Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

6. After this, from twelve to the thirtieth year of his Age, we read nothing of the Acts of Christ,¹ but that he went down with his Parents unto Nazareth, and was subject ⟨p. 141⟩to them; as he went up to Jerusalem to Worship God, and in some sort to show himself God; so now he goes down to Nazareth to attend his particular Calling.² This is the meaning of those words, and he was subject to them: Christs subjection to his Parents extends to the profession and exercise of his life; certainly Christ was not all that time from twelve to thirty years, idle; as he was educated by his Parents, so of his reputed Father he learnt to be a Carpenter; this, I take it, is plain in these words, Is not this the Carpenter, ³the Son of Mary? It appears (say our English Annotations) that Christ exercised that Trade in his younger years. I know Matthew renders it thus,⁴ Is not this the Carpenters Son, is not his Mother called Mary? But Mark thus, is not this the Carpenter? &c. Some comment thus, that while Joseph was alive, Christ wrought with him in the Trade of a Carpenter, and when Joseph died, which happened before the manifestation of Jesus unto Israel, he wrought alone, and was no more called the Carpenters Son, but the Carpenter himself: here's comfort for men of the meanest Callings; as Husbandry was honoured in the Person and Condition of the first Adam before his Fall, so now the Handicraft. O the Poverty, Humility, Severity of Jesus! it appears at this time especially, in his Labouring, Working, Hewing of Wood, or the like; here's a sharp reproof to all those that spend their time in idleness, or without a particular Calling, that take no pains at all, unless in pursuit after Vain, Foolish, Superfluous, Sinful things; what! are they wiser than Christ? Our Jesus would not by any means thus spend his time. Indeed for the while he did nothing famous, or of public note;⁵ but neither was this without a Mystery: In doing nothing Public, saith one, He achieved great, and sumptuous, and praise-worthy acts: There is a season and time to every purpose under heaven: as there is a time of silence, and a time to speak, so there is a time for public, and a time for private Negotiations; as yet Christ conceals his virtues, and conforms himself to the conversation of men, that the Mystery of his Incarnation might not be thought a Phantasm;