Bishop Hall

Bishop Joseph Hall

I first came across Bishop Hall, I suppose, about 10-12 years ago when I bought the 3 volume hard back Soli Deo Gloria reprint of"Hall's Contemplations" new for the grand sum of £35.00 (Still a lot of money) CH Spurgeon gave these volumes a great commendation in his Commenting and Commentaries. He wrote:

"Need I commend Bishop Hall's Contemplations to your affection attention? What wit! [wisdom]  What sound sense! What concealed learning! His style is as pithy and witty as that of Thomas Fuller, and it has a sacred unction about it, to which Fuller has no pretension." 

At a recent visit to John Gowan's bookshop, I picked up an odd hard back volume (1/10) of Hall's works for the grand sum of £15.00. It was printed in 1808 and is a very clean copy. It contains 43 of the good Bishop's sermons. Seeing some of these sermons run to about 22 pages, then obviously the good Bishop must have been one of those preachers who had an hour glass beside him and when the sand run done, just turned it over and let it start again. The last sermon I read, however, on Judging not according to appearance, was preached before the King (James I of KJV fame) and ran to just 9 pages in print. I suppose His Majesty wasn't going to tolerate what others tolerated. Spurgeon says it all in his comments above. In the marathon sermons, I tend to read his introduction at one sitting and then his points at separate sittings. It is all good stuff, with plenty of #RealMeat and definitely #NoFluff, although I am not sure where he was going with one sermon in particular (preached in two parts at an annual service - one half one year and the other half the next.) Even great men don't connect all the time. But I would give these sermons a good mark out of 10, taking off a little because of their length. 

Bishop Hall was a Calvinist. He was very Anglican in his views, which meant that he didn't get into the same trouble other Calvinists tended to get into with James I and his sacerdotal friend like Laud. That said, he probably wasn't over appreciated by the Presbyterians and other Non Conformists etc. James I wanted him to go to the Synod of Dort in 1618 to represent Britain in the debate with the Arminians but he fell ill and another took his place. 

The last sermon I read was on the "Deceit of Appearance" from John 7:24 "Judge not from appearance, but judge righteous judgement." After a few (OK quite a few) words of introduction, he got to his main points. If we should judge according to appearance, then we would: 

[i] Think basely of the Saviour of the World
[ii] Scornfully overlook the ordinances of God
[iii] See God's children as woeful and His enemies as great
[iv] Recognize all that glitters as gold and all as dross that does not glisten
[v] See false religion as true and true religion as false
[vi] See good as evil and evil as good

The Puritans or Puritan types regularly had great sermon titles. The next sermon I am due to read is on Jeremiah 17:9 on the heart being deceitful above all things. The first page reads like this:

SERMON IX

THE GREAT IMPOSTOR:

LAID OPEN IN A SERMON AT GRAY'S INN, FEBRUARY 2, 1622

***

TO THE MOST NOBLE, AND WORTHILY HONOURED

SOCIETY OF GRAY'S INN:

AT WHOSE BAR THIS IMPOSTOR WAS OPENLY ARRAIGNED:

JOSEPH HALL 

HUMBLY DEDICATES THIS PUBLIC LIFE OF HIS WEAK AND UNWORTHY LABOUR 

If you can get hold of any of Hall's stuff - whether the reprinted Contemplations or even his sermons and works, then be assured (unless you are paying an exorbitant price) that they will be worth the money. 

* CALVINIST INDEX
* PROTESTANT INDEX
* CH SPURGEON INDEX
* EVANGELISM INDEX
* HERE AND THERE INDEX
* YOUTUBE VIDEO INDEX
* 3 MINUTE AUDIOBOO INDEX