much easier to censure than to amend. But you, illustrious Sir, go on, as now, benefiting the Church of God by your sacred and devout labours; and, what I deem a subject of hearty congratulation both to you and yours, studying to be quiet; I Thess. iv. 11. And so help with your prayers

Your most devoted brother

And fellow-minister in the Lord,

JOS. EXON.

Given in our palace at Exeter.

CONCIO,

CORAM SYNODO DORDRECHTANA,

ANNO DOMINI, 1618,

PRÆDICATA,

A JOS. HALL, D. D. ARCHIPRESB. VIGORN.

xxix. Novembris; Die Jovis; ante meridiem.

"Habita fuit in Conventu Synodico à Reverendo et Clarissimo, D. Josepho Hallo, Wigorniensi Decano, doctissima atque accuratissima exhortatio Latina, ex Eccles. Salomonis, c. vii. v. 16. Pro quâ publicè ei gratiæ sunt actæ.”— Acta Synodi Dordrecht. p. 38.

A SERMON,

PREACHED BEFORE THE SYNOD OF DORT, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1618,

BY JOSEPH HALL, D. D. DEAN OF WORCESTER.

NOW FIRST TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH.

** 29 Nov. Thursday Morning.

"A most learned and correct Latin discourse was preached in the meeting of the Synod, by the Reverend and most distinguished Dr. Joseph Hall, Dean of Worcester, from Eccles. c. vii. v. 16. For which he received public thanks."-Acts of the Synod of Dort, p. 38.

VOL. XI.

Hh

CONCIO

CORAM SYNODO DORDRECHTANA®.

ECCLES. VII. 16.

Ne sis justus nimis, neque sis nimis sapiens.

DE JUSTITIA mihi hodie, cum bono Deo, et de SAPIENTIA sermo erit. Quid verò occurrere potuit opportunius? De justitiâ coram æquissimis Reipub. moderatoribus, de sapientiâ coram amplissimâ doctissimorum Theologorum Synodo; sed et vice versâ de sapientiâ in prudentissimorum Ordinum vicariorum consessu, de justitiâ in sanctissimâ coronâ Prophetarum. Nec est quod dubitem, ne non aure bibulâ, lubentique animo recipiantur ista ab utroque vestrum ordine, nobilissimi Ordinum Deputati, Theologi gravissimi, quæ utrumque ex æquo spectare videbuntur.

I. JUSTITIA se vobis offert primulùm. Deque illâ tres miræ profectò clausulæ convenêre istic, seque oculis auribusque vestris sponte ingerunt. Justus perit, ver. 15. Ne sis justus nimis, 16. Non est justus, 20. Euge, concionatrix anima, quid meditaris; ut è sacro illo ore pugnantes effluant sententiæ, seque, uti Cadmæa proles, mutuò perimant? Dum negat ultima, quod prima asseruit; secunda vetat fieri, quod ultima posse fieri negat? Si non sit justus, qui potest perire? Qui potest esse quis justus nimis, si justus nemo est? Mî homo, amicæ sunt semper scripturarum lites: utinam tales semper fuissent nostræ. Neque hîc opus est Mose aliquo Mediatore, qui fraternitatem inculcet; Exod. ii. 13. Pulcherrimè, scilicet, his inter se ultro convenit, ubi tribus clausulis tria justitiæ genera accommodare libuerit. Justitia absoluta est: sic nemo justus. Justitia inchoata, inque suo genere: sic justus perit. Justitia æquivoca; sic ne sis justus nimis. Ita facilè, et nimiùm justus est, qui justus non est; et qui justus est, perit. Non ergo vel

Here, for the first time, included among the works of Bishop Hall. The translation is contributed by a friend.-H.

SERMON

BEFORE THE SYNOD OF DORT.

ECCLES. VII. 16.

Be not righteous over much, neither make thyself over wise. My discourse to-day shall, with the blessing of God, be of RIGHTEOUSNESS and WISDOM. And what could be more suitable to the occasion? I will speak of righteousness before the most righteous rulers of this State, and of wisdom before this most numerous Synod of the most learned Divines; and on the other hand I will discourse of wisdom in this meeting of most discreet representatives of the States, and of righteousness in this most holy assembly of Teachers. Nor can I doubt that you, most noble Deputies of the States, and you, most grave Divines, will receive with open ears and willing minds such matters as appear to be of equal concern to each of you.

I. RIGHTEOUSNESS first presents herself to you. And on this subject three singular passages are to be found together in this chapter, and spontaneously force themselves on your eyes and ears. There is a just man that perisheth; v. 15. Be not righteous over much; v. 16. And, There is not a just man upon earth; v. 20. What are thy meditations, O mind of the preacher, that contradictory sentiments flow from those sacred lips, and, like the productions of Cadmus, destroy each other? For the last passage denies what the first has asserted; the second forbids that to be done which the last declares to be impossible. If there be no just man upon earth, how can he perish? How can any one be righteous over much, if there be no just man upon earth? My friend, the contentions of the scriptures are always easily adjusted: I wish that ours had always been equally so. Nor is there in this case need of the mediation of a Moses to enforce reconciliation; Exod. ii. 13. There is in fact a spontaneous and most perfect harmony in this instance, if you will but adapt the three clauses in question to three different sorts of righteousness. There is a positive righteousness, in which sense there is no just man. There is a righteousness which is imperfect and which acts in its own way; in this sense there is a just man that perisheth. There is an equivocal righteousness, in which sense you are told not to be righteous over much. Thus it may be easily said, that the man who is not just, is righteous over much; and that he who is just, perisheth. He therefore