George Hopkins

Son of Will. Hopk. was born at Beaudley in Worcestershire, 15 Apr. 1620, educated partly there in School learning under Joh. Graile, and partly at Kinfare in Staffordshire, became a Batler of New Inn in Lent Term 1637, took one degree in Arts in 1641, and then left the University for a time, being puritannically affected. Afterwards he sided with the Presbyterians, took the Covenant, retired to Oxon after the Garrison thereof was surrendred for the use of the Parliament, submitted to the Visitors appointed by them, took the degr. of Master, and soon after became Minister of Allsaints Parish in Evesham in Worcestershire. In 1654 he was by the then Parliament appointed one of the Assistants to the Commissioners of Worcestershire for the ejection of such who were then called scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters, and soon after published,

Salvation from sin by Jesus Christ: or, the doctrine of Sanctification (which is the greater part of our Salvation) founded upon Christ, who is both the meritorious and efficient cause of sanctifying grace, &c. Lond. 1655. oct. This book which is levelled against Antinomianism, was preached in seven sermons in a weekly lecture at Evesham on Math. 1.21. In the Authors dedication of the book to the Borough of Evesham, he saith that to them he had dedicated himself to the work of the Gospel from his first beginning to be a constant Preacher of it, and saith afterward that Dr. Bayly preached to them part of The practice of Piety before he publish’d it. See among the Writers in the first Vol. p. 485, 486. In 1662 our Author Hopkins left his Cure of Allsaints for want of Conformity, and retiring to Dumbleton in Glocestershire, died there at about one of the clock in the morning of the 25 of March (Annunc. day) in sixteen hundred sixty and six:1666. whereupon his body was buried in the Chancel of the Church there. During the time he lived in that Town, he constantly, with his whole family, frequented the Parish Church and publick Prayers on Holydays and Sundays in the Afternoons when there was no Sermon. He never failed to receive the Holy Communion as oft as it was celebrated, and did all things required of a Lay-member of the Ch. of England. Besides his knowledge in Divinity, he was a very good Mathematician, an example of great candor and moderation, and such as is rarely found among the Nonconformists, &c. as I have been informed, by one of his near Relations.