and the air as well as the earth seems teeming with a busy population; in all this infinitude of existence, there is not a being, not an object, but is subject to the Mediator's control-not one but according to its nature is rendered subservient to his will. The conflicts of nations the convulsions of empires, the pestilence that stalks through the world, the earthquake that swallows up cities, all seem to be adverse to the purposes of Messiah's reign; and yet they are part of the instrumentality by which he is accomplishing the vast designs of his government; they are all under his direction, tending to a result by which his mediatorial glory will be completely illustrated. He has the hearts of all men in his hand; of all good men, and of all wicked men; and while by his grace he constrains the former to do his will, by his wisdom and his power he renders the latter also instrumental of promoting his glory. Even those who fight against his cause are compelled to become tributary to its interests; the wrath of man he causes to praise him, and the remainder of wrath he restrains.

Next, fasten your eyes upon THESE VISIBLE HEAVENS; upon this magnificent arch above you, in which you behold the sun by day and the moon and the stars by night: especially contemplate the evening sky, apparently studded with innumerable gems, but really peopled with an infinity of worlds, each of which performs its stated revolution, while all move together in perpetual and unbroken concert; and here again you have discovered nothing so vast but that it is moved by the Mediator's hand, and accomplishes the Mediator's will. What the character of the inhabitants of those worlds may be, or what revelations of divine wisdom may be made to them, we know not; but we Do knows, from the lively oracles, that they belong to the dominion of the Son of God.

And now let faith penetrate beyond the range of mortal vision, to THE REGION OF IMMORTAL LIGHT AND GLORY, where there is no need of the sun nor of the moon, for the Lord God is the light thereof; and there, too, does the Mediator exercise his dominion; nay, that is peculiarly and pre-eminently the seat of his gracious dominion; for there every heart beats in unison with his will, every tongue is ready, and every harp is strung, to show forth his praise. If you will know the loyalty of the ransomed and the glorified to their King, listen to that report which an eye-witness made of his visit to the heavenly city: "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living ones and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, saying, with a loud voice, Worthy is the

Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, and wisdom and strength, and honor and glory and blessing!"

And if you draw near and stoop over the verge of HELL, even there-though there is wailing and torment and blasphemy, yet even there, amidst all those night shades of eternal death, the Mediator still exercises his reign; he reigns over those imprisoned spirits in wrath and justice; and the most fearful attributes of his character are written on the smoke of their torment, which ascendeth up for ever and ever.

The Mediator's reign, then, is absolutely universal. Not the most magnificent globe that sweeps through immensity, nor the least dust of the balance that is borne upon the wind; not the brightest seraph in heaven, nor the blackest fiend in hell; not the grandest or the most insignificant event that ever occurs in any world; is without the range of his empire. In reference to the splendor and the perpetuity of such a reign, may he not well be represented as wearing many crowns?

Yes, I repeat, the personage who wore the crown of thorns once, and he who wears the many crowns now, is the same; and it was his wearing the one which constituted his preparation for wearing the other.

Such sufferings as the Redeemer experienced when the crown of thorns pierced his head, could never have been inflicted upon such a personage as he was, but for the accomplishment of some mighty purpose; never could have been inflicted upon him under the government of a wise and righteous God, but in consideration of their being followed by some glorious reward. And this is just in accordance with the fact as it is stated by the prophet Isaiah: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied." The government of the world becomes his in his mediatorial capacity, by purchase. It is because he died in ignominy upon the cross, that he has had all things put under his feet, being made head over all things to the church. It is because he received meekly and calmly the crown of thorns, that those many crowns, radiant with countless gems of glory, now glitter, and are destined for ever to glitter, upon his head.

And now, let me ask, what Christian among you all would desire to go to heaven on a flowery bed of ease? This was not the way in which Jesus gained possession of his many crowns; nor is it the way in which those who profess to be his disciples should de

sire to be led on to their final reward. Oh, brethren, methinks our subject consecrates every scene of trouble. Methinks it consecrates the Christian's deathbed, and the Christian mourner's weeds, and every heaving of the bosom which grief occasions in this vale of sorrow. For, Christian sufferer, those tears of thine are a seed which are destined to yield a harvest of glory. Thou art travelling upward, to a world where songs shall take the place of groans; and a crown of life shall mark thee as an eternal conqueror. Be still, then, though thou art bending in anguish, to catch the last. whisper of thy dearest friend. Be still, though thou art just going down into the dark valley; for this momentary tempest is the harbinger of a serene eternity. Surely thou mayest afford to be still, when Jesus, thy Saviour, calmly endured the crown of thorns!

And, finally, our subject supplies us with a most appropriate theme to take with us to the sacramental table. Christian, meditate upon the crown of thorns. Meditate upon the many crowns. Meditate upon the one as the glorious consequence of the other. And if you do this, in a proper manner, you will feel in your heart, throbs of penitential sorrow; your faith will kindle into brighter exercise; your hope in God's gracious covenant will grow stronger; and perhaps the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory may fill and satisfy your soul. Join, then, ye ransomed saints, while you are assembled to commemorate your Redeemer's death, while you have the crown of thorns and the many crowns before the eye of your faith-join in the exercise of devout gratitude, join, in anticipation of the joys of his presence-one and all, join, to crown him Lord of the Creation!

BY MARK TUCKER, D. D., PROVIDENCE, R. I.

PAUL'S VISIT TO ROME.

ROM. xv. 29.---And I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

THE labors of St. Paul in the ministry are a literal and striking fulfillment of the commission he received from his Lord at the time of his conversion and call to the apostleship. But rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee? delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom I now send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Nor did he ever forget the charge; the effect of this heavenly vision was never effaced from his mind. His labors were incessant. His great ruling principle was to do good;-of this he never lost sight. He had often signified a strong desire to visit Rome, but had always been hindered-pursuing one steady purpose, preaching the gospel and establishing churches, a convenient opening had never been presented. Such were his convictions of duty, that he could not break off in the midst of his labors and make a journey merely to gratify a private feeling. Not till there was no more place for him in those parts, that is, not till his work as an apostle was finished, could he think of leaving there and to VOL. XIII. No. 10.

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show the multiplicity of his engagements, the weight of care that pressed upon him, he signified, that after he had visited Jerusalem, to carry the contributions he had received for the poor saints, he should spend a season in Rome, having in view at the same time a journey into Spain. Indefatigable laborer ! what successor of thine shall catch thy mantle and imbibe thy spirit?

The same commission is given to every minister of Christ; the same principle ought to govern every act. All may have the same object, though not the same opportunity.

The text contains a strong expression of faith in regard to the apostle's proposed visit. A similar sentiment is contained in the first part of this Epistle. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established. It is interesting to trace the operations of a great mind so richly imbued with the spirit of Christ as the apostle's.

Our object in this discourse is to dwell upon the design and assured effect of St. Paul's visit to Rome.

I. His design or object is thus expressed: I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

His object, it appears, was not to view the magnificence of the city: Rome at this time had reached her zenith of glory; immense stores of wealth had been collected and expended in erecting public buildings; her merchants were princes, and lived in splendid habitations; there were scattered through the eternal city the most costly edifices, temples of vast dimensions, structures and pillars of immense height, fountains of great beauty; strangers from all parts of the civilized world had come to survey its extent, and admire the specimens of architecturethe display of genius. And although Paul was not destitute of taste, was not insensible of the existence of many wonders both of nature and of art the city contained, he did not feel himself at liberty to indulge even in innocent recreation while acting under his commission from the King of Zion.

What Foster so eloquently said of the devotedness of Howard the Philanthropist, may with still greater propriety be applied to Paul the Apostle: "I wonder what must have been the amount of that bribe in emolument or pleasure, that would have detained him from his great work. The law which carries