The Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans.
II. Corinthians.
Galatians.
Ephesians.
Philippians.
Colossians.
II. Thessalonians.
II. Timothy.
Titus.
Philemon.
Hebrews.
The Epistle of St. James.
St. Peter II.
St. John III.
St. Jude.
The Revelation of St. John.
All which we acknowledge to be given by the inspiration of God, and in that regard to be of the most certain credit and highest authority.
3. The other Books, commonly called Apocryphal, did not proceed from such inspiration, and therefore are not of sufficient authority to establish any point of doctrine; but the Church doth read them as Books containing many worthy things for example of life and instruction of manners.
Such are these following:
The Third Book of Esdras.
The Fourth Book of Esdras.
The Book of Tobias.
The Book of Judith.
Additions to the Book of Esther.
The Book of Wisdom.
The Book of Jesus, the Son of Saarah, called Ecclesiasticus.
Baruch, with the Epistle of Jeremiath.
The Song of the Three Children.
Susanna.
Bell and the Dragon.
The Prayer of Manasses.
The First Book of Maccabæns.
The Second Book of Maccabæns.
4. The Scriptures ought to be translated out of the original tongues into all languages for the common use of all men: neither is any person to be discouraged from reading the Bible in such a language as he doth understand, but seriously exhorted to read the same with great humility and reverence, as a special means to bring him to the true knowledge of God and of his own duty.
5. Although there be some hard things in the Scripture (especially such as have proper relation to the times in which they were first uttered, and prophecies of things which were afterwards to be fulfilled), yet all things necessary to be known unto everlasting salvation are clearly delivered therein; and nothing of that kind is spoken under dark mysteries in one place which is not in other places spoken more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity both of the learned and unlearned.
6. The holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation, and