APPENDIX. ter of the word, that he may accordingly counfel 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 confaAguinity or affinity prohibited 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 mu– tual confent. Before the folemnizing of marriage between any perfons, their purpofe of marriage !hall be publi!hed by the minifter, three feveral fahbath days, in the congregation at the place or places of their moft ufual and con– ftant abode refpeCl:ively. And of this publication, the minifter who is to join them in marriage, !hall have fufficient teftimony, before he pro– ceed to folemnize the marriage. Before that publication of fuch their purpofe (if the parries be under age), the confent of the parants, or others under whofe power they are, (in cafe the parents he dead), is to be made known to the church otlkers of that congregation to be recorded. The like is to be obferved in the proceedin~s of ail others, ai– though of age, whofe parents are living, for their fir£1: marriage. And in after marriages of either of thofe parties, they fhall be ex– horted not to contraCt marriage without fir£1: acquainting their parents with it, (if with conveniencey it may be done), endeavouring to obtain their confent. Parents ought n0t to force ther children to marry without their free con– fent, nor deny their own confent without juft caufe. After the purpofe or contraCt of marriage hath been thus pubi-ilh– ed, the marriage is not to be long deferred. Therefore the minifter, having had· convenient warning, and nothing b~ing objeCl:ed to hin– der it, is publicly to folemnize it in the place appointed by authority for public worlhip, before a competent number of credible witneifes, at feme convenient hour of the day, at any time of the year, except on a day of public humiliation. And we advife that it be not on the Lord's day. And becaufe all relations are fanCl:ified by the word and prayer, the mi– nifl:er is to pray for a bleffing upon them to this effeCl: ; " Acknowledging our fins, whereby we·have made ourfelves lefs than. " the lea£1: of all the mercies of God, and provoked him to imbitter aH " our comforts; earneftly, in the name of Chrift, to entreat the Lord cc (whofe prefence and favour is the happinefs of every condition, and " fweetens every relation), to be their portion, and· to own and accept " them in Chrift, who are now to be joined in the honourable efl:ate of « marriage, the covenant of their God : And that,. as he bath brought them\
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=