1689 Confession, Ch. 25, "Of Marriage"

1689 CONFESSION, CH. 25, "OF MARRIAGE"

I. THE MONOGAMOUS RULE OF MARRIAGE (para. 1).

II. THE MAJOR PURPOSES FOR MARRIAGE (para. 2).
A. The mutual help of husband and wife.
B. The increase of mankind with a legitimate issue.
C. The preventing of uncleanness.

III. THE LAWFUL PARTIES TO MARRIAGE (para. 3-4).
A. The general rule: liberty.

B. The specific restrictions.

1. The Christian restriction.

2. The natural restriction.

WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH ON MARRIAGE:
Paragraph 5. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract, being detected before marriage, gives just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract. In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.

Paragraph 6. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God has joined together in marriage: yet, nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bind of marriage: wherein, a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills, and discretion, in their own case.