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which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be enterprized, nor taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained.

First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name.

Secondly, it was ordained for à remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body.

Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity;

Into which holy estate these two Persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.

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At which day of Marriage, if any man do allege and declare any impediment, wby they may not be coupled together in Matrimony by God's Law, or the Laws of this Realm; and will be bound, and suf ficient Sureties with him, to the Parties; or else put in a caution (to the full value of such charges as the Persons to be married do thereby sustain) to prove his allegation; then the Solemnization must be deferred until such time as the truth be

tried.

If no impediment be alledged, then shall the Curate say unto the Man,

M. WILT thou have this Wo man to thy wedded wife, to live to gether after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live.

The Man shall answer, I will.

Then shall the Priest say unto the Woman,

N. WILT thou have this Man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?

The Woman shall answer, I will.

Then shall the Minister say, Who giveth this. Woman to be

married to this Man.

Then shall they give their troth to each other in this manner :

The Minister receiving the Woman at her Father's or Friend's hands, shall cause the Man with his right hand to take the Woman by ber right hand, and to say after him as followeth :

I M. take thee N. to my

wedded

wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and

in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.

Then shall they loose their hands; and the Woman with her right hand taking the Man by his right hand, shall likewise say after the Minister;

IN. take thee M. to my wedded. husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.

Then shall they again loose their hands; and the Man shall give unto the Woman a Ring, laying the same upon the Book, with the accustomed duty to the Priest and Clerk. And the Priest taking the Ring, shall deliver it unto the Man to put it upon the fourth finger of the Woman's left band. And the Man bolding the Ring there, and taught by the Priest, sball say,

WITH this Ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then the Man leaving the Ring upon the fourth finger of the Woman's left hand, they shall both kneel down, and the Minister shall say,

Let us pray.

O ETERNAL God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life: Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this Man and this Woman, whom we bless in thy Name: that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, (whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge;) and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Priest join their right hands together, and say,

Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

Then shall the Minister speak unto the People. FORASMUCH as M. and N. have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

And the Minister shall add this Blessing. GOD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen. Then the Minister or Clerks, going to the Lord's Table, shall say or sing either the 128th or the 67th Psalm.

The Psalm ended, and the Man and the Woman kneeling before the Lord's Table, the Priest standing at the Table, and turning his face towards them, shall say,' Lord, have mercy upon us. Ansaver. Christ, have mercy upon

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Minister. Be unto them a tower of strength;

Answer. From the face of their enemy.

Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer;

Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

Minister.

O GOD of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless these thy servants, and sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts; that whatsoever in thy holy Word they shall profitably learn, they may indeed fulfil the same. Look, O Lord, mercifully upon them from heaven, and bless them. And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort; so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy servants, that they, obeying thy will, and alway being in safety under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto their lives' end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This Prayer next following shall be omitted where the Woman is past Child-bearing. O MERCIFUL Lord and heavenly Father, by whose gracious gift mankind is increased; We beseech thee, assist with thy blessing these two Persons; that they may both be fruitful in procreation of children, and also live together so long in godly love and honesty, that they may see their children christianly and virtuously brought up, to thy praise and honour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GOD, who by thy mighty power hast made all things of nothing; who also (after other things set in order) didst appoint, that out of man (created after thine own image and similitude) woman should take her beginning; and knitting them together, didst teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hadst made one : O God, who hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excel

lent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church; Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that both this Man may love his Wife, according to thy Word, as Christ did love his spouse the

Church; who gave himself for it, loving and cherishing it even as his own flesh and also that this Woman may be loving and amiable, faithful and obedient to her Husband; and in all quietness, sobriety, and peace, be a follower of holy and godly matrons. O Lord, bless them both, and grant them to inherit thy everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Priest say, ALMIGHTY God, who at the beginning did create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and did sanctify and join them together in marriage; Pour upon you the riches of his grace, sanctify and bless you, that ye may please him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love unto your lives' end. Amen.

After which, if there be no Sermon declar ing the Duties of Man and Wife the Minister shall read as followeth. ALL ye that are married or that intend to take the holy estate of Matrimony upon you, hear what the holy Scripture doth say, as touching the duty of husbands towards their wives, and wives towards their husbands.

St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, the fifth chapter, doth give this commandment to all married men; "Husbands, love your "wives, even as Christ also loved "the Church, and gave himself for "it; that he might sanctify and "cleanse it with the washing of "water, by the Word; that he "might present it to himself a glo❝rious Church, not having spot or "wrinkle, or any such thing; but "that it should be holy, and without « blemish. So ought men to love "their wives as their own bodies.

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"He that loveth his wife, loveth "himself. For no man ever yet "hated his own flesh, but nourisheth " and cherisheth it, even as the Lord "the Church for we are members "of his body, of his flesh, and of "his bones. For this cause shall a "man leave his father and mother, " and shall be joined unto his wife, "and they two shall be one flesh. "This is a great mystery: but I "speak concerning Christ and the "Church. Nevertheless, let every "one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself.” i

Likewise the same Saint Paul, writing to the Colossians, speaketh thus to all men that are married; Husbands, love your wives, and "be not bitter against them."

Hear also what Saint Peter, the Apostle of Christ, who was himself a married man, saith unto them that are married; "Ye husbands dwell "with your wives according to "knowledge; giving honour unto "the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."

Hitherto ye have heard the duty of the husband toward the wife. Now likewise, ye wives, hear and learn your duties toward duties toward your husbands, even as it is plainly set forth in holy Scripture,

Saint Paul, in the aforenamed Epistle to the Ephesians, teacheth you thus; "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto "the Lord. For the husband is the

"head of the wife, even as Christ is "the head of the Church : and he "is the Saviour of the body. There- 24. "fore as the Church is subject unto "Christ, so let the wives be to their

own husbands in every thing." And again he saith, "Let the wife 33. 66 see that she reverence her hus"band."

And in his Epistle to the Colossians, Saint Paul giveth you this short lesson; "Wives, submit yourselves c. 3. " unto your own husbands, as it is v.18. "fit in the Lord."

c. 3.

Saint Peter also doth instruct you very well, thus saying; "Ye wives, 1 Pet. "be in subjection to your own hus"bands; that if any obey not the v.1. "word, they also may without the "word be won by the conversation "of the wives; while they behold 2. "your chaste conversation coupled "with fear. Whose adorning, let 3. "it not be that outward adorning of "plaiting the hair, and of wearing "of gold, or of putting on of ap"parel; but let it be the hidden 4. "man of the heart, in that which " is not corruptible, even the orna"ment of a meek and quiet spirit, "which is in the sight of God of "great price. For after this man- 5. "ner in the old time the holy women "also, who trusted in God, adorned "themselves, being in subjection "unto their own husbands; even 6. "as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling "him lord; whose daughters ye 66 are as long as ye do well, and are "not afraid with any amazement."

It is convenient that the new married Persons should receive the Holy Communion at the time of their Marriage, or at the first opportunity after their Marriage.

THE ORDER FOR

THE VISITATION OF THE SICK.

When any Person is sick, notice shall be given thereof to the Minister of the Parish; who, coming into the sick Person's house, shall say,

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Minister.

O LORD, look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant; Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy, give him comfort and sure confidence in thee, defend bim from the danger of the enemy, and keep him in perpetual peace and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HEAR

EAR Us, Almighty and most merciful God and Saviour; extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy ser vant, who is grieved with sickness: Sanctify, we beseech thee, this thy fatherly correction to him; that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and seriousness to his repentance: That if it shall be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the residue of his life in thy fear, and to thy glory or else, give him grace so to take thy visitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Minister exhort the sick Per son after this form, or other like. DEARLY beloved, know this, that Almighty God is the Lord of life! and death, and of all things to them pertaining, as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatsoever your sickness is, t know you certainly, that it is God's visitation. And for what cause so ever this sickness is sent unto you; whether it be to try your patience for the example of others, and that your faith may be found in the day

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