The Christians Daily Sacrifice, Title page – To the reader
THE CHRISTIANS DAILY SACRIFICE: CONTAINING A daily direction for a setled course of Sanctification. Expressing The scope of the seuen Treatises of Master ROGERS, as also the summe of Master GREENHAM his spirituall obseruations, with some further increase tending to perfection.
By THO. COOPER.
LONDON, Imprinted by H. B. for WALTER BVRRE, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Crane. 1608.
¶TO THE HIGH and excellent Princesse, Elizabeth, eldest daughter to our Soueraigne Lord King IAMES.
MOST gratious Princesse; vouchsafe (I beseech you) the remembrance of that duty, which we owe vntounto God for all his benefits; namely, to take vp the cup of saluation and call vponupon the name of the Lord. This is the subiect of this smal Treatise. Which I am the rather emboldened to present vntounto your grace, because, as the Lord hath renued his mercies continually vponupon your princely person, especially shewed himselfe merueilous in that your admirable deliuerance from these bloodie hunters: so it pleased your highnes to accept very fauourably the remembrance thereof, and to patronage my first labors (to that end) with the prime of your Graces protection: which as it hath the rather bound me to consecrate my selfe and al my studies to your Graces deuotion; so doe I in all humble maner tender vntounto your Excellency, a pledge hereof in these short meditations; which as they may bee your daily practise of thankefulnes to God for all his mercies toward you: so will they also proue verie profitable directions for the information of your tender yeeres in the waies of God: that so beeing daily crowned with new blessing, you may at length be fitted for that crowne of glory, which the Lord Iesus hath purchased for you. To whose blessed protection I doe most heartily commend your Highnes: and so most humbly take my leaue.
Your Graces most affectionate in all duety, Tho. Cooper.
TO THE RGIHT Honorable the Lord Harington, and his vertuous Ladie.
RIGHT Honorable, the princelie charge that the Lord hath honored your elder yeares withall, that your age may bee a crowne of glorie, beeing found in the way of righteousnesse, as it hath laid vponupon your Honours, a greater care for the discharge thereof: so hath it prouoked also those (who as in priuate they wish your well-fares, so especially, they desire your happie sucesse in that publicke Charge, as being in all heartie loyalty obliged therto: These, I say, hauehave bin stirred vp to deuise all holy and profitable meanes whereby your Charge may be more Honorable, and your care more comfortable. Among whom, seeing it hath pleased your Honours formerlie to accept of me, & daily to bind me therto by renued fauours I hauehave therefore endeuored to testifie the heartie continuance of my dutie towards your Honours in this Briefe of holy rules, and instructions, which I hauehave been bold to dedicate to the hopefull, and happie dayes of your Gracious Charge: not therein presuming to teach your Honour what you should doe: but rather proposing the same as a Glasse, wherein you may view, what you hauehave done well; and so both to encourage your Honours in a happie proceeding, and to giuegive you sound comfort in the good successe thereof: which as I shall not cease to pray daily vntounto the Almightie for; so I doe most humblie beseech your Honours thus to conceiue of my endeuours, & to continue, as you doe, the true paterns of vertuous nobility, & the Honorable patrons of religion & learning. And so I most hartilie commend your Honors to the grace of God.
Your Honours to command in all louelove and dutie, Tho. Cooper.
❧ To the Christian Reader, grace and peace.
THE manie*Greenham. Perkin…. Rogers. Downam. and Arthur Dent, &c. excellent treatises & larger discourses cōcerning the power of godlines, which it hath pleased the Lord of glorie to furnish his Church withall in these last daies; as they hauehave made good the faithfulnes of our God vntounto vsus of this Church of England, so if they shall not be a witnesse against vsus, do they necessarily require the right vse thereof, that we be transformed into the same image from glory to glorie. And therefore howsoeuer it may seeme both needelesse and preiudiciall after so manie graue, and experimentall rules concerning sanctification, to adde any more in this kind: yet seeing it hath pleased God to direct me to a further labour herein, waigh with mee I pray thee in equitie these reasons hereof:
First I doe hereby professe my thankefulnes vntounto God for those excellent labours of his Saints that now rest from their labours and their fruits follow them.
Secondly, I would hauehave thee know that I am not ashamed of this foolishnes of preaching and practick Diuinity, which is such a mysterie to the world, and stumbling blocke vntounto the wisedome thereof.
Thirdly, Howsoeuer I do professe that I am not able to attaine such perfection, as I hauehave herein conceined, yet I would hauehave thee know further, that I would rather hauehave a rule to condemne sinne in the flesh, and so confound the old man, that thereby the new man may follow hard after the marke, then not to giuegive testimony to that ligh… which hath shined so gratiously vntounto me, then to conceale my iudgement, though it may condemne th… practise.
Fourthly, May it please thee to consider with me: Can a man walke in the sunne, and not be warme, and where twolie together, will there not be heat? and can the light be hidden, nay, ought it to be hidden?
5 Can wee doe lesse in these dayes then conuince a prophane world?
6 Can wee doe better then strengthen that which is readie to die?
7 Shall not Gods remembrancers renue their strength, when the diuels instruments do so rage with all licentiousnes?
8 Doe we not iustifie the good by seeking out their wayes?
9 Should we not discourage the wicked by making a good profession?
10 Owe we not this duety to our mother?
11 Shall not this redound to the glory of God?
Let this content thee: and prouoke thee to make vse of these labours, and the Lord giuegive thee vnderstanding in all things: that thou maiest trie the Spirits, and heereby thine owne, whether thou art in the faith or no, and so for euer maiest follow the true Shepheard. To whose blessed protection I do most hartily commend thee.