The Lives of Twenty-Two Eminent English Divines, Biography 12
Dr. TAYLOR
The Life of Doctor Thomas Taylor, sometimes Pastor of Aldermanbury London, who died Anno Christi 1632.
THomas Taylor was born at Richmond in Yorkshire, of worthy and godly Parents:His Parentage and education. His Father was Recorder of that Town, and a very Gaius or Onesiphorus to the silenced Ministers of England, and to the exiled Ministers of Scotland. He brought up divers Sonnes into the Ministry. This Sonne of his (as the other) was of a Child trained up in the holy Scriptures, which are able to make wise to salvation. Afterward, as age came on, he was well grounded in other Learning, and was sent to Cambridge, His going to Cambridge.where he became Fellow of Christs Colledge, as one that should do the Lord Christ abundance of good service. He was there most painfull and unweariable in the study of Tongues, Arts, Sciences, all sorts of Exercises about them; and especially for Divinity, which was his Profession. One while he was Hebrew Reader to the Colledge. Being soon ripe, he entred into the Ministry at the age of one and twenty years.
In Queen Elizabeths time, he was called to preach at Pauls Crosse, and preached the Sermon in King James his time.His Sermon at Pauls Crosse.
In the course and work of his Ministry, he spent thirty five years, with all diligence and painfulnesse, even to the very end,His painfulnesse in the Ministry. when by right he might have spared himself; living in all sincerity and godly purenesse, with entire love of souls, with all watchfulnesse, with meeknesse, wonderfully quickned with zeal. He was an utter enemy of Popery, Arminianisme, Antinomianisme, and other Sects which crept up in those times, as appeareth partly by his writings. Amidst all his pithy Discourses, he was also an excellent and nimble Orator, and wound up his matter with a good farewell, even when at times it was but ordinary. And from this course he would scarce suffer himself to be withdrawn at any time, to refresh his spirits by a little freedom. Yea, sometimes when he was drawn forth into the Countrey for recreation, by the solicitation of Gods people, he escaped not without his usuall burden: Or he spent his vacant time in preparing Books for the Presse, which were both many and very usefull, and will be to posterity; who have cause to blesse God, who giveth gifts to men, and publique mindes, that they may profit farre and near, both hearers and strangers, all debtors to him. And men of understanding observed a great Seal put to his Ministry,The success of his Ministry. in several places whereto he was called: Some converted, others confirmed, others comforted in the way of God: And in these times of division wherein many Professors have turned into by-waies, those that were his constant Hearers, continue in that way stedfast and unshaken in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. Yea at Reding there was a generation of young Preachers, who under his Ministry grew up in knowledge and holinesse, and some eminency of gifts, profiting by him and his pains there; and some professe it at this day: Perhaps also in the great City of London, and at Cambridge.
His piety in private.Neither was he altogether for the publick, but pious in private; and not only in the course of his Family, but in keeping Fasts among the godly of the place, which in those daies was something a dangerous exercise. And, to make them solid Professors indeed, he put them upon a weekly way of handling Chatecheticall points of Divinity; that is, every week to conferre of one of the heads of Religion, according to the Catechisme subjoyned to Mr. Dods Treatise on the Commandments, still proving the Doctrines by Testimonies of Scripture. For other personall qualifications, he was a man full of love, alms-deeds, and mercifull consideration of the needy, though not with a Trumpet. And he was a man blest of God with all the blessings of wisdome, Prov. 3.16. Length of daies, riches and honour. He had every where both godly and great Friends, and is likely still to have, among those that shall converse in his worthy works.
His sicknesse.In that his holy and blessed course, he drew on toward his end. It was his Clymacterical year of 56. Having over-laboured himself with preaching in the City, he betook himself to his Countrey-house at Isleworth, to be a little refreshed. But having inflamed and corrupted his blood by preaching, he soon fell into his mortall disease, a Pleurisie; for curing whereof, though no meanes were wanting,His prudence therein. yet the desired effect (through the Counsel of God) followed not. In the beginning of his sicknesse he set his house in order most holily, and as became so worthy a Father; and then bad farewell to all, as one throughly prepared for his departure; full of Faith and Patience, and joy in the holy Ghost, a great help in that acute disease: Carefull of the welfare of the Church at home, then in danger to be corrupted; grieved for the evils he knew in some mens dealings: Rejoycing greatly (in the midst of the apprehension of death) for the happy proceedings of the heroicall King of Sweden, then victorious in Bavaria. And once when he was told, he must a little help himself by cheerfulnesse, he fell into a most contentfull discourse of those noble deliverances and victories, and more would have spoken, if weaknesse had permitted. But especially his joy in God, and in the conquest of Christ: Oh (said he) we serve a good Lord, who covers all imperfections, and gives great wages for little work; and in mercy he hath provided for me some of the greatest. With other holy speeches, full of faith and joy, which his infirmity would not suffer him to utter perfectly.His death. In which manner he languished by degrees, and at last on the Lords day, being the usuall day of his principall labours, he was dismissed of all, and went to keep a perpetuall Sabbath in heaven; where now he resteth from his labours, and his works follow him, even a full reward in endlesse glory, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither can enter into the heart of man to conceive, what things those are which God hath prepared for them that love him.