from God. Lond. 1687. oct. set at the end of A copy of a letter written to a Gentlewoman newly seduced to the Ch. of Rome, printed then again at Lond. (being one of the five letters before mention’d) with some other little works of the said Author. The said Moral demonstration had before been printed with one of the edit. of his Cases of Conscience. These are all the books and sermons as I conceive, that this most worthy and eminent Author hath written, and therefore I shall only add, that he being overtaken with a violent fever, surrendred up his pious soul to the omnipotent at Lisburne alias Lisnegarvy on the thirteenth day of August in sixteen hundred sixty and seven,1667. and was buried in a Chappel of his own erection on the ruins of the old Cathedral of Dromore. In that See succeeded his most dear and excellent friend, (who preached his funeral sermon, and afterwards made it publick) named George Rust D. D. sometimes Fellow of Christs Coll. in Cambridge, a learned Divine and an eloquent Preacher; who dying in Dec. (about S. Thomas day) in. 1670, was buried in the same Vault, wherein the said B Taylor had been deposited. After him succeeded in the same See (Dr [•] more) Dr. Essex Digby, and him Capel Wisem [•] n Dean of Raphoe, sometimes Fellow of Alls. College, an. 1683.