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Let us pray,

O God, who, by the power of thy might, didst create all things out of nothing who, at the first forming of the world, having made man to the likeness of God, didst, out of his flesh, make the woman, and gave her to him for a help mate; and by this didst inform us, that what in the beginning was one, ought never to be separated. O God, who, by so excellent a mystery, hast consecrated this union of the two sexes, and hast been pleased to make it a type of the great sacrament of Christ and his church: O God, by whom woman is joined to man, and that union which was instituted in the beginning, is still accompanied with such a blessing, as neither in punishment of original sin, nor by the sentence of the deluge hath been recalled; mercifully look down upon this thy handmaid, who being now to be joined in wedlock, earnestly desires to be taken under thy protection may love and peace 'constantly remain in her; may she marry in Christ faithful and chaste may she ever imitate the holy women of former times; may she be pleasing to her husband like Rachael; discreet like Rebecca; may she in her years and fidelity, be like Sarah ; and may the first author of all evil, at no time, have any share in her actions. May she remain attached to the faith, and the commandments ; and being joined to one man in wedlock, may she fly all unlawful addresses. May a regularity of life and conduct be her strength against the weakness of her sex.-May she be modest and grave, bashful and venerable, and well instructed in heavenly doctrine. May she be fruitful in her offspring, approved and innocent.-May she and her husband live to their wished-for old age; and may both see their children to the third and fourth generation; and may her happy lot be at length to arrive at the rest of the blessed in the

kingdom of heaven. Thro' Jesus Christ our

Lord.

May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, be with you; and may he fulfil his blessing in you-that you may see your children's children; and afterwards enter into the possession of everlasting life, through the assistance of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth, &c. Amen.*

Then the Priest may read an Exhortation, to this

Effect.

You are now joined together in a holy band, made and sanctified by God himself, and not to be dissolved but by death. You should, therefore, endeavour with all your power, to preserve and cultivate in your souls the grace of this great sa ́crament, which you have received, and to live up to the sanctity of it in all respects. You must be faithful to one another :-you must love each other-you must bear with each other's weaknesses: you must mutually cherish and assist each other: -you must endeavour to walk hand in hand to heaven :-you must preserve inviolated the solemn promises of fidelity, which, in the presence of God and his Church, you have now made to each other. If it should please God to bless you with children, let it be your first, your immediate care, after they are born, to make an offering of them to Him; and, as soon as possible, without delay, procure them to be washed from their original sin, and enrolled amongst the number of His adopted children by the sacrament of baptism and afterwards, in their earliest infan

The more formal and regular solemnization of Marriage, in the Catholic Church, takes place during the sacrifice of the Mass; in which the Priest pronounces these benedictions over the parties as they kneel before the Altar, and administers to them the boly Communion,

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ey, as soon as they can speak, begin to teach them the principles of the christian faith, and the duties of a christian life. Watch over them

with carefulness and diligence; keep them out of evil company, and all the dangerous occasions of sin and train them up in the fear and love of God, always remembering-that you will one day have to give an account to God concerning your discharge of these duties: and if any of them should perish thro' your neglect of giving them a proper education, he will require their souls at your hands. Live, therefore, in the fear of God: faithfully observe all his commandments: be regular in your public and private devotions: and may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Ghost, descend upon you, and remain always with you. Amen.

THE

VISITATION OF THE SICK,

AND

ADMINISTRATION OF EXTREME-UNCTION. ¶ THE Sacrament of Extreme-unction, instituted by Christ our Lord, as a celestial Remedy for the spiritual Infirmities of the Soul, is to be administered with great Care and Diligence to all who, having reached the Age of Reason, are in moral Danger of Death by Sickness.

When the Priest arrives at the House of the sick person, entering into his Room with the sacred Oil, he says: Peace be to this House; and the Assistants answer: And to all who dwell in it.

¶ Then sprinkling Holy Water over the sick person and Attendants, he says:

Anth. THOU shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed: wash me, and

I shall be made whiter than snow. Ps. 1. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. Glory be to the Father, &c.

P. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

A. Who made heaven and earth.

P. O Lord, hear my prayer.

A. And let my cry come unto thee.
P. The Lord be with you.

A. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

O Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Everlasting God, graciously hear us; and vouchsafe to send thy holy angel from heaven to guard, cherish, protect, visit, and defend all who dwell in this habitation. Thro', &c.

The Priest then admonishes the sick person to settle all his temporal Affairs with prudence and justice; to dispose and prepare himself for receiving the Sacraments of the Church; and, if he be in sins, to move him to a sincere Sorrow and Confession of them; after which. he is directed to absolve him in the following Manner.

¶ Form of Absolution:

MAY the Almighty God have mercy upon thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee to life everlasting. Amen.

May the Almighty and Merciful Lord give thee the pardou, absolution, and the remission of thy sins. Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee; and, by his authority, I absolve thee from every bond of excommunication; and interdict, as far as I have power, and thou hast need. I also absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

May the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the B. V. Mary, and of all the Saints; may whatsoever good thou shalt do, or evil thou

shalt suffer, be to thee unto the remission of thy sins, the increase of grace, and the recompense of life everlasting. Amen.

Then an Exhortation may be read before Extremeunction, to this Effect.

OUR Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose infinite goodness furnishes his creatures with all necessary helps to salvation, has been pleased, besides the holy communion, to institute another heavenly medicine, for the benefit of the sick,which is the sacrament of extreme-unction, according to what we read in the Epistle of St. James, v. 14, where it is said: Is any man sick among you, let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. You see here the authority of administering to the sick this holy unction, from the express word of God. This anointing with oil, and the prayer of faith that accompanies it, constitute the outward sign of this sacrament. the great graces and benefits which God promises to bestow on every one, who receives this sacrament with proper dispositions, are, that he will save the sick man, will not deliver him up to the will of his spiritual enemies, but will help him on the bed of his sorrow, (Ps. xl. 3.) will raise him up from his sick bed, if he sees his recovery expedient for the welfare of his soul; and what is infinitely more desirable than corporal health, will impart to him the forgiveness of his sins. Acknowledge, then, the infinite goodness of your Redeemer, and, with the most lively sentiments of gratitude and love, embrace the great grace which is here prepared for you in this heavenly institution; and join your attention and devotion, with

And

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