The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Feast 13
PART 1. SVPPART 3. The Festiuall's Deuotion. The Feast of the Birth of our Lord IESVS CHRIST.
The ground of this feast
Prophecies in the old Testament.
Histories in the New.
of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God.
PARALELL.
Prophecie.
The Seede of the woman shall break the Serpents head.
Historie.
He took not on him the nature of Angels, but he tooke the seed of Abraham. Heb. 2. 16.
In the fulnes of time God sent his Sonne made of a woman. Gal. 4. 4.
The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah, nor a lawgiuer from betweene his feete, vntill SHILOH come, Gen. 49. 10. Christ is called Shiloh from an Hebrew word signifying to send, or to saue, or secundinam, to intimate Christs virgin birth, quasifilium secundinoe.
When IESVS was borne in Bethlem of Iudea, in the daies of Herod the king, who raigned when Christ was born, was a stranger and so the Scepter was then departed from Iuda. Mat. 2. 1.
The Lord himselfe shall giuegive you a signe. Be hold a Virgin shal conceiue, & beare a sonne, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isa. 7. 14.
Ioseph being raised from sleepe, did as the Angell of the LORD had bidden him, and tooke vntounto him his wife, Mat. 1. 24.
But knew her not till she had brought forth her first begotten Sonne, and hee called his name IESVS, ver. 25.
For vntounto vsus a child is borne, vntounto vsus a sonne is giuen. Isa. 9. 6.
The Angel said VntoUnto you is borne this day in the City of Dauid, a Sauiour, which is CHRIST the Lord. Luk. 2. 11.
But thou Bethlem EPHRATA though thou bee little among the thousands of Iuda, yet out of thee shall hee come forth to me, that is to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth hauehave bin from old and from euerlasting. Mich. 5. 2.
When Iesus was borne in Bethlem, &c. Mat. 2. 1.
Ioseph went to the City of Dauid called Bethlem. Luk. 2. 4.
And the dayes were accomplished that she should bee deliuered. verse 6.
And shee brought forth her first borne sonne. verse 7.
For thine instruction meditate on Christs birth.
For thy comfort apply the benefits to thy selfe.
For thy correction examine thy new birth and life, and quicken
Thine obedience by the exhortation.
Thy thankfulnesse by the Hymne.
Thy Zeale and Deuotion by the prayer.
AN EXHORTATION TO STRIVE AND PRAY for the state of grace and regeneration.
THE ANALISIS.
Wee must defire and pray that we may bee regenerated, and borne anew, because by it we obtaine.
1 Entrance into the Kingdome of
Grace
Glory.
2 Knowledge.
3 Liberty from
Corruption.
Raigning sin.
4 Adoption, and the title of the Sonnes of God.
5 The preheminency of the first borne.
6 The spirit of supplication, and accesse to God with confidence.
7 The guidance of the spirit.
8 An incorruptible inheritance.
THE TEXTS.
EXcept a man bee borne againe, By regeneration we obtainehee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God. Ioh. 3. 3.1 Entrance into the kingdome of God.
Except a man be borne of water and the spirit &c. verse 5.
Ye were darknesse, but now yee are light in the Lord. 2 KnowledgEphes. 5. 9.
The creature shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption, 3 Liberty from our corruption.into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God. Rom. 5. 21.
Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not, From our reigning sinfor his seede remaineth in him, neither can hee sinne because he is borne of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9.
Sinne shall not hauehave dominion ouer you, for yee are not vnd… the Law, but vnderunder grace. … 6. 14.
As many as receiued … them, he gaue power to … Sonnes of God, euen to them that belieue on his name. Ioh. 1. 12.
Which are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. verse 13.
That he might redeeme them that are vnderunder the Law,5 The preheminencie of the first borne. and that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes. Gal. 4. 5.
And to the congregation of the first-borne. Heb. 12. 23.
Of his owne will begat hee vsus with the Word of truth, that we should bee the first fruits of his creatures. Iam. 1. 18.
Wee hauehave receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father. 6 Spirit of supplicationRom 8. 11.
As many as are led by the spirit of God, …they are the sonnes of God. Rom. 8. 14.
Blessed bee God the Father of … Lord Iesus Christ, which … to his abundant mercy … vsus againe vntounto a … …pe. 1 Pet. 1. 3.
To an inheritance incorruptible, and vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen for you. verse 4.
The same spirit testifieth to our spirits that we are the children of God. Rom 8. 6.
If we be children then heires, euen the heires of God, and coheirs annexed with Christs. verse. 17.
A Hymne for the Natiuity of our Lord,
consisting of fowre parts,
1. God the Fathers.
2. Christs.
3. The Prophets.
4. The Churches.
Glory be to God on High, in earth peace, good will to men.
THe Lord euen the most mighty God hath spoken,The Prophet speaketh in his own person. and called the world from the rising vp of the Sunne to the going downe thereof. Ps. 50. 1.
Out of Sion hath God appeared in perfect beauty. verse 2.
Saluation is nigh them that feare him, that glory may dwell on the earth. Psal. 85. 9.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousnesse and peace hauehave kissed each other. verse 10.
Truth shall flourish on the earth, and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen. ver. 11.
Thou art fairer then the children of men, full of grace are thy lipps, because God hath blessed thee for euer. Psal. 45. 3.
Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquity, wherfore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes. verse 8.
O Lord my God great are thy wonderous workes which thou hast done, like as be also thy thoughts, which are to vsus ward, yet there is no man that ordereth them vntounto thee. Psal. 40. 6.
If I would declare or speake of them,2 In the person of Christ. they should be more in number then I am able to expresse. verse 7.
Sacrifice and meate offerings thou wouldest not hauehave, but mine eares hast thou opened. verse 8.
Burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required, then said I, Loe I come. verse 9.
In the volume of thy booke, it is written of me that I should fulfill thy will, O my God I am content to doe it, yea thy law is in my heart. verse 10.
I hauehave declared thy righteousnesse in the great congregation; Loe I will not refraine my lipps ô Lord, and that thou knowest. verse 11.
I hauehave not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart; my talking hath beene of thy truth and of thy saluation. verse 12.
I wil preach the lawe whereof the Lord hath said vntounto me, Thou art my Sonne, this day hauehave I bogotten thee. Psal. 2. 7.
He shall call me,3 In the person of God the Father. Thou art my Father, my God, and my strong saluation. Psal. 89. 27.
And I will make him my first borne higher then the Kings of the earth. verse 28.
Shew vsus thy mercy ô Lord, 4 Of the Church.and grant vsus thy saluation. Psal. 85. 7.
Lord saue vsus now! Lord sende vsus now prosperity.
Through thy tender mercy, whereby this day spring from on high hath visited vsus.
To giuegive light to them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feete into the way of peace. Cant. Zach.
The Prayer.
GRatious Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of man, the ioy of Angels, and dread of diuels, the Iewes Messiah, the Gentiles starre, the hope of the liuing, and resurrection of the dead, the way to all that come vntounto thee, the truth to all them that know thee, and the life to all them that belieue in thee: Make good all thy glorious & gratious titles to me. Lord protect me, Iesu saue me, Christ my anointed King rule me, my anointed Priest sanctifie me, my anointed Prophet reueale vntounto mee the secrets of thy Kingdome. O Christ whose name is an oyntment powred out, annoint me with the oyle of gladnesse, this day aboue others. This is the day which the Lord hath made, I wil reioyce and be glad in it; nay I dare take the note higher, This is the day in which the Lord was made, I will exult and triumph in it. Thou which madest all dayes, wert this day made of a woman, and made vnderunder the Law. From all eternity it was neuer heard, that eternity entred into the Kalender of time, supreame Maiesty descended into the wombe; immensity was comprehended; infinity bounded; vbiquity inclosed, and the Deity incarnated: Yet this day it was seene; for this day the Word became flesh; God became man, and to effect this wonderfull mystery, a Virgin became a Mother. One deepe calleth vponupon another; one miracle begetteth another: The Sunne bringeth forth all other dayes, but this day brought thee forth the Sonne of righteousnesse. If wee set our voices, and instruments, and heart-strings to the highest straine of ioy at the birth of great Kings and Princes; What ought I to doe this day, on which thou the king of heauen wast born vponupon the earth. At the mariage of great Personages, men giuegive full scope to all manner of expressions of carnall ioy euen oftentimes to the very surfeit of the senses with pleasure: How then should I bee rauished with spirituall ioy at this time when heauen and earth, the diuine nature and humane were married? The contract was in heauen before all times, but the marriage was this day consummated in the vndefiled bedde of the Virgin. Lord who this day cammest downe to me, draw me vp to thee, and giuegive me accesse with more confidence and bouldnesse; for now thou art become my brother and ally by bloud. The rayes of thy diuine Maiesty will not dazle the eyes of my soule, they being now vailed with thy flesh. This day thou diddest vnite thy selfe to me naturally, and substantially and becamest truly flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone. Vnite me to thee this day spiritually, and make me a true member of thy mysticall body, that I may bee flesh of thy flesh, and bone of thy bone. Lord thou diddest this day participate of my humane nature, make me this day participate by grace of thy diuine, as farre as I am capable thereof; and impart and communicate vntounto mee the merrit of all thy actions, and benefit of all thy sufferings in this thy nature. O my Lord & my God who by assuming flesh vntounto thy diuine person, hast sanctified it, and highly aduanced it farre aboue all creatures, keepe me from defiling my flesh with sinfull pollutions, or abasing and inthralling it to Satan. O Sonne of God, who by thy incarnate nature, becamest the Sonne of Man, make me the sinfull sonne of man, by grace and adoption to become the Sonne of God. And as thou this day according to the words of thine Angel wert borne to me, bee borne also in mee that from hence forth I liue not, but thou in me. Let thy spirit quicken me, thy flesh nourish me, thy wisdome guide me, thy grace sanctifie me, and thy Word instruct me. Let the holy Ghost of whom thou wast conceiued beget thee in mee, by the immortall seede of thy Word. Let my faith conceiue thee, my profession bring thee forth, my louelove embrace thee, and Deuotion entertaine and continually keepe thee with mee till thy second comming. So come vntounto me Lord Iesus, come quickly.