through the grace of Christ, I do live, ||an aged Scotch minister, whose conand shall live forever. When I came gregation consisted, principally, of to this blessed family, I then saw, and English merchants. He was there very never before, the power of godliness useful, and greatly esteemed. At the in its lively vigor and efficacy." expiration of two years, he was called While Mr. Hooker was engaged in the to Rotterdam, where he was united in employment of an instructor, a peti- the ministry with his great and affection was presented to the bishop of tionate fricud, Dr. Ames, who had London (bishop Laud), by a number just returned from his professorship at of conforming ministers of the neigh-the Franequer University. In this boring towns, no less than forty-seven, connection, he assisted Dr. Ames in praying that Mr. Hooker might be per-composing some of his best literary mitted to continue in the ministry at works. Dr. Ames observed of him, Chelmsford. They state in their pe- "Though he had been acquainted tition, That they esteem and know with many scholars of divers nations, the said Mr. Thomas Hooker to be, yet he never met with Mr. Hooker's for doctrine, orthodox; for life and equal, either for preaching or dispu conversation, honest; for disposition, ting." peaceable; and in no wise turbulent On a full acquaintance with the or factious." But he was a puritan, state of the churches in Holland, Mr. and his ministry could not be suffered. Hooker became satisfied that the puThe popularity and influence of his rity of doctrine and discipline in the school were such as to furnish an ad- visible church of Christ, which he and ditional motive to attempt to extin-his fellow laborers had long hoped to guish this brilliant light. Before he see, was not reasonably to be expecthad been two years in his retreat, heed in that country. Of this persuasion, was summoned before an ecclesiasti- Mr. Hooker informed Mr. Cotton in cal court at Chelmsford, about the their correspondence, upon which, year 1630, and, for non-conformity in finding no prospect of a relaxation of his ministry, he was silenced, and laid ecclesiastical rigor in their own coununder bonds in the penal sum of fifty try, they resolved to unite with a numpounds, to appear as a public offender ber of their friends in Essex, who were before the court of High Commission. || preparing for an emigration to AmeriBy the advice and earnest solicitation || ca. Mr. Hooker returned to England, of his friends, who cheerfully advanced but secretly, for fear of his enemies, the sum, he forfeited the bonds. But from whence he soon took his last he could no longer appear in public farewell of his native land. He and with safety. A secure retreat having|| Mr. Cotton were both concealed prebeen provided for his family, by the vious to their departure, to avoid the generous liberality of the Earl of War-vigilance of pursuers. They were wick, he sought a private passage, and obliged to enter on board their ship in immediately went over to Holland.- disguise, and were not known to the As it was known that he was sought crew till they had been some days at for by the pursuivants, a friend obser-sea. They then assumed their proper ved to him, "Sir, what if the wind should not be fair, when you come to the vessel ?" He replied, Brother, let us leave that with Him who keeps the wind in the hollow of his hand." Several circumstances, singularly favorable attended his voyage.

Mr. Hooker resided in Holland about three years. The two former, he lived at Delft, as a colleague with

character, and performed the public services of religion, daily and on the Sabbath, during the voyage.

On the fourth of September, 1633, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Stone, Mr. Haynes, with a great number of other passengers, arrived safely at Boston, to the great joy of the colony. A number of Mr. Hooker's friends came over the year before, and settled

at Newtown, under the expectation of||-in the care of his church and peohis coming, and to prepare for his ac-ple-in laying the foundations of the commodation. Great was the joy of permanent religious institutions of the the meeting occasioned by his arrival.colony-in providing for the peace Having wandered without a home, in and security of this feeble people in an journeyings often, in perils of waters, unlimited wilderness of savages-in in perils by his own countrymen, in pe-securing the lasting prosperity of a ri rils in the sea, in perils among false sing state, were greater than can now brethren, reviled, waylaid and pursued be conceived. Though he stood not as a public criminal, now to meet his alone, yet upon him, more than any friends in a land of peace, with all the other person, devolved this mighty privileges of the pure ordinances of care. By his vigilance and labors, Christ, afforded a precious foretaste of the churches in this colony continued the rest which remaineth for his peo-in great unity and quietness, while ple. While his people received him those in the Massachusetts were agitawith open arms, Mr. Hooker assured ted, for a season, with alarming conthem, "Now I live, if you stand fast invulsions. the Lord." In October, a church was organized at Newtown with great solemnity, and Mr. Hooker was set apart as their pastor, and Mr. Stone as his assistant.

[Biography of Mr. H. to be continued.]

MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST..

He was called to attend the Synod which sat at Cambridge in August 1637, which had such a happy effect in suppressing the Antinomian errors, and restoring peace to the churches. Mr. Hooker was the modeMr. Hooker's migration to America ||rator of the Synod, with Mr. Bulkley, soon induced many of his acquaintance of Concord, for his assistant. His perto follow him to the wilderness. The fect acquaintance with all the subjects settlement at Newtown became so of discussion, his irresistible powers of much increased that it was thought ex- ||reasoning, his meek and honest zeal pedient to remove to Connecticut river. for truth, gave him a commanding in› The people made application to the fluence in the decisions, which became general court for liberty to remove, in the foundation of the doctrinal constithe latter part of the year 1634. Mr.tution of our churches. Hooker was their agent. Their request was denied, under a persuasion that their removal would weaken the colony, and that the loss of such an eminent light of the churches as their pastor, would be a severe judgment of heaven. The year following, however, the colony continuing to receive fresh accessions of planters from England, the petition of the Newtown people | was granted, and, late in the season, the removal commenced. In June 1,636, Mr. Hooker, with his family and about one hundred others, took their journey through the wilderness, and after a fatiguing march of about twelve days, they arrived at Hartford. The most of the congregation, some by water and some by land, arrived before the close of the year. The church was not re-organized.

The labors of Mr. Hooker, in the necessary provision for his own family

(Concluded from page 281.)

To prepare the way for the Messiah, John was regularly to introduce him, by baptism, into his sacerdotal or priestly office.

Christ was the great antitype of the Aaronic priesthood. The sacrifices, offered by the priests, according to the Levitical law, and especially the atonement, or propitiation, made once every year, by the high priest, had typical reference to him, the priest and the sacrifice, who was to offer himself, once in the end of the world, without spot to God. Though ordained a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedeck, yet as he was to be "a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers;" as he was born, and was to

perform his ministry, under the Levit-thirty years old, that the priests, under ical law; it was clearly necessary, the Levitical law, were to enter upon that he should conform to the regula-their ministry: so it was not until he tions and submit to the ordinances of was about thirty years old, that the that dispensation.

Messiah was consecrated by John to But under the Levitical law, the the sacred office. And as Aaron, at priests, when introduced into their of the time of his inauguration, after he fice, were to be washed, or baptised, was baptised with water, was publicly with water. "And Moses said unto anointed with the holy anointing oil : the congregation, this is the thing, so Christ, the great apostle and high which the Lord commanded to be done. priest of our profession, immediately And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, upon his baptism, received, in the most and washed, or baptised them with public manner, an unction of the Howater." As Aaron and his sons, at the|ly One, of which the anointing with oil time of their inauguration, were wash-was an appointed emblem and prefig. ed, or baptised with water; so it be-uration. Thus regularly and solemnhoved Christ, their great antitype, and ly was he introduced into his august the high priest of our salvation, to sub-and sacred office, as high priest forevmit to the same inaugural rite. This er over the whole house of God. was one principal purpose for which John was sent.

6. The last thing to be done by John, to prepare the way for the MesJohn had a special commission to siah, was distinctly to point him out prepare the way for the Messiah, or to to the people, and bear witness to him, do all which was necessary to be done, that he was indeed the true Messiah. in order to his regular introduction in- The proof of the Messiahship of Jeto his high and august office. Accor-sus is various indeed, and abundant.dingly, when Christ said to John, " suf- The numerous prophecies in him fulfer it to be so now, for thus it becom-filled, the circumstances which attendeth us to fulfil all righteousness;" as ed his birth, and his entrance upon his soon as John was made to understand public ministry, the miraculous works that, though the Messiah could not be which he wrought, the doctrine which a proper subject for the baptism of re- he preached, the purity of his life, and pentance, it was, nevertheless, neces- the manner and circumstances of his sary, that he should be inducted into death and resurrection, all unite to prothe high priesthood by the washing of claim him both Lord and Christ. Nevwater, as well as by an holy anointing, ertheless, it seemed good to Infinite he immediately complied, and perfor-Wisdom to appoint one, whose duty it med the sacred service. Afterwards should be, formally to announce the John testified of Christ, and said, " this Messiah, at the time of his manifestais he of whom I said, after me cometh |tion to Israel, and bear witness to him. a man, who is preferred before me, for This service, therefore, as well as the he was before me. And I knew him other parts of his duty as the harbinnot; but that he should be made man-ger of the Lord, it behoved John to ifest to Israel," or might be regularly perform. Accordingly, soon after his introduced into his public office,"there- public inauguration, "John seeth Jefore am I come baptising with water." sus coming unto him, and saith, BeOne principal purpose, then, for which hold the Lamb of God, which taketh John was sent, and for which he was away the sins of the world. And John commissioned to baptise, was, that he bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit might solemnly consecrate the Messi- descending from heaven like a dove, ah to his priestly office, and thus pre-and it abode upon him. ↑ And I knew pare the way for his regular entrance upon his public ministry.

As it was not until they were about

him not, but he that sent me to baptise with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spi

descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptiseth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bear record that this is the son of God." Such were the important purposes of John's mission; and thus did he prepare the way for the Messiah.

A few obvious deductions will now be suggested.

1. The Christian Church is but the continuation of the Jewish, under another dispensation.

John was sent to prepare the way for Christ and his new dispensation.— He proclaimed, that the kingdom of heaven, or the evangelical reign of Christ, was near at hand: not that it was already come. He was a prophet and a minister under the Mosaic law, and during his whole ministry all the institutions of that law remained in full force. Even Christ himself was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promAt the coming of the Messiah, the ises made unto the fathers. Christ ancient church of God, was, indeed, himself observed, and enjoined upon terribly shaken, and by far the great- others to observe, the sacred rites of er part of its nominal members were the ancient dispensation. It was not utterly cast off. The church, however until the close of the last prophetic was not abolished. The Lord still re-week, that he caused the sacrifice and membered his covenant, and, of the the oblation to cease: and blotting out descendants of Abraham his friend,still the hand writing of ordinances, took it reserved to himself a people and aaway, and nailed it to his cross. And church. And what is particularly to why, indeed, should the sacrifice and be noted in this connexion is, that a the oblation cease, before the great very principal purpose of John's mis-sacrifice and oblation, to which they sion and ministry was to promote a re-had typical respect, were actually formation in the Jewish church, and made? As it was at the time of his to prepare the sound part of it to abide | death upon the cross, when the veil of without dissolution, the tremendous the temple was rent in twain from the shock, which was about to take place. top to the bottom, that the Messiah He was sent to turn many of the chil- caused the sacrifice and the oblation to dren of Israel unto the Lord their God. cease, and took away the hand writing He was sent in the spirit and power of the Mosaic law; so when he ascenof Elias to turn the hearts of the faded up on high, leading captivity cap. thers unto the children, and the disobe- tive, he received gifts for men, even dient unto the wisdom of the just; and for the rebellious, that the Lord God thus to make ready a people prepared might dwell among them. It was then, for the Lord. He was sent as a proph- when he had by himself purged our et of the Highest, by his ministry and sins, that he sat down on the right baptism, to confirm the covenant with hand of the Majesty on high, and his many, and thus to prepare the way evangelical reign, or the kingdom of for a new dispensation, and for the ac-heaven, commenced. It was then that cession to the church of the Gentile the Christian dispensation was introdunations. Such was the faithfulness of ced.* God, and so special were the means, which he was pleased to employ, to preserve his church from dissolution, in the day when the heavens and the earth were shaken, and to prepare her to arise and shine, that the Gentiles might come to her light, and kings to the brightness of her rising.

2. The Christian dispensation did not commence, till after the resurrection of Christ.

*The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Mark i. 1. We have here no dispensation, but are merely notified of the beinformation of the beginning of the gospel ginning of the gospel history. The beginning, or here begins, the gospel, or evangelical his tory, of Jesus Christ. The evangelist does not inform us, as some have supposed, that pel dispensation; but merely informs us that John's ministry was the beginning of the goshe was about to write the gospel history.

The law and the prophets were until John s

3. The baptism of John was an in- 4. As it respects baptism particularstitution entirely distinct from Chris-ly, the baptism of Christ, by his harbintian baptism. ger John, is not to be considered as an example for his followers.

As John's ministry was under the Mosaic law, his baptism belonged also Had Christ's baptism by John been to the same dispensation. Both his intended as an example to his followministry and his baptism were antece-ers, surely he would not have waited dent, and preparatory, to the Messiah's until all the people were baptised, beevangelical reign. His baptism was fore he came to receive baptism. an extraordinary seal, by which, at an Christ was made under the law, and extraordinary crisis, the gracious cov- was subject to all the tinstitutions in enant of God was confirmed with ma- that dispensation In conformity to the ny; and by which the ancient dispen- law he was circumcised at eight days sation was consummated, and the way old; in conformity to the law he was for the introduction of the new dispen- presented to the Lord in the temple; in sation was prepared. Hence, when conformity to the law he attended the the evangelical dispensation commen-solemn feats at Jerusalem; and in conced, the preparatory institution ceas-formity to the law, he was baptized by ed; and those, who had received John. His being baptized, therefore, is John's baptism, were afterwards bapti- no more an example for his followers, sed in the name of the Lord Jesus.* than his being circumcised, or his subsince that time the kingdom of God is preach-mitting to any other ordinance of the ed, and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail. Luke xvi. 16, 17.-Ye had the law and the prophets until the coming of John, since whose time the kingdom of God is announced, and every occupant entereth it by force. But sooner shall heaven and earth perish, than one tittle of the law shall fail. Dr. Campbell's translations.

ancient economy. Nay, his baptism is, least of all his legal observances, to be regarded as an example for his people.

The Baptism of Christ was an inaugural rite, by which he was publicly and regularly introduced into his high and sacred office, as the great Prophet and High Priest of our holy profession. Before the coming of John, the Jews had But are we to follow Christ in this parall their knowledge of Christ and his king- ticular? Are we to be baptised, as he dom from the Old Testament Scriptures, com-was, in order to a regular induction inmonly in Christ's time, called the law and the to the high priesthood over the house Prophets. But when John came, the kingdom of God, which, until then, had been rep-of God! Is there not something shockresented as distant, was proclaimed as being at hand; and all, who gave heed to the proclamation, felt it to be of the utmost importance to be in immediate readiness for the awful and gracious dispensation. Yet it was important to be understood, that not one tittle of the law was to fail; not the least part of the Old Testament Scriptures was to be made void, or of none effect. It is no part of the design of this passage, any more than of the foregoing, to inform when the gospel dispensation commenced.

ing, is there not something impious, in the very thought? Might we not as well think of dying upon the cross, as he did, to make atonement for a guilty world? By his baptism he was introduced into his high office, and by his death he made the atonement for which he was thus introduced; and there is no more reason why we should follow him in the one than in the other.

Acts xix. 5. Christ baptised none and the disciples of Christ had no special comThe baptism of Christ was of an immission from him to baptise, until after his resurrection. Like John, they preached that port very different from that of the the kingdom was at hand; and, like him, they baptism, which he afterwards institubaptised in confirmation of the ancient cove-veral important institutions under David and nant of God. But it was not until after the resurrection of their Lord that they baptised under his special commission.

If there was no provision in the Mosaic law for John's baptism, so there was none for se

Ezra; yet all those institutions were under the Mosaic dispensation. As those institu tions were added by divine authority, so afterwards the baptism of John was added, by the same authority, and for a special purpose.