christian baptism

~I
i
1
CHRISTIAN BAPTISM:
,
wrmm
ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENT&
BY
ALEXAl.'IDER CAMPBELL.
·ONB LORD, ONE J'AITII, ONB BAPTISH.-
BETIIANY, VA.:
.
PJ\INTED AND PUBLISHED BY ALEXANDER CAMPBELL.
1853.
IN'l"RO DUCTI 0 N.
has its theory a.nd ita practice.
Its theory i8
t:.he Sacred'Vritings of the Apostles a.nd Evangelists of Jesus
Christ; its pract-ice., the life of the Christian.
The Christian.
profession. is n.ot no"W"' ~hat it once ~as.
I t has becoxne secular
an.d sectarian.
.The xneID.bers of the church of Christ vvere forxnerly called H saints,"'" H elect of God," U a chosen gen.eration,'"
U
a royal priestihood,'" .. 4 a. peculia.r people."
N OViV" they are
called U Churchx;p.en,"'''' U Dissen.ters,""
U
Roxn.a.nists,""
U
Protesta.n.ta,""
U
Episcopa.lia.n.s,""
U
Presbyterians~H
H
In.dependen.ts,"
U
Ba.ptists,'" U Methodists;" &c. &c. &c.
The church ~as once
U
a spiritu.al hou.se,"'7 ",vhose ID.exnbers -vvere . addressed 3.S H justified,'"
U
sanctified,'"
H
adopted," and U saved."
I t ""\Vas U a holy
na.tion.'" '-Vhose citi~ns had their citizenship in heaven.
Such
"-Vere its designa.tions, and such '"\Vas its general cha.racter. - The
exceptions -w-ere cOInparatively fe-vv.
These :mostly renounced
the profession and -vvent back into the "W"orld.
U
They 'Went out
froID. us because they ~ere not of us,"? said th.e beloved John;
H
for had they been o f us they 'VVould no doubt have continued
'With u.s; but they '"\Vent out tha.t they xnight be xnude mani.fest
t·hat they 'tOere not all o f '1.£8."
But that such vvould n.ot alvvays be the cha.racter of the Christia.n profession, voras clearly foreseen a.nd distinctly foretold by
the holy ....- \...postles.
H'rhere sha.ll corne no falling avvay"_H an
apostn.sy~H said Pau.l_
II:e adds, " A MAN OF S I N , " " T H E SON
OF P E R D I T I O N , " ",viII corne~ and xnust be developed..
His cha.racter is delinea.ted, as proud, ha.ughty~ and secu.la.r.
He ~a.s,
indeed, to be a. churchn1a.n-t-o U sit in. the teD1ple of God.'1
He
CHR.ISTIA.NITY
2
13 .
15
INTRODUCTION.
14
INTRODUCTION·
"'ould exalt himself amongst and above the gods of ea.rth-the
kings and monarchs of nations. This mystic character would
<rain the ascendency by assumed powers ;-" signs," "miracles
~f falsehood," and "with all the deceitfulness of unrighteousness," amongst them "who did not love the truth," but had
pleasure in ioi(luit y. Indeed," the Spirit speaketh express.ly,
that in the latter days" a portion of the Christian profesSiOn
.. would uepart from the faith," giving heed to seducing preach.
..
f d d
"
ers, and "to doctrines concernmg the SPlfltS 0 ell men;
.• speakinO' lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared as
with a ho~ iron." They would preach a monastic life, au\""ocate
celibacy, "forbidding to marry," obscFving lent; "commn.n~g
tQ abstain from meats which God has created to be recelved
with thanksgiving, being sanctified by the word of God and
prayer."
Indeed, the .\.postle informs us that "as there were false prophets among the people" in former times, "so there should be
f:llse teachers as well as false professors among the people of
G'od, who should bring in "condemnable heresies ;"-reprobate
schisms, and" destructive sects." While ackno\vledging Jesus
a.s t\ teacher or prophet, and from God, they would undermine
his divinity, "uenying the Lord that bought them," "who gave
his life a ransom for many," and "who redeemed us to God by
his blood." Ile adus, "Many shall follow their pernicious ways,
hy reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
:Now all this will be done" for filthy lucre's sake." " Through
covetousness shall they with feigned words" (of piety) "make
merch:mdise of you." Their example will lead to skepticis~
and general infidelity; "for," says the same Apostle, know t~l1S
especially, "that in the la.s~ days s.coffers. shall come,. walkm.g
aftel:. their own lusts," sa.ymg, ., W here is the promise of his
cuming; for all things go on as they. did from the b~gi~ni~g ~f
the world ?" The mother or-all thlS apostasy and lllfidehty 1S
(~C)mpared to tl. cha.rla.tan, or r:~ther to a. co.urtez::m very gayly and
lisshionably attired. "She lS a.rrayed III purple a.nd s~arlet,
decked with guld and precious stones and pearls, ha.nng a
<rolden chalice in her h:mds full of abominations," the rewards
~f "the filthiness of her furnications." She wears a. splendid
tiara ma.gnificently adorned; but wh&n deciphered and fairly
.... interpreted, it mea.ns, "B.\.BYLO~ THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
IhRLOTS," and Parent of all Abomina.tions.
Such is a portion of the fortunes of the Christian profession
~s fore.told by. the Apostles; 'Ve have seen it; nay, we live in
the mIdst of it. This" ~Ian of Sin" still lives in Rome a d
"h V.
' <D
pre t 00 d S t 0 b e t e lcar of Christ" and "the Prince of the
Apostles."
" A r~formation of Pope:y was attempted in Europe full three
\"ent~rles ago. It ended in a Protestant hierarchy, and swarms
of ~ls~ent.ers.. P:otestn.ntisnl has been reformed into Presb,t~1'1.amsm,-that mto Congregationalism,-and that into BaptIstlsm~ &c. (~c: ~Ie~hodisln has attempted to reform all, but
has reformed Itself Into Inany forms of 'Vesleyism. None of
these h~ beg~n at the right place. All of the~ reta.in in their
bosonl,
In b
theIr ecclesiastic
ofo-anizations
worshl·p , doctrl nes,
d
.
b
,
an 0 serYance:~, varIOUS relics of Popery. They are, at best,
but a ref?rmatlon of Popery, and only reformations in part
The doctrmes and traditions of men yet impair the power
prog~~ss of thi} gospel in their hands; and, therefore, us com..
munitIes, t~ey are not distinguished by the ancient piety zeal
nnd humamty, nor for their efforts and success in evang:lizin~
the. world at ho~e or abroad. It is probable that as many of
theIr own offsprIng are converted to the ,vorld or to infidelity
~s the~ have ~eclaimed ~rom the world and the:various forms ~f
l~fi~elIty, durI~g any gIv.en period of years. . ~Iost of the 80?Iallsts, Agra:uJ,ns, Fourierists, Owenists, Rationalists, Pusey~ts, &?, .now m Protestant countries, are of Protestant ancestry
ur m1ssIOnary gains fro~ heathen lands do not more, a.t mo~t:
t.han fill up the ~postasles from Protestant households to ihenn~e~ous and varIOUS forms of infidelity.
LIvln~ then, as. "·e do, in the midst of such abortive efforts nt
;eformatlOn; seemg the progress of error, and regretting the
eeble an~ slow .~dvances of the gospel upon even the out osts
?rrof.'
l1?d abounding iniquity, we a.re
InqU.lre, I any thIng .can be done; and, if any thing what
sho?ld It be:. and hDW attempted? To fight the old battl:s over
~~aln, to rally under the old banners of Calvinism or A · ·
Ism' to pro .ose
E "
'
rmmlan~
~I h d P
some' pls~opahan,Presbyterian, Congregational.
o.r 1 et 0 ISdt p.lntrornl of Improvenlent, either of theory or prac~
t
t Ice, or
. to a opt
. Scotch ' E ng 1·IS h ,or .il.merlCan
Buptistisln, could
romlse nothmg better than that which a.lready is, or has hereto~
o~e been. These have all been tried.• Their whole moral and
SpIrItual power has been made to bear upon the present condi..
e
ami
I
.::.
~:
or:
m~:ehty,
eonstr~ned
e
e
16
INTRODUCTION.
of
tiona and past conditions
sectarianized Christianity. And
what have they done? "That can they do better than they have
already done? Do the new parties called "Ref01wted" enjoy
more spirituality, more union, more harmony and peace among
themselves, than the old ones? Are they Dlore benevolent, more
liberal more active,- or more. suceessful in converting the world,
than the ~ld ones? Or do they seek to unite the faithful, or to
bring nIl Protestant parties into one cOlllmunion? Are they
more Sllcccssful in active benevolence th:.ln those who preceded
them? • These are questions which, as far as I am informed,
must all be ans,vered in the negative. From thenl uniied on
anyone of these creeds, or from them as they- now are, can we
expect 3, better state of things, internal or external? If so, we
ask them for the proof.. ~rill that is given, we shall, because we
must, despair of it.
. .
.. . .
All creeds are mere theories of· CIlristlo,n doctnne, dIsCIplIne,
and government, exhibited as t\ basis of church union. Being
speculative, the.y have always proved themselv-es to b? '.' apples
of discord" or "roots of bitterness" amongst the ChrIstIan profession. They have, in days of yore, erected pillories, founded
prisons, provoked wars, kindled fires, conse~ra~ed autos do,. fe,
instituted star-ehambers, courts of high commISSIon, and horrl~le
tribunals of Papa'! inquisition. Exile, banishment, confiscatlo.n
of goods, lands, and tenements, and martyr.dom, have ~een their
convincing logic r their persuasi.ve rhetorIC, and theIr tende~
mercies.
Ilaving long reflected upon the~e premises-thes~.creeds,
~chisms, and parties-as well· as 'O? the Sacred. ~VrItlngs of
Apostles and Prophets, and the priIDltive communItIes founded
on them we are fully convinced that neither Popery, nor any
of its P;otestant reformations, is the Christian Institution delivered to us in the,Holy Scriptures.. What is Popery, but the
extreme of defection and apostasy? ",Vhat is Prelacy, but a
reformed modification of Popery? 'Vhat is Presbyterianism,
but a reform of Prelacy? 'Vhat is Congregationalism, or lndep.endency, but a reforl}1 of Presbyterianism? And what. is
\Vesleyan l\lethodism, but a popular .,emendation. of EnglIsh
Episcopacy, combined with the enthusl:J.Sm of anCIent Quaker·
ism? Anlonst them all, we thank the grace of God that there
3re many wh'o believe in,. and love the Saviour, and that, ~h~ugh
-:ve may not have Christian Ghurches,. we- have many ChllBtians.. -
INTRODUCTION.
17
Is not this as obvious and intel1ig~ble as that while there are
many republicans in England, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain,
and Germany, there is not in them all one republic!
.
. Protestant parties are all founded upon Protestant peculiarities. Indeed, there is but one radical and distinctive idea in
anyone of them. That is, their centre of attraction and of
radiation. They baptize themselves at the laver of that idea,
and assu~e the name of it, whatever it may be, Episcopalian,
PresbyterIan, or Methodist, &c. &c. Thev build on what ispeculiar, and thus, in effect, qndervalue th~t which is common
to them ~ll. And yet, themselves being judges, that which is
common IS ~uch more. valuable than that which is peculiar.
The s~b-basls of all partIes is the tenet which is their cognomen.
T~e ddreren~e. between a Churchman and' a Presbyterian is
~elther CalVInISm nor Arminianism, faith nor repentance,
rlghteot;lsness nor holiness, baptism nor- the eucharist but the
polities of ecclesiastical organization-the 'policy called Episcopacy· or Presbytery-the single ide~f one Bishop or two
Bish~ps .in ?ne church, a Prelate or a Presbytery. Ev;ry other •
pe.cu!Iarity 18 but the colouring, modification, or development of ·
thIS Idea. This consecrates the sacramental table,
~ow, it appears. ta us, the things which are most commonly
beheved are most valuable, certainly much more valuable tha~
anyone
the partisan peculiarities. The things most commonly believed are, of course, most evident; and generally in _
~he r~tlo of the evidence in proof of any fact or proposition is
ItS.value. _ Romanists and Protestants of almost ever, name
h,elieve that "Chriss died for our sins," and that "he ~as burled," an~ that '~he rose again the third day" according to
prophec!. These, the Apostle Paul says, 'viII save an, man
~at beheves .them;. if, indeed, he <10 practically believe ~ them.
ut who can say thIS of anyone of the partisan foundations?
Of the Papal seven sacraments but two are held in common
among all Protestants. These are Christian baptism fid the
L.ord's supper. And who will not say that these two are infinItely more ,'aluable than either marriage or extreme unction,
or any or all the five reputed as such? W 0 conclude then that
~ party founded on all that is commonlv received
Ro~anlSta G k
dP
..
..
, ree s, an
rotestants, and nothing more, would not only
~e a new party, one .entirely new, but incomnarablv more r.;ilOnal, and~crtainl'y more scriptural than any 'of the"m.
0:
J;v
2'-:
INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
18
Cesaren, Philippi, from that Apostle whose name was Simon
Rock, or, in Greek, Si·mon.Peter. The question propounded to
the Apostles was, "JVho do you say that L th.e Son of Man, am f
From a full survey of the premises of ecclesiastical history,
of human creeds and sects,-and especially from a profound re-
gard for the wisdom and knowledge that .guided, und the S~irit
that ~spired the Apostles of Jesus ChrIst, and that qualIfied
thenl to reveal his will,-we have proposed an E~'angelical Reformati()ll-Qr, rather, a return to the faith and manners anciently
delivered to the sai"nts-A RESTORATION of original' Cltrntia1liiy
both in theo1·y and practice. The three capital points of which
Cephas responded, "'fnou ART THE CHRIST, TIlE SON OF TilE
LIVIXG Gon." On this, the Saviour responded, "Thou art called
Tock, and ON THIS R<>CK I 'VILL BUILD }IY eH/URCH, and the"
gates of hades shall not prevail against it."
This confession m·llst be made' by: eve~y applicant for Ohristian
b~~tism in ord~r to his being constitutionally builded upon the
dIVIne foundatIon; Of, as we usually say, admitted into the
are:~
1. The Christian Scriptures, the only rule and measure of
Christian kiIlf6doDl or church·. No minister, or church of Jesus
Christ, has any di\inc right or authority to ask for more or ac~ept of less than this, in order to Christian baptism. 'Ve ought,
Indeod, to know that the- person so professino- understands what
C11ristian faith and learning.
II. The Clu-istian confession~ the found~\tion of Christian
union and conl1nunion.
III. The Christian ordinances-baptism, the Lordrs day, and
the Lord's supper,-as taught and observed by the Apostles.
Of these three fundamental propositions we need not, indeed
we cannot, po,v speak particularly.
Concerning the first, it would seem enough to say, that as the
Christian writinO's are the production of the Holy Spirit speak~
o
·
h
in l7 to us through the minisrers of Christ, they are Just w at
th;y ought to be. The Spirit of God being "the Spirit ofwis~
dom and knowledge," the Spirit of eloquence and revelation.
author of the gift of tongues, and "the Advocate" of Christ, he
certainly could and did select the best forms of" human language
in which to communicate the mind and will of God to man·.
He possesses infinitely more wisdom, learning, and eloquence,
than all the Councils and Gt:meral A'88emblies that ever met.
Hence the Christian Scriptures, when fairly transl3.ted, are more
intelligible; comprehensi~e, and consequently bet~er. adapted. to
the whole family of man, than any formula of ChrIstian doctrme
ever delivered to ma~. If, then, we cannot unite, and harmonize
t\ll discords, upon God's own book, in vain shall we attempt it
on the books of men. They are, indeed, the only perfect and
complete rule and standard of Chri~ian fait~ .an~ ~anners,
adapted to man as he is, contemplated m both hIS ~ndlvldual .and
social character-in the family ~ church, and natlOnal relatIOns
of life.
The Christian confession, into which we are baptized, and on
which we are admitted into the church of God, has been :rendered superlatively conspicuous by the emphasis laid on it by
the Lord Jesus Christ in person, when he first elicited it at
19
he -says, :lnd gives evidence· of the &incerityOof his confession.:
but farther tl~n,n this neither'right reason· nor revelation interr<r
gates any man, Jew or·Gentile. ,ve need not add that no one
can belie,·e, repent, make confession, or be baptized by proxy,
or upon an?th~r pers?n's confession. Christianity being person~l, both In ItS. sU~J.ect and object, it is neither. family nor
.. na~l~~~l: Every mdlV1~u~1 '~~ust be born of water and, of the
SpIrIt In order to- admISSIon Into· the present dispensation of
tIle kingdonl of God.
?once:ning the other Christian ordinances, we observe that,
Bemg monum~ntalof the Christian foots-Christ's death, burial~
.
-
\.
nn~ resu~rectl?n-3.nd containing in them the grace of God;
beIng also SOCIal in their nature, they are weekly instet t·
d t 1 del·
I l'
1 U IOnS,
~n
~ Je . l.lgent y 0 )served by all the faitllful in Cllrist Jesus
In ttheIrf~~tbhllC weekly ~ssemblieg. ,They are; therefore, essential
pars 0
e communIon of saints."
. As for prayer and praise, they are, indeed, Christian institutl.on.s; but not exclusively so. The altar, the priest, and the
;~ctlm, pra!~~ and praise, belong to no age, dispensation, or
~f rehgl?~. They are religion itself. JVithout these jive,
~here 1$ no .re~tgl?l~. There was no patriarchal nor Jewish, there
IS no ?!lr~stHln Institution ~of religion,. without these nle-dia of
reconCIlIatIon
and
worship
· t·Ul.ns, In
· dee,
d have an
1"
._ , .
"0
o · 'Ve . CllrlS
attar,· ,I, Jllgh-prl(~st, and n, l.'
sacrifice,infin·t
I eIy Illore BU bl·Ime and
g 1orlOUS than any one around Wllicll Pat"
flarc h s or J ews ever
assem hI e d .
But though we have no private, no family altar, priest, or
rID
l.
20
INTRODUCTION•.
INTRODUCTION.
sacrifice, we have our personal'and our Christian family pr~yer
and praise, without which Christian parents cann?~ possibly
bring up their families "in the nurture and admonitIon of the
Lord."
There is also the Christian fellowship,. or contributions for
the expenditure of the church of Christ, in its various work~ of
riO'hteousness and benevolence. The ex·penses of n communIty,
a:d the benevolence of a community, must also be public as well
as private and personal. This was anciently called "T~E FELLOWSHIP." In attending upon it, in our ,veekly assemblIes, ,ve
become followers of the primitive churches, and enjoy the luxury
of socially practising righteousness and mercy on the Lord's d.ay.
That Evangelical Reformation, now in progress, extend.lng
over the United States and the English provinces in AmerIca,
and being now plead in the kingdoms of. E"ngland, Ireland, and
Scotland, and in other places, embraCing from two to three
hundred thousand professors, in addition to these fundamental
matters of scriptural· and divine authority, ~xhibits tW? other
propositions besides those three na~d: as. vlt~l a~d all"lDlportant to the restoration of original ChristIanity In faIth and practice, in letter and in spirit. These are- . .
. ~
1. That instead of the modern eccleSIastIc and sectarIan
terminoloO'y, or technical style, we adopt BIBLE :NAlIES FOR
BIBLE TH~NGS. For example :-Instead of "sacraments/' we
prefer o1·dinances,. for "the Eucharist," the Lord's Supper,· for
"coycnant of works," the la'w; for "covenant of grac~,'~ th·e
gospel· for "Testament,''' Iiiiiitution, or GOt1enant; for "TrInIty,"
Godlt:ad; for "first, second, and third person," tlte Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit; for "Eternal Son," tlte Son nf God;
for :, original sin," ~tlte fall or the o..ffence; for "Cl~rist~~n S~b­
bath," Lord's day or First day; for "effectual callIng, cal~l,ng
or obedience; for "merits of Christ," 1"£ghteollSneS8 or sacrijic~
of Christ; for "general atonement," 1"anSOnl, for all; for "free
grace,!' grace; for" free will," lviii,,, &c. &c. .
.
As the Lord promised by ZephanIah, that In order to unIon
amongst his people, he would give them "[\ pure langua~e, t~at
they might all call upon the name of ~lle Lorcl to 8e1.'ve It'tm 'l/Jltlt
one consent," so every effort at evangelIcal refor~a~lon mu~t, to
heal divisions nnd to prevent debate among Chrlstlan~-alm at
a "pure language/' the 'language of CanQfn, and avoId that of
Ashdod,-calling Bible things by Bible words.
j
21
2. Th~ second grand proposition essential to an evangelical
reformatIOn-to Christian-union and Co-operation in the kingdom
of Christ, is,-that UNITY OF FAITH, and not unity of opinion .
mus~ ?e publicly and privately taught and advocated as pr~
requISIte to the communion of the children of God.
The Bible, without regard to its books or dispensations is
properly divided into three grand elements. These are prop:rly
called facts, precepts, and promises. A.ll these, it is true, might
be called facts, as all books might be called 100l·ds. But in the
usual. appropriated sense, we call any thinO' said or done afact.
an.y thing commanded to be done, a precept; and any thing pr:'
m1.Sed ~ be done, a promise. This distinction greatly reduces'
the subjects of debate-the "doctrines," "strifes of words"
and "endless genealogies," which "minister questions a~d
dO~bts, rather :han .g?dly edif!ing," and makes it quite possible,
~mIdst many dIverSities of opmion, to maintain" unity of spirit
~n the bonds of peace." Each of the three dispensations had
Its own facts, precepts, and promises. The things said and
done by God and men from A.dam to l\Ioses, constitute itiJPatriarchal facts; t~ose from Moses to C~rist, its Jewish facts; lJ,Ild
t~ose from ChrIst to the end of the apostolic writings, its Christian facts. Each of these three had also its own peculiar precepts and promises.
No~ as fact.a are only to be believed, precepts to be obeyed, and
promIse~to be enjoyed and hoped fOr, as well as believed, we can
~ery ea~dyand
tir
J~W1sh
perspicuously distinguish what constitutes ChrisflUth; C?ristian obedience, and Christian hope, not only
fr m the
and the Patriarchal, but also from all matters
of speculatIon llana.lly called opinions. 'Ve must be b
b f · ,
ecause
we can . e, 0 one faIth, of one obedience, and of one hope' but
we need not be, becaus~ we cannot be, of one opinion, not being
of one mental, or phySIcal constitution. Hence the propriety
~nd the bea~ty of that apostolic exhortation, "Endea.vouring to
eep the ulllty of the Spirit in the bonds of peace' for there is
one body,. and one Spirit, even 'as you are called i~ one hope of
yFour c:llhng; one Lord, one faith, one baptism one God 4"\nd
ather of II h · '
~41
a ,w 0 IS ahov: all, and through all, and in you all."
These ~?v.en reas~ns, WIthout regard to differences of opinion,
~~e .th.e dmne bas!s of Christian union, and should be of all
" rlstlan co-operatlOn. ~Ve ask no more-we propose no less.
Matters of doubtful disPutations," or, properly, matters of
22
INTRODUCTION.
.
thority but the renson of lnan.
mere speculative belIef, h~ve'~~::eive him that is weak in the
Paul, therefore, cornman s,
f · · " nnd "Let the
· ffi
0 0plnlo n ·
'"
d
fa.ith without reg~rd to. . 1 erences ak and ~ot please themstrong bear the. m~rmlbes of th\;:\hen lay a divine basis of
y
selves," or have thelr OWkll ;a · 0iZ ond not for the deductions
..
·
W e as lor fiat~,
CllrlstUl,n unIon.
and not the opinions of men;
of reason; for the te.sttmony of God, ~
lk by this rule
·
A
tl "As many as wa
'
and say ,vlth the pos e,
n upon t h e I srae1 0 f God"
•
peace be on them and mercy, eve
BOOK FIRST.
Ut
0
4.
alltecebents of tiaptmm.
.
CH.t.~PTER
THE BIBLE.
o
I.
.
TilE Bible is the oldest and best book in the world. I~ is
translated into more languages and read by more people than
any other volume ever written. Its history and its prophecy
comprehend the entire destiny of the ,vorid. It presents to us
man in his natural, preternatural, and supernatura.l conditions
and characteristics. It records the three great religious ages of the
world by developing three dispensations of religion-the Patriarchal, the J emah, and the Christian. ~In,n as he ,vas, man as he
is, and inan as he shall hereafter be, are its three grand themes.
It reveals God, by unfolding the mysterious relations of the ~"ather,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the three great works of Creation, Providence, and Redemption.
The Bible is divided into two great departments, usually, but
improperly, called the Old and New Testaments. The· former
of these contains the inspired writings of n!oses, the first of historians and the greatest of lawgivers, together with those of the
n.ncient Prophets; while the latter contains those of the Apostles
and Evangelists of Jesus Christ. Regarded as the Jewish and
the Christian Scriptures, it comprehends sixty-six distinct and
independent treatises. Thirty-nine of these constitute the Jewish, and twenty-seven the Christian records. The Christian
Scriptures are the work of only eight persons, six: of whom were
Apostles, and two of them Evangelists of Jesus Christ and companions of the .Apostles. TIle Jewisll Scriptures were written
by more than thirty persons, all of ,vhom, save one,*' ,vere Jewi.
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Job, it 18 presumed. was
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Idumca.tl or Arabia.n Bage.
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