When he was older, indeed, he did dispute with them, and found fault with them; but now that he was a child, he sat modestly among them, and heard them attentively, and asked them questions, when it was proper to do so. His questions were so wise, and his answers so full of sense, that "all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers."

His parents were amazed also; and his mother, though she was so glad to find him, could not help telling him how much they had suffered in missing him ; and so she said to him, "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." Jesus, who knew what an important work he had to do for his Heavenly Father, answered, "Why did ye seek me? Do ye not know that I must be about my Father's business?" We are told that his parents did not fully understand this answer; which is not surprising, for they did not understand what he was going to be.

But now that Jesus knew his parents wished him to return home with them, he was very willing to go; for he was perfectly obedient to them. "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them."

My children, I wish you to observe particularly

these last words;-he "was subject unto them." Jesus was subject to his parents; that is, he minded all they said, and assisted them all he could, and obeyed them. Obedience to parents, as I have told you in a former sermon-is an important duty, and an excellent virtue; and here you have an example of it in Jesus. Remember that Jesus, when he was young, obeyed his parents. He no doubt knew by heart that commandment, which says, "Honor thy father and thy mother." And he not only knew it, but he kept it. Will you not also keep it, my children? Only think how much you do when you obey your good and careful parents. You not only obey them, but you obey God, by keeping one of his commandments; and you not only do this, but you follow the example of your Saviour, who, when he was a child, was subject unto his parents. And if you are required to work for them, to work with your hands, never be afraid or ashamed to work; for Jesus, when he was young, labored for his parents; and you ought not to be ashamed to do what he did. His parents were poor. Joseph was a mechanic-a carpenter. There is no doubt, therefore, that Jesus, as he was subject to his parents, labored for them. You do not suppose that his dignity or his real glory was made less by

this labor. I do not. To me, the sight of the child Jesus, obedient to his parents and working for them in that retired village of Nazareth, is as pleasant a sight as that of the same child Jesus conversing with the wisest men in the great city of Jerusalem. A child obedient to his parents, and, if necessary and proper, industriously working for them, is one of the finest sights which can be seen in this world;-much finer, I think, than that of a child dressed in the finest clothes that can be made, and doing nothing. I would rather see a dutiful and industrious boy, any time, than the idle son of a governor or of a king.

And now, children, you perceive that this account of the childhood of Jesus, though it is short, is full of instruction for you. It tells you, what I hope you will faithfully remember; that when he was a child, he was so wise that he could converse with the teachers of Jerusalem, and yet so humble and affectionate, that he was subject to his poor parents at Nazareth.

After this account, we do not hear any thing more of the history of our Saviour till he was thirty years of age, when he was baptised by John, and began to teach publicly, and to work miracles. But there is no doubt that he was always as dutiful to his pa

rents as he was in his childhood, and that he always loved them. It is true, that while he was publicly laboring for our salvation, he thought more about that great work of his Father in Heaven, than about his family; and it was important that he should. But this work only lasted a year or two; and even at that time his love for his mother was as strong as ever, as I can show to you by one event. If you will listen to me a moment longer, I will tell you what this event was.

I have just been telling you about the first time that Jesus went up to the passover at Jerusalem. Well-it was about twenty years after this, that he went up there for the last time. The first time, he went up with his parents and relations, to be instructed in the law, and to take his youthful part in the ceremonies of the feast, and to eat of the paschal lamb, which was one of those ceremonies. The last time, he went up with his disciples, to complete the law, and, like a lamb himself, to be bound and slain by his enemies. Joseph, who was called his father, was now dead, most probably; for we are told nothing of him. And we are not told, in so many words, that his mother went up with him to Jerusalem ;-but she was there. Yes, his mother was there. When he was hanging on

that dreadful cross-and all his disciples but one had left him and fled-his mother did not leave him-she stood right under the cross-she and the beloved disciple-while enemies and soldiers were mocking, and her innocent son was dying. And he-Jesus in the midst of his cruel torments, thought of his mother and that disciple. He looked at them. He spoke to them. He said to his mother—“ Woman, behold thy son ;"-and to the disciple, "Behold thy mother!" He told the disciple to be like a son to his mother; to be affectionate to her; to take care of her. And the disciple obeyed him. From that hour he took her to his own home.

Did not this show that Jesus loved his mother till he died? How beautiful is this affection! How brightly it joins with all the heavenly greatness and goodness of his character. Children, I beseech you, by the love of Christ, and by the beauty of his example, to love your parents, to obey them, to be subject unto them. So will you increase in wisdom, and in favor with God and man.