1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

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Chapter 25

Of Marriage

Paragraph 1. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time.[1] 

[1] Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15; Matt. 19:5,6 

Paragraph 2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife,[2] for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue,[3] and the preventing of uncleanness.[4] 

[2] Gen. 2:18 

[3] Gen. 1:28 

[4] 1 Cor. 7:2,9 

Paragraph 3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent;[5] yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord;[6] and therefore such as profess the true religion, should not marry with infidels, or idolaters; neither should such as are godly, be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresy.[7] 

[5] Heb. 13:4; 1 Tim. 4:3 

[6] 1 Cor. 7:39 

[7] Neh. 13:25-27 

Paragraph 4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity, forbidden in the Word;[8] nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful, by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those persons may live together as man and wife.[9] 

[8] Lev. 18 

[9] Mark 6:18; 1 Cor. 5:1

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