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.
Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:15; Matthew 19:5,6
2. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and the preventing of uncleanness.
Genesis 2:18; Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 7:2, 9
3. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who are able with judgment to give their consent; yet it is the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord; 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.
Hebrews 13:4; 1 Timothy 4:3; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Nehemiah 13:25-27
4. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity, forbidden in the Word; 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.
Leviticus 18; Mark 6:18; 1 Corinthians 5:1
1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Of the Holy Scriptures
- Chapter 2 - Of God and the Holy Trinity
- Chapter 3 - Of God's Decree
- Chapter 4 - Of Creation
- Chapter 5 - Of Divine Providence
- Chapter 6 - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof
- Chapter 7 - Of God's Covenant
- Chapter 8 - Of Christ the Mediator
- Chapter 9 - Of Free Will
- Chapter 10 - Of Effectual Callin
- Chapter 11 - Of Justification
- Chapter 12 - Of Adoption
- Chapter 13 - Of Sanctification
- Chapter 14 - Of Saving Faith
- Chapter 15 - Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation
- Chapter 16 - Of Good Works
- Chapter 17 - Of the Perseverance of the Saints
- Chapter 18 - Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
- Chapter 19 - Of the Law of God
- Chapter 20 - Of the Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof
- Chapter 21 - Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
- Chapter 22 - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
- Chapter 23 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
- Chapter 24 - Of the Civil Magistrate
- Chapter 25 - Of Marriage
- Chapter 26 - Of the Church
- Chapter 27 - Of the Communion of Saints
- Chapter 28 - Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
- Chapter 29 - Of Baptism
- Chapter 30 - Of the Lord's Supper
- Chapter 31 - Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
- Chapter 32 - Of the Last Judgment
- Ending Statement and Signatories