From the Morning Scriptures

After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that prophets have no honor in their own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed. This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

—John 4:43-54 (TNIV)

Here we have another poignant story of Jesus’ compassion and healing power, signs that led people to believe. Notice that he takes the Galileans to task for demanding a sign as a condition for their belief in him. It seems that things haven’t changed much from Jesus’ day to ours. We still demand signs from Jesus in a variety of ways. For example, have you ever been angry at Christ for not answering your prayers exactly as you asked him (or for not answering them at all)? If you have, you too are demanding a sign from Jesus as a condition for having a relationship with him. Most of us do not react well when someone puts conditions on our relationship with them so why would we expect Jesus to be any different?

What about you? Do you demand a sign from Jesus before you will put your whole hope and trust in him? Or are you willing to be humble and acknowledge that he is Lord and you are not? Those who are able to do the latter have never been disappointed in the results.

And Finally Jeremy Taylor on the Test of True Religion

The way to judge religion is by doing our duty; and theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge. In heaven indeed we shall first see, and then love; but here on earth we must first love, and love will open our eyes as well as our hearts, and we shall then see and perceive and understand.

—Sermon, Via Intelligentiae (1657)

I hope you have enjoyed these excerpts from one of my favorite Anglican divines, Bishop Jeremy Taylor, on his feast day.

Jeremy Taylor on Marriage

Marriage has in it the labor of love, and the delicacies of friendship, the blessing of society, and the union of hands and hearts; it has in it less of beauty, but more of safety, than the single life; it has more care, but less danger; it is more merry, and more sad; is fuller of sorrows, and fuller of joys; it lies under more burdens, and it is supported by all the strengths of love and charity, and those burdens are delightful.

—Sermon, The Marriage Ring (1653)

A Prayer for a Holy Life

O do unto thy servant as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name; let thy truth comfort me, thy mercy deliver me, thy staff support me, thy grace sanctify my sorrow, and thy goodness pardon all my sins, thy angels guide me with safety in this shadow of death, and thy most holy spirit lead me into the land of righteousness, for thy name’s sake, which is so comfortable, and for Jesus Christ his sake, our dearest Lord and most gracious Savior. Amen.

—Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying (1651)

Jeremy Taylor on Walking with God

He walks as in the presence of God that converses with him in frequent prayer and frequent communion; in all his necessities, in all doubtings; that opens all his wants to him; that weeps before him for his sins; that asks remedy and support for his weakness; that fears him as a Judge; reverences him as a Lord; obeys him as a Father; and loves him.

—The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living (1650)

Jeremy Taylor on God’s Presence

God is present by his essence; which, because it is infinite, cannot be contained within the limits of any place; and as the sun, reflecting upon the mud of strands and shores, is unpolluted in its beams, so is God not dishonored when we suppose him in every one of his creatures, and in every part of every one of them.

—The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living (1650)

Jeremy Taylor on Faith and Charity

Faith supplies charity with argument and maintenance, and charity supplies faith with life and motion; faith makes charity reasonable, and charity makes faith living and effectual. For to think well, or to have a good opinion, or an excellent or a fortunate understanding, entitles us not to the love of God and the consequent inheritance; but to choose the ways of the Spirit, and to relinquish the paths of darkness, this is the way of the kingdom, and the purpose of the gospel, and the proper work of faith.

Discourse on Faith (1649)