3. That in order to this, nothing ought to be inculcated upon Christians as articles of faith; nor required of them as terms of communion; but what is expressly taught, and enjoined upon them, in the word of God. Nor ought anything be admitted, as of divine obligation, in their church constitution and managements, but what is expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles upon the New Testament church; either in expressed terms, or by approved precedent.

      4. That although the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are inseparably connected, making together but one perfect and entire revelation of the Divine will, for the edification and salvation of the church; and therefore in that respect cannot be separated; yet as to what directly and properly belongs to their immediate object, the New Testament is as perfect a constitution for the worship, discipline and government of the New Testament church, and as perfect a rule for the particular duties of its members; as the Old Testament was for the worship discipline and government of the Old Testament church, and the particular duties of its members.

      5. That with respect to the commands and ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, where the scriptures are silent, as to the express time or manner of performance, if any such there be; no human authority has power to interfere, in order to supply the supposed deficiency, by making laws for the church; nor can anything more be required of Christians in such cases, but only that they so observe these commands and ordinances, as will evidently answer the declared and obvious end of their institution. Much less has any human authority power to impose new commands or ordinances upon the church, which our Lord Jesus Christ has not enjoined. Nothing ought to be received into the faith or worship of the church; or be made a term of communion amongst Christians, that is not as old as the New Testament.

      6. That although inferences and deductions from scripture premises, when fairly inferred, may be truly called the doctrine of God's holy word: yet are they not formally binding upon the consciences of Christians farther than they perceive the connection, and evidently see that they are so; for their faith must not stand in the wisdom of men; but in the power and veracity of God--therefore no such deductions can be made terms of communion, but do properly belong to the after and progressive edification of the church. Hence it is evident that no such deductions or inferential truths ought to have any place in the church's confession.

      ^* Declaration and Address, items 3 through 6.

[GPP 128-129]

      "Interpretation of the Scriptures" was first published in Thomas Campbell's Declaration and Address (Washington, PA: Washington Christian Association, 1809). The electronic version of Propositions 3 through 6 has been produced from Great Pioneer Papers (Rosemead, CA: Old Paths Book Club, ca. 1945), pp. 128-129. Thanks to Beaumont Memorial Library, Harding University, for the loan of the book.

      Textual variants from the first edition of the Declaration and Address (1809) to publication of the excerpt in Great Pioneer Papers are as follows:

            Declaration and Address [ Great Pioneer Papers
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 128:    upon christians [ upon Christians
            ought any thing [ ought anything
            express terms, [ expressed terms,
            approven precedent. [ approved precedent.
            can anything [ can anything
            of christians [ of Christians
 p. 129:    amongst christians, [ amongst Christians,
            of christians [ of Christians
            churchs's confession. [ church's confession.
 

      Pagination has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 12 December 1997.
Updated 8 July 2003.