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be the best security for their being blessed to their children. "I am a jealous God," saith the Lord, "visiting the sin of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep мY Commandments." A lively interest in God in your own bosoms, would lead you to fear His wrath on your children, and to covet his mercy for them. I would be understood to contend for this one thing, that the parent's care for his children should begin in devotion to God, and surely I should ask no unreasonable thing, that it should begin as early at least as the preparation for the body. It is always judged a condemning proof against unnatural women who have been suspected of murdering their own offspring, when it has been proved that they made no preparation for its reception by a provision of clothes, &c.; and what shall we say of those parents (and alas! how many such there are) who seem to leave, without care, their own children to the murderer of souls, having made no preparation to put it into the safe keeping of the God and Saviour of sinners, through an interest in the blood of Jesus.

But how is this to be done?

By dedication of yourself to God,-by bending the suppliant knee at the throne of grace, imploring for the child about to be born into this wicked world, a preparation of grace,-by beseeching the Lord to take it into His gracious

charge, to instruct you in wisdom and holiness, to train up the child in the way it should go. To aspire to its being an heir of heaven, and imploring the riches of Christ to prepare and adorn it in a readiness for the glorious privilege, coveting nothing earthly, but earnestly wrestling for heavenly blessings. Making the everlasting salvation of your children your intense desire, and proving it to be so by the care, example, education, and direction of them, when born and given into your arms. Whilst hanging on the breast, let them, as it were, draw in the internal sigh of your bosom for pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace; and provide for them, as they grow in years, whatever instruction or holy helps may tend to fix their minds on the high destination of the children of God; enriching their souls with the Word of God, and teaching them to pray for the enlightening grace of the Holy Ghost.

Really, my dear sir, Mrs. Evans again interrupted, you appal me by your language, but yet I confess, you interest me ;-only it is any thing but amusement.

If it be profitable, we can lay by amusement, for a little, without much loss.

I should like to know if any mother has ever done thus ?

I have the unspeakable pleasure of knowing some who have; few indeed; but I have watched the case for many years, and know its blessed results but we can turn immediately to some

Scripture examples. If you read the history of the promise of a son to Manoah and his wife, (Judges xiii.,) you will find an exceedingly interesting illustration of the subject ;-one to which I would always wish to direct the attention of every parent. With the promise there was given a direction from the angel of the Lord, how Manoah's wife should conduct herself: "Now, therefore, beware, I pray thee, that thou drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing." This enjoined, through typical observances, the watchful circumspection of the mother, and renunciation of all sin, and that particularly not only on her own account, but on account of the son she should bear. The child's destination, too, was declared to be that of a Nazarite from the womb, that is, devoted to God. When she relates the circumstance to her husband, in the 7th verse, she marks that she was duly impressed with her duty to obey the injunction; neither does she forget to relate the destination of the child. Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, "O my God, let the man of God, whom thou didst send, come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born." And again, in the 12th verse, "How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?" which draws again the duties of the mother forth, with this solemn conclusion: "All that I commanded her, let her observe." And in the 24th verse we are told, the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.

In the first chapter of Samuel, we read of Hannah's conduct; her earnest desire for a child was presented to the Lord, in His place of worship; she said to Eli, "I have poured out my soul before the Lord;" and Eli said, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him." And when she bore a son, she called him Samuel, "because I have asked him of the Lord." And she bore in mind her promise to give him up unto the Lord all the days of his life: and when she had weaned him, she said, “I will bring him that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide forever." And she took him up to the Lord with her offerings, and said, "For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him, therefore, also, I have lent him to the Lord: as long as he liveth he shall be lent unto the Lord and he worshipped the Lord there." There are some other instances in Scripture, from which we learn the same; as in the case of Jeremiah; in that of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; and, above all, of the Virgin Mary; their retreat being, doubtless, that of devotional preparation of soul for the great maternal privileges to which they were appointed.

But, you must confess, these were all very particular cases, where the offspring were evidently appointed of God to peculiar offices.

That is very true. But why should not every mother seek to be highly honored in being the

blessed instrument of bringing a child of God into the world, and of receiving into her own bosom the hope of it, by earnest prayer to the Lord, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not: and why should they not continually say, "Lord, teach us what we shall do to this child?" "How shall we order the child?"

Then, it seems, you would make the child's obedience dependent on the parent's devotion.

Not dependent; there is no dependence but in God, for this pious disposition; but it (as a means) must be greatly facilitated by a proper direction of the mind, and reference to God; and it is an arduous thing for a child to learn to honor those in whom he sees not the principle calculated to inspire him with that feeling. If you would have your children honor and obey you, you should seek to exhibit before them that which is honorable, and to lay upon them those commands which are agreeable to the mind and will of God. There is a promise to parents who so act: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Nevertheless, the duty of the child is imperious; he is to honour and obey in the Lord, as father and mother, for there is sufficient claim in all to this duty, on the ground of the natura! right they possess and the natural protection they extend.

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I am glad, said Mrs. Conway, you have come to this conclusion, as it brings out the practical part of the duty, and engages me more to look into the other arguments you have used.

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