read frequently in the history of the Apostles, of the celebration of this ordinance under the name of breaking of bread (Acts ii., 42 and 46; xx, 7).

790. This ordinance expresses the union of Christians with Christ, as the source of their spiritual life.

St. Paul says (1 Cor. x., 16), The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (kovovia, participation). Hence this Ordinance is also called the Communion; as well as the Lord's Supper, which name is given it 1 Cor. xi., 20 (kvρiakov deiπvov). In the account of the institution of the Lord's Supper, and in many of the references to it just quoted, mention is made of giving of thanks before breaking the bread and imparting the cup: and hence, the ordinance is termed the Eucharist (eixapioria), or thanksgiving.

791. The Eucharist, Lord's Supper, or Communion, thus instituted by Christ, and continued by his Apostles, has been constantly celebrated in the Church, from that time to the present day. From the distinctness and solemnity of the institution of this Ordinance, and from the habitual celebration of it in the Apostolic times, as well as ever since, it is unnecessary for us to look for analogies to illustrate it in the Old Law. The circumstances of the command, and the doctrines combined with the ordinance, make it the duty of Christians to join in this ordidance. It has ever been held by all Christians the most solemn and formal Token and Act of their Par. ticipation in the Church of Christ,

CHAPTER XXI.

MARRIAGES OF CHRISTIANS.

792. MARRIAGE is a Civil Contract; but there are strong reasons for making it also a religious union. It is in its complete form a union for the whole remaining period of life; a participation of almost all interests, large and small, external and internal. The engagement includes, not only constant companionship, but steady affection. A contract so important and extensive, may naturally be confirmed by a religious sanction; and engagements which concern the internal feelings, may naturally be supported by prayers and the hopes of a Divine blessing. In most cases, Marriage, in its highest form, has been accompanied by some Religious Rites; and has had something of a religious character given it. In the Roman Law, marriage is not only consortium omnis vitæ, but divini ac humani juris communicatio. The laws of Moses concerning Marriage had led the Jews, in some cases, to treat its obligations lightly, as we have already seen (633). Christ taught, that in the eyes of God, it is a union of the most complete and essential kind, not arbitrarily to be disturbed. We have also seen that the teaching of St. Paul gives to Marriage a religious significance (632).

793. In like manner, the earliest successors of the Apostles also ascribe a sacred character to marriage; speaking of the consent and participation of the Christian community as conditions of the blessedness of Christian Marriages. St. Ignatius writing to Polycarp says (II., 5): "It becomes those who marry, and those that are given in marriage, to take this yoke upon them, with the consent or direction of the Bishop; that their marriage may be according

to the will of God, and not their own lusts;" and Tertullian exclaims (ad Ux., II., 8), "How shall I sufficiently set forth the happiness of the marriage which the Church brings about by her procurement; which the Eucharist confirms; which Angels report when done; and the Father ratifies !" At that time, marriage by the law of the land was a Civil Contract; but the Christian Teachers spoke of it as being, under due conditions, also a Divine Ordinance. At a later period, it was made law, throughout the Christian world, that marriages should be celebrated in no other way than by the sacerdotal blessing and prayers. This continued to be the case in England, till the usurpation of Cromwell; when Marriage was declared to be merely a civil contract. At the restoration of Charles the Second, marriage was again regarded as a religious ordinance. By a recent act of Parliament, Marriages contracted with certain civil formalities, are valid. But the Church of England retains in use her Form of Solemnization of Matrimony; and in this she declares that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God's word doth allow, are not coupled together by God, neither is their matrimony lawful."

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794. Taking into consideration the declarations of Christ and his Apostles, respecting the sacredness of the institution of Marriage, it appears conformable to the duty of Christians to connect, with the contract, a religious sanction, and prayers for the Divine blessing. When the man and woman belong to a Church which has made matrimony a religious ordinance, there can be no doubt of the duty of celebrating the union in the ecclesiastical form. To do otherwise, would be, in significance, to deny the sacredness of Marriage; and to reject the prospect of the Divine aid and blessing in the narried condition. Where the two parties do not both belong to the same church, there is a difficulty

in deterraining what religious form of solemnization of the union ought to be adopted. To employ the forms belonging to both the churches, appears to be a course free from any valid objection; for it cannot be supposed that one of the parties shuns, as impious, the religious service to which the other assents. If the incongruity of sentiment on religious subjects go so far as this, the marriage cannot take place between religious persons.

795. If it be asked, whether the Church sanctions the marriages of her children with aliens from the church, we may reply, that when they are once contracted she does not disallow them. St. Paul, as we have seen (635), gives his judgment (1 Cor. vii., 12) that the believing husband was not to put away the unbelieving wife; the believing wife not to separate from the unbelieving husband; and that the children were not "unclean" (àkalaprá). Thus, the Early Church did not annul or disallow mixed marriages; nor did she solemnize them again, when the unbelieving party was converted.

796. Whether and under what circumstances the Church would give her sanction to the celebration of Mixed Marriages, is another question. A marriage with an unbeliever is forbidden by Apostolic authority (2 Cor. vi., 14), Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord. And again (1 Cor. vii., 23), If the husband be dead, the wife is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

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CHAPTER XXII.

FUNERAL RITES OF CHRISTIANS.

797. A FUNERAL is necessarily a religious service among a religious people. The change which takes place at death, is a transition from this life to a future life, which religion discloses to us; and no occasion can be so appropriate, or so impressive, for the utterance of religious views and feelings, respecting the past, the present, and the future; respecting man's life in general, and the condition of the dead man in particular. Accordingly, in all times and places, the funeral rites have been of a religious kind, the corpse, the bier, the grave-clothes, the grave, have been looked upon with awe.

798. The Christian religion did not remove this feeling but by presenting to believers the resurrection of the dead, as a sure truth, constantly insisted upon, it removed much of the fear which belonged to such occasions. Its language was, O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory! It spoke of dying, as falling asleep; of the dead, as those who sleep. On the tombs of the early Christians were represented, as symbols of their hopes, a Crown, a Phœnix, a Pelican, a Palm-tree, a Ship sailing out of the Harbour, or the like. It was at a much later period that Death began to be represented as a skeleton, or a meagre spectre; a usage which is supposed to have arisen in part from the familiarity with bones which the use of Relics produced; and in part from the ascetic spirit, which sought to subdue man's levity and love of enjoyment; and aimed, not at evading, but at overcoming, the fear of death.

799. From the earliest times of the Church, the funeral of a Christian was, not a private, but a