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VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books

• Genesis,
• Exodus,
• Leviticus,
• Numbers,
• Deuteronomy,
• Joshua,
• Judges,
• Ruth,
• The First Book of Samuel,
• The Second Book of Samuel,
• The First Book of Kings,
• The Second Book of Kings,
• The First Book of Chronicles,
• The Second Book of Chronicles,
• The First Book of Esdras,
• The Second Book of Esdras,
• The Book of Esther,
• The Book of Job,
• The Psalms,
• The Proverbs,
• Ecclesiastes or Preacher,
• Cantica, or Songs of Solomon,
• Four Prophets the greater,
• Twelve Prophets the less.

And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:

• The Third Book of Esdras,
• The Fourth Book of Esdras,
• The Book of Tobias,
• The Book of Judith
• The Song of the Three Children,
• The Story of Susanna,
• Of Bel and the Dragon,
• The rest of the Book of Esther,
• The Book of Wisdom,
• Jesus the Son of Sirach,
• Baruch the Prophet,
• The Prayer of Manasses,
• The First Book of Maccabees,
• The Second Book of Maccabees.

All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.

We limit not the truth of God
to our poor reach of mind,
by notions of our day and sect,
crude, partial, and confined.
no, let a new and better hope
within our hearts be stirred:
The Lord hath yet more light and truth
to break forth from his word.

Who dares to bind to one's own sense
the oracles of heaven,
for all the nations, tongues and climes
and all the ages given?
That universe, how much unknown!
The ocean unexplored!
The Lord hath yet more light and truth
to break forth from his word.

O Father, Son, and Spirit, send
us increase from above;
enlarge, expand all Christian souls
to comprehend thy love,
and make us to go on, to know
with nobler powers conferred:
The Lord hath yet more light and truth
to break forth from his word.

George Rawson (1807-1889)
Hymn 629, Hymnal 1982

This is part of 39 Articles of Religion in the 40 Days of Lent, Sinden.org's Lenten devotion.

Previously: Articles I, II, III, IV & V

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