A Guide to Go to God, Title page – Prayer
A GVIDE TO GOE TO GOD: OR, AN EXPLANATION of the Perfect Patterne of Prayer, The LORDS PRAYER.
By WILLIAM GOVGE, B. in D. and Miniſter of Gods Word in Black-Friers LONDON.
ISA. 30. 21.
This is the way: walke in it.
AT LONDON, Printed by G. M. and R. B. for Edward Brewſter, and are to be ſold at his ſhop neere the great North dore of St. Pauls Church, at the ſigne of the Bible. 1626.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, RIGHT Worſhipfull, and other my much reſpected Pariſhioners, Inhabitants in Blacke-Friers London, All needfull Proſperitie in this world, and eternall Felicitie in the World to come
I DESIRE (my much honoured and entirely beloued Pariſhioners) ſo long as the Lord of life ſhall preſerue mee in the Land of the liuing, I deſire to goe on in promoting your ſpiritual edification eueryevery way that I can, priuately, publikely, by prayer, by preaching, yea and by printing too. Behold here an euidence thereof. What priuately I firſt digeſted in mine owne meditation, and then publikely deliuered by word of mouth, whereof in the open Church you heard your children and ſeruants examined,Deus eſt nobis ſummum bonum. Ne que infra remanendum nobis eſt, ne que vltra quarendum. Alterum euim periculeſum, alterum nullum eſt. Aug. de Mor. Eccl. Cath. l. 1. c. 8 and for a bleſſing whereupon many prayers by vsus all ioyntly and ſeuerally hauehave beene poured out before God, is now thorow Gods gracious prouidence ſo publiſhed as it may be reuiewed ſo oft as you pleaſe. Well accept it: for it is A GVIDE TO GOE TO GOD. God is the higheſt, and chiefeſt Good, below which we may not remaine, beyond which we cannot attaine. To place our reſt in any thing before we come to God is dangerous.Oratione intramus coelestem illam curiam in qua Rex regum ſtellato ſedet ſolio &c. Bern. Serm. de 4. modis Orand. Oratione praeſentamus nos quaſi ſaci… ad faciem cum Deo loquentes. Ibid. To attaine to any reſt beyond God is impoſſible. This therefore, is that proper place whether the ſoule well enlightened and rectified aſpireth, as all hot light things aſpire to the high hot Region. The meanes whereby wee men on earth hauehave acceſſe to God in Heauen, is Prayer. By Prayer we enter into the Court where God ſitteth in his Maieſtie, and wee preſent out ſelues before him ſpeaking vntounto him as it were face to face. That therefore which inſtructeth vsus to pray aright, directeth vsus to God. This doth the Lords Prayer: And nothing can doe it better. For this end, To teach vsus how to pray, it was firſt preſcribed. It is not onelyonly a moſt abſolute prayer in it ſelfe, but alſo a perfect patterne for other prayers. And in this reſpect the only way wherein we can goe to God. Full of matter is this forme of Prayer, but few the words thereof. Such fulneſſe of matter in ſo few words make it to many as the propheſie of Chriſt was to Candaces Eunuch, whereof he ſaid (to him that moued this queſtion, Vnderstandeſt thou what thou readeſt?) How can I except I had a guide? A guide therefore is needfull for many to direct them in this way to goe to God. Loe a Guide at hand. This Explanation of the Lords Prayer is offered to you for that purpoſe. But as a Guide that directeth a Traueller in his iourney to the Kings Court, maketh not the way better, but ſheweth him how to order his trauell in that way: ſo this Guide, this Explanation, addeth nothing to the Perfection of the Prayer, but onelyonly helpeth you in the vſe thereof. The many particulars which miniſter iuſt matter of ardent ſupplication, hearty gratulation, deepe humiliation, and conſcionable obſeruation of our wayes, are in this Explanation diſtinctly ſet out. Thereby you may ſee how rich a Cabonet the Lords Prayer is: how full of moſt precious iewels, vſefull for the ſoule of man. The Excellencie of this forme of Prayer is ſet forth in the firſt Section of this Explanation. Whatſoeuer is therein performed is the fruit of my affected Retiredneſſe, and ſuſpected Idleneſſe in the countrey. So many, ſo continuall are my imployments in the Citie, ſo many interruptions from my ſtudies day after day are there cauſed, as I neuer yet could find any leaſure to ſet down diſtinctly ſuch points as by Gods aſſiſtance were vttered out of the Pulpet. Whatſoeuer hath hitherto been publiſhed by me, hath in my retiring time been prepared for the Preſſe. This benefit of a few weekes abſence in the yeare from my charge (there being in that time a good ſupply made by my Reuerend Brethren) may gaine a ſufficient diſpenſation with thoſe that are not too ſupercilious; which I hope you, my Pariſhioners, will not be. For I hauehave euer found ſuch true louelove, ſuch good reſpect, ſuch kinde vſage, ſuch fauourable acceptance of all my paines in eueryevery kinde, as I hauehave iuſt cauſe to bleſſe the diuine prouidence for bringing me to this place. The Lord God ſo bleſſe all my labours vntounto you all, as we may hauehave al iuſt cauſe to bleſſe him one for another, and to continue mutually and heartily to pray one for another. Doe ye ſo: So will doe
Your carefull Paſtor Church-Court in Black-Friers WILLIAM GOVGE. London, 17. Febr. 1625
OVR Father which art in Heauen, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdome come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen. GiueGive vsus this day our dayly Bread. And forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgiue them that treſpaſſe againſt vsus. And leade vsus not into temptation: But deliuer vsus from euill. For thine is the Kingdome, and the Power and the Glorie, for euer. Amen.