Saint Paul, in his Epiftle to the Ephefians, the fifth Chapter, doth give this commandment to all married men; Hufbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might fanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the Word; that he might prefent it to himself a glorious Church, not having fpot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it fhould be holy, and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himfelf: for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this caufe fhall a man leave his father and mother, and fhall be joined unto his wife; and they two fhall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I fpeak as concerning Chrift and the Church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular fo love his wife, even as himself. Likewise the fame Saint Paul, writing to the Coloffians, fpeaketh thus to all men that are married; Hufbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Hear alfo what Saint Peter the Apostle of Chrift, who was himself a married man, faith unto them that are mar ing to marry, fhall come before fome juftice of peace within the county, city, or town corporate, where publication has been made, as aforefaid, with their certificate, and with fufficient proof of the confent of the parents, if either party be under age, and then the marriage fhall proceed in this manner: The man to be married fhall take the woman by the hand, and diftinctly pronounce these words, I A. B. do here in the prefence of God, the fearcher of all hearts, take thee C. D. for my wedded wife; and do alfo, in the prefence of God, and before these witneffes, promife to be to thee a loving and faithful hufband.-Then the woman taking the man by the hand, fhall plainly and diftinctly pronounce these words, I C. D. do here in the prefence of God, the fearcher of all hearts, take thee A. B. for my wedded husband; and do alfo in the prefence of God, and before thefe witneffes, promife to be to thee a loving, faithful, and obedient wife. After this, the juftice may and fhall declare the faid man and woman to be from henceforth hufband and wife; and from and after fuch confent to expreffed, and fuch declaration made of the fame, (as to the form of marriage) it fhall be good and effectual in law; and no other marriage whatfoever within the commonwealth of England, after the 29th of September, 1653, fhall be held or accounted a marriage, according to the law of England." -All the marriages folemnized according to this ordi nance were confirmed at the restoration, in order, to prevent illegitimacy and vexatious law-fuits in future times. ried; Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker veffel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. Hitherto ye have heard the duty of the husband toward the wife. Now likewife, ye wives, hear and learn your duties toward your husbands, even as it is plainly fet forth in holy Scripture. Saint Paul, in the aforenamed Epiftle to the Ephefians, teacheth you thus; Wives fubmit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Chrift is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body. Therefore as the Church is fubject unto Chrift, fo let the wives be to their own hufbands in every thing. And again he faith, Let the wife fee that the reverence her husband. And in his Epistle to the Coloffians, Saint Paul giveth you this fhort leffon; Wives, fubmit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Saint Peter alfo doth inftruct you very well, thus faying; Ye wives, be in fubjection to your own hufbands; that if any obey not the Word, they alfo may without the Word be won by the converfation of the wives; while they behold your chafte converfation coupled with fear. Whofe adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women alfo, who trufted in God, adorned themfelves, being in fubjection unto their own hufbands; even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord whofe daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. It is convenient that the new-married perfons should receive the holy Communion a. the time of their Mar ge, at the first opportunity after their Marriage. THE ORDER FOR The Vifitation of the Sick. When any perfon is fick, notice shall be given thereof to the Minifter of the Parish; who, coming into the fick perfon's houfe, shall fay, PEACE be to this houfe, and to all that dwell in it, ¶ When he cometh into the fick man's prefence, he shall fay, kneeling down, Ries our forefathers: Spare us, good Lord, fpare thy people, whom thou haft redeemed with thy most precious blood; and be not angry with us for ever. Anfw. Spare us, good Lord. Emember not, Lord, our iniquities, nor the iniqui Then the Minifter shall fay, Let us pray. Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. OUR UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trefpaffes, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen. Min. O Lord, fave thy fervant; The order, &c.] To this title was added, in Edward VIth's first book, the paragraph, and the communion of the fame;" but at the review, 1551, the offices were divided and arranged as at prefent. He fhall fay] In Edward VIth's first book, the words "this pfalm," were added, and the 143d pfalm was introduced. But at the next review it was omitted. Min. Send him help from thy holy place; Minifter. ; LORD, look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve thy fervant: Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy, give him comfort and fure confidence in thee, defend him from the danger of the enemy, and keep him in perpetual peace and fafety, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. HEAL EAR us, Almighty and moft merciful God and Saviour ; Extend thy accustomed goodness to this thy fervant, who is grieved with fickness. Sanctify, we beseech thee, this thy fatherly correction to him; that the fenfe of his weakness may add ftrength to his faith, and seriousness to his repentance: That, if it fhall be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the refidue of his life in thy fear, and to thy glory: or elfe, give him grace fo to take thy vifitation, that after this painful life ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. Then shall the Minifter exhort the fick perfon after this form, or other like. D1 EARLY beloved, know this, that Almighty God is the Lord of life and death, and of all things to them pertaining, as youth, ftrength, health, age, weak With fickness] The office in Edward VIth's first book is precifely the fame as the above to thefe words, when the following paragraph is inferted in the prayer: " Vifit him, O Lord, as thou didft vifit Peter's wife's mo ther, and the captain's fervant; and as thou prefervedft Thobie and Sarah by thy angel from danger." In his fecond prayer-book the words (and as thou preferveft Thobic and Sarah by thy angel from danger) were omitted, and "vifitation" fubftituted for " correction." At the laft review, 1662, the prayer was fettled as it now ftands. nefs, and fickness. Wherefore, whatfoever your sickness is, know you certainly that it is God's vifitation. And for what cause foever this fickness is fent unto you; whether it be to try your patience for the example of others, and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord laudable, glorious, and honourable, to the increase of glory and endless felicity; or else it be fent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father; know you certainly, that if you truly repent you of your fins, and bear your fick... nefs patiently, trusting in God's mercy, for his dear Son Jefus Chrift's fake; and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly vifitation, fubmitting yourfelf wholly unto his will; it fhall turn to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life. ¶ If the Perfon vified be very fick, then the Curate may end his Exhortation in this place, or elfe proceed. if AKE therefore in good part the chastisement of the (as in the If ye ter to the Hebrews) whom the Lord loveth he chafteneth, and fcourgeth every fon whom he receiveth. endure chaftening, God dealeth with you as with fons: for what fon is he whom the father chafteneth not? But ye be without chaftifement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye baftards, and not fons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: fhall we not much rather be in fubjection unto the Father of fpirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chaftened us after their own pleafure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holinefs. Thefe words, good Brother, are written in holy Scripture for our comfort and inftru&tion; that we should patiently, and with thanksgiving, bear our heavenly Father's correction, whenfoever by any manner of adverfity it fhall pleafe his gracious goodnefs to vifit us. And there fhould be no greater comfort to Chriftian perfons, than to be made like unto Chrift, by fuffering patiently adverfities, troubles, and fickneffes. For he |