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Edward Taylor
Edward Taylor (circa 1642 – June 29, 1729) was an English-born American preacher, poet, and physician whose ministry and writings made him a significant figure in colonial Puritanism. Born in Sketchley, Leicestershire, England, to William, a yeoman farmer, and Margaret Taylor, he grew up in a Nonconformist family during the Commonwealth period. After losing both parents—his mother in 1657 and father in 1658—he worked as a schoolmaster until the 1662 Act of Uniformity barred him from teaching due to his refusal to conform to the Church of England. In 1668, he emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony, enrolling at Harvard College in 1671, where he graduated with a divinity degree. Taylor’s preaching career began when he accepted a call in 1671 to serve as minister in Westfield, Massachusetts, a frontier town he led for over 50 years. His sermons, over 60 of which survive, emphasized God’s grace and the believer’s relationship with Christ, reflecting his role in administering communion and defending orthodox Congregationalism against liberalizing trends like those of Solomon Stoddard. Alongside preaching, he wrote over 200 Preparatory Meditations, poetic reflections on Scripture, though he forbade their publication, and they remained unknown until 1937. Married twice—first to Elizabeth Fitch in 1674, who bore eight children before her death in 1689, then to Ruth Willys in 1692, with whom he had six—he died at age 87 in Westfield, leaving a legacy as a devoted pastor and one of America’s earliest literary voices.
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Edward Taylor preaches about drawing parallels between the life of Joseph in the Bible and the glory of Jesus Christ, highlighting how Joseph's experiences foreshadowed the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He emphasizes how both Joseph and Jesus faced temptations, betrayal, and suffering, yet ultimately triumphed over them to bring salvation and hope to their people. Taylor marvels at the intricate details in Joseph's story that point to the redemptive work of Christ, from being sold for silver to reconciling with his brothers, and encourages his listeners to reflect on the vibrant colors of God's grace and mercy in their own lives.
He Sent a Man Before Them, Even Joseph, Who Was Sold, Etc.
All Dull, my Lord, my Spirits flat, and dead All water sockt and sapless to the skin. Oh! Screw mee up and make my Spirits bed Thy quickening vertue For my inke is dim, My pensill blunt. Doth Joseph type out thee? Haraulds of Angells sing out, Bow the Knee. Is Josephs glorious shine a Type of thee? How bright art thou? He Envi'de was as well. And so was thou. He's stript, and pick't, poore hee, Into the pit. And so was thou. They shell Thee of thy Kirnell. He by Judah's sold For twenty Bits, thirty for thee he'd told. Joseph was tempted by his Mistress vile. Thou by the Divell, but both shame the foe. Joseph was cast into the jayle awhile. And so was thou. Sweet apples mellow so. Joseph did from his jayle to glory run. Thou from Death's pallot rose like morning sun. Joseph layes in against the Famine, and Thou dost prepare the Bread of Life for thine. He bought with Corn for Pharaoh th'men and Land. Thou with thy Bread mak'st such themselves Consign Over to thee, that eate it. Joseph makes His brethren bow before him. Thine too quake. Joseph constrains his Brethren till their sins Do gall their Souls. Repentance babbles fresh. Thou treatest sinners till Repentance springs Then with him sendst a Benjamin like messe. Joseph doth Cheare his humble brethren. Thou Dost stud with joy the mourning Saints that bow. Josephs bright shine th'Eleven Tribes must preach. And thine Apostles now Eleven, thine. They beare his presents to his Friends: thine reach Thine unto thine, thus now behold a shine. How hast thou pensild out, my Lord, most bright Thy glorious Image here, on Josephs Light. This I bewaile in me under this shine To see so dull a Colour in my Skin. Lord, lay thy brightsome Colours on me thine. Scoure thou my pipes then play thy tunes therein. I will not hang my Harp in Willows by. While thy sweet praise, my Tunes doth glorify.
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Edward Taylor (circa 1642 – June 29, 1729) was an English-born American preacher, poet, and physician whose ministry and writings made him a significant figure in colonial Puritanism. Born in Sketchley, Leicestershire, England, to William, a yeoman farmer, and Margaret Taylor, he grew up in a Nonconformist family during the Commonwealth period. After losing both parents—his mother in 1657 and father in 1658—he worked as a schoolmaster until the 1662 Act of Uniformity barred him from teaching due to his refusal to conform to the Church of England. In 1668, he emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony, enrolling at Harvard College in 1671, where he graduated with a divinity degree. Taylor’s preaching career began when he accepted a call in 1671 to serve as minister in Westfield, Massachusetts, a frontier town he led for over 50 years. His sermons, over 60 of which survive, emphasized God’s grace and the believer’s relationship with Christ, reflecting his role in administering communion and defending orthodox Congregationalism against liberalizing trends like those of Solomon Stoddard. Alongside preaching, he wrote over 200 Preparatory Meditations, poetic reflections on Scripture, though he forbade their publication, and they remained unknown until 1937. Married twice—first to Elizabeth Fitch in 1674, who bore eight children before her death in 1689, then to Ruth Willys in 1692, with whom he had six—he died at age 87 in Westfield, leaving a legacy as a devoted pastor and one of America’s earliest literary voices.