Joe,

Actually, I agree with Hopkins in 95% of what he wrote. I'm a little tentative in regard to his view (typical among some Puritans) concerning "preparation" being necessary for regeneration. However, methinks you are misunderstanding what he wrote in regard to means. He makes two points clear:

1) Regeneration is done without means, i.e., there is nothing that effects regeneration, e.g., some rite, ordinance, sacrament etc., nor even the Word of God itself effects regeneration.

2) Regeneration does not occur without means, i.e., it does not occur as you seem to believe apart from the Word of God. For as I stated, which agrees totally with what Hopkins also wrote, regeneration is done for the sole purpose of bringing about conversion. And without the Word of God, conversion would be impossible.

The introductory remarks sum up what Hopkins believed:

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"Also included is a very interesting discussion of the role of Scripture in the process of regeneration. Hopkins denies the Catholic and Lutheran sacramental concept of the Bible’s role. His position is this: in the actual process of regeneration, God works directly through the Holy Spirit; the Scripture acts as a catalyst in the process, being indispensable (sine qua non) to the reaction without actually entering into it."

And in the article itself, Hopkins goes into some detail, e.g.,

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Hopkins writes:
"Means are necessary to be used in order to prepare persons for regeneration; for, consistent with all that has been said, a preparatory work is as important and necessary as on any plan whatsoever. God can, indeed, just as easily regenerate one as another; he has power to regenerate the most stupid, benighted heathen on earth, or the most ignorant, or deluded, erroneous person in the Christian world, at any moment he pleases, without the use of any means. But as this would not be wise and proper, in this sense it cannot be done, because God never did, and never will, do any thing which is not wise and proper to be done. The reason why it is not wise and suitable to give a person a new heart in such circumstances and without the use of means is, that in such a case there is no foundation, provision, or opportunity for right views and exercises, if a new heart should be given, therefore no good end answered by it. This would be like creating a monster without any parts or capacity whereby he might live and act in any proper way, but so as to act monstrously, and even counteract and destroy itself; or as if a man should be made without feet or hands, or without any mouth to take the food necessary to support life; or as if an animal should be made in such a situation and circumstances as that it is impossible for him to come at the things necessary for the support of his existence and life."
By "preparatory", he means that which accompanies regeneration or that which exists just prior to the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration.

Regeneration and conversion are mutually exclusive yet inseparable. Again, regeneration is brought about for the exclusive purpose of producing conversion. And conversion cannot occur without the knowledge of sin, of guilt, of judgment, of justification, of Christ in the Gospel, etc.

If there is to be seen anything "preparatory" it is in the circumstances which God has brought about in regard to the sinner, e.g., time, place, individuals, etc. As Hopkins rightly wrote, one is either unregenerate or regenerate. There is no other spiritual state which man possesses; e.g., "prevenient grace"; a semi-spiritual condition. One is either spiritually dead (man's natural condition) or spiritually alive, aka: regenerate.

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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