The Honor and Privilege of Marriage

 By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms:

Constructing a God Glorying View of Matrimony in the Christian Church

Howdy!

We don’t often think of marriage as something that should be in a directory for public worship, and since it is not normally conducted on the Lord’s Day it does seem a little strange, to be honest. However, seeing as it is ordinarily for the Christian done in the sanctuary and with a minister of the gospel (more on this later) presiding it makes sense that the Church would want to have some kind of understanding as to how a wedding should be conducted. As believers we should strive to do all things well and for the glory of God, our nuptials included.

Here are the opening words of the DPW on marriage:

Although marriage be no sacrament, nor peculiar to the church of God, but common to mankind, and of publick interest in every commonwealth; yet, because such as marry are to marry in the Lord, and have special need of instruction, direction, and exhortation, from the word of God, at their entering into such a new condition, and of the blessing of God upon them therein, we judge it expedient that marriage be solemnized by a lawful minister of the word, that he may accordingly counsel them, and pray for a blessing upon them.

Marriage is to be betwixt one man and one woman only; and they such as are not within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity prohibited by the word of God; and the parties are to be of years of discretion, fit to make their own choice, or, upon good grounds, to give their mutual consent.

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