A Following Holy Life. Kenneth Stevenson

for Liturgy, 1649 (see 7 below).

      5 New Institution of Grammar, 1647, I, pp. 62–3.

      6 Liberty of Prophesying, 1647, V, pp. 341–608.

      7 Apology for Liturgy, 1649, V, pp. 229–314.

      8 The Great Exemplar, 1649, II, (whole volume).

      9 Holy Living, 1650, III, pp. 1–256.

      10 Funeral Sermon for Lady Frances Carbery, 1650, VIII, pp. 425–50.

      11 Clerus Domini, 1651, I, pp. 1–61.

      12 Twenty-Eight Sermons, 1651, IV, pp. 323–672.

      13 Holy Dying, 1651, III, pp. 257–455.

      14 A Short Catechism, 1652; reprinted with Golden Grove, 1655, VII, pp. 593–9, and other parts.

      15 Discourse on Baptism, 1652, II, pp. 229–76; Syriac prayer, with translation, added 1657, pp. 277–9.

      16 Twenty-Five Sermons, 1653, IV, pp. 1–322 – also published with Twenty-Eight Sermons as ‘Eniautos’, 1653.

      17 Real Presence, 1654, VI, pp. 3–170.

      18 Golden Grove, 1655, VII, pp. 589–648.

      19 Unum Necessarium, 1655, VII, pp. 3–494.

      20 Further Explanation of Original Sin, 1656, VII, pp. 301–90 (inserted into subsequent editions of Unum Necessarium).

      21 Answer to a Letter Concerning the Chapter on Original Sin, 1656, VII, pp. 541–70.

      22 Deus Justificatus, 1656, VII, pp. 495–540.

      23 Discourse on Friendship, 1657, I, pp. 69–98.

      24 Five Letters to Persons tempted to change in their religion, 1657, VI, pp. 645–70.

      25 Collection of Offices, 1658, VIII, pp. 573–701.

      26 Funeral Sermon for Sir George Dalston, 1658, VIII, pp. 541–70.

      27 Ductor Dubitantium, 1660, IX and X (both volumes).

      28 Worthy Communicant, 1660, VIII, pp. 3–244.

      29 Consecration Sermon, 1661, VIII, pp. 303–32.

      30 Parliament Sermon, 1661, VIII, pp. 333–58.

      31 Rules and Advice to the Clergy, 1661, I, pp. 99–114.

      32 Via Intelligentiae (University Sermon), 1662, VIII, pp. 359–92.

      33 The Righteousness Evangelical (Three Sermons), 1663, VIII, pp. 247–65.

      34 Funeral Sermon of Archbishop John Bramhall, 1663, VIII, pp. 393–424.

      35 Discourse on Confirmation, 1663, V, pp. 609–70.

      36 Seven Sermons (A Supplement to the ‘Eniautos’), 1663 = 33, 29, 30, 32, 34, and (usually) 31.

      37 Dissuasive from Popery, 1664, VI, pp. 171–288.

      38 Second Part of Dissuasive from Popery, 1667, VI, pp. 289–644.

      39 Christ’s Yoke (Two Sermons), 1675, I, pp. 115–27.

      40 On Reverence due to the Altar, 1848, V, pp. 315–40.

      Heber’s ‘Life of Taylor’, I, pp. i–cccvii.

      George Rust’s Funeral Sermon for Taylor, I, pp. cccix–cccxxvii.

      About the Extracts

      Sources

      All the extracts come from the ten-volume Heber–Eden edition.

      Presentation

      Each extract is followed by a citation to the Heber–Eden edition, giving volume number and page references.

      In the case of ‘Holy Living’ (1650) and ‘Holy Dying’ (1651), the only two works that have appeared in accurate, modern editions, with seventeenth-century spelling by Stanwood, an extra reference, preceded by ‘S’, will be given: this applies to Chapter 2. These, the popular works of Taylor, have also been the most frequently, and often inaccurately, printed, edited and abbreviated over the years.

      Selection

      With an author like Taylor, who wrote about so many matters, arrangement of material has to be somewhat pragmatic. The four chapters are arranged in themes and sub-themes as follows:

      1 The Life of Christ – ‘Great Exemplar’ (1649)

      2 Discipleship – ‘Holy Living’ (1650), ‘Holy Dying’ (1651), ‘Doctor Dubitantium’ (1660)

      3 Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination, Liturgy, Preaching – ‘Real Presence’ (1654), ‘Worthy Communicant’ (1660); ‘Episcopacy Asserted’ (1642), ‘Cleris Domini (1651), ‘Rules and Advices’ (1661), ‘Discourse on Confirmation’ (1663), ‘Apology for Liturgy’ (1647), ‘Collection of Offices’ (1658), ‘Enactors’ (1651–55), ‘Supplement’ (1663)

      4 Sermons, Friendship, Toleration, Against becoming Roman Catholic, Original Sin: ‘Eniautos’ (1651–55), ‘Supplement to Eniautos’

       (1663), ‘Discourse on Friendship’ (1657), ‘Liberty of Prophesying’ 1647), ‘Golden Grove’ (1655), Dissuasive from Popery’ (1664), ‘Two Letters’ (1657), ‘Unum Necessarium’ (1655), ‘Deus Justificatus’ (1656)

      1

      The Life of Christ

      The opening words of the ‘Dedication’ – in the year of the execution of Charles I, a time for theology that is practical, not polemical

      When interest divides the church, and the calentures of men breathe out in problems and inactive discourses, each part, in pursuance of its own portion, follows that proposition which complies with and bends in all the flexures of its temporal ends; and while all strive for truth, they hug their own opinions dressed up in her imagery, and they dispute for ever; and either the question is indeterminable, or, which is worse, men will never be convinced. For such is the nature of disputings, that they begin commonly in mistakes, they proceed with zeal and fancy, and end not at all but in schisms and uncharitable names, and too often dip their feet in blood. In the mean time, he that gets the better of his adversary oftentimes gets no good to himself, because, although he hath fast hold upon the right side of the problem, he may be an ill man in the midst of his triumphant disputations. And therefore it was not here that God would have man’s felicity to grow; for our condition had been extremely miserable if our final state had been placed upon an uncertain hill, and the way to it had been upon the waters upon which no spirit but that of contradiction and discord did ever move: for the man should have tended to an end of an uncertain dwelling, and walked to it by ways not discernible, and arrived thither by chance; which, because it is irregular, would have discomposed the pleasures of a Christian hope, as the very disputing hath already destroyed charity, and disunited the continuity of faith; and in the consequent there would be no virtue, and no felicity. But God, who never loved that man should be too ambitiously busy in imitating His wisdom (and man lost paradise for it,) is most desirous we should imitate His goodness, and transcribe copies of those excellent emanations from His holiness whereby, as He communicates Himself to us in mercies, so He propound Himself, imitable by us in graces: and in order to this, God has described our way plain, certain, and determined; and although He was pleased to leave us undetermined in the questions of exterior communion, yet He put it past all question that we are bound to be charitable. He hath placed the question of the state of separation in the dark, in hidden and undiscerned regions; but He hath opened the windows of heaven, and given great light to us, teaching how we are to demean ourselves in the state of conjunction. Concerning the salvation of the heathens He was not pleased to give us account; but He hath clearly described the duty of Christians, and tells upon what terms alone we shall be saved. And although the not inquiring into the ways of God and the strict rules of practice have been instrumental to the preserving them free from the serpentine enfoldings and labyrinths of dispute, yet