“Where the unveiled glories of the Deity shall beat full upon us, and we for ever sun ourselves in the smiles of God.”
Ezekiel Hopkins was born at Sanford, county of Devon, England, about the year 1633, where his father was a laborious minister for many years. He was educated at Oxford, where he was some time chaplain of Magdalen College. From Oxford he went to London, where he was assistant to Dr. William Spurstow till the act of uniformity. After this he was preacher at St. Edmunds, Lombard-street, and subsequently was chosen minister of St. Mary Arches, in Exeter, where he was much admired. From Exeter he was transferred to the deanery of Raphoe, Ireland, and from the deanery was promoted to the bishopric, which he occupied about ten years, when he was transferred to the bishopric of Derry. Here he continued about seven years, leaving for England only when the Roman Catholic church began to place pressure upon him, and became minister of St. Mary, Aldermanbury, in London, 1689, where he died, only seven months after his establishment there.
As a preacher, Bishop Hopkins was esteemed one of the first of the age in which he lived, being much admired and followed after in all the places where he preached.
As a preacher, Bishop Hopkins was esteemed one of the first of the age in which he lived, being much admired and followed after in all the places where he preached.
“None have assurance at all times. As in a walk that is shaded with trees and checkered with light and shadow, some tracks and paths in it are dark and others are sunshine. Such is usually the life of the most assured Christian.”
As a writer, he was eminent above most authors for the combination of clear statements of doctrinal and practical truth, with an eloquent application of it to the heart and conscience. Scarcely any other writer has, within an equal compass, so ably discussed, and applied with such energy the whole range of christian truth. His works are published in four volumes, edited by the late Rev. Josiah Pratt, of London, who in his dedication of the volumes to William Wilberforce, Esq. says, "That author is of special value whose works supply, within a mod- rate compass, the most complete refutation of whatever can be urged against true religion, by exhibiting her in her most beautiful proportions. Such an author is Bishop Hopkins." His works, embrace the following subjects: Vanity of the World, Expositions of the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, Discourses on the Law, Discourses concerning Sin, The Doctrine of the Two Covenants, Doctrine of the Two Sacraments, The All-Sufficiency of Christ to save Sinners, Excellency of Heavenly Treasures, Practical Christianity, Assurance of Heaven and Salvation a principal motive to serve God with fear, On Glorifying God in his Attributes, Almost Christian, Conscience, Great Duty of Mortification, Death Disarmed, Miscellaneous Sermons.
“The Bible is the statute-book of God's Kingdom, wherein is comprised the whole body of the heavenly law, the perfect rules of a holy life, and the sure promises of a glorious one.”
As a divine, Bishop Hopkins was one of the sound theologians to which the Reformation gave birth, and he unequivocally and openly held and inculcated the pure doctrines of the Reformers, opposed as they are to the pride and passions of other men. On the difficult questions concerning the grace of God and the obligation of man, he adopted those views which reconcile with one another the declarations and exhortations of Scripture. Few writers have entered so unequivocally into the extent of man's responsibility.