to marry, the marriage is null and invalid; and these are called impediments, dissolving the marriage; impedimenta dirimentia. There are other cases, in which the church only forbids marriage so far, that to proceed to marry against this prohibition of the church, is a sin of disobedience, yet the marriage is valid.

As to those impediments that dissolve the marriage, and render it null, they are as follow:

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1. In case either party should mistake the son with whom they intend to marry; as if a man, through mistake, should marry with Anne, intending to marry with Mary; such a contract of marriage is null: but if the mistake be not of the person, but only the qualities of the person, as to be noble or rich, &c. and it proves to be otherwise, such error is no impediment, and the marriage is valid.

2. If any one marries with a person who is by condition a bond slave, the marriage is null; unless you were conscious beforehand of their condition, for in that case the marriage is valid.

3. If either of the parties has made a solemn vow of perpetual chastity before marriage, their marriage is null.

4. All that are related by consanguinity, to the fourth degree inclusive, are forbid to marry with one another, and their marriage is null.

5. If any man or woman shall murder their present wife or husband, with an intent to marry another person with whom they had committed adultery: or if they shall murder that person's wife or husband, whom they intend to marry, such marriage is null, although perhaps the parties had made no agreement of future marriage, in the life-time of the former wife or hus band that was murdered: or if two parties have made a mutual promise of future marriage, as soon as they shall be at liberty from their present yoke, and in consequence of this promise either party commits a murder upon their present wife or husband, to make way for their future intended marriage, such marriage is null, although one of the parties was innocent of the murder, and both of them innocent of adultery: or

if a married man or woman commit adultery, with a promise of future marriage after the death of their present wife or husband, in punishment of such a promise, joined with the crime of adultery, though no murder was committed, their future marriage is null or if a married man or woman should pretend to marry another, in the life-time of the first wife or husband, and afterwards the first wife or husband chance to die, then if the person whom they pretended to marry, was at the time of such marriage conscious that it was a false marriage, they cannot marry with that person, even after the death of their former wife or husband; but it is otherwise if they were not conscious of the cheat.

6. If one who is a christian and baptized marries with an infidel, or one who is not baptized, the marriage is null.

7. If the consent of either party was not free, but extorted by violence used, the marriage is null.

8. If any man who has received the order of Priest, Deacon, or Subdeacon, marries withont a dispensation, the marriage is null.

9. If any one who is actually married, should marry another wife or husband before the death of the first, the second marriage is null.

10. If a man and woman are publicly espoused or promised to each other, though not yet married, and afterwards their engagement be broke off, neither of these parties who were so promised or espoused, can marry with the father or mother, or with the brother or sister of the party to whom they were espoused, and all such marriages would be null. (Con. Trid. Sess. 24. c. 3.)

11. If any man or woman marries with any of their former husband's or wife's relations, to the fourth degree of affinity inclusive, it is no marriage: or if a man or woman marry with a relation of that person with whom they have committed adultery or fornication, to the second degree inclusive, it is no marriage: or if the godfather or godmother, in baptism or confirmation, or the party who baptizes, should afterwards marry with the party baptized, or with his parent, it

is no marriage, on account of the spiritual affinity contracted.

12. If a marriage be not contracted in the presence of the pastor, and before two at least or three witnesses, it is a clandestine marriage and null, in all places where the discipline of the Council of Trent is received, (Sess. 24. c. 1.)

13. If either party, through a defect of nature, which is perpetual and incurable, cannot consummate the marriage, it is null: but if that defect be not perpetual and incurable, or though it be perpetual, if it happens after marriage was contracted, the marriage is valid.

14. If a man has stolen a woman, and carried her' off by force, against her consent, so long as she remains under his power, there can be no marriage between them; but if she be first set at liberty, and then consent to marry him, the marriage will be valid. (Con. Trid. Sess. 24. c. 6.)

Some one may question, how any authority on earth can create impediments against marriage, so as to render that null which would otherwise be valid ? But the reason is, because marriage is not only a sacrament, but also a contract; now, a contract may be null, either by the law of nature, or by any express law of God or man, and hence marriages may be null any of these ways.If we regard marriage only as a natural contract, (as under the law of nature it was) every one that had the legislative power, could then constitute impediments against marriage; because the constituting of matrimonial impediments, is nothing else but a law which prescribes the conditions under which the contract of marriage is to be made, and without which it is to be void. And as every legislator has authority to ordain what is for the public good, and marriage has a reference to the public good, where it is only a natural contract, it lies under the authority of the civil law; for which reason, any christian prince may now constitute impediments against the marriages of infidels in his dominions; because such marriage is only a natural contract. But marriage between christians being now made a sacra

ment of the new law, it is no longer subject to the pow er of temporal princes, who cannot alter or ordain any thing that relates to the substance and matter of the sacraments, nor consequently to the contract of marriage, which is now the matter of a sacrament. The church then has the power of fixing these impediments, not the prince.

As to those impediments which do not make void and annul the marriage, but only render it unlawful, and a sin of disobedience to the church, impedimenta prohibentia, they come under four heads.

1. If by the interdict or prohibition of the church, the bishop or curate, or any other ecclesiastical superior, you are forbid to marry within a certain space of time, as so many days, weeks, &c. that they may consult about some difficulty that occurs in the marriage; or if the church forbids marriage within such a place, or with excommunicated persons, you cannot marry in such case, without a sin, though the marriage will be valid.

2. It will be also an unlawful, but valid marriage, if within the forbidden times, (which begin with the first, Sunday of Advent, and end with Twelfth-day: and begin again with Ash-Wednesday, and end with Low-Sunday) you proceed to solemnize marriage. Con. Trid. Sess.

24. c. 10.

3. If you have made a promise of future marriage to any person with whom you may lawfully marry, this brings a strong obligation upon you, not to marry with any other, so long as the party you are promised to lives, and the promise subsists.

4. If you have made a private vow of perpetual chastity; or a vow to enter into holy orders or a vow to enter into religion, that is, into some religious order; you cannot marry without a sin; but in that case the marriage nevertheless will be valid.

The reason why some impediments annul and invalidate the marriage, and these now mentioned do not, is because the former regard more the essence of the sacraments, and these latter only the solemn rites or solemnity of it.

EXHOR.As you believe it your duty to obey all other precepts of the church, resolve also to obey this. You see, here are impediments against marriage, which invalidate, and absolutely annul the contract: some of these impediments are grounded on the law of nature, others on the positive law of God: and even as to those that are constituted by the church law only, they have no other tendency but to make the law of marriage, which God instituted, be observed with greater sanctity and perfection. This is likewise the end of those other impediments which prohibit marriage within certain times, but do not annul the contract. Attend then to these regulations, which the church of God has made concerning marriage, and never attempt to break through them, to enter unlawfully into that state, which may bring a curse, instead of a blessing upon you, at your first entrance into it. Consider in what difficulties many have entangled themselves, by pretending to marry contrary to law: follow not the steps of the disobedient, but when you enter into that state, do it in the face of the church; contrary to no law of the church; nor even ask a dispensation without a good cause; so shall your marriage be honourable, and the bed undefiled.

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The three evangelical counsels expounded.

WH WHAT is the first evangelical counsel ? A. Voluntary poverty, which is leaving all things to follow Christ. Q. What is the second? A. Perpetual chastity, which is a voluntary abstaining from marriage, and all carnal pleasures, for the love of God. Q. What is the third? A. Obedience, which is a voluntary submission to another's will in all that is not sin.

INSTRUC. The evangelical counsels are holy and divine admonitions; but not being commands, every one is left at his own will and discretion to follow them, the better to advance in greater perfection, and with more ease to fulfil the will and commandments of God. They were left us by Christ himself, and recommended to us by his apostles. There can be then no supersti