Biographia Evangelica. EZEKIEL HOPKINS, D. D. BISHOP OF DERRY, IN IRELAND. E ZEKIEL HOPKINS, a learned Bishop, whose works are in good efteem, was born in 1633, in the parish of Crediton, near Exeter, in Devonfbire, and was fon to the curate of Sandford, a chapel of eafe belonging to Crediton. In 1649 he became a choritter of Magdalen-College, Oxford, ufher of the fchool adjoining when bachelor of arts, chaplain of the college when mafter, and would have been fellow had his county qualified him. All this time he lived and was educated. under prefbyterian and independent difcipline; but, upon the restoration of K. Charles II. being a doctrinal calvinift, and a real profeffor of the most effential articles of the church of England; he found no difficulty in his mind for a full conformity to its outward ritual, when re-established by law; perfuaded that more good might be done in the church than out of it, both because there were more opportunities of attempting it, and because there, in confequence of the larger and more mixed multitude, it was most of all wanted. He was firft, by the interest of Sir Thomas Viner, made lecturer of the parish of Hackney near London, where he continued till the act of conformity was published, and might have been chofen a lecturer in London, but the bishop would not permit it, because he was a popular preacher, Mr. Wood fays, among the fanatics.' At the Reftoration, the men of the church were much changed; but the doctrines of the VOL. IV. church B church continued the fame. Some fiery Arminians took the lead, and, instead of compromifing differences (as they had then a favorable opportunity to do), they, or too many of them, fought the indulgence of revenge by trampling all diffenters under their feet. It is not to be doubted, but that the great majority of the hundreds, who were ejected in 1662, would have gladly conformed by healing measures, both to preferve their maintenance and to enjoy a larger sphere of usefulness. All moderate men (and moderate men are the only wife men) must look back with regret upon those times, when, to the great fcandal of the proteftant religion and of chriftianity itself, the minifters of peace became minifters of war, and, inftead of embracing and forgiving and reclaiming, seemed too eager to bite and devour one another. Pudet hæc opprobria nobis. After fome confiderable time, he was promoted to the parish church of St. Mary Woolnorth, in Lombard Street. But, on account of the plague, he retired to Exeter, where he was fo much approved of and applauded for his excellent manner of preaching, efpecially by Dr. Seth Ward, bishop of that diocefe, (who was himfelf a true bifhop and real friend of the church) that he prefented him to the parish of St. Mary Arches in that city. John lord Roberts, baron of Truro, happened to hear him preach at this place, and was fo much pleafed with his abilities, (for he was, as the late Mr. Hervey ftyled him, a fervent and affectionate' preacher) that, foon after upon his own appointment to be lord lieutenant of Ireland, he took him with him in the quality of chaplain, and in the fame year, viz. 1669, gave him his daughter in marriage, and conferred upon him the treafurership of Waterford, and, in the year following, the deanry of Raphoe. In the fpring afterwards, he ftrongly recommended him to the favor of his fucceffor, John lord Berkeley, of Stratton, who, on the twenty-seventh of October, 1671, promoted him to the fee of Raphoe; to which he was confecrated in Chrift-Church, Dublin, by James, archbishop of Armagh, affifted by the bishops of Clogher, Waterford, and Derry. On the eleventh of November, 1681, ten years after, he was tranflated to the bishoprick of Derry. In 1688, on account of the troubles in Ireland, he returned to England for fafety, and was made minifter of the parish of St. Mary, Aldermanbury, or, as others fay, of St. Laurence, * Theron and Afpafio. Vol. II. p. 319, Jewry; |