dicial either to the parties themselves, or to Church or state. With this view, the Church has, from the earliest ages, annexed certain conditions to the celebration of this sacrament, without which, either the marriage is rendered null and void, or those who contract it are highly criminal, and commit a grievous sin.

Q. 26. How many kind of impediments are there?

A. There are two kinds: (1.) Such as render the marriage null and void, and no marriage at all in the sight of God and of his Church; and, (2.) Such as render the marriage unlawful, and criminal in those who contract it, though valid in itself. Q. 27. What are the principal impediments that render marriage null ?

A. The impediments which render marriage null, by making the parties in whom they are found incapable of contracting marriage, are chiefly these following: (1.) The solemn vow of chastity, which all those make who enter into any religious order, by which they are solemnly consecrated to God in that state, in the face of the Church, and, therefore, become incapable of contracting marriage; and the same is the case with those who enter into holy orders, and are thereby solemnly dedicated, in the face of the Church, to the service of God, at his holy altar. (2.) Consanguinity, when the parties are within the prohibited degrees of kindred, of which see above, Chap. xv. qu. 56, and the following. (3.) The crime of adultery, with a mutual promise of marriage in case the innocent party should die. It is with great reason that persons who are guilty of this crime should be rendered incapable of ever contracting marriage together, in order to prevent numbers of crimes which might otherwise follow; particularly the murder of the innocent party, whom

either or both of the adulterers, might be pushed on by their passion to put to death, in order to marry one another, were they not by this impediment rendered incapable of marriage; and if either one or both of them should be so infatuated as to procure the death of the innocent party, this would render them still more incapable of marrying together. (4.) If either of the parties be already married, and their partner alive, this renders them absolutely incapable of marrying any other, as nature itself dictates.

Q. 28. What are the principal impediments which render marriage unlawful?

A. Impediments of this kind are such as do not annul the marriage, nor hinder it from being a true and valid marriage, but make it a very great crime in those who contract marriage with these impediments. The chief impediments of this kind are these (1.) When a person is under a mutual promise of marriage to one; in this case it would be unlawful in him, and a great sin to marry another, because it would be a manifest injury done to the person to whom he was under promise of marriage. (2.) When a person binds himself to God by a simple, private vow of chastity, it would be a manifest crime in him to marry, because a breach of the promise made to God. (3.) If one should marry publicly in Advent or Lent, when the Church, for most just reasons, forbids the solemnizing of marriage, it would be a grievous sin of disobedience to her commands, a prostitution of these holy times set apart for penance and humiliation, and an occasion of great scandal. See above, Chap. xv. -Q. 53.

SECTION VI.

OF THE DISPOSITIONS FOR RECEIVING WORTHILY THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE.

Q. 29. WHAT is meant by the dispositions which one ought to be in for entering worthily into the state of marriage?

A. Not only those immediate dispositions which he ought to have at the time he receives this sacrament, but also every thing he ought to do which can conduce to make his marriage hap; and these may all be reduced to three general heads: (1.) To procure the favour and direction of God. (2.) To have a right intention. (3.) To choose a proper person.

Q. 30. What must he do to procure the favour and direction of God?

A. There is nothing of more importance than this is, though, alas! it is but seldom minded as it ought; yet our holy faith assures us, that a good wife (and the same is to be said of a good husband) is, in a particular manner, the gift of God; “a house and riches," says the wise man, "are given by parents, but a prudent wife, is properly from the Lord," Prov. xix. 14.; also, he that hath found a good wife hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord," Prov. xviii. 22. This the holy Patriarch Abraham was very sensible of; for, when he sent his principal servant to his own country to take a wife from among his kindred for his son Isaac, and the servant proposed some difficulties that might occur, Abraham answered him, "the Lord, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will di

rect thy way, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred," Gen. xxiv. 40. And the happy effects of the presence of Jesus Christ at the marriage of Cana, is recorded to shew us how great a blessing he brings to those marriages which he favours. Now the way to obtain his favour and direction is, (1.) Fervent and frequent prayer; thus Abraham's servant, when he arrived at his master's country, in which he was an entire stranger, and knew not whom to apply to, began by a most earnest prayer to God for his direction, and every thing succeeded with him according to his wish, Gen. xxiv. 12. Sarah also had recourse to the same means of finding the favour of God with regard to a husband, and found it effectually to her great consolation, Tob. iii. (2.) To consult with parents, and other pious friends, and not to be hurried on by passion. This we have seen above is what God himself requires to be done, and, therefore, he will not fail to give his blessing to those that do it. (3.) To be diligent in all the duties of a good life, which the Scripture assures us is an effectual means to obtain a good wife from God; a good wife is a good portion, she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God, to a man for his good deeds," Ecclus. xxvi. 3. But, oh! how miserably deceived are those who expect this happiness by using means which are offensive to God! so far are such means from obtaining this blessing, that the word of God declares, "all malice is short to the malice of a woman, let the lot of sinners fall upon her," Ecclus. xxv. 26.

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Q. 31. What intentions ought a Christian to have in marrying?

A. Surely those above all things which Almighty God had in the institution of marriage. Consequently not to gratify his ambition or avarice, and still less to gratify his carnal desires; such views as

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these can never be a means of procuring the benediction of heaven. Wherefore, the intention of Christians in marrying ought to be, (1.) That they may be a mutual help to one another; "It is not good," said God, when he instituted marriage, for man to be alone, let us make him a help like to himself," Gen. ii., to assist him in the government of his family, in the management of his temporal affairs, in the good education of his children, in bearing the pains, cares, and toils of this mortal life, in coming honestly through the world, and in securing a happy eternity. (2) For the procreation of children; not so much that they may inherit the temporal riches of their parents, as that they may be brought up in the fear of God, increase the number of his faithful servants, and become one day glorious saints in heaven. This is certainly a point of the greatest consequence, and the neglect of attending to it properly is, doubtless, one great cause of unhappy marriages, while people seek more to gratify their brutal lusts than the honour and glory of the God that made them. But let us hear the Scripture on this head. When the angel Raphael counselled Tobias to marry the virtuous Sarah, Tobias said, "I hear that she hath been given to seven husbands, and they all died; moreover, I have heard that a devil killed them. Now I am afraid, lest the same things should happen to me also." To this the angel replied, "Hear me, and I will shew thee who they are over whom the devil can prevail; for they who in such manner receive matrimony, as to shut out God from themselves and from their mind, and to give themselves to their lusts,, as the horse and the mule, which have no understanding, over them the devil hath power. But thou, when thou shalt take her, go into the chamber, and, for three days, keep thy