SERMON V.

FILIAL DUTY EXEMPLIFIED AND ENFORCED.

LUKE ii. 51.

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.

My discourse this morning will be addressed principally to the young. I have recently been speaking to parents in regard to their responsible duties, in giving their children the benefits of a religious education. I would now call the attention of the young to the reciprocal duty which rests upon them, and would exhort them to honour and obey their parents. Very opportunely the Gospel of the day* accords in a striking manner with

* First Sunday after Epiphany.

my design. It gives us the only authentic account we have of the childhood and youth of our Saviour, and thus his blessed example can be brought forward to enforce the duties belonging to this period of life.

It is remarkable that we hear so little concerning our Lord from his birth to the time when he entered upon the active duties of his ministry. This was near the thirtieth year of his age, and yet during the long period which preceded, the whole history of Jesus is comprised in the twelve concluding verses of the chapter from which our text is taken. While contemplating this passage of Scripture, our curiosity is naturally excited to obtain fuller intelligence. We wish to know how he occupied his time, what employment he pursued, what studies he engaged in, what was his demeanour during his juvenile years in the domestick relations of life. But the gratification of this curiosity is denied to us by infinite wisdom. There are indeed records which pretend to give an

account of the childhood and youth of our Saviour, but they were composed by Christian writers of an age when fancy was more predominant than sound judgment, and they are not entitled to our credit. We must not covet to be wise above what is written. The sacred volume contains all that is necessary to our moral and religious improvement in this world, and our salvation in that which is to come. Let us be grateful for this, and observant of it, and let us restrain our curiosity within the bounds prescribed by Divine Wisdom.

Brief, however, as is the history of the holy child Jesus, it contains abundant matter for profitable reflection, and is eminently calculated for the improvement of the young. They should make frequent reference to it for the purpose of self-examination, and selfcomparison with the bright example set before them in the conduct of their Lord and Saviour, when, according to his human nature, he was at their period of life.

I will now make some observations upon this page of sacred history, intended for the improvement of all, but addressed expressly to you, the much beloved and anxiously regarded portion of my charge, the children and youth of the congregation.

I propose, first, to explain the transaction. which gave occasion to our text; and secondly, to urge upon your notice and observance the duty it exemplifies, of filial piety..

1. You know that the account of the circumstances attending our blessed Lord's nativity is very full, the most striking events being given in much detail up to the period of his presentation in the temple, when Simeon took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation; and when Anna the prophetess gave thanks unto the Lord, and spake of him

*Luke ii. 28-30.

to all them that looked for redemption at Jerusalem.* This portion of his history is concluded in these remarkable words, And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. We have henceforward no account whatever of the holy child Jesus, until he was twelve years old. Then, indeed, we have the history of a remarkable event. By being the only one selected out of many, which must have taken place during a long succession of years, it is evident that the Spirit of inspiration designed that it should arrest our particular attention. We are informed that Joseph and Mary resorted every year to Jerusalem, at the feast of the Passover. We must suppose that on these occasions the child Jesus, on account of his tender years, was left at home in the city of Nazareth. When, however, he attained the age of twelve, he also went up with his virgin mother and his reputed father, to this great religious festival