gether, and live according to Thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. I R. Amen. ¶ Then they shall rise, and the Priest joining their hands shall say, JOIN together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, and I pronounce them to be Man and Wife, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. R. Amen. TE Then they shall kneel to receive this Blessing: THE blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, rest upon you, and keep you henceforth and for ever. R. Amen. Peace be with you both. R. Amen. Or this. OD Father, God the Son, God the Holy GGhost, bless, preserve, and keep you. The Lord mercifully with His favour look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace; that ye may so live together in this life that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. R. Amen. Peace be with you both. R. Amen. ¶ Then shall be sung Psalm xlv. My heart is inditing, &c. Glory, &c. Lord, have mercy upon us. R. Lord, have mercy upon us. 0° Let us pray. ¶ The Lord's Prayer. UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. R. Amen. O Lord, save this man and this woman, Thy servants: R. Who put their trust in Thee. Send them help from Thy sanctuary: R. And evermore mightily defend them. Be unto them a strong tower: R. From the face of their enemy. Lord, hear our prayer: R. And let our cry come unto Thee. Let us pray. LORD our God, who didst make man out of the dust of the ground in Thine own image, and out of his side didst form woman that she should be an helpmeet unto him, and man might not be alone upon the earth: Send down Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, whom we have joined together in holy matrimony. Grant unto them purity of heart and integrity of will; that, according to Thy holy mind, marriage may be honourable in them and the bed undefiled. Unite their hearts to fear and love Thee; and may they abide in mutual love one toward the other, and in Thy peace, so long as they both shall live upon the earth. Do Thou crown their life 'with Thy goodness, and vouchsafe unto them the abundance of such things as they shall need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. R. Amen. [O merciful Lord and heavenly Father, by whose gracious gift mankind is increased; We beseech Thee to grant unto these Thy servants the blessing of offspring; and vouchsafe of Thy mercy that their children, growing up in Thy nurture and admonition, may with them continually walk in Thy ways, to Thy praise and honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. R. Amen.] GOD, who hast mony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and His Church; Look mercifully upon these Thy servants, that both this man may love his wife, according to Thy word, even as Christ also hath loved the Church and given Himself for it, loving and cherishing it even as His own flesh; and also that this woman may be loving and amiable, faithful and obedient, to her husband; and in all quietness, sobriety, and peace, be a follower of holy and godly matrons. O Lord, bless them both, and grant them to inherit Thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. R. Amen. A ¶ Then the Priest shall rise, and say, LMIGHTY GOD, who at the beginning did create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and did sanctify and join them together in marriage; Pour upon you the riches of His grace, sanctify and bless you, that ye may please Him both in soul and body, and live together in holy love unto your lives' end. R. Amen. Peace be with you. R. Amen. Then he shall address such words of exhortation to the newly-married as he shall consider convenient, and shall dismiss the Congregation with this Blessing: TH THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. R. Amen. It is fitting that the newly-married should attend at the celebration of the holy Eucharist (for which see the next following Form), and receive the blessing of the Lord therein, and partake of the holy Communion. Form of Blessing Newly-Married Persons. THE HOLY EUCHARIST. The "Glory be to God on high," the Anthem after the Epistle, and the Creed, may be omitted or repeated, at the discretion of the celebrating Priest. T The Collect. LORD JESU CHRIST, who didst honour the marriage in Cana with Thy presence, and didst hallow it with the manifestation of Thy glory; We beseech Thee to pour down Thy continual blessing upon Thy servants whom Thou dost unite in Thy holy ordinance of wedlock; that, abiding steadfastly in Thy grace, and being helpmeets to each other in the way of Life, they may finally be received into Thine everlasting kingdom, wherein is neither male nor female, but all shall live together with Thee in glory and blessedness eternal. And unto Thee, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, be glory for ever. R. Amen. The Epistle [Eph. v. 22-33]. T The Anthem after the Epistle. RINK waters out of thine own cistern: DE And running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad: And rivers of waters in the streets. |