Amazon.com description: Product Description: This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1877. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE KNOT TIED. CHAPTER I. OF THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY ACCORDING TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.* Introduction. That this holy state was instituted by God, is evident from the two first chapters in the Bible: whence it came to pass, that amongst all the descendants from our first parents, the numerous inhabitants of the different nations in the world, there has been some religious way of entering into this state, in consequence and testimony of this divine institution. Among Christians especially, from the very first ages of the Church, those that have been married have been always joined together in a solemn manner by an ecclesiastical person. And by several canons of the Church, it is declared to be no less than prostituting one's daughter, to give her in marriage without the blessing of the priests. In so much that some commentators interpret those words of Saint Paul, of marrying in the Lord* of marrying according to the form and order prescribed by the apostles. But those words are more naturally to be understood of marrying one of the same faith; as by the dead that die in the Lord, are undoubtedly to be understood, those that die in the faith of Christ. However, it is certain, that both in the Greek and Latin Churches, offices were drawn up in the most early times for the religious celebration of this holy ordinance; but being afterwards mixed with superstitious rites, the reformers thought fit to lay them aside, and to draw up a form more decent and grave, and more agreeable to the usage of the primitive Church. * The following account of the ceremony of marriage according to the constitution of the Church of England, has been condensed from Wheatly's Rational Illustration of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. Published by Tegg & ...