by a false appearance of marriage, and thus stain their souls with the turpitude and defilement of wicked lusts. To give them competent and correct information on this important subject, we shall begin with the meaning of the word " Matrimony." It is called " Matrimony," because the principal object which a female should propose to herself in marriage is to become a mother; (matrem) or because to a mother it belongs to conceive, bring forth, and train up her offspring. It is also called " wed lock," (conjugium) from the conjugal union of man and wife; (a conjugendo) because a lawful wife is united to her husband, as it were, by a common yoke. It is called " marriage," (nuptiae) because, as St. Ambrose observes, the bride veiled her face (se obnuberent) through modesty, a reverential observance which would also seem to imply that she was to be subject to her husband. [1]
Matrimony, in the general opinion of divines, is defined " The conjugal and legitimate union of man and woman, which is to last during life." In order that the different parts of this definition may be better understood, the pastor will teach that, although a perfect marriage has all these conditions, viz. internal consent, external assent expressed by words, the obligation and tie which arise from the contract, and the marriage debt by which it is consummated; yet the obligation and tie expressed by the word " union," alone have the force and nature of marriage. The peculiar character of this union is marked by the word "conjugal," distinguishing it from other contracts by which persons unite to promote their common interests, engage to render some service for a stipulated time, or enter into an agreement for some other purpose, contracts all of which differ essentially from this " conjugal union." Next follows the word " legitimate;" for persons excluded by law cannot contract marriage, and if they do their marriage is invalid. Persons, for instance, within the fourth degree of kindred, a boy before his fourteenth year, and a female before her twelfth, the ages established by the laws, [2] cannot contract marriage. The words "which is to last during life," express the indissolubility of the tie, which binds husband and wife.
Hence, it is evident, that in that tie consists marriage. Some eminent divines, it is true, say that it consists in the consent, as when they define it: " The consent of the man and woman;" but we are to understand them to mean that the consent is the efficient cause of marriage, which is the doctrine of the Fathers of the Council of Florence; because, without the consent and contract, the obligation and tie cannot possibly exist. But it is of absolute necessity that the consent be expressed in words which designate the present time. Marriage is not a simple
