Druses, who are not otherwise scrupulous in respect of marriage, the licence is but seldom permitted. Among tribes the most remote from the practice of civilized life, among the Esquimaux of the North, and the wandering hordes of the Western regions of America, from Tartary to Caffraria, there is, with less modification than might be conceived, a bond of marriage, the virtue and the honour, the blessing and the consolation, of savage as of polished life; the protection and instruction of infancy, the aid of manhood, and the support of feebleness and decrepitude. All the forms of human association have varied, and in the revolution of ages have been superseded and renewed; but marriage has never been unknown it has had the sanction of such universal practice as proves its conformity with the very constitution of human nature, and the best and kindliest affections of the heart, and leaves the inference of its origination with the Author and Creator of mankind. That the holy state of matrimony was instituted

God," says Wheatly, "is evident from the two first chapters of the Bible; whence it comes to pass, that, amongst all the descendants from our first parents, the numerous inhabitants of the different nations of the world, there has been some religious way of entering into this state, in consequence and testimony of the divine institution."

If there be any force or value in the authorities or the arguments which have been alleged in favour of the divine institution of marriage, it will be hardly necessary to vindicate the doctrine from the imputa

f Illustration of the Common Prayer, c. x. Introduction.

tion of popery, which has been brought against it in the following exhibition in parallel columns of the rituals of England and of Rome.

"We have described the English marriage ceremony as a popish institution, and protestants should know, that the service is derived in great measure from the popish mass-book and ritual. . . . The catholics, it is true, hold marriage to be a sacrament, but the reformed Church appear to us, in substance and in fact, to avow the same sentiment: this will sufficiently appear by comparing the following extracts from the marriage service of the two Churches.

Catholic.

Matrimony is a holy state, originally instituted by Almighty God between our first parents, (Gen. ii.) ratified and confirmed by the Son of God in the New Testament, (Matt. xix. 4, 5, 6.) honoured by his first miracle, (John ii.) and raised by him to the dignity of a sacrament, as a most holy sign and mysterious representation of the indissoluble union of Christ and his Church.'

Protestant.

Matrimony, which is an honourable estate instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church.' And again: 0 God, who hast consecrated the state of matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church"."

It is obvious to remark, that in this exhibition the doctrine of the Church of Rome is substantiated by reference to the Scriptures, except in that part of it which treats of the sacramental nature of marriage,

Freethinking Christians' Quarterly Register, No. III. p. 269.

for which no authority is produced, and which is known to be founded in a misrepresentation of the meaning, and an ambiguous translation of the words, of the apostle. Let similar references be annexed to the words of the English ritual, and the scriptural authority of its doctrine will immediately be seen: or let a third column of scriptural authorities be inserted between the recited formularies; the Catholic, the Scriptural, and the English doctrine will appear in the following order.

1. Catholic.

"Matrimony is a holy state originally instituted by Almighty God between our first parents, (Gen. ii.) ratified and confirmed by the Son of God in the New Testament, (Matt. xix. 4, 5, 6.) honoured by his first miracle, (John ii.) and raised by him to the dignity of a sacrament, as a most holy sign and mysterious representation of the indissoluble union. of Christ and his Church."

2. Scriptural.

Marriage is honourable in all. Heb. xiii. 4. He who made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they, twain shall be one flesh wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matt. xix. 4, 5, 6. Mark x. 6-9. Gen. ii. 22, 23, 24.

We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of

E

his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and his Church. Ephes. v. 30, 31, 32.

3. Church of England.

"Matrimony is an honourable estate, (Heb. xiii. 4.) instituted by God (Matt. xix. 4, 5, 6, &c.) in the time of man's innocence, (Gen. ii. 20, 24.) signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; (Eph. v. 32.) which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, (John ii.) and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men. (Heb. xiii. 4.) God has consecrated the state of matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church." (Eph. v. 31, 32.)

The result of this collation will be very different from the intention of the objector, proving, as far as the two Churches agree, that the Church of Rome is scriptural, not that the Church of England is popish. It is however further objected, that the two Churches agree "in attaching to marriage the mystical notions which were introduced in the darker ages; the Catholic ritual calling marriage a sacrament,' 'a great sacrament:' the Protestant ritual denominating it an excellent mystery. A sacrament then being a mystery, the two Churches meet

in perfect concord on this point, the one having its great, the other its excellent, mystery"."

If accurate distinction was not incompatible with rapid ratiocination, it might have been observed, that the mystical notion of the sacramental nature of marriage was introduced in the darker ages, but the doctrine that marriage represents the union of Christ with his Church has the high sanction of St. Paul, and the continued and uninterrupted tradition of the Church from the apostolic age, and was known to the writers of the Latin Church under the name of Sacramentum', before the origin of the papal ascendancy, and many centuries before the invention of the seven sacraments. The Churches of England and Rome therefore do not agree in the mystical notions which they attach to marriage, the one affirming marriage itself to be a sacrament, the other, in her Articles, expressly denying that marriage is a sacrament, and in her ritual, declaring it to be the sign of a mystery of a different kind. In the Homily against Swearing mention is indeed made of the sacrament of matrimony: the old lan

Freethinking Christians' Quarterly Register, No. III. p. 269.
So Paulinus, in the fourth century, says,

Grande Sacramentum, quo nubit Eclesia Christo :
Hic vos nectat amor, quo stringit Eclesia Christum.

Isidore, in the sixth century, uses the word for ordinary marriage, of which he infers the indissolubility from the union of Christ with his Church. Div. Off. 1. ii. c. 19. And still the proper sacrament of marriage was unknown.

*The Apology for the confession of Wirtemberg, an unsuspected authority, uses the same language: "Quia conjugium est sanctum vitæ genus, divinitus institutum et commendatum, libenter ei tribuimus nomen sacramenti." Gerhard, sect. 14.