b Hos. vi. 6. c Luke xiv. 26. (1 Acts iv. 19.
e Josh. xxiv. 15. f 1 Tim. iv. 15. See the force of the Greek.
e 1 Thess. v. 16—18. h Rom. xiv. 7, 8.
2. That in serving him, it is not possible for us to
engage too early, or too earnestly —
[Our Lord was only twelve years of age at this time : and now, after having fulfilled all his duties during the seven days of the feast, he persisted even till the tenth day in prosecuting what he judged to be for the improvement of his own mind, and for the honour of his heavenly Father. It is probable that, whilst all the males of Israel were at Jerusalem together, he, a little child, could not gain the attention of the great doctors at Jerusalem, who would almost of necessity be fully occupied with those who had come from every quarter of the land. But when the strangers were all gone, he might without diffi- culty gain access to the great and authorized instructors of the Lord's people. This probably was one reason of his staying at that time, that so he might improve to the uttermost the only opportunity that had ever been afforded him. In like manner, when, in the course of his ministry, he had been labouring all the day, and praying all the night, and then, without taking any sustenance, was labouring also the next day, his friends sought him, fearing " he was beside himself" (as we translate it), or rather, that " he was transported too far," so as irrepa- rably to destroy his own health1. Now in all this he has shewn us, that, however we may be wearied in the Lord's service, we are never to be weary of it ; but are to prosecute it incessantly to the very utmost of our power. In short, whatever progress we may have made in our divine course, we are to " forget the things which are behind, and to reach forth to those that are before," and never to pause till we have gained the prize k.]
Address —
1. To parents —
[You have a solicitude for your children's welfare: you are anxious for the preservation of their health, and the ad- vancement of their temporal prosperity. These feelings, if kept within due bounds, I by no means condemn. But your chief anxiety should be for the welfare of their souls; and your labour should be to engage them thoroughly in the business assigned them by their heavenly Father. If you neglect this, or shew a lukewarmness about it, you will involve yourselves in guilt of the deepest die. You remember how Eli was punished for this sin1: and his sons Hophni and Phinehas will reproach him in the last day as accessary to their destruction. Beware lest that reproach be vented against you by your chil- dren : for assuredly, if your souls will be required at the hand
1 Mark hi. 21. on itinrr). k Phil. hi. 13, 14,
1 1 Sam. hi. 11—13.