our view not only true, but the truth which constitutes the redeeming wisdom and power of the gospel.

On this truth, we will merely transcribe a passage or two from Mr. E.

The natural effect of sin, was exclusion from the favorable presence of God; and the gospel cancels this exclusion, by declaring peace on earth, and good will towards men. On the great day of atonement in the Jewish Church, previous to the sprinkling of the blood, the doors of the tabernacle were shut, and the people excluded from the emblems of the divine presence, in representation of the desert of sinners. As soon, however, as the blood of the victim was sprinkled, the doors were opened, and the people invited to enter;-the exclusion ceased. A Jew might, even after the opening of doors, have remained without; and he would thus have missed those favors which God has promised to those who seek his face, but his exclusion was not judicial, it was voluntary; it was a sore evil to his soul, but not a punishment. The transforming of his mind according to the will of God, depended on his spiritual communion with God; and he excluded himself from the appointed way of obtaining this communion. But his refusal to enter did not shut the door, did not cancel the invitation, did not reverse the pardon. pp. 50, 51.

The declaration of the gospel is, that the Son of God" is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world," and that "through him is preached unto men the remission of sins." When I believe this, I must infer that he is a propitiation for my sins, and that remission of sins is proclaimed through him to me, because I am one of the whole world. It is also written that "God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Now it is evident, from the first clause of this sentence, that the love of God does not flow from the sacrifice of Christ, but it is the source from which it flowed; and it is also clear, that this love to the world is prior to and independent of their belief of it, or any of its effects upon them. I am entitled, therefore, to take this love to myself, as being one of the world. p. 129.

But it has been supposed that a universal atonement could not have been offered by Christ, because he appears to limit his love to believers, and not to extend it beyond them in his intercessory prayer. Erskine thus replies to the objection.

He does not then appear in this prayer as the Savior of sinners, or as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, but as the elder brother of his disciples, and as the head and high priest over the church of God. All are invited to come into the temple, and the access is open to all, but the high priest intercedes only for those who enter. The names and titles of Christ are all relative. He is the shepherd of his sheep; he is the head of his body; he is the high priest of his church; he is the Savior of sinners: he is the propitiation for the sins of the world. He came to seek and to save the lost; he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He invites all to come into the temple; but those who listen not to his call. remain without, lost in the death of sin. They enter not into the church of Christ. He is neither their head nor high priest. They have no part in his intercession. p. 223.

He is not the high priest of those who are not his people, who are not the members of his church and of his body; because he cannot be the organ of those who are not partakers of his life; he cannot present the prayers of those who do not pray, nor the offerings of those who offer nothing. As the Savior of sinners, he says, "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And as the Savior also, he prays, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." But, as the high priest, he says, "I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine, and all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." pp. 224, 225.

But the adaptedness which christianity, as a means of restoration, has to the case of all mankind, lies not simply in the universality of its propitiation for sin which breaks down the barrier imposed by the penalty to the return of God to the sinner and of the sinner to God, but in the universality of that moral influence which, in consequence, it exerts upon sinners to subdue them to the love of God and actual reconciliation. Now this influence of motive arises not as we conceive from an actual forgiveness and reconciliation on the part of God; for that would withdraw entirely from the motives included in christianity, the terrors of the Lord, which an apostle assures us have their place in the system to persuade. It arises from the affecting exhibition of the benevolent compassion of God made in the provision of such an atonement, combined with the demonstration of that certain and sorer vengeance which must befal those who continue to refuse reconciliation. Every heart is plied by the atonement, because it exhibits God exercising forgiving mercy towards penitent sinners, and as ready to forgive one as another, notwithstanding all previous differences, upon repentance. This brings to all sinners,who were otherwise banished to despair and rivetted to rebellion, and to each sinner equally, the alternative of life or death eternal, the favor or wrath of God, as a matter of personal choice and election. This lays on every heart the burning motives of the divine character-deep compassion to excite hope, rich benefit to excite gratitude, unexampled goodness to excite confidence, unbending holiness to excite esteem and veneration; and throws all these as ingredients of embitterment and loathing, into the cup of continued rebellion. In the language of Mr. E.,

The medicinal virtue of the gospel-the virtue which heals the disease of the soul-which destroys enmity and enkindles holy love-which does away the fear of punishment, and at the same time plants and strengthens the fear of sinning, the medicinal virtue which effects this, lies in the manifestation of that love of God which passeth knowledge, that holy love with which God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son as an atonement for its sins.

Holy love is the great principle developed in the gospel. It is the union of an infinite abhorrence towards sin, and an infinite love towards the sinner. This mysterious history is the mighty instrument with which the Spirit of God breaks the power of sin in the heart, and establishes holy gratitude and filial dependence. The belief that the Deity took upon himself the nature and the penal obliga tions of the sinner, that he might, consistently with justice, restore his forfeited life, and remove the barrier which the offended law had placed between him and the throne of grace-the belief of this must give a new view of the maliginity of sin, and of its fearful contrariety to the holy cha racter and government of God; and must farther give a most touching and overpowering view of the compassion of God. It must break the hard heart, to think of having rebelled against such a God and such a Father. pp. 20, 21.

This aspect of christianity as a means of restoration adapted alike to all mankind, gives to it all its important practical bearings. Had the Savior come on a secret mission to the world, bearing a message to individuals who were known only in the breast of God, what pausings and doubtings must have kept every soul at distance from him and his cause! Every one not addressed by him in person or by miracle must have felt himself an uninterested spectator. But he is come on a known mission, preaching reconciliation through his cross to the wide world, and the appeal is gone forth to every heart, however much retired into its own individuality and selfishness, to accept for itself the generosity of heaven, and unite with that generosity in blessing the world. And how far and wide do those obligations branch out which reach us through the universality of the gospel? We have, it is thus certain, a message addressed to us individually from heaven: do we hearken and obey? We have a propitiation which covers all our deepest offences: do we enter into the reconciliation? We have an affecting example of divine charity towards all mankind: do we breathe the same spirit of universal good, will? We see the Savior around us plying every heart: do we help, or hinder? The ignorant and benighted nations of the earth are perishing for the effectual remedy that is in our hands: do we pity, or shut up our bowels of compassion? We have opportunity in works of love to commence that holy fellowship with God on earth, which is to continue to eternity and form the glory of heaven: do we enter into the redemption, or are we wasting the hours of grace in the follies of sin, and preparing, by the voluntary exclusion of ourselves from his service here, to be excluded from it by him in the day when he shall purify his kingdom of them that offend and do iniquity?

ART. VII.-MEMOIR OF THE HON. JOHN HOOKER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

THE subject of the present memoir was the second son of the Rev. John Hooker, of Northampton, Massachusetts. He was born October, 1761. At the early age of twelve years, he was deprived of his excellent father, who was successor of President Edwards in the pastoral office, and was regarded as a man of good talents, great prudence, and ardent piety. Like most of his brethren, he had but little property, and left his family in very straitened circumstances. But his widow was a woman of great resolution, and possessed a strong and unwavering faith.

She trusted in God, and found that support and consolation which true confidence always brings with it. By the kind assistance of her friends, she was enabled to give this son an education at Yale College, where he graduated in 1782, with an honorable standing as a scholar, and with the affection and respect of his instructors.

On leaving college, Mr. Hooker commenced the study of the law under the direction of the Hon. John Worthington of Springfield, his maternal uncle; one of the most eminent counsellors of his time; a man of commanding eloquence, and highly esteemed in the common wealth. Having passed through the regular course of study, Mr. Hooker entered on the practice of the law in Springfield, under favorable circumstances and with great promise. For many years he was regarded as one of the first in his profession, in that part of the commonwealth. As a prudent and judicious counsellor, he possessed the confidence of all who knew him; and as a man of the strictest integrity-a quality for which he was eminently distinguished-he commanded from an early period an extensive and profitable business, which he continued to enjoy until he retired from the active duties of his profession. When it was judged expedient to make some change in the lower courts of the State, Mr. Hooker was appointed Chief Justice of the western district, comprising the counties of Worcester, Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire; and about the same time was appointed to the office of Judge of Probate for the county of Hampden. In these offices he acquitted himself in an able and judicious manner. considered as a good judge of the law; he examined every case with coolness and moderation, and gave his opinion in a modest and unassuming manner. The writer of this article has often heard it remarked by the gentlemen of the bar, that Judge Hooker was most popular where he was best known.

He was

There was a sternness in his manners, which did not prepossess strangers in his favor. He was naturally reserved, but by no means morose. His reserve was evidently the effect of constitutional diffidence. In the social circle he exerted himself to overcome this reserve, and was affable, pleasant, and often facetious. He was uniformly mild and condescending in his intercourse with his neighbors, and always disposed to avoid conversation upon subjects in which the passions of men are most easily inflamed. Such was his acknowledged candor and moderation, that his opinions had great authority in all public meetings of the town, even in cases where parties were greatly divided, and where many on each side were disposed to pursue violent measures. In the office of Judge of Probate, he acted with prudence and equity. The duties of the office are often unpleasant and difficult. From the natural selfishness of mankind, it is almost impossible to decide between conflicting claimants, in such a manner as to give satisfaction to all. It is believed that Judge Hooker discharged the duties of his office to the general satisfaction of the partics concerned, and with the entire confidence of the community in his wisdom and integrity. Not even the interested and disappointed ever presumed to ques tion the propriety of his motives in his decisions. He was peculiarly the friend of the widow, and always awarded her the amount which justice would allow. He justly took into consideration the dreary state of persons of this description. their inexperience in relation to matters of business; the disposition which prevails in the world to oppress the helpless, and the unequal ground on which a female must go into the world, in competition with men, to pursue a course of gain. He often caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

At different periods of his life, Judge Hooker was honored by his fellow citizens with various offices of public trust, which were at their disposal. He performed every duty imposed on him in the best manner, and without ostentation. No man could accomplish more with as little exertion. He possessed that rare talent for business which never wastes single effort. He was slow to make up an opinion; but when once he had formed it, he was ready to act; and so correct was his judgment upon most subjects, that his sentiments were generally received with approbation by all with whom he was associated.

We have spoken of Judge Hooker as a public character, extensively known and universally esteemed. But had he possessed no higher excellencies than such as pertain to many men of elevated standing in public life, his virtues would not have