A NEW EDITION

OF TWO

DISCOURSES,

DELIVERED

BY

SAMUEL HOPKINS, A. M.
Minifter of the Gofpel, in Great Barrington.

SERMON I.

On the NECESSITY of the KNOWLEDGE of the
LAW OF GOD, in order to the

KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.

SERMON II.

A particular, and critical inquiry into the CAUSE,
NATURE and MEANS of that CHANGE
in which MEN are BORN OF GOD.

•BIB

From a copy revifed and corrected by the author, now
Paftor of a church in Newport, Rhodeifland.

PRINTED IN BOSTON, A. D, 1768. REPRINTED BY ANTHONY HASWELL, IN BEN

NINGTON, [VERMONT] 1793.

100.9.349.

SERMON I.

The KNOWLEDGE of GOD's LAW NECESSA. RY in order to the KNOWLEDGE of SIN.

ROMANS vii, 7. I HAD NOT KNOWN SIN BUT BY THE LAW.

HERE is no need of entering into a

Tcritical confideration of the context, in

order to our seeing what is the truth here afferted by St. Paul, to which I propose to lead the attention of this auditory in my prefent difcourfe. St. Paul here tells us how he came to the knowledge of fin, viz. by the law,i. e. by the knowledge of the law; & that there was no other poffible way or medium whereby he could get the knowledge of fin. And what Paul afferts of himfelf here, may with equal truth be affirmed of all other fons: there is no other poffible way for them to come to the knowledge of fin, but by the law. Therefore the plain and important truth contained in thefe words is, THE KNOWLEDGE of GOD's LAW is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY IN ORDER to the KNOWLEDGE SIN

per

IN