Ancilla pietatis: or, The hand-maid to priuate deuotion presenting a manuell to furnish her with necessary principles of faith. Forcible motiues to a holy life. Vsefull formes of hymnes and prayers. ... By Daniel Featly, D. in Diuinity.

The ground of this feast

• Prophecies in the old Testament.
• Histories in the New.

of the Incarna∣tion 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 law∣giuer from be∣tweene his feete, vntill SHILOH come, Gen. 49. 10. Christ is cal∣led Shiloh from an Hebrew word signifying to send, or to saue, or se∣cundinam, to inti∣mate Christs vir∣gin birth, quasifi∣lium secundinoe.

When IESVS was borne in Bethlem of Iudea, in the daies of Herod the king, who raigned when Christ was born, was a stran∣ger and so the Scepter was then departed from Iuda. Mat. 2. 1.

The Lord him∣selfe shall giue you a signe. Be hold a Virgin shal conceiue, & beare a sonne, and shall call his name Im∣manuel. Isa. 7. 14.

Ioseph being raised from sleepe, did as the Angell of the LORD had bidden him, and tooke vn∣to him his wife, Mat. 1. 24.

But knew her not till she had brought forth her first begot∣ten Sonne, and hee called his name IE∣SVS, ver. 25.

For vnto vs a child is borne, vnto vs a sonne is giuen. Isa. 9. 6.

The Angel said Vn∣to you is borne this day in the City of Dauid, a Sauiour, which is CHRIST the Lord. Luk. 2. 11.

But thou Beth∣lem EPHRATA though thou bee little among the thousands of Iu∣da, yet out of thee shall hee come forth to me, that is to be Ruler in Israel, whose go∣ings forth haue 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 deli∣uered. 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.