Martyrs Mirror 32OF MARRIAGE

Marriage we hold to be an ordinance of God, which was first instituted by God in Paradise, and confirmed in our first parents, Adam and Eve, who were created after the image of God, male and female, while they both were yet in favor with God. Gen. 2:22 ; 1:27 .

In accordance with this first institution, and agreeably to Christ's ordinance, Matt. 19:5 , the marriage of Children of God (who are not too nearly related by consanguinity) must be entered into, after prayer, and kept inviolable, so that each man shall have his own, only wife, and each wife her own husband; and nothing shall separate them, save adultery. Lev. 18 ; 20 ; I Cor. 5:1 ; Matt. 19 ; Rom. 7:2 ; I Cor. 7:2 ; Matt. 5:32 ; I Cor. 9:5 .

Thus, it is lawful for a brother to take a sister to wife; a sister, also, may be married to whom she will, only in the Lord, that is, according to the ordinance and pleasure of the Lord, as mentioned before. But we do not find that God has anywhere, through His Word, ordained or instituted, that a believing member of the church should enter into matrimony with an unbelieving, worldly person; on the contrary, we find, that God the Lord was very angry with those who did so, and declared that they were flesh, who would not be led by His Spirit; therefore, we reprove all those who follow herein the lust of their own flesh, in the same manner as we do other carnal sinners. I Cor. 7:39 ; Deut. 7:3 ; Neh. 10:30 ; 13:25-27 ; Gen. 6:6 .