holy living pdf

379 Pages·2015·2.16 MB·English

by  Jeremy Taylor

Holy Living
Author(s): Taylor, Jeremy (1613-1667)
Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Description: This book is the first volume in a two-volume devotional set.
While this volume offers readers advice concerning how to
live a virtuous Christian life, its partner volume, Holy Dying,
seeks to provide insight into how Christians can prepare
themselves for eternity. Holy Living is highly practical; along
with discussions of theology and moral instruction, it contains
modeled prayers geared towards implementing faith in
practice. Taylor's work has received praise not just for its
devotional merit, but also for its literary prowess. Both John
Wesley and Samuel Taylor Coleridge held Taylor's achieve-
ments in equally high regard. Today, Taylor's practical wis-
dom still reads like prose poetry.
Kathleen O'Bannon
CCEL Staff
Subjects: English literature
17th and 18th centuries (1640-1770)
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Contents
Title Page 1
A Sketch of the Life and Times of Bishop Taylor. 3
Chapter 1. Consideration of the General Instruments and Means Serving a Holy 31
LIfe, by Way of Introduction.
Section I. 38
The first general instrument of Holy Living, Care of our Time 39
Rules for employing our Time. 41
The Benefits of this Exercise. 46
Section II. 47
The Second General Instrument of Holy Living, Purity of Intention. 48
Rules for our Intentions. 50
Signs of our Purity of Intentions. 52
Section III. The Third General Instrument of Holy Living; or the Practice of the 55
Presence of God.
Several Manners of the Divine Presence. 56
Rules of exercising this Consideration. 59
The benefits of this Exercise. 62
Prayers and Devotions. 64
For grace to spend our time well. 65
The first Prayers in the morning, as soon as we are dressed. 66
Another Form of Prayer for the Morning. 70
An Exercise to be used at any time of the day. 72
A Form of Prayer for the Evening, to be said by such who have not time or 76
opportunity to say the public prayers appointed for this office.
Evening Prayer. 77
Another form of Evening Prayer, which may also be used at bed-time. 78
Ejaculations and short Meditations to be used in the night, when we awake. 80
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>A Prayer for holy intention is the beginning and pursuit of any considerable 82
action, as Study, Preaching, etc.
A prayer meditating and referring to the Divine presence. 83
Chapter II. Of Christian Sobriety. 84
Section I. 85
Of Sobriety in the General Sense. 86
Evil Consequences of Voluptuousness or Sensuality. 87
Degrees of Sobriety. 88
Rules for suppressing Voluptuousness. 89
Section II. 91
Of Temperance in Eating and Drinking. 92
Measures of Temperance in Eating. 93
Signs and Effects of Temperance. 95
Of Drunkenness. 96
Evil Consequents to Drunkenness. 97
Signs of Drunkenness. 99
Rules for obtaining Temperance. 100
Section III. 102
Of Chastity. 103
The evil Consequent of Uncleanness. 105
Acts of Chastity in general. 108
Acts of Virginal Chastity. 110
Rules for Widows or Vidual Chastity. 111
Rules for Married Persons, or Matrimonial Chastity. 112
Remedies against Uncleanness. 114
Section IV. 117
Of Humility. 118
Arguments against Pride, by way of consideration. 119
Acts or Offices of Humility. 121
Means and Exercises for obtaining and increasing the Grace of Humility. 125
Signs of Humility. 129
Section V. 130
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Of Modesty. 131
Acts and Duties of Modesty, as it is opposed to Curiosity. 132
Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Boldness 134
Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Indecency. 135
Section VI. 138
Of Contentedness in all Estates and Accidents. 139
Instruments or Exercises to procure Contentedness. 143
Means to obtain Content by way of considerations. 150
Poverty or a low fortune. 155
The Charge of many Children. 159
Violent Necessities. 160
Death of Children, or nearest Relatives and Friends. 161
Untimely Death. 162
Death unseasonable. 164
Sudden Death, or Violent. 165
Being Childless. 166
Evil or unfortunate Children. 167
Our own Death. 168
Prayers for the Several Graces and Parts of Christian Sobriety. 169
Chapter III. Of Christian Justice. 173
Section I. 174
Of Obedience to Our Superiors. 175
Acts and Duties of Obedience to all our Superiors. 176
Remedies against Disobedience, and Means to endear our Obedience; by way 179
of consideration.
Degrees of Obedience. 182
Section II. 183
Of Provision, or that part of Justice which is due from Superiors to Inferiors. 184
Duties of Kings, and all the Supreme Power, as Lawgivers. 185
The Duty of Superiors as they are Judges. 187
The Duty of Parents to their Children. 188
Rules for Married Persons. 190
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The Duty of Masters of Families. 191
The Duty of Guardians or Tutors. 192
Section III. 193
Of Negotiation, or Civil Contracts. 194
Rules and Measures of Justice in Bargaining. 195
Section IV. 198
Of Restitution. 199
Rules of making Restitution. 200
Prayers Relating to Justice. 205
A Prayer for the Grace of Obedience, to be said by all Persons under Command. 206
A Prayer to be said by Subjects when the Land is invaded and overrun by 207
barbarous or wicked People, enemies of the Religion or the Government.
A Prayer to be said by Kings or Magistrates for themselves and their People. 209
A Prayer to be said by Parents for their Children. 210
A Prayer to be said by Masters of Families, Curates, Tutors, or other obliged 211
Persons, for their Charges.
A Prayer to be said by Debtors, and all Persons obliged, whether by Crime or 212
Contract.
A Prayer for Patron and Benefactors. 213
Chapter IV. Of Christian Religion. 214
Of the internal Actions of Religion 215
Section I. Of Faith. 216
Signs of true Faith. 218
The Means and Instruments to obtain Faith are, 220
Section II. 222
Of the Hope of a Christian. 223
The Acts of Hope are, 224
Rules to govern our Hope. 225
Means of Hope, and Remedies against Despair. 227
Section III. 231
Of Charity, or the Love of God. 232
The Acts of Love to God are, 234
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The Measures and Rules of Divine Love. 236
Helps to increase our Love to God, by Way of Exercise. 237
The two States of Love to God. 239
Cautions and Rules concerning Zeal. 240
Of the external Actions of Religion. 242
Section IV. 243
Of reading or hearing the Word of God. 244
Rules for hearing or reading the Word of God. 246
Concerning Spiritual Books and Ordinary Sermons, take in these Advices also. 247
Section V. 248
Of Fasting. 249
Rules for Christian Fasting. 250
The Benefits of Fasting. 254
Section VI. 255
Of keeping Festivals, and Days holy to the Lord; particularly the Lords Day. 256
Rules for keeping the Lords Day and other Christian Festivals. 258
Section VII. 261
Of Prayer. 262
Motives to Prayer. 263
Rules for the Practice of Prayer. 264
Caution for making Vows. 269
Remedies against Wandering Thoughts in Prayer. 271
Signs of Tediousness of Spirit in our Prayers and all Actions of Religion. 272
Remedies against Tediousness of Spirit. 273
Section VIII. 276
Of Alms. 277
Works of Mercy, or the several Kinds of corporal Alms. 278
Works of Spiritual Alms and Mercy are, 279
Rules for giving Alms. 280
Motives to Charity. 285
Remedies against Unmercifulness and Uncharitableness. 287
Remedies against Anger, by way of consideration. 291
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Section IX. 297
Of Repentance. 298
Acts and Parts of Repentance. 300
Motives to Repentance. 305
Section X. 307
Of Preparation to, and the Manner how to receive the holy Sacrament of the 308
Lord’s Supper.
The Effects and Benefits of Worthy Communicating. 314
Prayers for All Sorts of Men and All Necessities; Relating to the Several Parts of 316
the Virtue of Religion.
A Prayer for the Graces of Faith, Hope, Charity. 317
Acts of Love by way of Prayer and Ejaculation; to be used in private. 318
A Prayer to be said in any Affliction, as Death of Children, of Husband or Wife, 319
in great Poverty, in Imprisonment, in a sad and disconsolate Spirit, and in
Temptations to despair.
Ejaculations and short Meditations to be used in time of Sickness and Sorrow, 320
or Danger of Death.
An Act of Faith concerning the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, to be 322
said by Sick Persons, or meditated.
Short Prayers to be said by Sick Persons. 323
Acts of Hope, to be used by Sick Persons after a pious Life. 326
A Prayer to be said in behalf of a Sick or Dying Person. 327
A Prayer to be said in a Storm at Sea. 328
Then make an Act of Resignation thus: 329
A Form of a Vow to be made in this or the like Danger. 330
A Prayer before a Journey. 331
A Prayer to be said before the hearing or reading the Word of God. 332
A Form of Confession of Sins and Repentance, to be used upon Fasting Days, 333
or Days of Humiliation, especially in Lent, and before the Holy Sacrament.
The Prayer. 335
Special Devotions to be used upon the Lords Day, and the great Festivals of 336
Christians.
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A Prayer to be said on the Feast of Christmas, or the Birth of our blessed Saviour 341
Jesus; the same also may be said upon the Feast of the Annunciation and
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A Prayer to be said upon our Birth-day, or Day of Baptism. 342
A Prayer to be said upon the Days of the Memory of Apostles, Martyrs, etc. 343
A Form of Prayer recording all the parts and mysteries of Christs Passion, being 344
a short history of it: to be used especially in the week of the Passions, and before
the receiving the blessed Sacrament.
The Prayer. 347
A Form of Prayer or Intercession for all Estates of People in the Christian church. 348
The parts of which may be added to any other forms; and the whole office,
entirely as it lies, is proper to be said in our preparation to the Holy Sacrament,
or on the day of celebration.
The Manner of using these Devotions by way of Preparation to the receiving of 353
the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
A Prayer of Preparation or Address to the Holy Sacrament. 354
Ejaculations to be said before or at the receiving the Holy Sacrament. 356
Indexes 359
Index of Scripture References 360
Greek Words and Phrases 363
Latin Words and Phrases 365
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