vered marks of extraordinary abilities; being "ftrong in fpirit, filled with wifdom," and endued with "the grace of God" in an eminent degree. We appre hend, that his uncommon fervour, knowledge, and piety, even in his childhood, excited the admiration of the neighbourhood where he dwelt. We have but little information concerning that period, but the few circumstances, which are recorded, must not be pafled over. When he was twelve years old (and fo according to the Jewish custom was confidered as fubject to the law), he went up to the temple with his pious parents to celebrate the paffover; and upon that occafion he fhewed the most zealous attachment to the house and service of God. His parents and relations were returning home, while, unknown to them, he ftill remained at Jerufalem. After a painful fearch, they found him on the third day amongst the public teachers of religion, liftening to their inftructions, and requesting their anfwers to his enquiries; and by his profound understanding in divine things exciting the aftonishment of all who were prefent. When his mother had expreffed her wonder at his conduA, as having occafioned them many anxious fears, he replied, with a zeal far beyond his years, "Wift ye not, that I must be about my Father's bufinefs?” Yet he did not renounce his obedience to Jofeph and Mary, or defpife them on account of his own fuperior rank or abilities; but, with all filial regard and fubmiffion to their authority, he went down to dwell with them at Nazareth. There alfo he continued to exhibit, with his increafing age and ftature, an increasing measure of wisdom and excellency of character; for his human nature received gradual communications from the fulness of the Godhead. Here, then, we have an example, which may be proposed to all; the example of a child, which may reprove and fhame the most advanced in life. It VOL. III. D more more especially, however, demands the attention of young perfons; therefore we call upon fuch to contemplate the amiable and holy conduct of Jefus at that early period. Do not the fame difpofitions, which he poffeffed, become you alfo? And do you, who are only twelve years old, acknowledge your obligations to worship God and frequent his ordinances? Is the house and fervice of God your delight? Jefus undertook a long journey, and, after he had spent many days together in waiting upon God, feemed unwilling to leave the facred courts. But do not you think the leaft trouble, for any religious purposes, more than enough; and the fhortest time too long? Have you not faid, "What a wearinefs is it? When will the Sabbath be gone?"-Are the grand fubjects of divine revelation your ftudy, or the matter of your humble and diligent enquiry? Do you liften with eagerness to the inftructions of your teachers; and would you gladly embrace an opportunity of converfing with them for your own edification?-Have you your confidered, that you alio, as well as Jefus, fhould ❝ be about Father's bufinefs? Or are you con- · fulting His will, and feeking His glory? Ah! how different are the greater part of our young people! What ignorance and contempt of God, what a profane neglect of his houfe, his word, and minifters, do we discover in them! If the ordinances of religion be despised, we need not wonder that domeftic duties are difregarded. If you feel no reverence towards God, it is not probable that you will honour your father and your mother. And is not your deportment in the family very oppofite to that of Jefus? He might have commanded more than twelve legions of Angels to attend and obey him; yet he fubmitted to his poor parents, content to live with them in their ftate of meannefs and indi ce, and, probably, to labour alío in the common pation of a carpenter for his fupport. But have we we not occafion to lament in you an obftinacy of fpirit, a contempt of authority, a fupercilious behaviour, and an averfion to all habits of induftry? You increase in age and ftature; but do you at the fame time advance, as Jefus did, in every thing excellent and lovely? Such an improvement, it must be allowed, would be the fource of happiness to yourselves, as well as comfort to your parents, and would render you a bleffing to fociety, and an ornament to the profeffion of the Gofpel. Study, then, the example of Christ, till by the grace of God you admire and resemble Him. He, who has exhibited himfelf as the pattern of all holiness, will ftrengthen you by his Spirit to follow his steps; and if, in this world, you walk as he walked," you fhall hereafter fee him in his glory, and reign with him for ever. JESUS CHRIST. SECT. 3. ikvel in obfcurity till his thirtieth year, when he tered on his miniftry, for which he was prepared, in his baptifm, 11. by his fafting, III. by his • Station, in which he was urged, 1. to distrust, plumption, 3. to ambition. . We every trifling anecdote of the celebrated Nox of antiquity is eagerly explored, little en →øde concerning the greatest character, ever ww' in the world. We might suppose, that cuSR would prompt men to ftudy the history why which that be not a proper difpofition of Hof, for the contemplation of fuch a fubject, nor Wye ve Avuriofity be fatisfied in it. The holy pot adapted to gratify our fubtle fpecu** wor a variety of questions, which we od to propofe. My misc with to kaow many of the private cirHulunya and verile tranfactions of the Saviour, myring which we have little or no information. Ploshing is not of that very large proportion of his Hy, which goed beween his twelfth and his thirtiFlyer sayyin general, that he was fubject to his parents that, as his stature advanced, he increased glare and wand, and gave early figns of an unman cavell y hid in obic unity, and removed from the notice of Yet during all that period he world: for he dwelt at Nazareth, a town fo mean fo peculiarly infamous, that the queftion was afked afked in a proverbial manner, " Can any good thing come out of Nazareth *?" There he paffed for the fon of a carpenter, and probably laboured at the fame low trade with Jofeph his reputed father; for he himfelf was called "the carpenter †.” Jofeph and Mary, together with fome others, could not but remember the fignal teftimonies, which had been delivered concerning him; and, from a view of his whole fpirit and deportment, they must have formed great expectations of him. But ftill he was. not generally known or regarded: no public display of his glory had been made, and even many of his relations were disposed to revile him t What amazing condefcenfion is here! He fubmitted to this ftate of poverty, contempt, and labour, and appeared to be of lttle benefit to the world, tul he came to his thirtieth year, which was within three or four years of his death. Shall any of us, then, complain, that we are placed in a low condition, and appointed to a hard and fervile employment amongst those who defpife and deride us; and therefore, that our sphere of usefulness is very contracted? While we behold Jefus in "the form of a fervant," let us be fatisfied with our lot; rather, let us be afhamed of harbouring a murmuring thought. The example of our Lord is a leffon to thofe, who are afpiring to a public ftation in the Church, and preparing for the work of the ministry, not to push themfelves forward to that holy function, or conclude that their whole life is loft, because they are not called forth to it fo foon as they might with. They may be in danger of being hurried away by an impetuous and intemperate zeal, though actuated, in the main, by the pureft motives both towards God and man. The advice to fuch perfons is, Wait till the proper feafon; attend to, and faithfully difcharge, your pre * John i. 46. + Mark vi. 3. ‡. John vii. 5. fent |
