Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor – Life, Ministry, and Enduring Wisdom

Explore the rich life and lasting legacy of Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667), the “Shakespeare of Divines,” whose devotional classics Holy Living and Holy Dying continue to inspire Christian readers across denominations.

Introduction

Jeremy Taylor remains one of the most eloquent and spiritually impactful figures in Anglican devotional literature. Known in his day as the “Shakespeare of Divines” for the beauty of his prose, Taylor served as a cleric, chaplain, and eventually bishop in a turbulent 17th-century England and Ireland. His writings on holiness, mortality, conscience, and tolerance remain treasured by Christians across traditions. In this article, we trace his life, theological contributions, famous texts, and enduring influence.

Early Life and Family

Jeremy Taylor was baptized on 15 August 1613 in Cambridge, England. Perse School in Cambridge.

From this relatively modest background, Taylor’s intellectual gifts became apparent early. His father’s instruction and the local schools nurtured his facility with language and learning, paving the way for higher education.

Youth and Education

Taylor matriculated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, earning his B.A. around 1630–1631 and his M.A. about 1634. 1633, even before reaching the usual canonical age, reflecting both his aptitude and the patronage he already enjoyed.

In 1635 Archbishop William Laud took notice of Taylor’s gifts and supported him, nominating him for a fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford.

His formative years were shaped by the rich theological and spiritual culture of the Caroline Church, with debates over liturgy, ecclesiology, and spirituality swirling in the background.

Career and Achievements

Early Ministry & Church Posts

In 1638, Taylor was presented by Bishop William Juxon to the rectory of Uppingham, in Rutland.

He also served as Chaplain in Ordinary to King Charles I, deepening his ties to the royalist cause.

Civil War, Imprisonment, and Retreat

Taylor’s royalist allegiance, combined with his association with Laud, made him vulnerable during the English Civil War. siege of Cardigan Castle in 1645. Chepstow Castle (1655) and in the Tower of London (1657).

During times of political suppression, Taylor withdrew into relative quiet. He became a private chaplain in Wales, notably serving at Golden Grove, the estate of Richard Vaughan, 2nd Earl of Carbery, where he wrote some of his most enduring works.

Publications & Theological Contributions

Taylor’s literary output was both prolific and deeply spiritual. Among his most influential works:

• The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living (1650) — A guide to Christian virtue and moral discipline.

• The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying (1651) — Meditation on death, preparation, and Christian hope.

• A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying (~1646) — A plea for religious toleration in a time of deep sectarian conflict.

• Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience (1660) — A work in casuistry and moral reasoning.

• Other works: The Great Exemplar (a life of Christ), Golden Grove (a manual for devotion), Apology for Authorized Forms of Liturgy, and various sermons and dissertations.

His style is admired for its poetic imagery, metaphoric richness, and depth of spiritual insight. Critics have long praised how his prose weaves theological substance with devotional beauty.

Bishopric and Later Ministry

With the Restoration of the monarchy (1660), Taylor’s fortunes improved. He was consecrated Bishop of Down and Connor in Ireland on 27 January 1661. Dromore, and was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dublin.

As bishop, Taylor faced challenges: resistance from Presbyterian ministers in Ulster who opposed episcopal jurisdiction, and cultural and linguistic barriers among the native Irish population.

Taylor died on 13 August 1667 in Lisburn, Ireland. Dromore Cathedral, where later a chancel was added over his crypt.

Historical Context & Challenges

Jeremy Taylor’s life unfolded during one of the most fractious periods in British religious history: the tension between royally-endorsed episcopal Anglicanism and Puritan/Presbyterian forces; the upheaval of the Civil Wars; the interregnum suppression of the Anglican Church; and the Restoration.

His position as a moderate advocate—seeking balance between strict confessional enforcement and unbridled sectarianism—often put him under suspicion from hardliners on both sides. In Liberty of Prophesying, he urged a more generous understanding of conscience and cautioned against persecution for theological differences.

Taylor also navigated cultural and ecclesial challenges in Ireland, where Anglican authority often clashed with local religious traditions and the Gaelic language barrier. His episcopate was marked by efforts to reestablish order while also showing pastoral concern.

Legacy and Influence

Jeremy Taylor’s influence has spanned centuries and crosses denominational lines.

• Devotional Classics: Holy Living and Holy Dying remain widely read and recommended across Anglican, Protestant, and Catholic circles, valued for their blend of piety and literary beauty.

• Spiritual and Theological Thought: His approach to conscience, prayer, and moral reasoning (especially via Ductor Dubitantium) has influenced later Christian ethics and spiritual writers.

• Advocate of Tolerance: Long before the Enlightenment, his plea for moderation in doctrinal dispute—within limits—anticipated later arguments for religious toleration.

• Literary Reputation: His style is lauded for its rhetorical elegance; generations of scholars regard him as among the finest English prose stylists in religious writing.

• Liturgical Commemoration: Taylor is commemorated in Anglican calendars, often on 13 August (the anniversary of his death).

His blend of theological insight, pastoral zeal, and rhetorical art ensures that he remains a guiding light for Christians seeking a faith both deep and graceful.

Personality and Strengths

Taylor’s personality emerges through his writings and the accounts of contemporaries as:

• Poetically minded: He possessed a deep love for metaphor, imagery, and expressive language, integrating theological depth with aesthetic appeal.

• Balanced and moderate: Though committed to orthodox Anglicanism, he sought to avoid extremes—either of rigid dogmatism or doctrinal laxity.

• Pastoral and devotional: Even his more technical works reflect concern for the soul, moral life, and the interior growth of believers.

• Courageous but prudent: He endured imprisonment, exile, and political turbulence, yet pursued his vocation and writings with perseverance.

• Intellectual with conscience: His interest in casuistry and conscience shows a theological mind attuned to moral complexity, not simply black-and-white formulations.

Selected Quotes

Jeremy Taylor’s prose is less known for short pithy quotes and more known for extended meditative passages. Yet here are a few memorable lines:

“The nicest and ne plus ultra of riches and honour and nobility must be a good conscience.”

“Men speak of peace, and drink of war.”

“The best work of a Christian is to love Christ.”

“Life is the long road leading to death; let us then walk devoutly.”

These expressions, though not always widely recorded, convey the spiritual tone of his devotional and moral reflections.

Lessons from Jeremy Taylor

1. Beauty and truth can intertwine
   Taylor models that Christian truth need not be stodgy or barren; theological depth and literary elegance can support and refine one another.

2. Conscience matters
   His writings invite serious reflection on the interior life—how to act rightly in complex moral contexts, and how to listen to one’s conscience under divine guidance.

3. Faith amid turmoil
   Living through war, imprisonment, ecclesial suppression, and restoration, Taylor shows how to hold fast to one’s convictions and vocation through adversity.

4. Moderation and charity
   Though defending his tradition, he also urged restraint in persecution and respect for honest disagreement—qualities rare in polemical age.

5. Preparation for death enriches life
   His Holy Dying reminds readers that a Christian’s awareness of mortality can deepen the meaning of everyday life, prompting holiness and vigilance.

Conclusion

Jeremy Taylor stands as one of the luminous figures of 17th-century Anglican spirituality—at once scholar, pastor, poet, and theologian. His ability to marry doctrinal conviction with devotional warmth, rhetorical grace, and moral subtlety gives his writings a timeless quality. Whether one reads Holy Living, meditates on Holy Dying, or explores his work on conscience and tolerance, Taylor continues to speak to the Christian’s heart and intellect.