plished; and finally charging the parties here to confess this among other impediments, if they do know they want this necessary consent of parents; and if the persons shall by a wicked and obstinate silence refuse to acknowledge it, doubtless the priest (if he have reason to believe the parents are ignorant of or unwilling to this marriage) ought stoutly to refuse to join them till they have reconciled their parents to the marriage; which if it were strictly observed by all the clergy, it would prevent many intolerable mischiefs that do ensue upon deluded young men and women, upon abused parents, and sometimes upon the miserable posterity then unborn, who live after to curse those that tied their parents together in such unhallowed bands. And yet we must not leave this subject till we have admonished the parents not to abuse this power, either by keeping their children unmarried till they have past the flower of their age, in which case the civil law allows them to choose for themselves ", nor by forcing them to marry deformed, vile, or odious persons, merely to gain riches thereby; for millions of gold and silver cannot purchase one month's content where there is no mutual affection, nor can a great estate repay the grieved party for the many uncomfortable hours they must pass in this unalterable estate. It is a command of the great Father of mankind, that parents do not provoke their children unto wrath, Ephes. vi. 4, and nothing can provoke them more justly or more highly than ungrateful impositions of this kind, which make their whole lives uneasy, and expose their souls to most dangerous temptations, it being usual for those who are married where they love not, to love where they marry not; which consideration makes the Gemara

"L. Filius 25. ff. de Rit. Nupt.

of Babylon expound that precept, Levit. xix. 29, Do not prostitute thy daughter, by "Do not marry her to an old man ;" and though it be a great sin in children so married to take such wicked courses, and a mighty folly to revenge themselves of others by damning their own souls, yet the parents are not innocent who gave the occasion to this wickedness. Wherefore let fathers and mothers consider that the condition of their children's whole future life doth so much depend on their happy or unhappy marriage, that when they are come 26 to years of discretion their own consent is requisite also; and it is not lawful for the parents to use a compulsive power, or to force them to marry against their will; let them rather endeavour by prudent reason to win their children's good liking of their proposal, and let children always esteem their parents' judgment and experience to be so far above their own, that they may not lightly refuse those whom they recommend, but study to love such as their prudent and affectionate parents do offer to them, if there be no notorious exception; and then the marriage will be most happy, when the parents approve it and bless it, and the children accept it and like it.

these impediments.

And this may suffice for

§. IV. FOR BE YE WELL ASSURED, THAT SO MANY AS ARE COUPLED TOGETHER OTHERWISE THAN GOD'S WORD DOTH ALLOW ARE NOT JOINED TOGETHER BY GOD; NEITHER IS THEIR MATRIMONY LAWFUL]

We conclude this charge with a weighty reason why the parties should now confess these impediments, if

。 Nusquam tamen libertas tam necessaria est quam in matrimonio. Quintil. Declam. 257-Affectus nostri nobis non serviunt, non potes efficere im

perio ut amem quem velis aut oderim-Cum ergo quæratur mihi uxor socia thori, vitæ consors, in omne seculum, mihi eligenda est. Id. Declam. 376.

any such be in their present case, viz. because to make a marriage in cases forbidden by God, is to make an unlawful marriage, which can never expect a blessing on it. The church hath taken this from the words of those two eminent fathers, St. Ambrose and St. Hierom, who positively affirm "that matrimony which is made contrary to the law of God, and the precepts of Christ, ought not to be called or accounted lawful matrimony, but rather adulteryP." Have we not great reason, therefore, to lay this strict injunction on the parties, to prevent their running upon so desperate a sin as the making a marriage contrary to God's law; whereby they would profane this holy rite, and put a direct affront upon the Divine Majesty, who was the author thereof? For what is more absurd and impudent than to call upon God to bless that marriage which is made contrary to his holy laws? And what is more miserable than to banish him from being present at our nuptials, .without whose blessing they cannot prosper? Yet who can expect he will be present at a forbidden marriage? The abused minister may perform the outward part, but his great Master, who knows the secrets of all hearts, and discerns the concealed impediments, will not complete it by his blessing, but will call the parties at the last and dreadful day to his bar to answer this open contempt of his commandments. So that though the matrimony pass for valid in foro soli, yet it is accursed and condemned in foro cœli. And methinks whosoever duly considers this will

P Illud enim non debet imputari matrimonium, quod extra legem Dei est. Ambros. Com. in Cor. 7.- Quod secundum Christi præcepta non conjungitur, non rite conjugium appellari potest, sed magis adul

terium. Hieron. in Ephes. v. tom. 6. p. 422.

q Matrimonia quædam jure non contrahi, sed tamen contracta non solvi, dicit Paulus Jur. Cons. Sent. lib. 2. tit. 19.

tremble to tie themselves in such inauspicious bands; and though their fancy or their carnal desires do tempt them to conceal those things which would be impediments to their present conjunction, yet I hope their fear of God's wrath and dreadful judgment will sway more to persuade them to a free confession now, before the mischief be past cure. If God have forbidden the banns they must go no further; for it is infinitely better to want their imaginary satisfactions in this unlawful confederation, than to buy them at the price of God's heavy curse and eternal displeasure.

OF THE ASKING THEIR MUTUAL CONSENT.

§. I. THE way being made plain, and all impediments removed by these preliminary discourses, we may now safely proceed to the consummation of the marriage, which the church appoints shall be done by a solemn compact, attended with prayers and blessings; for matrimony is both a solemn covenant and a religious action. First, as it is a covenant, it is made with all the requisites of other contracts; 1. By declaring their mutual consent; 2. By significant signs; 3. By mutual stipulation; 4. By the giving and receiving a pledge. Secondly, as it is a religious action, there is added, 1. A prayer for a blessing on it; 2. A declaration of its Author; 3. A publication of its validity; 4. A blessing given to it. All which being so proper to the occasion, and so fit to be understood by all that are to enter into this holy estate, shall be discoursed on in order.