THE

WORKS

OF

SAMUEL HOPKINS, D. D.,

FIRST PASTOR OF

THE CHURCH IN GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS.,

AFTERWARDS PASTOR OF

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN NEWPORT, R. I.

WITH

A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

BOSTON:

DOCTRINAL TRACT AND BOOK SOCIETY.

1852.

CX 7/17 на

5.1

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by

SEWALL HARDING,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Doctrinal Tract and Book Society now offer to the public a collected and complete edition of the Works of Dr. Samuel Hopkins, with a new Memoir of his life and character. The Memoir has been prepared, after an extensive examination of Dr. Hopkins's manuscripts in this country and in England, by EDWARDS A. PARK, D. D., Abbot Professor of Theology in the Theological Seminary, Andover.

Hopkins's System of Divinity has already passed through two editions. Some of his other treatises have been published in several editions, but have been long out of print. His writings have never, until now, been collected and published in one uniform edition. From the important place he occupies in the history of the theology of New England, from his very intimate connection with both the Edwardses and Bellamy, and above all, from the intrinsic merit of his various treatises, it has been thought due to the present generation, that a collected edition of his works should be published. No minister or theological student can afford to be without his Works, as without them no one can fully understand the religious history of New England during the last century — a period fraught with such important changes and events in all our civil and religious institutions.

In issuing this edition, while we are constrained to express our profound regard for Dr. Hopkins as a great and good man, and as a most discriminating and powerful writer, and while we regard his works as among the most valuable additions to our theological literature, we must also here say, as we said of Bellamy's writings, and as we expect to say of other works which we may publish: "We do not feel responsible for every sentiment that may be advanced, as we do not presume to abridge their works, or to alter their phraseology. We leave each author to utter his own views, in his own way; that the public may have a knowledge not only of their real sentiments, but also of their style of writing, and, in some measure, the times in which they lived. We would have those eminent men, who contributed so much by their stern integrity, their consistent piety, and their ardent attachment to the unadulterated truths of God's Word, to give character and stability to our institutions, speak for themselves. We revere their memory and praise

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God for such an ancestry. Their works contain excellences which are not often found in the present issues from the press. Their intimate and living acquaintance with the Bible, their profound mode of thinking, the spiritual tone of their piety, and their masterly discussions of the principles which have given character to the churches of New England, are scarcely less necessary to us than they were to their contemporaries."

In editing the Works of Hopkins, we have been more than ever impressed with a sense of their unspeakable value, and of the uncommon acuteness and greatness of their author. The more he is known, so much the more will the depth of his piety be acknowledged and revered.

By a perusal of the Memoir, the reader will see that few divines have exerted a more extended political and religious influence than Dr. Hopkins. He was not only a great theologian, but a great reformer, consistent, conservative, and yet, in the good sense of the term, progressive. He was greatly in advance of his age in almost every good work. The issue of this edition is well timed, as the fundamental principles here advocated are equally applicable and adapted to the reforms of the present day, and of all succeeding days, as they lay the axe at the root of the tree of evil, and are the foundation of all that is virtuous and good.

With these views, and believing the work we now issue is well fitted to detect error and delusion, to reform what is vicious, to exhibit and enforce the pure and distinguishing doctrines of revelation, and, by the grace of God, to convince, convert, and save men, we now commit it to the public, with the earnest prayer that the divine blessing may attend it.

It is here due to the Editor to say, that the arrangement would have been somewhat different, the treatises more accurately classified, had the materials all been before him in the beginning; but several of the sermons and other articles came to our knowledge after the work was partly set up. This apparent want of system, which was thus made unavoidable, is remedied by a full index of the whole, at the close.

It is with great pleasure that we acknowledge essential aid rendered by several individuals in furnishing documents and manuscript articles, and especially the liberal donation of the Hon. Charles W. Hopkins, of Great Barrington, towards furnishing the stereotype plates of these Works of his honored grandfather.

BOSTON, May, 1852.

S. H.