Tameside Free Congregational Church

THE SAVOY DECLARATION OF FAITH AND ORDER 1658 – Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

OF MARRIAGE

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.

2 Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife; for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the Church with an holy seed, and for preventing of uncleanness.

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 reformed religion, should not marry with infidels, Papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly, be unequally yoked by marrying with such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.

4 Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguity 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.

Go to Chapter 26 – Of the Church

Go to Chapter 24 – Of the Civil Magistrate

Go to Contents – The Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order

Here is a sermon prepared by Mr Bradley for the Philippines Churches.  It is part of a series of commentary on each chapter of the Savoy Declaration.  We trust each one may also be helpful here in the UK.

References made, during the above sermon, to the teaching on ‘Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage’ in Matthew 5 verses 31 and 32 can be found by right-clicking here  and then clicking ‘Open link in new tab