"Jeremy Taylor's The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living and The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying stand among the most celebrated devotional works of the Anglican tradition. First published in the mid-seventeenth century, these companion volumes offer a comprehensive guide to the Christian life, combining theological reflection, moral instruction, and practical devotion. Taylor, chaplain in ordinary to King Charles I and later Bishop of Down and Connor, writes with a distinctive blend of poetic eloquence and pastoral earnestness, setting forth "the means and instruments" of cultivating virtue, resisting vice, and preparing the soul for eternity. The present 1719 London edition (here bound as two works in one volume) reflects the enduring popularity of Taylor's writings well into the eighteenth century.
Holy Living focuses on the disciplined pursuit of a godly life, outlining daily devotions, spiritual exercises, and ethical conduct suited to various states and occasions. It addresses humility, charity, temperance, prayer, and meditation, presenting religion as both inward transformation and outward practice. Holy Dying complements this instruction by guiding readers through reflections on mortality, repentance, sickness, and the hope of resurrection, offering prayers and consolations for the dying and those attending them. Together, the works form a balanced manual of devotion, emphasising preparation not only for a virtuous life but also for a faithful death.
This 1719 edition, printed in London for T. Horne and others, is illustrated with engraved frontispieces and plates, enhancing its visual and devotional appeal. Bound in original leather, though with the cover detached, it retains the character and craftsmanship of early eighteenth-century book production. As a classic of Anglican spirituality and English devotional literature, it would particularly appeal to collectors of early theology, students of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century religious thought, and admirers of finely illustrated devotional works.
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