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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 delves into the profound love of God as depicted in Romans 5:8, emphasizing how God's love breaks through the barriers of sin and curses to reach humanity. He paints a vivid picture of God's love being unmatched and unattainable by human efforts, yet freely given through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Taylor marvels at the depth of God's love, likening it to a flock of doves taking flight and the richness of gold. He concludes by expressing a deep desire to continually meditate on and cherish God's love letter to humanity, ultimately joining the angels in praising God's love.
God Commends His Love Unto Us, in That While We Were Yet Sinners, Christ Died for Us
Meditation on Romans 5:8 by Edward Taylor Thou pry'st thou screw'st my sincking Soul up to, Lord th'Highest Vane amazements Summit Wears Seeing thy Love ten thousand wonders do Breaking Sins Back that blockt it up: us snares. The Very Stars, and Sun themselves did scoule, Yea Angells too, till it shone out, did howle. Poore sinfull man lay grovling on the ground. Thy wrath, and Curse to dust lay grinding him. And Sin, that banisht Love out of these bounds Hath stufft the world with curses to the brim. Gods Love thus Caskt in Heaven, none can tap Or breake its truss hoops, or attain a Scrap. Like as a flock of Doves with feathers washt, All o're with yellow gold, fly all away At one Gun crack: so Lord thy Love Sin quasht And Chased hence to heaven (Darksom day). It nestles there: and Graces Bird did hatch Which in dim types we first Pen feather'd catch. God takes his Son stows in him all his Love, (Oh Lovely One), him Lovely thus down sends His rich Love Letter to us from above And chiefly in his Death his Love Commends, Writ all in Love from top to toe, and told Out Love more rich, and shining far than gold. For e'ry Grain stands bellisht ore with Love, Each Letter, Syllable, Word, Action sounde Gods Commendations to us from above, But yet Loves Emphasis most cleare is found Engrav'd upon his Grave Stone in his blood He shed for Sinners, Lord what Love? How good? It rent the Heavens ope that seald up were Against poore Sinners: rend the very Skie And rout the Curse, Sin, Divell, Hell (Oh Deare,) And brake Deaths jaw bones, and its Sting destroy. Will search its Coffers: fetch from thence the Dust Of Saints, and it attend to glory just. My God! this thy Love Letter to mee send. Thy Love to mee spell out therein I will. And What choice Love thou dost mee there commend, I'le lay up safely in my Souls best till. I'le read, and read it; and With Angells soon My Mictams shall thy Hallelujahs tune.
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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.