2. God is infinitely richer than your parents. Has your father many houses and farms, and hundreds of thousands of money; God, who made all things, is infinitely richer. And he could, if he saw it best, give you the highest riches and honour. But from his wealth he will bestow infinitely more than this. He will give you of his own fulness, all that you can receive. He will give you the glorious presence of his own Spirit. Nor will he give it to you in a less measure, because he will give it to all who ask it. This gift is not confined to one place, nor can it be expended by bestowment upon any number. If he visited your heart alone, you could only be filled with his fulness. If he visits innumerable hearts, there is in each "the fulness of Him who filleth all in all." He removes not from heaven to earth, that he may fill the earth-nor from heart to heart, that he may fill all hearts.

He dwells on high,

He fills each hum

yetvisits the humble soul. ble soul-he fills all humble souls; and the time will come, when the millions and millions of our earth shall be each a temple for the Holy Ghost; while, yet he abides with undiminished glory and fulness with saints and angels in heaven.

3. God is infinitely more kind and compassionate than your parents.

Though your parents are very kind, yet there is a possibility that they may become unkind-and that they may even forget you. And even when they do not forget, and cherish towards you the kindest feelings of their nature, think you that the stream of their love bears any comparison with that ocean of kindness which fills the heart of the infinite God? Hence is he more ready to give, than your parents, kind and tender as they are. So ready was He, that he sent his only Son to die. So ready is He, that he offers his Holy Spirit to all the families of men. So ready is he, that the poor as well as the rich, the ignorant as well as the learned, the young as well as the old, may ask and receive the Holy Spirit.

Yes, dear children, approach your heavenly Father, believing, that as much as he is wiser, richer, kinder, than your parents, so much more ready is he to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. All this God teaches intelligibly to a child, and

even to a little child. A child may ask for and receive God's Holy Spirit: a child who has no money, and no learning-a child so small, that none but his parents spend their thoughts for him, may ask and receive God's Holy Spirit. The bosom of an ignorant and helpless child may become the abode of that Spirit which fills heaven and which will fill the earth. The great God thinks not your condition too low for his notice. Timid as you may be in speaking to those older and wiser than you; you-yes, dear children, you -Oh, can it be so? Yes, you may come near to God, and dare to speak to him, and know that he will not be angry with you. You cannot come so near as to offend him.— You cannot displease him by your earnestness. You may even say, in all humility, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”

SERMON V.

CHRIST AN EXAMPLE OF OBEDIENCE TO
PARENTS.

LUKE ii. 51.

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

THE New Testament teaches us very little of our Lord's life until he was about thirty years old. Mark and John begin his history at that age. Matthew tells a little of his infancy, and then passing over the many years of his childhood and youth, relates immediately his entrance on on his public ministry. Luke only, gives two or three particulars of his childhood. In verse 40th of this chapter, he says: "and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the

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grace of God was upon him." Then follows a very short account of him at the age of twelve years; when we see him as a little child, mingling in the throng of pilgrims, which crowded the road from Nazareth to Jerusalem—then, again, lost amid the multitude which filled the city and the villages. around it; while all the families of the land were gathered to the yearly feast of the Passover; then again, sitting in the temple in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions," shining forth in momentary glory, full of grace and truth; astonishing "all that heard him, by his understanding and answers"-then again humbling himself to parental authority, and showing divinely forth the childhood virtue of obedience-veiling the glories of his character and going away from the admiration of the wise men of Jerusalem, unnoticed in the returning crowd, meekly subject to the guidance of his parents, even as if he had been a mere child.

Little thought that coming and returning throng, that there was one among them who knew the hearts of all, who gave the breath