LORD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. 25 Jofeph and Mary, who had been feek- ing the holy child with the utmoft ap- prehenfions and concern, found him in this fituation with equal furprife and joy. And there is no doubt but Jesus, when he perceived the approach of his parents, arofe and went with them immediately ; taking this occafion to withdraw himfelf from the admiring affembly. His mother was very much affelled with the appearance of her fon, and the place and company in which The had found him. She gently afked him, Why he had left them in this manner ? Rather inquiring into the reafon of his flaying behind, than defigning to blame or chide him : for, no doubt, the perceived that he was under divine direc- tion ; yet proceeding to inform him, that her hufband and herfelf had been ex- tremely concerned for him, and had fought him three days with the utmoft anxiety and grief, the holy child, with the moft amiable meeknefs, informed her, that they need not have wearied themfelves with feeking him, nor their mind with anxiety and care, for he was under the proteEtion of his Father, on whofe bufs- nefs he had been employed. The expref- fions which the heavenly child ufed. on this occafion, were not clearly underflood by his wondering parents : but his mother, on this, as on every other remarkable occurrence in the life and conduEt of her fon, took notice of his words and treafured them up in her heart: and the child Jesus, having given this early and remarkable inflance of his diligence and ready obedience in the work in which he was to be hereafter employed, now proceeded to give an open and manifeft inftance of his duty to his parents ; for he returned with them to Nazareth, and was fubjea to them as before. Here he remained till he arrived at the age of thirty years, and made wonderful improve- ments in wifdom and knowledge, being favoured by God in an extraordinary manner, and highly efteemed, reverenced, and loved byall that knew him. No. g. There is nothing exprefsly recorded in the evangelitts; relating to our Lord's life and converfation, from twelve years old, to the time when he entered onhis public miniftry, which was at the age of thirty ; but from feveral paffages of 'Scrip- ture, various circumfiances may be col- lefed. It is plain, from his parents feeking him among[ his relations and acquaintance, when he was left behind at Jerufalem, that he was of a familiar, friendly difpofition ; that he had no ob- jeElion to company and converfation, and that he lived in familiarity and friend- (hip with his neighbours and relations : it is alfo evident, that, though the learned dofors, and the people in the temple, were filled with the higheft admiration at the abilities and knowledge of Jesus, when a child ; and, though afterwards, he, no doubt, gave to his mother, and fome few particular friends, plain proofs of his heavenly wifdom; yet his conver- fation with the common people was fuch, as caft a veil over his divinity ; and, in- deed, the general courfe of his condua with them was fach, that no noife was made about him, nor any great things expelled from him in the Jew- ifh nation, nor even in his own city. And it is to be fuppofed, that his mean appearance in the world, not a little contributed to prevent his being remarked and efteemed for thofe excellent qualities' which mutt certainly be apparent in him for we find he was afterwards reproached in his own city, for pretending to teach them, when they new the meannefs of his extraltion, and his illiterate education: Whence, they cried, hath thisman this roil; dom, and thefe mighty works ? Is not this the carpenter'sfon8 Is not his mother named Mary, and his brethren games, and Jeefes, and Simon, and Judas ? And his lifters, are they not all with us ? Whence then hath this man all the[ things? And it may further be remarked, that the bleffed Jesus did not give himfelf any G airs
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