Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

A

The folemnization of marriage.

Lthough marriage be no facrament, nor peculiar to the church of God, but common to mankind, and of public interest in every common wealth; yet becaufe fuch as marry are to marry in the Lord, and have fpecial need of inftruction, Direction and exhortation, from the word of God, at their entering into fuch a new condition; and of the bleffing of God upon them therein; we judge it expedient, that marriage be folemnized by a lawful minifter of the word, that he may accordingly counsel them, and pray for a bleffing upon them.

Marriage is to be betwixt one man and one woman only; and they, fuch as are not within the degrees of confangui nity or affinity prohibeted by the word of God; and the parties are to be of years of difcretion, fit to make their own choice, or, upon good grounds, to give their mutual

confent.

Before the folemnizing of marriage between any perfon, their purpofe of marriage fhall be published by the minifter three feveral Sabbath days, in the congregation at the place or places of their moft ufual and conftant abode refpectively. And of this publication, the minifter who is to join them in marriage fhall have fufficient teftimony, before he procceed to folemnize the marriage.

Before that publication of fuch their purpose (if the parties be under age) the confent of the parents, or others under whose power they are (in cafe the parents be dead) is to be made known to the church officers of that congregation, to be recorded.

1

The like is to be observed in the proceedings of all others, although of age, whose parents are living, for their first marriage. And, in after-marriages of either of those parties, they fhall be exhorted not to contract marriage without firft acquainting their parents with it, (if with conveniency it may be done) endeavouring to obtain their confent.

Parents ought not to force their children to marry without their free confent, nor deny their own confent without just cause

After the purpofe or contract of marriage hath been thus published,

published, the marrige is not to be long deferred. Therefore the minifter, having had convenient warning, and nothing been objected to hinder it, is publicly to folemnize it in the place appointed by authority for public worship, before a competent number of credible witneffes, at fome convenient hour of the day, at any time of the year, except on a day of public humiliation. And we advise that it be not on the Lord's day.

And, because all relations are fanctified by the word and prayer, the minifter is to pray for a bleffing upon them, to this effect;

Acknowledging our fins, whereby we have made ourfelves less than the least of all the mercies of God, and provoked him to imbitter all our comforts; earnestly, in the name of Chrift, to intreat the Lord (whofe prefence and favour is the happinels of every condition, and fweetens e-very relation) to be their portion, and to own and accept them in Chrift, who are now to be joined in the honour-* able eftate of marriage, the covenant of their God: And that, as he hath brought them together by his providence, he would fanctify them by his fpirit, giving them a new frame of heart, fit for their new eftate; enriching them with all graces, whereby they may perform the duties, enjoy the comforts, undergo the cares, and refift the temptations which accompany that condition,as becometh Chri'ftians.'

[ocr errors]

The prayer being ended, it is convenient that the minifter do briefly declare unto them, out of the Scripture,

The inftitution, ufe, and ends of marriage, with the conjugal duties, which, in all faithfulness, they are to perform each to other; exhorting them to study the holy word of God, that they may learn to live by faith, and to be ⚫ content in the midst of all marriage-cares and troubles, fanctifying God's name, in a thankful, fober, and holy "ufe of all conjugal comforts; praying much with and for one another; watching over, and provoking each other to love and good works; and to live together as the heirs • of the grace of life.

[ocr errors]

After folemn charging of the perfons to be married, before the great God, who fearcheth all hearts, and to whom they must give a strict account at the laft day, that if either

of

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

of them know any caufe, by precontract, or otherwife, why
they may not lawfully proceed to marriage,that they now dif
cover it: The minister (if no impediment be acknowledged
fhall cause first the man take the woman by the right hand
faying these words.

1. N. do take thee N. to be my married, wife and do, in the prefence of God, and before this congregation, promife and covenant to be a loving and faithful husband unto thee, until God fball feperate us by death.

Then the woman fhall take the man by the right hand, and fay these words:

I. N. do take thee N. to be my married husband, and I do, in the prefence of God, and before this congregation, promife and covenant to be a loving, faithful and obedient wife unto thee, until God fhall feperate us by death:

Then without any further ceremony, the minifter fhall, in the face of the congregation, pronounce them to be husband and wife, according to God's ordinance; and fo conclude the action with prayer to this effect;

That the Lord would be pleafed to accompany his own • ordinance with his bleffing, befeeching him to enrich the perfons now married, as with other pledges of Lis love, fo particularly with the comforts and fruits of marriage to the praise of his abundant mercy, in and through Christ • Jefus.'

A regifter is to be carefully kept, wherein the names of the parties fo married, with the time of their marriage, are forthwith to be fairly recorded in a book, provided for that purpose, for the perusal of all whom it may concern.

Concerning vifitation of the Sick.

T is the Duty of the minifter, not only to teach the people committed to his charge in public; but privately and particularly to admonish, exhort, reprove, and comfort them, upon all feafonable occafions, fo far as his time, ftrength, and his perfonal fafety will permit.

He is to admonifh them, in time of health, to prepare for death; and, for that purpose, they are often to confer with their minifter about the eftate of their fouls, and, in times of fickness, to defire his advice and help, timely and

I i

fea

[ocr errors]

feafonably,before their ftrength and understanding fail them. Times of ficknefs and affliction are fpecial opportunities put into his hand by God, to minifter a word in feafon to weary fouls: Because then the confciences of men are, or hould be,more awakned to bethink themselves of their fpiritual eftate for eternity; and Satan also takes advantage then, to load them more with fore and heavy temptations: Therefore the minifter, being fent for, and repairing to the fick, is to apply himself with all tenderness and love, to adminifter fome fpiritual good to his foul, to this effect.

He may, from the confideration of the prefent fickness, inftruct him out of Scripture, that difeafes come not by chance, or by diftempers of body only, but by the wife and orderly guidance of the good hand of God, to every particular perfon fmitten by them. And that, whether it be laid upon him out of difpleasure for fin, for his correction and amendment, or for trial and exercife of his graces, or for other fpecial and excellent ends, all his fufferings fhall turn to his profit, and work together for his good, if he fincerely labour to make a fanctified ufe of God's vifitation, neither defpifing his chaftning, nor waxing weary of his correction. >

If he fufpect him of ignorance, he fhall examine him in the principles of religion,efpecially touching repentance and faith; and, as he feeth caufe, inftruct him in the nature, ufe, excellency and neceffity of those graces; as alfo touching the covenant of grace, and Chrift the Son of God, the Mediator of it, and, concerning remiffion of fins by faith in him.

He fhall exhort the fick person to examine himself to fearch and try his former ways, and his eftate towards God. And if the fick perfon fhall declare any fcrouple, doubt or temptation that are upon him, inftructions and refolutions fall be given to fatisfy and fettle him.

If it appear that he hath not a due fenfe of his fins, endeavours ought to be used to convince him of his fins, of the guilt and defert of them; of the filth and pollution, which the foul contracts by them; and of the curfe of the law, and wrath of God, due to them; that he may be truly affected .with, and humbled for them: And withal make known the danger of deferring repentance, and of neglecting falvation at any time offered; to awaken his confcience, and

rouze

C

rouze him up out of a ftupid & fecure condition, to apprehend the justice and wrath of God, before whom none can ftand, but he that, loft in himself,layeth hold upon Chrift by faith. If he have endeavoured to walk in the ways of holiness, and to ferve God in uprightnefs, altho', not without many Failings and infirmities; or if his fpirit be broken with the, fenfe of fin, or caft down through want of the fenfe of God's favour; Then it will be fit to rife him up, by fetting before him the freeness and fulness of God's grace, the fufficiency of righteoufnefs in Chrift, the gracious offers in the gofpel, that all who repent, and believe with all their heart in God's mercy through Chrift, renouncing their own righteousness fhall have life and falvation in him: It may be alfo ufeful to fhew him, that death hath in it no fpiritual evil to be feared by those that are in Chrift,because fin the fting of death is taken away by Christ, who hath delivered all that are his, from the bondage of the fear of death, triumphed over the grave, given us victory, is himfelf entred into glory, to prepare a place for his people, fo that neither life nor death fhall be able to feperate them from God's love in Chrift in whom fuch are fure, though now they must be laid in the duft, to obtain a joyful and glorious refurrection to eternal life.

Advice alfo may be given, as to beware of an ill-grounded perfwafion on mercy, or on the goodness of his condition for heaven, fo to disclaim all merit in himfelf, and to caft himself wholly upon God for mercy, in the fole merits and mediation of Jefus Chrift, who hath engaged himself never to caft of them, who in truth and fincerity come unto him. Care alfo must be taken, that the fick perfon be not cast down into difpair, by fuch a fevere reprefentation of the wrath of God due to him for his fins, as is not mollified by a fenfible propounding of Chrift and his merit for a door of hope to every penitent believer.

When the fick perfon is beft compofed, may be leaft difturbed, and other neceffary offices about him left hindred the minifter, if defired, fhall pray with him, and for him, to this effect.

"Confeffing and bewailing of fin original and actual, the miferable condition of all by nature, as being children of wrath, and under the curfe acknowledging that all difeafes, ficknefs, death, and hell itfelf, are the proper

Iiz

Iffues

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »