Vestry Prayers with a Choir.

Let us pray.

O LORD, open Thou our lips.
R. And our mouth &c.

Let Thy priests be clothed with right

eousness.

R. And let Thy saints sing with joyfulness.

ALMIGHTY FATHER, we pray Thee to send Thy grace into our hearts this day, that we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Purify our sinful hearts; quicken our dulness of spirit; help our many infirmities. Make us more worthy to lead the praises of Thy Church; and may we so worship Thee here below, that we may worship Thee for ever hereafter in heaven; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

GRANT, O LORD, that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts; and what we believe in our hearts, we may practise in our lives; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

CLEANSE us, O LORD, and keep us undefiled, that we may be numbered among those blessed ones, who, having washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb, stand before Thy Throne, and serve Thee day and night in Thy Temple; for JESUS CHRIST'S sake. Amen.

Holy Marriage.

No. I.

A short Sermon, which may be read, when desirea, in place of the Exhortation at the end of the Solemnization of Matrimony: adapted for persons of little education.]

BEFORE you leave the house of God, listen to the holy words which St Peter, the Apostle of Christ, who was himself a married man, saith unto them that are married. First, as touching the duty of husbands towards their wives, his words are these: "Ye husbands, dwell with your "wives according to knowledge; giving honour "unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." The Apostle here bids the husband show all tenderness and gentle consideration towards the wife, helping her forward in the way of life, and, above all, joining with her in daily prayer to God. wives the same Apostle writes thus: "Ye wives, "be in subjection to your own husbands; that, "if any obey not the word, they also may with" out the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conver"sation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let "it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the "hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on

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"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 spirit, "which is in the sight of God of great price." Here a wife is told to obey her husband; and to live so chaste and holy a life, in the fear of God, that, if her husband be not a godly man, she may win him over to become so. Also she is told that her best and truest adornment is no outward adornment of the body; but, what is far more beautiful and lovable, "the ornament "of a meek and quiet spirit." May God, Whose blessing you have come here to seek, bless you by giving you grace to remember and obey these good words.

And now I will give you three short rules to help you to spend your married life in the fear of GOD, which only can make it happy.

First, Never neglect your prayers. Pray together, morning and night. If God gives you children, teach them also to pray. And, whenever it may be possible, use family prayer; that you and yours may be blessed of the LORD.

The words in italics to be omitted, if necessary.

Secondly, Never neglect attendance at Church. Walk together in the house of God as friends. In the Church you have been baptized. In the Church you have been joined together as man and wife. To the Church you will be brought, when this life, with all its joys and sorrows, shall be over. Come, then, to the Church whenever the bells invite you, to pray and to hear GOD'S Word.

Thirdly, Join yourselves yet more closely, both to one another, and to all good Christian people, by kneeling together the first time you

can at the LORD'S holy Table. There you will find grace and strength to fulfil your marriage vows, and to live in all godliness. And, when you have made this good beginning, persevere in the frequent and regular partaking of the Holy Communion. You cannot love Christ, or be truly His, if you do not obey His Word. And He said, "This do in remembrance of Me."

And now go forth to lead together a godly Christian life and may the LORD be with you. Amen.

Holy Marriage.

No. II.

[The following short Sermon on Holy Marriage is adapted for persons of rather higher education.]

HOLY Marriage is declared in GOD'S Word to be a type or shadow of the spiritual bond and union which is between CHRIST and His Church. He is the heavenly Bridegroom. The Church is His bride. And wedded love is declared to be a type and shadow of the pure and infinite love wherewith CHRIST loves His Church. Does not this sanctify and elevate the solemn bond of marriage, and make it a very sacred and heavenly thing? If it is a shadow of CHRIST'S union with His Church, then must that divine union be in some sort the pattern to which the earthly union should conform. If wedded love is a shadow of CHRIST'S love to His Church, then must that infinite love be in some measure the example which the earthly love should seek to be like. The shadows are here. The substance is there. But the shadows are no shadows, unless they have at least the shape and outline of the substance. So the marriage union must be very pure, very holy, very sacred. And wedded love must be very gentle, very tender, very considerate. So will the earthly be indeed a shadow of the heavenly.

Think a few moments of the mystery of