"Men learn to pray by conviction for sin, and this is the way to make our children do so too. But the other way, namely, to be busy in teaching children forms of prayer, before they know anything else, it is the way to make them cursed hypocrites, and to puff them up with pride.
Teach therefore your children to know their wretched state and condition; tell them of hellfire and their sins, of damnation, and salvation; the way to escape the one, and to enjoy the other, and this will bring tears to their eyes, and make hearty growns 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 God's promises, and his former grace extended to sinners, according to the Word."
-John Bunyan
No comments:
Post a Comment