e was persuaded, as good reason to
hope that the child of a true believer will become a Christian, and
that, too, early in life, as that the young son of Levi would minister
in the levitical office."

"O," said Mr. B., "how many cases there are which seem to disprove
that. You will be obliged to reflect severely on some good people as
parents, if you take so strong ground."

_Mr. T._ I do not despair of a child whose parents, or parent, has
really covenanted with God for him, even though the child be long a
wanderer from the fold.

But it is the same now with Abraham's spiritual seed as it was with his
natural posterity,--neglect on the part of parents may work a forfeiture
of the covenant promises; failure in family government, above all
things, may frustrate every good influence which would otherwise have
had a powerful effect in the conversion of the child. The sons of Eli
were not well governed; Esau was evidently of an undisciplined spirit.
With regard to the children of several good men, in the Bible, it may be
inferred, that the public engagements of the fathers hindered them from
bestowing needful attention upon their sons. The only thing derogatory
to the prophet Samuel, of which we are informed, is, that his sons were
vile. With regard to certain cases of mournful wickedness, on the part
of the children of eminently good men, it will be found that some of
these men, occupying, perhaps, important stations of a public nature,
such as the Christian ministry, were so engrossed in their public duties
as not to give sufficient time and attention to their own families;
which is a great shame and folly in any father of a family. In vain do
we plead the covenant promises, if we neglect covenant duties. Grace is
not hereditary in any sense that compromises our free agency; its
subjects are born "not of blood;" there are many of the children of the
kingdom who will be cast out into outer darkness, but among them, we may
venture to say, will not be found those whose parents diligently sought
their moral and religious culture in the exercise of a strict,
judicious, affectionate, prayerful, watch and care, praying with them in
secret, which, it seems to me, is, perhaps, the most powerful of all the
means which a parent can use to influence the moral and religious
character of a child.

"Is it not a mournful inconsistency," said Mr. R., "for us to be
laboring and spending our strength and lives for the conversion and
sa