A30158:208
I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also,…
I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also, or, A discourse touching prayer, from I Cor. 14.15 wherein is briefly discovered 1. What prayer is, 2. What it is to pray with the spirit, 3. What it is to pray with the spirit and with the understanding also / by John Bunyan.
London : Printed for the author, 1663
I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding… › Part 3 › Section › Answ.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ.
My judgement is, that men go the wrong way to learn their Children to pray, in going about so soon to learn them any set company of words, as is the common use of poor creatures to do.
For to me it seems to be a better way for people betimes to tell their Children what cursed creatures they are, and how they are under the wrath of God by reason of original and actual sin: also to tell them the nature of God's wrath, and the duration of the ⟨p. 78⟩misery; which if they conscientiously do, they would sooner learn their Children to pray than they do.
The way that men learn to pray, it is by conviction for sin; and this is the way to make our sweet babes do so too. But the other way, namely, to be busy in learning Children forms of prayer, before they know any thing else, it is the next way to make them cursed hypocrites, and to puff them up with pride. Learn therefore your Children to know their wretched state, and condition; tell them of hell fire, and their sins, of damnation, and salvation: the way to escape the one, and to enjoy the other (if you know it your selves) and this will make tears run down your sweet babes eyes, and hearty groans flow from their hearts; and then also you may tell them to whom they should pray, and through whom they should pray; you may tell them also of Gods promises, and his former grace extended to sinners, according to the word.