5 September 2015 A.D. 6th of 39 Articles, “Sufficiency of Holy Scriptures”—Archbishop Matthew Parker’s “Prefaces to the Bible”

 

5 September 2015 A.D. 6^th of 39 Articles, “Sufficiency of Holy Scriptures”—Archbishop Matthew Parker’s “Prefaces to the Bible”

Jones, Thomas R. “An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles.” NewScriptorium. N.d. http://newscriptorium.com/assets/docs/anglican/39-articles/jones39reformers.htm. Accessed 7 Jun 2015.

An Exposition of the Thirty Nine Articles, By the Reformers: Extracts carefully and fully selected from the Works of Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer, Hooper, Jewel, Philpot, Pilkington, Coverdale, Becon, Bradford, Sandys, Grindal, Whitgift, Etc.

      “What meant the fathers of the Church in their writings, but the advancing of those holy books? where, some do attribute no certainty of undoubted verity but to the canonical Scriptures. ... Some say that our faith must needs stagger if it be not grounded upon the authority of Scripture.  Some testify that Christ and his Church ought to be avouched out of the Scriptures, and do contend in disputation that the true Church cannot be known but only by the Holy Scriptures. ... Wherefore, let men extol the Church practices as highly as they can, and let them set their traditions and customs, their decisions in synods ... yet will we be bold to say with St. Peter, ‘We have for our part a more stable ground, the prophetical words (of the Scriptures,) and doubt not to be commended therefore of the same.’ ... Now, therefore, knowing and believing with St. Paul, ‘Whatsoever is afore written, is written for our instruction, that we, through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope;’ the only surety to our faith and conscience is to stick to the Scriptures.” – Archbp. Parker’s Prefaces to the Bible.

Article 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 rest of the Book of Esther, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus the Son of Sirach, Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the Three Children, The Story of Susanna, Of Bel and the Dragon, 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.