The Puritans produced many poets over the colonial period. Puritan lifestyle was based on three major principles. These principles were humbleness, simple life, and faith in G-d. The puritans strictly adhered to these principles. Another principle, although not as Important, was the principle of regeneration. This Is accepting people back into the Church or “re-bearing; them The poetry of the Puritans was greatly affected by these three and much can be seen about Puritan life from these sets, Edward Tailor’s texts were also greatly Influenced.
Some of his poems are upon a Wasp Chilled with Cold, upon a Spider Catching a Fly, Housewife, and Our Insufficiency to Praise G-d Suitably for His Mercy. In upon a Wasp Chilled with Cold Taylor is greatly affected by the Puritan way. He speaks of “the northern blast. ” This “northern blast” is the troubles and sorrows of the average person. Soon after Taylor speaks of “Sol’s warm breath. ” This Is the grace of G-d. Taylor is speaking of the troubled human being saved by the grace of G-d. This relates to one of the principles of faith.
In Housewife Taylor shows the third principle of faith. He shows the principle of simple living. Taylor asks G-d to take all his immaterial positions and create for him a beautiful garment of G-ad’s glory. Taylor writes this while showing us that all he needs is to be clothed in G-d;s glory and nothing else.. In upon a Spider Catching a Fly Taylor refers to another principle of faith, humbleness. He speaks of himself as the “petty fly” and how he is caught by the web of the devil. Then he says “Thy grace to break the cord” which shows his humbleness.
He Is asking God to help him because he cannot do It himself. He asks for his grace because he is unworthy but needs mercy. However, this poem shows another principle. This Is the principle of regeneration. According to Cotton Matter in The Wonders of the Invisible World one can regenerate. Matter says “Before the trial of this prisoner several of her own children had frankly and fully confessed not only that they were witches themselves but that heir mother had made them so. This confession they made with great shows of repentance and great demonstration of truth. This is showing that if one repentance then he may return to the Church. Taylor shows this in upon a Spider Catching a Fly by stating man things. One of the mall things he talks about during the poem Is how If one asks G-d for help and he is able to receive G-ad’s grace then he may repent and return to the Church. However this Is where Taylor and Matter disagree. According to the views of Taylor, as activated by his poems, the people must go and repent on their own and only then may they re-join the Church.
According to Matter as dictated by his texts the person should be coerced by the Church to repent and re-join the Church. Another point the wasp and not get caught. Edward Taylor was sufficiently influenced in his writing by the Puritan faith. He showed at least one principle of faith in his poems. He also showed his own views in some more controversial parts of Puritanism. He was a great writer who’s work will inspire us all for generations to come.
